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GAME-PLAYING SYSTEM
The present invention relates to outdoor gaming devices. In particular, the invention relates to a gaming device having a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a game played therewith.
A variety of outdoor games are known where players are required to hunt for treasure.
In a treasure hunt, players typically follow a series of predetermined clues that lead them to treasure.
US 5,942,969 discloses a treasure hunt game using a pager and paging system. Game participants receive information and clues from the paging system directing them to a particular landmark or location. Once there, the participants signal the system with a response which is dependent on their being at the correct location.
US 6,320,495 discloses a treasure hunt type game utilising a GPS receiver. Players are given clues or directions to proceed along one of many predetermined treasure hunt routes based on their locations determined by the GPS receiver.
GPS technology provides accurate and almost instantaneous geographical position data using a network of satellites orbiting the earth. The technology is ideally suited to tracking the location of a player in an outdoor game involving movement in a geographical area, the positional accuracy currently available being typically around 5m in low cost handheld devices.
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The present invention utilises GPS technology to provide a gaming device suitable for use by children and adults involving completion of tasks including reaching a flag : location provided by the gaming device.
According to the present invention there is provided a gaming device, having: means for wireless communication with a server; means for determining a location of the device by reference to a GPS receiver of the device; means for inputting game data, the game data comprising: a plurality of locations of a flag to be reached, a sequence in which said plurality of locations of a flag to be reached are to be reached; means for displaying a location of the gaming device; means for displaying a location of a flag to be reached; and means for indicating that a gaming device has arrived at said location of a flag to be reached.
Preferably, the gaming device further comprises means for wireless communication with another gaming device. The means for wireless communication may be via Bluetooth', or an lR link.
Preferably, the device is adapted to send a message to the server when the device reaches the location of a flag to be reached, and is adapted to receive a message from the server when the location of a flag to be reached is first reached by a gaming device, the device being further adapted to provide an indication that said location of a flag to be reached has been reached by a gaming device, and to display a next location of a flag to be reached until a final location of a flag to be reached is reached by a device. These features enable players to capture' a flag so that it is no longer available to other players. Once a flag is captured, all players must move to the location of the next flag to be captured. The player who has just captured a flag may not be the closest player to the next flag. Thus, other players who may be less able to move quickly, may be in a more advantageous position to capture the next flag.
Alternatively, the game data further comprises a critical time of each location of a flag to * be reached, and the device further comprises means for providing an indication when a 0 display time of the location of a flag to be reached exceeds a critical time and the device *:::: has not reached said location, the device being adapted to display the location of a next flag to be reached when either the display time exceeds the critical time and the device has not reached said location, or the display time does not exceed the critical time and **e * the device reaches said location, until a final location of a flag to be reached is reached * : : :.* by the device. This version of the game provides a timed element, a flag only being available for capture for a limited period of time.
****** a a The device may further comprise: means for prompting a user to play a mini-game of the gaming device when the gaming device reaches the location of a flag to be reached; and means for communicating a result of the mini-game to a server via said means for wireless communication with a server. The mini-game may be a video game played by reference to the display of the gaming device and appropriate input means such as a joypad and keys or buttons. The mini-game tests the video game-playing skills of the player, in addition to the physical speed and orienteering ability of a player. Thus, a player who is less able to reach a flag quickly may still win the game by performing well at the mini-game.
The device may also comprise: means for updating a points register of the device according to rules depending upon a time taken to reach the location of a flag to be reached; means for updating a points register of the device according to rules depending upon a result of the mini-game; and means for communicating a value of a points register to a server via said means for wireless communication with a server.
The device may be configured as a master gaming device, said means for inputting game data being via user input means of the master gaming device, the master gaming device further comprising means for communicating said game data to another gaming device by the means for wireless communication with another gaming device.
The device may be configured as a master gaming device, the master gaming device further comprising means for user input of parameter data, the parameter data comprising a number of flag locations to be used, and a radius of an area within which a game is to be played.
The master gaming device may further comprise means for calculating the game data. I **
Alternately or in addition the master gaming device may further comprise means for I.,.
-.. communicating the parameter data to a central server, said central server having means for calculating the game data, and means for communicating the game data to a gaming ", 25 device by wireless communication 4II
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4 Alternatively the parameter data may be entered into a computer such as a laptop, which I.,.
a then calculates the game data and communicates the game data to a gaming device by wireless communication.
