Interactive installation for interactive gaming

• US 8,043,156 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2007
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Jordan, Charles Ryan, Blossom, Jonathan, Ackley, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bumgarner; Melba
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hylinski; Steven J.
• Application Number:
  US11/833,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20080039206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 463 40- 42, 463/39
• US Class Current: 463/23
• 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 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/537 for exchanging game data using a messaging service, e.g. e-mail, SMS, MMS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to systems for providing an interactive experience to game participants.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, via a digital communication network, a presence of a game participant in a gaming area in response to detection of a signature associated with said game participant at said gaming area;

transmitting, via said digital communication network, media content associated with said game participant to a device associated with a human judge in response to said detecting said presence to notify said human judge of said presence and to provide said human judge said media content associated with said game participant, said media content relating to performance of said game participant in an attempt to complete a task;

receiving, via said digital communication network, one or more messages from said human judge indicative of said attempt by said game participant to complete said task as evaluated by said human judge at least partly by observing at least a portion of said media content; and

selectively advancing a game state associated with said game participant at a game server to a subsequent game state in response to said received one or more messages indicative of said attempt by said game participant to complete said task.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising setting a location server to announce an arrival of a mobile device in response to detecting a gaming state associated with said game participant and/or said mobile device, and wherein said detecting said presence comprises receiving a message from said location server announcing said arrival.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more messages comprise information indicating whether said game participant had successfully completed said task as observed by said human judge.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said device associated with said human judge comprises a mobile device, and wherein said method further comprises:

detecting said device associated with said human judge in said gaming area; and

registering said human judge in response to receipt of an input from said human judge at said device associated with said human judge.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said signature is associated with a device co-located with said participant.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said detecting said presence of said game participant comprises detecting an RFID code at an RFID reader at said gaming area, said RFID code being associated with said game participant.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said detecting said presence of said game participant comprises detecting a barcode signature at a barcode reader at said gaming area, said barcode signature being associated with said game participant.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said signature comprises a biometric signature associated with said participant.

9. The method of claim 1, and further comprising selectively sending a message to said game participant requesting to re-attempt completion of said task in response to said received one or more messages indicating a failed attempt to complete said task.

10. A method comprising:

detecting a presence of a game participant in a gaming area;

transmitting, via a digital communication network, at least one message indicative of said detection of said presence;

in response to said transmission of said at least one message indicative of said detection, receiving, via said digital communication network, metadata indicative of at least a portion of a game state, said metadata being indicative of one or more personal characteristics unique to said game participant; and

generating a special effect for presentation to said game participant directly through a display screen and/or a speaker of a mobile device from media content received at said gaming area from a remote content server, said special effect being based, at least in part, on said metadata being indicative of said one or more personal characteristics unique to said game participant and a location at which said presence of said game participant is detected, wherein said game participant is provided an interactive gaming experience at least partly via said mobile device as said game participant progresses through multiple stages of said interactive gaming experience at least partly via one or more interactions at multiple interactive installations of said gaming area.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said detecting said presence of said game participant comprises detecting an RFID code at an RFID reader at said gaming area, said RFID code being associated with said game participant.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said detecting said presence of said game participant comprises detecting a barcode signature at a barcode reader at said gaming area, said barcode signature being associated with said game participant.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said detecting said presence of said game participant comprises detecting a biometric signature associated with said game participant.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said metadata being indicative of said one or more personal characteristics unique to said game participant is indicative of a gender of said game participant.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said metadata being indicative of said one or more personal characteristics unique to said game participant is indicative of an age of said game participant.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said metadata being indicative of said one or more personal characteristics unique to said game participant is indicative of a birth date of said game participant.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said metadata is further indicative of one or more personal preferences of said game participant.

18. The method of claim 10, and further comprising:

receiving said media content at an interactive installation located at said gaming area via said digital communication network; and

decoding said received media content data at said interactive installation to present said special effect to said game participant.

19. The method of claim 10, and further comprising:

transmitting said media content to a mobile device co-located with said game participant according to a wireless communication protocol.

20. The method of claim 19, and further comprising:

enabling presentation of said special effect through one or more output devices associated with said mobile device.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a computing platform, said computing platform comprising one or more processors programmed with instructions to;

detect a presence of a game participant in a gaming area in response to detection of a signature associated with said game participant;

transmit, via a digital communication network, media content associated with said game participant to a device associated with a human judge in response to said detection of said signature associated with said game participant in said gaming area to notify said human judge of said presence and to provide said human judge said media content associated with said game participant, said media content relating to performance of said game participant in an attempt to complete a task;

receive, via said digital communication network, one or more messages from said human judge indicative of said attempt by said game participant to complete said task as evaluated by said human judge at least partly by observing at least a portion of said media content; and

selectively advance a game state associated with said game participant to a subsequent game state in response to said received one or more messages indicative of said attempt by said game participant to complete said task.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said one or more messages comprise information indicating whether said game participant had successfully completed said task as observed by said human judge.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said one or more processors are further programmed with instructions to detect said presence of said game participant in response to detection of an RFID code at an RFID reader at said gaming area, said RFID code being associated with said game participant.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said one or more processors are further programmed with instructions to detect said presence of said game participant in response to detection of a barcode signature at a barcode reader at said gaming area, said barcode signature being associated with said game participant.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said signature comprises a biometric signature associated with said participant.

