Optical-based aerial gaming systems

Abstract

An optical-based aerial gaming system comprises: a multirotor unmanned flying device comprising: a main body; a plurality of propulsion units, a wireless receiver configured to receive data via radio communication; a wireless transmitter configured to send data via radio communication; one or more light generators configured to project laser or infrared light from the unmanned flying device; and one or more light sensors configured to detect laser or infrared light projected by a separate unmanned flying device; and a remote control unit comprising: a wireless transmitter configured to send data via radio communication; and a wireless receiver configured to receive data via radio communication, wherein the unmanned flying device is configured to transmit to the remote control unit, using the wireless transmitter of the unmanned flying device, at least a portion of encoded data of the detected laser or infrared light.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An optical-based aerial gaming system comprising:
 a multirotor unmanned flying device comprising:
 a main body; 
 a plurality of propulsion units, wherein each propulsion unit comprises a motor and a propeller; 
 a wireless receiver configured to receive data via radio communication; 
 a wireless transmitter configured to send data via radio communication; 
 a controller configured to, based at least in part on flight control data received by the wireless receiver, control the motors of the plurality of propulsion units to cause the unmanned flying device to fly; 
 one or more laser light generators configured to project laser light from the unmanned flying device, the projected laser light comprising encoded data; and 
 one or more laser light sensors configured to detect laser light projected by a separate unmanned flying device, the detected laser light comprising encoded data; and 
   a remote control unit comprising:
 a wireless transmitter configured to send data via radio communication; 
 a wireless receiver configured to receive data via radio communication; 
 one or more flight control inputs configured to be user operable to cause the wireless transmitter of the remote control unit to send the flight control data to the unmanned flying device to control flight of the unmanned flying device; and 
 one or more optical weapon firing inputs configured to be user operable to cause the wireless transmitter of the remote control unit to send firing data to the unmanned flying device to cause the one or more laser light generators of the unmanned flying device to project laser light; 
   wherein the unmanned flying device is configured to transmit to the remote control unit, using the wireless transmitter of the unmanned flying device, at least a portion of the encoded data of the detected laser light.   
     
     
         3 . The optical-based aerial gaming system of  claim 2 , wherein the remote control unit further comprises:
 a second wireless transmitter configured to send data via radio communication to a separate remote control unit; and   a second wireless receiver configured to receive data via radio communication from the separate remote control unit.   
     
     
         4 . The optical-based aerial gaming system of  claim 3 , wherein the remote control unit further comprises:
 a third wireless transmitter configured to send data via radio communication to a mobile computing device; and   a third wireless receiver configured to receive data via radio communication from the mobile computing device.   
     
     
         5 . The optical-based aerial gaming system of  claim 4 , wherein at least two of the wireless transmitters of the remote control unit are configured to transmit data using a same frequency but different timing to reduce interference between the at least two of the wireless transmitters. 
     
     
         6 . The optical-based aerial gaming system of  claim 4 , wherein the remote control unit is configured to transmit to the mobile computing device, via the third wireless transmitter, at least some data received by the remote control unit from the unmanned flying device. 
     
     
         7 . The optical-based aerial gaming system of  claim 3 , wherein the remote control unit further comprises an electronic database comprising game status data, and the remote control unit is configured to update the game status data in real-time based at least partially on data received from the separate remote control unit via the second wireless receiver and data received from the unmanned flying device. 
     
     
         8 . The optical-based aerial gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein the game status data comprises data indicating the unmanned flying device has sustained a virtual hit from the separate unmanned flying device, and the remote control unit is configured to activate one or more of a visual indication, a sound effect, or a vibration responsive to the unmanned flying device sustaining the virtual hit. 
     
     
         9 . The optical-based aerial gaming system of  claim 3 , wherein the wireless transmitter of the remote control unit sends data and the wireless receiver of the remote control unit receives data via a first radio communication protocol, wherein the second wireless transmitter of the remote control unit sends data and the second wireless receiver of the remote control unit receives data via a second radio communication protocol, the first radio communication protocol being different from the second radio communication protocol. 
     
     
         10 . The optical-based aerial gaming system of  claim 9 , wherein the first radio communication protocol comprises using a 2.4 GHz communication link. 
     
     
         11 . The optical-based aerial gaming system of  claim 9 , wherein the second radio communication protocol comprises using a Bluetooth communication link. 
     
     
         12 . The optical-based aerial gaming system of  claim 3 , wherein the encoded data of the projected or detected laser light comprises one or more of the following: an identifier associated with the unmanned flying device, an identifier associated with the separate unmanned flying device, an identifier associated with the remote control unit, an identifier associated with the separate remote control unit, an executable instruction, a virtual weapon type, or a power level of a virtual weapon. 
     
