Interactive real world event system via computer networks

• US 20030064712A1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Hall, Christopher, Scott, Dan, Gaston, Jason, Taylor, Liz, Gunter, Marshall
• Application Number:
  US09/967,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20030064712A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A communication module exchanges real-world information with a server in a network via wireless connectivity. The communication module has at least one of a short-range and a long-range communication device operating in at least one of an indoor and an outdoor environment in real-world interactive event.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a communication module to exchange real-world information with a server in a network via wireless connectivity, the communication module having at least one of a short-range and a long-range communication device operating in at least one of an indoor and an outdoor environment in a real-world interactive event.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the real-world information includes at least one of an environmental condition, a location indicator, a time indicator, a user entry, a display message, a user information, an event information, and a status indicator.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the short-range communication device is one of a short-range radio frequency (RF) device, an infrared device, a proximity device, and an ultrasonic device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the long-range communication device is one of a long-range radio frequency (RF) device, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein short-range RF device is one of a Bluetooth device and an 802.11 radio device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a processor coupled to the communication module to process the real-world information for use in the real-world interactive event.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor to sense the environmental condition, the sensed environmental condition being transmitted to the server via the communication module.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:

a virtual reality (VR) interface module coupled to the processor to provide interface to a VR device.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the VR device is one of a head-mounted display, a headset, a helmet, a goggle, sunglasses, a glove, a camera, a laser gun, and a proximity sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an accessory interface to interface to a hand-held device.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the hand-held device is one of a cellular unit, a mobile unit, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a user entry interface to interface to a user entry device to allow a user of the communication module to enter the user entry.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the real-world interactive event is one of a massively multi-player role-playing game, an advertising session, a guided tour, a promotional activity, a virtual meeting, an information exchange, and a broadcast session.

14. A method comprising:

exchanging real-world information with a server in a network via wireless connectivity using a communication module having at least one of a short-range and a long-range communication device operating in at least one of an indoor and an outdoor environment in a real-world interactive event.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the real-world information includes at least one of an environmental condition, a location indicator, a time indicator, a user entry, a display message, a user information, an event information, and a status indicator.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the short-range communication device is one of a short-range radio frequency (RF) device, an infrared device, a proximity device, and an ultrasonic device.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the long-range communication device is one of a long-range radio frequency (RF) device, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

processing the real-world information for use in the real-world interactive event.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

sensing the environmental condition, the sensed environmental condition being transmitted to the server via the communication module.

21. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

providing interface to a VR device.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the VR device is one of a head-mounted display, a headset, a helmet, a goggle, sunglasses, a glove, a camera, a laser gun, and a proximity sensor.

23. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

interfacing to a hand-held device.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the hand-held device is one of a cellular unit, a mobile unit, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

25. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

interfacing to a user entry device to allow a user of the communication module to enter the user entry.

26. The method of claim 14 wherein the real-world interactive event is one of a massively multi-player role-playing game, an advertising session, a guided tour, a promotional activity, a virtual meeting, an information exchange, and a broadcast session.

18. The method of claim 18 wherein short-range RF device is one of a Bluetooth device and an 802.11 radio device.

27. A system comprising:

a user entry device used by a user; and

a real-world processing unit coupled to the user entry device, the real-world processing unit comprising;

a communication module to exchange real-world information with a server in a network via wireless connectivity, the communication module having at least one of a short-range and a long-range communication device operating in at least one of an indoor and an outdoor environment in a real-world interactive event.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the real-world information includes at least one of an environmental condition, a location indicator, a time indicator, a user entry, a display message, a user information, an event information, and a status indicator.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein the short-range communication device is one of a short-range radio frequency (RF) device, an infrared device, a proximity device, and an ultrasonic device.

30. The system of claim 27 wherein the long-range communication device is one of a long-range radio frequency (RF) device, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein short-range RF device is one of a Bluetooth device and an 802.11 radio device.

32. The system of claim 27 wherein the real-world processing unit further comprises:

a processor coupled to the communication module to process the real-world information for use in the real-world interactive event.

33. The system of claim 27 wherein the real-world processing unit further comprises:

a sensor to sense the environmental condition, the sensed environmental condition being transmitted to the server via the communication module.

34. The system of claim 32 wherein the real-world processing unit further comprises:

a virtual reality (VR) interface module coupled to the processor to provide interface to a VR device.

35. The system of claim 27 wherein the VR device is one of a head-mounted display, a headset, a helmet, a goggle, sunglasses, a glove, a camera, a laser gun, and a proximity sensor.

36. The system of claim 27 wherein the real-world processing unit further comprises:

an accessory interface to interface to a hand-held device.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the hand-held device is one of a cellular unit, a mobile unit, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

38. The system of claim 27 wherein the real-world processing unit further comprises:

a user entry interface to interface to the user entry device to allow a user to enter the user entry.

39. The system of claim 27 wherein the real-world interactive event is one of a massively multi-player role-playing game, an advertising session, a guided tour, a promotional activity, a virtual meeting, an information exchange, and a broadcast session.