Patent Application
20050287506
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to methods and systems for multimedia games and more particularly, to mobile units on which multimedia games are capable of being played.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, portable electronic devices, such as cellular telephones and personal digital assistants, have become commonplace. These devices have increased in sophistication and complexity, and there is a current push to implement a wide array of functions in them, as well. As an example, many cellular telephone manufacturers have implemented video games into the mobile units that the manufacturers offer for sale. In addition, several video game titles are available for sale over the Internet. Once bought, these games can be wirelessly downloaded. As such, there is a continuing push to develop and make available for public use gaming applications for use on a mobile unit.
The present invention concerns a method for electronically generating random responses in a portable electronic device. The method includes the steps of detecting motion of the portable electronic device, generating the random response in response to the detecting step and outputting the random response to a user of the portable electronic device. In one arrangement, the method can further include the steps of prompting the user to ask a question and following a predetermined time period after prompting the user to ask the question, prompting the user to shake the portable electronic device. As an example, the prompting the user to ask the question step can further include prompting the user to ask a question that is answerable with a yes or no.
In another arrangement, the step of outputting the random response can include broadcasting the random response through a speaker or displaying the random response through a display. Also, the random response can be selected from a table of predetermined phrases. As an example, the predetermined phrase is capable of answering a question that is answerable with a yes or no. In addition, the method can further include the step of downloading into the table the predetermined phrases. The method can also include the step of creating through a user interface of the portable electronic device the downloadable predetermined phrases. As an example, the predetermined phrases can be downloaded from an entity that provides a selection of predetermined phrases.
The present invention also concerns a portable electronic device for electronically generating random responses. The portable electronic device includes a motion detecting mechanism—in which the motion detecting mechanism detects motion of the portable electronic device—and a processor coupled to the motion detecting mechanism. In response to the motion detecting mechanism detecting the motion, the processor is programmed to generate the random response. The portable electronic device also includes a user interface section coupled to the processor. The user interface section outputs the random response to a user of the portable electronic device. The device can also include suitable software and/or circuitry to carry out the processes described above.
The features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:
While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting but rather to provide an understandable description of the invention.
The terms a or an, as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term plurality, as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term another, as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms including and/or having, as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term coupled, as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. The terms program, software application, and the like as used herein, are defined as a sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system. A program, computer program, or software application may include a subroutine, a function, a procedure, an object method, an object implementation, an executable application, an applet, a servlet, a source code, an object code, a shared library/dynamic load library and/or other sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system.
This invention presents a method for electronically generating random responses in a portable electronic device. In one arrangement, the portable electronic device can prompt a user to ask a question that can be answerable with a yes or no. The portable electronic device can then prompt the user to shake the portable electronic device. A motion detecting mechanism in the portable electronic device can detect this shaking, and in response, the portable electronic device can generate a random response that may answer the user's question. This random response can be output to the user through any suitable user interface.
Referring to
Through the receiving section 112, the portable electronic device 110 can transmit and receive wireless communications signals in a manner well known to those of skill in the art. For example, when receiving signals, the processor 120 can control the TX/RX switch 126, which can permit signals being received by the antenna 128 to pass to the receiver 124. The receiver 124 can convert and demodulate these signals and can transfer them to the processor 120. When the portable electronic device 110 is transmitting signals, the processor 120 can set the TXIRX switch 126 to permit the transmitter 122 to transmit communications signals though the antenna 128. Although discussed primarily in terms of wireless communications, it is understood that the portable electronic device 110 can also be designed to receive signals from a hard-wired connection, such as through the port 130.
In one arrangement, the motion detecting mechanism 116 can detect motion of the portable electronic device 110 and can be coupled to the processor 120. As an example, the motion detecting mechanism 116 can be an accelerometer. Examples of suitable accelerometers include potentiometric accelerometers, linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) accelerometers, variable reluctance accelerometers and piezoelectric accelerometers. Of course, the invention is not limited to these particular examples, as any other suitable accelerometer, or any other instrument suitable for detecting motion, can serve as the motion detecting mechanism 116.
The table 118 can receive and store predetermined phrases and can be coupled to the processor 120. During operation of the invention, the processor 120 can retrieve predetermined phrases from the table 118. As an example, this retrieval can be on a random basis. This process will be explained more below. The processor 120 can also direct predetermined phrases to the table 118 for storage and later retrieval.
The user interface section 114 can include an audio driver 132, a speaker 134, a display driver 136, a display 138, a keypad interface 140, a keypad 142 and a microphone 144. The processor 120 can be coupled to the audio driver 132, the keypad interface 140, the display driver 136 and the microphone 144. Further, the audio driver 132 can be coupled to the speaker 134, the display driver 136 can be coupled to the display 138 and the keypad interface 140 can be coupled to the keypad 142. In one arrangement, the predetermined phrases that the processor 120 selects can be output to the user through the user interface section 114. In addition, the user can create predetermined phrases through the user interface section 114, and these created predetermined phrases can be stored in the table 118.