     
         13 . The optical-based aerial gaming system of  claim 2 , wherein the propeller comprises a hub and radially extending blades, the hub coupled to an output shaft of the motor, wherein the plurality of propulsion units extend in a downward direction from the main body when lateral and longitudinal axes of the main body are oriented horizontally with respect to a ground surface, and wherein each of the plurality of propulsion units comprises:
 a column having proximal and distal ends, the column attached to a bottom portion of the main body at the proximal end, a vertical axis of the column being perpendicular to the lateral and longitudinal axes of the main body, the propeller being positioned below the distal end of the column,   wherein the hub of the propeller comprises a landing pad for engaging the ground surface when the unmanned flying device is not in flight, the landing pad extending downward beyond a lowermost portion of the radially extending blades, to keep the radially extending blades from contacting the ground surface when the unmanned flying device is not in flight,   the landing pad configured to have a length sufficient to raise the propeller above the ground when the device is in contact with a substantially flat surface, the landing pad further configured to have a length sufficient to provide the propeller sufficient space to provide lift for the device.   
     
     
         14 . The optical-based aerial gaming system of  claim 13 , wherein the main body comprises a shape that extends laterally beyond at least some of the columns of the plurality of propulsion units. 
     
     
         15 . The optical-based aerial gaming system of  claim 13 , wherein the propellers of at least some of the plurality of propulsion units comprise an operating envelope sized and positioned such that a portion of the main body is positioned directly above greater than 40% of the operating envelope. 
     
     
         16 . The optical-based aerial gaming system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause the unmanned flying device to perform a flight sequence when the one or more laser light sensors detect the laser light generated by the separate unmanned flying device. 
     
     
         17 . The optical-based aerial gaming system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to select the flight sequence for the unmanned flying device to perform from a plurality of potential flight sequences, the selection based at least partially on one or more of the following: a number of times the one or more laser light sensors has detected laser light, a virtual health level of the unmanned flying device, an amount of virtual damage to the unmanned flying device, or a type of virtual weapon used by the separate unmanned flying device. 
     
     
         18 . The optical-based aerial gaming system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is further configured to disrupt at least a portion of the flight sequence responsive to the unmanned flying device receiving flight sequence override data from the remote control unit. 
     
     
         19 . An optical-based virtual battling system comprising:
 a plurality of unmanned flying devices, wherein each of the plurality of unmanned flying devices comprises:
 a main body; 
 a plurality of propulsion units, wherein each propulsion unit comprises a motor and a propeller, 
 a wireless receiver configured to receive data instructions; 
 a wireless transmitter configured to send data instructions; 
 a controller configured to receive said data instructions from said wireless receiver for processing and to control the motors of the plurality of propulsion units to cause the unmanned flying device to fly; 
 one or more laser light generators configured to project laser light from the unmanned flying device; and 
 one or more laser light sensors configured to detect laser light projected by a separate unmanned flying device; and 
   a plurality of remote control units, each of the plurality of remote control units associated with one of the plurality of unmanned flying devices, each of the plurality of remote control units comprising:
 a wireless transmitter configured to send data instructions to the associated unmanned flying device; 
 a wireless receiver configured to receive data instructions from the associated unmanned flying device; 
 one or more flight control inputs configured to be user operable to cause the wireless transmitter of the remote control unit to send data instructions that control flight of the associated unmanned flying device; and 
 one or more optical weapon firing inputs configured to be user operable to cause the wireless transmitter of the remote control unit to send data instructions that cause the one or more laser light generators of the associated unmanned flying device to project laser light; 
   wherein the controller of each of the plurality of unmanned flying devices is further configured to, responsive to the one or more laser light sensors detecting laser light, cause the wireless transmitter of the unmanned flying device to send hit data to the remote control unit associated with that unmanned flying device, the hit data indicating the unmanned flying device has sustained a virtual weapon hit.   
     
     
         20 . The optical-based virtual battling system of  claim 19 , wherein the wireless transmitter of each of the plurality of remote control units is further configured to transmit data to any of the other remote control units, and the wireless receiver of each of the plurality of remote control units is further configured to receive data from any of the other remote control units. 
     
     
         21 . The optical-based virtual battling system of  claim 20 , wherein the wireless transmitter of each of the plurality of the unmanned flying devices is configured to send hit data to the remote control unit associated with that unmanned flying device via a first radio communication protocol, and wherein the wireless transmitter of each of the plurality of remote control units is configured to transmit data to any of the other remote control units, and the wireless receiver of each of the plurality of remote control units is configured to receive data from any of the other remote control units via a second radio communication protocol different from the first radio communication protocol. 
     
     
         22 . The optical-based virtual battling system of  claim 19 , wherein the projected laser light comprises encoded data, and wherein the detected laser light comprises encoded data.