- Number
- 20210274314
- Published
- 2021-09-02
- Filed
- 2020-12-10
- Assignee
- DISNEY ENTERPRISES INC.
- Inventors
- Braunschweiler; Manuel, Poulakos; Steven, Ryffel; Mattia, Sumner; Robert W.
- CPC
- H04N21/8545; H04W4/029; H04W4/021; H04N21/8541; H04W4/023; H04N21/422
- Verdict
- Low Hardware
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
Beacon-based location interactive storytelling system.
Abstract
A storytelling system includes location-based content (LBC) servers and LBC effects databases for use in a real-world story venue, and a computing platform communicatively coupled to those LBC servers and databases. A processor of the computing platform executes software code to receive story selection data from a user device, obtain a story template including story arcs each associated with one or more LBC effect(s) that corresponds to the story selection data, and determine, using a location of the user device, one of the story arcs as an active story arc. The software code also identifies an LBC interaction zone for the LBC effect(s), designates one LBC server and one LBC effects database for supporting the active story arc, and distributes one or more of the LBC effect(s) to the designated database. The designated server enables instantiation of the one or more of the LBC effect(s) at the LBC interaction zone.
Background
BACKGROUND
A significant challenge for immersive mixed reality storytelling is how to structure and manage a story arc that adapts to user interactions with both the digital and physical features of the story world. A particularly challenging issue is how to author and deliver location-based stories where virtual content is delivered and instantiated based on location-based interactions.
For example, the content may include a character from a movie, and it may be desirable to present that character to users of a real-world story venue and enable the users to walk around the virtual character and to trigger the presentation of additional location-based content by interacting with the virtual character or real-world story venue.
Some conventional solutions to the challenge of providing an interactive character utilize a robotic figure to try to achieve the desired effect. However, such robotic figures can be challenging to design and costly to maintain, and may nevertheless not ultimately be capable of credibly replicating some characters, particularly animations. Consequently, there remains a need in the art for solutions for providing location-based content including interactive characters, or the illusion of the presence of such characters, within a real-world story venue in which one or more users may be present.
Claims
1. A storytelling system comprising: a plurality of location-based content (LBC) servers and a plurality of LBC effects databases for use in a real-world story venue; a computing platform communicatively coupled to the plurality of LBC servers and the plurality of LBC effects databases, the computing platform having a hardware processor and a system memory storing a software code; the hardware processor configured to execute the software code to: receive a story selection data from a user device; obtain a story template corresponding to the story selection data, the story template including a plurality of story arcs each associated with at least one LBC effect; identify a location of the user device within the real-world story venue; determine, using the location of the user device, one of the plurality of story arcs as an active story arc of the story template; identify an LBC interaction zone within the real-world story venue for the at least one LBC effect associated with the active story arc; designate, based on respective proximities to the LBC interaction zone, one of the plurality of LBC servers and one of the plurality of LBC effects databases for supporting the active story arc; and distribute one or more of the at least one LBC effect associated with the active story arc to the designated one of the plurality of LBC effects databases; wherein the designated one of the plurality of LBC servers is configured to enable instantiation of the one or more of the at least one LBC effect associated with the active story arc at the LBC interaction zone. ||
11. A method for use by a storytelling system including a plurality of location-based content (LBC) servers and a plurality of LBC effects databases for use in a real-world story venue, and a computing platform communicatively coupled to the plurality of LBC servers and the plurality of LBC effects databases, the computing platform having a hardware processor and a system memory storing a software code, the method comprising: receiving, by the software code executed by the hardware processor, a story selection data from a user device; obtaining, by the software code executed by the hardware processor, a story template corresponding to the story selection data, the story template including a plurality of story arcs each associated with at least one LBC effect; identifying, by the software code executed by the hardware processor, a location of the user device within the real-world story venue; determining, by the software code executed by the hardware processor, using the location of the user device, one of the plurality of story arcs as an active story arc of the story template; identifying, by the software code executed by the hardware processor, an LBC interaction zone within the real-world story venue for the at least one LBC effect associated with the active story arc; designating, by the software code executed by the hardware processor, based on proximities to the LBC interaction zone, one of the plurality of LBC servers and one of the plurality of LBC effects databases for supporting the active story arc; distributing, by the software code executed by the hardware processor, one or more of the at least one LBC effect associated with the active story arc to the designated one of the plurality of LBC effects databases; and enabling instantiation, by the designated one of the plurality of LBC servers, of the one or more of the at least one LBC effect associated with the active story arc at the LBC interaction zone.