Method and apparatus for using proximity sensing for augmented reality gaming

• US 8,792,869 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2011
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Prentice, Adrian J., Persaud, Anthony G., Joseph, George, Storch, Mark R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US13/274,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20120296453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.2, 455/41.2, 455/41.1, 455/414.1, 455/456.1, 700/245, 700/250, 700/253
• US Class Current: 455/414.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location

Abstract

Apparatuses for wireless communication is disclosed that includes a receiver configured to receive ranging information from at least one of one or more sensors arranged with an object and one or more sensors remote from the object; and a processing system configured to track the object with respect to the one or more sensors remote from the object based on the ranging information. A method for wireless communication is disclosed that includes receiving ranging information from at least one of one or more sensors arranged with an object and one or more sensors remote from the object; and tracking the object with respect to the one or more sensors remote from the object based on the ranging information.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wireless communication comprising:

a receiver configured to receive ranging information from at least one of one or more sensors arranged with an object and one or more sensors remote from the object, wherein the at least one or more sensors arranged with the object and the one or more sensors remote from the object provide the ranging information by defining a proximity sensor mesh; and

a processing system configured to track the object with respect to the one or more sensors remote from the object based on the ranging information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to track the object if the one or more sensors remote from the object are affixed to one or more surfaces.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least one of the one or more surfaces is portable.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors remote from the object are affixed to one or more surfaces, and the processing system is further configured to track the object by determining one or more positions of the object with respect to the one or more surfaces.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a human body.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the one or more sensors arranged with the object are affixed to different parts of the human body, and the processing system is further configured to determine movement of the different parts of the human body from the ranging information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a peripheral held or attached to a human body.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to track the object to generate performance information of the object.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the performance information comprises at least one of racing route, lap times or speed information.

10. An apparatus for wireless communication comprising:

means for receiving ranging information from at least one of one or more sensors arranged with an object and one or more sensors remote from the object, wherein the at least one or more sensors arranged with the object and the one or more sensors remote from the object provide the ranging information by defining a proximity sensor mesh; and

means for tracking the object with respect to the one or more sensors remote from the object based on the ranging information.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for tracking further comprises means for tracking the object if the one or more sensors remote from the object are affixed to one or more surfaces.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more surfaces is portable.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more sensors remote from the object are affixed to one or more surfaces, and the means for tracking further comprising means for tracking the object by determining one or more positions of the object with respect to the one or more surfaces.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the object comprises a human body.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the one or more sensors arranged with the object are affixed to different parts of the human body, and the apparatus further comprising means for determining movement of the different parts of the human body from the ranging information.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the object comprises a peripheral held or attached to a human body.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for tracking further comprises means for tracking the object to generate performance information of the object.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the performance information comprises at least one of racing route, lap times or speed information.

19. A method for wireless communication comprising:

receiving ranging information from at least one of one or more sensors arranged with an object and one or more sensors remote from the object, wherein the at least one or more sensors arranged with the object and the one or more sensors remote from the object provide the ranging information by defining a proximity sensor mesh; and

tracking the object with respect to the one or more sensors remote from the object based on the ranging information.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising tracking the object if the one or more sensors remote from the object are affixed to one or more surfaces.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one of the one or more surfaces is portable.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the one or more sensors remote from the object are affixed to one or more surfaces, and further comprising tracking the object by determining one or more positions of the object with respect to the one or more surfaces.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the object comprises a human body.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the one or more sensors arranged with the object are affixed to different parts of the human body, and the method further comprises determining movement of the different parts of the human body from the ranging information.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the object comprises a peripheral held or attached to a human body.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising tracking the object to generate performance information of the object.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the performance information comprises at least one of racing route, lap times or speed information.

28. A computer program product for wireless communication comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions executable for;

receiving ranging information from at least one of one or more sensors arranged with an object and one or more sensors remote from the object, wherein the at least one or more sensors arranged with the object and the one or more sensors remote from the object provide the ranging information by defining a proximity sensor mesh; and

tracking the object with respect to the one or more sensors remote from the object based on the ranging information.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the instructions are further executable to track the object the one or more sensors remote from the object are affixed to one or more surfaces.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein at least one of the one or more surfaces is portable.

31. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the one or more sensors remote from the object are affixed to one or more surfaces, and the instructions executable for tracking the object are further executable to track the object by determining one or more positions of the object with respect to the one or more surfaces.

32. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the object comprises a human body.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the one or more sensors arranged with the object are affixed to different parts of the human body, and the instructions executable for receiving the ranging information are further executable to determine movement of the different parts of the human body from the ranging information.

34. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the object comprises a peripheral held or attached to a human body.

35. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the instructions are further executable to track the object to generate performance information of the object.

36. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the performance information comprises at least one of racing route, lap times or speed information.

37. A gaming system comprising:

an antenna; and

a processing system configured to;

receive ranging information via the antenna from at least one of one or more sensors arranged with an object and one or more sensors remote from the object, wherein the at least one or more sensors arranged with the object and the one or more sensors remote from the object provide the ranging information by defining a proximity sensor mesh; and

track the object with respect to the one or more sensors remote from the object based on the ranging information.