Gaming system employing both action figure and video game play

• US 7,244,183 B1
• Filed: 09/19/2003
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anthony England
• Original Assignee: Anthony England
• Inventors: England, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Sager, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOSSER, ROBERT E
• Application Number:
  US10/665,613
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 463/43, 463 47- 50, 463/53, 446/175
• US Class Current: 463/48
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2444 Light detector
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2451 using illumination, e.g. with lamps
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2463 on a screen, e.g. using a video projector
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/02 Shooting or hurling games throwing-implements for sports or recreational use A63B65/00; throwing or projecting toys per se A63H33/18; gun simulators F41A33/00, e.g. light- or radiation-emitting guns F41A33/02; practice apparatus for gun-aiming F41G3/26, e.g. using a light-emitting device F41G3/2616; targets, target ranges, bullet catchers F41J, photo-electric hit-detector systems F41J5/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 13/02 imitating natural actions, e.g. catching a mouse by a cat, the kicking of an animal
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/006 provided with electrical lighting electrical lighting F21
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission

Abstract

A gaming system that employs a video game system and action figures to allow both video game play and action figure play. A video game score, obtained by a player through video game play, may be transferred to the action figure associated with that player to become the action figure score of that action figure. The action figures have a gun that generates a light beam and a target detector for receiving light beams from other action figures. The action figure will register a hit, and break apart, if its target detector receives a light beam from another action figure that has a higher action figure score.

Claims

1. A gaming system, using a video game system having video game controllers and a video display, and using an action figure associated with the player, comprising the steps of:

achieving a score by the player by playing the video game by viewing the video display while operating the video game controllers;

transferring the score from the video game system to the action figure; and

interacting the action figure with other gaming system objects such that the effect of the action figure upon the other gaming system objects is determined by the score of the action figure.

2. The gaming system as recited in claim 1, wherein the action figure has a light producing gun and a target detector;

and wherein the step of interacting the action figure with other gaming system objects further comprises firing the light producing gun to produce a light beam that is oriented at the other gaming system objects and determining a hit when the light beam hits the other gaming system object and the score of the action figure is greater than the value of said gaming system object.

3. The gaming system as recited in claim 2, wherein the gaming system objects include another action figure having a light producing gun and a target detector;

wherein the value of said other action figure is its own score achieved through video game play; and

wherein the step of determining a hit further comprises determining a hit by the action figure when the light beam of another action figure hits the target of the action figure and the score of the other action figure is greater than the score of the action figure.

4. The gaming system as recited in claim 3, further comprising a hand-held remote controller associated with each action figure;

and wherein the step of firing the light producing gun for one of the action figures further comprises signaling said action figure to fire its light producing gun by the hand-held remote controller.

5. The gaming system as recited in claim 4, further comprising a vehicle associated with each action figure, said vehicle having steering and a motor for propelling the vehicle forwardly and rearwardly;

and the method as recited further comprises the steps of seating the action figure upon the vehicle; and

moving the action figure using the hand-held remote controller.

6. The gaming system as recited in claim 5, wherein each action figure has a quick draw mode;

wherein the method as recited further comprises activating the quick draw mode on each of the action figures, firing the light producing gun of each action figure toward another of the action figures, and registering a hit by the action figure that first detects a light beam at its target detector.

7. The gaming system as recited in claim 6, wherein each action figure has an upper portion and a lower portion;

the upper portion and lower portion are selectively attached to each other; and

wherein the step of determining a hit by the action figure further comprises separating the upper and lower portion of the action figure.

8. The gaming system as recited in claim 3, wherein each action figure has an upper portion and a lower portion;

the upper portion and lower portion are selectively attached to each other; and

wherein the step of determining a hit by the action figure further comprises separating the upper and lower portion of the action figure.

9. The gaming system as recited in claim 8, further comprising a hand-held remote controller associated with each action figure;

and wherein the step of firing the light producing gun for one of the action figures further comprises signaling said action figure to fire its light producing gun by the hand-held remote controller.

10. The gaming system as recited in claim 9, further comprising a vehicle associated with each action figure, said vehicle having steering and a motor for propelling the vehicle forwardly and rearwardly;

and the method as recited further comprises the steps of seating the action figure upon the vehicle; and

moving the action figure using the hand-held remote controller.