Geogame for mobile device

Abstract

In a geographic location based game (geogame), players (actual persons) utilize mobile communications devices to play a game in which players catch virtual “good” objects and/or avoid virtual “bad” objects. Virtual objects can be stationary, move in accordance with deterministic pattern, move in accordance with non-predetermined patterns, and/or move randomly. Players acquire points by capturing a virtual good object. Players capture virtual good objects by physically moving to the geographic location of a virtual object. If a player comes in contact with a “bad” virtual object, the player loses points. Captured virtual objects can be used to attack other players and/or virtual objects.

1 . A wireless device comprising:
 a processor portion configured to:
 determine a boundary of each virtual object in a geogame based on a received event information; 
 determine a current location of the device; 
 determine if the current location of the device intersects a boundary of a virtual object; 
   an input/output portion configured to:
 geocast an indication of an event; and 
 receive respective geocasts from other devices participating in the geogame; and 
   a user interface portion configured to:
 render a representation of at least one virtual object in the geogame based on the received event information. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 if it is determined that the current location of the device intersects a boundary of a virtual object, determine a type of virtual object whose boundary the device intersects, wherein the type is one of a first type, a second type, or a third type;   the processor portion further is configured to:
 if the type is determined to be a first type:
 determine that the virtual object whose boundary the device intersects is a captured virtual object; and 
 reward a player utilizing the device to capture the virtual object; 
 if the type is determined to be a second type, penalize the player utilizing the device whose boundary intersects the boundary of the virtual object; and 
 
 if the type is determined to be a third type:
 determine if the device whose current location intersects with the boundary of the virtual object has previously intersected a boundary of the virtual object; and 
 if the boundary of the device whose current location intersects with the boundary of the virtual object has not previously intersected a boundary of the virtual object, penalize the player utilizing the device to participate in the geogame; 
 
   the input/output portion further is configured to:
 geocast an indication that a player is rewarded; and 
 geocast an indication that a player is penalized; and 
   the user interface portion further configured to:
 render an indication that a player is rewarded; and 
 render an indication that a player is penalized. 
   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the processor portion is configured to remove a captured virtual object from geogame play. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the processor portion is configured to convert a captured virtual object to the third type virtual object that moves toward a current location of a device participating in the geogame other than a current location of the device whose boundary intersected with the boundary of the virtual object. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one virtual object is stationary. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one virtual object moves in a predetermined pattern. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one virtual object moves in a non-predetermined pattern. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one virtual object moves toward a location of the device. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one virtual object moves away from a location of the device. 
     
     
         10 . A method of playing a geogame, the method comprising:
 determining a boundary of each virtual object in a geogame based on a received event information;   determining a current location of the device;   geocasting an indication of the current location of the device;   determining if the current location of the device intersects with a boundary of a virtual object; and   rendering a representation of at least one virtual object in the geogame based on the received event information.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 if it is determined that the current location of the device intersects with a boundary of a virtual object, determining a type of virtual object whose boundary the device intersects, wherein the type is one of a first type, a second type, or a third type;   if the type is determined to be a first type:
 determining that the virtual object whose boundary the device intersects is a captured virtual object; 
 rewarding a player utilizing the device to capture the virtual object; and 
 geocasting an indication that the player is rewarded; and 
   if the type is determined to be a third type:
 determining if the device whose current location intersects with the boundary of the virtual object has previously intersected a boundary of the virtual object; 
 if the boundary of the device whose current location intersects with the boundary of the virtual object has not previously intersected a boundary of the virtual object, penalizing the player utilizing the device to participate in the geogame; and 
 geocasting an indication that a player is penalized. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a captured virtual object is removed from geogame play. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a captured virtual object is converted to the third type virtual object that moves toward a current location of a device participating in the geogame other than a current location of the device whose boundary intersected with the boundary of the virtual object. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one virtual object is stationary. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein at least one virtual object moves in a predetermined pattern. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein at least one virtual object moves in a non-predetermined pattern. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein at least one virtual object moves toward a location of the device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one virtual object moves away from a location of the device. 
     
     
         19 . A computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions for causing a processor to perform the steps of:
 determining a boundary of each virtual object in a geogame based on a received indication of location of each virtual object;   determining a current location of the device;   geocasting an indication of the current location of the device;   determining if the current location of the device intersects with a boundary of a virtual object;   if it is determined that the current location of the device intersects with a boundary of a virtual object, determining a type of virtual object whose boundary the device intersects, wherein the type is one of a first type, a second type, or a third type;   rendering a representation of a each virtual object in the geogame based on the received indication of a location of each virtual object in the geogame;   rendering a representation of the current location of the device; and   rendering a representation of a current location of each other device participating in the geogame based on the received geocasts from other devices participating in the geogame.   
     
     
         20 . The medium of  claim 19 , the instructions further for causing the processor to:
 if the type is determined to be a first type:
 determine that the virtual object whose boundary the device intersects is a captured virtual object; 
 reward a player utilizing the device to capture the virtual object; and 
 geocasting an indication that the player is rewarded; and 
   if the type is determined to be a third type:
 determine if the device whose current location intersects with the boundary of the virtual object has previously intersected a boundary of the virtual object; 
 if the boundary of the device whose current location intersects with the boundary of the virtual object has not previously intersected a boundary of the virtual object, penalize the player utilizing the device to participate in the geogame; and 
 geocast an indication that a player is penalized.