Method of communicating data from virtual setting into real-time devices

• US 7,788,081 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kuhtz, Christian, Kreiner, Barrett M., Wright, Steven A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jacob; Mary C
• Application Number:
  US11/473,342
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 703/21, 703/22
• US Class Current: 703/22
• 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 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/403 Connection between platform and handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8094 Unusual game types, e.g. virtual cooking

Abstract

A method of communicating data from a virtual setting to a real-time communication device includes launching a simulation program on a computing device, activating a communication object within the simulation program, selecting data from the simulation program and submitting the selected data to the real-time communication device over a communication link wherein a communication address is associated with the computing device.

Claims

1. A method of communicating data from a virtual setting to non-participants, the method comprising:

launching a simulation program on a computing device;

determine a status of an item in the simulation program as discovered or not discovered;

activating a communication object within the simulation program;

retrieving the status of the item; and

sending the status of the item as a text message to a communication device not participating in the simulation program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is one of a personal computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant or a gaming console.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the status of the object comprises a status of a hunted object in a treasure hunt.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication object is represented by an icon within a user interface corresponding to the simulation program.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device is one of a telephone, a cell phone, a pager and a personal digital assistant having communication capability.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the communication device has an associated identification.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the communication object is provided with the identification of the communication device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the identification of the communication device is an IP address.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the status of the object to a communications network.

10. A system for providing data from a virtual setting to a real-time setting, the system comprising:

a computing device executing a simulation program, the simulation program determining a status of an item as discovered or not discovered, the computing device sampling the simulation program according to a frame rate; and

an object included in the simulation program, wherein an activation of the object sends a text message over a network from the computing device to a real-time communication device that is not a participant in the simulation program, the text message comprising the status of the item as discovered or not discovered.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the computing device is a personal computer.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the simulation program is a computer program having a corresponding live event.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the communication device is one of a telephone, a cell phone or a personal digital assistant having a communication capability.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the communication device has an identification.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the identification includes at least one of a phone number or an internet protocol (IP) address.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the network is a public network accessible via a secure connection.

17. A computer-readable storage medium containing a computer program for communicating data from a virtual setting to a real-time device, the computer program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

launch a simulation program on a computing device that samples the simulation program according to a frame rate;

determine a status of an item in the simulation program as discovered or not discovered;

activate a communication object within the simulation program;

select data from the simulation program;

send a text message comprising the status of the item over a network from the computing device to a real-time communication device that is not a participant in the simulation program; and

send a stream of data samples reflecting a status of the simulation program to the real-time communication device.