Unlocking of digital content based on geo-location of objects

• US 9,764,229 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2013
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Dawson, C. Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANH-VO V
• Application Number:
  US13/900,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20140349721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• 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 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• 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

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a system configured to unlock digital content related to toys associated with users. The digital content may be unlocked based on the associations between the toys and the users, and presence of objects associated with user accounts at predetermined geographic locations. The predetermined geographic locations may be locations within theme parks, restaurants, stores, and/or hotels. The toys associated with the users may include, for example, toys owned by the users. The toys may include physical toys and/or virtual toys in a virtual space. The objects associated with user accounts may include, for example, a mobile phone belonging to the user. The user accounts may be electronic accounts associated with individual users that include information related to the toys associated with users and information related to the objects.

Claims

1. A system configured to unlock digital content in a virtual space implemented on client computing platforms associated with users, the unlocked digital content being related to toys that are associated with user accounts of the users, the digital content being unlocked based on presence of objects associated with the user accounts at one or more predetermined geographic locations within a theme park, wherein the objects are separate and distinct from the toys, the system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to generate output signals conveying information related to presence of the objects in the one or more predetermined geographic locations, the one or more predetermined geographic locations including a first predetermined geographic location; and

one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to;

maintain the user accounts associated with the users of the virtual space, individual user accounts being associated with individual users, an individual user account including;

an association of one or more toys with the individual user account, individual ones of the one or more toys being related to digital content; and

an association of one or more objects with the individual user account;

the user accounts including a first user account, the first user account being associated with a first user, the first user account including information indicating an association of a first toy with the first user account, an association of a second toy with the first user account, and an association of a first object with the first user account, the first object being separate and distinct from the first toy and the second toy, the first toy being related to first digital content based on the first digital content featuring depictions and/or representations of the first toy, the second toy being related to second digital content based on the second digital content featuring depictions and/or representations of the second toy;

determine whether the objects are in the predetermined geographic locations based on the output signals, including determining whether the first object is in the first predetermined geographic location; and

responsive to determination of the objects being in the predetermined geographic locations, unlock the digital content related to the toys associated with the user accounts within the virtual space, the digital content being accessible via client computing platforms associated with the users, such that responsive to a first determination that the first object has been detected in the first predetermined geographic location, both the first digital content related to the first toy associated with the first user account and the second digital content related to the second toy associated with the first user account are unlocked within an instance of the virtual space that is implemented on a first client computing platform associated with the first user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein unlocking of the digital content related to the toys associated with the users further comprises effectuating presentation of the digital content on display devices in or near the geographic locations.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first digital content includes a movie preview featuring the first toy, and the second digital content includes a movie preview feature the second toy.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein unlocking of the digital content related to the toys associated with the users comprises unlocking virtual content related to the toys within instances of the virtual space implemented on client computing platforms associated with the users.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the virtual content related to the toys within a virtual space comprises one or more of a skill, a language, a power, a quest, a pet, a level, a ride, a weapon, a character, a virtual good, or a scene.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the unlocked digital content is further available for immediate and/or later access by the users via the objects associated with the user accounts.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the client computing platforms comprise gaming consoles.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to temporarily unlock the digital content related to the toys associated with the users until the objects are no longer detected in the predetermined geographic locations.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to update the information in the user accounts to include information related to toys purchased by the users in the theme park.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the toys associated with the users include physical toys in the physical world and/or virtual toys in a virtual space.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to generate output signals conveying information related to presence of the first object in the first predetermined geographic location and a second predetermined geographic location, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to detect whether the first object has been in the first predetermined geographic location and then the second predetermined geographic location, such that third digital content is unlocked responsive to detection of the first object in the first predetermined geographic location and then the second predetermined geographic location.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the objects include one or more of a mobile device, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wristband, or a watch.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the unlocking of the digital content related to the toys associated with the users further comprises unlocking incentives that are redeemable in the physical world.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include one or more spatial presence sensors configured to generate output signals conveying information related to presence of the objects in the predetermined geographic locations based on changes in the field of view of the spatial presence sensors.

15. A method for unlocking digital content in a virtual space implemented on client computing platforms associated with users, the unlocked digital content being related to toys that are associated with user accounts of the users, the digital content being unlocked based on presence of objects associated with the user accounts of the users at one or more predetermined geographic locations within a theme park, wherein the objects are separate and distinct from the toys, the method comprising:

generating output signals conveying information related to presence of the objects in the one or more predetermined geographic locations, the one or more predetermined geographic locations including a first predetermined geographic location;

maintaining the user accounts associated with the users of the virtual space, individual user accounts being associated with individual users, an individual user account including;

an association of one or more toys with the individual user account, individual ones of the one or more toys being related to digital content; and

an association of one or more objects with the individual user account;

the user accounts include a first user account, the first user account being associated with a first user, the first user account including information indicating an association of a first toy with the first user account, an association of a second toy with the first user account, and an association of a first object with the first user account, the first object being separate and distinct from the first toy and second toy, the first toy being related to first digital content based on the first digital content featuring depictions and/or representations of the first toy, the second toy being related to second digital content based on the second digital content featuring depictions and/or representations of the second toy;

determining whether the objects are in one or more of the one or more predetermined geographic locations based on the output signals, including determining whether the first object is in the first predetermined geographic location; and

responsive to determination of the objects being in one or more of the one or more predetermined geographic locations, unlocking the digital content related to the toys associated with the users of the user accounts within the virtual space, the digital content being accessible via client computing platforms associated with the users, including responsive to a first determination that the first object has been detected in the first predetermined geographic location, unlocking both the first digital content related to the first toy associated with the first user and the second digital content related to the second toy associated with the first user account within an instance of the virtual space that is implemented on a first client computing platform associated with the first user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the unlocking of the digital content related to the toys associated with the users further comprises effectuating presentation of the digital content on display devices in or near the geographic locations.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first digital content includes a movie preview featuring the first toy, and the second digital content includes a movie preview featuring the second toy.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the unlocking of the digital content related to the toys associated with the users comprises unlocking virtual content related to the toys within instances of the virtual space implemented on client computing platforms associated with the users.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the virtual content related to the toys within a virtual space comprises one or more of a skill, a language, a power, a quest, a pet, a level, a ride, a weapon, a character, a virtual good, or a scene.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the unlocked digital content is available for immediate and/or later access by the users via the objects associated with the user accounts.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising temporarily unlocking the digital content related to the toys associated with the users until the objects are no longer detected in the predetermined geographic locations.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating output signals conveying information related to presence of the first object in the first predetermined geographic location and a second predetermined geographic location, detecting whether the first object has been in the first predetermined geographic location and then the second predetermined geographic location, and unlocking third digital content responsive to detection of the first object in the first predetermined geographic location and then the second predetermined geographic location.