# US 9,884,254 B2 · Augmented reality gaming systems and methods

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- Number: US 9,884,254 B2
- Document ID: US9884254B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/843,121
- Filed: 2015-09-02
- Published: 2016-03-10
- Granted: 2018-02-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-05
- Assignees: Trigger Global Inc.
- Applicants: Trigger Global Inc.
- Inventors: Jason Yim; Mikayel Saryan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9884254B2

## CPC

- A63F 13/655: by importing photos, e.g. of the player
- A63F 13/213: comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells (A63F13/219 takes precedence)
- A63F 13/2145: the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
- 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
- G06T 19/006: {Mixed reality (object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00)}
- A63F 9/24: Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for
- A63F 2009/0615: {transparent}
- A63F 2009/2435: {using a video camera}
- A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

An augmented reality (AR) game system is disclosed wherein real-world objects are transformed into AR terrain elements and AR events generate real-world impact. The game environment is set up using real-world objects that include everyday objects and game pieces on a field of play. When viewed on the screen of a computing device executing the modules of the game system, the everyday objects are transformed into elements of an AR terrain while the game pieces can be augmented with various controls. Multiple viewing modes, for example, a third person view, a first person view or “POV” view from a selected game piece or a split screen view are contemplated for viewing the field of play. A subset of the augmented controls can be activated by the user to execute AR events some of which can have real-world impact. The AR events are executed based on game rules. Detection mechanisms such as colored detection can be used for detecting positions of game pieces within the field of play.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
identifying, by the processor, a game piece color of a colored physical, real world game piece to be used in an AR (augmented reality) game;
generating, by the processor, an AR view of a real world field of play comprising thereon the colored game piece;
determining, by the processor, HSV (hue, saturation and value) for view colors identified from the AR view;
selecting, by the processor, hue values of the view colors that match the game piece color;
generating, by the processor, respective masks corresponding to the selected hue values;
unifying, by the processor, contours of at least one dominant color from one of the respective masks;
identifying, by the processor, a base of a single contour; and
determining, by the processor, based on a physical location of the base in the real world field of play, if the respective colored game piece is positioned in conformance with game rules.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
displaying, by the processor, a notification to the user regarding an incorrect placement if it is determined that the position of the colored game piece does not conform to the game rules.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, determining if the respective colored game piece is accurately positioned further comprises:
projecting, by the processor, the base on to the real world field of play.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, generating the respective masks corresponding to the selected hue values further comprises:
selecting, by the processor, for further processing, particular portions of the AR view having colors corresponding to the selected hue values; and
disregarding, by the processor, from the further processing, remaining portions of the AR view having colors that do not correspond to the selected hue values.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, generating the AR view of the real world field of play further comprises:
generating, by the processor, a view of the real world field of play comprising a real-world game mat with the colored game piece thereon.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein determining, if the colored game piece is accurately positioned, further comprises:
mapping, by the processor, location of the base in the AR view to a corresponding physical location on the real-world game mat.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, generating the AR view of the real world field of play further comprises:
generating, by the processor, the view of the real world field of play that shows the colored game piece and a second colored game piece.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising:
determining, by the processor, a first position of the colored game piece and a first confidence level for the determined first position of the colored game piece;
receiving, by the processor from a disparate second computing device, second device position information representing a second determination of the position of the colored game piece and a second confidence level for the determined position of the colored game piece, the second position determination and the second confidence level determined by the second computing device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising:
determining, by the processor, a first position of the colored game piece and a first confidence level for the determined first position of the colored game piece;
transmitting, by the processor to a disparate second computing device, the first position determination and the first confidence level;
receiving, by the processor from the second computing device, a real position for the colored game piece, the real-position being one of the first position or a second position having a greater confidence level, the second position having a respective second confidence level, the second position and the second confidence level determined by the second computing device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
comparing, by the processor, the first confidence level with the second confidence level; and
selecting, by the processor, one of the first or the second positions having a greater confidence level as a real position of the colored game piece.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, generating the AR view of the real world field of play further comprises:
generating, by the processor, the view of the real world field of play that shows the colored game piece obscured by the second colored game piece wherein the second colored game piece is larger than the colored game piece.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, generating the AR view of the real world field of play further comprises:
generating, by the processor, the AR view of the real world field of play comprising a plurality of AR terrain elements, the real world field of play comprising a plurality of shaped cards thereon, each of the cards indicative of a respective one of the AR terrain elements to be displayed when comprised in the AR view of the real world field of play.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, generating the AR view of the real world field of play further comprises:
alternating, by the processor, the view from a POV (point of view) of the game piece to a default view when a computing device comprising the processor is moved so that the real world field of play is no longer in the AR view.

