Allowing media and gaming environments to effectively interact and/or affect each other

• US 7,946,918 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2006
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lampell, Michael D., Ng, Stanley C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau; Ronald
• Application Number:
  US11/530,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20080076495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 463 30- 32, 463 16- 25, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Techniques for allowing gaming and media environments to interact with which each other and/or affect each other are disclosed. The techniques are highly suitable for computing systems (or devices) that can execute games and/or present media. In one embodiment, a gaming environment can be determined and/or affected based on one or more aspects of a media environment. By way of example, gaming content and/or the gaming experience provided and/or suggested to an individual can be tailored based on his/her musical profile effectively obtained from the media environment associated with the individual (e.g., based on favorite songs, songs recently played, songs purchased). Similarly, a media environment can be determined and/or or affected by a gaming environment. By way of example, musical content provided and/or suggested to an individual can be based on his/her gaming profile (games played, games purchased, manner in which a game is played). In addition, an open media-gaming environment can be provided where various media and gaming components can be integrated together. By way of example, an individual can identify one or more of his favorite songs to be presented for a game. The game can be packaged and/or sold without the song(s) but configured to receive and effectively provide them for game play.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for playing a game on a portable media device, said method comprising:

outputting from the portable media device media content associated with a plurality of media assets wherein the media content is output in a media environment in which the game is not played;

obtaining media-data associated with the plurality of media assets output in the media environment;

determining, based on said media-data from the plurality of media assets, another plurality of media assets to output in a gaming environment wherein in the gaming environment, the game and media content from the other plurality of media assets are simultaneously output on said portable media device; and

outputting on the portable media device the game and the media content from the other plurality of media assets in said gaming environment.

2. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1,

wherein said media environment includes one or more components that can include digital media content and/or a digital media asset, and

wherein said determining and/or affecting determines and/or affects one or more components of said gaming environment.

3. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

obtaining, receiving, identifying and/or determining gaming-data that is effectively used to determine and/or affect said gaming environment.

4. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 2,

wherein said gaming-data is obtained, received, identified and/or determined based and/or by said media-data, and

wherein said media-data effectively defines and/or describes one or more aspects, characteristics, and/or content associated with said media environment.

5. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1,

wherein said media-data includes and/or is associated with a digital audio or a digital audio-visual media asset, and

wherein said digital audio asset can include one or more songs capable of being played by said portable media device.

6. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 5,

wherein said one or more songs have been played on said portable media device, and

wherein said media-data is collected for said one or more songs.

7. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 5, wherein said media-data is collected at least partially based on one or more tags associated respectively with said one or more songs.

8. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 6, wherein said one or more tags are ID3 complaint tags.

9. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1,

wherein said portable media device effectively provides a media-player capable of playing audio;

and

wherein said media-data is associated with audio that is played and/or can be played by said media-player.

10. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 9,

wherein said media-data is associated with audio played by said media-player, and

wherein said association is based on one or more of the following:

one or more favorite songs,

number of times one or more songs have been played,

a play-list listing one or more songs,

beats per minute for one or more songs,

parameters associated with playing one or more songs, wherein said parameters can include;

volume, base and/or terrible,

physical location of said portable media device, and

physical location of said portable media device when one or more of said song have been played.

11. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein said media-data is collected as meta-data which can be subsequently processed to determine gaming-data that can determine and/or affect said gaming environment.

12. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more of the following can be determined and/or affected for said gaming environment:

one or more parameters or setting for one or more games,

one or more graphical components for one or more games,

speed for playing said one or more games,

characters or components of said one or more games,

one or more specific attribute of one or more characters or components of said one or more games,

one or more general attributes associated with one or more specific and/or general characters or components of said one or more games, and

one or more specific and/or general scenes associated with one or more games.

13. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 12, wherein said media-data includes and/or is associated with one or more songs that effectively determines and/or affects said gaming environment.

14. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 13, wherein said song can be purchased in order to effectively determines and/or affects said gaming environment.

15. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 13, wherein said song is composed and/or designed to determine and/or affect said gaming environment.

16. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein said media-data can be effectively shared between a plurality of devices and/or individuals associated with said plurality of portable media devices.

17. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 16,

wherein said media-data can be used to determine gaming-data that can determine and/or affect said gaming environment, and

wherein said media-data and/or gaming-data media-data can be published for and/or shared by a gaming community.

18. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein said media-data includes or effectively provides a profile and/or a profile can be effectively derived from said media-data.

19. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 18, wherein said profile can be shared between a plurality of devices, individuals associated with said plurality of portable media devices, and/or a community.

20. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein said media-data includes and/or is based on a play list and/or list of songs that effectively determines and/or affects said gaming environment.

21. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 20, wherein said media-data determines and/or affects a game component, character, scene, and/or aspect of one or more games that can be played on said portable media device.

22. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 21, wherein one or more games include a Role Playing Game (RPG) game.

23. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 20, wherein the media-data includes and/or is determined based on one or more of the following:

title, album art, mode, genre, beats per minute of audio and/or audio-visual media.

24. A portable media device for playing one or more games, wherein said portable media device is operable to:

output from the portable media device media content associated with a plurality of media assets wherein the media content is output in a media environment in which a game is not played;

obtain media-data associated with the plurality of media assets output in the media environment;

determine, based on said media-data from the plurality of media assets, another plurality of media assets to output in a gaming environment wherein in the gaming environment, the game and media content from the other plurality of media assets are simultaneously output on said portable media device; and

outputting on the portable media device the game and the media content from the other plurality of media assets in said gaming environment.

25. A device as recited in claim 24, wherein said media content is or has been stored on said device and/or effectively identified by said portable media device.

26. A device as recited in claim 25, wherein said media content includes one or more songs, thereby allowing one or more songs to effectively determine said one or more games and/or affect playing said one or more games.