Game pieces for use with touch screen devices and related methods

• US 9,274,641 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2011
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Heatherly, Christopher W., Mkrtchyan, Armen, Backer, Jonathan, White, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Simpson, Lixi C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham Lu, Ngan T
• Application Number:
  US13/229,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20120062490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 273236-243
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/21 characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• 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 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• 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 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1056 involving pressure sensitive buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/201 Playing authorisation given at platform level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00697 Playing pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 : Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 : Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04162 : for exchanging data with external devices, e.g. smart pens, via the digitiser sensing hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

There is provided a system and method for communicating with a first peripheral device, of a plurality of peripheral devices, using a touch-sensitive system that has a processor and a touch surface. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method includes detecting, using the processor, a plurality of touches on the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system that are made by the first peripheral device. The method further includes identifying, using the processor, the first peripheral device based on the plurality of touches on the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system that are made by the first peripheral device. The method additionally includes communicating data, using the processor, to a receptive circuit of the first peripheral device in response to the identifying of the first peripheral device.

Claims

1. A method of using a first peripheral device of a plurality of peripheral devices by a touch-sensitive system having a processor and a touch surface, the first peripheral device having a light router with a mirror and one or more light emission locations on an outer surface of the first peripheral device, the method comprising:

detecting, using the processor, a plurality of touches on the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system that are made by the first peripheral device;

identifying, using the processor, the first peripheral device based on the plurality of touches on the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system that are made by the first peripheral device;

determining a position of the first peripheral device on the touch surface, the position being a location on the touch surface where the first peripheral device touches the touch surface; and

generating a light on the touch surface at the position of the first peripheral device on the touch surface for routing the light through the light router of the first peripheral device using the mirror of the light router to present the light at the one or more light emission locations on the outer surface of the first peripheral device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of touches are contemporaneous.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first peripheral device is a car having a windshield being the one or more light emission locations on the outer surface of the first peripheral device, and wherein the light router routs the light, using the mirror of the light router, to the windshield of the first peripheral device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the light is part of an image generated by the first peripheral device on the touch surface, and wherein the one or more light emission locations display the image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first peripheral device is a car having a headlight being the one or more light emission locations on the outer surface of the first peripheral device, and wherein the light router routs the light, using the mirror of the light router, to the headlight of the first peripheral device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mirror is part of a prism having a curved surface.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising communicating data to a receptive circuit of the first peripheral device based on the position of the first peripheral device on the touch surface.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the communicating the data to the receptive circuit of the first peripheral device is performed utilizing a radio frequency (RF) transmission.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of peripheral devices has a different identity, and wherein generating the light is based on the identity of the first peripheral device identified based on the plurality of touches on the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system that are made by the first peripheral device.

10. A touch-sensitive system for use with a first peripheral device of a plurality of peripheral devices, the first peripheral device having a light router with a mirror and one or more light emission locations on an outer surface of the first peripheral device, the touch-sensitive system comprising:

a touch surface;

a processor, the processor being configured to;

detect a plurality of touches on the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system that are made by the first peripheral device;

identify the first peripheral device based on the plurality of touches on the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system that are made by the first peripheral device;

determine a position of the first peripheral device on the touch surface, the position being a location on the touch surface where the first peripheral device touches the touch surface; and

generate a light on the touch surface at the position of the first peripheral device on the touch surface for routing the light through the light router of the first peripheral device using the mirror of the light router to present the light at the one or more light emission locations on the outer surface of the first peripheral device.

11. The touch-sensitive system of claim 10, wherein the first peripheral device is a car having a windshield being the one or more light emission locations on the outer surface of the first peripheral device, and wherein the light router routs the light, using the mirror of the light router, to the windshield of the first peripheral device.

12. The touch-sensitive system of claim 10, wherein the light is part of an image generated by the first peripheral device on the touch surface, and wherein the one or more light emission locations display the image.

13. The touch-sensitive system of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of peripheral devices has a different identity, and wherein generating the light is based on the identity of the first peripheral device identified based on the plurality of touches on the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system that are made by the first peripheral device.

14. A peripheral device for use with a touch-sensitive system having a touch surface, the peripheral device comprising:

a plurality of touch points configured to contact the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system;

the plurality of touch points further configured to provide touches to the touch-sensitive system for identifying the peripheral device;

one or more light emission locations on an outer surface of the first peripheral device; and

a light router having a mirror, the light router configured to;

receive a light generated on the touch surface at the position of the peripheral device on the touch surface; and

route the light, using the mirror of the light router, to the one or more light emission locations on the outer surface of the peripheral device.

15. The peripheral device of claim 14, wherein the peripheral device is a car having a windshield being the one or more light emission locations on the outer surface of the peripheral device, and wherein the light router routs the light, using the mirror of the light router, to the windshield of the peripheral device.

16. The peripheral device of claim 14, wherein the peripheral device is a car having a headlight being the one or more light emission locations on the outer surface of the peripheral device, and wherein the light router routs the light, using the mirror of the light router, to the headlight of the peripheral device.

17. The peripheral device of claim 14, wherein the mirror is part of a prism having a curved surface.

18. The peripheral device of claim 14, wherein the light is part of an image generated by the peripheral device on the touch surface, and wherein the one or more light emission locations display the image.