### Claim 14

An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium comprising programming logic, the programming logic comprising:
identifying logic that identifies, game piece colors of a colored physical, real world game piece to be used in a AR (augmented reality) game;
view generating logic that generates an AR view of a real world field of play comprising thereon the colored game piece;
hsv determining logic that determines HSV (hue, saturation and value) for the colors identified from the AR view;
match selecting logic that selects hue values of the view colors that match the game piece colors;
mask generating logic that generates respective masks corresponding to the selected hue values;
contour unifying logic that unifies contours of at least one dominant color from one of the respective masks;
base identifying logic that identifies a base of a single contour; and
position determining logic that determines based on a physical location of the base in the real world field of play, if the colored game piece is accurately positioned in conformance with game rules.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:
notification displaying logic that displays a notification to the user regarding an incorrect placement if it is determined that the position of the colored game piece does not conform to the game rules.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, the position determining logic further comprises:
projecting logic that projects the base on to the real world field of play.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, the mask generating logic further comprises:
portion selecting logic that selects for further processing, particular portions of the AR view having colors corresponding to the selected hue values; and
portion disregarding logic that disregards from the further processing, remaining portions of the AR view having colors that do not correspond to the selected hue values.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the real world field of play comprises the colored game piece and a second game piece and the view of the real world field of play shows the colored game piece obscured by the second game piece.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:
level determining logic that determines a first position of the first game piece and a first confidence level for the determined first position of the first game piece;
level receiving logic that receives from a disparate second computing device, a second position determination for the first game piece and a second confidence level for the second position determination.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:
level comparing logic that compares the first confidence level with the second confidence level; and
level selecting logic that selects one of the first or the second positions having a greater confidence level as a real position of the first game piece.

### Claim 21 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the real world field of play further comprises a real-world game mat having the colored game piece thereon.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the position determining logic further comprises:
mapping logic that maps the location of the base in the AR view to a corresponding physical location on the real-world game mat.

### Claim 23

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for:
identifying a game piece colors of a colored physical, real world game piece to be used in an AR (augmented reality) game;
generating an AR view of a real world field of play comprising thereon the colored game piece;
determining, by the processor, HSV (hue, saturation and value) for view colors identified from the AR view;
selecting, hue values of the view colors that match the game piece colors;
generating respective masks corresponding to the selected hue values;
unifying contours of at least one dominant color from one of the respective masks;
identifying a base of a single contour; and
determining based on a physical location of the base in the real world field of play if the respective colored game piece is accurately positioned in conformance with game rules.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, further comprising instructions for:
displaying a notification to the user regarding an incorrect placement if it is determined that the position of the colored game piece does not conform to the game rules.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions for determining if the respective colored game piece is accurately positioned further comprising instructions for:
projecting the base on to the real world field of play.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions for determining if the respective colored game piece is accurately positioned further comprising instructions for:
selecting for further processing, particular portions of the AR view having colors corresponding to the selected hue values.

### Claim 27 (depends on 23)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions for generating the AR view of the real world field of play further comprise instructions for:
generating a view of the real world field of play comprising a real-world game mat with the colored game piece thereon.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions for determining, if the colored game piece is accurately positioned further comprise instructions for:
mapping location of the base in the AR view to a corresponding physical location on the real-world game mat.

### Claim 29 (depends on 23)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, further comprising instructions for:
generating the view of the real world field of play that shows the colored game piece and a first colored game piece;
determining a first position of the colored game piece and a first confidence level for the determined first position of the colored game piece;
receiving from a disparate second computing device, second device position information representing a second determination of the position of the colored game piece and a second confidence level for the determined position of the colored game piece, the second position determination and the second confidence level determined by the second computing device;
comparing the first confidence level with the second confidence level; and
selecting one of the first or the second positions having a greater confidence level as a real position of the colored game piece.

### Claim 30 (depends on 23)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions for generating the view of the real world field of play further comprise instructions for:
generating the AR view of the real world field of play comprising a plurality of AR terrain elements, the real world field of play comprising a plurality of shaped cards thereon, each of the cards indicative of a respective one of the AR terrain elements to be displayed when comprised in the AR view of the real world field of play.

### Claim 31 (depends on 23)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions for generating the view of the real world field of play further comprise instructions for:
alternating the view from a POV (point of view) of the game piece to a default view when a computing device comprising the processor is moved so that the real world field of play is no longer in the AR view.