Systems and methods for providing interactive game play
First Claim
1. A wireless gaming system including physically collectible or tradable items for entertaining one or more game participants playing a game using one or more of a wireless-compatible game console, hand-held game unit, personal computer or play facility, said gaming system comprising:
- one or more collectible or tradable items depicting or representing persons, characters or objects relevant to said game, each of said one or more collectible or tradable items having associated therewith a passive RFID tag, each said RFID tag comprising;
a unique tag ID for identifying or tracking each said corresponding collectible or tradable item;
non-volatile, programmable memory configured to selectively store, retrieve and update selected information pertaining to certain relevant attributes, experiences or accomplishments of a person, character or object depicted or represented by each said corresponding collectible or tradable item;
a tag antenna sized and configured to be selectively activated or energized by an externally produced radio frequency signal for powering said RFID tag; and
a tag transceiver circuit electrically coupled to said tag antenna and powered by said externally produced radio frequency signal configured to wirelessly send and receive information relevant to each said corresponding collectible or tradable item, including at least said unique tag ID and said selected information;
an intermediary gaming device for wirelessly communicating with said one or more collectible or tradable items and a wireless-compatible game console, hand-held game unit, personal computer or play facility, said intermediary gaming device comprising;
i) an RFID reader configured to wirelessly power and communicate with each said RFID tag when placed in proximity to said intermediary gaming device and to thereby send and receive information relevant to each said collectible or tradable item, including at least said unique tag ID and said selected information; and
ii) a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with said game console, hand-held game unit, personal computer or play facility, and to thereby send and receive information relevant to each said collectible or tradable item, including at least said unique tag ID and said selected information;
whereby game participants can affect the play of said game by selectively placing said one or more collectible or tradable items in proximity to said intermediary gaming device and whereby said selected information associated with said selectively placed collectible or tradable items can be stored, retrieved and updated according to the play of said game.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of interactive game play is provided wherein a seemingly magical wand toy is provided for enabling a trained user to electronically send and receive information to and from other wand toys, a master system and/or to actuate various play effects within a play environment. The toy wand or other seemingly magical object is configured to use a send/received radio frequency communications protocol which provides a basic foundation for a complex, interactive entertainment system to create a seemingly magical interactive play experience.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. A wireless gaming system including physically collectible or tradable items for entertaining one or more game participants playing a game using one or more of a wireless-compatible game console, hand-held game unit, personal computer or play facility, said gaming system comprising:
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one or more collectible or tradable items depicting or representing persons, characters or objects relevant to said game, each of said one or more collectible or tradable items having associated therewith a passive RFID tag, each said RFID tag comprising; a unique tag ID for identifying or tracking each said corresponding collectible or tradable item; non-volatile, programmable memory configured to selectively store, retrieve and update selected information pertaining to certain relevant attributes, experiences or accomplishments of a person, character or object depicted or represented by each said corresponding collectible or tradable item; a tag antenna sized and configured to be selectively activated or energized by an externally produced radio frequency signal for powering said RFID tag; and a tag transceiver circuit electrically coupled to said tag antenna and powered by said externally produced radio frequency signal configured to wirelessly send and receive information relevant to each said corresponding collectible or tradable item, including at least said unique tag ID and said selected information; an intermediary gaming device for wirelessly communicating with said one or more collectible or tradable items and a wireless-compatible game console, hand-held game unit, personal computer or play facility, said intermediary gaming device comprising; i) an RFID reader configured to wirelessly power and communicate with each said RFID tag when placed in proximity to said intermediary gaming device and to thereby send and receive information relevant to each said collectible or tradable item, including at least said unique tag ID and said selected information; and ii) a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with said game console, hand-held game unit, personal computer or play facility, and to thereby send and receive information relevant to each said collectible or tradable item, including at least said unique tag ID and said selected information; whereby game participants can affect the play of said game by selectively placing said one or more collectible or tradable items in proximity to said intermediary gaming device and whereby said selected information associated with said selectively placed collectible or tradable items can be stored, retrieved and updated according to the play of said game. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A portable gaming device for playing a user-selectable interactive game using one or more of a wireless-compatible game console, hand-held game unit, personal computer or play facility and one or more RFID-tagged items depicting or representing persons, characters or objects relevant to said game, each of said one or more RFID-tagged items having associated therewith a passive read/write RFID tag each having a unique tag ID and selected stored information representing certain relevant attributes, experiences or accomplishments of a corresponding person, character or object depicted or represented by each said corresponding RFID-tagged item, said portable gaming device comprising:
