Interactive play with a computer

• US 5,855,483 A
• Filed: 03/10/1997
• Issued: 01/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Collins, Roger, Devon, Jane, Freedman, Bryan, DiGrazia, Karla, Voce, Maurice, Briggs, Chris, Jenkins, Yolanda, Ozer, Stuart, Robinson, Tony
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROVNAK, JOHN EDMUND
• Application Number:
  US08/812,917
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 273/460, 273/461, 434/62, 434/63, 434/307 R, 434/322, 345/156, 345/161, 345/168, 345/169, 345/173
• US Class Current: 434/322
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/47 involving branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible scenarios at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/493 Resuming a game, e.g. after pausing, malfunction or power failure
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/847 Cooperative playing, e.g. requiring coordinated actions from several players to achieve a common goal
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/90 Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1056 : involving pressure sensitive buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 : being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 : being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 : Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 : comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/302 : specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 : generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/632 : by branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible story developments at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 : involving process of starting or resuming a game
• 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 2300/8017 : Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00006 : Board games played along a linear track, e.g. game of goose, snakes and ladders, along an endless track A63F3/00028 - A63F3/00157, A63F3/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 : Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 : Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems

Abstract

An interactive apparatus for use with a computer, comprising a transceiver for two-way wireless communication with a plaything, the transceiver having terminals for connection to the computer, and a control device for causing the computer to send and receive information to and from the plaything via the transceiver to enable the plaything to provide interactive fantasy simulation of the behavior of a corresponding real-world object. In another aspect, the invention provides a method for enabling fantasy play using a computer and a plaything, comprising at the plaything, delivering output and receiving input associated with the fantasy play, and generating control signals at the computer for controlling the output based on the input, and by wireless communication sending the control signals from the computer to the plaything and sending the input from the plaything to the computer.

Claims

1. Interactive apparatus for use with a computer, comprising

a transceiver for two-way communication with a plaything that is configured as a fantasy representation of a corresponding utilitarian object,

a control device for causing the computer to send and receive information to and from the plaything via the transceiver, and

a fantasy play program that is stored and executable at the plaything and that uses the received information to enable the plaything to provide interactive fantasy simulation of the behavior of the corresponding utilitarian object.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control device comprises computer instructions.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transceiver comprises a connector for attachment to a communications port of the computer.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, 4, 5, or 6 further comprising a touch sensitive input surface for receiving touch input from a user of the plaything.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, 5, or 6 further comprising a speaker and a voice synthesizer coupled to the plaything which cooperate with the fantasy play program to deliver synthesized voiced utterances at the plaything.

12. The apparatus recited in claim 1, 4, 5, 6, or 9 wherein the plaything further comprises a computer data input device.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, 4, 5, 6, or 9 wherein the communication is wireless.

4. Interactive apparatus for use with a computer, comprising

a transmitter for communication to a plaything that is configured as a fantasy representation of a corresponding utilitarian object,

a control device for retrieving from the computer and sending, via the transmitter to the plaything, synthesized voiced utterances, and

a fantasy play program that is stored and executable at the plaything and that cooperates with the transmitter to enable playback of the synthesized voiced utterances at the plaything.

5. Interactive apparatus for use with a computer, comprising

a receiver for reception of information transmitted from a plaything that is configured as a fantasy representation of a corresponding utilitarian object, the plaything having a locally stored and locally executable fantasy play program that cooperates with the receiver to generate the transmitted information, and

a control device for controlling the performance of multimedia material on the computer in response to the information received from the plaything.

6. A plaything comprising

visual and tactile elements that simulate a utilitarian object and impart a fantastic aura to the plaything to enable fantasy play, where the visual and tactile elements comprise elements of a driver simulator,

an input device for receiving input from a user of the plaything,

a locally stored and locally executable fantasy play program,

an output device that cooperates with the fantasy play program to provide controlled output to the user to aid in the fantasy play, and

a transceiver connected to the input and output devices and to the visual and tactile elements, for two-way communication with a computer.

9. Interactive apparatus comprising

a computer,

a plaything that is configured as a fantasy representation of a corresponding utilitarian object,

a transceiver coupled to the plaything for two-way communication with the plaything,

a control device coupled to the computer for causing the computer to send and receive information to and from the plaything via the transceiver, and

a fantasy play program that is stored and executable at the plaything and that uses the received information to enable the plaything to provide interactive fantasy simulation of the behavior of the corresponding utilitarian object.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the control device comprises computer instructions.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the transceiver comprises a connector for attachment to a communications port of the computer.