wraggster
August 4th, 2013, 18:45
A Microsoft patent (http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=20130196757.PGNR.&OS=DN/20130196757RS=DN/20130196757) for a "head-mounted display device" has been discovered, once again suggesting the platform holder intends on augmenting the Xbox experience with gaming glasses technology.
http://cdn.medialib.computerandvideogames.com/screens/dir_3073/image_307337_320.jpg (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/viewer.php?id=307337&mode=article)The patent states the device is intended for "inviting a potential player to participate in a multiplayer game" and uses a combination of "eye-tracking information, depth information, facial recognition information, potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or potential player voice data" to do so.
The patent was discovered one year after aleaked document (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/355035/xbox-720-files-microsofts-master-plan-for-the-next-xbox/) showed that Microsoft was internally developing Kinect glasses technology.
"The program associates the invitation with the potential player using the eye-tracking information, the depth information, the facial recognition information, the potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or the potential player voice data," explains the patent.
"The program matches a potential player account with the potential player. The program receives an acceptance response from the potential player, and joins the potential player account with a user account in participating in the multiplayer game."
Online multiplayer games are typically played across multiple hardware devices in various locations. Such games may associate a particular user to a hardware device via an abstraction, and make a connection through the abstraction to the device. Additionally, some multiplayer games may be played through a hardware device, such as a gaming console, that is typically located in a fixed location, such as an entertainment room in a home.
To invite others to join a multiplayer game, a user may access and work through a menu system with his or her hardware device to send an invitation to another player. Using such a menu system may be time-consuming and may involve the user focusing on the tasks associated with sending an invitation. Such a menu system may also offer a stilted and limited user experience that discourages a user from making spontaneous invitations. Additionally, if the user is actively playing a multiplayer game, using such a menu system to send invitations mid-game may take the user away from the game action. Further, where the user's hardware device is located in a fixed location, the user's ability to make face-to-face invitations in other locations may also be limited.
To address the above issues, a multiplayer game invitation system including a user head-mounted display device and related methods for inviting a potential player to participate in a multiplayer game are provided. In one example, a method may include receiving user voice data from a user and determining that the user voice data is an invitation to participate in a multiplayer game. Eye-tracking information, depth information, facial recognition information, potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or potential player voice data may be received. The invitation from the user may be associated with the potential player using the eye-tracking information, the depth information, the facial recognition information, the potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or the potential player voice data.
The method may include matching a potential player account with the potential player. The method may further include receiving an acceptance response from the potential player, and joining the potential player account with a user account associated with the user in participating in the multiplayer game.
Eye-tracking information, depth information, facial recognition information, potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or potential player voice data may be received. The invitation from the user may be associated with the potential player using the eye-tracking information, the depth information, the facial recognition information, the potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or the potential player voice data."
Images attached to the patent show people engaging in activities such as dancing, playing tennis and sword fighting in a virtual reality setting, suggesting the device can be used for more than just connecting with other players for multiplayer.
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/422341/microsoft-patents-xbox-head-mounted-display/
http://cdn.medialib.computerandvideogames.com/screens/dir_3073/image_307337_320.jpg (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/viewer.php?id=307337&mode=article)The patent states the device is intended for "inviting a potential player to participate in a multiplayer game" and uses a combination of "eye-tracking information, depth information, facial recognition information, potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or potential player voice data" to do so.
The patent was discovered one year after aleaked document (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/355035/xbox-720-files-microsofts-master-plan-for-the-next-xbox/) showed that Microsoft was internally developing Kinect glasses technology.
"The program associates the invitation with the potential player using the eye-tracking information, the depth information, the facial recognition information, the potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or the potential player voice data," explains the patent.
"The program matches a potential player account with the potential player. The program receives an acceptance response from the potential player, and joins the potential player account with a user account in participating in the multiplayer game."
Online multiplayer games are typically played across multiple hardware devices in various locations. Such games may associate a particular user to a hardware device via an abstraction, and make a connection through the abstraction to the device. Additionally, some multiplayer games may be played through a hardware device, such as a gaming console, that is typically located in a fixed location, such as an entertainment room in a home.
To invite others to join a multiplayer game, a user may access and work through a menu system with his or her hardware device to send an invitation to another player. Using such a menu system may be time-consuming and may involve the user focusing on the tasks associated with sending an invitation. Such a menu system may also offer a stilted and limited user experience that discourages a user from making spontaneous invitations. Additionally, if the user is actively playing a multiplayer game, using such a menu system to send invitations mid-game may take the user away from the game action. Further, where the user's hardware device is located in a fixed location, the user's ability to make face-to-face invitations in other locations may also be limited.
To address the above issues, a multiplayer game invitation system including a user head-mounted display device and related methods for inviting a potential player to participate in a multiplayer game are provided. In one example, a method may include receiving user voice data from a user and determining that the user voice data is an invitation to participate in a multiplayer game. Eye-tracking information, depth information, facial recognition information, potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or potential player voice data may be received. The invitation from the user may be associated with the potential player using the eye-tracking information, the depth information, the facial recognition information, the potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or the potential player voice data.
The method may include matching a potential player account with the potential player. The method may further include receiving an acceptance response from the potential player, and joining the potential player account with a user account associated with the user in participating in the multiplayer game.
Eye-tracking information, depth information, facial recognition information, potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or potential player voice data may be received. The invitation from the user may be associated with the potential player using the eye-tracking information, the depth information, the facial recognition information, the potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or the potential player voice data."
Images attached to the patent show people engaging in activities such as dancing, playing tennis and sword fighting in a virtual reality setting, suggesting the device can be used for more than just connecting with other players for multiplayer.
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/422341/microsoft-patents-xbox-head-mounted-display/