Patent ID: 8854178

Claim:
A system configured to perform one or both of enabling authentication or effectuating events in a virtual environment based on one or both of shaking patterns or environmental information associated with real-world handheld devices, the system comprising: one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media; and one or more processors configured to execute computer program instructions embodied on the one or more storage media, the computer program instructions comprising: an authentication component configured to authenticate handheld devices including a first handheld device with respect to the virtual environment based on information associated with a user-generated shaking motion of individual handheld devices, wherein the virtual environment includes a first avatar or first virtual object associated with the first handheld device; and a device matching component configured to determine whether the first handheld device and a second handheld device have been shaken together based on one or more of: (1) information conveyed by one or more shake signals describing respective shaking motions associated with the first and second handheld devices, a given shake signal associated with a given handheld device being provided by a motion detection apparatus disposed within the given handheld device, the motion detection apparatus being configured to provide the given shake signal responsive to the given handheld device undergoing a shaking motion caused by a user; (2) geo-location information respectively associated with the first and second handheld devices; or (3) environmental information respectively associated with the first and second handheld devices; wherein an action within the virtual environment is triggered responsive to a positive determination that the first handheld device and the second handheld device were shaken together.