Interactive electronic games based on chewing motion

A method of controlling an interactive game on a display screen of a mobile electronic device, the method comprising:

• displaying on the display screen of the mobile electronic device the interactive game including a character controllable by a user of the mobile electronic device;
• detecting, using a camera, chewing motion of the user;
• and
• causing the character to perform a first action on the display screen in response to the chewing motion of the user;
• wherein the detecting chewing motion of the user includes detecting the chewing motion of the user by determining, via the camera, position of at least one of chin, jaw, lips, and mouth of the user relative to a position of a virtual grid overlaying at least the mouth of the user.

A method of controlling an interactive game on a display screen of a mobile electronic device, the method comprising:

• displaying on the display screen of the mobile electronic device the interactive game including a character controllable by a user of the mobile electronic device;
• detecting, using a camera, chewing motion of the user;
• and
• causing the character to perform a first action on the display screen in response to the chewing motion of the user;
• wherein the detecting the chewing motion of the user includes detecting a speed of the chewing motion of the user and causing the character on the display screen to move faster in response to detecting an increase in the speed of the chewing motion and to move slower in response to detecting a decrease in the speed of the chewing motion.

A method of controlling an interactive game on a display screen of a mobile electronic device, the method comprising:

• displaying on the display screen of the mobile electronic device the interactive game including a character controllable by a user of the mobile electronic device;
• detecting, using a camera, chewing motion of the user;
• and
• causing the character to perform a first action on the display screen in response to the chewing motion of the user;
• further comprising detecting opening of a mouth of the user, and causing the virtual character to perform a second action in the interactive game different from the first action.

A method of controlling an interactive game on a display screen of a mobile electronic device, the method comprising:

• displaying on the display screen of the mobile electronic device the interactive game including a character controllable by a user of the mobile electronic device;
• detecting, using a camera, chewing motion of the user;
• and
• causing the character to perform a first action on the display screen in response to the chewing motion of the user;
• further comprising taking a photograph of at least a face of the user when a session of the video game ends, and incorporating at least a portion of the photograph into a graphic of the interactive game including a score accumulated by the user while playing the interactive game, and further comprising permitting the user to share the graphic with one or more people via at least one of an electronic mail, a text message, and a social media website.

A method of controlling an interactive game on a display screen of a mobile electronic device, the method comprising:

• displaying on the display screen of the mobile electronic device the interactive game including a character controllable by a user of the mobile electronic device;
• detecting, using a camera, chewing motion of the user;
• and
• causing the character to perform a first action on the display screen in response to the chewing motion of the user;
• further comprising scanning an image on a packaging of a consumer product using the mobile electronic device and incorporating data retrieved in response to the scanning of the image into the interactive game to affect game play of the interactive game.

An apparatus configured to allow play of an interactive game, the apparatus comprising:

• a display screen;
• a camera;
• a memory storing instructions relating to the interactive game;
• and
• a processing device in operative communication with the display screen, the camera, and the memory, the processing device configured to access the instructions to effect:
• displaying on the display screen the interactive game including a character controllable by a user of the electronic device;
• displaying a window overlaying a portion of the interactive game on the display screen to show an image of at least a mouth of the user captured by the camera;
• displaying in the window a virtual grid overlaying at least the mouth of the user and movable in real time in response to chewing motion of the mouth of the user;
• detecting the chewing motion of the user by determining, via the camera, position of at least one of a chin, a jaw, a lip, and a mouth of the user relative to the virtual grid;
• and
• causing the character to perform a first action on the display screen in response to the chewing motion by the user.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium for storing instructions that, in response to execution by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for displaying and controlling an interactive game on an electronic device, the operations comprising:

• displaying on the display screen of the electronic device the interactive game including a character controllable by a user of the electronic device;
• detecting, using a camera, chewing motion of the user;
• and
• causing the character to perform a first action on the display screen in response to the chewing motion of the user;
• further comprising instructions that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform further operations comprising detecting opening of a mouth of the user and causing the virtual character to perform a second action different from the first action on the display screen.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium for storing instructions that, in response to execution by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for displaying and controlling an interactive game on an electronic device, the operations comprising:

• displaying on the display screen of the electronic device the interactive game including a character controllable by a user of the electronic device;
• detecting, using a camera, chewing motion of the user;
• and
• causing the character to perform a first action on the display screen in response to the chewing motion of the user;
• further comprising instructions that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform further operations comprising taking a photograph of at least a face of the user when a session of the interactive game ends and incorporating at least a portion of the photograph into a graphic of the interactive game including a score accumulated by the user while playing the interactive game, and
• further comprising instructions that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform further operations comprising scanning an image on a packaging of a consumer product and incorporating data retrieved in response to the scanning of the image into the interactive game to affect game play of the interactive game.

A method of interacting with customers of a chewable product through a game, comprising:

• marketing a plurality of different chewable products to customers;
• and
• providing a game that is playable on a hand-held device that includes a camera and a display screen;
• displaying on the display screen an image of a game character that is capable of travel relative to other images on the display screen;
• processing input from the camera to detect a chewing motion of a mouth of a player;
• in response to detection of the chewing motion, affecting travel of the game character displayed on the screen such that game play is controlled at least partially by detection of the chewing motion.