Systems, methods, and computer readable media for providing information related to virtual environments to wireless devices

• US 8,538,488 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2012
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cavanaugh, Craig Michael, Balsley, Jacob Benjamin IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Behnamian, Shahriar
• Application Number:
  US13/444,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20120196576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 715/757, 715/771, 715/773, 715/778, 715/706, 370/352, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.1, 455/418
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are disclosed for providing information related to virtual environments. One such method includes receiving user input identifying an event related to the virtual environment for which a notification is to be provided to a mobile wireless communication device. User input is also received identifying an output to be provided by the mobile wireless communication device in response to receipt of the notification. A determination is then made that the event related to the virtual environment has occurred. In response to determining that the event occurred, the mobile wireless communication device is provided with the notification, and the output identified by the user input is provided by the mobile wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A method for providing information related to a virtual environment, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, information identifying a condition related to the virtual environment;

determining, by the processor, that a mobile wireless communication device associated with the virtual environment is within a predetermined distance of the condition;

in response to determining that the mobile wireless communication device is within the predetermined distance of the condition, providing, by the processor, a notification to the mobile wireless communication device of the condition; and

receiving, by the processor, input instructing that the notification corresponding to the condition related to the virtual environment be provided to a user of the mobile wireless communication device via a first type of output and that a further notification corresponding to a condition related to a further virtual environment be provided to the user of the mobile wireless communication device via a second type of output.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the mobile wireless communication device is within the predetermined distance of the condition comprises:

determining a location of the condition;

determining a location of the mobile wireless communication device; and

comparing the location of the mobile wireless communication device with the location of the condition.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification identifies the virtual environment to which the condition is related, describes what the condition is, and provides a location of the condition.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input instructing that the notification corresponding to the condition related to the virtual environment be sent to the mobile wireless communication device via a first form of notification message and that the further notification corresponding to the condition related to the further virtual environment be sent to the mobile wireless communication device via a second form of notification message;

in response to determining that the condition is related to the virtual environment, then sending the notification to the mobile wireless communication device via the first form of notification message; and

in response to determining that the condition is related to the further virtual environment, then sending the further notification to the mobile wireless communication device via the second form of notification message.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a further mobile wireless communication device associated with the virtual environment is within a predetermined distance of the mobile wireless communication device; and

in response to determining that the further mobile wireless communication device is within the predetermined distance of the mobile wireless communication device, then providing information regarding the further mobile wireless communication device to the mobile wireless communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition comprises an activity related to the virtual environment occurring at a location.

7. A system for providing information related to a virtual environment, comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving information identifying a condition related to the virtual environment,

determining that a mobile wireless communication device associated with the virtual environment is within a predetermined distance of the condition,

in response to determining that the mobile wireless communication device is within the predetermined distance of the condition, providing a notification to the mobile wireless communication device of the condition, and

receiving input instructing that the notification corresponding to the condition related to the virtual environment be provided to a user of the mobile wireless communication device via a first type of output and that a further notification corresponding to a condition related to a further virtual environment be provided to the user of the mobile wireless communication device via a second type of output.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein determining whether the mobile wireless communication device is within the predetermined distance of the condition comprises:

determining a location of the condition;

determining a location of the mobile wireless communication device; and

comparing the location of the mobile wireless communication device with the location of the condition.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the notification identifies the virtual environment to which the condition is related, describes what the condition is, and provides a location of the condition.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the memory comprises further instructions that cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving input instructing that the notification corresponding to the condition related to the virtual environment be sent to the mobile wireless communication device via a first form of notification message and that the further notification corresponding to the condition related to the further virtual environment be sent to the mobile wireless communication device via a second form of notification message;

in response to determining that the condition is related to the virtual environment, then sending the notification to the mobile wireless communication device via the first form of notification message; and

in response to determining that the condition is related to the further virtual environment, then sending the further notification to the mobile wireless communication device via the second form of notification message.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the memory comprises further instructions that cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

determining whether a further mobile wireless communication device associated with the virtual environment is within a predetermined distance of the mobile wireless communication device; and

in response to determining that the further mobile wireless communication device is within the predetermined distance of the mobile wireless communication device, then providing further information regarding the further mobile wireless communication device to the mobile wireless communication device.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the condition comprises an activity related to the virtual environment occurring at a location.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving information identifying a condition related to a virtual environment;

determining that a mobile wireless communication device associated with the virtual environment is within a predetermined distance of the condition;

in response to determining that the mobile wireless communication device is within the predetermined distance of the condition, providing a notification to the mobile wireless communication device of the condition; and

receiving input instructing that the notification corresponding to the condition related to the virtual environment be provided to a user of the mobile wireless communication device via a first type of output and that a further notification corresponding to a condition related to a further virtual environment be provided to the user of the mobile wireless communication device via a second type of output.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein determining whether the mobile wireless communication device is within the predetermined distance of the condition comprises:

determining a location of the condition;

determining a location of the mobile wireless communication device; and

comparing the location of the mobile wireless communication device with the location of the condition.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the notification identifies the virtual environment to which the condition is related, describes what the condition is, and provides a location of the condition.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, having further computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving input instructing that the notification corresponding to the condition related to the virtual environment be sent to the mobile wireless communication device via a first form of notification message and that the further notification corresponding to the condition related to the further virtual environment be sent to the mobile wireless communication device via a second form of notification message;

in response to determining that the condition is related to the virtual environment, then sending the notification to the mobile wireless communication device via the first form of notification message; and

in response to determining that the condition is related to the further virtual environment, then sending the further notification to the mobile wireless communication device via the second form of notification message.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, having further computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

determining whether a further mobile wireless communication device associated with the virtual environment is within a predetermined distance of the mobile wireless communication device; and

in response to determining that the further mobile wireless communication device is within the predetermined distance of the mobile wireless communication device, then providing further information regarding the further mobile wireless communication device to the mobile wireless communication device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the condition comprises an activity related to the virtual environment occurring at a location.