ELECTRONIC GAMING DEVICE USING CODED INPUT DATA

• US 20080139309A1
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Radica China, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Radica China, Ltd.
• Inventors: Riggs, Andrew John, Siegel, Mark David
• Application Number:
  US12/031,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20080139309A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take 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 2300/1056 involving pressure sensitive buttons
• 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 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

A gaming device allows a user to scan bar codes and collect character data corresponding to characters and character item data corresponding to character items which affect attributes of the characters. The gaming device allows a user to cause simulated battles between characters. In some embodiments, the characters belong to one of a plurality of character groups which are at war with one another. In some embodiments, gaming devices may communicate with other gaming devices in order to engage in battles between characters corresponding to data stored on the respective gaming devices. In some embodiments, each character within a group has a different combination of attributes, which may include strength, magic and technology. In some embodiments, the same bar codes which include character data or character item data also correspond to commercial products unrelated to characters or character items.

Claims

1-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A handheld toy comprising:

a scanner operable to detect any of a plurality of encoded data items associated with a plurality of game characters, the plurality of game characters being divided into a plurality of groups;

a display device;

a memory device; and

an electronic circuit operable with the scanner and the display device to;

(A) associate one of the plurality of groups with the handheld toy, the associated group having a plurality of members,

(B) detect one of the plurality of encoded data items,

(C) if the game character associated with the first one of the plurality of encoded data items is a member of the group associated with the handheld toy, store the game character, and

(D) if the game character associated with the first one of the plurality of encoded data items is not a member of the group associated with the handheld toy and the first one of the plurality of encoded data items was previously detected within a time period, initiate a competition between the game character associated with the first one of the plurality of encoded data items and at least one stored game character, the stored game character being a member of the group associated with the handheld device.

40. A handheld toy comprising:

a scanner;

a display device;

a memory device; and

a processor operable with the scanner and the display device to;

(A) scan encoded data,

(B) determine a first character from the encoded data,

(C) if the first character is a member of a first group, store the first character, wherein members of the first group are controllable by a player, and

(D) if the first character is not a member of the first group of characters,

(i) if the encoded is scanned a second time, initiate a game involving the first character and at least one other character, the at least one other character being a member of the first group, and

(ii) if the bar code is not scanned the second time, dismiss the first character.

46. A handheld toy comprising:

a scanner;

a display device;

a memory device; and

a processor operable with the scanner and the display device to;

(A) scan a bar code,

(B) determine a first character from the bar code,

(C) if the first character is one of a first group of characters, store the first character in the memory device, wherein characters in the first group of characters are controllable by a player if the characters in the first group are stored in the memory device, and

(D) if the first character is not one of the first group of characters,

(i) determine whether the bar code is scanned a second time,

(ii) if the bar code is scanned the second time, initiate a competition between the first character and at least one other character, the at least one other character being one of the first group of characters and the at least one other character being stored in the memory device, and

(iii) if the bar code is not scanned the second time, delete the first character.