Children enjoy a variety of imaginative play activities that incorporate models and characters that may be manipulated to simulate real life activities. Children also typically prefer to play games that have several play options, and may be played in many different ways. It is therefore desirable to provide children with toys and games that both simulate activities the children are not yet able to participate in themselves while stimulating their imaginations with several play options. One way of increasing the available play options is to provide toys and games with multiple elements that may be combined in many ways. With today's increasingly technologically savvy children, it is also possible to increase playtime enjoyment by coordinating physical play items with computer-implemented games and game themes.
The present disclosure is directed to a computer-implemented fashion game configured to interact with machine readable, combinable trading cards, to incorporate computer-readable card information within the computer game. Examples of computer games interacting with machine-readable cards, and of interactive fashion computer systems include those disclosed and described in: U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,081,033, 6,967,566, 6,761,637, 6,709,336, 6,612,501, 6,200,216, 5,680,528, 4,546,434, U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. US20060031119, US20050052238, US20040166913, US20040002387, US20030016844, US20020022506, and US20020178061; and PCT Publication Nos. WO0148580, WO0146911, WO0247013, WO03057328, WO03043709, and WO2006038905. Exemplary card holders and photo organizers are disclosed and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,777,748, 4,787,162, and 4,993,179. The complete disclosures of the above patents and patent application publications are herein incorporated by reference for all purposes.
The present disclosure relates generally to computer-readable trading cards. More specifically, it relates to computer-readable trading cards whose encoded information is displayed and manipulated in a computer-based play activity. As well, the present disclosure describes a card compiler or organizer configured to allow a user to progress through a compilation of cards and select individual cards or sets of cards for use in the computer game.
The opaque design components embody elements of a fashion game, and may be configured as portions of a fashion scene. For example, the opaque design components could take the form of a mannequin, or body, 32, a full-body dress 34, a clothing top 36, a clothing bottom 38, a pair of shoes or other footwear 40, and one or more accessories 42. By having opaque design components on a transparent background, the cards may be used to form a complete fashion ensemble by layering them one atop the other. Tomy and/or Takara of Japan market this general type of transparent, color-coded fashion overlay cards under the names “Mille Feuille” and/or “Kirarin,” and similar disclosures are found in WO03057328.
As illustrated in the lower left corner of
Alternatively, other combinations may be assembled, and the order of elements may be varied within the stacked cards. For example, to continue building up a fashion ensemble, a game player may progressively layer cards having shoes 40, a top 36, a bottom 38, and/or a number of accessories, 42, such as a computer and a handbag. Again, because the cards include opaque components printed or otherwise embodied on a transparent card body, layering them one atop another will allow the opaque portion of any one card to be seen from above the stack of layered cards (unless, of course, two cards from the same class of cards are used; for example, layering two cards having tops 36 might allow only the component of the uppermost card to be seen). As well, since the game cards are primarily composed of a transparent card body 26, it may be possible to see the opaque design component 24 from the back surface of the card.
Card border 30 might be any color or design that makes for an attractive game card and it may or may not include game information in its design. For example, a portion of the border 30 might be a combination code element 44 having multiple combination code portions 46. The combination code element 44 might take, for example, the form of a shamrock or other image having multiple portions. In this manner, the combination code could be used to signify which cards may be used to form a cohesive set or fashion ensemble.
As seen in
The back surface of each card may include a design code 50, such as barcode 52. The design code 50 may be unique for each opaque design component on the front of the card. On the other hand, the design code 50 might be unique for each class of opaque design components. In the embodiment shown, each design code 50 is unique for each opaque design component 24.
Typically, the design code 50 will be placed on a portion of the card such that it is backed by an opaque design component. In this way, a design code 50 that is embodied as a barcode 52 will have a solid-colored background, making it easier to scan by card scanner 16. Because the design code 50 may be scanned by a computing system, it may be thought of as machine-readable information for each card.
Carrying case 54 may include a number of “pages” 64 including a number of card pockets 66. Each card pocket may include a pocket tab 68 useful for manipulating the position of the card pocket (i.e. turning the pocket “page”). Each card pocket may be single-layered, or a card pocket 66 may be multi-layered, with each card pocket layer having an associated tab 68, such that multiple sets of cards may be stored at the same level of a given page (as in the drawing).
Carrying case 54 may also include a pocket 70 useful for holding a CD, DVD, or other media on which game software may be stored. In the illustrated embodiment, the pocket is broad and thin so that it may contain a CD, DVD, or other thin media. In other embodiments, the pocket may be sized for a different type of media.