Alternatively, or in addition, the device may be configured as a slave gaming device, the means for inputting game data being via said wireless communication with another gaming device, or via said wireless communication with a server.
The gaming device may comprise means for displaying a map of an area in which the game is played.
The map may advantageously be in the form of a 3D topographical image or digital terrain model.
The display may further comprise an indication of a location of other gaming devices of the game.
The gaming device may further comprise means for tracking the route taken by the device during the game and provide information about distance covered, average speed and related information.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of playing a game, using a wireless communication system and a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device having a GPS receiver and means for communication with a central server, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving at a gaming device GPS signals and processing the signals to determine a location of the GPS receiver; (b) providing an indication of the location of the GPS receiver within a game environment on a display; (c) providing an indication of the location of a flag to be reached; (d) moving to the location of a flag to be reached; (e) repeating steps (a) to (d) until a final flag is reached. *s. * . a..,
* Preferably, step (d) of the method further comprises a player capturing a flag when the :.: * 25 player is the first to arrive at the location of a flag whereby a flag is no longer available to be captured by another player, the step further comprising indicating on the display of the gaming device that a flag has been captured and providing an indication of the location of the next flag to be reached. 1asi
Alternately, the method further comprises providing an indication on the display of the gaming device when either the gaming device reaches a flag, or a critical time to reach a flag expires, and providing an indication of the next flag to be reached.
A user arriving at a flag may be required to compete in a mini-game of the gaming device.
The method may further comprise communicating a result of the mini-game to the server. Alternately or in addition the method may further comprise the step of communicating with a server, when a location of a flag is reached.
For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference shall now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a schematic diagram of a hardware configuration according to a first and second embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 2 is a schematic diagram of a hardware configuration according to a third embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 3 is a flow diagram showing the steps involved in the operation of a gaming device according to a first embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 4 is a flow diagram showing the steps involved in the operation of a gaming device according to a second embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 5 is a flow diagram showing the steps involved in the operation of a gaming device according to a third embodiment of the invention; and FIGURE 6 is a 3D topographical map of a game area.
* In a first embodiment of the invention (Figure 1, Figure 3), a player prepares a game by :. entering game details into a master gaming device 10. In this embodiment each gaming device 20 is switchable between a master gaming device mode where the gaming *** device acts as a master gaming device 10, and a slave gaming device mode where the * , : 30 gaming device acts as a slave gaming device 20.
Game details entered by the player into the master gaming device 10 include game parmeter data such as a radius of an area in which the game is to be played, and a number of the flag locations to be located in that area. The master gaming device 10 then calculates the game data which includes the locations of the flags and the sequence in which the flags are to be reached, and transmits this data to each of the slave gaming devices.
If the game is being played against multiple real-life opponents, each equipped with a slave gaming device 20, the master gaming device 10 communicates the game data to the slave gaming devices 20 by wireless link, such as IR or Bluetooth. The game can also be played alone, against Al (artificial intelligence) players.
At the start of the game each gaming device 10, 20 reveals the location of the first flag to be reached to the player using that device, and players must make their way to this location as quickly as possible. Upon arrival at the location, the device confirms that a player has arrived at the flag by changing the appearance of the location of the flag on the display 50. The gaming device 10, 20 then reveals the location of the next flag to be reached, and the player must make his way to this next location until a final location is reached. The gaming device 10, 20 maintains a log of the time taken to reach each flag and communicates this information to the central server 40. The winner of the game is the person who reaches the final location in the shortest time.
The display 50 further comprises a 3D rendered topographical map of an area in which the game is being played (Figure 6). A graphical map is overlayed on a 3D mesh representation of the topography of the area. The player can adjust the size of the geographical area displayed using a zoom control. * S S
In a variation of this embodiment, at the start of the game the game parameters are *S*.
entered into a laptop computer 30 or similar computing device, rather than the master gaming device. The laptop computer 30 calculates the game data and communicates the game data wirelessly with the other gaming devices in a similar manner.
Alternatively, the game parameters may be entered into a central server 40 which S..
