STORYTELLING ENVIRONMENT: MAPPING VIRTUAL SETTINGS TO PHYSICAL LOCATIONS

• US 20170232358A1
• Filed: 02/11/2016
• Published: 08/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: GOSLIN, MICHAEL P., BASSETT, KATHERINE M., HASELTINE, ERIC C., OLSON, JOSEPH LOGAN
• Granted Patent: US 10,369,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/32 Acoustical or optical signalling devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/34 Arrangements for imitating the noise of motors
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/28 Arrangements of sound-producing means in dolls; Means in dolls for producing sounds
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/42 Toy models or toy scenery not otherwise covered models or scenery for general purposes G09B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied

Abstract

A method, computer-readable medium, and system are disclosed for an interactive storytelling environment. The method comprises identifying a plurality of storytelling devices available to participate in a storytelling experience, at least one of the plurality of the storytelling devices comprising a first beacon device. The method further comprises beginning playback of a first story of the storytelling experience, the first story comprising a first plurality of predetermined actions associated with a predetermined first virtual setting, the first virtual setting mapped to the first beacon device. The method further comprises determining a location of a user using the first beacon device, and during playback of the first story and using at least one of the plurality of storytelling devices, producing one or more of the at least one audiovisual effect corresponding to the first virtual setting based on the determined location of the user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

identifying a plurality of storytelling devices available to participate in a storytelling experience, each of the plurality of storytelling devices comprising an electronic device configured to perform at least one audiovisual effect, at least one of the plurality of the storytelling devices comprising a first beacon device;

beginning playback of a first story of the storytelling experience, the first story comprising a first plurality of predetermined actions associated with a predetermined first virtual setting, each of the first plurality of predetermined actions mapped to a corresponding one of the plurality of storytelling devices, the first virtual setting mapped to the first beacon device;

determining, using the first beacon device, a location of a user; and

during playback of the first story and using at least one of the plurality of storytelling devices, producing one or more of the at least one audiovisual effect corresponding to the first virtual setting based on the determined location of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of storytelling devices comprises a display device, wherein producing one or more audiovisual effects corresponding to the first story setting comprises displaying one or more predetermined visual elements associated with the first story setting using the display device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of storytelling devices comprises an audio output device, wherein producing one or more audiovisual effects corresponding to the first story setting comprises producing one or more predetermined audio elements associated with the first story setting using the audio output device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the location of the user comprises determining an initial location and a subsequent location of the user, the method further comprising at least one of:

increasing a volume of the produced one or more predetermined audio elements when the subsequent location indicates that the user is approaching the first beacon device, and

decreasing the volume of the produced one or more predetermined audio elements when the subsequent location indicates that the user is leaving the first beacon device.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of storytelling devices comprises a second beacon device, the first beacon device having a first physical location and the second beacon device having a second physical location,

wherein the first story further comprises a second plurality of predetermined actions associated with a predetermined second virtual setting, each of the second plurality of predetermined actions mapped to a corresponding one of the plurality of storytelling devices, the second virtual setting mapped to the second beacon device,

wherein producing the one or more audiovisual effects corresponding to the first virtual setting comprises:

selecting, based on the determined location of the user, the first virtual setting during playback of the story upon determining that the user is closer to the first physical location than the second physical location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of storytelling devices comprises a device that is body-worn or carried by the user, wherein the location of the user is determined based on a signal received from the body-worn or carried device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the location of the user comprises one of measuring a signal strength of a received signal from the body-worn or carried device, and performing optical range detection based on a reflected signal from the body-worn or carried device.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program code that, when executed by operation of one or more computer processors, performs an operation comprising:

identifying a plurality of storytelling devices available to participate in a storytelling experience, each of the plurality of storytelling devices comprising an electronic device configured to perform at least one audiovisual effect, at least one of the plurality of the storytelling devices comprising a first beacon device;

beginning playback of a first story of the storytelling experience, the first story comprising a first plurality of predetermined actions associated with a predetermined first virtual setting, each of the first plurality of predetermined actions mapped to a corresponding one of the plurality of storytelling devices, the first virtual setting mapped to the first beacon device;