Carrying case 54 may also include one or more straps or restraints 72 to hold securely a card scanner. In the illustrated embodiment, the straps 72 are of elastic construction so that they may hold securely a scanner and its associated USB cord even if the scanner and cord are wrapped loosely, are not wrapped, or are wrapped tightly.
Finally, carrying case 54 may include a number of card straps 74 suitable for holding a deck of cards that are not otherwise secured in the carrying case (i.e. not placed in card pockets 66 or another convenient location).
Top shell 76 may include a release button 84 that moves in a button hole 86. Slider knob 80 and release button 84, as described below, may be used to move and place cards 12 held in the card compiler. For example, an individual card 22 may be viewed through a left window 88, and then slid to be stored adjacent a right window 90. If desired, release button 84 may allow a user of card compiler 14 to drop a particular card 22 into a small tray 92, beneath window 88. Alternatively, slider knob 80 may allow a user to slide the card into the region beneath right window 90, where the card is automatically released and stored in a large tray 94. Dropping several cards sequentially into small tray 92 allows combinations of cards 22 to be viewed.
Small tray 92 may be associated with a release button 96 on shell 76. Small tray 92 may include a catch hole 98, which may cooperate with button 96 to keep the small tray in the card compiler body. Large tray 94 may include another release button 100. Of course, other locations for the release buttons may be used and other release mechanisms may be used. Because the small tray and the large tray are reversibly couplable to the body of the card compiler, these trays may be considered frame portions of the card compiler.
Release tabs 106 may be useful in retaining a set of collected cards in the small tray when it is removed from the card compiler body. To remove collected cards from the small tray 92, a user may insert a finger or another object from the backside of tray 92 through the access hole 106. Doing so may cause one or more collected cards to be pushed upwards past release tabs 106, allowing the cards to be removed from small tray 92.
Also seen in this drawing is a guide tab 112, which guides the small tray 92 as it is placed into the card compiler body, and which may contact a spring-loaded portion (128, in
The large tray may also include an adjustable carry plate 116, supported by a number of springs 118, so that the large tray may accommodate a deck of cards of variable thickness. The carry plate may include a lower flange, or downward-angled portion 120. The downward-angled portion may be configured on the carry plate such that it is presented toward the center of the card compiler, placing it in a position where it may receive a card destined for the bottom of a deck held in the large tray (as described below).
On the bottom surface of the plate there may be included a retainer element 128. The retainer element may be spring-loaded (with the spring not shown) so that the retainer element may provide snug contact with a tray 92 (or tray 94) inserted into the card compiler. If the retainer element is spring loaded in the direction of insertion of a card tray, then retainer element 128 may also provide in initial propulsive force to assist in removal of the subject tray from the card compiler when a release button for the tray is pushed.
Card shelves 130 may be present on either side of the card compiler and may be coupled to the guide bars 126. In the illustrated embodiment, card shelves 130 are coupled to support plates 132, which in turn are coupled to spring-loaded forcing tabs 134, to which reversible force is applied by springs 136. For example, one support plate 132 may be coupled across the bottom of plate 78 to its forcing tab 134 by a connective structure 138.
Because support plates 132 are spring loaded at forcing tabs 134, they may be reversibly moved apart. Initially, the forcing tabs 134 of a pair of support plates 132 will be forced closer together by their associated springs, causing the interface between the forcing tabs to form a slot 140, and (since coupled to the support plates) a relatively close positioning of the card shelves 130. Typically, card shelves 130, in this configuration, will be slightly closer together than the dimensions of a card that they are supporting.
When a user depresses release button 84 on an upper surface of the card compiler, the release button may actuate an insertion tab 160 (shown in
In this configuration, the card shelves may be slightly farther apart than the dimensions of a supported card, allowing the card to drop down from the card shelves 130 into a waiting small tray 92 by the force of gravity; this transfers the card from the moving frame to the small tray (or from one frame portion to another). Insertion tab 160 may be spring-biased away from slot 140 by a spring 161, allowing the shelves to normally be in a relatively closed configuration.
