Location-based games and augmented reality systems

• US 20060105838A1
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mullen Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey D. Mullen
• Inventors: Mullen, Jeffrey D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,585,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• 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. An augmented reality game system comprising:

a head-mounted display operable to overlay virtual indicia onto a physical playfield;

memory comprising video game logic operable to provide a video game;

a processor for utilizing said video game logic to provide video game indicia to said head-mounted display based on said video game logic, wherein said processor is coupled to said memory and said head-mounted display;

a detector for determining landscape characteristics of said physical playfield, wherein said video game logic utilizes said landscape characteristics in providing said video game; and

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

2. A location-based game system comprising:

memory comprising video game logic for providing a video game;

a processor operable to utilize said video game logic to provide said video game;

at least one manual control;

a locating device operable to determine the physical location of said locating device on a physical playfield; and

a switch that determines whether said at least one manual control or said locating device determines the location of a video game character in said video game.

3. A location-based game system for providing a video game comprising:

a handheld game device comprising;

a locating device operable to determine a physical location for said locating device, wherein said physical location determines a virtual location for a virtual game character in a virtual playfield of said video game; and

a playmat having indicia representative of said virtual playfield comprising;

a length L, wherein said length L is utilized by said video game;

a width W, wherein said length W is utilized by said video game.