Systems and methods for customizable user experiences with shareable devices

Abstract

The interactive system includes a server coupled to one or more databases that store user profiles. The interactive system also includes a shareable device that includes one or more processors, one or more memories that store shareable device identifiers (IDs), one or more feedback devices, and ultra-wideband (UWB) circuitry. The shareable device is communicatively coupled to the server, and the one or more processors are configured to receive a user ID (e.g., a string and / or numeric code transmitted by the user device and associated with the user's profile) via the UWB circuitry, transmit the user ID to the server, transmit the shareable device ID to the server after receiving the user ID, receive a pairing instruction from the server after transmitting the user ID to the server, and generate control signals to activate the one or more feedback devices based on the pairing instruction.

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and / or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. As such, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

[0002] Amusement parks often include interactive areas that include rides and attractions. The interactive areas may include features that provide the same user experience for all users. However, providing different or unique features that can be tailored to each user can enhance the user experience and provide a better experience for each user. It is now recognized that it is desirable to provide different or unique features in interactive areas of an amusement park that provide a different or unique user experience for each user, for example, based on user input. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The following summarizes certain embodiments commensurate with the subject matter of the original claims. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Indeed, the present disclosure may include a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.

[0004] In one embodiment, an interactive system includes a server coupled to one or more databases that store user profiles. The interactive system includes a shareable device having one or more processors, one or more memory devices that store a shareable device identifier, one or more feedback devices, and a communication circuit. The shareable device is communicatively coupled to the server. The one or more processors receive a user identifier from the user device via the communication circuit. The one or more processors transmit the user identifier to the server via the communication circuit. Further, the one or more processors transmit the shareable device identifier to the server via the communication circuit. Further, the one or more processors receive a pairing instruction from the server via the communication circuit based on the user identifier and the shareable device identifier. Further, the one or more processors activate the one or more feedback devices based on the pairing instruction.

[0005] In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a user identifier (ID) associated with a user device from a shareable device using communications circuitry. The method also includes receiving a shareable device ID from the shareable device using communications circuitry. Further, the method includes determining, using one or more processors, a user profile to pair with the shareable device based on the user ID. Further, the method includes pairing, using the one or more processors, the user profile with the shareable device based on the shareable ID.

[0006] In one embodiment, an interactive system includes a plurality of shareable devices. Each shareable device of the plurality of shareable devices stores a respective shareable device identifier (ID). The interactive system also includes a server coupled to one or more databases that store a plurality of user profiles. The server includes a communication circuit for communicating with the plurality of shareable devices. The server also includes one or more processors that receive the user identifier from a first shareable device of the plurality of shareable devices via the communication circuit. The one or more processors also receive the first shareable device identifier from the first shareable device via the communication circuit. Further, the one or more processors determine that a first user profile of the plurality of user profiles is paired with a second shareable device of the plurality of shareable devices. Further, the one or more processors pair a second user profile of the plurality of user profiles with the first shareable device based on the first user profile being paired with the second shareable device.

[0007] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will be better understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like elements throughout. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a shareable device system that provides a customizable user experience, according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0009] [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of a shareable device system for providing access rights to a vehicle, according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0010] [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram illustrating a shareable device system according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0011] [Figure 4]3 is a data flow diagram illustrating communications between user devices, shareable devices, and a server that may be implemented in the shareable device system of FIGS. 1 and 2 according to one aspect of the disclosure.

[0012] [Figure 5] 1 is a flow diagram of a method for pairing a shareable device with a user profile corresponding to a user device, according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0013] [Figure 6] 1 is a flow diagram of a method for modifying the amount of data transmitted by a shareable device according to one aspect of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described. In the interest of brevity in describing these embodiments, not all features of an actual implementation may be described herein. It should be understood that the development of any such implementation, as in any engineering or design project, requires numerous implementation-specific decisions to achieve the developer's particular objectives, including compliance with system- and business-related constraints that may vary from implementation to implementation. Moreover, it should be understood that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

[0015] The present disclosure relates to a shareable device system that provides users (e.g., guests, patrons, visitors, customers, etc.) with access to shareable devices based on a user identifier conveyed by a user device (e.g., a wearable device, a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop) associated with one or more users. The shareable device can be paired to a user profile stored on a server associated with the user device using the user identifier provided by the user device. The shareable device can include devices that a user can use temporarily (e.g., access and subsequently return to a facility that enables use of the shareable device (e.g., an amusement park, a rental facility such as a car rental facility, a hardware organization, etc.)), whether to enhance the user's experience at an amusement park or for transportation. For example, in one embodiment, a shareable device system can be implemented at an amusement park (e.g., amusement park rides, performance shows, and games) to provide users with temporary access to shareable devices that the user can use to interact with the amusement park. In another embodiment, the shareable device system may be implemented in a non-amusement park environment, such as a vehicle rental business (e.g., a vehicle rental environment for cars, bicycles, scooters, boats, and jet skis), a power tool rental business, an audio / video (A / V) equipment rental business, or other electronic device rental business.

[0016] In embodiments in which the shareable device is implemented in an amusement park, the shareable device can be any of a variety of types of device configured to be carried, held, and / or worn by a user. For example, the shareable device can include a targeting device (e.g., a blaster gun), a wand, a toy, a figurine, clothing, jewelry, a bracelet, headgear (e.g., enabling a virtual reality or augmented reality experience), medallions, glasses, and / or any combination thereof (e.g., a targeting device integrated into a bracelet). In some embodiments, the shareable device can be configured to be used by multiple different users over a period of time. For example, a user can obtain a shareable device at an entrance to an interactive environment, use the shareable device to participate in the interactive environment as the user progresses through the interactive environment, and return the shareable device when the user exits the interactive environment. The shareable device can again be available at the entrance to the interactive environment (e.g., after cleaning), after which another user can obtain the shareable device at the entrance to the interactive environment and use the shareable device to participate in the interactive environment, and so on.

[0017] In embodiments in which the shareable device is implemented in a non-amusement park, the shareable device can be a vehicle, such as a car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, airplane, boat, jet ski, canoe, or kayak. The shareable device can be configured to be used by multiple different users over a period of time, generally similar to the aspects described with respect to the amusement park. For example, in embodiments in which the shareable device is a vehicle, a user can obtain the vehicle in a vehicle rental environment, use the vehicle for a predetermined period of time, and return the vehicle at the end of the period. The vehicle becomes available again in the vehicle rental environment (e.g., after cleaning, maintenance, repairs, etc.), after which another user can obtain the vehicle at the entrance to the interactive environment and use the vehicle for transportation, and so on.

