IP Library Granted Patent US 9,586,140
Granted Patent B2
US 9,586,140 · App. 13/969,289 · Granted Mar 7, 2017

Perception system

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,586,140
App. No.
13/969,289
Granted
Mar 7, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

System and methods to guide interaction of characters with objects in a virtual space include determining how objects near a particular character are perceived by that character. Based on proximity, position, the manner of possible interaction, and/or other considerations, objects are ranked for interaction with the character.

Claims (35)

1. A system configured to guide interaction of non-player characters with objects in a virtual space, wherein the objects include a first object and a second object, the system comprising:

electronic storage configured to store perception information for non-player characters in a virtual space, perception information for an individual non-player character being specific to the individual non-player character, wherein perception information includes perception types that are individually associated with objects of a common object type, wherein an individual perception type corresponds to a manner of interaction between the individual non-player character and objects of an individual object type associated with the individual perception type, the electronic storage being configured to store first perception information for a first non-player character, the first perception information including a first perception type that is associated with objects of a first object type, and a second perception type that is associated with objects of a second object type;

one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to:

determine a set of objects that include objects that are individually positioned a distance from the first non-player character to facilitate interaction between the first non-player character and individual ones of the objects in the set of objects, wherein the set of objects includes the first object and the second object;

determine object types of individual ones of the objects in the set of objects, including determining that the first object corresponds to the first object type and that the second object corresponds to the second object type;

assign objects in the set of objects to groups based on object type, an individual group including objects of a common object type, such that the first object is assigned to a first group that includes objects of the first object type, and the second object is assigned to a second group that includes objects of the second object type;

associate individual ones of the groups with an individual perception type included in the first perception information, the association being based on the associations of perceptions types with object types included in the first perception information, wherein the first group is associated with the first perception type and the second group is associated with the second perception type;

determine preference of one or more objects in individual ones of the groups of objects, one or more preferred objects determined from an individual group corresponding to a determination of one or more preferred objects of an individual perception type, the determined one or more preferred objects including a first preferred object that is determined from the first group and a second preferred object that is determined from the second group;

assign individual ranks to individual ones of the one or more preferred objects based on a current circumstance of the first non-player character in the virtual space and the perception types associated with individual ones of the one or more preferred objects, the individual ranks being configured to guide the first character to one or more object selections of one or more of the preferred objects that are associated with a perception type conveying a manner of interaction corresponding to the current circumstance;

make one or more object selections of one or more of the preferred objects for interaction with the first non-player character based on the assigned individual ranks, a first object selection of either the first preferred object or the second preferred object being made based on a first rank assigned to the first preferred object and a second rank assigned to the second preferred object; and

effectuate the one or more object selections to facilitate interaction of the first non-player character with one or more of the preferred objects, such that based on the first rank being higher than the second rank, effectuating the first object selection facilitates an interaction of the first non-player character with the first preferred object.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein individual ones of the groups are associated with individual ones of the perception types.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first object type is different from the second object type.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first perception type is different from the second perception type.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining preference of one or more objects is further based on comparisons of numerical values associated with objects in the set of objects.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first preferred object comprises the first object and the second preferred object comprise the second objects, and wherein assigning the ranks to individual ones of the one or more preferred objects is further based on comparisons of numerical values associated with individual ones of the first object and the second object.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein an individual object may corresponds to one or more object types.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein individual objects are associated with individual sets of state attributes that define interactions with other objects in the virtual space, such that the first non-player character is associated with an individual set of state attributes, the first object is associated with a first set of state attributes, and the second object is associated with a second set of state attributes.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein determining preference is further based on analysis of the individual set of state attributes, the first set of state attributes, and the second set of state attributes.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein objects are associated with detection types that define requirements for interactions with other objects in the virtual space such that the first object is associated with a first detection type, and such that the second object is associated with a second detection type.

11. A computer-implemented method for guiding interaction of non-player characters with objects in a virtual space, the method being implemented in a computer system that includes one or more physical processors and storage media storing machine-readable instructions, the objects including a first object and a second object, the method comprising:

storing perception information for individual non-player characters in a virtual space, perception information for an individual non-player character being specific to the individual non-player character, wherein the perception information includes perception types that are individually associated with objects of a common object type, wherein an individual perception type corresponds to a manner of interaction between the individual non-player character and objects of an individual object type associated with the individual perception type, including storing first perception information for a first non-player character, the first perception information including a first perception type that is associated with objects of a first object type, and a second perception type that is associated with objects of a second object type;

determining a set of objects that includes objects that are individually positioned a distance from the first non-player character to facilitate interaction between the first non-player character and individual ones of the objects in the set of objects, wherein the set of objects includes the first object and the second object;

determining object types of individual ones of the objects in the set of objects, including determining that the first object corresponds to the first object type and the second object corresponds to the second object type;

assigning objects in the set of objects to groups based on object type, an individual group including objects of a common object type, such that the first object is assigned to a first group that includes objects of the first object type, and the second object is assigned to a second group that includes objects of the second object type;

associating individual ones of the groups with an individual perception type included in the first perception information, the association being based on the associations of perception types with objects types included in the first perception information, wherein the first group is associated with the first perception type and the second group is associated with the second perception type;

determining preference of one or more objects in individual ones of the groups of objects, one or more preferred objects determined from an individual group corresponding to a determination of one or more preferred objects of an individual perception type, including determining a first preferred object from the first group and a second preferred object from the second group;

assigning individual ranks to individual ones of the one or more preferred objects based on a current circumstance of the first non-player character in the virtual space and the perception types associated with individual ones of the one or more preferred objects, the individual ranks being configured to guide the first non-player character to one or more object selections of one or more of the preferred objects that are associated with a perception type conveying a manner of interaction corresponding to the current circumstance;

making one or more object selections of one or more of the preferred objects for interaction with the first non-player character based on the assigned individual ranks, a first object selection of either the first preferred object or the second preferred object being made based on a first rank assigned to the first preferred object and a second rank assigned to the second preferred object; and

effectuating the one or more object selections to facilitate interaction of the first non-player character with one or more of the preferred objects, such that based on the first rank being higher than the second rank, effectuating the first object selection facilitates an interaction of the first non-player character with the first preferred object.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first preferred object comprises the first object and the second preferred object comprise the second objects, and wherein the method further comprises:

assigning individual ranks to the first preferred object and the second preferred object based on comparisons of numerical values associated with individual ones of the first object and the second object.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein individual objects are associated with individual sets of state attributes that define manners of interactions with other objects in the virtual space, such that the first non-player character is associated with an individual set of state attributes, the first object is associated with a first set of state attributes, and the second object is associated with a second set of state attributes.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising assigning respective ranks to the first preferred object and second preferred object based on analysis of the individual set of state attributes, the first set of state attributes, and the second set of state attributes.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein individual objects are associated with individual detection types that define requirements for interactions with other objects in the virtual space such that the first object is associated with a first detection type, and such that the second object is associated with a second detection type.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2026
From: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
To: ADEIA MEDIA HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 075574/0602 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INVENTOR NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 031066 FRAME 0640. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 10, 2014
From: HENN, JAMES M.
To: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
Reel/Frame 031968/0751 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2013
From: HENN, JAMES M.
To: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
Reel/Frame 031066/0640 →