Location-based games and augmented reality systems

• US 9,352,216 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mullen Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey D. Mullen
• Inventors: Mullen, Jeffrey D
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US13/973,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20130344958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 463/31, 463/32, 463/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• 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 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 : Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 : characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 : player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 : for changing the position of the virtual 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 2300/8082 : Virtual reality

Abstract

Handheld location based games are provided in which a user'"'"'s physical location correlates to the virtual location of a virtual character on a virtual playfield.

Augmented Reality (AR) systems are provided in which video game indicia are overlaid onto a user'"'"'s physical environment. A landscape detector is provided that may obtain information about the user'"'"'s landscape, in addition to the user'"'"'s location, in order to provide overlaying information to an AR head-mounted display and control information to non-user controlled video game characters.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program logic thereon for performing the method comprising:

providing 3-D video game indicia to a transparent head-mounted display with respect to a physical playfield based on video game logic;

utilizing a detector to determine landscape characteristics of said physical playfield, wherein said video game logic utilizes said landscape characteristics in providing said video game; and

utilizing a locating device to determine the physical location of said locating device on said physical playfield, wherein said video game logic utilizes the physical location of said locating device in providing said video game.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising proving a first video game character and a second video game character to said transparent head-mounted display.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising providing a first video game character and a second video game character, wherein said first video game character is computer controlled and said second video game character is manually controlled.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a first video game character; and

utilizing a manual controller to provide input signals to impact said video game.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising utilizing a peripheral terminal.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising utilizing manual input controls.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising utilizing a receiver.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

utilizing manual input controls;

utilizing a receiver; and

utilizing a peripheral terminal.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising a second locating device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising second 3-D video game indicial, wherein said second 3-D video game indicia is semi-transparent.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising accessing a remote database to impact said video game.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said video game is a single player video game.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said video game is a multiple player video game.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said video game is a single player video game that includes a plurality of computer-controlled video game characters.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said video game is a multiple player video game that includes a plurality of computer-controlled video game characters.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising utilizing a sensor that determines direction.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising utilizing a sensor that determines pitch.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising utilizing a sensor that determines roll.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising utilizing a virtual currency in said video game.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising sensing a physical object and virtualizing said physical object as a virtual object.