** ** calculates the game data and communicates the game data to each gaming device by a *.... 30 wireless link such as GPRS. * S
In another variation of this embodiment, a player enters the game data into the master gaming device 10, which includes the locations of each of one or more flags to be reached by the players during the course of the game, and the order in which the flags are to be reached. The default order is the order in which the flags are entered into the machine. Alternatively, the order may be changed by manual user input. The game data is then transmitted to the slave gaming devices before the game commences. If the flag is inaccessible, the flag can be manually discarded.
In a further variation, the player may display the locations of the gaming devices 10, 20 of other players of the game. This enhances the strategic aspect of the game, where players can anticipate the likely performance of other players and/or the game strategy of other players.
In a second embodiment, particularly preferred for children and teenage players, the gaming device 10, 20 requires the player to complete a minigame of the gaming device at each location of a flag to be reached. A mini-game is a video game played using controls of the gaming device with reference to the display 50 of the gaming device. The mini-game is intended to test the video game-playing skills of the player rather than testing fitness and speed. Points are awarded to a player according to the performance of the player of the mini-game. Thus, players who perform less well in reaching a location of a flag in a short time period still have an opportunity to win the overall game by performing well in the mini-game.
In a variation of this embodiment, a player must reach a flag within a critical time in order to have the opportunity to play the mini-game. The critical time is a time period within which the flag must be reached by the players. If the player does not reach the flag within the critical time, the player is not permitted to play a mini-game when they reach : .. the flag; rather, the location of the next flag is shown and they must move to the location of the next flag. The game data therefore further comprises the critical time for each *SI. flag. * S. * S * *5* 0
The mini-game may be played for a fixed period of time, during which the player may accumulate points depending upon his performance in the minigame. *5* * . *0.s
* S 30 The game data entered into the master gaming device 10 by a player before starting the game may also include a total time which is a time in which every location of a flag to be reached must be reached.
When the players arrive at the final location of a flag, the gaming devices 10, 20 communicate with one another using a BIuetooth' or lR link to determine who has won the game.
With reference to figure 3, at the start of the game (step SI) a player specifies the game parameter data using software on the master gaming device 10. The parameter data includes the area in which the game is to be played (for example, within a radius of two miles from the present location), and the number of flags to be used in the game. At step S2 the master console creates the game environment by calculating the game data, which includes determining the locations of the flags, and transmits this data to the gaming devices 20 of other players via a Bluetooth connection (S2). At step S3 the game starts and players are shown the location of the first flag on their console, on a 3D terrain map of the game area. Players then travel to the flag location (step S4) with the gaming device confirming the player's location via GPS.
Upon reaching the first flag (S5), the players participate in one of the specified mini- gmaes. At the end of the mini-game, the software shows the location of the next mini- game on the 3D terrain map displayed on the gaming device display 50 (S8). The game then continues at step S4, with players travelling to this next displayed location. Once the final flag location is reached, and the final mini-game has been completed (S7), the players' scores are sent via Bluetooth to each console. The player with the highest score is the winner (Sb).
In a third embodiment of the invention, the players are required to reach the location of a flag within a critical time, or else they must abandon their attempt to reach this flag.
: ** Again, the critical time is a time period within which the flag must be reached by the :::.:. players.
: If a player fails to reach the location of a flag within the critical time, the flag is highlighted on the display. The next flag in the sequence is then displayed, until a final flag is displayed. The game data calculated by the master gaming device 10 before *:::.* starting the game therefore also includes the critical time for each flag to be reached. : 30
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With reference to figure 4, at the start of the game (step SI) a player specifies the game details using software on the master gaming device 10. The game details include the area in which the game is to be played (for example, within a radius of two miles from the present location) and the number of flags to be used in the game. At step S2 the master console creates the game environment including determining the locations of the flags, and a time limit to reach each flag, and transmits this data to the gaming devices of other players via a BIuetooth' connection (82). At step S3 the game starts and players are shown the location of the first flag on their console, on a 3D terrain map of the game area. Players then travel to the flag location (step S4). The gaming device provides an indication of the position of the gaming device in the game environment on the 3D terrain map displayed on the gaming device.
