UNLOCKING OF DIGITAL CONTENT BASED ON GEO-LOCATION OF OBJECTS

• US 20140349721A1
• Filed: 05/23/2013
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Dawson, C. Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 9,764,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a system configured to unlock digital content related to toys associated with users. The digital content may be unlocked based on the associations between the toys and the users, and presence of objects associated with user accounts at predetermined geographic locations. The predetermined geographic locations may be locations within theme parks, restaurants, stores, and/or hotels. The toys associated with the users may include, for example, toys owned by the users. The toys may include physical toys and/or virtual toys in a virtual space. The objects associated with user accounts may include, for example, a mobile phone belonging to the user. The user accounts may be electronic accounts associated with individual users that include information related to the toys associated with users and information related to the objects.

Claims

1. A system configured to unlock digital content related to toys associated with users, the digital content being unlocked based on the associations between the toys and the users, and presence of objects associated with user accounts at predetermined geographic locations within a theme park, the system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to generate output signals conveying information related to presence of the objects in the predetermined geographic locations, the predetermined geographic locations including a first predetermined geographic location; and

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising;

a user module configured to maintain the user accounts, the user accounts being associated with individual users, the user accounts including information related to the toys associated with users and the objects associated with the user accounts, the user accounts including a first user account associated with a first user, the first user account including information related to a first toy associated with the first user and a first object associated with the first user account;

a location module configured to detect whether the objects are in the predetermined geographic locations based on the output signals, the location module configured to detect whether the first object is in the first predetermined geographic location; and

an unlock module configured to unlock the digital content related to the toys associated with the users responsive to detection of the objects in the predetermined geographic locations such that, responsive to a first detection indicating that the first object has been detected in the first predetermined geographic location, first digital content associated with the first toy is unlocked to reflect the first detection.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the unlock module is configured such that the unlocking of the digital content related to the toys associated with the users comprises effectuating presentation of the digital content in or near the geographic locations.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the unlock module is configured such that the digital content includes one or more of a mini-game, a movie, a movie preview, or at least a portion of a scavenger hunt.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the unlock module is configured such that the unlocking of the digital content related to the toys associated with the users comprises unlocking virtual content related to the toys within a virtual space

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the unlock module is configured such that the virtual content related to the toys within a virtual space comprises one or more of a skill, a language, a power, a quest, a pet, a level, a ride, a weapon, a character, a virtual good, or a scene.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the unlock module is configured such that the unlocked digital content is available for immediate and/or later engagement by the users via the objects associated with the user accounts.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the unlock module is configured such that the unlocked digital content is available for engagement by the users via gaming consoles.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the unlock module is configured to temporarily unlock the digital content related to the toys associated with the users until the objects are no longer detected in the predetermined geographic locations by the location module.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the user module is configured to update the information in the user accounts to include information related to toys purchased by the users in the theme park.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the user module is configured such that the toys associated with the users include physical toys in the physical world and/or virtual toys in a virtual space.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to generate output signals conveying information related to presence of the first object in the first predetermined geographic location and a second predetermined geographic location, wherein the location module is configured to detect whether the first object has been in the first predetermined geographic location and then the second predetermined geographic location, and wherein the unlock module is configured to unlock second digital content responsive to detection of the first object in the first predetermined geographic location and then the second predetermined geographic location.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the objects include one or more of a mobile device, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wristband, or a watch.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the unlock module is configured such that the unlocking of the digital content related to the toys associated with the users comprises unlocking incentives that are redeemable in the physical world.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include one or more spatial presence sensors configured to generate output signals conveying information related to presence of the objects in the predetermined geographic locations based on changes in the field of view of the spatial presence sensors.

15. A method for unlocking digital content related to toys associated with users, the digital content being unlocked based on the associations between the toys and the users, and presence of objects associated with user accounts at predetermined geographic locations within a theme park, the method comprising:

generating output signals conveying information related to presence of the objects in the predetermined geographic locations, the predetermined geographic locations including a first predetermined geographic location;

maintaining the user accounts, the user accounts being associated with individual users, the user accounts including information related to the toys associated with users and the objects associated with the user accounts, the user accounts including a first user account associated with a first user, the first user account including information related to a first toy associated with the first user and a first object associated with the first user account;

detecting whether the objects are in the predetermined geographic locations based on the output signals, the detecting including detecting whether the first object is in the first predetermined geographic location; and

unlocking the digital content related to the toys associated with the users responsive to detection of the objects in the predetermined geographic locations such that, responsive to a first detection indicating that the first object has been detected in the first predetermined geographic location, first digital content associated with the first toy is unlocked to reflect the first detection.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the unlocking of the digital content related to the toys associated with the users comprises effectuating presentation of the digital content in or near the geographic locations.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the digital content includes one or more of a mini-game, a movie, a movie preview, or at least a portion of a scavenger hunt.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the unlocking of the digital content related to the toys associated with the users comprises unlocking virtual content related to the toys within a virtual space

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the virtual content related to the toys within a virtual space comprises one or more of a skill, a language, a power, a quest, a pet, a level, a ride, a weapon, a character, a virtual good, or a scene.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the unlocked digital content is available for immediate and/or later engagement by the users via the objects associated with the user accounts.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising temporarily unlocking the digital content related to the toys associated with the users until the objects are no longer detected in the predetermined geographic locations.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating output signals conveying information related to presence of the first object in the first predetermined geographic location and a second predetermined geographic location, detecting whether the first object has been in the first predetermined geographic location and then the second predetermined geographic location, and unlocking second digital content responsive to detection of the first object in the first predetermined geographic location and then the second predetermined geographic location.