Physical Toy Tracking for Immersive Gaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Video games lack player immersion as they primarily involve controlling virtual avatars, limiting interaction to a screen-based experience, which reduces emotional engagement and memorability.
Innovation Solution
A method for tracking physical objects in a gaming environment, where game consoles receive and update data on the position, orientation, and movement of physical toys, synchronizing the virtual game state with physical object interactions, allowing for a combined physical and virtual play area across distances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If players control virtual avatars in a screen-based game environment, then the game can be played with standard display and controller hardware, but player immersion and emotional engagement are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the physical toy with the virtual game environment by tracking the physical object's position, orientation, and movement data to update the virtual game state. This combines physical play with virtual gameplay, allowing players to interact with both real and virtual elements in a unified experience, thereby increasing immersion without requiring entirely new hardware
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces tracking data as an intermediary between the physical toy and the virtual game environment. Sensors on the physical toy collect position, orientation, and movement information, which is then transmitted to the game system to update the virtual state. This intermediary layer enables seamless integration of physical and virtual elements while maintaining system manageability
2Adaptability or versatility
If the game environment is extended to include physical play areas, then player immersion increases, but the system requires integration of physical and virtual tracking components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the game system universal by enabling it to track and respond to both virtual inputs (controller commands) and physical inputs (toy position, orientation, movement). The same game engine processes both types of inputs to update the game state, allowing the system to adapt to multiple play modes without requiring separate systems for physical and virtual gameplay
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adaptation by continuously updating the virtual game state based on real-time tracking data from physical toys. The system dynamically adjusts the virtual environment to reflect physical play actions, creating a responsive and adaptive experience that can handle both physical and virtual elements seamlessly
3Ease of operation
If physical toys are tracked in real-time to update game state, then player immersion and engagement increase, but data processing and system response requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures continuous engagement by maintaining real-time tracking of the physical toy's position, orientation, and movement throughout the gameplay experience. The system continuously updates the virtual game state based on ongoing physical actions, creating an uninterrupted feedback loop that keeps players engaged without requiring periodic interruptions for data processing
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for tracking physical play objects by virtual or non-player characters in an electronic game environment. More specifically, techniques are disclosed for enabling a game system to track a physical toy object, using tracking information to update the game state, and transmitting updated game state to the toy object and update the toy state. Additionally, a player is able to control the physical toy object, and use the physical toy object to play a game. The game system may track a remote-controlled toy, a handheld toy, or the player himself or herself. The virtual feedback to changes in the physical environment results in a more immersive game experience for the player.