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

Number: 9690373
Published: 2017-06-27
Filed: 2015-04-04
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: Haseltine; Eric
CPC: A63F13/215; G06F3/011; A63F13/216; A63F13/00; A63F13/213; G06F3/048; A63F13/211; A63F13/24; A63F13/53
Verdict: High Notable software
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

An interactive device system that uses historical interaction data to make physical objects appear to move from the physical world into the virtual world.

Abstract

Embodiments provide a systemthat 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.

Background

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS(1) So that the manner in which the above recited aspects are attained and can be understood in detail, a more particular description of embodiments of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to the appended drawings.(2) It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.(3) FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a storytelling environment including a plurality of storytellingdevices, according to one embodiment described herein.(4) FIG. 2 is a screenshot illustrating a toy car interactive device interacting with a sleeping user, according to one embodiment described herein.(5) FIG. 3 is a screenshot illustrating the toy car interactive device interacting with a user, according to one embodiment described herein.(6) FIG. 4 is a screenshot illustrating a fairy interactive device interacting with a user, according to one embodiment described herein.(7) FIG. 5 is a screenshot illustrating the fairy interactive device interacting with a user and an augmented reality device, according to one embodiment described herein.(8) FIG. 6 is a screenshot illustrating the music box interactive device interacting with a virtual key, according to one embodiment described herein.(9) FIG.7 is a screenshot illustrating the toy car interactive device int

Claims

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 thephysical 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 withinthe physical environment, starting from the second orientation, in the second direction and at the second speed. 7. A method, comprising: monitoring a position of a virtual objectto 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.