1. A method of providing safety for a digital media-based reaction game, the method comprising:
storing flagged objects within a flagged object database, wherein the flagged objects are chosen for being inappropriate or otherwise worth tracking for the digital media-based reaction game;
receiving an image frame captured by a device in a game session of the digital media-based reaction game;
analyzing the image frame to determine whether the image frame contains one or more of the flagged objects within the flagged object database; and
initiating a safety protocol if the image frame is determined contain at least one of the flagged object within the flagged object database.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the safety protocol comprises disconnecting the device from at least one other device participating in the game session, thereby ending the game session.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the safety protocol comprises allowing the game session to continue but not allowing the image frame to be presented at another device participating in the game session.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the safety protocol comprises allowing a first portion of the image frame to be presented at another device participating in the game session but censoring a second portion of the image frame having the at least one flagged object within the flagged object database.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the flagged objects are added to the flagged object database after being flagged by participants of the digital media-based reaction game.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the flagged objects are added to the flagged object database after analyzing commonalities of image frames flagged by participants as being inappropriate or otherwise not following rules associated with the videoconferencing-based reaction game.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
analyzing the image frame to determine whether the image frame contains an object required for the digital media-based reaction game; and
initiating the safety protocol if the image frame does not contain the object required for the digital media-based reaction game.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the object required for the digital media-based reaction game is a face.
9. A method of participating in a digital media-based reaction game, the method comprising:
capturing, by a sensor of a first device of a first participant, first sensor data associated with the first participant during a game session against a second participant having a second device;
transmitting, by the first device, the first sensor data to the second device or a communications server in communication with the second device,
wherein the first sensor data is received and displayed on the second device;
receiving, by the first device, second sensor data associated with the second participant;
receiving, by the first device, an indication that one of the first participant and the second participant exhibited an emotional response; and
displaying, at the first device, results of the game session after receiving the indication of the emotional response.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
receiving, by the first device, an indication that one of the first participant and the second participant violated rules of the digital media-based reaction game; and
implementing a safety protocol.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein implementing the safety protocol entails disconnecting the first device and the second device from one another and ending the game session.
12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
determining, using an input element of the first device, if the first participant selects a feature,
wherein the feature is one of a visual overlay and an audio clip; and
transmitting, by the first device, instructions to present the feature on the second device if the feature is selected by the first participant.
13. A system for mediating a digital media-based reaction game having one or more loss criteria, the system comprising:
a communications server operable to connect a first device of a first participant with a second device of a second participant such that the first participant and the second participant can play a session of the digital media-based reaction game against one another;
a user behavioral safeguard subsystem in communication with the communications server, the user behavioral safeguard subsystem operable to initiate a safety protocol in response to detection of a flagged object within a first video stream transmitted by the first device or within a second video stream transmitted by the second device; and
a decision engine in communication with the communications server, the decision engine operable to determine a winner of the game session after determining that at least one of the loss criteria of the digital media-based reaction game has been satisfied.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the loss criteria is satisfied when an emotional response is detected within either the first video stream or the second video stream.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the emotional response is a smile made by one of the first participant and the second participant.
16. The system of claim 13, wherein the user behavioral safeguard subsystem is further operable to initiate the safety protocol when the first participant’s face is not detected within the first video stream or the second participant’s face is not detected within the second video stream.
17. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the user behavioral safeguard subsystem and the decision engine is integrated into the first device.
18. The system of claim 13, further comprising:
an account management server operable to store account information associated with the first participant, wherein the account information comprises at least one of an amount of in-game currency, a record of previous games played by the first participant, and a list of infractions committed by the first participant.
19. The system of claim 13, wherein the communications server is further operable to connect more than two devices of more than two participants to one another, such that the more than two participants can jointly play a session of the digital media-based reaction game.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the decision engine is further operable to determine the winner of the game session after determining that a single participant of the more than two participants has not satisfied any of the loss criteria of the digital media-based reaction game.
21. A method for mediating a digital media-based reaction game, the method comprising:
receiving or capturing an image frame of a participant in a game session of the digital media-based reaction game;
analyzing the image frame to determine whether the participant exhibits a response associated with one or more loss criteria; and
ending the game session if it is determined that the participant exhibits the response associated with the one or more loss criteria.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the response associated with the one or more loss criteria is a facial expression, an eye movement, or another body movement made by the participant.
23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:
ending the game session upon expiration of a time limit if it is determined that the participant has not exhibited the response associated with the one or more loss criteria within the time limit.
24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:
providing a feature to the participant so as to provoke the response associated with the one or more loss criteria,
wherein the feature is one of a visual overlay and an audio clip.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for an engine, comprising:
operating the engine with a variable cylinder fuel blend that varies a peak achievable engine torque for a given condition;
selectively operating exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) at the given condition; and
extending operation of EGR to higher engine torques as a peak engine torque for the given condition increases, and phasing out EGR as the peak engine torque approaches when peak engine torque is requested.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the peak achievable torque increases as an alcohol content of the fuel blend increases.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein operating the engine with a variable fuel blend includes injecting the variable fuel blend via a direct injector.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising operating the engine with boost, the boosting limit increased as an alcohol amount of the variable fuel blend increases.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the variable fuel blend includes fuel with a variable amount of ethanol.
6. The method of claim 2 wherein operating the engine with a variable cylinder fuel blend includes using two injectors and varying a relative amount of injection from each injector to the cylinder.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the given operating condition is engine speed.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein extending operation of EGR includes adjusting a range of engine torques at which EGR is provided at the given operating condition.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein extending operation of EGR includes phasing in EGR as a mid engine torque threshold is reached and phasing out EGR as a peak engine torque is reached.
10. A method of operating an engine in a vehicle, the method comprising:
operating the engine with a variable fuel blend in a cylinder, where the variable fuel blend varies a peak achievable engine torque for a given operating condition to thereby provide a variable sized available engine torque range;
selectively operating an engine actuator that affects engine torque and engine fuel economy at the given operating condition; and
phasing the engine actuator in and out of operation differently over the variable peak achievable torque range responsive to the current fuel blend, wherein phasing the actuator in and out of operation includes phasing in EGR as a torque threshold is reached and phasing out EGR as the peak achievable torque is reached, and where the phasing out EGR begins at a higher torque as the peak torque increases.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the fuel blend varies after a fuel refilling event where a fuel of a different alcohol blend than in the fuel tank is provided.
12. A method of operating an engine in a vehicle, the method comprising:
operating the engine with a variable fuel blend in a cylinder, where the variable fuel blend varies a peak achievable engine torque for a given operating condition to thereby provide a variable sized available engine torque range;
selectively operating an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) at the given operating condition; and
phasing the EGR in and out of operation differently over the variable peak achievable torque range responsive to a current fuel blend, where EGR operation at mid torque levels is maintained independent from changes in the fuel blend.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the variable sized available engine torque range increases with increasing alcohol in the blend, and where operating the engine with the variable fuel blend includes injecting the variable fuel blend via a direct injector.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising operating the engine with boost, the boosting limit increased as an alcohol amount of the variable fuel blend increases.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the variable fuel blend includes fuel with a variable amount of ethanol.