# US 11,896,892 B2 · Location-based games and augmented reality systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,896,892 B2 - Document ID: US11896892B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/670,500 - Filed: 2022-02-13 - Published: 2022-05-26 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2004-11-16 - Applicants: Jeffrey David Mullen - Inventors: Jeffrey David Mullen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11896892B2 ## CPC - A63F 13/00: Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions - A63F 13/211: using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes - A63F 13/216: using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS - A63F 13/25: Output arrangements for video game devices - A63F 13/26: having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth - A63F 13/327: using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet - A63F 13/525: Changing parameters of virtual cameras - A63F 13/65: automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition - A63F 13/245: specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels - A63F 13/332: using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks - A63F 13/335: using Internet - A63F 13/35: Details of game servers - A63F 13/92: Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing - A63F 2300/105: using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes - A63F 2300/1062: being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel - A63F 2300/204: the platform being a handheld device - A63F 2300/205: for detecting the geographical location of the game platform - A63F 2300/301: using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller - A63F 2300/405: being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi®, piconet - A63F 2300/406: Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM - A63F 2300/407: Data transfer via internet - A63F 2300/50: characterized by details of game servers - A63F 2300/5573: player location - A63F 2300/6661: for changing the position of the virtual camera - A63F 2300/69: Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video - A63F 2300/8082: Virtual reality - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Handheld location based games are provided in which a user's physical location correlates to the virtual location of a virtual character on a virtual playfield. Augmented Reality (AR) systems are provided in which video game indicia are overlaid onto a user's physical environment. A landscape detector is provided that may obtain information about the user's landscape, in addition to the user's location, in order to provide overlaying information to an AR head-mounted display and control information to non-user controlled video game characters. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wearable augmented reality apparatus comprising: a transparent head-mounted display operable to display virtual indicia overlaid onto a physical space; a processor coupled to said transparent head-mounted display operable to provide said virtual indicia to said head-mounted display; a detector for determining landscape characteristics of said physical space; memory storing said landscape characteristics; and at least one locating device operable to determine a physical location of said transparent head-mounted display in said physical space and an orientation of said transparent head-mounted display in said physical space. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 1, wherein said processor is operable to utilize said landscape characteristics to determine a location of said virtual indicia. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 1, wherein said virtual indicia are in a fixed position relative to the physical space. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 1, wherein said virtual indicia are in a fixed position relative to said transparent head-mounted display. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 1, wherein said virtual indicia comprise a 3-dimensional virtual object. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 5, wherein a location of said 3-dimensional virtual object on said transparent head-mounted display is determined based at least in part on said detected landscape characteristics. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 5, wherein an allowable set of locations of said 3-dimensional virtual object on said transparent head-mounted display is determined based at least in part on said detected landscape characteristics. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 1, wherein said virtual indicia comprise a 2-dimensional virtual object. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 8, wherein a location of said 2-dimensional virtual object on said transparent head-mounted display is determined based at least in part on said detected landscape characteristics. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 8, wherein an allowable set of locations of said 2-dimensional virtual object on said transparent head-mounted display is determined based at least in part on said detected landscape characteristics. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a handheld controller for providing at least one control signal for interaction with said virtual indicia. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 1, wherein said orientation comprises at least pitch angle and yaw angle direction information associated with said transparent head-mounted display. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 12, wherein said orientation further comprises roll angle information. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 1, wherein said orientation further comprises roll angle information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one locating device comprises at least one gyroscope and at least one accelerometer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one locating device comprises a wireless LAN based location sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 1, wherein said memory is operable to persistently store said landscape characteristics of said physical space between uses of said apparatus. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 1, wherein said processor is capable of enabling a conference call with another device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The wearable augmented reality apparatus of claim 1, wherein said detector comprises a camera.