Gaming systems and methods using optical narrowcasting

• US 10,473,439 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2018
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aron Surefire, LLC
• Original Assignee: Aron Surefire, LLC
• Inventors: Bortz, John C., Shatz, Narkis E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Clarke, Jr., Robert T
• Application Number:
  US16/163,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20190212106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 391 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 33/02 Light- or radiation-emitting guns ; Light- or radiation-sensitive guns; Cartridges carrying light emitting sources, e.g. laser
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/02 Photo-electric hit-detector systems comprising a light-emitting device for simulating the firing of a gun F41G3/2622; detecting by optical means G01V8/10

Abstract

Use of optical narrowcasting for gaming systems and methods are provided. An optical shooting device may comprise an optical transmitter assembly and a first RF transceiver. The optical shooting device may determine shooting information and transmit an optical beam carrying the shooting information using the optical transmitter assembly. An optical target device may comprise an optical receiver assembly and a second RF transceiver. The optical receiver assembly may receive the optical beam using the optical receiver assembly. The optical target device may extract the information from the optical beam. A game control device may comprise a third RF transceiver. The game control device may communicate with the optical shooting device or the optical target device using the third RF transceiver to transmit or receive information relating to a shooting game, and activate a game event based on the information relating to the shooting game.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an optical shooting device, comprising;

a first optical transmitter assembly configured to transmit an optical beam carrying information;

a first RF transceiver configured to communicate with a third RF transceiver of a game control device;

a first processor; and

a first non-transitory computer-readable medium having a first set of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the first processor, causes the optical shooting device to;

determine shooting information;

transmit a first optical beam carrying the shooting information using the first optical transmitter assembly; and

communicate with the game control device using the first RF transceiver; and

an optical target device, comprising;

a first optical receiver assembly configured to receive the first optical beam, the first optical receiver assembly including an optical receiver configured to differentiate between beams incident at different angles of incidence, the optical receiver including multiple detectors in a focal plane such that the beams incident at different angles of incidence are concentrated at different locations in the focal plane;

a second RF transceiver configured to communicate with the third RF transceiver of the game control device;

a second processor; and

a second non-transitory computer-readable medium having a second set of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the second processor, causes the optical target device to;

detect the first optical beam within a field of view of the first optical receiver assembly;

extract the shooting information from the first optical beam; and

communicate with the game control device using the second RF transceiver.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical shooting device further comprises a second optical receiver assembly enabling a two-way optical communication between the optical shooting device and another optical shooting device or the optical target device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the optical target device further comprises a second optical transmitter assembly enabling a two-way optical communication between the optical target device and another optical target device or the optical shooting device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the shooting information includes an identifier for a user of the optical shooting device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the shooting information further includes information relating to a type of a virtual weapon simulated by the optical shooting device or information relating to a type of virtual ammunition used by the optical shooting device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical shooting device further comprises a display for presenting an augmented reality view, the augmented reality view determined based on locations of objects around the optical shooting device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the optical target device further comprises a second optical transmitter assembly;

the second set of instructions, when executed by the second processor, further causes the optical target device to;

generate user identity information of a user using the optical target device; and

transmit a second optical beam carrying the user identity information using the second optical transmitter assembly.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein:

the optical shooting device further comprises a second optical receiver assembly; and

the first set of instructions, when executed by the first processor, further causes the optical shooting device to;

detect the second optical beam within a field of view of the second optical receiver assembly;

extract the user identity information from the second optical beam;

generate one or more augmented reality elements based on the user identify information; and

present the one or more augmented reality elements on the display.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein:

the first optical transmitter assembly of the optical target device transmits the first optical beam over a first range of angles; and

the second optical transmitter assembly of the optical target device transmits the second optical beam over a second range of angles wider than the first range of angles.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of instructions, when executed by the first processor, further causes the optical shooting device to:

generate message information, the message information containing one or more messages; and

transmit a second optical beam carrying the message information using the first optical transmitter assembly.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first optical receiver assembly has a 180-degree axisymmetric field of view.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical target device includes multiple optical receivers configured for placement on different parts of a user, different placements of the multiple optical receivers enabling the optical target device to determine at which of the different parts of the user the first optical beam was detected by the optical target device.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising the game control device, the game control device comprising:

a third RF transceiver configured to communicate with the first RF transceiver and the second RF transceiver;

a third processor; and

a third non-transitory computer-readable medium having a third set of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the third processor, causes the game control device to;

communicate with the optical shooting device or the optical target device using the third RF transceiver to transmit or receive information relating to a shooting game; and

activate a game event based on the information relating to the shooting game.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the game event includes a movement restriction for a user of the optical target device and a violation of the movement restriction is determined based on a switch or a proximity sensor of the optical target device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the game control device communicates with another game control device to exchange information on parameters of the shooting game.

16. A system, comprising:

an optical shooting device, comprising;

a first optical transmitter assembly configured to transmit an optical beam carrying information;

a first optical receiver assembly;

a first RF transceiver configured to communicate with a third RF transceiver of a game control device;

a display for presenting an augmented reality view, the augmented reality view determined based on locations of objects around the optical shooting device;

a first processor; and

a first non-transitory computer-readable medium having a first set of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the first processor, causes the optical shooting device to;

determine shooting information;

transmit a first optical beam carrying the shooting information using the first optical transmitter assembly; and

communicate with the game control device using the first RF transceiver; and

an optical target device, comprising;

a second optical receiver assembly configured to receive the first optical beam;

a second optical transmitter assembly;

a second RF transceiver configured to communicate with the third RF transceiver of the game control device;

a second processor; and

a second non-transitory computer-readable medium having a second set of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the second processor, causes the optical target device to;

detect the first optical beam within a field of view of the second optical receiver assembly;

extract the shooting information from the first optical beam;

communicate with the game control device using the second RF transceiver;

generate user identity information of a user using the optical target device; and

transmit a second optical beam carrying the user identity information using the second optical transmitter assembly;

wherein the first set of instructions, when executed by the first processor, further causes the optical shooting device to;

detect the second optical beam within a field of view of the first optical receiver assembly;

extract the user identity information from the second optical beam;

generate one or more augmented reality elements based on the user identify information; and

present the one or more augmented reality elements on the display, wherein presenting the one or more augmented reality elements on the display comprises placing the one or more augmented reality elements at one or more locations of the display based on an incident angle of the second optical beam on the first optical receiver assembly.

17. An optical shooting device, comprising:

a trigger;

an optical transmitter assembly configured to transmit an optical beam carrying shooting information;

an optical receiver assembly;

an RF transceiver configured to communicate with a game control device;

a display for presenting an augmented reality view, the augmented reality view determined based on locations of objects around the optical shooting device;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a set of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, causes the optical shooting device to;

determine the shooting information;

in response to actuation of the trigger, transmit the optical beam carrying the shooting information using the optical transmitter assembly;

communicate with the game control device using the RF transceiver to transmit or receive information relating to a shooting game;

detect an optical beam within a field of view of the optical receiver assembly;

extract user identity information from the optical beam;

generate one or more augmented reality elements based on the user identify information; and

present the one or more augmented reality elements on the display, wherein presenting the one or more augmented reality elements on the display comprises placing the one or more augmented reality elements at one or more locations of the display based on an incident angle of the optical beam on the optical receiver assembly.