- Number
- 10928915
- Published
- 2021-02-23
- Filed
- 2016-02-10
- Assignee
- Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Inventors
- Goslin; Michael P., Bassett; Katherine M., Olson; Joseph Logan, Haseltine; Eric C.
- CPC
- A63H3/28; G06T13/80; G06F3/017; G06T19/006
- Verdict
- High Hardware
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
Distributed interactive-toy storytelling environment hardware.
Abstract
A method, computer-readable medium, and system are disclosed for an interactive storytelling environment. The method comprises identifying a plurality of storytelling devices available to participate in a storytelling experience, including a first storytelling device at a first physical location and a second storytelling device at a remote second physical location. The method further comprises receiving, based on user input during playback of a story, an instruction to perform a first action of a predetermined plurality of actions using the second storytelling device, the user input indicating a user interaction with a depiction of the second storytelling device at the first physical location. The method further comprises performing, based on timing information included in the received instruction, the first action using the second storytelling device such that performing the first action is at least partly synchronized with performance of an animation sequence of the depicted second storytelling device.
Background
BACKGROUND (1) Field of the Disclosure (2) The present disclosure generally relates to home entertainment, and more specifically to techniques for providing an immersive playtime environment using interactive devices. (3) Description of the Related Art (4) Computer graphics technology has significantly progressed since the first video games were developed. Relatively inexpensive 3D graphics engines now provide nearly photo-realistic interactive game play on hand-held video game, home video game, and personal computer hardware platforms costing only a few hundred dollars. These video game systems typically include a hand-held controller, game controller, or, in the case of a hand-held video game platform, an integrated controller. A user interacts with the controller to send commands or other instructions to the video game system to control a video game or other simulation. For example, the controller may include a joystick and buttons operated by the user. (5) While video games allow the user to interact directly with the video game system, such interactions primarily influence the graphical depiction shown on the video game device (or on a connected display), and rarely influence any other objects outside of the virtual world. That is, a user may specify an input to the video game system, indicating that the user's avatar should perform a jump action, and in response the video game system could display the user's avatar jumping. However, such interactions are typically limit
Claims
1. A method, comprising: identifying a plurality of storytelling devices available to participate in a storytelling experience, the plurality of storytelling devices comprising a first storytelling device at a first physical location and a second storytelling device at a remote second physical location, each of the plurality of storytelling devices comprising an electronic device configured to perform at least one audiovisual effect; and during playback of a story comprising a plurality of predetermined actions mapped to the plurality of storytelling devices: receiving an instruction that configures the second storytelling device to perform a first action of the plurality of predetermined actions, wherein the instruction comprises timing information that indicates that an animation sequence is already in progress at the first physical location, wherein content of the animation sequence corresponds to a predetermined set of the predetermined actions to be performed by the second storytelling device in a plurality of stages, wherein the animation sequence begins responsive to a user interaction with a visual depiction of the second storytelling device, wherein the animation sequence comprises output of speech content; and performing, by the second storytelling device, the first action beginning at a time selected based on the timing information, wherein the time is selected such that the predetermined set of the predetermined actions will complete at the remote second physical location at a same time that the animation sequence will complete at the first physical location, wherein the first action comprises, during a first stage of the plurality of stages, output of alternate speech content using a speaker of the second storytelling device, wherein the alternate speech content is abbreviated from the speech content of the animation sequence, and wherein performing the predetermined set of the predetermined actions is, beginning with a second stage of the plurality of stages that follows the first stage, synchronized with performing the animation sequence at the first physical location. ||
8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program code that, when executed by operation of one or more computer processors, performs an operation comprising: identifying a plurality of storytelling devices available to participate in a storytelling experience, the plurality of storytelling devices comprising a first storytelling device at a first physical location and a second storytelling device at a remote second physical location, each of the plurality of storytelling devices comprising an electronic device configured to perform at least one audiovisual effect; and during playback of a story comprising a plurality of predetermined actions mapped to the plurality of storytelling devices: receiving an instruction that configures the second storytelling device to perform a first action of the plurality of predetermined actions, wherein the instruction comprises timing information that indicates that an animation sequence is already in progress at the first physical location, wherein content of the animation sequence corresponds to a predetermined set of the predetermined actions to be performed by the second storytelling device in a plurality of stages, wherein the animation sequence begins responsive to a user interaction with a visual depiction of the second storytelling device, wherein the animation sequence comprises output of speech content; and performing, by the second storytelling device, the first action beginning at a time selected based on the timing information, wherein the time is selected such that the predetermined set of the predetermined actions will complete at the remote second physical location at a same time that the animation sequence will complete at the first physical location, wherein the first action comprises, during a first stage of a plurality of stages, output of alternate speech content using a speaker of the second storytelling device, wherein the alternate speech content is abbreviated from the speech content of the animation sequence, and wherein performing the predetermined set of the predetermined actions is, beginning with a second stage of the plurality of stages that follows the first stage, synchronized with performing the animation sequence at the first physical location. ||
15. A system, comprising: a first storytelling device at a first physical location; a second storytelling device at a remote second physical location; and control logic configured to perform an operation comprising: identifying a plurality of storytelling devices available to participate in a storytelling experience, the plurality of storytelling devices comprising the first storytelling device and the second storytelling device, each of the plurality of storytelling devices comprising an electronic device configured to perform at least one audiovisual effect; and during playback of a story comprising a plurality of predetermined actions mapped to the plurality of storytelling devices: receiving an instruction that configures the second storytelling device to perform a first action of the plurality of predetermined actions, wherein the instruction comprises timing information that indicates that an animation sequence is already in progress at the first physical location, wherein content of the animation sequence corresponds to a predetermined set of the predetermined actions to be performed by the second storytelling device in a plurality of stages, wherein the animation sequence begins responsive to a user interaction with a visual depiction of the second storytelling device, wherein the animation sequence comprises output of speech content; and performing, by the second storytelling device, the first action beginning at a time selected based on the timing information, wherein the time is selected such that the predetermined set of the predetermined actions will complete at the remote second physical location at a same time that the animation sequence will complete at the first physical location, wherein the first action comprises, during a first stage of a plurality of stages, output of alternate speech content using a speaker of the second storytelling device, wherein the alternate speech content is abbreviated from the speech content of the animation sequence, and wherein performing the predetermined set of the predetermined actions is, beginning with a second stage of the plurality of stages that follows the first stage, synchronized with performing the animation sequence at the first physical location.