AUGMENTED REALITY GAMING SYSTEM

• US 20190081848A1
• Filed: 09/12/2017
• Published: 03/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacific Import Manufacturing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pilot Inc.
• Inventors: Zou, Yong Hui
• Granted Patent: US 10,341,162 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• 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 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 33/00 Adaptations for training adaptations of barrels for recoil reinforcement F41A21/26; Gun simulators teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26 ; shooting games A63F9/02; military simulation G09B9/003
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/00 Target indicating systems; Target-hit or score detecting systems for shooting or hurling games A63F9/0204; devices for measuring projectile velocity using optical means G01P3/685
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

An augmented reality gaming system uses a gameplay device to removably secure a mobile device. The gameplay device has at least one user interface and a wireless transceiver for communicating with the mobile device. An augmented reality gaming app stored in the memory of the mobile device utilizes an image sensor of the mobile device to display a live image on a screen of the mobile device, and causes graphics corresponding to one or more virtual targets to be overlaid on the live image. Using information from a location sensor and an orientation sensor of the mobile device, together with information about a virtual location of the virtual target, the mobile device determines whether a virtual shot triggered by the at least one user interface causes virtual damage to the virtual target.

Claims

1. An augmented reality gaming system, comprising:

a gameplay device comprising;

a mount;

a first wireless transceiver; and

a plurality of triggers, each corresponding to a virtual weapon;

wherein the gameplay device does not include an infrared transmitter and does not include an infrared receiver; and

a mobile device removably secured to the mount, the mobile device comprising;

a processor;

a screen;

an image sensor;

a location sensor;

an orientation sensor;

a second wireless transceiver; and

a memory, the memory storing an augmented reality gaming app comprising instructions for execution by the processor that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

display, on the screen, a live image received from the image sensor;

receive location information from the location sensor;

generate target information about at least one target;

display, on the screen and based on the location information, a graphical depiction of the at least one target as an overlay on the live image;

receive, via the second wireless transceiver and from the first wireless transceiver, an indication of activation of one of the plurality of triggers, wherein activation of the one of the plurality of triggers corresponds to firing the virtual weapon corresponding to the one of the plurality of triggers;

display an animation on the screen in response to the indication;

receive orientation information from the orientation sensor; and

calculate, based on the location information, the orientation information, and the target information, whether the firing of the virtual weapon caused virtual damage to the target.

2. The augmented reality gaming system of claim 1, wherein the target information comprises target location information and target size information.

4. The augmented reality gaming system of claim 1, wherein the augmented reality gaming app comprises additional instructions for execution by the processor that, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

award points based on the amount of virtual damage caused to the target.

5. The augmented reality gaming system of claim 1, wherein the screen is a touchscreen, and further wherein the augmented reality gaming app comprises additional instructions for execution by the processor that, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

receive, via the touchscreen, a user selection for one of a single player and a multiplayer game.

6. The augmented reality gaming system of claim 1, wherein the user selection corresponds to a multiplayer game, and further wherein the augmented reality gaming app comprises additional instructions for execution by the processor that, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

receive, via the second wireless transceiver, second location information about a location of a second mobile device.

8. The augmented reality gaming system of claim 6, wherein the augmented reality gaming app comprises additional instructions for execution by the processor that, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

calculate, based on the location information, the orientation information, and the second location information, whether the firing of the virtual weapon caused virtual damage to a user of the second mobile device.

21. The augmented reality gaming system of claim 1, further comprising a fire control module.

22. The augmented reality gaming system of claim 21, wherein the fire control module obtains real-time weather data from an online weather database.

23. The augmented reality gaming system of claim 21, wherein the fire control module incorporates an effect of at least one of a temperature, a windspeed, a humidity, or an air pressure when calculating whether a shot has hit the at least one target.

3. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. An AR gaming system comprising:

a gaming device comprising an adjustable mount, a plurality of user interfaces, a power source, and a secondary wireless transceiver, wherein the power source is shaped in a form of a bullet magazine; and

a first mobile device removably secured to the adjustable mount, the first mobile device comprising;

a processor;

a location sensor;

an orientation sensor;

an image sensor;

a primary wireless transceiver;

a screen; and

a memory, the memory storing instructions for execution by the processor that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

establish a multiplayer gaming session among a plurality of mobile devices including the first mobile device, each of the plurality of mobile devices corresponding to a player;

receive, via the primary wireless transceiver, information about a location of the plurality of mobile devices other than the first mobile device;

receive location information about the first mobile device from the location sensor;

transmit, via the primary wireless transceiver, the location information;

generate target information about a plurality of virtual targets, the target information comprising at least target location information and target orientation information;

transmit the target information via the primary wireless transceiver;

display, on the screen, a live image based on data received from the image sensor;

receive orientation information about the first mobile device from the orientation sensor; and

selectively display on the screen, based on the location information, the orientation information, and the target information, at least one virtual image representing a target, the at least one virtual image overlaid on the live image.

12. The AR gaming system of claim 11, wherein the memory stores additional instructions for execution by the processor that, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

receive, from the secondary wireless transceiver and via the primary wireless transceiver, a signal indicating user interaction with one of the plurality of user interfaces;

display, on the screen and based on the signal, an image sequence; and

transmit, via the primary wireless transceiver, information corresponding to the signal.

13. The AR gaming system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of user interfaces correspond to different virtual weapons, and the signal corresponds to the firing of the virtual weapon corresponding to the one of the plurality of user interfaces.

14. The AR gaming system of claim 13, wherein the memory stores additional instructions for execution by the processor that, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

calculate, based on at least the orientation information, the location information, and the target information, whether the firing of the virtual weapon caused virtual damage to at least one of the plurality of targets or at least one of the players corresponding to the plurality of mobile devices other than the first mobile device.

16. The AR gaming system of claim 11, wherein a change in the target orientation information results in a change in the at least one virtual image.

25. The AR gaming system of claim 11, further comprising a cable that removably attaches to a port on the first mobile device to transfer power from the power source to the first mobile device.

15. (canceled)

17. A gaming system comprising:

a gameplay device without an infrared transmitter, the gameplay device configured to hold a mobile device and comprising;

a plurality of triggers, each of the plurality of triggers corresponding to a different virtual weapon; and

a first wireless transceiver;

the mobile device comprising;

a processor;

a touchscreen;

a location sensor;

an orientation sensor;

an image sensor;

a second wireless transceiver; and

a memory, the memory storing instructions for execution by the processor that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

display a live image on the touchscreen based on a signal from the image sensor;

generate target information about at least one target;

overlay a graphic on the live image based on the target information, the graphic corresponding to the at least one target;

receive an indication, from the first wireless transceiver and via the second wireless transceiver, that one of the plurality of triggers has been pulled, the indication corresponding to the firing of the virtual weapon corresponding to the one of the plurality of triggers;

receive orientation information from the orientation sensor; and

determine, based on the orientation information and the target information, whether the firing of the virtual weapon resulted in virtual damage to the at least one target.

18. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the virtual weapon corresponding to the one of the plurality of triggers is a rifle or a grenade launcher.

19. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the gameplay device comprises a mount with an adjustable slant and/or tilt.

20. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the memory stores additional instructions for execution by the processor that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

transmit the target information via the second wireless transceiver; and

receive, via the second wireless transceiver, information about a location of a second mobile device.

24. The augmented reality gaming system of claim 17, wherein the gameplay device comprises a cable that removably attaches to a port on the mobile device to provide power to the mobile device.