Method and apparatus for remote controlled object gaming with proximity-based augmented reality enhancement

• US 8,678,876 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2011
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Persaud, Anthony G., Prentice, Adrian J., Joseph, George, Storch, Mark R.
• Primary Examiner(s): HARPER, TRAMAR YONG
• Application Number:
  US13/274,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20120302129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 446/454
• US Class Current: 446/454
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity

Abstract

Apparatuses for remote control by a remote object is disclosed that includes one or more sensors configured to communicate with the remote object to obtain ranging information of the apparatus relative to the remote object; and a processing system configured to provide local control of the apparatus based on the ranging information.

Claims

1. An apparatus for remote control by a remote object comprising:

one or more sensors configured to communicate with at least one sensor in a body area network at the remote object to obtain;

(1) ranging information of the apparatus relative to the remote object, and (2) commands generated from the body area network by a remote object processing system; and

a processing system configured to, based on the ranging information, autonomously switch between two modes comprising a first mode to perform the commands received from the remote object; and

a second mode to provide local control of the apparatus, wherein the processing system autonomously switches to the second mode such that the local control of the apparatus is provided by the processing system in response to the processing system determining that the apparatus is outside a communication range with the remote object.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to autonomously switch to the second mode and disable remote control of the apparatus if the ranging information reaches a threshold.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to autonomously switch to the first mode and enable remote control of the apparatus if the ranging information reaches a threshold.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to provide the local control of the apparatus to modify a position of the apparatus if the ranging information reaches a threshold.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processing system is further configured to modify the position of the apparatus to allow remote control of the apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes one of at least a proximity sensor and/or inertial sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote object is a mobile device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote object is configured to provide augmented reality game play.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the commands obtained from the remote object are based on one or more gestures sensed by the body area network.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the commands obtained from the remote object are generated by the remote object processing system from the one or more gestures sensed by the body area network.

11. An apparatus for remote control by a remote object comprising:

one or more means for sensing configured to communicate with at least one sensor in a body area network at the remote object to obtain;

(1) ranging information of the apparatus relative to the remote object, and (2) commands generated from the body area network by a remote object processing system; and

a means for processing configured to, based on the ranging information, autonomously switch between two modes comprising a first mode to perform the commands obtained from the remote object; and

a second mode to provide local control of the apparatus wherein the means for processing autonomously switches to the second mode such that the local control of the apparatus is provided by the means for processing when in response to the means for processing determining that the apparatus is outside a communication range with the remote object.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for processing is further configured to autonomously switch to the second mode and disable remote control of the apparatus if the ranging information reaches a threshold.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for processing is further configured to autonomously switch to the first mode and enable remote control of the apparatus if the ranging information reaches a threshold.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for processing is further configured to provide the local control of the apparatus to modify a position of the apparatus if the ranging information reaches a threshold.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for processing is further configured to modify the position of the apparatus to allow remote control of the apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the one or more means for sensing includes one of at least a proximity sensor and/or inertial sensor.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the remote object is a mobile device.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the remote object is configured to provide augmented reality game play.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the commands obtained from the remote object are based on one or more gestures sensed by the body area network.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the commands obtained from the remote object are generated by the remote object processing system from the one or more gestures sensed by the body area network.

21. A method for remote control of an apparatus by a remote object comprising:

communicating via one or more sensors of the apparatus with at least one sensor in a body area network at the remote object to obtain;

(1) ranging information of the apparatus relative to the remote object, and (2) commands generated from the body area network by a remote object processing system, wherein the communicating is performed by the apparatus; and

based on the ranging information, a processing system of the apparatus autonomously switching between at least one of two modes comprising a first mode to perform the commands obtained from the remote object; and

a second mode to provide local control of the apparatus, wherein the processing system autonomously switches to the second mode such that the local control of the apparatus is provided by the processing system in response to the processing system determining that the apparatus is outside a communication range with the remote object.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising autonomously switching to the second mode and disabling remote control of the apparatus if the ranging information reaches a threshold.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising autonomously switching to the first mode and enabling remote control of the apparatus if the ranging information reaches a threshold.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing the local control of the apparatus to modify a position of the apparatus if the ranging information reaches a threshold.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising modifying the position of the apparatus to allow remote control of the apparatus.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the ranging information is obtained from one or more sensors that include one of at least a proximity sensor and/or inertial sensor.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the remote object is a mobile device.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the remote object is configured to provide augmented reality game play.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the commands obtained from the remote object are based on one or more gestures sensed by the body area network.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the commands obtained from the remote object are generated by the remote object processing system from the one or more gestures sensed by the body area network.

31. A computer program product for remote control of an apparatus by a remote object comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions executable for;

communicating via one or more sensors of the apparatus with at least one sensor in a body area network at the remote object to obtain;

(1) ranging information of the apparatus relative to the remote object, and (2) commands generated from the body area network by a remote object processing system, and

based on the ranging information, a processing system of the apparatus autonomously switching between two modes comprising a first mode to perform the commands obtained from the remote object; and

a second mode to provide local control of the apparatus and autonomously switching to the second mode such that the local control is provided by the processing system response to determining that the apparatus is outside a communication range with the remote object.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions executable for autonomously switching to the second mode and disabling remote control of the apparatus if the ranging information reaches a threshold.

33. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions executable for autonomously switching to the first mode and enabling remote control of the apparatus if the ranging information reaches a threshold.

34. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions executable for providing the local control of the apparatus to modify a position of the apparatus if the ranging information reaches a threshold.

35. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions executable for modifying the position of the apparatus to allow remote control of the apparatus.

36. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the ranging information is obtained from one or more sensors that include one of at least a proximity sensor and/or inertial sensor.

37. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the remote object is a mobile device.

38. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the remote object is configured to provide augmented reality game play.

39. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the commands obtained from the remote object are based on one or more gestures sensed by the body area network.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein the commands obtained from the remote object are generated by the remote object processing system from the one or more gestures sensed by the body area network.

41. A remote control vehicle for remote control by a remote object comprising:

at least one antenna;

one or more sensors configured to communication with at least one sensor in a body area network at with the remote object using the at least one antenna to obtain;

(1) ranging information of the remote control vehicle relative to the remote object, and (2) commands generated from the body area network by a remote object processing system; and

a processing system configured to, based on the ranging information, autonomously switch between two modes comprising a first mode to perform the commands obtained from the remote object; and

a second mode to provide local control of the remote control vehicle, wherein the processing system autonomously switches to the second mode such that the local control of the remote control vehicle is provided by the processing system in response to the processing system determining that the remote control vehicle is outside a communication range with the remote object.

42. The remote control vehicle of claim 41, wherein the one or more sensors includes one of at least a proximity sensor and/or inertial sensor.

43. The remote control vehicle of claim 41, wherein the remote object is a mobile device.

44. The remote control vehicle of claim 41, wherein the remote object is configured to provide augmented reality game play.

45. The remote control vehicle of claim 41, wherein the processing system is further configured to autonomously switch to the first mode to re-enable the remote control of the remote control vehicle to modify a position of the remote control vehicle if the ranging information reaches a threshold to allow the remote control of the remote control vehicle.

46. The remote control vehicle of claim 41, wherein the commands obtained from the remote object are based on one or more gestures sensed by the body area network.

47. The remote control vehicle of claim 46, wherein the commands obtained from the remote object are generated by the remote object processing system from the one or more gestures sensed by the body area network.