It must be understood that the portable electronic device 110 of
Referring to
As also alluded to earlier, the portable electronic device 110 can receive signals over a hard-wired connection. As an example, a computer 218 can receive data from the Internet, and the portable electronic device 110 can receive data from the computer 218 through a connection 220 of the computer 218. This connection 220 can be received by the port 130 of the portable electronic device 110. The portable electronic device 110 can also be designed to wirelessly receive data from the computer 218.
In either the wireless or hard-wired connection arrangement, the portable electronic device 110 can receive predetermined phrases from an entity 222. As an example, the entity 222 can be an electronic storefront. The entity 222 can offer for sale predetermined phrases that can be transferred to the portable electronic device 110 through the Internet or even the PSTN. The entity 222 can also offer for free these predetermined phrases to a user of the portable electronic device 110. The operation of the system 200 and how it may be useful in allowing the user to access predetermined phrases will be further described below. It is understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the system 200 shown in
Referring to
At step 310, the method 300 can begin. At step 312, a user can be prompted to ask a question. At step 314, following a predetermined time period after prompting the user to ask the question, the user can be prompted to shake the portable electronic device. For example, referring to
Once the application is accessed, the processor 120 can signal some of the components of the user interface section 114 to cause the user to be prompted. Specifically, the processor 120 can signal the display driver 136, which can cause a message to be displayed on the display 138 that prompts the user to ask one or more questions. In addition, the processor 120 can signal the audio driver 132, which can cause the message to be broadcast over the speaker. The broadcasting audio function and the displaying function can be performed together, or they can be executed independently of one another. In one particular arrangement, the user can be prompted to ask a question that can be answered with a yes or no. It must be stressed, however, that the invention is not so limited, as the user can ask any suitable type of question.
Once it signals the user interface section 114, the processor 120—following a predetermined amount of time—can signal the user interface section 114 once again to cause the user to be prompted to shake the portable electronic device 110. Like the example above, the processor 120 can signal the display driver 136 to cause a message to be displayed on the display 138 that asks the user to shake the portable electronic device 110. The processor 120 can also signal the audio driver 132 to cause the message to be broadcast over the speaker 134.
Referring back to
Referring to
To generate the random response, the processor 120 can randomly select a predetermined phrase from the table 118. In one particular arrangement, these predetermined phrases are capable of answering a question that is answerable with a yes or no, although the invention is not limited to such phrases. Suitable examples of predetermined phrases include the following: (1) Yes; (2) No; (3) Ask again later; (4) Reply unclear, try again; (5) Absolutely; and (6) Highly doubtful. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that there are numerous possibilities for these predetermined phrases, and the table 118 can be stored with any suitable number of them.
After the processor 120 randomly selects the predetermined phrase, the processor 120 can signal the user interface section 114 to output the predetermined phrase, i.e., the random response, to a user of the portable electronic device 110. For example, the processor 120 can signal the display driver 136 and/or the audio driver 132 to cause the random response to be displayed on the display 138 or broadcast over the speaker 134, or both. As a result, the portable electronic device 110 can provide a random answer to any suitable questions asked by a user of the portable electronic device 110.
There are several ways to create the predetermined phrases that can be stored in the table 118. For example, during the manufacture of the portable electronic device 110, the manufacturer can program these predetermined phrases into the table 118. In addition, referring to
At step 410, the method can begin. At step 412, predetermined phrases can be downloaded into a table. As shown there are two different ways to do such an action. In particular, at step 414, the predetermined phrases can be downloaded from an entity that provides a selection of predetermined phrases. Alternatively, the downloadable predetermined phrases can be created through a user interface of the portable electronic device. At step 418, the method 400 can end.
For example, referring to
In another arrangement, the predetermined phrases can be downloaded from the entity 222 to the computer 218 through the Internet. A user can then download the predetermined phrases from the computer 218 to the portable electronic device 110 by coupling the connector 220 to the port 130 of the receiving section 112. The predetermined phrases can also be wirelessly transferred from the computer 218 to the receiving section 112. After receipt of the phrases, the processor 120 can download the phrases into the table 118. Once the predetermined phrases have been downloaded into the table, the processor 120 may select one or more of them as a random response, in accordance with the method 300 of
In another example, the user can create predetermined phrases through the user interface section 114. Specifically, the user can create customized predetermined phrases by entering such phrases via the keypad 142. The user may also enter these phrases by using the microphone 144, if the portable electronic device 110 has appropriate voice recognition software. Once entered, the processor 120 can download these phrases into the table 118, where they may eventually serve as a random response. As another example, the user may create such predetermined phrases at the computer 218 or any other suitable device. The user can then transfer the customized phrases to the portable electronic device 110 wirelessly or through a hard- wired connection.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the invention is not so limited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
