In-vehicle gaming system for a driver

• US 8,758,127 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2013
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audible Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Audible Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bavitz, Graham James, Goldsmid, Aaron Payne, Goldstein, Douglas Scott, Spector, Pamela R., Story, Guy Ashley Jr., Wang, Douglas Cho
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Application Number:
  US13/752,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20140128145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 29- 31, 463 40- 43, 701/36, 702/182, 340/435, 340/436, 340/500, 340/525, 340/540
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/217 using environment-related information, i.e. information generated otherwise than by the player, e.g. ambient temperature or humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32

Abstract

An in-vehicle gaming system may be played by a driver alone, or simultaneously or individually by a driver and/or one or more other users. The in-vehicle gaming system may be activated or controlled by, for example, touch, voice, or gesture. Gameplay is dynamically adjusted based at least in part on environmental factors such that the driver is not distracted from driving the vehicle. Game content is generated based at least in part on environmental factors and user data.

Claims

1. A system for in-vehicle gaming, the system comprising:

an electronic data store configured to store items of gameplay content, one or more of the items of gameplay content being associated with a user;

a computing device in communication with the electronic data store, the computing device configured to;

identify the user operating a vehicle;

retrieve an item of gameplay content associated with the user from the electronic data store;

cause presentation, to the user operating the vehicle, of the item of gameplay content for game play;

monitor one or more environmental factors to the vehicle as the user operates the vehicle;

determine a distraction index indicative of a distraction level of the user operating the vehicle based at least in part on the monitored one or more environmental factors;

modify the item of gameplay content based at least in part on the determined distraction index as the item of gameplay content is presented to the user for continued game play, the item of gameplay content modified to improve the distraction index; and

receive input from the user in response to the modified item of gameplay content.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is embedded in the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the presented item of gameplay content is presented to the user at least one of aurally, visually, or tactilely.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the input received from the user is at least one of voice, touch, or gesture.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein, in response to the distraction index satisfying a predefined threshold, the modified item of gameplay content is not presented to the user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the item of gameplay content is modified to be at least one of more difficult, less difficult, presented aurally, presented visually, presented tactilely, of a different genre, or of a different gameplay type.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the user accepts a liability agreement before the modified item of gameplay content is presented to the user.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein improving the distraction index is indicative of a reduced distraction of the user.

9. A system for in-vehicle gaming, the system comprising:

an electronic data store configured to store one or more items of gameplay content; and

a computing device in communication with the electronic data store, the computing device configured to;

retrieve an item of gameplay content from the electronic data store;

cause presentation, to a user operating the vehicle, the retrieved item of gameplay content;

monitor one or more environmental factors associated with at least one of the user or the vehicle as the user operates the vehicle and interacts with the presented item of gameplay content; and

in response to determining, based at least in part on the one or more monitored environmental factors, that a distraction index associated with the user satisfies a threshold,

modify the item of gameplay content as it is presented to the user for continued game play,

wherein the item of gameplay content is modified to effect a change in the distraction index with respect to the threshold, the change indicative of an improved distraction level of the user.

10. The system of claim 9, the computing device further configured to:

receive input from the user in response to the presented item of gameplay content.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the input received from the user is at least one of voice, touch, or gesture.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the computing device is embedded in the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the retrieved item of gameplay content is presented to the user at least one of aurally, visually, or tactilely.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein, in response to the distraction index satisfying a second threshold, the item of gameplay content is not presented to the user.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the monitored one or more environmental factors includes a driving history of the user.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the item of gameplay content is modified to be at least one of more difficult, less difficult, presented aurally, presented visually, presented tactilely, of a different genre, or of a different gameplay type.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the user accepts a liability agreement before enabling interaction with the item of gameplay content.

18. A computer-implemented method for modifying an in-vehicle game, the computer-implemented method comprising:

under control of one or more computing devices configured with specific computer executable instructions,

causing presentation of an in-vehicle game to a user in a vehicle while the user operates the vehicle;

monitoring one or more environmental factors to the vehicle while the vehicle is in operation and as the in-vehicle game is presented to the user in the vehicle for game play;

generating a distraction index for the user based at least in part on the one or more monitored environmental factors; and

modifying, for continued game play by the user, the presented in-vehicle game based at least in part on the generated distraction index while the vehicle is in operation.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the monitored one or more environmental factors includes a driving history of the user.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the user is interacting with the presented in-vehicle game as the user operates the vehicle.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the in vehicle game is modified to improve a distraction level of the user.

22. A computer-implemented method for modifying items of gameplay content associated with an in-vehicle game, the computer-implemented method comprising:

under control of one or more computing devices configured with specific computer executable instructions,

retrieving an item of gameplay content from an electronic data store, the item of gameplay content associated with the in-vehicle game;

causing presentation, to a user operating a vehicle, of the retrieved item of gameplay content for game play;

monitoring one or more environmental factors related to at least one of the vehicle or the user as the user operates the vehicle and interacts with the presented item of gameplay content;

determining a distraction index indicative of a distraction level of the user operating the vehicle based at least in part on the monitored one or more environmental factors; and

modifying the item of gameplay content presented to the user operating the vehicle based at least in part on the determined distraction index as the item of gameplay content is presented to the user for continued game play.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein the retrieved item of gameplay content is presented to the user at least one of aurally, visually, or tactilely.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 22 further comprising:

under control of the one or more computing devices configured with specific computer executable instructions,

receiving input from the user in response to the presented item of gameplay content,

wherein the input received from the user is at least one of voice, touch, or gesture.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 24, wherein, in response to the distraction index satisfying a predefined threshold, the item of gameplay content is not presented to the user.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein the user accepts a liability agreement before the retrieved item of gameplay content is presented to the user.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer-executable module for modifying items of gameplay content associated with an in-vehicle game, the computer-executable module being configured to:

retrieve an item of gameplay content from an electronic data store, the item of gameplay content associated with the in-vehicle game;

cause presentation, to a user operating a vehicle, of the retrieved item of gameplay content for game play;

monitor one or more environmental factors related to at least one of the vehicle or the user as the user operates the vehicle and interacts with the presented item of gameplay content;

determine a distraction index indicative of a distraction level of the user operating the vehicle based at least in part on the monitored one or more environmental factors; and

modify the item of gameplay content presented to the user operating the vehicle based at least in part on the determined distraction index as the item of gameplay content is presented to the user for continued game play.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the retrieved item of gameplay content is presented to the user at least one of aurally, visually, or tactilely.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the computer-executable module is further configured to:

receive input from the user in response to the presented item of gameplay content,

wherein the input received from the user is at least one of voice, touch, or gesture.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein in response to the distraction index satisfying a predefined threshold, input from the user is prohibited.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the user accepts a liability agreement before the retrieved item of gameplay content is presented to the user.