determining, using the first beacon device, a location of a user; and

during playback of the first story and using at least one of the plurality of storytelling devices, producing one or more of the at least one audiovisual effect corresponding to the first virtual setting based on the determined location of the user.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of storytelling devices comprises a display device, wherein producing one or more audiovisual effects corresponding to the first story setting comprises displaying one or more predetermined visual elements associated with the first story setting using the display device.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of storytelling devices comprises an audio output device, wherein producing one or more audiovisual effects corresponding to the first story setting comprises producing one or more predetermined audio elements associated with the first story setting using the audio output device.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein determining the location of the user comprises determining an initial location and a subsequent location of the user, the operation further comprising at least one of:

increasing a volume of the produced one or more predetermined audio elements when the subsequent location indicates that the user is approaching the first beacon device, and

decreasing the volume of the produced one or more predetermined audio elements when the subsequent location indicates that the user is leaving the first beacon device.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8,

wherein the plurality of storytelling devices comprises a second beacon device, the first beacon device having a first physical location and the second beacon device having a second physical location,

wherein the first story further comprises a second plurality of predetermined actions associated with a predetermined second virtual setting, each of the second plurality of predetermined actions mapped to a corresponding one of the plurality of storytelling devices, the second virtual setting mapped to the second beacon device,

wherein producing the one or more audiovisual effects corresponding to the first virtual setting comprises:

selecting, based on the determined location of the user, the first virtual setting during playback of the story upon determining that the user is closer to the first physical location than the second physical location.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of storytelling devices comprises a device that is body-worn or carried by the user, wherein the location of the user is determined based on a signal received from the body-worn or carried device.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein determining the location of the user comprises one of measuring a signal strength of a received signal from the body-worn or carried device, and performing optical range detection based on a reflected signal from the body-worn or carried device.

15. A system, comprising:

a plurality of storytelling devices, each of the plurality of storytelling devices comprising an electronic device configured to perform at least one audiovisual effect, at least one of the plurality of the storytelling devices comprising a first beacon device; and

control logic configured to perform an operation comprising;

identifying the plurality of storytelling devices as being available to participate in a storytelling experience;

beginning playback of a first story of the storytelling experience, the first story comprising a first plurality of predetermined actions associated with a predetermined first virtual setting, each of the first plurality of predetermined actions mapped to a corresponding one of the plurality of storytelling devices, the first virtual setting mapped to the first beacon device;

determining, using the first beacon device, a location of a user; and

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during playback of the first story and using at least one of the plurality of storytelling devices, producing one or more of the at least one audiovisual effects corresponding to the first virtual setting based on the determined location of the user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of storytelling devices comprises a display device, wherein producing one or more audiovisual effects corresponding to the first story setting comprises displaying one or more predetermined visual elements associated with the first story setting using the display device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of storytelling devices comprises an audio output device, wherein producing one or more audiovisual effects corresponding to the first story setting comprises producing one or more predetermined audio elements associated with the first story setting using the audio output device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein determining the location of the user comprises determining an initial location and a subsequent location of the user, the operation further comprising at least one of:

increasing a volume of the produced one or more predetermined audio elements when the subsequent location indicates that the user is approaching the first beacon device, and

decreasing the volume of the produced one or more predetermined audio elements when the subsequent location indicates that the user is leaving the first beacon device.

19. The system of claim 15,

wherein the plurality of storytelling devices comprises a second beacon device, the first beacon device having a first physical location and the second beacon device having a second physical location,

wherein the first story further comprises a second plurality of predetermined actions associated with a predetermined second virtual setting, each of the second plurality of predetermined actions mapped to a corresponding one of the plurality of storytelling devices, the second virtual setting mapped to the second beacon device,

wherein producing the one or more audiovisual effects corresponding to the first virtual setting comprises:

selecting, based on the determined location of the user, the first virtual setting during playback of the story upon determining that the user is closer to the first physical location than the second physical location.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of storytelling devices comprises a device that is body-worn or carried by the user, wherein the location of the user is determined based on a signal received from the body-worn or carried device.