Geogame for mobile device

• US 8,702,506 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2010
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S
• Application Number:
  US12/914,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20110081973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 463/30, 463/31, 463/33, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/00 Card games aspects of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions showing representations related to the game A63F13/00; card games played on a gaming machine G07F17/32
• 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 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5372 for tagging characters, objects or locations in the game scene, e.g. displaying a circle under the character controlled by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location

Abstract

In a geographic location based game (geogame), players, utilizing wireless devices, are required to continuously physically move within a defined boundary throughout the geogame. The wireless devices, with the aid of a location system, such as GPS, track the movements of the players. As players move, virtual tails are generated behind each player, and their locations are determined and geocast, via a wireless geographic broadcast protocol, to all players of the geogame. Each player observes all players movements and tail locations on his/her wireless device. If a player stops moving, the player is expelled from the game. If a player exits the confines of the boundary, the player is expelled from the game. If a player crosses a virtual tail, the player is expelled from the game. If two virtual tails cross, both players are expelled from the game. The last player remaining is the winner.

Claims

1. A wireless device comprising:

a processor; and

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

determining a boundary for a geographic location based game;

determining a current location of the wireless device;

determining if the wireless device is within the boundary;

if it is determined that the wireless device is not within the boundary, determining that a player utilizing the wireless device to participate in the game is penalized;

generating a virtual tail for the wireless device, the virtual tail having a first end and a second end, the first end representing a least recent location of the wireless device, the second end representing a most recent location of the wireless device, the virtual tail representing a path taken by the wireless device;

determining if the wireless device crosses a virtual tail;

if it is determined that the wireless device crosses a virtual tail, determining that a player utilizing the wireless device to participate in the game is penalized;

geocasting an indication of the boundary, wherein geocasting the indication comprises providing the indication via a geocast protocol comprising an indication of a location of a geographic region of intended reception;

geocasting the indication of the current location of the device;

if a player is penalized, geocasting an indication that the player is penalized;

geocasting an indication of the virtual tail;

receiving geocasts from other devices participating in the game;

rendering a representation of the boundary;

rendering a representation of the current location of the device;

rendering a representation of a current location of another device participating in the game;

rendering an indication that a player is penalized;

rendering a representation of the virtual tail of the device; and

rendering a representation of a virtual tail of another device participating in the game.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

if a player is penalized;

geocasting an indication why the player was penalized; and

rendering an indication why the player was penalized.

3. The wireless device of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

determining a velocity of motion of the wireless device;

determining if the velocity is equal to or less than a threshold velocity; and

if it is determined that the velocity is equal to or less than the threshold velocity, determining that a player utilizing the wireless device to participate in the game is penalized.

4. The wireless device of claim 3, wherein the threshold velocity is equal to zero.

5. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein:

the first end of the virtual tail represents a location of the wireless device at the start of the game; and

the second end of the virtual tail represents a current location of the wireless device.

6. The wireless device of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

determining if the virtual tail of the wireless device crosses a virtual tail of another device; and

if it is determined that the virtual tail of the wireless device crosses a virtual tail of another device, determining that a player utilizing the wireless device is penalized.

7. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the boundary represents regions located at distinct, different, physical locations.

8. A method comprising:

determining a boundary for a geographic location based game, each player of the game utilizing a respective wireless device to participate in the game;

geocasting an indication of the boundary, wherein geocasting the indication comprises providing the indication via a geocast protocol comprising an indication of a location of a geographic region of intended reception, each wireless device participating in the game configured to process the geocast protocol;

for each device participating in the game;

receiving the geocast indication of the boundary;

determining a current location of each respective device;

determining if each respective device is within the boundary;

if it is determined that a device is not within the boundary, determining that a player utilizing the device that is not within the boundary is penalized; and

for each penalized player, geocasting an indication that a respective player is penalized;

generating a virtual tail for each device participating in the game, each virtual tail having a first end and a second end, each first end representing a least recent location of a respective device, each second end representing a most recent location of a respective device, each virtual tail representing a path taken by a respective device;

geocasting an indication of a virtual tail for each device participating in the game;

determining if each device participating in the game crosses a virtual tail;

if it is determined that a device crosses a virtual tail, determining that a player utilizing the device that crossed the virtual tail is penalized.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

rendering on each device, a representation of the boundary; and

rendering on each device, a representation of a current location of each device.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining a velocity of motion of each device;

determining if the velocity of each device is equal to or less than a threshold velocity; and

if it is determined that a velocity of a device is equal to or less than the threshold velocity, determining that a player utilizing a respective device to participate in the game is penalized.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising rendering on each device, a representation of a velocity of each device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the threshold velocity is equal to zero.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the first end of the virtual tail represents a location of a respective device at the start of the game; and

the second end of the virtual tail represents a current location of a respective device.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising rendering on each device, a representation of a virtual tail of each device.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining if a virtual tail of a device crosses a virtual tail of another device; and

if it is determined that a virtual tail of a device crosses a virtual tail of another device, determining that a player utilizing a device whose tail has crossed another tail is penalized.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the boundary represents regions located at distinct, different, physical locations.

