Multiply interconnectable environmentally interactive character simulation module method and system

• US 7,371,177 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Conceptioneering Limited
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Ellis, Anthony Mark, Riggs, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II; John M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hylinski; Steven J.
• Application Number:
  US11/216,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20060154711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 30- 37, 463 46- 47, 703/11, 446/69, 446/175, 706/58
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6607 for animating game characters, e.g. skeleton kinematics
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/004 Artificial life, i.e. computing arrangements simulating life

Abstract

A simulated character module and method of operation are presented. The simulated character module includes a processor, a display operably coupled to the processor and a communication device operably coupled to the processor. The processor is configured to control a simulated character, and an image associated with the simulated character is displayable on the display. Further, the image is displayable on a second display of a second module to simulate movement of the simulated character to the second module. The module communicates with the second module using the communication device. Further, the image is not displayed on the display of the module if the image is displayed on the second display of the second module.

Claims

1. A module comprising:

a processor;

a display operably coupled to said processor; and

a communication device operably coupled to said processor, wherein said processor is programmed to control a simulated character, wherein an image associated with the simulated character is displayable on said display, and wherein the image is displayable on a second display of a second module to simulate movement of the simulated character from a first virtual region associated with the module to a second virtual region associated with the second module, the first virtual region being different from the second virtual region, wherein the module is operable to communicate with the second module using said communication device and wherein the processor is programmed to display a first animation sequence if the module and the second module are arranged in a first physical configuration, the first animation sequence simulating movement of the simulated character from the first virtual region to the second virtual region, and wherein the processor is programmed to display a second animation sequence if the module and the second module are arranged in a second physical configuration, the second physical configuration being different from the first physical configuration, the second animation sequence simulating movement of the simulated character from the first virtual region to the second virtual region, and the first animation sequence being different from the second animation sequence.

2. The module of claim 1, wherein said display stops displaying the image if the image is displayed on the second display, and wherein the image is displayable on a third display of a third module to simulate movement of the simulated character to a third virtual region associated with the third module, wherein the third module is connected to the module indirectly via a connection path including the second module.

3. The module of claim 1, further comprising:

an orientation sensor operably coupled to said processor.

4. The module of claim 1, further comprising:

a sound sensor operably coupled to said processor.

5. The module of claim 1, further comprising:

a light sensor operably coupled to said processor.

6. The module of claim 1, further comprising:

a time device operably coupled to said processor.

19. The first module of claim 2, wherein the processor is further programmed to simulate movement of the simulated character through a fourth virtual region, the fourth virtual region not being displayed by any module, by causing the image to not be displayed for a period of time.

20. The module of claim 1, wherein, in the first physical configuration, the module is positioned above or below the second module, and wherein, in the second physical configuration, the module is positioned to the left or right of the second module.

21. The module of claim 1, wherein, in the first physical configuration, the module is positioned above the second module, and wherein, in the second physical configuration, the module is positioned below the second module.

22. The module of claim 1, wherein, in the first physical configuration, the module is positioned to the left of the second module, and wherein, in the second physical configuration, the module is positioned to the right of the second module.

23. The module of claim 1, wherein the module is approximately cube shaped.

24. The module of claim 1, wherein the communication device includes a connector on a surface of the module, the connector being operable to connect to a second connector of the second module.

7. A method of operating a module comprising:

simulating a character;

displaying a representation of the character on a display of the module;

enabling the module to operably connect with a second module;

simulating movement of the character from a first virtual region associated with the module to a second virtual region associated with the second module, the first virtual region not overlapping with the second virtual region, wherein simulating movement includes displaying the representation of the character on a second display of the second module, and wherein simulating movement includes not displaying the representation of the character on the display of the module if the representation of the character is displayed on the second display of the second module; and

simulating movement of the character to a third module, wherein the module, the second module and the third module can be interconnected simultaneously, wherein simulating movement of the character to the third module includes displaying the representation of the character on a third display of the third module, wherein the third module is connected to the module indirectly and enabling play of a game, wherein the game is at least partly conducted by connecting an additional module to an interconnected group of modules, wherein the interconnected group of modules includes the module, the second module, and the third module.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein simulating said character includes receiving input from an orientation sensor.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein simulating said character includes receiving input from a sound sensor.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein simulating said character includes receiving input from a light sensor.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein simulating said character includes receiving input from a time device.

