VIRTUAL REALITY GAMING UTILIZING MOBILE GAMING

• US 20160228770A1
• Filed: 04/13/2016
• Published: 08/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,279,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/424 involving acoustic input signals, e.g. by using the results of pitch or rhythm extraction or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/185 by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging

Abstract

A mobile device is configured as a point and shoot type weapon for gaming, training, or the like. Utilizing the mobile device based weapon, such as a smart phone for example, a user thereof can simply aim the mobile device at a target and shoot. Shooting may be accomplished by tapping the mobile device, activating a button or soft key on the mobile device, making a gesture (e.g., moving a finger as if a trigger is being pulled), providing an audible command (e.g., “shoot”), or the like.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

identifying a triggering of a first virtual element associated with a game; and

sending a first message to a first device based on information associated with a target effect area of the first virtual element, wherein the information associated with the target effect area comprises;

an indication of the location of the gaming device at a time of the triggering of the first virtual element; and

an indication of the aim angle at which the gaming device was positioned at the time of the triggering of the first virtual element.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the game is based on a physical geographic area associated with the gaming device and the first device.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the first virtual element is at least one of a beam, a projectile, or a grenade.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, the operations further comprising receiving a gesture on the gaming device that is indicative of the triggering of the first virtual element.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the indication of the aim angle at which the gaming device was positioned at the time of the triggering of the first virtual element is based on information received from a sensor, the sensor comprises one or more of the following:

a GPS-based position sensor, an accelerometer, a motion detector, an acoustic sensor, or a tilt sensor.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, the operations further comprising receiving an audible command that is indicative of the triggering of the first virtual element.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the target effect area is based on shadowing associated with physical terrain approximate to the first device.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, the operation further comprising receiving a second message from a remote gaming device, the second message comprising information associated with a second target effect area associated with a triggering of a second virtual element, the information associated with the second target effect area comprising:

an indication of a location of the gaming device at a time of the triggering of the second virtual element by the gaming device; and

an indication of an aim angle of the gaming device at the time of the triggering of the second virtual element.

9. The gaming device of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

determining that the gaming device is within the second target effect at a determined time; and

determining that the gaming device has been virtually hit by the second virtual element when the gaming device is in the second target effect area at the determined time.

10. The gaming device of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

determining that the gaming device has been virtually missed by the second virtual element when the gaming device is determined not to be in the second target effect area at a determined time.

11. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the determination as to whether the gaming device is in the second target effect area at a determined time is based on a result of an adjudication function.

12. The gaming device of claim 8, the operations further comprising determining that the gaming device has been virtually hit by the second virtual element when the distance between a current location of the second virtual element and a current location of the gaming device is less than a threshold distance.

13. The gaming device of claim 8, the operations further comprising determining that the gaming device has been virtually missed by the second virtual element when the distance between a current location of the second virtual element and a current location of the gaming device is greater than a threshold distance.

14. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the game is played within a geographic area having an edge boundary that is approximately the radio range of the gaming device.

15. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the gaming device is a projectile type weapon.

16. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the first device is a remote gaming device targeted by the gaming device.

20. The targeted gaming device of claim 16, the operations further comprising:

determining that the targeted gaming device is not within the target effect area at a determined time; and

determining that the targeted gaming device has been virtually missed by the virtual element when the targeted gaming device is not within the target effect area at the determined time.

17. A targeted gaming device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving a message associated with a game from a remote gaming device, the message comprising information associated with a target effect area of a virtual element, the information associated with the target effect area comprising;

an indication of a location of the remote gaming device at a time of triggering of the virtual element by the remote gaming device; and

an indication of an aim angle of the remote gaming device at the time of the triggering of the virtual element of the remote gaming device.

18. The targeted gaming device of claim 17, the operations further comprising:

determining that the targeted gaming device is within the target effect area at a determined time; and

determining that the targeted gaming device has been virtually hit by the virtual element when the targeted gaming device is in the target effect area at the determined time.

19. The targeted gaming device of claim 18, wherein the determination as to whether the targeted gaming device is in the target effect area at the determined time is based on a result of an adjudication function based on a depth of the targeted gaming device.