At step S5, if a player reaches the flag location before the time limit is reached, the player's score is updated (step S6). If the flag location is the final flag location, then when all the players have finished the scores are transmitted via Bluetooth to each gaming device (S8) and the player with the highest score is the winner. If the flag location is not the final flag location, the location of the next flag is shown (step 89) and play continues from step S4.
If the player does not reach the flag location before the time limit is reached, and the flag location is not the final flag location, the software shows the location of the next flag on the 3D terrain map (step 89) and the player makes his way to the next flag location (step S4). The game repeats until either the final flag location is reached or the time limit to reach the final flag location is reached.
In an alternate embodiment, the player must still reach the flag even if the time limit has been exceeded, in order to see the location of the next flag.
Once the players have finished the game, the scores are transmitted via BIuetooth' to * *** each gaming device, and the winner is the player with the highest score.
S... 25 In a fourth embodiment of the invention, the first player to reach the location of a flag to be reached captures' the flag and is awarded points. The central server 40 is informed when the player reaches the flag, and the central server 40 then informs all the gaming : : .* devices 10, 20 that the flag has been captured and is no longer available to be captured by another player. The gaming devices 10, 20 then delete the display of the location of the captured flag, and proceed to display the location of a next flag to be reached, which is the next flag in the sequence of flags to be reached. The winner is the player who captures the most flags.
In a variation of this embodiment, the captured flag is highlighted on the display 50 of each gaming device 10, 20, instead of being deleted.
With reference to Figure 5, at the start of the game (step SI) a player specifies the game details using software on the master gaming device 10. The game details include the area in which the game is to be played (for example, within a radius of two miles from the present location) and the number of flags to be used in the game. At step S2 the master console 10 communicates with a central server 40 via a GPRS connection, which creates the game environment including determining the locations of the flags, and transmits this data to the gaming devices 10, 20 of the players via the GPRS connection (S2). At step S3 the game starts and players are shown the location of the first flag on the display 50 of their gaming device 10, 20, on a 3D terrain map of the game area. Players then travel to the flag location (step S4). The gaming device provides an indication of the position of the gaming device in the game environment on the 3D terrain map displayed on the gaming device, If a player reaches a flag before another player he captures the flag and it is no longer available to be captured by another player. The gaming device 10, 20 of that player updates the central server 40, which then relays a message to the other gaming devices 10, 20 to inform them that the flag has been captured.
If the flag that has been captured is the final flag, the game ends, and when all the players gather together their scores are transmitted via Bluetooth' to each gaming device (S8). The player with the highest score is the winner. If the flag that has been captured is not the final flag, the location of the next flag is shown (step S9) and play continues from step S4. * ***
* 25 The invention may also be defined with reference to a method of playing a game, using L: a wireless communication system and a plurality of gaming devices 10, 20, each gaming device having a GPS receiver and means for communication with a central server, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving at a gaming device 10, 20 GPS signals and processing the signals to *: 30 determine a location of the GPS receiver; (b) providing an indication of the location of the GPS receiver within a game environment on a display 50; (C) providing an indication of the location of a flag to be reached; (d) moving to the location of a flag to be reached; (e) repeating steps (a) to (d) until a final flag is reached.
Points may be scored by a player depending upon the time taken to reach a flag.
The method may further comprise a player capturing a flag when the player arrives at the location of a flag, and indicating on the display 50 of the gaming device 10, 20 that a flag has been captured. The method then comprises providing an indication of the location of the next flag to be reached to all the players, since once a flag has been captured by a player it is no longer available for capture by another player.
Alternatively, the method comprises indicating on the display 50 of the gaming device 10, 20 when either the gaming device 10, 20 reaches a flag, or a critical time to reach a flag expires, and providing an indication of the next flag to be reached.
A user arriving at a flag may be required to compete in a mini-game of the gaming device 10, 20 in order to score further points.
The method may further comprise the step of communicating with a server 40 when a location of a flag is reached. If a user is required to compete in a mini-game, the method may also comprise communicating with a server 40 when the mini-game is completed. The result of the mini-game may also be communicated to the server 40.
Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words "comprise" and "contain" and variations of the words, for example ucomprising and "comprises", means "including but not limited to", and is not intended to (and does not) exclude other * * moieties, additives, components, integers or steps. a...
Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise.
Features, integers, characteristics, compounds, chemical moieties or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith.