Wireless communication system for game play with multiple remote-control flying craft

• US 9,011,250 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: QFO Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: QFO Labs, Inc.
• Inventors: Condon, John Paul, Fairman, James Edward, Pedersen, Bradley Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): MYHR, JUSTIN L
• Application Number:
  US13/843,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20140100037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 463/40, 446454-456
• US Class Current: 463/40
• 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 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 13/00 Toy figures with self-moving parts, with or without movement of the toy as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/00 Toy vehicles, e.g. with self-drive; convertible into other toys A63H33/003; Cranes, winches or the like; Accessories therefor traffic games with figures moved by players A63F9/14
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/32 Acoustical or optical signalling devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/00 Toy aircraft; Other flying toys toys with parachutes A63H33/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/12 Helicopters A63H27/04 takes precedence; Flying tops
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2203/00 Flying model aircraft, flying toy aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/77 the body being formed integrally with wings or rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/83 Electronic components structurally integrated with aircraft elements, e.g. circuit boards carrying loads
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/05 for sports or gaming, e.g. drone racing
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/26 Ducted or shrouded rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 : using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/50 : with landing legs
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/027 : the light sources being a LED
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0435 : activated by remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/36 : with infrared light source
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 : by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle

Abstract

A gaming system for enabling three-dimensional game play of remote-control craft controlled by a controller, each craft including a communication system with both radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) capabilities. The system can include a plurality of hovering remote-control flying craft each controlled by a handheld controller, and further may include at least one additional game accessory elements, such as a puck, a ground station or a gun. Each pairing of craft and controllers communicate via an RF protocol that transmits at least control communications between the controller and the craft based on pair identification information in an RF communication protocol. The craft and game-accessory elements also communicate via at least an IR protocol that communicates game-play information. Selectable pairs of craft and controllers may be assigned to different teams for playing multiplayer team games based on team identification information in the RF communication protocol.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional gaming system that enables game play among remote-control craft, the gaming system comprising:

at least four remote-control craft and at least four controllers, each craft selectively uniquely paired with and controlled by a different corresponding one of the at least four controllers via a radio-frequency (RF) communication protocol implemented between the corresponding controller and the remote-control craft that transmits at least craft control communications between a particular selectable pair of the controller and the remote-control craft based on a pair identification information contained in the RF communication protocol;

each of the at least four controllers including at least a trigger mechanism that communicates information via the RF communication protocol to a corresponding remote-control craft of the particular selectable pair for use in controlling and communicating game-play information among at least the remote-control craft via an infrared (IR) communication protocol implemented via an infrared transmitter and receiver on the corresponding remote-control craft,

wherein at least two sets of at least two of the particular selectable pairs are also selectively assigned to a different one of a plurality of teams for purposes of playing multiplayer team games based on a team identification information in the RF communication protocol.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one additional game accessory element that is equipped with an infrared transmitter and receiver to communicate via the IR communication protocol with at least one of the remote-control craft.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the at least one additional accessory element is further equipped to transmit communications via the RF communication protocol.

4. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the at least one additional accessory element is selected from the set consisting of a target puck, a reloading station, or any combination thereof.

5. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the remote-control craft are flying craft and the accessory elements are non-flying objects.

6. The gaming system of claim 2, further comprising a game-control application configured to execute on a computing device having an RF communication channel for accessing the RF communication protocol, the game-control application being programmed to dynamically display information from the gaming system related to the multiplayer team games.

7. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the RF communication channel is a short-range wireless radio-frequency communication channel between the computing device and at least one accessory element.

8. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the RF communication channel is RF communication circuitry on a USB dongle configured to utilize the RF communication protocol.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the remote-control craft and the controllers each include at least one multi-color LED configured to display a common selectable color that is the same for both the craft and the controller of the particular selectable pair and indicates the team to which the particular selectable pair of the craft and controller are assigned for purposes of playing multiplayer team games.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the multiplayer team games are selected from the set of:

Domination, Capture the Flag, Capture the Team, Elimination, King of the Hill and a game in which a plurality of users control their respective remote-control craft to chase and shoot at a designated target remote-control craft, and wherein the LED on the remote-control craft and the controllers is utilized to display game play information to users for the multiplayer team game.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising a battery-powered handheld gun that includes at least an infrared transmitter configured to communicate game play information to at least the remote control craft via the infrared (IR) communication protocol.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the remote control craft are flying hovering craft and the controllers are handheld controllers that are configured to communicate at least some control signals via the RF communication protocol in response to sensed orientation of the handheld controller.

13. A method for implementing a three-dimensional gaming system that enables game play among remote-control craft, the method comprising:

using at least one of a plurality of four controllers, selectively uniquely pairing, at least in part via a computing device processor and computing device memory that are located in the at least one of the plurality of four controllers, each of at least four remote-control craft with a different particular respective one of the plurality of four controllers via a radio-frequency (RF) communication protocol implemented between the corresponding respective controller and its respective remote-control craft based on a pair identification information contained in the RF communication protocol;

selectively assigning at least two sets of the particular selectable pairs of the controller and the remote-control craft to a different one of a plurality of teams for purposes of playing multiplayer team games based on a team identification information in the RF communication protocol;

using the corresponding controller of the particular selectable pair of the controller and the remote-control craft to communicate at least craft control communications and game-play information between the particular selectable pair via the RF communication protocol, the game-play information including control information based on activations of a trigger mechanism on the controller; and

using circuitry of the corresponding remote-control craft of the particular selectable pair of the controller and the remote-control craft to use the game-play information, the pair identification information and the team identification information in controlling and communicating game-play information among the remote-control craft via an infrared (IR) communication protocol implemented via an infrared transmitter and receiver on the corresponding remote-control craft.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing at least one additional game accessory element that is equipped with an infrared transmitter and receiver to communicate via the IR communication protocol with at least a selected set of the remote-control craft.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one additional accessory element further transmits communications via the RF communication protocol with at least the selected set of the remote-control craft.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing a game control application configured to execute on a computing device having an RF communication channel for accessing the RF communication protocol, the game-control application being programmed to dynamically display information from the gaming system related to the multiplayer team games.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the remote control craft and the controllers each include at least one multi-color LED, and the method further comprises configuring the LED to display a common selectable color that is the same for both the craft and the controller of the particular selectable pair and indicates the team to which the particular selectable pair of the craft and controller are assigned for purposes of playing multiplayer team games.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the multiplayer team games are selected from the set of:

Domination, Capture the Flag, Capture the Team, Elimination, King of the Hill and a game in which a plurality of users control their respective remote-control craft to chase and shoot at a designated target remote-control craft, and wherein configuring the LED on the remote control craft and the controllers includes utilizing the LED to display game play information to users for the multiplayer team game.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing a battery-powered handheld gun that includes at least an infrared transmitter and is configured to communicate game play information to at least the remote control craft via the infrared (IR) communication protocol.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the remote-control craft are flying hovering craft and the controllers are handheld controllers that are configured to communicate at least some control signals via the RF communication protocol in response to sensed orientation of the handheld controller.