GB2446638A

GB2446638A - Infra-red tag confirmation system

Info

Publication number: GB2446638A
Application number: GB0702750A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Andrew Morris
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-02-13
Filing date: 2007-02-13
Publication date: 2008-08-20
Also published as: GB0702750D0

Abstract

A tag confirmation system, preferably used in Laser tag or skirmish or paintball systems, or other activity involving the interaction between participants, comprises a directed infra-red emitter 3 used to shoot at other players and preferably a laser 4 to give a visual indication of a shot being fired. It also comprises a global infra-red emitter array 7 to transmit a message to all other participants in range when a "hit" is detected by the infra-red receivers 5. This message is preferably encoded to enable the other participants to identify which participant fired the infra-red beam and which participant was "hit". A visual or aural confirmation relating to the identity of both the player who fired the shot and the player that was hit can be given via an LCD screen 1 or loudspeaker 2, and may be used in a scoring system. The global infra-red emitter array 7 broadcasts an infra-red signal over a wide spatial angle to all players in the area.

Description

lnfra-red tag confirmation system This invention relates to a system to

provide a tag confirmation facility utilising infra-red communications technology. In particular, it relates to a method of providing a tag conflnnatlon facility to be used in laser tag and other types of electronic skirmish systems.

In laser tag and other types of electronic skirmish systems, the object of the game is to shoot a harmless electronic beam at the other players. This is a narrow beam, aligned with the barrel, which simulates the firing of the weapon. For the purposes of this document, to differentiate it from other emitters, this is called the forward facing infra-red beam emitter. Generally.

this beam is a modulated infra-red signal, similar to that used by remote controls on televisions but with increased range. Normally, each player is equipped with laser tag equipment comprising of a special gun (to emit the forward facing infra-red beam), infra-red detectors, to detect incoming beams (i.e. fired by another player's gun) and the associated control electronics.

To differentiate laser tag/skirmish from other skirmish activities that involve physical contact (i.e. Paintball), the trade use the term tag instead of hit or strike. Therefore, a player struck by a beam is tagged and the player firing the beam tags the player. It should be noted that it is the equipment that actually detects and transmits the signals, therefore the follow terms are synonymous, and will be used in this document to convey meaning as appropriate.

* Tag/hit/strike * Detect/receive * Emit/transmit/signal a Player/equipment/gun.

As part of the game play, it is very useful if a player is made aware that they have been tagged by another player with a beam, this is known as tag confirmation. Prior to this invention, the normal method to achieve tag confirmation has been to use radio, either between laser tag/skirmish equipment or to a central controller. Unfortunately, mainly for cost reasons, radio is usually only found on the more sophisticated systems. Clearly, a requirement exists for a tower priced system which will give players tag confirmation.

This invention extends the infra-red emitter technology already used in laser tag systems by adding additional emitters, to give a near 360 degree transmission radius of the infra-red beam. These are called global infra.,ed emitters and operate independently of the main forward facing emitter (used to carry the normal beam). Further, the code they transmit is changed so it can be differentiated from other types of transmission. The purpose of the global infra-red emitters is to communicate tag confirmation data to the other guns.

Basically, when a player's equipment is tagged by the infra-red beam from another player's gun, it will transmit a specially coded signal on its global infra-red emltteis. This specially coded signal will carry the identity of the player which emitted the beam (i.e. the player they were tagged-by).

Obviously, all laser tag equipment in the immediate area will receive this infra-red transmission. However, as this transmission carries the tagged-by player information, it is possible for all equipment to discriminate which player the message is intended for. For example; if player #1 fires a beam at player #5, then player #5 equipment will transmit a global infra-red signal that it is player #5 and has been targeted by player #1. All players' equipment in the immediate area will receive this transmission, however player's equipment #1 will be aware that it has tagged player's equipment #5 and reports the fact accordingly.

Tag confirmation allows many new features to be added to laser tag and other skirmish systems. Firstly, a built in sophisticated scoring system is possible where players can be given bonus points for tagging other players.

