DYNAMIC PHYSICAL AGENT FOR A VIRTUAL GAME

• US 20160325180A1
• Filed: 05/06/2015
• Published: 11/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: BUNKER, Jeffrey O., LOWE, Robert R., NELSON, Robert H.
• Granted Patent: US 10,143,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/217 using environment-related information, i.e. information generated otherwise than by the player, e.g. ambient temperature or humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• 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: A63F 13/825 Fostering virtual characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls

Abstract

Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for creating out-of-game objectives for a computer game. Embodiments include determining user identification information identifying a user account within a computer game. Communications with a first physical device are established. In response to an in-game event within the computer game, embodiments configure the first physical device to detect a first out-of-game activity by configuring the first physical device with one or more conditions that are satisfied when data collected using one or more sensors of the first physical device exceeds a defined threshold value, and that, when satisfied, indicate the first out-of-game activity is completed. Upon receiving, from the first physical device, an indication that the out-of-game activity has been completed, embodiments affect one or more gameplay attributes of the computer game for the user account, based on the completed out-of-game activity.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer program code that, when executed, performs an operation comprising:

determining user identification information identifying a user account within a computer game;

establishing communications with a first physical device associated with the user account;

in response to an in-game event within the computer game, configuring the first physical device to detect a first out-of-game activity by configuring the first physical device with one or more conditional statements for data collected using one or more sensors of the first physical device, and that, when satisfied, indicate the first out-of-game activity is completed; and

upon receiving, from the first physical device, an indication that the out-of-game activity has been completed, affecting one or more gameplay attributes of the computer game for the user account, based on the completed out-of-game activity.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the out-of-game activity comprises performance of a user action, and wherein the first physical device is configured to detect the performance of the user action has occurred based on the data collected using the one or more sensors exceeding a defined threshold value, wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of an accelerometer, a light sensor, and a microphone sensor.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein affecting one or more gameplay attributes of the computer game based on the completed out-of-game activity further comprises:

identifying a first avatar, within the computer game, that corresponds to a user performing the user action, based on the determined user identification information; and

providing a reward to the first avatar within the computer game, based on the completed out-of-game activity.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein providing the reward to the first avatar further comprises granting, to the first avatar, at least one of one or more experience points, one or more skill points, one or more skills, a virtual item and a cosmetic customization.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein providing the reward to the first avatar further comprises unlocking gameplay content for the user account within the computer game, such that the unlocked gameplay content is available for the user account.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver, wherein the first out-of-game activity comprises the first physical device being located at a specified geographic location, and wherein the first physical device is configured to detect when a determined location of the first physical device matches the specified geographic location.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include a light-detecting sensor, wherein the first out-of-game activity comprises the first physical device being within a physical environment having a measure of luminosity that is greater than a predefined level of luminosity, and wherein the first physical device is configured to detect the measure of luminosity using based on the data collected using the light-detecting sensor.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein configuring the first physical device to detect the first out-of-game activity further comprises:

configuring the first physical device to provide one or more forms of user feedback in response to detecting the first out-game-game activity.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein establishing communications with a first physical device associated with the user account further comprises:

detecting the first physical device is connected to a base device in communication with a computer system on which the computer game is executing; and

establishing a connection with the first physical device, through the base device.

10. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory containing computer program code that, when executed, performs an operation comprising;

determining user identification information identifying a user account within a computer game;

establishing communications with a first physical device associated with the user account;

in response to an in-game event within the computer game, configuring the first physical device to detect a first out-of-game activity by configuring the first physical device with one or more conditional statements for data collected using one or more sensors of the first physical device, and that, when satisfied, indicate the first out-of-game activity is completed; and

upon receiving, from the first physical device, an indication that the out-of-game activity has been completed, affecting one or more gameplay attributes of the computer game for the user account, based on the completed out-of-game activity.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the out-of-game activity comprises performance of a user action, and wherein the first physical device is configured to detect the performance of the user action has occurred based on the data collected using the one or more sensors exceeding a defined threshold value, wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of an accelerometer, a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver, a light sensor, and a microphone sensor.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein affecting one or more gameplay attributes of the computer game based on the completed out-of-game activity further comprises:

identifying a first avatar, within the computer game, that corresponds to a user performing the user action, based on the determined user identification information; and

providing a reward to the first avatar within the computer game, based on the completed out-of-game activity.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein providing the reward to the first avatar further comprises granting, to the first avatar, at least one of one or more experience points, one or more skill points, one or more skills, a virtual item and a cosmetic customization.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein providing the reward to the first avatar further comprises unlocking gameplay content for the user account within the computer game, such that the unlocked gameplay content is available for the user account.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more sensors include a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver, wherein the first out-of-game activity comprises the first physical device being located at a specified geographic location, and wherein the first physical device is configured to detect when a determined location of the first physical device matches the specified geographic location.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more sensors include a light-detecting sensor, wherein the first out-of-game activity comprises the first physical device being within a physical environment having a measure of luminosity that is greater than a predefined level of luminosity, and wherein the first physical device is configured to detect the measure of luminosity using based on the data collected using the light-detecting sensor.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein configuring the first physical device to detect the first out-of-game activity further comprises configuring the first physical device to provide one or more forms of user feedback in response to detecting the first out-game-game activity.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein establishing communications with a first physical device associated with the user account further comprises:

detecting the first physical device is connected to a base device in communication with a computer system on which the computer game is executing; and

establishing a connection with the first physical device, through the base device.

19. A method, comprising:

determining user identification information identifying a user account within a computer game;

establishing communications with a first physical device associated with the user account;

in response to an in-game event within the computer game, configuring the first physical device to detect a first out-of-game activity by configuring the first physical device with one or more conditional statements for data collected using one or more sensors of the first physical device, and that, when satisfied, indicate the first out-of-game activity is completed; and

upon receiving, from the first physical device, an indication that the out-of-game activity has been completed, affecting one or more gameplay attributes of the computer game for the user account, based on the completed out-of-game activity.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the out-of-game activity comprises performance of a user action, wherein the first physical device is configured to detect the performance of the user action has occurred based on the data collected using the one or more sensors exceeding a defined threshold value, wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of an accelerometer, a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver, a light sensor, and a microphone sensor, and wherein affecting one or more gameplay attributes of the computer game based on the completed out-of-game activity further comprises:

identifying a first avatar, within the computer game, that corresponds to a user performing the user action, based on the determined user identification information; and

providing, based on the completed out-of game-activity, a reward within the computer game by granting, to the first avatar, at least one of one or more experience points, one or more skill points, and one or more skills.