Performing a competition between teams by means of modular units

• US 8,038,532 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2003
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Kortenoeven, Robert, Neervoort, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis; David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel; Matthew D.
• Application Number:
  US10/521,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20050288100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,016 Days
• Field of Search: 463 39- 42, 463 2- 6, 273/237, 273/238, 273/239, 273/447, 273/448, 273/454, 273/455, 273/460
• US Class Current: 463/39
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/27 characterised by a large display in a public venue, e.g. in a movie theatre, stadium or game arena
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console

Abstract

This invention relates to a method of performing a competition between teams by means of at least two sets of modular units (20A, 20B; 21A, 21B; 22A, 22B). The invention further relates to a modular unit for performing a competition between teams. Said method comprises the steps of connecting a first set of modular units (20A, 21A, 22A) to a second set of modular units (20B, 21B, 22B), wherein each set comprises at least one modular unit (10); determining which first modular unit in the first set is connected to which second modular unit or units in the first set; determining which third modular unit in the second set is connected to which fourth modular unit or units in the second set; determining a set of information items for at least one modular unit, wherein each information item individually relates to a specific modular unit in said sets (20A, 20B; 21A, 21B; 22A, 22B); and wherein said set of information items represents competition-related information, and wherein said set of information items depends on the way in which said modular units are located relative to one another, a property for each modular unit and of which first competition performed; distributing the set of information items to the corresponding modular units; and presenting said set of information items on the modular units. A modular unit, when used in conjunction with more modular units, can thus provide a freely selectable field of any form or shape for performing a competition, such as sports or games.

Claims

1. A method of performing a competition between teams by means of at least two sets of modular units, the method comprising acts of:

connecting a first set of modular units to a second set of modular units, wherein each set of modular units comprises at least one modular unit;

determining a set of information items for at least one modular unit, wherein each information item individually relates to a specific modular unit in the first and second sets, wherein the set of information items represents competition-related information, wherein the determined set of information items comprises connection-related information indicating relative physical locations of each of said connected modular units relative to each other of said connected modular units;

creating a common game space including the determined set of information items based on the indication of the relative physical locations of each of said connected modular units relative to each other of said connected modular units such that the relative physical locations between the connected modular units defines a game space including a size and shape of a play field and thereby which competition is first performed; and

presenting the set of information items on the connected modular units during the competition.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising acts of:

receiving a first information item representing a property of a connected modular unit; and

setting a competition-related information item of connected modular units during the competition based on the received first information item.

3. A method according to claim 1, the method further comprising acts of:

receiving a second information item representing a second competition; and

setting a competition-related information item of connected modular units during the second competition based on the received second information item.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising acts of:

connecting a third modular unit to at least one of the first and second set of modular units,

receiving a third information item from the third modular unit; and

setting a competition-related information item of all connected modular units during the competition based on the received third information item.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the competition related information includes a physical layout of the common game space during the competition.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the competition related information includes a physical layout of players relative to one another within the common game space during the competition.

7. A computer system for performing a competition between teams by means of at least two sets of modular units, the computer system comprising:

means for connecting a first set of modular units to a second set of modular units, wherein each set of modular units comprises at least one modular unit;

means for determining a set of information items, wherein each information item individually relates to a specific modular unit in the first and second sets;

wherein the set of information items represents competition-related information of connected modular units during the competition, wherein the set of information items comprises connection-related information indicating relative physical locations of each of said connected modular units relative to each other of said connected modular units;

creating a common game space including the determined set of information items based on the indication of the relative physical locations of each of said connected modular units relative to each other of said connected modular units such that the relative physical locations between the connected modular units defines a game space including a size and shape of a play field and thereby which competition is first performed; and

means for presenting one of the information items during the competition.

8. The computer system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the competition related information includes a physical layout of the common game space during the competition.

9. The computer system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the competition related information includes a physical layout of players within the common game space during the competition.

10. A computer-executable code stored on a computer-readable non-transitory medium for performing a competition between teams by means of at least two sets of modular units, the code when executed by a computer, executes acts of:

connecting a first set of modular units to a second set of modular units, wherein each set of modular units comprises at least one modular unit;

determining for a set of information items at least one modular unit,

wherein each information item individually relates to a specific modular unit in the first and second sets,

wherein the set of information items represents competition-related information of connected modular units during the competition, wherein the set of information items comprises connection-related information indicating relative physical locations of each of said connected modular units relative to each other of said connected modular units;

creating a common playfield including the determined set of information items based on the indication of the relative physical locations of each of said connected modular units relative to each other of said connected modular units such that the relative physical locations between the connected modular units defines a game space including a size and shape of a play field and thereby which competition is first performed; and

presenting the set of information items on the connected modular units during the competition.

11. The computer-executable code as claimed in claim 10, wherein the competition related information includes a physical layout of the common game space during the competition.

12. The computer-executable code as claimed in claim 10, wherein the indication of which ones of the plurality of ports of the first set of modular units are connected to which ones of the plurality of ports of the second set of modular units determines a physical layout of players within the common game space during the competition.

13. A modular unit for performing a competition between teams by means of at least two sets of modular units, the modular unit comprising:

means for connecting a first set of modular units to a second set of modular units, wherein each set of modular units comprises at least one modular unit;

means for determining a set of information items, wherein each information item individually relates to a specific modular unit in the first and second sets, wherein the set of information items represents competition-related information of connected modular units during the competition, wherein the determined set of information items comprises connection-related information indicating relative physical locations of each of said connected modular units relative to each other of said connected modular units;

creating a common game space including the determined set of information items based on the indication of the relative physical locations of each of said connected modular units relative to each other of said connected modular units such that the relative physical locations between the connected modular units defines a game space including a size and shape of a play field and thereby which competition is first performed;

means for distributing the set of information items to the corresponding connected modular units in the first and second sets; and

means for presenting one of the information items during the competition.

14. The modular unit as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

means for receiving a first information item representing a property of a connected modular unit; and

means for setting a competition-related information item of the connected modular units during the competition based on the received first information item.

15. The modular unit according to claim 13, further comprising:

means for receiving a second information item representing a second competition; and

means setting a competition-related information item based on the received second information item.

16. The modular unit as claimed in claim 13, wherein the competition related information includes a physical layout of the common game space during the competition.

17. The modular unit as claimed in claim 13, wherein the competition related information includes a physical layout of players within the common game space during the competition.

18. The modular unit as claimed in claim 13, wherein competition related information includes an allocation of competition related information during the competition.

19. The modular unit as claimed in claim 13, wherein a cumulative physical layout of the connected modular units determines a layout of virtual players during the competition.

20. A modular unit for performing a competition between teams by means of at least two sets of modular units, the modular unit comprising:

means for connecting a first set of modular units to a second set of modular units, wherein each set of modular units comprises at least one modular unit;

means for determining which modular unit is connected to which second modular unit or units in the first and the second set;

means for determining a set of information items, wherein each information item individually relates to a specific modular unit in the first and second sets, wherein the set of information items represents competition-related information of connected modular units during the competition, wherein the set of information items comprises connection-related information indicating physical locations of the connected modular units relative to one another as interconnected in the first and second sets in a common game space, and wherein the competition-related information during the competition depends on the physical locations of the connected modular units relative to each another and defines the game space including a size and shape of a play field and thereby which competition is first performed;

means for distributing the set of information items to the corresponding connected modular units in the sets; and

means for presenting one of the information items during the competition.