[0018] In either case, to provide a more desirable user experience (e.g., a more immersive or user-friendly experience), it may be advantageous to pair, link, or register the shareable device with a user profile associated with the user. Generally, the user profile may enable interactions between the user and the shareable device to be tracked and / or recorded for certain gamification purposes, such as those described herein. It is currently recognized that the user profile may be stored as data (e.g., a relatively large amount of data) for adjusting settings on the shareable device or personalizing the shareable device and / or for communicating updates indicative of the user's use of the shareable device. However, in some instances, communication between a user device and a shareable device may be hindered in an environment including multiple shareable devices and / or multiple users. For example, a user device may be used in an area with limited available bandwidth and / or in an environment including sources of interference (e.g., additional user devices, other electronic devices, and physical obstructions, lack of cell towers, etc.). Therefore, communicating relatively large amounts of data in such an environment can be difficult and may prevent users from accessing the shareable devices and / or may disrupt the immersion of users attempting to use the shareable devices within the interactive environment.

[0019] Accordingly, provided herein is a sharable device system including one or more sharable devices communicatively coupled to a server. As described herein, the sharable device system provides techniques for pairing, registering, or otherwise linking to a user profile (e.g., a guest profile) based on a user identifier (e.g., a user ID) transmitted by a user device and a user profile associated with the user stored on a server associated with the user device and / or a server different from the user device. Generally, one or more sharable devices can communicate with the user device via a first type of communication (e.g., ultra-wideband (UWB) communication) while communicating with the server via a second type of communication (e.g., Wi-Fi, Ethernet). Generally, the first type of communication can enable transmission over a relatively small range (e.g., 1 centimeter or less, 1 meter or less, 2 meters or less, 3 meters or less, 5 meters or less, etc.). Furthermore, one or more sharable devices can communicate with the server via a second type of communication (e.g., Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and / or cellular connection). Generally, the second type of communication (i.e., for communication between a server and a user device) may enable transmission over a relatively wide range (e.g., 3 meters or more, 5 meters or more, 10 meters or more, 20 meters or more, 50 meters or more, etc.) compared to the first type of communication. It is now recognized that it is desirable to pair a relatively large amount of data (e.g., a user profile) with a shareable device by accessing a relatively large amount of data stored on a server using a relatively small amount of data (e.g., a user identifier) ​​transmitted by the user device. For example, being able to directly access data related to a user's profile (e.g., a user identifier) ​​via the user device may be advantageous compared to having to access another device to retrieve and access the user's user profile.Additionally, a shareable device can be paired with a user profile associated with a user by acting as an intermediary between two types of communication protocols (e.g., between the user device and the shareable device, and between the shareable device and the server).

[0020] Furthermore, in cases where communication between a shareable device and a user device is limited, the user device may provide a relatively small amount of data compared to the user profile, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful pairing between the user profile and the shareable device. For example, the shareable device may receive a user identifier (e.g., a user ID), such as a string and / or numeric code typically associated with the user's profile, from the user device and transmit the user identifier and shareable device identity information identifying the shareable device to a server. In response, the server pairs, registers, or links the user profile (e.g., via the user identifier) ​​to the shareable device associated with the shareable device's shareable device identifier (e.g., a shareable device ID). Typically, the shareable device ID may be a string and / or numeric code associated with a particular shareable device. Furthermore, as a user interacts with the shareable device, data indicative of the interaction may be transmitted from the shareable device to a server, and the user's interaction may be tracked and recorded in a storage component accessible to the server. In this manner, users in interactive and / or vehicle rental environments may receive a high-quality, uninterrupted, and personalized experience in locations where connectivity failures are likely to occur.

[0021] With this in mind, FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an interactive environment 10 including a sharable device system 12 having one or more sharable devices 14A-14D (collectively 14). As illustrated, interactive environment 10 includes a user 16 holding a user device 18. While only two users 16 and two user devices 18 are shown, alternative embodiments of sharable device system 12 can include any number of user devices 18 (e.g., 1 or more, 2 or more, 3 or more, 4 or more, 5 or more, 5 or more, etc.) and any number of users 16 (e.g., 1 or more, 2 or more, 3 or more, 4 or more, 5 or more, 5 or more). Generally, user device 18 is an electronic device having a processor and communications circuitry for communicating with sharable devices 14 via wireless communications. For example, user device 18 may use ultra-wideband (UWB) communications (e.g., at frequencies between 3.1 gigahertz (GHz) and 10.6 GHz), radio frequency identification (RFID) beacons and / or tags (e.g., at 433 megahertz (MHz) or approximate frequencies between 860 and 960 MHz), or Wi-Fi (e.g., at approximate frequencies between 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz) to identify and transmit data to one or more shareable devices 14.

[0022] In general operation, a user 16 may bring a user device 18 into close proximity with a shareable device 14 (e.g., within a UWB range, such as within 3 centimeters (cm), 4 cm, 5 cm, and 10 cm) to establish communication between the user device 18 and the shareable device 14. The user device 18 may then provide a user identifier to the shareable device 14. The shareable device 14 may relay the user identifier to the server 22 and transmit a shareable device identifier associated with the shareable device 14 to the server 22. Generally, the server may be any suitable computing device, including a desktop computer, laptop, mobile device, smartphone, wearable device, and the like. The user identifier is associated with a user profile in one or more databases 23. Generally, the shareable device identifier identifies the particular shareable device 14 that the user is attempting to access, thus enabling pairing between a user profile associated with the user 16 and the particular shareable device 14. Once the shareable device 14 is paired with a user profile, interactions between the user and the shareable device 14 in the interactive environment 10 can be tracked and / or recorded, data stored in the database 23 can be updated to include records of interactions with the shareable device 14, points can be awarded to the user based on usage of the shareable device 14, the user's progress when using the shareable device 14 can be tracked, the user's performance when using the shareable device 14 can be tracked, and so on.

[0023] In one embodiment, the server 22 pairing the shareable device 14 with the user profile may include providing specific user profile settings to the shareable device 14 that cause the shareable device 14 to provide a pairing indication notifying the user that the shareable device 14 has been paired with the user. That is, the pairing indication may activate one or more feedback devices 29 (e.g., visual feedback devices (e.g., light emitting elements such as diodes, display screens), audio feedback devices (e.g., speakers), tactile elements, etc.) of the shareable device 14 based on the pairing indication. For example, the user profile may include specific user preferences (e.g., graphics, images, and other visual, audio, and tactile patterns previously selected by the user), which the shareable device 14 may use to provide feedback via the one or more feedback devices 29 to enhance the user's immersion in the interactive environment. For example, a user may prefer that the shareable device 14 present a particular color scheme (e.g., blue), and upon successful pairing, the light(s) (representing the feedback device 29) on the shareable device 14 may light up in a color (e.g., blue) corresponding to this color scheme. It should be understood that the server 22 may provide pairing instructions with the user profile and / or provide instructions to control the feedback device 29 in a particular manner (e.g., turn on the light(s) representing the feedback device 29 in that color) to cause the shareable device 14 to indicate successful pairing (or unsuccessful pairing).