Also, if all the equipment is programmed with the player's names, instead of gun numbers, then the players can immediately be given the player's name they tagged, or were tagged by as appropriate.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 -Shows a practical implementation of the tag con firmation system used in a laser tag/laser skirmish gun. It is constructed of the following; (1) LCD display to give visual information to the player. (2) Synthesised sound system with a speaker, to give sound instructions to the player. (3) Forward facing infra-red emitter mounted in a lens arrangement to collimate the beam and simulate the firing of the gun. (4) Forward facing laser, acting as a visual indication to players that the gun is fired. (5) lnfra-red detectors situated about the gun to give 360 degree detection of incoming infra-red beams. (6) Trigger enabling the player to fire the gun. (7) Global infra-red emitter unit. The laser gun is powered by batteries and controlled electronically by a microcontroller with associated drive electronics. Basically, this is a conventional Laser tag/skirmish gun, with an extra infra-red emission unit (7) mounted directly on the gun. The unit (7) contains the global infra-red emitter and is designed to give as near to 360 degree coverage as possible. This is done using an array of wide angle infra-red emitters situated at different angles.

It should be noted that suitable infra-red devices for receiving and emitting can be freely purchased. Further the infra-red protocol necessary to run this system can be easily developed by adapting readily available protocols available from the manufacturers of these devices or using the internet.

The operation is as follows: When a player fires the laser gun by operating the trigger (6) the visual laser (4) is operated and an infra-red signal is emitted using a forward facing emifter (3). The infra-red detectors (5) on another player's gun will receive this infra-red signal and pass it to their microcontroller for processing. If valid, that gun will use the global infra-red transmItters (7) to transmit a tag confirmation message to all laser guns in the immediate area. This message comprises of the following information: * Code to indicate it is a tag confirmation type message.

* The gun//player identity which fired the beam.

* The gun/player identity Which was hit (received the beam).

Note: Transmitting the identity of the player that received the beam (i.e. tagged) is not necessary for the tag confirmation to function, however it does provide additional information for players.

All guns within range should receive this message on their infra-red detector arrays (5). A gun receiving a tag confirmation message will first check if it was intended for this gun (i.e. it was the laser gun Which fired the original infra-red beam). If it was, it will advise the player either verbally through the sound system (2) (i.e. with a good shot message), or present the information on the LCD display (1) or both. Also if the tag confirmation message carries the identity of the gun/player was tagged or hit by the beam, then this could be used to indicate to the player firing the beam which player they actually tagged.

It should be noted that tag confirmation is not limited to laser tag/skirmish systems but could be also fitted to paintball guns by aligning the forward facing infra-red beam (simulating the gun shot) with the trajectory of the paintball. Also, it could be incorporated in any other activity which could support the necessary electronics where the interaction between the participants can be simulated, emulated, monitored or otherwise by the receiving and transmitting of electronic beams which are able to carry information.

Claims

Claims 1. An infra-red tag confirmation system using multiple emitters

to transmit tag confirmation information.
2. An infra-red tag confirmation system according to claim I carrying information to identify which player/equipment was tagged.
3. An infra-red tag confirmation system described in the proceeding claims carrying information to identify which players equipment had emitted the beam.
4. An infra-red tag confirmation system described in the proceeding claims using this tag confirmation information to be used as part of a scoring system.
5. An infra-red tag confirmation system described in any of the proceeding claims displaying information about the identity of which player/equipment which was tagged in the form of a verbal and/or visual message.
6. An infra-red hit confirmation system described in any combination of the proceeding claims displaying information about the identity of the player/equipment which emitted the tagging beam in the form of a verbal and/or visual message.
7. An infra-red hit confirmation system described in any of the proceeding claims used in any activity where the interaction of the participants can be simulated, emulated, monitored or supported by the receiving and/or transmitting of beams between participants.
8. An infra-red hit confirmation system described in any of the proceeding claims used in systems known as laser tag, laser skirmish or paintball.