Multi-media interactive play system
First Claim
1. An interactive play system for entertaining one or more participants playing a game carried out at least in part within a live play environment and at least in part within a computer-generated play environment, said interactive play system comprising:
- at least one game-compatible toy comprising machine-readable indicia identifying said at least one game-compatible toy;
at least one electronic reader device configured to wirelessly read said indicia and to thereby determine an identification number corresponding to said at least one game-compatible toy;
at least one live-action gaming station configured to communicate with said at least one electronic reader device, said at least one live-action gaming station comprising one or more physical play elements configured to enable said one or more participants to play said game within said live play environment using said at least one game-compatible toy, wherein said live play environment comprises at least one of;
a theme park, a family entertainment center, a gaming arcade, a retail store, a shopping mall or a restaurant;
at least one computerized gaming station comprising one or more computer-simulated play elements configured to enable said one or more participants to play said game within said computer-generated play environment using said at least one game-compatible toy or information identifying said at least one game-compatible toy;
a computer system configured to communicate with said at least one electronic reader device, said at least one live-action gaming station and said at least one computerized gaming station, said computer system configured to store on a database selected game-relevant information in association with said identification number such that said stored game-relevant information can be accessed and retrieved by said computer system using said identification number; and
game software comprising executable program instructions stored in non-transitory storage that, when executed, direct said computer system to orchestrate said game carried out in both said live play environment and said computer-generated play environment, wherein the participation and progress of said one or more participants are each tracked according to said corresponding identification number of said at least one game-compatible toy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-media interactive play system has a number of play elements situated in a variety of play environments or play media. The play elements are linked to a common record of participant performance, progress, character attributes, etc. The participant'"'"'s performance in the play elements determines the play elements to which the participant may proceed as well as the play parameters of the play element in which the participant is currently involved. The play elements are thus interlinked to define a sequence or path network along which the participant advances. By advancing through the play elements the participant carries out a plot, story, theme, etc. that attaches a significance to the successful completion of a given play element or elements. Also disclosed in a variety of play elements suitable for use in the system, an example of a plot or theme that may be carried out by the system, and a send/receive radio frequency network that may be used to track play participants in a play center.
1351 Citations
71 Claims
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1. An interactive play system for entertaining one or more participants playing a game carried out at least in part within a live play environment and at least in part within a computer-generated play environment, said interactive play system comprising:
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at least one game-compatible toy comprising machine-readable indicia identifying said at least one game-compatible toy; at least one electronic reader device configured to wirelessly read said indicia and to thereby determine an identification number corresponding to said at least one game-compatible toy; at least one live-action gaming station configured to communicate with said at least one electronic reader device, said at least one live-action gaming station comprising one or more physical play elements configured to enable said one or more participants to play said game within said live play environment using said at least one game-compatible toy, wherein said live play environment comprises at least one of;
a theme park, a family entertainment center, a gaming arcade, a retail store, a shopping mall or a restaurant;at least one computerized gaming station comprising one or more computer-simulated play elements configured to enable said one or more participants to play said game within said computer-generated play environment using said at least one game-compatible toy or information identifying said at least one game-compatible toy; a computer system configured to communicate with said at least one electronic reader device, said at least one live-action gaming station and said at least one computerized gaming station, said computer system configured to store on a database selected game-relevant information in association with said identification number such that said stored game-relevant information can be accessed and retrieved by said computer system using said identification number; and game software comprising executable program instructions stored in non-transitory storage that, when executed, direct said computer system to orchestrate said game carried out in both said live play environment and said computer-generated play environment, wherein the participation and progress of said one or more participants are each tracked according to said corresponding identification number of said at least one game-compatible toy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An interactive play system for entertaining one or more game participants playing a game carried out at least in part within a live play environment and at least in part within a computer-generated play environment, said interactive play system comprising:
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one or more game-compatible toys, each of said one or more game-compatible toys comprising a machine-readable identification number, wherein said one or more game-compatible toys are configured to be worn or carried by said one or more game participants while playing said game within said live play environment; a reader device configured to read said machine-readable identification number from each of said one or more game-compatible toys; a first gaming station configured to communicate with said reader device, said first gaming station comprising one or more physical play elements configured to enable said one or more game participants to play said game within said live play environment using said one or more game-compatible toys, wherein said live play environment comprises at least one of;