As seen in
For instance, when a card is coming from the top of a deck of cards in a large tray in the right half 124 of the card compiler, the card will travel over horizontal director section 144 of the director. After passing over the horizontal director section 144, the card will reach the card shelves 130 of support plates 132. Because the horizontal director section 144 in the embodiment shown is slightly above card shelves 130, the moved card will drop down slightly onto the card shelves when its trailing edge passes the terminus of the horizontal director section 144. At this point, release button 84 may be depressed, forcing downward insertion tab 160, spacing apart forcing tabs 134, spacing apart card shelves 130, and dropping the selected card into a small tray 92 at the left half 122.
Alternatively, a user may not desire to keep the moved card and may desire to return it to the card deck so that a new card may be moved and inspected. In this case, the card will be slid back toward the right half 124 of the card compiler. However, because the card is at a slightly lower position that that occupied by horizontal director section 144, it may instead impact a leading edge of an angled director section 146. Angled director section 146, as its name suggests, is placed such that it may direct a non-selected card from a relatively higher position, such as at card shelves 130, to a lower position, such as the bottom of a deck of cards in a large tray at right half 124, when the card is moved from the left to the right half of the card compiler. In this manner, the deck of cards may be circularly rearranged by selective movement of cards from the right half 124 of the card compiler to the left half 122 of the card compiler, and back again. In the described embodiment, the deck of cards may be circularly rearranged from top to bottom (i.e. a card is removed from the top of the deck and replaced at the bottom of the deck).
Top shell 76 may include a moving frame 148 suitable for removing a single card from one part of a deck of cards and replacing it at a different location in the deck of cards. Moving frame 148 may include one or more picking arms 150, each having a capture edge 152 that is approximately the depth of a card to be removed from a deck of cards. The picking arm 150 may be spring-biased (by a spring not shown in the drawing) such that it is maintained in frictional contact with a card to be removed from a deck of cards when the moving frame is being used to remove the card.
In the illustrated embodiment, picking arm 150 may be pushed down upon a top card of a deck of cards so that the top card may be slid off the deck of cards and moved to a different location in the card compiler. Moving frame 148, in concert with picking arm 150, may remove the top card from a deck of cards in the right half 124 of the card compiler and move the card to the left half 122 of the card compiler. If the card is not selected, it will be readied for movement back to the right half 124 of the compiler by residing on card shelves 130 such that the leading edge of the card is near the leading edge of the angled director section 146 of director element 142.
To move the card along the downward-angled portion of the angled director section 146, the moving frame 150 may include one or more push arms 154. The push arms may engage a trailing edge of the card to be moved from the left half 122 to the right half 124 of the card compiler, such that when the moving frame is moved in a rightward direction, push arms 154 push the card ahead of them and the card moves downward (guided by the angled director section 146).
Finally, top shell 76 may include tab 162 which may cooperate with small tray 92 to keep the small tray in the card compiler body. Tab 162 may be coupled to button 96. In a default configuration, tab 162 may insert into catch hole 98, retaining the tray in the card compiler. When button 96 is depressed or otherwise manipulated, tab may be moved out of coupling with catch hole 98, allowing removal of small tray 92 to be initiated. Small tray 92 may be removed entirely manually, or its removal may be initiated by spring-loaded retainer 128.
In the illustrated embodiment, large tray 94 is configured such that the bottom of a large deck of cards is relatively close to the lower edge of angled director section 146 (because of the accommodating, spring-loaded nature of plate 116) and, thus, a card passing along the angled director section 146 will be transferred to the bottom of the nearby deck of cards. Close inspection of plate 116 of
As shown in
Returning to
The card scanner body may include top portions 166 mounted on a bottom plate 172. In the embodiment shown, top portions 166 are embodied as first and second top halves 168 and 170. Close placement of halves 168 and 170 may form a slot 174, into which a card 22 may be placed.
One half 168 of the card scanner might include electronics for reading a barcode 52 embodiment of a design code on a back surface of a card 22. The electronics might include an LED 176 that may be configured to scan a barcode 52 slid between the LED and a background panel 178 in another half of the scanner body.
Thus, to read a barcode 52 embodiment of a design code 50 on a card 22, the card may be run through the slot 174, past the LED 176. Simultaneously, the background plate 178 may provide a good background for reading the design code 50 if it is a barcode 52. Machine-readable information in the barcode 52 may then be sent through the USB connection cord 164 to a computing system 18 for use in further game play. Although discussed as providing for the scanning of a barcode 288 design code, it is clear that other scanning element/information code combinations may be used to similar effect (for example, an RFID reader and an RFID chip could be used, among other possibilities).
