Relative positioning and virtual objects for mobile devices

• US 6,287,200 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Sharma, Dipanshu
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H..
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kim T.
• Application Number:
  US09/461,015
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 463/30, 463/31, 463/39, 463/40, 463/42, 463/43, 463/44, 455/95, 455/151.2
• US Class Current: 463/40
• 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 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8023 the game being played by multiple players at a common site, e.g. in an arena, theatre, shopping mall using a large public display

Abstract

Multiple participants can play a virtual game with each other utilizing respective mobile devices, regardless of location of the players. The virtual game can be implemented by a radio frequency protocol, such that the virtual game is played by multiple players determined to be within a radio frequency range of a requesting mobile device in accordance with a radio frequency protocol, or the virtual game can be implemented by a wireless application protocol (WAP) whereby the players can be located anywhere in the world.

Claims

1. A method for virtual interaction among a plurality of participants having mobile devices, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a request for participation acknowledgment data and positioning system position coordinates from a requesting mobile device to potential participating mobile devices;

transmitting participation acknowledgment data and position coordinates from said potential participating mobile devices to said requesting mobile device;

calculating, by said requesting mobile device, relative positions of all of said potential participating mobile is devices which transmit participation acknowledgment data and position coordinates;

identifying all participating mobile devices;

displaying the position of all of said participating mobile devices; and

virtually interacting, utilizing a virtual application program, among said participating mobile devices.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said requesting mobile device transmits said request for participation acknowledgment data and position coordinates to potential participating mobile devices within a radio frequency range of said requesting mobile device in accordance with a radio frequency protocol.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said radio frequency protocol is a Bluetooth radio frequency protocol.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein said step of identifying said participating mobile devices includes the sub-steps of:

identifying the position coordinates, by said requesting mobile device, of all of said potential participating mobile devices which transmitted participation acknowledgment data and position coordinates to said requesting mobile device to the others of said potential participating mobile devices which transmitted participation acknowledgment data and position coordinates to said requesting mobile device;

each of said identified potential participating mobile devices performing handshaking processing with the others of said identified potential participating mobile devices;

each of said identified potential participating mobile devices transmitting to said requesting mobile device identification information of those of said identified potential participating mobile devices with which said handshaking processing was completed; and

said requesting mobile device identifying said participating mobile devices as being those of said identified potential participating mobile devices which complete said handshaking processing with each other.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said requesting mobile device only displays the position of said participating mobile devices.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said virtual interaction is performed among all of said participating mobile devices which are within the common, permissible radio frequency protocol range of each other.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein all of said participating mobile devices which are within the common, permissible radio frequency range of said requesting mobile device and each other perform a further step of displaying the relative positions of all of said participating mobile devices.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein each of said mobile devices includes a motion sensor and an application program to facilitate said step of virtually interacting.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said requesting mobile device transmits said request for participation acknowledgment data and position coordinates to potential participating mobile devices utilizing a wireless application protocol (WAP).

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said WAP is running on a data packet network.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein said requesting mobile device transmits said request for participation acknowledgment and position coordinates via a processor which is connected to a WAP server.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said requesting mobile device transmits said request to said processor utilizing a radio frequency protocol.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said radio frequency protocol is a Bluetooth radio frequency protocol.

14. A method according to claim 9, wherein said requesting mobile device transmits said request to an application server.

15. A method according to claim 9, wherein said potential participating mobile devices transmit said participation acknowledgment data and position coordinates to a WAP server.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said potential participating mobile devices transmit said participation acknowledgment data and position coordinates to said respective processors utilizing a radio frequency protocol.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein said radio frequency is a Bluetooth radio frequency protocol.

18. A method according to claim 9, wherein said potential participating mobile devices transmit said participation acknowledgment data and position coordinates to a WAP server.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein said participating mobile devices transmit a display of said virtual interaction to an external display device.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said external display device includes any of a television monitor, a computer monitor and a virtual reality headset.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein said participating mobile devices transmit the display of said virtual interaction to said external display device utilizing a radio frequency protocol.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said radio frequency protocol is a Bluetooth protocol.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein said radio frequency protocol is a home RF protocol.

24. A method according to claim 14, wherein application server is a WAP server.

25. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of virtually interacting among said participating mobile devices includes playing a virtual game.

26. A method according to claim 1, wherein said positioning system is a Global Positioning System (GPS).