VIDEO GAME MEDIA

• US 20070087838A1
• Filed: 09/11/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Osnato, Jeffrey, Bradbury, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US11/530,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20070087838A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/201 Playing authorisation given at platform level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/302 specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting

Abstract

Media for use with video game consoles including a housing and a data storage device supported by the housing, the device including data defining an aspect of a video game.

Claims

1. An item of media readable by a video game console and embodying data defining an aspect of a video game and data defining a maximum number of times that the data defining an aspect of a video game can be read during a predetermined period, the item of media being writable to record data correlating to a number of times the data defining an aspect of a video game has been read b the console, the item of media further embodying instructions, for execution by the console, to:

read the data defining an aspect of a video game; and

read the data defining the number of times the data defining an aspect of a video game has been read.

2. The item of media of claim 1, wherein the data defining an aspect of a video game is data defining an attribute of a character of a video game.

3. The item of media of claim 1, further embodying instructions, for execution by the console, to:

set the maximum number of times that the data defining an aspect of a video game can be read equal to a value input by a user of the video game console.

4. The item of media of claim 1, further embodying instructions, for execution by the console, to:

read the data defining an aspect of a video game upon the number of times the data defining an aspect of a video game has been read equaling the maximum number of times that the data defining an aspect of a video game can be read after a player has performed a predetermined manipulation of a character within a video game.

5. The item of media of claim 1, further embodying instructions, for execution by the console, to:

set the number of times the data defining an aspect of a video game has been read equal to zero after a player has performed a predetermined manipulation of a character within a video game.

6. An item of media readable by a video game console and embodying data defining an aspect of a video game, the aspect having a first value and a second value, the item of media further embodying instructions, for execution by the console, to:

read the first value for use with a first character; and

read the second value for use with a second character.

7. An item of media readable by a video game console and embodying data defining a key and instructions, for execution by the console, to read the data defining a key after a player reaches an impasse within a video game environment.

8. An item of media readable by a video game console and embodying data defining an aspect of a video game, data defining an expiration time for the data defining an aspect of a video game, and instructions, for execution by the console, to:

read the data defining an expiration time for the data defining an aspect of a video game; and

read the data defining an aspect of a video game.

9. The item of media of claim 8, wherein the item of media is writable to record data, the item further embodying instructions, for execution by the console, to:

write data defining a time corresponding to a first instance of the console reading the data defining an aspect of a video game;

wherein the expiration time is a time relative to the first instance of the console reading the data defining an aspect of a video game.

10. An item of media for use with a video game console having a device for reading the item of media, the item of media comprising:

a housing; and

a data storage device supported by the housing, the device including data defining an aspect of a video game.

11. The item of media of claim 10, wherein the aspect of the video game is a character.

12. The item of media of claim 10, wherein aspect of the video game is a modification to an attribute of a character.

13. The item of media of claim 10, wherein the data storage device includes a wireless data transponder adapted for use with a proximity device.

14. The item of media of claim 13, wherein the wireless data transponder is an active transponder.

15. The item of media of claim 13, wherein the wireless data transponder is a passive transponder.

16. The item of media of claim 13, wherein the wireless data transponder is a radio frequency transponder.

17. The item of media of claim 10, wherein the housing is a card.

18. The item of media of claim 17, wherein the card is generally rectangular with a single rounded corner.

19. The item of media of claim 18, wherein the data storage device is embedded within the card generally adjacent the rounded corner.

20. The item of media of claim 18, wherein the corner opposite the rounded corner is truncated.

21. The item of media of claim 10, wherein the data storage device is configured to send data and receive data.

22. The item of media of claim 10, wherein the data defining the aspect of a video game is accessible only a predetermined number of times.

23. The item of media of claim 10, wherein the data is configured to be accessed a predetermined number of times in response to a request from a video game console requesting the data for a first character of a video game.

24. The item of media of claim 23, wherein the data is further configured to be inaccessible in response to a request from a video game console requesting the data beyond the predetermined number of times for the first character.

25. The item of media of claim 24, wherein the data is further configured to be accessed in response to a request from a video game console requesting the data for a second character of a video game after having requested the data the predetermined number of times for the first character.

26. The item of media of claim 24, wherein the data is further configured to be again accessed in response to a request from a video game console requesting the data beyond the predetermined number of times for the first character after a user manipulates the first character within a video game in a predetermined manner.

27. The item of media of claim 10, wherein the data has a first value of an attribute of a first character of a video game and a second value of the attribute of a second character of a video game.

28. The item of media of claim 10, wherein the data represents a key for use in a video game to permit a user of the item of media to access an otherwise locked environment within the video game.

29. The item of media of claim 10, wherein the data is configured to be accessed a number of times, the number of times set by a user of the item of media and the video game console.

30. The item of media of claim 10, wherein the data is configured to be inaccessible by the video game console after a predetermined length of time.