Abstract
A system and a method for converting items from virtual environment to real environment and vice versa is disclosed. A computing and a converting device is used, the converter is capable to receive and to identify an identify-able item, store the item inside and affect the display to add an image of the item to the displayed image. In vice versa, an item can disappears from the image—from any software or user condition—and the software affects the converter to provide a real item.
Claims
1. A system for converting items from virtual environment to real environment and vice versa, said system is comprised of: a. A converting device having an inlet, an outlet, an identifying capability and a communication capability, wherein while inserting an identified-able item—through said inlet—said device identified said item and use said communication capability to affect a computing system to add an image of said item to a running software's image, and wherein said device capable to provide an item through said outlet according to said computing system command, same of the item that an image of it was removed from said running software's image; and b. A computing system with display—running a software—wherein said software capable to add to said software's image—virtual same item of said inserted real item according to said device's command or to delete a virtual item from running software's image and to affect said device to provide same real item through said outlet.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein said converting device is comprised of: a. An inlet enables to inset item to said converter; b. An identifier for identifying, said inserted item, and to receive back unidentified items; c. An item's store capable to store said inserted items, wherein said items are sorted according to a predetermined criteria; d. A receiver capable to receive items from said store, according to a command; and e. An outlet enables said received items to get out.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein said item's store is located outside of said converting device.
4. The system of claim 2, further includes a sorter and at least two item's stores and wherein said sorter sorts said inserted items to one of said item's stores according to predetermined criteria.
5. The system of claim 3, further includes at least two receivers, a receiver for each item's store, enables to receive items each item's store through a dedicated receiver.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein said converting device is comprised of: a. An inlet enables to inset item to said converter; b. identifier for identifying, said inserted item, and to receive back unidentified items; c. A item's destructor for destructing said inserted items; d. An item's creator for creating item according to a command; e. A receiver capable to receive out said created items; and f. An outlet enables said received items to get out.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein said item is identified by his shape, by digital ID or any other identification method.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein said items are coins and said converter can be or includes a coin dispenser.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein said converter includes a 3D printer and shredder.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein said converter includes a managing software, wherein said software can includes games or may connect to third party game, wherein said real item is inserted into said device, identified by said device, and said device notifies said game that a new item was added and wherein said inserted item can be moved to the virtual or ejected back to the real and when the real item disappears, it can be destroyed by the device or saved inside thereof.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein said item is made of a plurality of units—e.g., coins—and said system can count or evaluate said units and use said item regarding the number or value of said units.
12. A method for exchanging items from virtual environment to real environment and vice versa, said method comprised of the following steps: a. using a converting device with identification and communication ability and the ability to get inside identified-able items and get out identified-able items; b. connecting said device to a computing system that capable to display a software image—usually a game software; c. while an item is inserted to said device, it is identified and a virtual image of said item is added to said displayed image; d. if said item cannot be identified, said device gives said item back; e. while said software removes a virtual item from said display, said software commands said device to get out a real item same of said removed item; and f. if said device cannot recognize said command, a notice appears on said image.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein said used converting device performs the following steps: a. receiving an inserted item; b. identifying, said inserted item, and receiving back unidentified items; c. sorting and storing said inserted items in an item's store or stores, wherein said items are sorted according to a predetermined criteria; d. A receiver capable to receive items from said store, according to a command; and e. Providing an item, a created item or from said item's store, according to command.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0044] Exemplary and/or illustrative embodiments of the present invention will be presented herein below in the following figures, by way of example only. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized and/or roughly shown and/or omitted entirely, to show details of particular components, intending that the present invention may become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying schematic figures, wherein:
[0045] FIG. 01 illustrates the system overview.
[0046] FIG. 02 illustrates the virtualization flow.
[0047] FIG. 03 illustrates the realization flow.
[0048] FIG. 04 illustrates realization flow chart.
[0049] FIG. 05 illustrates virtualization flow chart.
[0050] FIG. 06 illustrates realization flow chart with unique items.
[0051] FIG. 07 illustrates virtualization flow chart with unique items
[0052] FIG. 08 illustrates the block diagram of the converting device.
[0053] FIG. 09 illustrates internal view of a converter that work with coin item.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0054] The principles and operation of the system according to the present invention may be better understood with reference to the figures and the accompanying description.
[0055] FIG. 01 illustrates the system overview. The system 10 is comprised of computing system 11 with a display (PC, tablet, game console etc.) and a converting device 12 that is connected to the computing system 11 by a connecting cable or wireless 13. The computing system runs a software (usually a game) while the image on the display virtual items can be, appear or disappear. The converting device 12 has an inlet 12a enables to insert items and an outlet 12b from which items can be received.
[0056] FIG. 02 illustrates the virtualization flow. This figure illustrates the way of exchanging a real item to a virtual item on a display. Part A of the figure shows the situation before inserting any item. The display 14 is displaying an image of a game to which a real item 15 will insert to the inlet 12a of the converter 12 in order to exchange it to a virtual item 14a that will appear on the display 14. Part B of the figure shows the new situation after the real item 15 was inserted to the converter 12. The real item was disappeared and a virtual item 14a is appearing as a part of the displayed image.
