Interactive entertainment using a mobile device with object tagging and/or hyperlinking

• US 9,480,913 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2011
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WhiteWater West Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: WhiteWater West Industries Limited
• Inventors: Briggs, Rick Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): D'Agostino, Paul A
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRAY, BRANDON RAMON
• Application Number:
  US13/269,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20120190455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,849 Days
• Field of Search: 463/40, 463/42, 463/29, 463/30
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• 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 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• 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 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/53 involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• 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: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• 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

Systems and methods for an interactive game using a multi-functional hand-held personal mobile device, such as a smart phone or entertainment device use the smart phone or other mobile device to find and/or activate various effects and items in the real world, then connect those items and effects together to provide a purpose to finding the effects/items consistent with the game theme. Embodiments include themes related to a treasure hunt with items that may or may not respond to the player detecting or finding them. In other embodiments, the mobile device may trigger and activate multiple layers of videos, phone calls, internet access, texts, voiceovers, puzzles and numerous other actions and results tied into a complex gaming adventure.

Claims

1. A method for interactive gaming, the method comprising:

providing a tag configured to be captured by a mobile device, the mobile device having a processor and a local memory and the mobile device being configured to wirelessly connect to a remote memory;

determining, using the processor of the mobile device, if data associated with the tag is stored in the local memory of the mobile device;

retrieving game information from the remote memory for display on the mobile device if no data associated with the tag is stored in the local memory of the mobile device; and

displaying the game information retrieved from the remote memory on the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying the game information comprises displaying a video on the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein retrieving the game information from the remote memory comprises wirelessly connecting to a web server via the internet.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device comprises a cellular telephone.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the tag is configured to be captured by the mobile device by transmitting or receiving a Bluetooth signal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the tag is configured to be captured by the mobile device based on the mobile device periodically transmitting a signal to automatically discover when the tag is within a designated proximity of the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a gaming device coupled with the tag, wherein a gaming function is activated on the gaming device if the mobile device captures the tag.

8. A method for interactive gaming, the method comprising:

capturing a video image of a gaming object using a mobile device having an integrated camera;

processing the video image for identifying the gaming object;

wirelessly connecting to a network for retrieving game information to display on the mobile device if the gaming object cannot be identified by processing the video image; and

displaying the game information retrieved from the network on the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein displaying the game information comprises augmenting real-time video from the mobile device with the game information.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein displaying the game information comprises playing audio on the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein capturing the video image comprises capturing a physical tag associated with the gaming object.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the physical tag comprises a matrix barcode.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the physical tag comprises an active tag that projects encoded information that can be captured by the integrated camera of the mobile device.

23. The method of claim 8 wherein displaying the game information comprises wirelessly connecting to a web server via the internet.

14. A method for interactive gaming, the method comprising:

downloading an application to a handheld mobile device, the application having an action that corresponds to a tag;

associating the tag with one of a plurality of gaming devices within a designated gaming environment;

capturing the tag using the handheld mobile device;

processing, using the handheld mobile device, the tag captured from one of the plurality of gaming devices for recognizing the tag to select the action that corresponds to the tag; and

connecting to a network to retrieve game information associated with the tag captured from one of the plurality of gaming devices if the tag is not recognized by the handheld mobile device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein capturing the tag comprises:

transmitting a signal from the handheld mobile device to one of the plurality of gaming devices; and

receiving a signal from one of the plurality of gaming devices within the designated proximity of the handheld mobile device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein transmitting comprises transmitting device pairing information in conformance with a communications standard.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein transmitting and receiving comprises transmitting and receiving a Bluetooth signal.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein capturing comprises capturing a visual representation of the tag associated with one of the plurality of gaming devices.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising displaying the game information on the handheld mobile device.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein displaying the game information comprises superimposing computer generated images or text over at least a portion of an image of an actual scene captured by the handheld mobile device.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein displaying the game information comprises replacing at least a portion of an image of an actual scene captured by the handheld mobile device with computer generated images or text.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein displaying the game information comprises displaying a video.

24. The method of claim 14 wherein the network is one of a cellular network, satellite network, or WiFi network.

25. The method of claim 14 wherein connecting to the network comprises wirelessly connecting to a web server via the internet.