System And Method Of Controlling Sensors And Actuators In Gaming Environment

Abstract

Life effects for enhancing gaming experience are provided. Upon initiation of a gaming application, peripheral devices providing services are identified, where the services include provision of sensor information and access to one or more actuators and/or ubiquitous devices. Communication connections are established to the peripheral devices to enable access to their services and a gaming environment (or one or more gaming scenes) is (are) adapted on the basis of sensor information, which is received from the peripheral devices providing the sensor information. The peripheral devices, which provide access to one or more actuators and/or ubiquitous devices, are accessed to generate life effects matching with current gaming environment or gaming scene.

1 . Method for generating effects in a gaming environment, comprising: 
 initiating a gaming application;    identifying peripheral devices and the services these devices offer, wherein said services include access to one or more actuators and/or ubiquitous devices;    establishing communication connections to at least one of said peripheral devices providing said services; and    accessing said peripheral devices providing access to one or more actuators and/or ubiquitous devices to generate effects matching with current gaming environment or gaming scene.    
   
   
       2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein said services further include provision of sensor information, said operations comprising adapting a gaming environment on the basis of sensor information received from said peripheral devices providing sensor information.  
   
   
       3 . Method according to  claim 2 , wherein said provision of sensor information includes time information and environmental information comprising especially interior and/or exterior temperature information and light condition information.  
   
   
       4 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein said ubiquitous devices comprise audio/video equipment for reproducing audio/video signals and especially hi-fi equipment for reproduction of audio signals.  
   
   
       5 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein said actuator services include light switching, dimmer light switching, blind controlling, and air-conditioning system controlling.  
   
   
       6 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein said identification of peripheral devices comprises: 
 broadcasting a discovery request;    receiving service information from a plurality of peripheral devices; and    parsing said service information to identify matching services.    
   
   
       7 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein said parsing of said service information to identify matching services comprises: 
 displaying a list of matching services; and    receiving user input identifying a selection of said matching services.    
   
   
       8 . Computer program product for generating effects for enhancing gaming experience, comprising program code sections for carrying out the operations of  claim 1 , when said program is run on a computer, a microprocessor based device, a terminal, a network device, a mobile terminal, a consumer electronic device, or a mobile communication enabled terminal.  
   
   
       9 . Computer program product for generating effects for enhancing gaming experience, comprising program code sections stored on a machine-readable medium for carrying out the operations of  claim 1 , when said program is run on a computer, a microprocessor based device, a terminal, a network device, a mobile terminal, a consumer electronic device, or a mobile communication enabled terminal.  
   
   
       10 . Software tool for generating effects for enhancing gaming experience, comprising program code sections for carrying out the operations of  claim 1 , when said tool is run on a computer, a microprocessor based device, a terminal, a network device, a mobile terminal, a consumer electronic device, or a mobile communication enabled terminal.  
   
   
       11 . Computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing instructions, which when executed by a processor cause the operations of  claim 1  to be carried out.  
   
   
       12 . Processor based consumer electronic device applicable with gaming application enabled for generating effects in gaming environment, said device comprising: 
 a gaming application;    an interface for connecting peripheral devices providing services and establishing communication connections to at least one of said peripheral devices providing said services, wherein said services include provision of sensor information, and access to one or more actuators and/or ubiquitous devices;    an application program interface component applicable for identifying said peripheral devices providing said services;    said application program interface component applicable for adapting a gaming environment on the basis of sensor information received from said peripheral devices providing sensor information; and    said application program interface component applicable for accessing said peripheral devices providing access to one or more actuators and/or ubiquitous devices to generate effects matching with current gaming environment or gaming scene.    
   
   
       13 . Device according to  claim 12 , wherein said provision of sensor information includes time information and environmental information comprising especially interior and/or exterior temperature information and light condition information.  
   
   
       14 . Device according to  claim 12 , wherein said ubiquitous devices comprise audio/video equipment for reproducing audio/video signals and especially hi-fi equipment for reproduction audio signals.  
   
   
       15 . Device according to  claim 12 , wherein said actuator services include light switching, dimmer light switching, louver controlling, and air-conditioning system controlling.  
   
   
       16 . Device according to  claim 12 , wherein said application program interface component applicable for identification of peripheral devices comprises: 
 a component for initiating a broadcast discovery request;    said interface for receiving service information from a plurality of peripheral devices; and    said application program interface component for parsing said service information to identify matching services.    
   
   
       17 . Device according to  claim 16 , wherein said application program interface component for said parsing of said service information to identify matching services comprises: 
 a display for displaying a list of matching services; and    inputting means for receiving user input identifying a selection of said matching services.    
   
   
       18 . Gaming system comprising a processor based consumer electronic device applicable with gaming application enabled for generating effects for enhancing gaming experience and peripheral devices providing services including provision of sensor information, and access to one or more actuators and/or ubiquitous devices; said processor based consumer electronic device is a device according to  claim 12.