17. A method comprising:

determining a boundary for a geographic location based game;

determining a current location of a wireless device participating in the game;

determining if the wireless device is within the boundary;

if it is determined that the wireless device is not within the boundary, determining that a player utilizing the wireless device to participate in the game is penalized;

generating a virtual tail for the wireless device, the virtual tail having a first end and a second end, the first end representing a least recent location of the wireless device, the second end representing a most recent location of the wireless device, the virtual tail representing a path taken by the wireless device;

determining if the wireless device jumped a virtual tail;

if it is determined that the wireless device jumped a virtual tail, determining that a player utilizing the wireless device to participate in the game is penalized;

geocasting an indication of the boundary, wherein geocasting the indication comprises providing the indication via a geocast protocol comprising an indication of a location of a geographic region of intended reception;

geocasting the indication of the current location of the wireless device;

if a player is penalized, geocasting an indication that the player is penalized;

geocasting an indication of the virtual tail;

receiving geocasts from other devices participating in the game;

rendering a representation of the boundary;

rendering a representation of the current location of the wireless device;

rendering a representation of a current location of another device participating in the game;

if a player is penalized, rendering an indication that the player is penalized;

rendering a representation of the virtual tail of the wireless device; and

rendering a representation of a virtual tail of another device participating in the game.

18. A wireless device comprising:

a processor; and

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

determining a boundary for a geographic location based game;

determining a current location of a wireless device participating in the game;

determining if the wireless device is within the boundary;

if it is determined that the wireless device is not within the boundary, determining that a player utilizing the wireless device to participate in the game is penalized;

generating a virtual tail for the wireless device, the virtual tail having a first end and a second end, the first end representing a least recent location of the wireless device, the second end representing a most recent location of the wireless device, the virtual tail representing a path taken by the wireless device;

determining if the wireless device jumped a virtual tail;

if it is determined that the wireless device jumped a virtual tail, determining that a player utilizing the wireless device to participate in the game is penalized;

geocasting the indication of the boundary, wherein geocasting the indication comprises providing the indication via a geocast protocol comprising an indication of a location of a geographic region of intended reception;

geocasting an indication of the current location of the wireless device;

if a player is penalized, geocasting an indication that the player is penalized;

geocasting an indication of the virtual tail

receiving geocasts from other devices participating in the game;

rendering a representation of the boundary;

rendering a representation of the current location of the wireless device;

rendering a representation of a current location of another device participating in the game;

if a player is penalized, rendering an indication that the player is penalized;

rendering a representation of the virtual tail of the wireless device; and

rendering a representation of a virtual tail of another device participating in the game.

19. A tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising:

determining a boundary for a geographic location based game;

determining a current location of a wireless device participating in the game;

determining if the wireless device is within the boundary;

if it is determined that the wireless device is not within the boundary, determining that a player utilizing the wireless device to participate in the game is penalized;

generating a virtual tail for the wireless device, the virtual tail having a first end and a second end, the first end representing a least recent location of the wireless device, the second end representing a most recent location of the wireless device, the virtual tail representing a path taken by the wireless device;

determining if the wireless device jumped a virtual tail;

if it is determined that the wireless device jumped a virtual tail, determining that a player utilizing the wireless device to participate in the game is penalized;

geocasting the indication of the boundary, wherein geocasting the indication comprises providing the indication via a geocast protocol comprising an indication of a location of a geographic region of intended reception;

geocasting the indication of the current location of the wireless device;

if a player is penalized, geocasting an indication that the player is penalized;

geocasting an indication of the virtual tail

receiving geocasts from other devices participating in the game;

rendering a representation of the boundary;

rendering a representation of the current location of the wireless device;

rendering a representation of a current location of another device participating in the game;

if a player is penalized, rendering an indication that the player is penalized;

rendering a representation of the virtual tail of the wireless device; and

rendering a representation of a virtual tail of another device participating in the game.

20. A tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising:

determining a boundary for a geographic location based game;

determining a current location of a wireless device participating in the game;

determining if the wireless device is within the boundary;

if it is determined that the wireless device is not within the boundary, determining that a player utilizing the wireless device to participate in the game is penalized;

generating a virtual tail for the wireless device, the virtual tail having a first end and a second end, the first end representing a least recent location of the wireless device, the second end representing a most recent location of the wireless device, the virtual tail representing a path taken by the wireless device;

determining if the wireless device crossed a virtual tail;

if it is determined that the wireless device crossed a virtual tail, determining that a player utilizing the wireless device to participate in the game is penalized;

geocasting the indication of the boundary, wherein geocasting the indication comprises providing the indication via a geocast protocol comprising an indication of a location of a geographic region of intended reception;

geocasting the indication of the current location of the wireless device;

if a player is penalized, geocasting an indication that the player is penalized;

geocasting an indication of the virtual tail

receiving geocasts from other devices participating in the game;

rendering a representation of the boundary;

rendering a representation of the current location of the wireless device;

rendering a representation of a current location of another device participating in the game;

if a player is penalized, rendering an indication that a player is penalized;

rendering a representation of the virtual tail of the wireless device; and

rendering a representation of a virtual tail of another device participating in the game.