26. An apparatus comprising:

a computing platform, said computing platform comprising one or more processors programmed with instructions to;

detect a presence of a game participant in a gaming area;

transmit, via a digital communication network, at least one message indicative of said detection of said presence;

in response to said transmission of said at least one message indicative of said detection, receive, via said digital communication network, metadata indicative of at least a portion of a game state and one or more personal characteristics unique to said game participant; and

initiate generation of a special effect for presentation to said game participant directly through a display screen and/or a speaker of a mobile device from media content received at said gaming area from a remote content server, said special effect being based, at least in part, on said metadata indicative of said one or more personal characteristics unique to said game participant and a location at which said presence of said game participant is detected, wherein said special effect is provided through said display screen and/or said speaker of said mobile device as said game participant progresses through multiple stages of an interactive gaming experience via one or more interactions at multiple interactive installations of said gaming area.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said one or more processors are further programmed with instructions to detect said presence of said game participant in response to detecting an RFID code at an RFID reader at said gaming area, said RFID code being associated with said game participant.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said one or more processors are further programmed with instructions to detect said presence of said game participant in response to detection of a barcode signature at a barcode reader at said gaming area, said barcode signature being associated with said game participant.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said one or more processors are programmed with instructions to detect said presence in response to detection of a biometric signature associated with said game participant.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said metadata indicative of said one or more personal characteristics unique to said game participant is indicative of a gender of said game participant.

31. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said metadata indicative of said one or more personal characteristics unique to said game participant is indicative of an age of said game participant.

32. An apparatus comprising:

means for detecting a presence of a game participant in a gaming area in response to detection of a signature associated with said game participant at said gaming area;

means for transmitting media content associated with said game participant to a device associated with a human judge in response to said detecting said presence to notify said human judge of said presence and to provide said human judge said media content associated with said game participant, said media content relating to performance of said game participant in an attempt to complete a task;

means for receiving one or more messages from said human judge indicative of said attempt by said game participant to complete said task as evaluated by said human judge at least partly by observing at least a portion of said media content; and

means for selectively advancing a game state associated with said game participant at a game server to a subsequent game state in response to said received one or more messages indicative of said attempt by said game participant to complete said task.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said means for detecting said presence of said game participant comprises means for detecting an RFID code at an RFID reader at said gaming area, said RFID code being associated with said game participant.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said means for detecting said presence of said game participant comprises means for detecting a barcode signature at a barcode reader at said gaming area, said barcode signature being associated with said game participant.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said signature comprises a biometric signature associated with said participant.

36. An apparatus comprising:

means for detecting a presence of a game participant in a gaming area;

means for transmitting at least one message indicative of said detection of said presence;

means for receiving metadata indicative of at least a portion of a game state in response to said transmission of said at least one message indicative of said detection, said metadata being indicative of one or more personal characteristics unique to said game participant; and

means for generating a special effect for presentation to said game participant directly through a display screen and/or a speaker of a mobile device from media content received at said gaming area from a remote content server, said special effect being based, at least in part, on said metadata indicative of said one or more personal characteristics unique to said game participant and a location at which said presence of said game participant is detected, wherein said special effect is provided through said display screen and/or said speaker of said mobile device as said game participant progresses through multiple stages of an interactive gaming experience via one or more interactions at multiple interactive installations of said gaming area.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said means for detecting said presence of said game participant comprises means for detecting an RFID code at an RFID reader at said gaming area, said RFID code being associated with said game participant.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said means for detecting said presence of said game participant comprises means for detecting a barcode signature at a barcode reader at said gaming area, said barcode signature being associated with said game participant.

39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said means for detecting said presence of said game participant comprises means for detecting a biometric signature associated with said game participant.

40. An article comprising:

a non-transitory medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which are executable by a computing platform to;

detect a presence of a game participant in a gaming area in response to detection of a signature associated with said game participant;

transmit, via a digital communication network, media content associated with said game participant to a device associated with a human judge in response to said detection of said signature associated with said game participant in said gaming area to notify said human judge of said presence and to provide said human judge said media content associated with said game participant, said media content relating to performance of said game participant in an attempt to complete a task;

receive, via said digital communication network, one or more messages from said human judge indicative of said attempt by said game participant to complete said task as evaluated by said human judge at least partly by observing at least a portion of said media content; and

selectively advance a game state associated with said game participant at a game server to a subsequent game state in response to said received one or more messages indicative of said attempt by said game participant to complete said task.

41. The article of claim 40, wherein said one or more messages comprise information indicating whether said game participant had successfully completed said task as observed by said human judge.

42. An article comprising:

a non-transitory medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which are executable by a computing platform to;

initiate transmission, via a digital communication network, of at least one message indicative of a presence of a game participant in a gaming area in response to detection of said presence;

in response to said transmission of said at least one message indicative of said presence, receive, via said digital communication network, metadata indicative of at least a portion of a game state and one or more personal characteristics unique to said game participant; and

initiate generation of a special effect for presentation to said game participant directly through a display screen and/or a speaker of a mobile device from media content received at said gaming area from a remote content server, said special effect being based, at least in part, on said metadata indicative of said one or more personal characteristics unique to said game participant and a location at which said presence of said game participant is detected, wherein said special effect is provided through said display screen and/or said speaker of said mobile device as said game participant progresses through multiple stages of an interactive gaming experience via one or more interactions at multiple interactive installations of said gaming area.