Methods and systems for establishing games with automation using verbal communication

• US 7,303,474 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2003
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T BLS Intelectual Property Inc (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, Dave, Busayapongchai, Senis
• Primary Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US10/603,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20040266527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 463/36, 463/35
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• 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 13/424 involving acoustic input signals, e.g. by using the results of pitch or rhythm extraction or voice recognition
• 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 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6072 of an input signal, e.g. pitch and rhythm extraction, voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/00 Speech recognition G10L17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] H04L51/04; selective video distribution H04N21/00

Abstract

Methods and systems establish games with automation using verbal communication for exchanges between the automated game and the one or more game players. Game information data is converted into verbal information that is provided to the individual. The individual provides verbal instruction which is received and converted into the instruction data. The instruction data is applied to the current game to update the current game status. Information data for the current game status is converted to verbal information for the current game status which is provided to the individual. The game may be implemented on a local device of the individual or may be network-based and accessed remotely by the individual through verbal communication over a voice connection. The voice connection may be of various forms such as a conventional voiced call to a voice services node of a telephone network or a voice-over IP voiced call on a data network.

Claims

1. A method of providing gaming with automation using verbal communication, comprising:

providing verbal information of a current game status to a first game player and a second game player from a voice synthesis device through voiced calls on a communication network, wherein the communication network includes one of;

a Public Switching Telephone Network (PSTN), a wireless communication network, and a Voice over IP (VoIP) network;

receiving verbal instructions from the first game player and the second game player at the voice synthesis device through the communication network in response to providing the verbal information;

applying the verbal instructions from the first and second game players to update the current game status;

providing verbal information of the updated current game status to the first and second game players from the voice synthesis device through the communication network; and

bridging the voiced call with the first game player with the voiced call with the second game player so that the first game player can hear the second game player but the second game player cannot hear the first game player.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the verbal instructions from the game player to update the current game status occurs at the voice synthesis device by applying speech recognition and natural language understanding.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the voice synthesis device is a personal device of the game players, the method further comprising periodically accessing a computer-implemented application over the communications network to update game data of the voice synthesis device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the verbal instructions from the game players to update the current game status occurs at a network-based computer-implemented application and wherein the voice synthesis device is a personal device of the game players that provides the verbal information directly to and receives the verbal instruction directly from the game players.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving information data at the voice synthesis device from the network-based computer-implemented application over a data network;

converting the information data into verbal information at the voice synthesis device;

interpreting the verbal instruction from the game player to produce instruction data at the voice synthesis device; and

transferring the instruction data to the network-based computer-implemented application from the voice synthesis device over the data network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the verbal instructions from the game players to update the current game status occurs at a network-based computer-implemented application.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving information data at the voice services node from the computer-implemented application;

converting the information data into verbal information at the voice services node;

interpreting the verbal instructions from the game players to produce instruction data at the voice services node; and

transferring the instruction data to the network-based computer-implemented application from the voice services node.

8. A system for providing gaming with automation using verbal communication, comprising:

a voice services node that receives information data, converts the information data to verbal information and provides the verbal information of a current game status over a voiced call with a first game player, receives verbal instruction from the first game player over the voiced call in response to providing the verbal information, converts the verbal instruction to instruction data, and provides the instruction data;

a network-based computer-implemented application that provides information data to the voice services node, receives the instruction data and applies the instruction data to update a current game status, and wherein the information data comprises data specifying the update to the current game status;

wherein the voice services node bridges the voiced call with the first game player to the second voiced call with a second game player; and

wherein the voice services node bridges the voiced call with the first game player to the second voiced call with the second game player such that the first game player can hear the second game player but the second game player cannot hear the first game player.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a profile database containing profile data for the first game player, and wherein the network-based computer-implemented application accesses the profile data for the first game player based on verification of the first game player to configure the game being played.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the verbal instruction from the first game player comprises profile information for configuring the game being played, wherein the voice services node converts the profile information into profile data included in the instruction data, and wherein the network-based computer-implemented application stores profile data in the profile database for subsequent use in configuring the game being played.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the voice services node provides the verbal information of a current game status to the second player through the communications network over a second voiced call, receives verbal instruction from the second player over the second voiced call, converts the verbal instruction of the second game player to instruction data, and provides the instruction data, and wherein the network-based computer-implemented application applies the instruction data to further update the game status.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the network-based computer implemented application also provides visual information, in coordination with the verbal information provided from the voice services node, to a display device of the game player.

12. A system for providing gaming with automation using verbal communication, comprising:

a voice services node that receives information data, converts the information data to verbal information and provides the verbal information of a current game status over a voiced call with the game player, receives verbal instruction from the game player over the voiced call in response to providing the verbal information, converts the verbal instruction to instruction data, and provides the instruction data;

a network-based computer-implemented application that provides information data to the voice services node, receives the instruction data and applies the instruction data to update a current game status, and wherein the information data comprises data specifying the update to the current game status; and

wherein the voice services node provides the verbal information of a current game status to a second player through the communications network over the voiced call, receives verbal instruction from the second player over the voiced call, distinguishes the voice of the second game player from the voice of the first game player, converts the verbal instruction of the second game player to second instruction data, and provides the second instruction data, and wherein the network-based computer-implemented application applies the second instruction data to further update the game status.