a theme park, a family entertainment center, a gaming arcade, a retail store, a shopping mall or a restaurant;a second gaming station configured to be accessed remotely from said first gaming station and comprising one or more computer-simulated play elements configured to enable said one or more game participants to play said game within said computer-generated play environment using said one or more game-compatible toys or said machine-readable identification number; and a computer system configured to receive selected game-relevant information from said first gaming station and said second gaming station, said computer system configured to store said selected game-relevant information in association with corresponding player identification information uniquely identifying each of said one or more game participants in said game, such that said stored game-relevant information can be accessed and retrieved by said computer system using said player identification information; and
game software comprising executable program instructions that direct said computer system to orchestrate said game carried out in both said live play environment and said computer-generated play environment, wherein progress of each of said one or more game participants in said game can be independently tracked according to said corresponding player identification information. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. An interactive play system for entertaining one or more game participants playing a game carried out at least in part within a physical play environment and at least in part within a computer-generated play environment, said interactive play system comprising:
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one or more game-compatible devices, each of said one or more game-compatible devices comprising a machine-readable identification number, wherein the one or more game-compatible devices are configured to be carried or worn by said one or more game participants while playing said game; one or more reader devices configured to read said machine-readable identification number from said one or more game-compatible devices; a first gaming station configured to communicate with at least one of said one or more reader devices, said first gaming station comprising one or more physical play elements configured to enable said one or more game participants to play said game within said physical play environment using said one or more game-compatible devices, wherein said physical play environment comprises at least one of;
a theme park, a family entertainment center, a gaming arcade, a retail store, a shopping mall or a restaurant;a second gaming station configured to communicate with at least one of said one or more reader devices and comprising one or more computer-simulated play elements configured to enable said one or more game participants to play said game within said computer-generated play environment; a digital image capture system configured to communicate with at least one of said one or more reader devices and comprising a digital camera configured to capture image data comprising one or more images of said one or more game participants playing said game; and a computer system configured to receive selected game-relevant information from said first gaming station and said second gaming station and image data from said image capture system, said computer system configured to store said selected game-relevant information and said image data in association with corresponding player identification information uniquely identifying each of said one or more game participants in said game, such that said stored game-relevant information and said stored image data can be accessed and retrieved using said corresponding player identification information; game software comprising executable program instructions stored in non-transitory storage that, when executed, direct said computer system to orchestrate said game carried out in both said physical play environment and said computer-generated play environment, wherein the participation and progress of each of said one or more game participants in said game can be independently tracked according to said corresponding player identification information - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. An interactive play system for entertaining one or more game participants playing a game carried out at least in part within a live play environment and at least in part within a computer-generated play environment, said interactive play system comprising:
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one or more game-compatible devices, wherein each of said one or more game-compatible devices comprises a radio frequency (RF) identification device having stored therein a unique identification number, wherein the one or more game-compatible devices are configured to be carried or worn by said one or more game participants while playing said game; one or more RF transceivers configured to wirelessly communicate with each of said one or more game-compatible devices over a wireless communication range of at least 10 feet to thereby ascertain said corresponding unique identification number; a first gaming station configured to communicate with at least one of said one or more RF transceivers, said first gaming station comprising one or more physical play elements configured to enable said one or more game participants to play a first portion of said game within said live play environment;
wherein said live play environment comprises at least one of;
a theme park, a family entertainment center, a gaming arcade, a retail store, a shopping mall or a restaurant;a second gaming station comprising one or more computer-simulated play elements configured to enable said one or more game participants to play a second portion of said game within said computer-generated play environment and wherein said second gaming station is further configured such that completion of said second portion requires completion of at least said first portion; and a computer system configured to receive selected game-relevant information from said first gaming station and said second gaming station, said computer system configured to store said selected game-relevant information in association with corresponding player identification information uniquely identifying each of said one or more game participants in said game, such that said stored game-relevant information can be accessed and retrieved using said player identification information; and game software comprising executable program instructions stored in non-transitory storage that, when executed, direct said computer system to orchestrate said game carried out in both said live play environment and said computer-generated play environment, wherein the participation and progress of each of said one or more game participants in said game can be independently tracked according to said corresponding player identification information. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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Specification