Location-based games and augmented reality systems

• US 8,585,476 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mullen Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey D. Mullen
• Inventors: Mullen, Jeffrey D
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US11/281,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20060105838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,925 Days
• Field of Search: 273/237, 273/108.1, 273/127.R, 273/148.R, 273/148.B, 273/309, 273/317.1, 273/340, 273/348, 273361-367, 463 1- 5, 463 7- 9, 463 30- 34, 463 36- 43, 463 49- 57, 345 11- 34, 345/156, 345/157, 345/160, 345/419, 345473-475, 345618-619, 345/629, 345660-671, 717168-178, 348/37, 348/119, 348141-142, 348/240.99, 348E13022-E13027, 348/E13.036, 434/115, 434/117, 434/118, 434/211, 715/706, 715/738, 715757-759, 715762-764, 715/766, 715781-783, 715/788, 715794-795, 715/798, 715801-802, 715/807
• US Class Current: 463/1
• 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 that overlays virtual indicia onto a physical playfield;

memory comprising video game logic that provides a video game;

a wearable processor that utilizes 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 that determines landscape characteristics of said physical playfield, wherein said video game logic utilizes said landscape characteristics in providing said video game; and

a locating device that determines 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. The augmented reality game system of claim 1, wherein a virtual object is overlayed by said head-mounted display on said physical playfield and said virtual object is displayed at different transparencies depending on the perceived distance of said virtual object from said head-mounted display.

3. The augmented reality game system of claim 1, wherein a virtual object is overlayed by said head-mounted display on said physical playfield so long as the perceived distance of said virtual object from said head-mounted display is not within a certain perceived distance from said head-mounted display.

4. The augmented reality game system of claim 1, wherein said landscape characteristics are utilized to control a computer-controlled video game character.

5. The augmented reality game system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless transmitter and receiver.

6. The augmented reality game system of claim 1, wherein a computer-controlled video game character is overlayed by said head-mounted display on said physical playfield and said computer-controlled video game character is limited to visibility within a certain area.

7. The augmented reality game system of claim 1, wherein a computer-controlled video game character is overlayed by said head-mounted display on said physical playfield, said computer-controlled video game character is limited to visibility within a certain area, and said computer-controlled video game character provides a reaction to said physical location when said physical location corresponds to entering said certain area.

8. A system comprising:

a first video game system comprising;

a head-mounted display that overlays virtual indicia onto a physical playfield;

a wearable processor that utilizes 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 head-mounted display;

a detector that determines landscape characteristics of said physical playfield, wherein said video game logic utilizes said landscape characteristics in providing said video game;

a locating device that determines 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; and

a second video game system, wherein said first video game system communicates information with said second video game system.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein information regarding said physical location is provided to a remote database.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein information regarding said physical location is provided to said second video game system.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein information regarding said physical location is provided to said second video game system based on a permission associated with said first video game system for said second video game system.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said locating device comprises:

a positioning system; and

an inertial movement system.

13. A system comprising:

a head-mounted display that overlays virtual indicia onto a physical playfield;

a processor that utilizes 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 head-mounted display;

a detector that determines landscape characteristics of said physical playfield, wherein said video game logic utilizes said landscape characteristics in providing said video game;

a locating device that determines 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; and

a handheld controller for providing at least one control signal to said video game.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein a virtual object is overlayed by said head-mounted display on said physical playfield and said virtual object is displayed at different transparencies depending on the perceived distance of said virtual object from said head-mounted display.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein a virtual object is overlayed by said head-mounted display on said physical playfield so long as the perceived distance of said virtual object from said head-mounted display is not within a certain perceived distance from said head-mounted display.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said landscape characteristics are utilized to control computer-controlled video game character.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein said locating device comprises:

a positioning system; and

an inertial movement system.