Social interaction during online gaming

• US 9,004,998 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2011
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Coulson, John Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US13/696,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20130190062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,394 Days
• Field of Search: 463/7, 463/8, 463/23, 463/32
• US Class Current: 463/7
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• 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 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying

Abstract

Technology is described for enabling social interaction during online gaming. In some examples, the technology can include receiving from a remote device a movement signal indicating an actual movement of a human sports player during a real sporting event in which the human sports player is participating; receiving from a local control device a control signal from a user, wherein the control signal indicates input to a simulation; comparing the received movement signal with the received control signal; computing based on the comparison a score to award to the user; and awarding the computed score to the user.

Claims

1. A method performed by a computing system having a processor and memory, comprising:

receiving from a remote device a movement signal indicating an actual movement of a human sports player during a real sporting event in which the human sports player is participating;

receiving from a local control device a control signal from a user, wherein the control signal indicates input to a full motion simulator;

comparing the received movement signal with the received control signal;

actuating the full motion simulator based on the received movement signal;

computing based on the comparison a score to award to the user; and

awarding the computed score to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising comparing the awarded score to a set of scores awarded to other users.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an indication to provide a view in a specified direction;

transmitting an indication of the specified direction; and

receiving a video sequence wherein the video sequence is representative of a view in the specified direction in relation to the human sports player.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the video sequence is received from one of multiple remote video cameras located proximate to the sports player.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving movement signals in three dimensions.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising receiving control signals in at least two dimensions.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying on one or more panoramic images proximate to the user a view observed by one or more cameras proximate to the sports player.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the full motion simulator comprises a seat configured to provide simulated feedback.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the full motion simulator comprises an enclosure configured to provide simulated feedback.

10. A system, comprising:

a remote system, proximate to a human sports player participating in a real sporting event, configured to observe inputs provided by the human sports player indicative of a desired movement, and/or actual movements of the human sports player;

to receive signals from one or more cameras;

to transmit indications of the observations as movement signals; and

to transmit a video sequence based on the signals received from at least one of the cameras; and

a local system, proximate to a user participating in a simulation of the real sporting event, configured to receive inputs from the user;

compare the inputs received from the user with received movement signals;

actuate a full motion simulator based on the received movement signal; and

compute based on the comparison a score to award to the user.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising a component configured to award the computed score to the user.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising an electronic game.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the remote system comprises one or more microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors to observe movement of the human sports player in multiple directions, wherein each MEMS sensor is configured to detect movement and/or rotation in one or more axes.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the remote system comprises a global positioning system antenna.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the remote system comprises a radio frequency identification unit.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the local system comprises the full motion simulator.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the local system comprises one or more panoramic displays.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the local system comprises one or more audio sound recording and playback mechanisms.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions which, if executed by a computing component, cause the computing component to perform operations comprising:

receiving from a remote device a first movement signal indicating an actual movement of a first human sports player during a real sporting event in which the first human sports player is participating;

receiving from a local control device a control signal from a user, wherein the control signal indicates input to a full motion simulator;

comparing the received first movement signal with the received control signal;

actuating the full motion simulator based on the received first movement signal;

computing based on the comparison a score to award to the user; and

awarding the computed score to the user.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, further storing executable instructions which, if executed by a computing component, cause the computing component to perform operations further comprising:

receiving an indication to provide a view in a specified direction;

transmitting an indication of the specified direction; and

receiving a video sequence wherein the video sequence is representative of a view in the specified direction in relation to the first human sports player.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, further storing executable instructions which, if executed by a computing component, cause the computing component to perform operations further comprising:

selecting a second human sports player participating in the real sporting event;

in accordance with the selecting of the second human sports player, receiving from the remote device a second movement signal indicating an actual movement of the second human sports player during the real sporting event in which the second human sports player is participating;

in accordance with receiving the second movement signal, automatically ceasing actuating the full motion simulator based on the received first movement signal; and

automatically starting;

comparing the received second movement signal with the received control signal;

actuating the full motion simulator based on the received second movement signal;

computing, based on the comparison of the received second movement signal with the received control signal, a score to award to the user; and

awarding the computed score to the user.