Unlocking virtual items in a virtual space responsive to physical token detection

• US 9,457,263 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2012
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Vignocchi, John G., Blackburn, John, Bunker, Jeffrey, Fisher, Marcus, Neber, Manfred, Leavitt, Troy, Lowe, Robert, Gosztyla, Jeffrey, Liddell, Chad, Bals, Jared
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Wei
• Application Number:
  US13/727,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20140179418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 463/9, 463/29
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges

Abstract

Virtual items may be unlocked in a virtual space responsive to physical token detection. A common virtual item repository may be provided in the virtual space. Once unlocked, a given virtual item may be accessible to multiple characters in the virtual space via the virtual item repository. Customization of a virtual space may be facilitated. The customization may be based on the virtual items accessible via the virtual item repository.

Claims

1. A system configured to unlock virtual items in a virtual space responsive to physical token detection, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured by machine-readable instructions to;

implement the virtual space to determine views of the virtual space;

detect tokens based on signals received from a token reader, a given token being a standalone physical object, the tokens including a first token and a second token, the first token being associated with a first character or a first virtual item, the second token being associated with a second character or a second virtual item, the first virtual item being associated with the first character and the second virtual item being associated with the second character, the first token being detectable based on a first signal conveying information associated with the first token, the second token being detectable based on a second signal conveying information associated with the second token; and

unlock individual ones of a plurality of virtual items responsive to individual tokens and/or combinations of tokens being detected, a previously locked virtual item becoming accessible to one or more characters responsive to being unlocked, the plurality of virtual items including the first virtual item, the second virtual item, and a third virtual item, the first virtual item being unlocked responsive to the first token being individually detected, the second virtual item being unlocked responsive to the second token being individually detected, and the third virtual item being unlocked responsive to a combination of the first token and the second token being detected.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of virtual items include one or both of an accessory or a virtual good.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein a given character accessing a given virtual item includes the given character utilizing the given virtual item.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first virtual item is associated with the first character based on a first theme shared by the first virtual item and the first character, the second virtual item is associated with the second character based on a second theme shared by the second virtual item and the second character.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first theme is different than the second theme.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to provide a virtual item repository within the virtual space, the virtual item repository being configured to facilitate access by the plurality of characters to the plurality of virtual items.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first virtual item is accessible to the second character via the virtual item repository and the second virtual item is accessible to the first character via the virtual item repository.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to unlock individual ones of the plurality of virtual items responsive to a performance of one or more game mechanisms associated with the virtual space.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the third virtual item embodies a combination of a first theme of the first character and a second theme of the second character.

10. A computer-implemented method to unlock virtual items in a virtual space responsive to physical token detection, the method being performed by a computer system comprising one or more processors and storage medium storing machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

implementing the virtual space to determine views of the virtual space;

detecting tokens based on signals received from a token reader, a given token being a standalone physical object, the tokens including a first token and a second token, the first token being associated with a first character or a first virtual item, the second token being associated with a second character or a second virtual item, the first virtual item being associated with the first character and the second virtual item being associated with the second character, the first token being detectable based on a first signal conveying information associated with the first token, the second token being detectable based on a second signal conveying information associated with the second token; and

unlocking individual ones of a plurality of virtual items responsive to individual tokens and/or combinations of tokens being detected, a previously locked virtual item becoming accessible to one or more characters responsive to being unlocked, the plurality of virtual items including the first virtual item, the second virtual item, and a third virtual item, the first virtual item being unlocked responsive to the first token being individually detected, the second virtual item being unlocked responsive to the second token being individually detected, and the third virtual item being unlocked responsive to a combination of the first token and the second token being detected.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of virtual items include one or both of an accessory or a virtual good.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein a given character accessing a given virtual item includes the given character utilizing the given virtual item.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first virtual item is associated with the first character based on a first theme shared by the first virtual item and the first character, the second virtual item is associated with the second character based on a second theme shared by the second virtual item and the second character.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first theme is different than the second theme.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a virtual item repository within the virtual space, the virtual item repository being configured to facilitate access by the plurality of characters to the plurality of virtual items.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first virtual item is accessible to the second character via the virtual item repository and the second virtual item is accessible to the first character via the virtual item repository.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the virtual item unlocking module is further configured to unlock individual ones of the plurality of virtual items responsive to a performance of one or more game mechanisms associated with the virtual space.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the third virtual item embodies a combination of a first theme of the first character and a second theme of the second character.