Gaming machine, trading card and game system

• US 7,326,118 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2004
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aruze Corp.
• Inventors: Shinoda, Tomohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau; Ronald
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, BENJAMIN WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US10/763,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20040152521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20, 463/39, 463/43, 463/44, 463/45
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0618 used for masking, e.g. for making objects with the same colour invisible
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2429 IC card, chip card, smart card
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2489 by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

A gaming machine uses a trading card 20. The trading card 20 stores character data concerning a character and has a surface printed with a detail of the character data. A trading card handling device 60 writes changed character data into the trading card 20 in response to a change in character data according to a state of proceeding with a game. A printing device 49 prints detail of the changed character data onto the surface of the trading card 20. A heating device 68 is for erasing the detail of the character data printed previously at the time of printing. A player can grasp details of character data stored in the trading card and changes thereof without depending on the gaming machine to read the trading card.

Claims

1. A gaming machine for providing a game played with a trading card with a semiconductor memory which stores character data of a character and a surface printed with a detail of the character data;

the gaming machine comprising;

a data updating device which writes changed character data into the semiconductor memory in the trading card in response to a change in the character data according to a state of proceeding with the game;

a printing device which prints a detail of the changed character data onto the surface of the trading card; and

an erasing device which erases the detail of the character data printed previously when the printing device prints the detail of the changed character data onto the surface of the trading card.

2. A gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein, when printing the detail of the changed character data onto the surface of the trading card, the printing device is utilized so as to add the detail of the changed character data to the detail of the character data printed previously.

3. A gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising a trading card moving device having a slot which inserts and discharges the trading card, the trading card moving device moving the trading card inserted in the slot into the gaming machine.

4. A gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor memory in the trading card comprises a flash memory.

5. A plurality of gaming machines arranged in parallel, wherein at least one of the gaming machines comprises:

a data updating device which writes changed character data into a semiconductor memory in a trading card in response to a change in the character data according to a state of proceeding with a game;

a printing device which prints a detail of the changed character data onto the surface of the trading card; and

an erasing device which erases the detail of the character data printed previously when the printing device prints the detail of the changed character data onto the surface of the trading card.

6. A game system comprising:

a trading card with a semiconductor memory which stores character data of a character and has a surface printed with a detail of the character data;

a game controlling device which proceeds with a game according to the character data stored in the trading card with the semiconductor memory and a control signal from a controller;

a data updating device which writes changed character data in the trading card with the semiconductor memory in response to a change in the character data according to a state of proceeding with the game;

a printing device which prints a detail of the changed character data on to the surface of the trading card; and

an erasing device which erases the detail of the character data printed previously when the printing device prints the detail of the changed character data onto the surface of the trading card.

7. A game system according to claim 6, wherein, when printing the detail of the changed character data onto the surface of the trading card, the printing device is utilized so as to add the detail of the changed character data to the detail of the character data printed previously.

8. A game system according to claim 6, further comprising a trading card moving device having a slot which inserts and discharges the trading card, the trading card moving device moving the trading card inserted in the slot into the game system.

9. A gaming machine according to claim 6, wherein said semiconductor memory in the trading card comprises a flash memory.

10. A plurality of game systems arranged in parallel, wherein at least one of the game systems comprises:

a trading card with a semiconductor memory which stores character data of a character and a surface printed with a detail of the character data;

a game controlling device which proceeds with a game according to the character data stored in the trading card with the semiconductor memory and a control signal from a controller;

a data updating device which writes changed character data in the trading card with the semiconductor memory in response to a change in the character data according to a state of proceeding with the game;

a printing device which prints a detail of the changed character data onto the surface of the trading card; and

an erasing device which erases the detail of the character data printed previously when the printing device prints the detail of the changed character data onto the surface of the trading card.

11. A plurality of game systems in accordance with claim 10, wherein said semiconductor memory in the trading card comprises a flash memory.

12. A gaming machine for providing a game played with a trading card with a semiconductor memory which stores character data of a character and a surface printed with a detail of the character data;

the gaming machine comprising;

updating means for writing changed character data in the trading card with the semiconductor memory in response to a change in the character data according to a state of proceeding with the game;

printing means for printing a detail of the changed character data on to the surface of the trading card; and

erasing means for erasing the detail of the character data printed previously when the printing means prints the detail of the changed character data onto the surface of the trading card.

13. A gaming machine according to claim 12, wherein said semiconductor memory in the trading card comprises a flash memory.

14. A game system comprising:

a trading card with a semiconductor memory which stores character data of a character and has a surface printed with a detail of the character data;

game controlling means for proceeding with a game according to the character data stored in the trading card with the semiconductor memory and a control signal from a controller;

updating means for writing changed character data in the trading card with the semiconductor memory in response to a change in the character data according to a state of proceeding with the game;

printing means for printing a detail of the changed character data onto the surface of the trading card; and

erasing means for erasing the detail of the character data printed previously when the printing means prints the detail of the changed character data onto the surface of the trading card.

15. A gaming machine according to claim 14, wherein said semiconductor memory in the trading card comprises a flash memory.