Multiply interconnectable environmentally interactive character simulation module method and system
First Claim
1. A module comprising:
- a processor;
a display operably coupled to said processor; and
a communication device operably coupled to said processor, wherein said processor is programmed to control a simulated character, wherein an image associated with the simulated character is displayable on said display, and wherein the image is displayable on a second display of a second module to simulate movement of the simulated character from a first virtual region associated with the module to a second virtual region associated with the second module, the first virtual region being different from the second virtual region, wherein the module is operable to communicate with the second module using said communication device and wherein the processor is programmed to display a first animation sequence if the module and the second module are arranged in a first physical configuration, the first animation sequence simulating movement of the simulated character from the first virtual region to the second virtual region, and wherein the processor is programmed to display a second animation sequence if the module and the second module are arranged in a second physical configuration, the second physical configuration being different from the first physical configuration, the second animation sequence simulating movement of the simulated character from the first virtual region to the second virtual region, and the first animation sequence being different from the second animation sequence.
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Abstract
A simulated character module and method of operation are presented. The simulated character module includes a processor, a display operably coupled to the processor and a communication device operably coupled to the processor. The processor is configured to control a simulated character, and an image associated with the simulated character is displayable on the display. Further, the image is displayable on a second display of a second module to simulate movement of the simulated character to the second module. The module communicates with the second module using the communication device. Further, the image is not displayed on the display of the module if the image is displayed on the second display of the second module.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A module comprising:
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a processor; a display operably coupled to said processor; and a communication device operably coupled to said processor, wherein said processor is programmed to control a simulated character, wherein an image associated with the simulated character is displayable on said display, and wherein the image is displayable on a second display of a second module to simulate movement of the simulated character from a first virtual region associated with the module to a second virtual region associated with the second module, the first virtual region being different from the second virtual region, wherein the module is operable to communicate with the second module using said communication device and wherein the processor is programmed to display a first animation sequence if the module and the second module are arranged in a first physical configuration, the first animation sequence simulating movement of the simulated character from the first virtual region to the second virtual region, and wherein the processor is programmed to display a second animation sequence if the module and the second module are arranged in a second physical configuration, the second physical configuration being different from the first physical configuration, the second animation sequence simulating movement of the simulated character from the first virtual region to the second virtual region, and the first animation sequence being different from the second animation sequence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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7. A method of operating a module comprising:
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simulating a character; displaying a representation of the character on a display of the module; enabling the module to operably connect with a second module; simulating movement of the character from a first virtual region associated with the module to a second virtual region associated with the second module, the first virtual region not overlapping with the second virtual region, wherein simulating movement includes displaying the representation of the character on a second display of the second module, and wherein simulating movement includes not displaying the representation of the character on the display of the module if the representation of the character is displayed on the second display of the second module; and simulating movement of the character to a third module, wherein the module, the second module and the third module can be interconnected simultaneously, wherein simulating movement of the character to the third module includes displaying the representation of the character on a third display of the third module, wherein the third module is connected to the module indirectly and enabling play of a game, wherein the game is at least partly conducted by connecting an additional module to an interconnected group of modules, wherein the interconnected group of modules includes the module, the second module, and the third module. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of providing a simulated environment comprising:
providing a plurality of modules, wherein each of the plurality of modules includes a processor, a communications device operably coupled to the processor and a display device operably coupled to the processor, wherein a first of the plurality of modules is capable of being simultaneously connected with a second of the plurality of modules and a third of the plurality of modules, the second of the plurality of modules being associated with a first simulated character and the third of the plurality of modules being associated with a second simulated character, wherein connecting the first of the plurality of modules, the second of the plurality of modules and the third of the plurality of modules creates or modifies the simulated environment and enables displaying, on a display of the first of the plurality of modules, an interaction between the first simulated character and the second simulated character. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of providing a simulated environment comprising:
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providing a plurality of modules, wherein each of the plurality of modules includes a processor, a communications device operably coupled to the processor and a display device operably coupled to the processor, wherein at least one of the plurality of modules is capable of being connected with at least two others of the plurality of modules, wherein connecting the one of the plurality of modules and the at least two others of the plurality of modules creates or modifies the simulated environment, wherein said plurality of modules are operable to affect play of a game, wherein play of the game is at least partly conducted by connecting additional modules to an interconnected group of modules, wherein the interconnected group of modules includes the one of the plurality of modules and the at least two others of the plurality of modules.
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25. A system comprising:
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a first module, the first module including; a first processor, a first display operably coupled to the first processor, and a first communication device operably coupled to the first processor; and a second module, the second module including; a second processor, a second display operably coupled to the second processor, and a second communication device operably coupled to the second processor, wherein the first module and the second module are configurable in a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the position of the first module relative to the position of the second module in the first configuration is different from the position of the first module relative to the position of the second module in the second configuration, and wherein the first processor or the second processor is operable with the first display or the second display and the first communication device or the second communication device to (i) display a first animation sequence of a simulated character if the first module and the second module are configured in the first configuration, and (ii) display a second animation sequence of the simulated character if the first module and the second module are configured in the second configuration, the first animation sequence being different from the second animation sequence. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of operating a module comprising:
- simulating a character;
displaying a representation of the character on a display of the module;
enabling the module to operably connect with a second module;
simulating movement of the character from a first virtual region associated with the module to a second virtual region associated with the second module, the first virtual region not overlapping with the second virtual region, wherein simulating movement includes displaying the representation of the character on a second display of the second module, and wherein simulating movement includes not displaying the representation of the character on the display of the module if the representation of the character is displayed on the second display of the second module;
simulating movement of the character to a third module, wherein the module, the second module and the third module can be interconnected simultaneously, wherein simulating movement of the character to the third module includes displaying the representation of the character on a third display of the third module, wherein the third module is connected to the module indirectly;
displaying a first animation sequence if the module and the second module are arranged in a first physical configuration, the first animation sequence simulating movement of the character from the first virtual region to the second virtual region; and
displaying a second animation sequence if the module and the second module are arranged in a second physical configuration, the second physical configuration being different from the first physical configuration, the second animation sequence simulating movement of the simulated character from the first virtual region to the second virtual region, and the first animation sequence being different from the second animation sequence.
- simulating a character;
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30. A method of operating a module comprising:
- simulating a character;
displaying a representation of the character on a display of the module;
enabling the module to operably connect with a second module;
simulating movement of the character from a first virtual region associated with the module to a second virtual region associated with the second module, the first virtual region not overlapping with the second virtual region, wherein simulating movement includes displaying the representation of the character on a second display of the second module, and wherein simulating movement includes not displaying the representation of the character on the representation of the character is displayed on the second display of the second module;
simulating movement of the character to a third module, wherein the module, the second module and the third module can be interconnected simultaneously, wherein simulating movement of the character to the third module includes displaying the representation of the character on a third display of the third module, wherein the third module is connected to the module indirectly, wherein the module is associated with the character, the second module is associated with a second character, and the third module is associated with a third character.
- simulating a character;
Specification