Server based interactive video game with toys

• US 9,649,565 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2012
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Leyland, Robert, Schuyler, Mary
• Primary Examiner(s): McCulloch, Jr., William H
• Application Number:
  US13/461,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20130296058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: 463 39
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00662 with an electric sensor for playing pieces A63F2009/2444 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2486 the computer being an accessory to a board game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/10 characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/207 for accessing game resources from local storage, e.g. streaming content from DVD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/609 for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls

Abstract

A video game system comprising a console (such as a game console, computer, mobile device or web site), a peripheral for a gaming platform, and a toy. The gaming platform is capable of identifying the toy and a character corresponding to the toy is depicted in the video game. The video game character corresponding to the toy has certain characteristics and/or attributes. The data for these characteristics and attributes is stored on a server accessible to each compatible gaming platform. As the user uses the character to play the video game, thereby altering the character'"'"'s characteristics and attributes, the updated attributes are stored by the game system to the server connected to the game system. Updated character data is thereafter available to the user for subsequent game play via any gaming platform connected to the server.

Claims

1. A toy usable in connection with a gaming system,

said toy comprising:

a toy figure; and

an electronic identification device within the toy figure containing a code uniquely identifying said toy;

said gaming system comprising;

a first game system configured to be coupled with a first peripheral device, wherein said first peripheral device is configured to read said code uniquely identifying said toy from said electronic identification device on said toy;

wherein said first game system is configured by program instructions to provide for game play, including providing a representation of said toy figure for game play within a game environment, in which a user controls the representation of said toy figure via a first game system input/output (I/O) device, subsequent to reading of said code of said toy by said peripheral, wherein said representation of said toy figure has one or more attributes related to said representation of said toy figure, wherein at least some of said one or more attributes are capable of being altered for completing or failing to complete challenges during said game play within said game environment, wherein said attributes are one or more of said representation'"'"'s;

health, strength, power, or speed;

a server subsystem configured to communicate data of said attributes related to said representation of said toy figure on a per user basis, the data of said attributes including data reflecting alterations to said attributes, with said first game system and a second game system, said server subsystem including storage for storing the data of said attributes related to said representation of said toy figure on the per user basis, said data being associated with said toy on the per user basis;

wherein said server subsystem is configured to associate said code and said attributes with each of a plurality of user accounts each having a login and capable of being associated with codes for multiple toys and said attributes; and

said second game system configured to receive said logins associated with said code uniquely identifying said toy from said electronic identification device on said toy;

wherein said second game system is configured by program instructions to provide for game play, including providing a representation of said toy figure for game play within a game environment, in which the user controls the representation of said toy figure via a second game system I/O device, subsequent to receiving confirmation of said login and at least some of said attributes from said server subsystem by said second game system,

said second game system further configured to communicate with said server subsystem and to receive from said server subsystem the data of said attributes, for a particular user account for which said login has been received, related to said representation of said toy figure for use in game play within said game environment in a subsequent gaming session on said second game system;

said first game system configured to receive said logins and to communicate with said server subsystem and to receive from said server subsystem the data of said attributes, for a particular user account for which said login has been received, related to said representation of said toy figure for use in game play within said game environment in a subsequent gaming session on said first game system.

2. A toy usable in connection with a gaming system as described in claim 1, wherein said toy further comprises at least one memory device for storing data relating to characteristics of said representation of said toy figure within said game environment.

3. A toy usable in connection with a gaming system as described in claim 2, wherein said first game system comprises a game console and said second game system comprises a mobile device.

4. A toy usable in connection with a game console and an associated peripheral,

said toy comprising:

a toy figure; and

an electronic identification device containing a code uniquely identifying said toy;

said peripheral coupled to said game console, wherein said peripheral is capable of reading said code from said electronic identification device and communicating said read code to said game console;

said game console configured by program instructions to provide for game play, including providing a representation of said toy figure for game play within a game environment subsequent to receiving said read code of said toy from said peripheral, wherein said representation of said toy figure has associated therewith one or more related attributes, wherein said attributes are one or more of said representation'"'"'s;

health, strength, power, or speed, wherein at least some of said one or more attributes are capable of being altered during said game play within said game environment, and wherein said game console is configured to communicate with a server subsystem to identify a specific user account of a plurality of user accounts and to receive from said server subsystem data of said attributes associated with said representation of said toy for the specific user account; and

wherein said server subsystem associates said code with each of the plurality of user accounts, each having a login and capable of being associated with multiple codes and said attributes, said server subsystem storing at least some different attributes associated with said code for each of the plurality of user accounts.

5. A toy usable in connection with a game console as recited in claim 4, wherein said game console is further configured to communicate with a control device to control said game play of said representation of said toy figure within said game environment.

6. A toy usable in connection with a game console as recited in claim 4, wherein said data relating to said attributes related to said representation of said toy are altered during said game play and said altered data is stored to said server subsystem.

7. A game system comprising:

a three dimensional figure having an electronic memory device embedded therein for storing a code uniquely identifying said figure and for storing attribute data reflecting characteristics of a representation of said figure within a game environment;

a first gaming platform capable of receiving said code and said attribute data from said electronic memory device;

a second gaming platform;

said first gaming platform configured to provide said representation of said figure within said game environment, in which the representation of said figure is controlled via an input/output (I/O) device of the first gaming platform, subsequent to identifying said figure;

said first gaming platform further configured to send data to and receive data from a server subsystem, including said code uniquely identifying said figure and said attribute data reflecting characteristics of said representation of said figure within said game environment, and an identification of a user account of a plurality of user accounts wherein said server subsystem stores said data associated with said three dimensional figure for the identified user account, each of said user accounts having a login and capable of being associated with data associated with multiple three dimensional figures, said first gaming platform configured to utilize said attribute data received from said server subsystem, after sending said code uniquely identifying said figure and said identification of the user account to said server subsystem, or utilize said attribute data from said electronic memory device embedded in said figure in absence of a connection to said server subsystem;

said second gaming platform further configured to receive said attribute data for a particular user account from said server subsystem to provide said attribute data reflecting characteristics of said representation of said figure within a game environment after logging into a particular user account of the plurality of user accounts through use of a username and password, in which said representation of said figure is controlled via an I/O device of said second game system, operating on said second gaming platform in a subsequent gaming session.