METHOD AND SYSTEM OF CREATING A NETWORK TO FACILITATE A MULTIPLAYER GAME

• US 20180028912A1
• Filed: 07/24/2017
• Published: 02/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cinime Asia Pacific Pte Limited
• Original Assignee: Cinime Asia Pacific Pte Limited
• Inventors: CAMPBELL, Tom
• Application Number:
  US15/657,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20180028912A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of building a network between a plurality of portable computing devices to facilitate a multiplayer game. The method includes each portable computing device: receiving an audio signal at a microphone at the device; matching the audio signal to one of a plurality of pre-stored games, each game associated with a game network identifier; creating a new network identifier utilising the matched game network identifier; and creating a network using the new network identifier if the network does not exist or joining the network using the new network identifier if the network does exist. A system for building a network and a multiplayer game system are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of building a network between a plurality of portable computing devices to facilitate a multiplayer game, including:

each portable computing device;

receiving an audio signal at a microphone at the device;

matching the audio signal to one of a plurality of pre-stored games, each game associated with a game network identifier;

creating a new network identifier utilising the matched game network identifier; and

creating a network using the new network identifier if the network does not exist or joining the network using the new network identifier if the network does exist.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the audio signal is an audio watermark embedded in an audio track.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the audio signal is matched using an audio fingerprinting mechanism.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the audio signal includes a command.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of portable computing devices are co-located.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the plurality of portable computing devices are co-located within a cinema screening room.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network is a mesh and/or ad-hoc network.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network is a wireless network.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of creating the new network identifier also utilises a code common to each portable computing device.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the common code is generated based upon the time of receipt of the audio signal by the portable computing device.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the common code is generated based upon a window of predefined size surrounding the time of receipt.

12. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the common code is generated by the portable computing device.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, further including:

each portable computing device;

displaying game images on a screen at the device;

receiving input from the user; and

processing the input to generate modified game images for display at the device.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, further including:

a main display displaying game images;

wherein the main display is visible to a user of each portable computing device.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the main display is a cinema screen.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the audio signal is generated by an audio system.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the audio system is a cinema audio system.

18. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein game data is transmitted between the portable computing devices in the network.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein, at least, some of the game data is transmitted as UDP packets.

20. A system for building a network between portable computing devices to facilitate a multiplayer game, including:

a plurality of portable computing devices, each portable computing device configured to receive an audio signal at a microphone at the device, to match the audio signal to one of a plurality of pre-stored games where each game is associated with a game network identifier, to create a new network identifier utilising the matched game network identifier, to create a network using the new network identifier if the network does not exist and to join the network using the new network identifier if the network does exist.

21. A system as claimed in claim 20, including an audio system configured to generate the audio signals.

22. A system as claimed in claim 20, including a display configured to display game images relating to the multiplayer game, wherein, during use, the display is visible to a user of each portable computing device.

23. A multiplayer game system for a cinema auditorium, including:

at least several dozen portable computing devices, each portable computing device configured to receive a trigger signal when located within the cinema auditorium, to create a network identifier utilising the trigger signal, to create an ad-hoc or mesh network using the network identifier if the network does not exist and to join the network using the network identifier if the network does exist.

24. A computer readable medium configured for storing a computer program, which when executed by a processor of a portable computing device cause the device to:

receive an audio signal at a microphone of the device;

match the audio signal to one of a plurality of pre-stored games, each game associated with a game network identifier;

create a new network identifier utilising the matched game network identifier; and

create a network using the new network identifier if the network does not exist or joining the network using the new network identifier if the network does exist.