Education and demonstration – Vehicle operator instruction or testing – Automobile or truck
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-23
2004-06-29
Hughes, S. Thomas (Department: 3714)
Education and demonstration
Vehicle operator instruction or testing
Automobile or truck
C434S350000, C463S006000, C463S023000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06755654
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to vehicle simulators. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to selectively rewarding the user of the simulator.
2. Description of the Related Technology
What is needed is a way to selectively reward users of a simulator or game, such as a vehicle simulator, according to a target reward level established by an owner or operator of the simulator. The target level would vary according to the ability of the users and would be adjusted dynamically.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the invention, there is a method of simulated vehicle competition, comprising storing a plurality of parameters indicative of past routes and a past route, providing a threshold route parameter, navigating a simulated vehicle over a current route, displaying the current route of the simulated vehicle, and modifying the threshold route parameter according to a function of the plurality of stored parameters and of a predetermined constant.
In an additional aspect of the invention, there is a method of playing a simulated vehicle racing system, the method comprising a) storing vehicle race parameters of past players on a particular track in a memory, b) storing a target vehicle path, c) selecting one of the stored vehicle race parameters as a target race parameter, d) playing the stored target vehicle path as a function of the target race parameter and a new vehicle path by a player vehicle of a present player, e) recording spatial data of the player vehicle on the particular track in a buffer as the new vehicle path of the present player, f) storing a vehicle race parameter of the present player in the memory, g) selecting the recorded new vehicle path as a new target vehicle path if the stored vehicle race parameter of the present player is an improvement over the target race parameter, h) adjusting the stored vehicle race parameter associated with the new target vehicle path based on the target race parameter, thereby generating a new target race parameter, and i) repeating d)-h) at least one time.
In an additional aspect of the invention, there is a simulated vehicle racing method, comprising retrieving a vehicle path corresponding to a stored route of one of a plurality of previous players on a simulated course, retrieving a plurality of vehicle race times, each race time corresponding to a race time of a previous player, selecting one of the plurality of vehicle race times as a free game time, and adjusting the playback of the retrieved vehicle path as a function of the free game time.
In an additional aspect of the invention, there is a simulated vehicle system, comprising a simulated vehicle configured to traverse a simulated course, a data structure holding a plurality of course finish times, a present course buffer configured to store a present course path of the simulated vehicle and a course finish time of the simulated vehicle as it traverses the simulated course, a recorded course storage configured to store a recorded course path, and a playback adjuster configured to adjust the speed of playback of the recorded course path when a course finish time in the data structure which corresponds to the recorded course path is different than a selected one of the course finish times.
In an additional aspect of the invention, there is a computerized competition method, comprising accumulating a plurality of competition scores from multiple competitions in a competition environment, and selecting one of the competition scores to be a threshold for further competitions, wherein passing the threshold determines an award, and wherein the selecting is based on a predefined percentage of awards.
In an additional aspect of the invention, there is a computerized competition system, comprising a competition environment stored in a computer, a data structure storing a plurality of past competition scores, a present competition buffer configured to store a present competition score and results of a present competition in the competition environment, a recorded competition storage configured to store results of a past competition in the competition environment, and a parameter adjuster configured to adjust at least one parameter of playback of the recorded past competition based on a function of a selected one of the competition scores.
In an additional aspect of the invention, there is a simulated competition method, comprising retrieving a stored competition sequence of a previous player in a competition environment, retrieving a plurality of scores of previous players, selecting one of the plurality of scores as a target score, and adjusting a playback parameter of the retrieved competition sequence as a function of the target score.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4685677 (1987-08-01), Demar et al.
patent: 5269687 (1993-12-01), Mott et al.
patent: 5354202 (1994-10-01), Moncrief et al.
patent: 5366376 (1994-11-01), Copperman et al.
patent: 5577913 (1996-11-01), Moncrief et al.
patent: 5621431 (1997-04-01), Harper et al.
patent: 5660547 (1997-08-01), Copperman
patent: 6155928 (2000-12-01), Burdick
patent: 6251017 (2001-06-01), Leason et al.
patent: 6488505 (2002-12-01), Hightower
patent: 0836873 (1998-04-01), None
Watt; Advanced Animation and Rendering Techniques,Theory and Practice, Addison Wesley, ISBN 0-201-54412-1:361-368.
Hughes S. Thomas
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
Midway Games West
Sotomayor John L
LandOfFree
System and method of vehicle competition with enhanced... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System and method of vehicle competition with enhanced..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System and method of vehicle competition with enhanced... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3320008