Game Environment to Interact with Telephony Modem

Abstract

A combination telephony and game device comprises a telephony modem for communicating with remote devices over a telephony network; and an application processor operatively connected to said telephony modem. The application processor is configured to execute a game application to play a game; receive a telephony event notification from said telephony modem while the game is being played; and represent, while the game is being played, the telephony event in a virtual reality environment provided by the game application.

1 . A combination telephony and game device comprising:
 a telephony modem for communicating with remote devices over a telephony network; and   an application processor operatively connected to said telephony modem and configured to:
 execute a game application to play a game; 
 receive a telephony event notification from said telephony modem while the game is being played, said telephony event notification relating to a telephony event external to said game; and 
 represent, while the game is being played, the telephony event in a virtual reality environment provided by the game application. 
   
     
     
         2 . The combination telephony and game device of  claim 1  wherein the application processor is further configured to:
 receive a game control input from a user; 
 control game events within said virtual reality environment responsive to said game control input; and 
 translate game events into telephony commands for controlling said telephony modem to perform a telephony function. 
 
     
     
         3 . The combination telephony and game device of  claim 2  wherein said telephony event comprises an incoming call from a remote party and wherein the application processor is configured to translate game events into a call control signal for handling the incoming call. 
     
     
         4 . The combination telephony and game device of  claim 2  wherein the application processor is configured to translate game events into a call control signal for initiating an outgoing call to a remote party. 
     
     
         5 . The combination telephony and game device of  claim 2  wherein the application processor is configured to control a game character in the virtual reality environment responsive to said game control input. 
     
     
         6 . The combination telephony and game device of  claim 5  wherein the application processor is configured to translate actions of said game character into telephony commands for performing a telephony function with said telephony modem. 
     
     
         7 . The combination telephony and game device of  claim 2  wherein the application processor is configured to represent the telephony event as an interactive game object in the virtual reality environment. 
     
     
         8 . The combination telephony and game device of  claim 7  wherein the application processor is further configured to:
 receive a game control input from a user; and 
 control a game character responsive to said user input to interact with said interactive game object. 
 
     
     
         9 . The combination telephony and game device of  claim 8  wherein the application processor is configured to translate interactions between said game character and said interactive game object into telephony commands for controlling said telephony modem to perform a telephony function. 
     
     
         10 . The combination telephony and game device of  claim 2  wherein the application processor is configured to control a game character in said virtual reality environment responsive to user input to perform a telephony function with said telephony modem. 
     
     
         11 . The combination telephony and game device wherein the application processor is configured to:
 determine an event type for said telephony event; and   represent said telephony event in said virtual reality environment based on said event type.   
     
     
         12 . The combination telephony and game device wherein the telephony event comprises an incoming call and wherein the application processor is configured to:
 determine an identity of the calling party; and   represent said telephony event in said virtual reality environment based on said identity of said calling party.   
     
     
         13 . A method implemented by a game application on a mobile communication device, said method comprising:
 receiving a telephony event notification from a telephony modem while a game is being played, said telephony event notification relating to a telephony event external to said game; and   representing, while the game is being played, the telephony event in a virtual reality environment provided by the gaming application.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 receiving a game control input from a user; 
 controlling game events within said virtual reality environment responsive to said game control input; and 
 translating game events into telephony commands for controlling said telephony modem to perform a telephony function. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said telephony event comprises an incoming call from a remote party and wherein translating game events into telephony commands for controlling said telephony modem to perform a telephony function comprises translating the game event into a call control signal for handling the incoming call. 
     
     
         16 . The combination telephony and game device of  claim 14  wherein translating game events into telephony commands for controlling said telephony modem to perform a telephony function comprises translating the game event into a call control signal for initiating an outgoing call to a remote party. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein controlling a game event within said virtual reality environment responsive to said game control input comprises controlling a game character responsive in the virtual reality environment. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein translating said game control input into telephony commands for controlling said telephony modem comprises translating game control commands controlling actions of said game character into telephony commands for performing a telephony function with said telephony modem. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13  wherein representing the telephony event in a virtual reality environment comprises visually representing the telephony event as an interactive game object in the virtual reality environment. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising:
 receiving a game control input from a user; and 
 controlling a game character responsive to said user input to interact with said interactive game object. 
 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising translating interactions between said game character and said interactive game object in said virtual reality environment into telephony commands for controlling said telephony modem. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising controlling a game character in said virtual reality environment responsive to user input to perform a telephony function with said telephony modem. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 determining an event type for said telephony event; and 
 representing said telephony event in said virtual reality environment based on said event type. 
 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the telephony event comprises an incoming message and further comprising:
 determining an identity of the calling party; and 
 representing said telephony event in said virtual reality environment based on said identity of said calling party. 
 
     
     
         25 . A game device comprising:
 a communication interface for communicating with remote devices over a communication network; and   an application processor operatively connected to said communication interface and configured to:
 execute a game application to play a game; 
 receive an incoming message while the game is being played from a party not involved in said game; and 
 represent, while the game is being played, the incoming message in a virtual reality environment provided by the game application. 
   
     
     
         26 . A method implemented by a game application on a host device, said method comprising:
 receiving a message notification while a game is being played, said message notification relating to a message from a party other than a game player; and   representing, while the game is being played, incoming message in a virtual reality environment provided by the gaming application.