Multiplayer, multisport indoor game system and method

Abstract

The invention relates to social activities typically based on physical manipulation of objects to achieve an objective common to the participants or to allow participants to engage in distinct activities on a shared field of play, part of which is physical and part of which is virtual and rendered on one or more displays. The invention provides a system and method to enable multiple participants (users) to engage in the activity sequentially or simultaneously, based on the context and objectives of the game. The activity includes one or many shared physical environments modeled on a computing system and displayed, in high fidelity, by one or more projectors or screens.

1 . A multiplayer, multisport indoor gameplay range, comprising:
 a plurality of bay stations each having a monitor positioned therein;   a shared, interactive field of play comprising:
 a physical, interactive game area or range surface extending from said bay stations; and 
 a digital game area displayed on an interactive range-surrounding display about a perimeter of said interactive range surface; and 
   a range visualization system in electronic communication with at least one sensor system, said interactive range surface, and said interactive range-surrounding display,   wherein the interactive range surface, the interactive range-surrounding display, and the range visualization system are in electronic communication for synchronous, asynchronous, and partial synchronous gameplay between each of said bay stations.   
     
     
         2 . The range of  claim 1  wherein each bay station is configured to interact with another bay station in the plurality of bay stations. 
     
     
         3 . The range of  claim 2  wherein two or more bay stations in the plurality of bay stations sequentially or simultaneously interact with the interactive range surface and the range-surrounding display to jointly participate in the synchronous gameplay and wherein the monitor in each of the two or more bay stations is configured to display a modified view of the interactive field of play specific to the synchronous gameplay. 
     
     
         4 . The range of  claim 3  wherein the two or more bay stations in the plurality of bay stations comprise all bay stations that are active in the reactive game play range. 
     
     
         5 . The range of  claim 3  wherein one or more other bay stations in the plurality of bay stations interacts with the interactive range surface and the interactive surrounding display sequentially or simultaneously with the two or more bay stations and individually participates in the asynchronous gameplay; and wherein the monitor in each of the one or more other bay stations is configured to display a modified view of the interactive field of play specific to the asynchronous gameplay. 
     
     
         6 . A multiplayer, multisport indoor gameplay range, comprising:
 a game logic server;   a plurality of bay stations, each bay station comprising
 one or more displays; and 
 a game client station configured to send game information to the game logic server; 
   a data server configured to send user data to the game logic server, wherein the user data sent to the game logic server is initiated by game information received by the game logic server from the game station client;   a shared, interactive field of play comprising:
 a physical, shared, and interactive game area or range surface extending from said bay stations; and 
 a digital game area displayed on a shared, interactive range-surrounding display positioned about a perimeter of said interactive range surface; 
   a range visualization server in electronic communication with at least one sensor system, said interactive range surface, and said interactive range-surrounding display   wherein the plurality of bay stations sequentially or simultaneously interact with the shared, interactive field of play to either jointly participate in bay-to-bay synchronous gameplay or to individually participate in unique-to-bay asynchronous gameplay; wherein the display in each of bay stations is configured to display a modified view of the shared, interactive field of play specific to the synchronous gameplay or to the asynchronous gameplay.   
     
     
         7 . The range of  claim 6  wherein each bay station the plurality of bay stations is configured to send and receive game information to other bay stations in the plurality of bay stations through the game logic server. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The range of  claim 7  wherein two or more bay stations in the plurality of bay stations simultaneously interact with the interactive range surface and the interactive range-surrounding display to participate in the synchronous gameplay between the two or more bay stations in the plurality of bay stations. 
     
     
         10 . The range of  claim 9  wherein the two or more bay stations in the plurality of bay stations comprise all bay stations that are active in the gameplay range. 
     
     
         11 . The range of  claim 7  wherein one or more bay stations in the plurality of bay stations is engaged in the asynchronous gameplay. 
     
     
         12 . The range of  claim 9  wherein the two or more bay stations in the plurality of bay stations engaged in the synchronous gameplay have the same modified view of the shared, interactive field of play specific to the synchronous gameplay. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The range of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of bay stations sequentially or simultaneously interact with the interactive range surface and the range-surrounding display for the partial synchronous gameplay wherein one or more of the bay stations are play synchronous gameplay and one or more other bay stations play asynchronous gameplay. 
     
     
         24 . The range of  claim 23  wherein the plurality of bay stations sequentially or simultaneously interact with the interactive range surface and the interactive range-surrounding display to either jointly participate in bay-to-bay synchronous gameplay or to individually participate in unique-to-bay asynchronous gameplay; wherein the monitor in each of bay stations is configured to display a modified view of the shared, interactive field of play specific to the synchronous gameplay or to the asynchronous gameplay.