Electronic gaming method using coded input data
First Claim
1. A gaming program stored in a storage medium of a gaming device for executing a game, wherein the gaming program controls the gaming device to perform the steps of:
- accepting at least a portion of a Universal Product Code, wherein said Universal Product Code corresponds to a product code pre-assigned in accordance with a set of Uniform Code Council requirements, said product code corresponding to a product, wherein said product is not a game associated product; and
assigning a secondary meaning to the portion of the Universal Product Code, wherein said secondary meaning is unrelated to said product, wherein said secondary meaning is not assigned in accordance with said set of Uniform Code Council requirements, the secondary meaning corresponding to a feature of said game.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
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.
165 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A gaming program stored in a storage medium of a gaming device for executing a game, wherein the gaming program controls the gaming device to perform the steps of:
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accepting at least a portion of a Universal Product Code, wherein said Universal Product Code corresponds to a product code pre-assigned in accordance with a set of Uniform Code Council requirements, said product code corresponding to a product, wherein said product is not a game associated product; and
assigning a secondary meaning to the portion of the Universal Product Code, wherein said secondary meaning is unrelated to said product, wherein said secondary meaning is not assigned in accordance with said set of Uniform Code Council requirements, the secondary meaning corresponding to a feature of said game. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
applying an algorithm to the portion of the Universal Product Code to produce a result, wherein the result corresponds to the secondary meaning; and
correlating the secondary meaning with the feature of the game.
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12. A gaming program stored in a storage medium of a gaming device, wherein the gaming program controls the gaming device for executing a game, the gaming program performing the steps of:
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obtaining a portion of a product code, said product code associated with a product, wherein said product is not a game associated product, applying a set of code correlation rules to said portion of said product code to establish a secondary meaning corresponding to said portion of said product code, wherein said secondary meaning is unrelated to said product;
correlating a game character with said secondary meaning; and
staging a battle involving the game character according to a pre-defined set of game rules stored within the gaming device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of playing a game, comprising the steps of:
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using a sensor of a gaming device to input at least a portion of a Universal Product Code, wherein said Universal Product Code corresponds to a product code pre-assigned in accordance with a set of Uniform Code Council requirements, said product code corresponding to a product, wherein said product is not a game associated product;
automatically determining a secondary meaning for the input portion of the Universal Product Code, wherein said secondary meaning is unrelated to said product, wherein said secondary meaning is not assigned in accordance with said set of Uniform Code Council requirements, the secondary meaning corresponding to a game feature, wherein said automatic determining step is performed by said gaming device;
automatically determining whether the game feature is a compatible game feature, wherein said compatible game feature is associated with said gaming device, wherein said automatic determining step is performed by said gaming device; and
automatically storing the game feature if the game feature is determined to be a compatible game feature, wherein said automatic storing step is performed by said gaming device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
automatically determining whether the game feature is an incompatible game feature, wherein said compatible game feature is not associated with said gaming device, wherein said automatic determining step is performed by said gaming device; and
initiating a contest between the incompatible game feature and a stored compatible game feature.
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24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of selecting an offensive monster, wherein the offensive monster is used in the contest.
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25. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of selecting one of a plurality of stored game features, wherein the selected game feature is used in the contest.
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26. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of selecting a stored item, wherein the stored item impacts the contest.
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27. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of using a sensor is further comprised of optically scanning a bar code, said bar code corresponding to said portion of said Universal Product Code.
Specification