# US 12,005,351 B2 · Player biofeedback for dynamically controlling a video game state > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,005,351 B2 - Document ID: US12005351B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/673,623 - Filed: 2022-02-16 - Published: 2022-06-02 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2009-07-10 - Assignees: Valve Corporation - Applicants: Valve Corporation - Inventors: Michael S. Ambinder; Steven J. Bond - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005351B2 ## CPC - A63F 13/42: by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle - A63F 13/212: using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity - A63F 13/213: comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells (A63F13/219 takes precedence) - A63F 13/63: by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor - A63F 13/65: automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition - A63F 2300/1012: involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity - A63F 2300/69: Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Various embodiments are directed towards employing one or more physical sensors arranged on or in proximity to a video game player to obtain biofeedback measures that are then useable to dynamically modify a state of play of a video game. The sensors may be connected or even unconnected to the game player, replace, or otherwise augment traditional physical game controllers. The sensors gather various biofeedback measures and provide such measures to a biofeedback application programming interface (API). Before and/or during video game play, the video game queries the biofeedback API to request inferences about the game player's state of arousal. The response to the query is then used to modify the state of the video game play. Where the video game is a multi-player video game, biofeedback measures from other game players may also be obtained and used to further modify the state of the video game play. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A video game device, comprising: one or more physical biofeedback sensors; at least one nontransitory processor-readable storage medium that stores at least one of data and instructions; and at least one processor operatively coupled to the at least one nontransitory processor-readable storage medium and the one or more physical biofeedback sensors, in operation, the at least one processor: receives biofeedback measures for a video game player while the video game player is playing a video game that provides a user interface that provides functionality for the video game, the received biofeedback measures providing an indication of pupil dilation for the video game player; analyzes the received biofeedback measures to make at least one inference about the state of arousal of the video game player; compares the inferred state of arousal of the video game player to a minimum threshold or a maximum threshold; and modifies a tutorial presented via the user interface based on the comparison between the inferred state of arousal and the minimum threshold or the maximum threshold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The video game device of claim 1 wherein the inferred state of arousal comprises at least one of stress, motion sickness, anxiety, boredom, anger, or frustration. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The video game device of claim 1 wherein the one or more physical biofeedback sensors comprises an optical sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The video game device of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor modifies the user interface to provide an opportunity for the video game player to relax or recover responsive to determining that the state of arousal is above the maximum threshold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The video game device of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor modifies the user interface to provide an increased level of excitement for the video game player responsive to determining that the state of arousal is below the minimum threshold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The video game device of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor modifies the user interface to dynamically adjust a difficulty of the video game responsive to the comparison of the state of arousal of the video game player to the minimum threshold or the maximum threshold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The video game device of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor modifies the tutorial presented via the user interface by speeding up presentation of the tutorial. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The video game device of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor modifies the tutorial presented via the user interface by skipping at least a portion of the tutorial. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The video game device of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor dynamically modifies the game state to challenge or entice the video game player to maintain a reduced level of arousal. ### Claim 10 A method of operating a video game device, the method comprising: receiving, from one or more physical biofeedback sensors, biofeedback measures for a video game player while the video game player is playing a video game that provides a user interface that provides functionality for the video game; analyzing the received biofeedback measures to make at least one inference about the state of arousal of the video game player; comparing the inferred state of arousal of the video game player to a minimum threshold or a maximum threshold; and modifying a tutorial presented via the user interface based on the comparison between the inferred state of arousal and the minimum threshold or the maximum threshold. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the inferred state of arousal comprises at least one of stress, motion sickness, anxiety, boredom, anger, or frustration. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the one or more physical biofeedback sensors comprises an optical sensor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising modifying the user interface comprises modifying the user interface to provide an opportunity for the video game player to relax or recover responsive to determining that the state of arousal is above the maximum threshold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising modifying the user interface to provide an increased level of excitement for the video game player responsive to determining that the state of arousal is below the minimum threshold. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising modifying the user interface to dynamically adjust a difficulty of the video game responsive to the comparison of the state of arousal of the video game player to the minimum threshold or the maximum threshold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein modifying the tutorial presented via the user interface comprises modifying the tutorial by speeding up presentation of the tutorial. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein modifying the tutorial presented via the user interface comprises modifying the tutorial by skipping at least a portion of the tutorial. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising dynamically modifying the game state to challenge or entice the video game player to maintain a reduced level of arousal. ### Claim 19 A nontransitory processor-readable storage medium that stores instructions or data that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: receive, from one or more physical biofeedback sensors, biofeedback measures for a video game player while the video game player is playing a video game that provides a user interface that provides functionality for the video game; analyze the received biofeedback measures to make at least one inference about the state of arousal of the video game player; compare the inferred state of arousal of the video game player to a minimum threshold or a maximum threshold; and modify a tutorial presented via the user interface based on the comparison between the inferred state of arousal and the minimum threshold or the maximum threshold. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The nontransitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the one or more physical biofeedback sensors comprises an optical sensor.