Game pieces for use with touch screen devices and related methods

Number: 9895605
Published: 2018-02-20
Filed: 2016-01-14
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: Heatherly; Christopher W.; Mkrtchyan; Armen; Backer; Jonathan; White; Brian
CPC: A63F13/211; G06F3/0393; G06F3/0488; A63F13/2145; A63F13/218; A63F13/245; G06F3/016; A63F13/92; G06F3/04162; A63F13/21; A63F13/217; A63F13/235; A63F13/73
Verdict: Medium Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Interactive touchscreen game pieces.

Abstract

There is provided a system and method for communicating with a first peripheral device, of a plurality of peripheral devices, using a touch-sensitive system that has a processor and a touch surface. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method includes detecting, using the processor, a plurality of touches on the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system that are made by the first peripheral device. The method further includes identifying, using the processor, the first peripheral device based on the plurality of touches on the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system that are made by the first peripheral device. The method additionally includes communicating data, using the processor, to a receptive circuit of the first peripheral device in response to the identifying of the first peripheral device.

Background

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION(1) 1. Field of the Invention(2) The present invention relates generally to the field of electronic devices, and more particularly, to electronic devices using touch-sensitive surfaces.(3) 2. Background Art(4) Touch-sensitive devices, such as touch screen devices, are becoming increasingly prevalent in the marketplace. These touch-sensitive devices offer a touch-sensitive surface that can detect the presence and position of touch-based input opening up the possibility of new ways to interact with electronic devices. The popularity of recent touch screen devices, including tablet computers such as iPad from Apple®, means that touch screen devices can be found among many family households. At the same time, physical game pieces and/or toys remain a staple of kids, with collectible figures and objects serving as a bedrock for imaginative toy play in the form of interaction between the figures and objects as well as the larger environment.(5) In this context, kids are having increased exposure to touch screen devices making it desirable to provide new technologies, which can enhance the interactive experience with touch screen devices and their existing toys.(6) In a conventional approach, a toy may be integrated with a video game or other software running on a computer through establishing wired or wireless communication between the toy and the computer. For example, the video game or other software could run on a touch screen device and communicate wi

Claims

1. A peripheral device for use with a touch-sensitive system having a touch surface, the peripheral device comprising: a plurality of touch points configured to contact the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system, wherein the plurality of touch points are configured to identify the peripheral device to the touch-sensitive system; and a receptive circuit configured to decipher a plurality of colors displayed by the touch-sensitive system on the touch surface to obtain data being communicated to the peripheral device by the touch-sensitive system, the data being communicated in response to the touch-sensitive system identifying the peripheral device using the plurality of touch points, wherein each of the plurality of colors has a different meaning to the peripheral device, and wherein the peripheral device conceals the plurality of colors used for communicating the data to the peripheral device, so as to hide the plurality of colors being displayed from the user moving the peripheral device on the touch surface. 11. A peripheral system for use with a touch-sensitive system having a touch surface and a processor, the peripheral system comprising: a software application for execution by the processor of touch-sensitive system to display a plurality of colors on the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system for communicating data; and a peripheral device including: a plurality of touch points configured to contact the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system, wherein the plurality of touch points are configured to identify the peripheral device to the touch-sensitive system; and a receptive circuit configured to decipher the plurality of colors displayed by the touch-sensitive system on the touch surface to obtain the data being communicated to the peripheral device by the touch-sensitive system, the data being communicated in response to the touch-sensitive system identifying the peripheral device using the plurality of touch points, wherein each of the plurality of colors has a different meaning to the peripheral device, and wherein the peripheral device conceals the plurality of colors used for communicating the data to the peripheral device, so as to hide the plurality of colors being displayed from the user moving the peripheral device on the touch surface.