Projection of interactive game environment

Abstract

The projection of an interactive game environment image on one or more surfaces. The interactive game environment image may be a three dimensional image, or may be two dimensional. Data is received that represents virtual objects that are spatially positioned in virtual space. An image is then projected on the substantially horizontal surface that includes a visual representation of all or a portion of the virtual space including one or more of the virtual objects. The system may then detect user interaction with the projected visualized representation of the virtual space, and in response thereto, change the projected visualized representation.

1 . A method for projecting an interactive game environment image on at least one surface, the method comprising:
 an act of receiving data representing a plurality of virtual objects that are spatially positioned in a virtual game environment space;   an act of projecting an game environment image on a surface in response to the received data, the projected game environment image including a visual representation of at least part of the virtual game environment space, the visualized representation include a visualized representation of at least some of the virtual objects;   an act of detecting user interaction with the visualized representation; and   an act of changing the projected visualized representation in response to the user interaction with the visualized representation.   
     
     
         2 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the user interaction is a physical manipulation of a physical object within the space of the projected visualized representation. 
     
     
         3 . The method in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the physical object is a game piece. 
     
     
         4 . The method in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the game piece is a die. 
     
     
         5 . The method in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the game piece is a playing card. 
     
     
         6 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the user interaction is a physical user interaction with one of the visualized objects. 
     
     
         7 . The method in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the act of changing the projected visualized representation comprises an act of affecting the visualized object with which the user interacted. 
     
     
         8 . The method in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the act of affecting the visualized object comprises an act of moving the visualized object in the visualized representation. 
     
     
         9 . The method in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the act of affecting the visualized object comprises an act of changing a form of the visualized object. 
     
     
         10 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the act of changing the projected visualized representation comprises an act of creating a new visualized object in the visualized representation. 
     
     
         11 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the surface includes a substantially horizontal surface. 
     
     
         12 . The method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the act of projecting a game environment image also projects a game environment image on a substantially vertical surface in response to the received data. 
     
     
         13 . The method in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the game environment image projected on the substantially horizontal surface and the game environment image projected on the substantially vertical surface are stitched to form a single projected game environment. 
     
     
         14 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the surface includes a spherical surface. 
     
     
         15 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the surface includes a concave surface. 
     
     
         16 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the surface includes a convex surface. 
     
     
         17 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the surface includes a cylindrical surface. 
     
     
         18 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the surface includes a topology. 
     
     
         19 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the game environment image includes three dimensional information that may be viewed as a three dimensional image by a user. 
     
     
         20 . The method in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein the game environment image includes a representation of terrain. 
     
     
         21 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the game environment image includes an image of a game board. 
     
     
         22 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 ,
 wherein the act of projecting a game environment image on a substantially horizontal surface in response to the received data comprises an act of a plurality of projectors projecting a plurality of sub-images on the surface, the method further comprising:   an act of formulating data representing the plurality of sub-images prior to projecting the plurality of sub-images.   
     
     
         23 . The method in accordance with  claim 22 , wherein each sub-image represents a distinct portion of the virtual game environment space that result in the game environment image representing the virtual game environment space that is spatially continuous. 
     
     
         24 . A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform the following:
 an act of detecting a user interaction with a game environment image that is projected on a substantially horizontal surface, the projected game environment image including a visual representation of at least part of a virtual game environment space in which a plurality of virtual objects are spatially positioned; and   an act of changing the projected visualized representation in response to the user interaction with the visualized representation.   
     
     
         25 . A surface-top game environment projection mechanism comprising:
 a projector mechanism that includes an image supply mechanism and at least one projector, the image preparation mechanism configured to supply a game environment image to project in response to received data that represents a plurality of virtual objects that are spatially positioned in a virtual game environment space, the at least one projector configured to project the game environment image supplied by the image supply mechanism, the projected game environment image including a visual representation of at least part of the virtual game environment space, the visualized representation include a visualized representation of at least some of the virtual objects; and   a scanning mechanism configured to scan the area projected by the projected game environment image to determine one or more positions of a real interactivity input object.   
     
     
         26 . The surface-top projection mechanism in accordance with  claim 25 , wherein the at least one projector comprises a plurality of projectors, wherein the image preparation mechanism is configured to assign a subimage of the game environment image to each of the plurality of projectors. 
     
     
         27 . The surface-top projection mechanism in accordance with  claim 25 , wherein the surface-top projection mechanism is portable. 
     
     
         28 . The surface-top projection mechanism in accordance with  claim 25 , wherein the surface-top projection mechanism takes the form of a tower that can be placed on the substantially horizontal surface.