Transportable character-centric gaming for wireless lan hotspots

• US 20070135217A1
• Filed: 02/25/2004
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Litwin, Louis, Pandit, Bibhas
• Application Number:
  US10/588,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20070135217A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/40 characterised by details of platform network
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/554 by saving game or status data
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/609 for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

Gaming capabilities to users at wireless hotspots wherein users can save their gaming characters and transporting them for play and development in, e.g., future games at other hotspots independent of the original game in which the character was saved. A gaming server is provided at a WLAN, wherein the user logs onto the hotspot and accesses the gaming server to select and play a game, wherein the user is represented by a character in the game. At any desired point in the game, the user may save the character onto a transportable medium, e.g., a mobile device, floppy disk, CD, etc. The user may play a future game using the saved character at, e.g., different hotspots against different users.

Claims

1. A method for providing transportable character-centric gaming at a wireless access to a user comprising the steps of:

providing a first gaming server at a first wireless access, wherein the gaming server is accessible from the wireless access;

providing at least one first selectable game at said first gaming server having at least one savable character;

providing the capability to save the savable character at an arbitrary point in the first game onto a transportable medium to retain a current saved character, wherein the current saved character is loadable for play in a second game independent of said first game.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a second game, wherein the future game comprises the second game.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second games are different.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a second game and a second WLAN hotspot, wherein the future game comprises the second game at the second WLAN hotspot and the first WLAN hotspot and the second WLAN hotspot are different.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining if a previously saved character exists for the selectable game which is desired to be used,

wherein if a previously saved character exists further comprising the steps of entering (207) the previously saved character for use in the selectable game; and

wherein if a previously saved character does not exist, further comprising the step of allowing play (209) of the selectable game with a game-provided character.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining if a previously saved character exists for the selectable game, wherein if a previously saved character exists for the selectable game, further comprising the steps of;

determining if the previously saved character is desired to be deleted and replaced with the current saved character, wherein if said previously saved character is desired to be deleted and replaced with the current saved character, further comprising the steps of determining the previously saved character to be deleted, replacing the deleted previously saved character with the current saved character; and

wherein if said previously saved character is not desired to be deleted and replaced with the current saved character, further comprising the steps of allowing the current saved character to be saved and retaining the previously saved character;

and wherein if a previously saved character for the selected game does not exist, further comprising the steps of allowing the current character to be saved.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transportable medium comprises at least one of a laptop, PDA, floppy disk and compact disk.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing at least one selectable gaming environment on the first gaming server; and

providing the ability to enter the saved character for play in the selected gaming environment.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a second gaming server at a second WLAN hotspot, the second gaming server including at least one second game and at least one second gaming environment;

providing the ability to log onto the second WLAN hotspot and access the second gaming server;

providing the ability to select at least one of the second game or the second gaming environment on the second gaming server;

providing the ability to load the transportable medium onto the second gaming server; and

providing the ability to load the saved character for play in the at least one selected second game or second gaming environment.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of providing the ability to transport the savable character from the first gaming server to the second gaming server.

11. A method for providing transportable character-centric gaming comprising the steps of:

providing at least one first selectable game having at least one savable character, wherein said savable character is savable independent of the first game;

providing the capability to save the at least one savable character at an arbitrary point in the at least one first game onto a transportable medium to form a saved character; and

providing the capability to load the saved character for play in at least one of said first selectable game or other games, wherein the saved character is loadable for play independent of said first game.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of providing a first gaming server and a first wireless local area network hotspot, wherein the first game is provided on the first gaming server at the first wireless local area network hotspot.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of providing a second game, a second gaming server and a second wireless local area network, where the second game is provided on the second gaming server at the second wireless local area network.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of providing at least one first gaming environment on the first gaming server.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of providing (eat least one second gaming environment on the second gaming server.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

providing the ability to select at least one of the first game or the first gaming environment for play; and

providing the ability to load the saved character for play in the at least one selected first game or gaming environment.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

providing the ability to select at least one of the second game or the second gaming environment for play; and

providing the ability to load the saved character for play in the at least one selected second game or second gaming environment.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said other games comprise games independent of said first game.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

determining if a previously saved character exists which is desired to be used for the selectable game,

wherein if a previously saved character exists which is desired to be used for the selectable game, further comprising the step of entering the previously saved character for use in the selected game, and

wherein if a previously saved character which is desired to be used for the selectable game does not exist, further comprising the step of allowing play of the selectable game with a game-provided character.

20. A device comprising:

a medium adapted to store a savable gaming character at an arbitrary point in a first game accessed wirelessly from a first gaming service, wherein the saved character is loadable for play in a second game independent of said first game.