12. A method of providing a simulated environment comprising:

providing a plurality of modules, wherein each of the plurality of modules includes a processor, a communications device operably coupled to the processor and a display device operably coupled to the processor, wherein a first of the plurality of modules is capable of being simultaneously connected with a second of the plurality of modules and a third of the plurality of modules, the second of the plurality of modules being associated with a first simulated character and the third of the plurality of modules being associated with a second simulated character, wherein connecting the first of the plurality of modules, the second of the plurality of modules and the third of the plurality of modules creates or modifies the simulated environment and enables displaying, on a display of the first of the plurality of modules, an interaction between the first simulated character and the second simulated character.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of modules is associated with a simulated character.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said plurality of modules are operable to affect play of a game.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein play of the game is at least partly conducted by connecting additional modules to an interconnected group of modules, wherein the interconnected group of modules includes the one of the plurality of modules and the at least two others of the plurality of modules.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the three connected modules includes a orientation sensor operably coupled to the processor.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the three connected modules includes a light sensor operably coupled to the processor.

18. A method of providing a simulated environment comprising:

providing a plurality of modules, wherein each of the plurality of modules includes a processor, a communications device operably coupled to the processor and a display device operably coupled to the processor, wherein at least one of the plurality of modules is capable of being connected with at least two others of the plurality of modules, wherein connecting the one of the plurality of modules and the at least two others of the plurality of modules creates or modifies the simulated environment,

wherein said plurality of modules are operable to affect play of a game,

wherein play of the game is at least partly conducted by connecting additional modules to an interconnected group of modules, wherein the interconnected group of modules includes the one of the plurality of modules and the at least two others of the plurality of modules.

25. A system comprising:

a first module, the first module including;

a first processor,

a first display operably coupled to the first processor, and

a first communication device operably coupled to the first processor; and

a second module, the second module including;

a second processor,

a second display operably coupled to the second processor, and

a second communication device operably coupled to the second processor,

wherein the first module and the second module are configurable in a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the position of the first module relative to the position of the second module in the first configuration is different from the position of the first module relative to the position of the second module in the second configuration,

and wherein the first processor or the second processor is operable with the first display or the second display and the first communication device or the second communication device to

(i) display a first animation sequence of a simulated character if the first module and the second module are configured in the first configuration, and

(ii) display a second animation sequence of the simulated character if the first module and the second module are configured in the second configuration, the first animation sequence being different from the second animation sequence.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the first animation sequence simulates the simulated character jumping or climbing from the first display to the second display.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the first animation sequence simulates the simulated character digging from the first display to the second display.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the first module and the second module are approximately cubical, the first module includes a first top connector located on a first top surface of the first module, a first left connector located on a first left surface of the first module, a first right connector located on a first right surface of the first module and a first bottom connector located on a first bottom surface of the first module, the second module includes a second top connector located on a second top surface of the second module, a second left connector located on a second left surface of the second module, a second right connector located on a second right surface of the second module and a second bottom connector located on a second bottom surface of the second module, and wherein the first right connector is connectable to the second left connector, the first left connector is connectable to the second right connector, the first top connector is connectable to the second bottom connector, and the first bottom connector is connectable to the second top connector.

29. A method of operating a module comprising:

simulating a character;

displaying a representation of the character on a display of the module;

enabling the module to operably connect with a second module;

simulating movement of the character from a first virtual region associated with the module to a second virtual region associated with the second module, the first virtual region not overlapping with the second virtual region, wherein simulating movement includes displaying the representation of the character on a second display of the second module, and wherein simulating movement includes not displaying the representation of the character on the display of the module if the representation of the character is displayed on the second display of the second module;

simulating movement of the character to a third module, wherein the module, the second module and the third module can be interconnected simultaneously, wherein simulating movement of the character to the third module includes displaying the representation of the character on a third display of the third module, wherein the third module is connected to the module indirectly;

displaying a first animation sequence if the module and the second module are arranged in a first physical configuration, the first animation sequence simulating movement of the character from the first virtual region to the second virtual region; and

displaying a second animation sequence if the module and the second module are arranged in a second physical configuration, the second physical configuration being different from the first physical configuration, the second animation sequence simulating movement of the simulated character from the first virtual region to the second virtual region, and the first animation sequence being different from the second animation sequence.

30. A method of operating a module comprising:

simulating a character;

displaying a representation of the character on a display of the module;

enabling the module to operably connect with a second module;

simulating movement of the character from a first virtual region associated with the module to a second virtual region associated with the second module, the first virtual region not overlapping with the second virtual region, wherein simulating movement includes displaying the representation of the character on a second display of the second module, and wherein simulating movement includes not displaying the representation of the character on the representation of the character is displayed on the second display of the second module;

simulating movement of the character to a third module, wherein the module, the second module and the third module can be interconnected simultaneously, wherein simulating movement of the character to the third module includes displaying the representation of the character on a third display of the third module, wherein the third module is connected to the module indirectly, wherein the module is associated with the character, the second module is associated with a second character, and the third module is associated with a third character.