[0024] As mentioned above, the shareable device system 12 may also be implemented in a vehicle rental environment. To illustrate this, FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a vehicle rental environment 20 including the shareable device system 12. In general operation, a user 16 may bring a user device 18 into proximity (e.g., within UWB range) of a shareable device 14 (e.g., a vehicle) to establish communication between the user device 18 and the shareable device 14, generally similar to the method described with respect to FIG. 1. The user device 18 may then provide a user identifier to the shareable device 14, which may relay the user identifier and shareable device ID to the server 22. The user identifier may enable identification of a user profile in one or more databases 23. The shareable device ID may enable tracking of interactions between the user and the vehicle (i.e., the shareable device 14), and data stored in the databases 23 may be updated to include records of interactions such as mileage, driving habits, and locations visited. The server 22 may pair the shareable device 14 with the user profile and provide a pairing instruction notifying the user that the shareable device 14 has been paired with the user profile 50, as shown in FIG. 3 . For example, the pairing instruction may cause the feedback device 29 of the shareable device 14 to provide feedback that the user profile 50 has been paired with the shareable device 14. For example, in embodiments in which the shareable device system 12 is implemented in a vehicle rental environment 20, the pairing instruction 71 received by the shareable device 14 (e.g., vehicle) and / or the user device 18 may provide vehicle features (e.g., seat position or orientation, mirror position, speaker volume, pre-selected radio list, connection to the user device 18 (e.g., via Bluetooth®), climate settings, heater settings, heated seat settings, and cooled seat settings, etc.) and / or other features that may provide a more personalized experience for the user (e.g., displaying a “welcome back” message on the vehicle's display screen).This can make the vehicle rental experience more convenient, comfortable, or enjoyable for the user, and can reduce the likelihood that a connection failure between the user device 18 and the shareable device 14 will cause the user's settings to not be applied to the shareable device 14.

[0025] To perform the operations described herein, the shareable device 14, the server 22, and the user device 18 may each include specific processing circuitry, memory circuitry, and communication circuitry. To illustrate this, FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a shareable device system 12 including one or more shareable devices 14, a server 22, and a user device 18. In one embodiment, each of the one or more shareable devices 14 may include a processor 24, a memory 26, and communication circuitry 28 that enables the one or more shareable devices 14 to communicate with the user device 18 and / or the server 22. The various functional blocks illustrated in FIG. 1 may include hardware elements (including circuitry), software elements (including machine-executable instructions), or a combination of both hardware and software elements (which may be referred to as logic). The processor 24, the memory 26 and / or non-volatile storage, the communication circuitry 28, and / or the feedback device 29 may be communicatively coupled to each other directly or indirectly (e.g., through or via another component, a communication bus, or a network) to send and / or receive data from each other. It should be noted that FIG. 3 is merely one example of a particular implementation and is intended to illustrate the types of components that may be present within the shareable device 14, the user device 18, and / or the server 22. The shareable device 14 may also include game input / output control elements 27, which may include input triggers, buttons, joysticks, control pads, or other selectable features, and / or features similar to feedback devices 29 (e.g., speakers, displays, light-emitting elements, haptic devices, etc.). The game input / output 27 may provide trigger conditions to the server 22 that may facilitate certain game elements within the interactive environment 10 by causing the server 22 to track the position and / or orientation of the shareable device 14. In general, the trigger conditions may indicate an interaction between the user and the shareable device 14. For example, the trigger condition may indicate whether the user is pulling the trigger of the shareable device 14 (i.e., in an embodiment in which the shareable device 14 is a blaster gun).As another non-limiting example, a trigger condition may indicate a direction of movement or a particular movement (e.g., a user waving a wand) of a shareable device 14. As another non-limiting example, a trigger condition may indicate a user pressing a particular button on game input / output 27. In this manner, server 22 may utilize trigger conditions to enable tracking of shareable device 14.

[0026] For example, communications circuitry 28 may include one or more communications circuitry 28 for a personal area network (PAN), such as an ultra-wideband (UWB) or BLUETOOTH® network, a local area network (LAN) or wireless local area network (WLAN), such as a network employing one of the IEEE 802.11x family of protocols, and / or any standards associated with the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including, for example, a third-generation (3G) cellular network, a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), a fourth-generation (4G) cellular network, a long-term evolution (LTE®) cellular network, a long-term evolution license assisted access (LTE-LAA) cellular network, a fifth-generation (5G) cellular network, and / or a New Radio (NR) cellular network, a sixth-generation (6G) or beyond cellular network, a satellite network, and a non-terrestrial network. Specifically, communications circuitry 28 may include one or more communications circuitry for using cellular communications standards in the 5G specification, including the millimeter wave (mmWave) frequency range (e.g., 24.25-300 gigahertz (GHz)), which defines and / or enables a frequency range used for wireless communications. In some embodiments, communications circuitry 28 may include transmitters and / or receivers supporting transmission and reception of various wireless signals via one or more antennas. For example, communications circuitry 28 may include multiple transmitters, multiple receivers, multiple transceivers, and / or multiple antennas suitable for various communications standards.

[0027] User device 18 may also include a processor 34, memory 36, and communications circuitry 38 that enables user device 18 to communicate with one or more shareable devices 14. In one embodiment, user device 18 may scan for and / or request a user identifier from user device 18 (e.g., periodically or based on certain trigger conditions, such as activation of user device 18 and the power level of user device 18). For example, shareable device 14 may use communications circuitry 28 to scan for a user ID from user device 18, while also using any suitable ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to scan for a UWB tag (that stores or indicates a user identifier) ​​on user device 18. For example, a UWB tag may include an antenna for transmitting and receiving signals, a microprocessor, and memory for storing information (e.g., a unique identification code). Thus, a UWB tag may backscatter data indicative of information stored in the UWB tag's memory when communicating with another UWB tag. Other types of communication are also contemplated, such as near field communication (NFC) devices, radio frequency (RF) communication devices, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or any other suitable wireless communication. Memory 36 of user device 18 may also store identification (ID) information 40 that can be used by server 22 to identify one or more user profiles. In some embodiments, user device 18 may store in memory 36 and / or execute applications executed by processor 34 that facilitate communication with shareable device 14 and / or server 22. Communication circuitry 38 and 48 may include features generally similar to those described above with respect to communication circuitry 28.