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an RFID reader configured to wirelessly power and provide short-range two-way wireless communications with each said RFID-tagged item when placed within a limited communication range of less than 60 cm from said RFID reader and to send and receive to and from each said associated RFID tag certain information relevant to each said RFID-tagged item, including at least said unique tag ID and said selected stored information; a first transceiver electrically coupled to said RFID reader and configured to provide medium-range two-way wireless communication over a communication range greater than 10 feet; and wherein said first transceiver is further configured to wirelessly communicate with a second transceiver comprising a wireless communication interface of a wireless-compatible game console, hand-held game unit, personal computer or play facility to thereby send and receive information relevant to each said RFID-tagged item, including at least said unique tag ID and said selected stored information; whereby game participants can affect the play of said game by selectively placing said one or more RFID-tagged items in short-range proximity to said RFID reader, and whereby said selected stored information associated with said selectively placed RFID-tagged items can be stored, retrieved and updating according to the play of said game. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A wireless interactive entertainment system for communicatively interfacing with one or more portable wireless toys and a wireless-compatible video game system, personal computer or entertainment facility for amusing or entertaining one or more game participants playing a game in which a computer-generated play environment is represented through one or more computer-animated effects, said wireless interactive entertainment system comprising:
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an intermediary gaming device comprising a first wireless RF transceiver configured to provide two-way short-range wireless communication with one or more portable wireless toys; at least one motion-sensitive handheld controller comprising a second wireless RF transceiver configured to provide two-way medium-range wireless communication with said wireless-compatible video game system, personal computer or entertainment facility, and further comprising motion- or position-sensitive circuitry for enabling said handheld controller to be operated at least in part by moving the entire body of said handheld controller in one or more motions to activate or control said one or more computer-animated effects in accordance with said game; and at least one portable wireless toy comprising a collectible or tradable item depicting or representing a particular person, character or object relevant to said game, and further comprising a third wireless RF transceiver configured to provide two-way short-range wireless communication with at least said intermediary gaming device, and wherein said at least one portable wireless toy is further configured to wirelessly send and receive game-relevant information to and from at least said intermediary gaming device, and wherein said intermediary gaming device is further configured to communicate said game-relevant information to and from at least said wireless-compatible video game system, personal computer or entertainment facility; whereby said wireless-compatible video game system, personal computer or entertainment facility can use said game-relevant information to adjust the game experience for said one or more game participants and whereby said one or more game participants can use said motion-sensitive handheld controller and said at least one portable wireless toy to wirelessly interact with said wireless-compatible video game system, personal computer or entertainment facility. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A motion-sensitive wireless interactive gaming system including physically collectible or tradable items for entertaining one or more game participants playing a game in which a computer-generated play environment is represented through one or more computer-animated effects, said gaming system comprising:
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a host system comprising a game console, hand-held game unit, personal computer or play facility configured to host said game; at least one wireless motion-sensitive handheld device configured to be held and used by said one or more game participants to wirelessly communicate with said host system at least in part by moving the entire body of said handheld device in free space to thereby activate or control said one or more computer-animated effects; one or more collectible or tradable items each depicting or representing a person, character or object relevant to said game, at least one of said one or more collectible or tradable items having associated therewith an RFID tag, said RFID tag further comprising; a tag ID for identifying or tracking each said collectible or tradable item; non-volatile memory configured to facilitate storage and retrieval of selected information pertaining to certain relevant attributes, experiences or accomplishments of said depicted or represented person, character or object; a tag antenna sized and configured to be selectively activated or energized by an externally produced radio frequency signal for powering said RFID tag; and a tag transmitter circuit electrically coupled to said tag antenna and powered by said externally produced radio frequency signal for wirelessly transmitting at least said tag ID and said selected information; and an RFID reader communicatively associated with said host system and configured to wirelessly power and communicate with said RFID tag when said corresponding at least one collectible or tradable item is placed in proximity to said RFID reader and to thereby receive at least said tag ID and said selected information, said RFID reader being further configured to communicate said received tag ID and said selected information to said host system; whereby an interactive entertainment experience is provided wherein said one or more game participants are able to affect the play of said game by moving said at least one wireless motion-sensitive handheld device in free space and/or by selectively placing said at least one collectible or tradable item in readable proximity to said RFID reader. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A handheld wireless gaming device for amusing or entertaining one or more game participants playing a game using a wireless-compatible gaming platform in which a computer-generated play environment is visually and aurally represented through one or more computer-animated effects, said handheld wireless gaming device comprising:
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a portable body configured to be held and moved in free space and operated by a game participant to selectively activate or control said one or more computer-animated effects; a first radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to provide short-range two-way wireless communication with a wireless-compatible device over a limited communication range of less than 60 cm and wherein said short-range two-way wireless communication is facilitated at least in part through inductive coupling; a second RF transceiver configured to provide medium-range two-way wireless communication with said wireless-compatible gaming platform over a communication range greater than 10 feet; motion-sensitive circuitry configured to enable said handheld wireless gaming device to be operated at least in part by moving said portable body in free space to activate or control said one or more computer-animated effects associated with said game; a display screen configured to display game scoring, objectives and/or messages based at least in part on information wirelessly communicated to said handheld wireless gaming device by said wireless-compatible gaming platform; and an effects generator configured to produce one or more vibration or sound effects based on information wirelessly communicated to said handheld wireless gaming device by said wireless-compatible gaming platform. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification