System and method for creating and sharing an event using a social network

• US 8,933,967 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2011
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spatial Reality LLC
• Original Assignee: Charles D. Huston
• Inventors: Huston, Charles D., Coleman, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Ajibade Akonai, Olumide T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang, Edward
• Application Number:
  US13/182,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20120004956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 4554561-4566, 345633-636, 345/653, 345/659, 709/219, 705/14.66, 705/14.67
• US Class Current: 345/633
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system and method for creating and viewing artificial reality (AR) messages at an event, such as a sporting event, and sharing the event on a social network thereby enhancing and expanding the participant and spectator experience. The AR messages include geo-referenced artificial reality words or symbols to indicate distances, tips, targets or other information to the participant. The event is shared with spectators, such as friends or a subset of friends in the participant'"'"'s social network. In addition to creating an active gallery for an event, messages can be exchanged among participants and spectators and virtual goods, money, and donations exchanged.

Claims

1. A system of sharing an event having a time and venue with members of a social network, where the event is not a social network, comprising:

a communication link between a participant in the event at the event venue and a social network to announce to one or more members of a social network an opportunity to participate in said event;

a device comprising glasses worn by said participant during the time of the event to track positions of said participant in real time during the event at the event venue;

a server associated with said social network and operable to permit one or more members of said social network to elect to become spectators to said event;

a communication link between said venue and said server associated with said social network to communicate during the time of the event said participant positions at the event venue to said server associated with said social network; and

wherein said server being operable to permit said one or more members who have elected to become spectators to said event, either in real time or historically, by connecting to said social network server and viewing said event at the event venue, wherein at least one view is a perspective view from a position at the event venue and includes an augmented reality (AR) message displayed to said one or more spectators, said server being capable of communicating said AR message during said event to said participant device for display of said AR message to said participant.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the viewing is done in real time by said one or more members from a participant position.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said server is operable to permit the one or more members to communicate messages to said participant during the event.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the background of the perspective view is a photographic image from a participant position.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the background of the perspective view is an artificial reality environment with the AR message layered on said background.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said server is operable to permit the members to award compensation to said participant based on participant activities during the event.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the compensation comprises one or more of virtual goods, virtual services, awards, trophies, money, or donations to a charity.

8. The system of claim 1, the device including a GPS receiver for determining positions at the venue for the event, and said one view is from a participant position.

9. The system of claim 1, at least one of said network links comprising a cellular network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said server connection allows spectators to communicate with said participant in real time during the event time.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said communication link and server permits speculators to award compensation to a participant.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the background to said one view is a photo image.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the background to said one view is an artificial reality background.

14. The system of claim 1, including a mobile device accompanying one or more members attending the event, said mobile device being operably connected to said server enabling said one or more attending members to view said event on said device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said device comprises a smart phone tethered to said glasses.

16. A method of compensating a participant in an event, the event being located at an event venue, where the event includes an activity having an associated time, comprising:

tracking the positions of a participant at the event venue in real time as the participant traverses the venue of the event;

communicating the positions to members of a social network who have elected to become spectators of the event;

viewing the event at the event venue by said spectators in real time where at least some of the views are a perspective view of the event venue from a participant position and includes an AR message during said event;

compensating the participant by one or more of said spectators by rewarding compensation to said participant based on a participant activity during the event, where said compensation comprises one or more virtual goods, virtual services, awards, trophies, money, or donations to a charity; and

communicating in real time AR messages to members of a social network that elect to become spectators with the AR message overlaid a background.

17. The method of claim 16, including communicating an AR message and other information from said participant to said social network.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the event includes multiple participants and participants and spectators communicate.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the AR message is overlaid a photo background.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the AR message is overlaid an artificial reality background.

21. A method of compensating a participant in an event the event being located at an event venue, where the event includes an activity having an associated time, comprising:

tracking the positions of a participant at the event venue in real time as the participant traverses the venue of the event;

communicating the positions to members of a social network who have elected to become spectators of the event;

viewing the event at the event venue by said spectators in real time where at least some of the views are a perspective view of the event venue from a participant position and includes an AR message during said event;

compensating the participant by one or more of said spectators by rewarding compensation to said participant based on a participant activity during the event, where said compensation comprises one or more virtual goods, virtual services, awards, trophies, money or donations to a charity; and

wherein said participant announces a select charity before the associated time of the event to spectators of the event.