[0028] In some embodiments, the communications circuitry 28 of the shareable device 14 may include multiple types of communications circuitry 28. For example, the communications circuitry 28 may include a first type of communications circuitry capable of communicating with the user device 18 via a first communications protocol and a second type of communications circuitry capable of communicating with the server 22 via a second communications protocol. Thus, the communications circuitry 28 of the shareable device 14 may receive a user ID 40 from the user device 18 via the first communications protocol (e.g., communicating over a first frequency range). Additionally, the communications circuitry 28 of the shareable device 14 may transmit the user ID 40 to the server 22 via the second communications protocol (i.e., communicating over a second frequency range), and the server 22 may pair the user profile 50 associated with the user ID 40 to the shareable device 14. In this manner, even when communication using the first communication protocol is hindered (e.g., due to another user device 18 also communicating via the first communication protocol), pairing can be prevented by transmitting the user ID 40 to the shareable device 14 and using the second communication protocol to transmit information (i.e., the user ID 40 and the shareable device ID 30) to pair the user device 18 with the shareable device 14. Notably, the user device 18 only needs to transmit a relatively small amount of data (i.e., the user ID) to the shareable device 14.

[0029] In some embodiments, one or more shareable devices 14 may scan for and / or request user IDs 40 from user devices 18 (e.g., periodically or based on certain trigger conditions, such as activation of the shareable device 14 and the power level of the shareable device 14). For example, the shareable device 14 may use its communications circuitry 28 to scan for user IDs from user devices 18, while any suitable ultra-wideband (UWB) technology may be used to scan for UWB tags (which store or indicate the user ID 40) on the user devices 18. Other types of communication, such as Bluetooth or WiFi, are also contemplated. The memory 26 of one or more shareable devices 14 may also store a shareable device identifier (e.g., a shareable device ID) 30 that identifies the shareable device 14 so that interactions between users 16 and particular shareable devices 14 within the interactive environment 10 and / or vehicle rental environment 20 can be accurately tracked and recorded. The shareable device 14 may also include one or more feedback devices 29, such as visual feedback devices (e.g., light emitting elements such as diodes, display screens), audio feedback devices (e.g., speakers), and haptics. The above description generally relates to the shareable device 14 pulling a user ID (e.g., via scanning). In some embodiments, the user device 18 may initiate the transmission (e.g., periodically or based on certain trigger conditions, such as activation of the user device 18, the power level of the user device 18, etc.). In this manner, the user device 18 may also push a user ID 40 to the shareable device 14. Note that other suitable techniques for pushing or pulling identification information between devices are also contemplated.

[0030] Additionally, the server 22 may include a processor 44, a memory 46, and communications circuitry 48 that enables the server 22 to communicate with one or more shareable devices 14. In some embodiments, the server 22 may scan for and / or request user IDs and shareable device IDs from the shareable devices 14 (e.g., periodically or based on certain trigger conditions, such as activation of the user device 18, the power level of the user device 18, etc.). For example, the server 22 may use the communications circuitry 48 to scan for user IDs and shareable device IDs from the shareable devices 14. In some embodiments, the communications circuitry 48 may use a suitable type of communications, such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. The memory 46 of the server 22 (e.g., a database accessible to the server 22) may also store user profiles 50 that may be used to adjust the operation of the shareable devices 14 and facilitate tracking of user interactions with the shareable devices 14.

[0031] 1, 2, and 3, in operation, a user may enter or otherwise be present in an area associated with interactive environment 10 or vehicle rental environment 20 by passing through an entrance to, standing within, or walking around such environment. In some embodiments, a shareable device 14 may be acquired (e.g., selected) while the user is present within interactive environment 10. Thus, in some embodiments, a shareable device 14 may not be pre-registered or otherwise linked to the user's user profile 50 before the user enters or is present within interactive environment 10. Instead, a shareable device 14 may be temporarily paired, registered, and linked to the user's user profile 50 when the user is present within interactive environment 10 and / or while the user is acquiring the shareable device 14 to participate in interactive environment 10. However, in at least some embodiments, a shareable device 14 may be pre-registered with the user's user profile 50.

[0032] A shareable device 14 may be temporarily paired, registered, or linked to a user profile 50 through any of a variety of linking technologies. In one embodiment, a shareable device is paired to a user profile 50 through communication with a user's user device 18, which outputs a user ID 40 associated with the user. As described herein, a user device 18 may include a mobile phone, a wearable device (e.g., a bracelet), or any other suitable device. For example, a user device 18 may include a device that a user uses outside of the interactive environment 10 for personal tasks unrelated to the interactive environment 10 (e.g., a mobile phone that a user uses to complete personal phone calls), or a device that a user purchases (or receives in exchange for admission) specifically for use in the interactive environment 10 and / or an amusement park having the interactive environment 10.

[0033] In one embodiment, when a shareable device 14 receives a user ID 40 from a user device 18, the shareable device 14 may transmit the user ID 40 along with its own shareable device ID 30 to the server 22. This allows the server 22 to pair the shareable device 14 with a user profile 50 (e.g., temporarily, such as while the user is moving through the interactive environment 10 and / or while using the shareable device 14 for a predetermined period of time corresponding to a vehicle rental period). In another embodiment, the user profile 50 (e.g., some or all of the settings associated with the user profile 50) may be communicated to and / or stored on the shareable device 14 (e.g., temporarily, such as while the user is moving through the interactive environment 10). For example, in one embodiment, the shareable device 14 may be an interactive tool (e.g., a blaster gun that fires virtual projectiles) used within the interactive environment 10. Thus, if the user profile 50 includes preferences for virtual projectiles, the preferences may be communicated to and / or stored on the shareable device 14. Thus, the shareable device 14 may fire or output virtual projectiles according to the preferences in the user profile 50. As another example, if the user profile establishes a color scheme for the user, the color scheme may be communicated to and / or stored on the shareable device 14. Thus, the shareable device 14 may display the color scheme according to the preferences in the user profile 50. It should be understood that the shareable device 14, the server 22, the one or more databases 23, and / or the user device 18 may communicate via any suitable communication technology to implement the various embodiments disclosed herein, exchange identifier(s), pair the shareable device 14 with the user profile 50, and / or provide the user profile 50 to the shareable device 14, etc. For example, the user device 18 may retrieve the user profile 50 from the one or more databases 23 and communicate the user profile 50 to the shareable device 14.As another example, user device 18 may receive sharable device ID 30 from sharable device 14 and provide user ID 40 and sharable device ID 30 to server 22 .

[0034] In one embodiment, as described in further detail with respect to FIG. 5 , server 22 may perform an iterative process of pairing shareable devices 14 to user profiles 50. Specifically, before or upon entering interactive environment 10, a user may open and interact with an application (e.g., a software application) on user device 18 associated with interactive environment 10. Through interaction with the application on user device 18, the user may create and / or modify features of the user's user profile 50. For example, continuing with the example above in which shareable device 14 is a blaster gun for interactive environment 10, the user may create a user profile 50 that includes preferences for virtual projectile type (e.g., water, goo, ball, animal, character), mode (e.g., ice, fire, water), color scheme (e.g., purple, green, blue), etc. Additionally, the user may also create and / or modify features of additional user profiles for additional users (e.g., the user's children, the user's companions, the user's guests) or for the user (e.g., if the user desires to be able to select from multiple different user profiles 50) through interaction with the application on the user device 18. In practice, the user may create and / or modify features of any number of user profiles 50 (e.g., 1 or more, 2 or 3 or more, 3 or 4 or more, 4 or 5 or more, 5 or 6 or more, etc.), and these user profiles 50 may be stored in one or more databases 23.