[0057] FIG. 03 illustrates the realization flow. This figure illustrates the way of exchanging a virtual item from a display to a real item. In part A of the figure, a virtual item 14a is appearing in the displayed image. While the software or the user decided to exchange this virtual item 14a to a real item, a dedicated command is sent and in part B of the figure the virtual item was disappear from the display 14 and a real item 15 is provided by the converter 12 via its outlet 12b.
[0058] FIG. 04 illustrates realization flow chart. 60—A virtual item is commanded to move out from the display. In the beginning of the virtualization flow there is a virtual item drown on the display. The user or the software notes that it should be realized. The appropriate command is sent to the converter. Another option is: there is a stock of virtual converters, there is a counter that counts the virtual items in the virtual stack. Another option is: the counter counts a summarized value of the items, and not the amount of the items. 62—The converter checks whether the realization is possible i.e., whether there is a corresponding prefab item inside the converter, in case the converter uses prefab items. Or is appropriate real items' stack connected to the converter? Or: whether there are enough raw materials to create the corresponding real item, in case the converter should create a new one. Another question can be: whether it's possible to realize the item from the software view? Is it allowed by game's rules? Does the user have this option enabled? etc. 64—If the item cannot be realized—nothing happens. 66—Eject one of the correspondent real items out from the converter. If the realization is possible—eject one of the corresponding real items out from the converter. If the real items have personal IDs and they are marked as “active” and “inactive”, the ejected item will be marked as “active” in this stage. 68—The original virtual item will be erased from the display. If there is an option to save virtual items in a virtual stack and there is a counter of the virtual stack, the counter will be decreased by the value of the realized items.
[0059] FIG. 05 illustrates virtualization flow chart. 70—A real item is thrown into the converter. In the beginning of the virtualization flow, a real item is inserted to the inlet of the converter. 72—Is the real item recognized? The real item should be recognized by the converter. If the user will insert something not related to the game—it will not be recognized. 74.1—If the item is not recognized, it will be returned outside. 76—If the item is recognized, the converter checks whether it can be acceptable. Is it possible from software's flow? In a case the converter use active-inactive marks, is it “inactive”? Is there enough space to save it, in case it should be saved? Or can it be destroys, in case it should be destroyed? etc. 74.2—If the real item was recognized, but can't be accepted, it should be returned to the user. But also another real item of the same type can be returned. In this case, if the converter works with active and inactive items, the converter should mark the items again to mention their new position. 78—Draw the corresponding virtual item on the display. If all checks were successful, the item can be virtualized. This means that the corresponding virtual item is drawn on the display. The real item can be saved inside the converter, or inside the corresponding real stack, or can be destroyed according the converter's programming/capabilities. But it is not ejected. In case virtual items are saved in a virtual stack with a counter—the counter is increased by the value of the virtualized items.
[0060] FIG. 06 illustrates realization flow chart with unique items and FIG. 07 illustrates virtualization flow chart with unique items.
[0061] FIG. 08 illustrates two options of the block diagram of the converting device. In part A The converting device can has one items store and one receiver, but this figure illustrates the case wherein the converting device has more than one items store and more than one receiver. A real item 15a can be inserted to the converting device 20, the identifier 21 identified the item. If the item cannot be identified or not acceptable from any other reason, it rejected out 25. The sorter 22 sorts the identified item, according to predetermined criteria, into one of the item's store 23 and the concerning information is reported. While the device 20 is commanded to provide an item from the stored items 15b, the requested item 15c is provided by one of the receivers 24. Part B illustrates a converter 12 that includes a destructor 26 to destruct the real item 15a, which is changed to be virtual and while a virtual item is changed to be real, a creator 27 creates a real item 15c and provide it via the receiver 24.
[0062] FIG. 09 illustrates internal view of a converter that work with coin item. This is an example for the simplest embodiment. The item that this converter 30 works with—are coins or tokens. The coins 15 can be inserted into the inlet 12a, than they are sorted and sent into appropriate tube 32. When a coin should be ejected (realized), a coin from the appropriate tube is ejected and fails into the outlet 12b. Coins can be of different types, but there is no difference between coins of the same type. The coins can have unique ID, but coins of one type are still interchangeable. After insertion, the coin will be recognized, sorted and stored in an appropriate tube 32. When the coin is ejected, it falls out into the outlet 12b or just be thrown out from the outlet 12b. The tubes 32 can be replaceable. A user can change tubes 32 with coins of one game, by tubes with coins of another game, and the user can play different games with different coins using the same converter and same drivers. There is sorting mechanism 31 inside the converter. The coins are sorted and stored in appropriate tubes 32. If the item is not recognized, it will be thrown out directly, bypassing the tubes.
[0063] According to another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of systems that are connected together, of the present invention, can be used each by a different user in a different location, wherein all the users are playing together in the same game. For example, few users are playing together a card game, the card on the table (and the table itself) are virtual and the card that are belong to each player are real. On its turn, the player receive a real card from a virtual pack—from its converter—and return a card or places cards on the virtual table using its converter.
