MULTIMEDIA-ENABLED PHYSICAL TRADING CARD

• US 20100255908A1
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Topps Company Incorporated (Fanatics LLC (Florida))
• Original Assignee: Topps Company Incorporated (Fanatics LLC (Florida))
• Inventors: Grimes, Stephen Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/697,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20100255908A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• 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 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device

Abstract

A trading card containing embedded memory coupled to a computer interface for connecting the embedded memory to a computer. The memory device may contain multimedia content that may be accessed through the computer, electronic trading cards, or enable content to be retrieved from a separate location accessed by the computer.

Claims

1. A collectible trading card comprising:

a front card formed from cardstock with an image of a famous figure, location, or event;

a back card formed from cardstock;

a spacer frame having a cutout section and attached to and located between the front and back cards;

a memory device located within the cutout of the spacer frame and between the front and back cards;

an adaptor electrically coupled to the memory device that allows connection of the memory device to a computing device; and

the memory device containing computer readable program code adapted for enabling access to content relating to the famous figure, location or event.

2. The collectible trading card of claim 1, further comprising:

the adaptor being pivotally connected to the spacer frame where;

in a first closed position, the adaptor is within an area defined by planes of a top surface of the front card, a bottom surface of the back card and all peripheral edges of the front and back cards; and

in a second open position, the adaptor extends beyond at least one of the planes of the top surface, bottom surface or side edges of the front and back cards.

3. The collectible trading card of claim 1 where in the adaptor is slideably connected to the spacer frame.

4. The collectible trading card of claim 1, wherein the content relating to the famous figure, location or event is a multimedia program or statistical information.

5. The collectible trading card of claim 1, further comprising:

a microprocessor located within the cutout of the spacer frame and between the front and back ends and further being coupled to the memory and adaptor; and

the microprocessor configured to interface with a computer automatically executes the computer readable program code to enable access to the content.

6. The collectible trading card of claim 1, wherein the program automatically executes when the adaptor is connected to a computer to display the content.

7. The collectible trading card of claim 1, further comprising:

a networked computer connected to the memory device through the adaptor.

8. The collectible trading card of claim 7, wherein the computer readable program code is adapted to be executed to cause the networked computer to initiate a connection with a remote server and download the content.

9. The collectible trading card of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program code is adapted to be executed to display content contained on the memory device.

10. A collectible trading card comprising:

a front surface with an image of a famous figure, location or event;

a back surface with information relating to the image;

a computer usable medium enclosed between the front and back surfaces;

an interface coupled to the computer usable medium and capable of coupling to a computer; and

the computer usable medium having a computer readable program code adapted to be executed by the computer to implement a method for providing interactive content, the method comprising;

initiating connection from the computer to a remote server through a network;

transmitting access information to the remoter server to verify authority to access image related information; and

providing access to the image related information only while computer usable medium is coupled to the computer through the interface.

11. The collectible trading card of claim 10, further comprising:

an electronic display integrated with the back surface.

12. The collectible trading card of claim 11, further comprising:

the computer usable medium having the computer readable program code adapted to be executed by the computer to implement the method for providing content, the method further comprising;

receiving statistical information relating to the image; and

displaying the statistical information on the electronic display.

13. The collectible trading card of claim 10, further comprising:

the computer usable medium having the computer readable program code adapted to be executed by the computer to implement the method for providing content, the method further comprising;

providing access to image related information consisting of an electronic version of the collectible trading card; and

permitting modification of ownership rights to the electronic version of the collectible trading card.

14. The collectible trading card of claim 10, wherein the image related information is a multimedia program, statistical information or an electronic version of the collectible trading card.

15. The collectible trading card of claim 10, wherein the interface is wireless.

16. A collectible trading card comprising:

a front surface with an image of a famous figure, location or event;

a back surface with information relating to the image;

a computer usable medium enclosed between the front and back surfaces;

an interface coupled to the computer usable medium and capable of coupling to a computer; and

the computer usable medium having a computer readable program code adapted to be used by the computer to implement a method for providing content, the method comprising;

executing an application program on the computer to display multimedia programming relating to the famous figure, location or event; and

disabling access to the multimedia content on detecting removal of the interface from the computer.

17. The collectible trading card of claim 16, wherein the multimedia content is located on a remote server.

18. The collectible trading card of claim 16, wherein the multimedia content is located on the computer usable medium.

19. The collectible trading card of claim 16, wherein the computer readable program code enables automatic execution when the computer usable medium is coupled to the computer.

20. The collectible trading card of claim 16 further comprising:

two or more traditional trading cards; and

a package enclosing the collectible trading card and two or more traditional trading cards, wherein the identity of the trading cards cannot be determined prior to opening the package.