[0035] In some embodiments, the shareable device ID 30 and / or user ID 40 may be transmitted using audio data. For example, the communications circuitry 28 of the shareable device 14 and / or the communications circuitry 38 of the user device 18 may be capable of transmitting the user ID 40 and / or the shareable device ID 30 as ultrasound data (e.g., at frequencies greater than 20,000 Hertz (Hz)). Accordingly, the server 22 may include suitable communications circuitry 48 for receiving ultrasound data indicative of the shareable device ID 30 and / or the user ID 40. While the above description relates to ultrasound data, the shareable device ID 30 and / or the user ID 40 may also be transmitted as audio data at frequencies corresponding to those audible to humans, such as 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.

[0036] Once the user profile(s) 50 are established, the user may bring the user device 18 into proximity with the shareable device 14 (e.g., within UWB range) to establish communication between the user device 18 and the shareable device 14. The user device 18 may then provide the user ID 40 to the shareable device 14, which may relay the user ID 40 to the server 22. The user identifier may enable identification of the user profile 50 in one or more databases 23. The server 22 pairs the shareable device 14 with the user profile 50 and also provides a pairing indication that generally modifies the operation of the shareable device 14. For example, the pairing indication may cause the shareable device 14 to provide feedback (e.g., visual feedback, audio feedback, or haptic feedback) that notifies the user that the shareable device 14 has been paired. For example, the user profile 50 may include or at least temporarily be associated with a color scheme (e.g., blue), and the feedback device 29 on the shareable device 14 may illuminate in a color (e.g., blue) corresponding to the color scheme. It should be understood that the server 22 may provide an output that includes the user profile 50 and / or may provide instructions to control the shareable device 14 in a particular manner (e.g., turn on the feedback device 29 in that color) to cause the shareable device 14 to provide a paired output.

[0037] When a user brings user device 18 into proximity (e.g., within UWB range) with an additional shareable device (e.g., shareable device 14B) to establish communication between user device 18 and the additional shareable device 14B, user device 18 can provide a user ID 40 to the additional shareable device 14B. The additional shareable device 14B can then relay the user ID 40 and shareable device ID 30 of the additional shareable device 14B to server 22 to enable identification of an additional user profile 50 in one or more databases 23 and association of the additional user profile 50 with the additional shareable device 14B. Server 22 can provide a further output that causes the additional shareable device 14b to provide a further pairing indication that notifies the additional user that the additional shareable device 14b has been paired with the additional user. For example, the additional user profile can include or be at least temporarily associated with a different color scheme (e.g., purple), and feedback device 29 on the shareable device 14 can illuminate a color (e.g., purple) corresponding to the color scheme. The server 22 may provide an output including a further user profile 50 and / or may provide instructions to control the shareable device 14 in a particular manner (e.g., illuminate the feedback device 29 in a different color) to cause the shareable device 14 to provide a pairing indication. The color scheme of the user profile 50 may be known to the user and / or may be reflected by the user device 18, such as by presenting a color indicator via the user device 18 that matches the color of the pairing indication.

[0038] In this manner, the interactive system 10 can enable a single user device 18 to efficiently pair multiple different user profiles 50 with multiple shareable devices 14 (e.g., a user profile 50 with a shareable device 14a, an additional user profile 50 with an additional shareable device 14b, etc.) to support high user throughput as the user collects shareable devices 14a, 14b. The pairing process can be an automatic and / or iterative process based on the server 22 identifying the user device 18 and receiving a user ID 40 from the user device 18, receiving a shareable device ID from the shareable device 14, accessing the user profile 50 associated with the user device 18, and pairing the user profile 50 with the shareable device 14. Thereafter, in response to the same user device 18 being in proximity to a further shareable device 14b, the server 22 recognizes the user ID 40 from the user device 18, receives the shareable ID 30 of the shareable device 14b, recognizes that a user profile is already paired to the shareable device 14a (and therefore ignores or skips the user profile), accesses a further user profile 50 associated with the user device 18, and pairs the user's further user profile 50 (e.g., a profile corresponding to a guest, friend, child, or family member) with the shareable device 14b.

[0039] The pairing indication can help multiple users distinguish between shareable devices 14a, 14b, 14c, and 14d even if each user has their own user device 18. For example, when a first user (e.g., in a queue) positions their user device 18 in close proximity (e.g., within UWB range) to a first shareable device 14a, the first shareable device 14a, after being paired by server 22 to the first user's user profile 50, can illuminate with a first color that operates to visually confirm to the first user that it has been paired to the first user's user profile 50. If, in parallel, simultaneously, or shortly thereafter, a second user in line waves their user device 18 over the second shareable device 14b, the second shareable device 14b may illuminate a second color (e.g., different from the first color) that operates to visually confirm to the second user that the second shareable device 14b has been paired to the second user's user profile 50 (e.g., the second user profile 50 associated with the user's account). Similarly, if a user who has multiple user profiles 50 selects a particular user profile 50 for a single pass through the interactive environment 10 and waves their user device 18 over the third shareable device 14c, the third shareable device 14c may illuminate a third color that operates to visually confirm to the user that the third shareable device 14c has been paired to the particular user profile (e.g., the third user profile associated with the user's account). Note that the above description can be used to pair any of all shareable devices 14a, 14b, 14c, and 14d to a user.

[0040] The sharable device 14, the server 22, the one or more databases 23, and / or the user device 18 can communicate via any suitable communication technology (e.g., communication protocol) to carry out the various embodiments disclosed herein. As described herein, the user device 18 and the sharable device 14 can communicate via a first type of communication (e.g., a first type of communication protocol such as NFC, RFID, UWB, Wi-Fi, etc.), and the sharable device 14 and the server 22 can communicate via a second type of communication (e.g., a second type of communication protocol such as NFC, RFID, UWB, Wi-Fi, etc.). Thus, the user device 18 can provide the user ID 40 to the sharable device 14 using the first type of communication protocol. The sharable device 14 then provides the sharable device ID 30 and the user ID 40 to the server using the second type of communication protocol. For ease of explanation, both user device 18 and server 22 may be referred to herein as an “external device or system” to indicate that an external device or system separate (e.g., physically separate) from shareable device 14a may perform certain processing steps. In some embodiments, shareable device 14, server 22, one or more databases 23, and / or user device 18 may communicate via the same communication protocol. However, because user device 18 needs to communicate a relatively small amount of data to pair shareable device 14 to user profile 50, the likelihood of pairing being delayed or interrupted due to an unstable connection between user device 18 and shareable device 14 is reduced.

