Making physical objects appear to be moving from the physical world into the virtual world

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9690373-B2
Application number	US-201514678945-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2015
Priority date	Oct 4, 2012
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments provide a system that includes a first interactive device and control logic configured to perform an operation. The operation includes receiving historical data describing historical interactions between a user and one or more interactive devices. Additionally, the operation includes configuring the first interactive device with one or more interactive events. Each interactive event includes a respective (i) stimulus event and (ii) an action to perform responsive to an occurrence of the stimulus event, and at least one of the one or more interactive events is based on the received historical data. Responsive to detecting an occurrence of a first one of the one or more stimulus events, the operation includes causing the first interactive device to perform the corresponding action. The operation also includes updating the first interactive device with a second one or more interactive events.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
monitoring a position of a physical object to detect when the physical object reaches a predefined location on a rotatable mechanism within a physical enclosure within the physical environment, wherein the physical object is moving in a first direction and at a first speed within the physical environment, and wherein the rotatable mechanism, when actuated, rotates along a first axis;
upon detecting the physical object has reached the predefined location:
causing a virtual depiction of the physical object to appear within a virtual world, such that the virtual depiction of the physical object is moving in the first direction and at the first speed within the virtual world; and
activating the rotatable mechanism to rotate, along the first axis, moving the physical object from a first orientation to a second orientation; and

upon detecting the virtual depiction of the physical object has reached a predefined location within the virtual world while travelling in a second direction and at a second speed, causing the physical object to move within the physical environment, starting from the second orientation, in the second direction and at the second speed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing a virtual depiction of the physical object to appear within a virtual world further comprises:
rendering a series of frames including the virtual depiction of the physical object moving in the first direction and at the first speed within the virtual world; and
projecting the rendered series of frames onto a surface for display.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical object comprises a toy vehicle, wherein the toy vehicle is configured to move along a physical race track, and wherein the rotatable mechanism is configured to rotate the toy vehicle from a first part of the physical race track to a second part of the physical race track.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the depiction of the physical object comprises a virtual vehicle, and wherein the virtual vehicle is configured to move along a virtual race track.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring a position of a physical object to detect when the physical object reaches a predefined location within a physical environment further comprising:
receiving a notification indicating that the physical object has passed a first sensor device.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling movement of the physical object based on one or more inputs to a controller device;
upon detecting the physical object has reached the predefined location, controlling movement of the virtual depiction of the physical object within the virtual world, based on inputs to the controller device.

7. A method, comprising:
monitoring a position of a virtual object to detect when the virtual object reaches a predefined location within a virtual world, wherein the virtual object is moving in a first direction and at a first speed within the virtual world
transmitting one or more instructions to actuate a rotatable mechanism to rotate, along the first axis, thereby rotating a physical object substantially atop the rotatable mechanism from a first orientation to a second orientation; and
upon detecting the virtual object has reached the predefined location, causing the physical object to begin moving in the first direction and at the first speed within a physical environment.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
upon detecting the physical object has reached a predefined location within the physical environment while travelling in a second direction and at a second speed, causing the virtual object to move within the virtual world in the second direction and at the second speed.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the physical object comprises a toy vehicle, wherein the toy vehicle is configured to move along a physical race track, and wherein the rotatable mechanism is configured to rotate the toy vehicle from a first part of the physical race track to a second part of the physical race track.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the depiction of the physical object comprises a virtual vehicle, and wherein the virtual vehicle is configured to move along a virtual race track.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
controlling movement of the physical object based on one or more inputs to a controller device;
upon detecting the physical object has reached the predefined location, controlling movement of the virtual depiction of the physical object within the virtual world, based on inputs to the controller device.

Assignees

• Disney Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Haseltine Eric

Classifications

• A63F13/215

  comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone · CPC title

• A63F13/216

  using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS · CPC title

• A63F2300/6027

  using adaptive systems learning from user actions, e.g. for skill level adjustment · CPC title

• A63F13/24

  Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles · CPC title

• A63F13/211

  using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes · CPC title