System and method for defining an augmented reality character in computer generated virtual reality using coded stickers

• US 8,401,343 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2012
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deetectee Microsystems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Edwin Braun
• Inventors: Braun, Edwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US13/430,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20120244939A1
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 382/306, 705/10, 463 31- 42, 345/98
• US Class Current: 382/306
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments

Abstract

A system and method for defining an augmented reality character in a computer game having multiple players uses a portable cellular communications device having a camera. Tags are used comprising patterns which are scanned by the camera and transmitted to a game server. The pattern is translated by the server into an augmented reality item, being either a person or a character. The augmented reality item is transmitted to the camera and displayed to the gamer transposed over the object upon which the tag is placed.

Claims

1. A system for defining an augmented reality item in a computer game having at least one gamer, said system comprising:

a. A portable camera having a wireless transmitter and capable of detecting;

b. At least one tag comprising a pattern readable by said portable camera and indecipherable wherein the camera forms a digital pattern signal for transmission by said wireless transmitter over a wireless network;

c. A game server comprising a wireless receiver for receiving said pattern signal over said wireless network;

d. A computer processor connected to said game server for receiving the digital pattern signal from said game server;

e. A software program executed by said computer processor for converting the digital pattern signal into an AR image code; and

,

f. A searchable database connected to the computer processor and containing a plurality of AR image codes corresponding to a plurality of digital pattern signals representing a plurality of AR items;

g. Wherein the computer processor searches said database for said AR image code stored within the database, locates an AR item corresponding to the AR image code, and transmits an AR item signal to the portable camera wherein it is displayed to said at least one gamer;

wherein the AR item comprises the placement of at least three tags on a game object and wherein said at least three tags are coded and matched to each other the database of AR items, so that the camera detection of a single tag of the at least three tags results in the game server processing the at least three tags thereby generating the AR item signal to the camera.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the portable camera is integral with a cellular telephone and wherein said wireless transmitter is said cellular telephone.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said wireless network is a cellular telephone network.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the pattern is one of a passive pattern and an active pattern.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said passive pattern is detectable by the portable camera under a condition of ambient light.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the active pattern comprises a pattern of infrared light emitted by an at least one infrared emitter fixed to the at least one tag.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the pattern is derived from a tool assisted tag.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the pattern comprises a quantity of IR reflective paint and said tool is an IR flashlight or an IR strobe light.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein said at least one infrared emitter comprises an infrared emitting LED.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the AR item is one of an AR character or an AR asset.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one tag is invisible to said at least one gamer.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the pattern is programmable by the at least one gamer and wherein the at least one gamer stores said programmable pattern in the database.

13. The system of claim 1 further including a GPS receiving device connected to the cellular telephone which identifies a geographical location of the gamer and transmits said geographical location as a set of GPS telephone coordinates to the game server.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein a plurality of tags are deployed in the game and wherein the database further includes GPS coordinates of said plurality of tags so that upon receipt of a set of GPS telephone coordinates the server transmits to the gamer the location of a subset of the plurality of deployed game tags comprising tags within a predetermined proximity to the set of GPS telephone coordinates.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the tags comprise a second subset of tags identified by a gamer name and a gamer AR item and a corresponding game achievement level so that when one of said second plurality of tags is detected by the camera of a co-gamer the database will transmit to the co-gamer camera said gamer name and display said gamer AR item and said corresponding game achievement level.

16. A method for a computer game defining an augmented reality item, wherein said computer game is played by at least one gamer, said method comprising the following steps:

a. Deploying a plurality of game tags comprising a respective plurality of patterns;

b. Connecting a game server to a wireless communications network, wherein said game server comprises a computer processor, a database of AR items and a software program;

c. Using a portable camera having a wireless transmitter connected to said wireless communications network, detecting at least one tag of said plurality of game tags;

d. Using said portable camera scanning a corresponding pattern disposed on said at least one tag;

e. Using the portable camera creating a digital pattern signal;

f. Transmitting said digital pattern signal over said wireless communications network to said game server;

g. Using said software program converting the digital pattern signal into an AR image code; and

h. Using the software program, searching said AR image database and finding an AR image corresponding to said AR image code;

i. Transmitting said AR image to the portable camera; and

,

j. Transposing the AR image over a camera view of the detected at least one tag;

wherein the AR item comprises the placement of at least three tags on a game object and wherein said at least three tags are coded and matched to each other the database of AR items, so that the camera detection of a single tag of the at least three tags results in the game server processing the at least three tags thereby generating the AR item signal to the camera.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of using an LED IR emitter disposed on the game tag for emitting the pattern.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of populating the database with a first dataset comprising a set of GPS coordinates for every tag of the plurality of deployed tags.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of populating the database with a second dataset comprising an identity of said at least one gamer, an AR item corresponding to the at least one gamer and a corresponding game achievement level of the at least one gamer.