[0041] In one embodiment, the shareable device 14 may temporarily store the user ID 40 and / or the shareable device 14 may use the user ID 40 to access and / or download the user's user profile 50. For example, the shareable device 14 may access and / or download the user's user profile 50 by communicating with the server 22 using the communications circuitry 28 (e.g., UWB circuitry), and the server 22 may access the user profile 50 from one or more databases 23 and provide the user profile 50 to the shareable device 14.

[0042] A user's user profile 50 may include a stored log of achievements and / or data that is specific to (or at least relevant to) the user. The user profile 50 may depend on previous visits to and / or previous experiences in the interactive environment 10. The user profile 50 may include data such as the number of visits, the number of points accumulated during one or more visits, the average number of points accumulated per visit, the total number of points accumulated across all visits, the shareable device 14 previously used and / or the user's user ID 40, the interactive elements that the user successfully targeted (e.g., hit) using one or more shareable devices 14 during one or more visits, the percent accuracy (e.g., hits / attempts) during one or more visits, the time spent navigating the interactive environment 10 during one or more visits, the current level achieved in the interactive environment 10, the highest level achieved in the interactive environment 10, the type of user device 18 carried by the user, a history of purchases made by the user, a history of other interactive environments 10 visited by the user, a history of amusement park attractions visited by the user, a history of projectiles used during one or more visits, and / or any of a variety of other information related to performance and / or experiences associated with the interactive environment 10. User profile 50 may also include user characteristics such as the user's age, the user's height, the user's weight, the user's abilities, and whether the user is associated with any special circumstances (e.g., where the user needs or can provide particular physical, mental, or emotional accommodations). User profile 50 may also include user preferences such as preferred virtual projectiles (e.g., characteristics or attributes such as color, size, and / or type) and / or preference feedback presented via shareable device 14. In at least some instances, user preferences may be entered and / or selected via user device 18.User profile 50 may be referenced to provide user-specific special effects within interactive environment 10, and / or user profile 50 may be updated during each visit to interactive environment 10. Alternatively, some or all elements of user profile 50 may be transferred to shareable device 14 for temporary download (e.g., storage).

[0043] In some embodiments, the user ID 40 may include several transaction data. For example, it may be advantageous to implement the shareable device system 12 to operate using transaction data such as financial tokens, microtransactions, mobile payments, and digital wallets. For example, the user device 18 may execute an application (e.g., a third-party application) that allows a user to purchase certain profile settings (e.g., blaster gun effects, visual feedback patterns, audio settings, etc.) and / or acquire or obtain a shareable device 14. That is, the application may generate a ticket linked to the user ID 40. Thus, the shareable device 14 may receive the user ID 40 including the ticket and transmit the user ID 40 and the ticket to the server 22. After receiving the ticket, the server 22 may transmit transaction feedback to the user 16, typically allowing the user to select one or more profile settings. For example, the transaction feedback may cause one or more purchasable profile settings associated with the interactive environment 10 to be displayed on the display of the user device 18. In this manner, the shareable device system 12 may enable the user 16 to further personalize their experience within the interactive environment 10 while enhancing the user's immersion. A user may pay a monetary value to obtain a shareable device 14 and / or additional profile settings, although in some embodiments the monetary value may be set to zero so that the user can run the shareable device system 12 using transaction data without paying a monetary value.

[0044] To further illustrate the techniques disclosed herein, Figure 4 is a data flow diagram illustrating a method 60 for pairing a shareable device 14 with a user profile 50 stored on a server 22. In general, the process blocks performed in method 60 may be performed by processor 24 of shareable device 14, processor 34 of user device 18, or processor 44 of server 22. However, for simplicity, the actions described below will be described with respect to shareable device 14 rather than processor 24, with respect to user device 18 rather than processor 34, and with respect to server 22 rather than processor 44. Additionally, the process blocks described below may be performed in a different order than that shown, and in fact, in some embodiments, certain process blocks may be skipped entirely.

[0045] As shown in the illustrated embodiment, user device 18 detects a shareable device at process block 61. For example, as described herein, user 16 may bring user device 18 into proximity (e.g., within UWB range of 3 centimeters (cm) or less, 4 cm or less, 5 cm or less, 10 cm or less, etc.) of one or more shareable devices 14 to establish communication between user device 18 and the shareable devices.

[0046] In response to detecting the sharable device 14, the user device 18 transmits the user ID 40 to the sharable device at process block 62 to initiate pairing of the user profile 50 associated with the user ID 40 to the sharable device 14. After receiving the user ID 40, the sharable device 14 transmits the user ID 40 at process block 64. The sharable device 14 also transmits the sharable device ID 30 corresponding to the sharable device 14 to the server 22 at process block 65. In response, the server 22 identifies the user profile 50 based on the user ID 40. Specifically, at process block 66, the server 22 identifies and retrieves the user profile 50 stored in the database 23 that corresponds to the user ID 40. In some embodiments, the server 22 may perform an iterative process to identify the user profile 50 corresponding to the user ID 40.

[0047] At process block 68, the server 22 pairs the user profile 50 with the shareable device 14 corresponding to the received shareable device ID 30. Generally, the server 22 pairing the user profile 50 with the shareable device 14 may include the server 22 updating the user profile 50 with interactions between the shareable device 14 and the interactive environment 10 or vehicle rental environment 20, or outside of the interactive environment 10 or vehicle rental environment 20.

[0048] At process block 70, server 22 sends a pairing indication 71 to shareable device 14. Generally, pairing indication 71 can provide the user with feedback of successful pairing between shareable device 14 and user device 18. Consequently, shareable device 14 can activate one or more feedback devices 29 based on pairing indication 71 at process block 72. Generally, pairing indication 71 can confirm successful pairing by activating feedback device 29 of shareable device 14. In further or alternative embodiments, pairing indication 71 can also trigger feedback (e.g., using feedback device 29) based on a pairing failure (e.g., a "red light," a different haptic sensation, an error sound, the display of an "X," the display of a failure message, etc.). In some embodiments, the type of feedback provided by feedback device 29 can be based on preferred settings indicated by a user profile. Thus, in such embodiments, pairing indication 71 can include specific user profile settings (e.g., settings 52 of user profile 50).

[0049] At process block 74, the shareable device 14 sends a return indication 75 that the shareable device 14 has been returned. For example, the shareable device 14 may determine that the shareable device 14 has been idle for a period of time that exceeds a threshold. Thus, the shareable device 14 may determine that the shareable device 14 is no longer being used and send the return indication 75. In some embodiments, the return indication 75 may include data of one or more interactions between the user, the shareable device 14, and the interactive environment 10.

