U.S. Patent no. 10,252,164: Avatar teleport controller

Issued April 9, 2019 to Roblox Corporation
Priority Date October 29, 2018

Summary:
U.S. Patent No. 10,252,164 (the ‘164 Patent) relates to inventions in the field of online or network-hosted video games and virtual environments and relates more particularly to methods and apparatus for equalizing travel time in an avatar-based game. The invention allows for navigation of the virtual environment by both players equipped with Virtual Reality devices and for player not equipped with such devices. A player can mark a position to move and teleport the avatar on command to the marked position. Upon teleporting the visible region expands from that spot allowing for a new position to be marked.

Abstract:
A game system has a server managing a game to a first platform comprising a head-mounted display (HMD) and a three-axis controller, where a movement of a first avatar is made by marking a position to move and teleporting the to the marked position, and managing the same game to a second platform comprising a pointer device and a display screen, where movement of a second avatar is by the pointer device at a pre-programmed rate. Procession of the game is displayed in the HMD from viewpoint of the first avatar, and in the display of the second platform from viewpoint of the second avatar, both avatars being displayed in both displays, and wherein the game server, executing the SW, constrains teleportation at the first platform only to positions within a radius that the second avatar is enabled to attain in a single continuous move at the pre-programmed rate.

Illustrative Claim:
1. A game system, comprising: a game server executing software (SW) from a non-transitory medium, managing a game to a first platform comprising a head-mounted display (HMD) and a three-axis controller, the first platform executing a first game controller enabling movement of a first avatar by marking a position to move and teleporting the avatar on command to the marked position, and managing the same game to a second platform comprising a pointer device and a display screen, the second platform executing a second game controller enabling movement of a second avatar using the pointer device to cause the avatar to move at a pre-programmed rate in the display; wherein procession of the game is displayed in the HMD from viewpoint of the first avatar, and in the display of the second platform from viewpoint of the second avatar, both avatars being displayed in both displays, and wherein the game server, executing the SW, constrains teleportation at the first platform only to positions within a radius that the second avatar is enabled to attain in a single continuous move at the pre-programmed rate.