The user may then slide the slider knob 80 so that it moves an associated moving frame 148 such that a picking arm 150 on the moving frame is coupled to a single card in the deck of cards in the large tray. The user may then slide the slider knob 80 to the left, bringing the associated moving frame 148 to a location in the left window 88, such that the card picked from the deck of cards by the picking arm is now above the small tray 92. Because the single card moves over the director element 142, it may drop down onto card shelves 130.
If the user desires to retain, or select, the card in the small tray 92, the user may then push release button 84 to drop the card from the card shelves 130 into the small tray 92. If the user does not desire to select the card taken from the deck of cards, the user may slide the knob 80 back toward the right window.
Sliding a card from left to right will cause the card to be pushed by the push arms 154 of the moving frame 148, and to impact upon the angled director section 146 of the director element 142. Because the angled director section 146 is angled downward toward the bottom of the deck of cards held in large tray 94, the non-selected card will be placed at the bottom of the deck of cards in the large tray below window 90.
A user may repeat this selecting step 180 as many times as desired and, thus, progressively remove cards from a deck of cards in the right window and place them in the small tray underneath the left window or at the bottom of the original deck of cards (resulting in a circular rearrangement of that deck). For example, the user may select a second card 182 using this process, select a third card 184 using this process, and so on.
If a user begins with a mannequin or body card, placing it as the first card in the small tray 92, the user may then progressively build up a fashion ensemble in the left window by removing cards from the large tray on the right and placing them in the small tray on the left; because the main body of each card is transparent, the compatible elements of a fashion ensemble may all be seen when the cards are layered.
Once a card or cards of a fashion ensemble is selected, the user may commence scanning 186 the information from the card into a computer, so that the information on the card may be used in a computer-implemented fashion game. To get card information into a computer, the user may take a selected card 22 and insert it or otherwise seat it in a slot 174 on a card scanner 16. The user may then slide the selected card 22 through the slot, passing the card so that the design code 50 on the card (for example, barcode 52) is exposed to a scanning element (e.g., LED 176) in the card scanner.
In the illustrated embodiment, the barcode 52 is moved between an LED 176 and a background panel 178 so that the card scanner may read the barcode effectively. In this way, a user scans the design code 186 on the first card chosen. If the user desires to select more cards and input the cards' information into a computer system associated with the card scanner, the user may scan a design code on a second card 188, scan a design code on a third card 190, and so on.
Finally, a computer 18 or system of computers 18 may utilize the input from the design codes 50 of the selected cards 22 in displaying 192 the computer-based design components on a display associated with the computer; the displayed components may correspond to the card-based opaque design components 24 associated with each design code 50 that was input to the computer.
For example, each computer 18, or one or more computers in a system of computers 18, may include software configured to utilize chosen input design components in a computer-implemented fashion game. The software may reside natively on each computer, be installed over a network connection or cable, or be stored on a removable media device (for example, a CD, a DVD, a flash memory, or any other appropriate memory) for loading into a computer when a user wishes to play a fashion game. The software implemented in computer 18 may include instructions which allow the computer to present a background image or environment on a computer-controlled display, and then to add the input design components to that environment so that a game may be played. For every input design component, the computer may add a component to the computer-controlled display.
Alternatively, or in addition, a play background may be a model-building location or a dressing room in which a player designs an outfit from scratch and combines it with a model, or into which a game user scans outfit components for use in dressing a figure. For example, a user may be presented with a number of design components 196 that have appearances similar to, the same as, or somewhat different than opaque design components 24 present on a number of game cards 22.
As well, a user may be presented with one or more models 194 to be dressed or accessorized with design components 196. As noted above, individual members of each class of the elements noted (design components, models, backgrounds) may be input to the computing environment through a number of game cards with computer-readable codes (e.g. barcodes 52 scanned by card scanner 16).
Alternatively, or in addition, the software used in the computer 18 or computer system of multiple computers 18 may already include members of the classes of elements noted, such that they are implemented in the game environment in the absence of the scanning of cards. Additionally, a user could purchase or download additional class members as a way of supplementing the class members on a deck of cards or present in the computing environment.
Although the present invention has been shown and described with reference to the foregoing operational principles and preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances. The subject matter of the present invention includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein. Inventions embodied in various combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed through presentation of claims in a subsequent application.
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/926,558 entitled “COMPUTER FASHION GAME WITH MACHINE READABLE TRADING CARDS,” filed Apr. 27, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
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