[0050] At process block 76, the server 22 updates the user profile 50 based on the return instruction. That is, the server 22 may update the user profile 50 based on use of the shareable device 14. Accordingly, the server 22 may update the user profile 50 and / or the database 23 to include data indicative of achievements, updated user preferences, interactions between the user and the shareable device 14, etc. In embodiments in which multiple user profiles 50 are associated with a single user ID, a first shareable device 14 may be paired with a first user profile 50 (e.g., associated with user ID 40), and a second shareable device 14 may be paired with a second user profile 50 (e.g., associated with user ID 40). Accordingly, the server 22 may update either user profile 50 (e.g., the first user profile, the second user profile, or both) based on data indicative of achievements, updated user preferences, interactions between the user and the shareable device 14, etc. In this manner, a user or guest may share achievements.

[0051] As shown, the server 22 can transmit a user profile update 80 for the user profile to the user device 18. Generally, the server 22 can transmit the user profile update 80 after receiving return instructions 75, after determining that updates have been made to the user profile 50 (e.g., the server 22 has received the user profile update from the user device 18), and / or after determining that the user has achieved or unlocked an achievement associated with the interactive environment 10 and / or the vehicle rental environment 20. As a result, the user device 18 can update the shareable device based on use of the shareable device in process block 84. For example, a display on the user device 18 can provide feedback to the user (e.g., "achievement unlocked," "new high score," or "level up"). As another non-limiting example, updating the user profile can include the processor 44 determining that the time period allotted for the car rental is nearing its end (e.g., within a threshold) or has expired. Accordingly, the user profile update 80 can cause the display on the user device 18 to indicate that the time period corresponding to the car rental is nearing its end or has expired.

[0052] As described herein, interactive system 10 can perform an iterative process of pairing shareable devices 14 to users, such as when a user (e.g., a parent) desires to pair multiple shareable devices 14 to multiple user profiles 50 (e.g., to children or other family members or guests of the parent) using a single user device 18. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method 90 that enables a user to coordinate the operation of shareable devices 14 using information stored on server 22. In some embodiments, the method can be implemented by executing instructions stored on a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as memory 46, using processor 44. For example, method 90 can be performed, at least in part, by one or more software components, such as an operating system of server 22, one or more software applications of server 22, and firmware of server 22. While method 90 is described using a particular order of steps, it should be understood that the present disclosure contemplates performing the described steps in an order different from that illustrated, skipping some described steps, or not performing them entirely.

[0053] At process block 92, processor 44 receives user ID 40 and shareable device ID 30 from a first shareable device 14. Specifically, processor 24 may receive user ID 40 including data indicative of a user profile 50 (e.g., accessible to server 22). At process block 94, processor 44 determines whether user ID 40 is assigned to a second shareable device 14 (e.g., a shareable device different from the first shareable device 14). Generally, as described herein, user ID 40 may be associated with multiple user profiles 50 (e.g., a first user profile and a second user profile). Thus, if processor 44 determines that user ID 40 is not assigned to the second shareable device 14, processor 44 proceeds to block 96 and retrieves the first user profile 50 for user ID 40 for the first shareable device 14. At process block 98, processor 44 pairs the first user profile 50 with the first shareable device 14. On the other hand, if processor 44 determines that user ID 40 is assigned to a second shareable device 14, processor 44 proceeds to block 100 and pairs a second user profile 50 associated with user ID 40 to the first shareable device 14. Thus, processor 44 may pair the second user profile 50 with the first shareable device 14 in processor block 102.

[0054] In this manner, method 90 can be used to determine which user profile 50 should be paired with a shareable device 14. Thus, a user who wishes to pair multiple shareable devices 14 with different user profiles 50 can do so using a single user device 18. It is currently recognized that such techniques are advantageous when a user enters interactive environment 10 with additional users who do not have user devices 18 and / or user profiles 50.

[0055] In one embodiment, system 12 may use quick response (QR) codes. For example, shareable device 14 may display a QR code that identifies shareable device ID 30. In this embodiment, a camera on user device 18 may take an image or scan the QR code, and user device 18 may transmit the QR code indicating shareable device ID 30 to server 22. Thus, server 22 may pair a user profile 50 associated with user device 18 with shareable device 14.

[0056] As described herein, the server 22 may receive data indicative of interactions between users using the shareable device 14. It is currently recognized that it may be advantageous to modify the data rate transmitted by the shareable device 14 (e.g., thereby reducing the amount of data received by the server 22) based on the operational state of the shareable device 14. For example, it may be desirable to reduce the data transmitted from the shareable device 14 when the shareable device 14 is in an idle state (e.g., corresponding to an operational state in which the shareable device 14 is not currently paired, has not been used for a period exceeding a time threshold, or has not received a user ID 40) compared to an active, active, or “in use” state (e.g., corresponding to the shareable device 14 being in use or paired with a user profile 50). FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method 110 that facilitates adjusting the data rate transmitted by the shareable device 14. In some embodiments, the method 110 may be implemented by using the processor 44 to execute instructions stored in a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as the memory 46. For example, method 110 may be performed, at least in part, by one or more software components, such as an operating system of server 22, one or more software applications of server 22, and firmware of server 22. Although method 110 is described using a particular order of steps, it should be understood that the present disclosure contemplates performing the described steps in an order different from that illustrated, skipping some described steps, or not performing them entirely.

[0057] At process block 112, processor 44 receives an indication of the current operating state of shareable device 14. In some embodiments, the indication may include the current location of shareable device 14, such as whether shareable device 14 is currently present in a location in interactive environment 10 corresponding to where user 16 is actively using shareable device 14 (e.g., a game area or a play area). In some embodiments, the indication may include data indicating whether shareable device 14 is paired. For example, processor 44 may query database 23 and receive output indicating shareable devices 14 that are currently paired to user profile 50. In some embodiments, the indication may include whether processor 44 has received a return instruction 75 associated with shareable device 14 within a certain time range (e.g., 10 seconds or less, 30 seconds or less, 1 minute or less, 2 minutes or less, 3 minutes or less, 5 minutes or less, and more than 5 minutes). In some embodiments, processor 44 may receive within the indication in response to a trigger condition corresponding to the initiation of an event within the interactive environment occurring.

[0058] In block 114, the processor 44 determines whether the shareable device 14 is idle. Generally, the processor 44 may determine whether the shareable device 14 is idle based on an indication. In some embodiments, the processor 44 may determine that the shareable device 14 is idle if the indication indicates that the shareable device 14 is not in the play area. Similarly, the processor 44 may determine that the shareable device 14 is idle if it determines that the shareable device 14 is located in a checkout area or a storage rack for pairing (e.g., not paired). As another example, the processor 44 may determine that the shareable device 14 is not idle if the indication indicates that the shareable device 14 is currently paired.

