Gameplay system with play augmented by merchandise

US11207599B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Disney Enterprises, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Jeffrey Elbert · Los Angeles, US
• Przemyslaw Iwanowski · San Francisco, US
• Brent David Strong · Burbank, US
• Matthew S. Daly · La Cañada Flintridge, US
• Sarit Ghildayal · Los Angeles, US
• Bob Hickman · Simi Valley, US
• John C. Hampton · Orlando, US
• Alex Christopher Wilde · Orlando, US
• Amanda Marie Leahy · Orlando, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 26, 2020
• Grant date: Dec 28, 2021
• Expiry date: Apr 25, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F2218/12
• WIPO field: Furniture, games
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

A gameplay system for providing interactivity based on a piece of merchandise or other object held or worn by a player. Th system includes an object identification assembly, which may be a modified computer vision system, that operates to sense, for a gameplay participant, the presence and identity of a particular augmenting object such as themed merchandise worn or held by a rider of a theme park ride. The sensing may be performed by detecting an on-and-off pattern of light emitted from the object. In response, the gameplay system selects or modifies the interactive features of gameplay associated with the participant based on the identified augmenting object. For example, the interactive features are selected from memory by the gameplay system controller to match a character associated with the augmenting object during any interactive gameplay. This allows the gameplay participant to choose their abilities or powers for gameplay.