Gaming system

• US 20060121965A1
• Filed: 11/02/2005
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Maclver, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,331,857 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/202 the game platform being a DVD player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands

Abstract

A gaming system for use with a media player and one or more output devices, where the media player is configured to receive user signals, to read and execute information from a game medium, and to present portions of the information on the one or more output devices. The gaming system includes a first remote unit configured to transmit signals corresponding to a first user and a second remote unit configured to transmit signals corresponding to a second user. The gaming system also includes a game medium having information readable by the media player that, when executed, causes the media player to produce a game having a plurality of scenes. Each scene causes the media player to selectively respond to the reception of user signals. A first scene causes the media player either: to respond to the reception of a first signal from the first remote unit by producing a second scene that causes the media player to disregard the reception of signals transmitted by the second remote unit; or to respond to the reception of a second signal from the second remote unit by producing a third scene that causes the media player to disregard the reception of signals transmitted by the first remote unit.

Claims

1. A gaming system for use with a media player and one or more output devices, wherein the media player is configured to receive user signals, to read and execute information from a game medium, and to present portions of the information on the one or more output devices, the gaming system comprising:

a first remote unit configured to transmit signals corresponding to a first user;

a second remote unit configured to transmit signals corresponding to a second user; and

a game medium having information readable by the media player that, when executed, causes the media player to produce a game having a plurality of scenes, wherein each scene causes the media player to selectively respond to the reception of user signals;

wherein a first scene causes the media player either;

to respond to the reception of a first signal from the first remote unit by producing a second scene that causes the media player to disregard the reception of signals transmitted by the second remote unit;

or

to respond to the reception of a second signal from the second remote unit by producing a third scene that causes the media player to disregard the reception of signals transmitted by the first remote unit.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein:

the media player is a digital video disc player;

the first remote unit is a first remote control for use with the digital video disc player;

the second remote unit is a second remote control for use with the digital video disc player; and

the game medium is a digital video disc.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the first and second remote controls are universal remote controls programmable for use with a plurality of digital video disc players.

4. A gaming system for use with a media player and one or more output devices, wherein the media player is configured to receive user signals, to read and execute information from a game medium, and to present portions of the information on the one or more output devices, the gaming system comprising:

a first remote unit operable by a first user, including;

a first controller;

a first transmitter coupled to the first controller; and

one or more buttons coupled to the first controller, including a first button;

wherein the first controller is configured to cause the first transmitter to transmit a corresponding user signal upon actuation of each of the one or more buttons, including a first user signal upon actuation of the first button;

a second remote unit operable by a second user, including;

a second controller;

a second transmitter coupled to the second controller; and

one or more buttons coupled to the second controller, including a second button;

wherein the second controller is configured to cause the second transmitter to transmit a corresponding user signal upon actuation of each of the one or more buttons, including a second user signal upon actuation of the second button; and

a game medium having information readable by the media player that, when executed, causes the media player to produce a game having a plurality of scenes, wherein each scene causes the media player;

to present information on at least one of the one or more output devices; and

to selectively respond to the reception of user signals;

wherein a first scene causes the media player either;

to respond to the reception of the first user signal by producing a second scene that causes the media player to disregard the reception of user signals transmitted by the second transmitter;

or

to respond to the reception of the second user signal by producing a third scene that causes the media player to disregard the reception of user signals transmitted by the first transmitter.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein:

the media player is a digital video disc player;

the first remote unit is a first remote control for use with the digital video disc player;

the second remote unit is a second remote control for use with the digital video disc player; and

the game medium is a digital video disc.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the first and second remote controls are universal remote controls programmable for use with a plurality of digital video disc players.

7. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein:

the first scene causes the media player to present information on at least one of the one or more output devices that includes a solvable puzzle; and

the second scene causes the media player to present information on at least one of the one or more output devices that includes a plurality of selectable solutions, at least one of which is a correct solution to the puzzle.

8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein:

the second scene causes the media player to produce a fourth scene in response to the reception of one or more signals transmitted by the first transmitter corresponding to a selection of one of the plurality of solutions; and

the fourth scene causes the media player to present information on at least one of the one or more output devices indicating whether the selected solution is a correct solution.

9. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the first remote unit further includes a receiver that is coupled to the first controller, and is configured to receive one or more generated signals transmitted by at least one of the one or more output devices.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein:

at least one of the one or more generated signals includes information related to the progress of the game; and

the first remote unit further includes a display device coupled to the first controller, wherein the first controller is configured to visually display the information related to the progress of the game upon reception of the generated signal by the receiver.

11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the information related to the progress of the game includes a score of the game.

12. The gaming system of claim B, wherein:

the first remote unit further includes a display device coupled to the first controller, the first controller being configured to visually display information related to the progress of the game on the display device.

13. A method of playing a game having a plurality of scenes, comprising:

producing a first scene with a media player, wherein the first scene causes the media player to present first information to a plurality of players on one or more output devices coupled to the media player, and wherein a remote unit is associated with each of the plurality of players;

transmitting a signal from one or more of the plurality of remote units during production of the first scene;

receiving each signal transmitted during production of the first scene at the media player;

responding to a first signal, which is temporally the first signal received by the media player during production of the first scene, by producing a second scene that causes the media player to present second information on at least one of the one or more output devices;

transmitting one or more signals from each of the plurality of remote units during production of the second scene;

receiving each signal transmitted during production of the second scene at the media player;

during production the second scene, disregarding the reception of signals transmitted by each remote unit other than the remote unit that transmitted the first signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the media player is a digital video disc player, and each of the plurality of remote units is a remote control for use with the digital video disc player.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of remote controls is a universal remote control programmable for use with a plurality of digital video disc players.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first information includes a solvable puzzle, and the second information includes a plurality of selectable solutions, at least one of which is a correct solution to the puzzle.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

transmitting a selection signal, during production of the second scene, from the remote unit that transmitted the first signal, where the selection signal corresponds to a selection of a solution from the plurality of solutions;

receiving the selection signal during production of the second scene;

producing a third scene with the media player in response to the selection signal, whereby third information is presented on at least one of the one or more output devices indicating whether the selected solution is a correct solution to the puzzle.