Systems and methods for digital entertainment

• US 7,764,026 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2001
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Signify North America Corporation (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Davis, Ian Lane, Lys, Ihor A., Mueller, George G., Dowling, Kevin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens; Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): A; Minh D
• Application Number:
  US10/045,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20030057884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,199 Days
• Field of Search: 345/420, 345/473, 386/68, 386/81, 386/95, 386/125, 463/32, 463/30, 315/169.1, 315/169.2, 315/169.3, 315/169.4, 315/291, 315/307
• US Class Current: 315/307
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0651 Diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/06 using light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0624 for eliminating microbes, germs, bacteria on or in the body
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/302 specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0052 Audio or video equipment, e.g. televisions, telephones, cameras or computers; Remote control devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources

Abstract

In computer games, there is typically a display that represents a view into a virtual world of some type. There is also typically a user in a real world environment that surrounds the display screen interacting with the virtual world. Disclosed herein are systems and methods for using lighting systems, in particular LED based lighting systems, to allow a user to receive information from the virtual world in coordination with, in addition to, and/or instead of the information received from the display.

Claims

1. A method of controlling illumination in an environment of a visual display screen, comprising:

providing an illumination source for producing illumination comprising a plurality of colors, wherein the illumination source comprises an array of LEDs;

obtaining a signal related to content displayed on the display screen;

providing a control system for controlling the illumination source, wherein the control system delivers a pulse-width modulated signal; and

controlling the illumination source to illuminate the environment in coordination with the content displayed on the display screen.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises objects in a computer game.

3. A method of claim 1, wherein the display screen has a housing and wherein the LEDs are disposed on the housing of the display screen.

4. A method of claim 3, wherein the network is a wireless network.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the signal comprises obtaining code that is embedded in code for a computer game.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the signal comprises detecting a signal directly from the display screen.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the signal comprises obtaining a video signal through a video in port.

8. A method of claim 1, further comprising using the control system to control the illumination source in relation to a game object in a game.

9. A method of claim 8, wherein the control system controls the illumination source in coordination with disabling at least one function of the content displayed on the display screen.

10. A method of claim 9, wherein the display screen is entirely disabled for a period of time in coordination with control of the illumination source.

11. A method of claim 8, wherein the game object is an event and the illumination source is controlled to produce an effect that is related to the event.

12. A method of claim 11, wherein the event is an explosion and the effect is a flash.

13. A method of claim 11, wherein the event is a shot and the effect is a flash.

14. A method of claim 11, wherein the event is success and the effect is a flash.

15. A method of claim 11, wherein the event is approach of a threat and the effect is a color change.

16. A method of claim 11, wherein the event is a change in a characteristic of the game object and the effect is a color change.

17. A method of claim 11, wherein the event is movement and the effect is a wash of color.

18. A method of claim 11, wherein the event is movement and the effect is movement of color.

19. A method of claim 8, wherein the content is a game that provides a third person view and wherein the illumination source provides illumination that is an extension of the content displayed on the screen.

20. A method of claim 8, wherein the illumination source is controlled in coordination with a non-game object selected from the group consisting of the time of day, the end of the work day, the beginning of the work day, the beginning of a lunch period, sunset, sunrise, and an environmental condition.

21. A method of claim 8, further comprising controlling the illumination source to distract or deter the user of the content.

22. A method of claim 1, further comprising providing a surface located in proximity to the display screen for receiving illumination from the illumination source.

23. A method of claim 22, wherein the surface comprises an enclosure surrounding the display screen, a collapsible cabana, or a white surface.

24. A method of claim 22, wherein the surface comprises a graphical element that is adapted to be illuminated by the illumination source.

25. A method of claim 24, wherein altering the illumination from the illumination source creates an animation effect with the graphical element of the surface.

26. A method of claim 22, wherein the surface comprises a textured surface.

27. A method of claim 1, further comprising providing an audio system for producing sound that is related to the content.

28. A method of claim 27, further comprising controlling the illumination source to illuminate the environment of the display screen in coordination with the sound produced by the audio system.

29. A method of claim 27, wherein the audio system comprises speakers and the illumination source comprises a network of LEDs disposed in proximity to the speakers.

30. A method of claim 29, wherein the LEDs are disposed on the speakers.

31. A method of claim 1, wherein the display screen is a first display screen and the environment is a first environment, further comprising:

providing a second display screen in a second environment,

providing a second illumination source, and

controlling the first and second illumination sources to coordinate illumination of the first and second environments in conjunction with the content displayed on the first and second display screens.

32. A method of claim 31, further comprising changing illumination in the second environment in coordination with content on the first display screen, wherein the first display screen and the second display screen display content for a multi-user computer game, and wherein illumination of the first environment and the second environment is coordinated in response to objects in the computer game.

33. A method of claim 32, wherein an event on the first display screen causes an illumination change in the second environment.

34. A method of claim 1, further comprising providing a mapping module for mapping a plurality of lights in the environment with a plurality of objects in the content.

35. A method of claim 34, further comprising mapping the plurality of lights in a home, to a plurality of lights in a virtual environment depicted on the display.

36. A method of claim 35, further comprising illuminating the lights in the home in coordination with the lights in the virtual environment.

37. A method of claim 1, further comprising providing a collapsible cabana for surrounding the display screen.

38. A method of claim 1, further comprising providing an indicator light disposed in proximity to the display screen.

39. A method of claim 38, further comprising using the indicator light to indicate a condition.

40. A method of claim 1, further comprising using data from the real world to influence at least one of an event, an object and an attribute in a virtual world in coordination with control of the illumination source.

41. A method of providing illumination in coordination with display of content on a display screen, comprising:

displaying computer game content on a the display screen;

providing an illumination source for illuminating an environment that is related to the display screen, the illumination source adapted to generate a plurality of colors, wherein the illumination source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes, wherein the light emitting diodes are disposed in a network configuration, and wherein the light emitting diodes are controlled by pulse width modulation; and

coordinating the illumination source to illuminate the environment in relationship to the computer game content on the display screen in response to a signal obtained from a computer game.

42. A method of claim 41, further comprising providing a surface in the environment of the display screen for accepting illumination from the illumination source.

43. A method of claim 42, wherein the surface comprises an enclosure.

44. A method of claim 43, wherein the enclosure is collapsible and portable.

45. A method of claim 42, wherein the surface comprises elements suitable for interacting with the illumination from the illumination source.

46. A method of claim 45, wherein the elements comprise graphical objects related to objects in the computer game.

47. A method of claim 41, further comprising providing a mounting apparatus for the illumination source.

48. A method of claim 47, wherein the mounting apparatus is collapsible.