[0059] If processor 44 determines that shareable device 14 is not idle (i.e., in an "idle" state) or in use (i.e., not in an "in use" state), processor 44 proceeds to block 118 and modifies the operation of shareable device 14 by causing communication circuitry 28 of shareable device 14 to transmit data at a first rate. On the other hand, if processor 44 determines that shareable device 14 is not idle or in use, processor 44 proceeds to block 116 and modifies the operation of shareable device 14 by causing communication circuitry 28 of shareable device 14 to transmit data at a second rate. Generally, the second rate may be lower than the first rate. That is, it is currently recognized that it is advantageous to have shareable device 14 transmit data (e.g., data indicative of interactions within interactive environment 10) at a relatively high rate when shareable device 14 is in use. In this manner, method 110 may be used to modify the operation of one or more shareable devices 14 to reduce the amount of data transmitted by shareable device 14 when transmitting data is less desirable.

[0060] Although only two operational states (e.g., an “idle” state and an “in use” state) are described above, any number of states may be used to modify the frequency of data transmission by the shareable device 14. For example, process 110 may be utilized to determine whether the shareable device 14 is within the play area (e.g., whether the shareable device 14 is within the interactive environment 10 or in a storage rack associated with the interactive environment 10) or outside the play area (e.g., whether the user has walked away from the interactive environment 10). Thus, the indication may generally have characteristics similar to those described above with respect to 112 and / or whether the shareable device 14 is located in a storage rack. Thus, in block 114, processor 44 may determine whether the current operational state indicates that the shareable device 14 is within the play area. If processor 44 determines that the current operational state is outside the play area, it may modify the operation of the shareable device 14 by causing communication circuitry 28 of the shareable device 14 to transmit data at a first rate, thereby assisting staff in locating the shareable device 14 outside the play area.

[0061] In one embodiment, the processor 44 may compare a current operating state with a previous operating state to determine whether the shareable device 14 is idle. That is, it may be advantageous to determine whether the shareable device 14 has recently been in an “idle” state compared to being in an “idle” state for a period exceeding a time threshold (e.g., 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours). For example, the database 23 may store data and timestamps indicating previously determined operating states of the shareable device 14. Thus, the shareable device 14 may determine whether the shareable device 14 was previously placed in an “idle” state (e.g., whether the current operating state and the previous operating state are both “idle”), and the processor 44 may not modify the rate of data transmitted by the shareable device 14 accordingly. Alternatively, the shareable device 14 may determine that the shareable device 14 was recently placed in an “idle” state (e.g., the current operating state is “idle” and the previous operating state is “busy”), and the processor 44 may modify the rate of data transmitted as described above. It should be noted that in the case of whether processor 44 can determine whether shareable device 14 is in an "in use" state in block 114, references to "idle" and "in use" may be interchanged.

[0062] While only certain features of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art and it is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the disclosure.

[0063] The technology shown and claimed herein refers to and applies to tangible objects and specific examples of a practical nature that will materially improve the art, and thus are not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. Furthermore, if any claim appended at the end of this specification contains one or more elements designated as "means for [performing] ... [function]" or "step for [performing] ... [function]," such elements are to be construed pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 112(f). Conversely, for any claim containing elements designated in any other manner, such elements are not to be construed pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 112(f).

Claims

1. a server coupled to one or more databases that store user profiles; a shareable device including one or more processors, one or more memory devices for storing a shareable device identifier, one or more feedback devices and communication circuitry; the shareable device is communicatively coupled to the server, and the one or more processors receiving a user identifier from a user device via the communication circuit; transmitting the user identifier to the server via the communication circuit; transmitting the shareable device identifier to the server via the communication circuit; receiving a pairing instruction from the server via the communication circuit based on the user identifier and the shareable device identifier; activating the one or more feedback devices based on the pairing instruction; It is configured as follows: Interactive system.

2. the communication circuitry includes ultra-wideband (UWB) communication circuitry; The interactive system of claim 1 .

3. the one or more processors are configured to transmit the shareable device identifier to the server via the communication circuitry after receiving the user identifier. The interactive system of claim 1 .

4. the one or more processors are configured to transmit, via the communications circuitry, data indicative of interactions performed with the shareable device to the server; The interactive system of claim 1 .

5. the shareable device includes a portable device from an amusement park attraction; The interactive system of claim 1 .

6. The communication circuit includes a Wi-Fi communication circuit. The interactive system of claim 1 .

7. the shareable device includes a vehicle; The interactive system of claim 1 .

8. the one or more feedback devices include a display of the vehicle; The interactive system of claim 7.

9. a user device, the user device including a portable user device; The interactive system of claim 1 .

10. The one or more processors: determining that the shareable device is idle; Sending a return instruction to the server via the communication circuit; The interactive system according to claim 1 , configured to:

11. the one or more processors are configured to transmit the shareable device ID to the server over a first frequency range, and the one or more processors are configured to receive the user identifier over a second frequency range different from the first frequency range. The interactive system of claim 1 .

12. 1. A method for pairing a shareable device, comprising: receiving a user identifier (ID) associated with the user device from the shareable device using the communications circuitry; receiving a shareable device ID from the shareable device using the communication circuitry; using one or more processors to determine a user profile to pair with the shareable device based on the user ID; using the one or more processors to pair the user profile with the shareable device based on the shareable ID; A method comprising:

13. transmitting a pairing indication to the shareable device using the communications circuitry based on the user profile to pair with the shareable device. The method of claim 12.

14. one or more feedback devices of the shareable device are configured to act based on the pairing indication; The method of claim 13.

15. Determining, using the one or more processors, the user profile to pair with the shareable device includes: using the one or more processors to determine that additional user profiles are paired with additional shareable devices; using the one or more processors, determining to pair the user profile with the additional shareable device in response to determining that the additional user profile is paired with the additional shareable device; 13. The method of claim 12, comprising:

16. receiving, using the communications circuitry, data indicative of an interaction between the shareable device and an interactive environment; updating the user profile based on the received data using the one or more processors; and 13. The method of claim 12, comprising:

17. transmitting, using the communications circuitry, data indicative of the user profile as updated to the user device; 17. The method of claim 16.

18. a plurality of shareable devices, each storing a respective shareable device identifier (ID); a server coupled to one or more databases storing a plurality of user profiles; The server comprises: a communications circuit configured to communicate with the plurality of shareable devices; one or more processors; wherein the one or more processors: receiving a user identifier from a first shareable device of the plurality of shareable devices via the communication circuit; receiving a first shareable device identifier from the first shareable device via the communication circuit; determining that a first user profile of the plurality of user profiles is paired with a second shareable device of the plurality of shareable devices; pairing a second user profile of the plurality of user profiles with the first shareable device based on the first user profile being paired with the second shareable device; It is configured as follows: Interactive system.

19. the one or more processors are configured to cause the first shareable device to output a pairing indication based on pairing the second user profile with the first shareable device.

19. The interactive system of claim 18.

20. the first shareable device includes one or more feedback devices configured to act based on the pairing indication; 20. The interactive system of claim 19.

Images