Patent Application
20080085773
In one embodiment, a game system is provided. Preferably, the game system includes a computer; however, a computer is not required. The game system also preferably includes a base station in communication with the computer; however, a base station is not required. Preferably, the base station stores game information used by the computer to play a game; however, the base station is not required to store game information. Game information can additionally or alternatively be provided by a portable storage medium such as a CD; however, game information is not required to be provided by either a base station or a portable storage medium.
The game system also includes one or more character units. Preferably, character units include information associated with a character in a game. The information can include game information, character information and/or player information. Game information can include game code to be executed (e.g., offline or online) on the computer, access information useable by the computer to access a game or access portions of a game or to delineate access privileges, or any other suitable information associated with one or more games. Character information can include character appearance in one or more games, character attributes, items available to the character, score, points, level, game world areas or games accessible to the character, or any other suitable information associated with a character. Player information can include a player's name, user name, contact information, associated characters, game access privileges, awards, information about a virtual trophy area or other personal area within one or more games, or any other suitable information associated with a player.
Preferably, the appearance of a character in one or more games is substantially similar to the appearance of a character unit with which the character is associated; however, a character and a character unit can have any suitable appearance.
a-7 show an electronic game system in accordance with one or more embodiments. Preferably, the system 100 includes a base station 102 operable to communicate with an electronic system 104; however, a base station 102 is not required. The electronic system 104 is preferably a general purpose computer; however, the electronic system can be a game console. The electronic game system 100 also preferably includes a first character unit 106a (or 106) operable to communicate with the base station 102. The first character unit 106a stores data associated with a first character. In one embodiment, the system 100 also includes a second character unit 106b operable to communicate with the base station 102. The second character unit 106b stores data associated with a second character.
The data associated with the first and second characters is utilized to play a game using the electronic system 104. Preferably, the data includes one or more images of the character; however, the data is not required to include an image of the character. In one embodiment, a character unit stores four images or sprites of a character, a front, side, back and top view; however, in other embodiments, other numbers of images and other views are stored. Preferably, images of the character are stored as write-protected to prevent alteration; however, images of characters or copies of images of characters can be stored in a character unit as writeable or in any other suitable manner.
In various embodiments, character units 106 store a character identifier, a game (e.g., a flash based game, a logic game, a puzzle game, a maze game, an arcade-like game, a memory game, a turned game, a non-turned game, an Internet based or other online game, an offline game, a one-player game, a two-player game, a multi-player game, etc.) or information used to access or play a game, game information (e.g., scores; levels; awarded items; accessible game areas; number of game accesses, score uploads or prize redemptions available when such accesses, uploads or redemptions are limited or fixed; game privileges; etc.) or character information (e.g., character attributes, character abilities, character possessions, user identifier associated with the character, etc.); however a character unit 106 is not required to store any such information. Further, in various embodiments, a character unit 106 stores the information in any suitable storage device, including but not limited to digital memory chips or electronic component arrangements including one or more resistors. In one embodiment, a character unit 106 has a limited or fixed number of accesses to an online game or game site, and a user must purchase additional character units 106 or purchase additional access privileges for the character unit 106 to continue accessing the online game or game site after the limited or fixed number is reached; however, in other embodiments, the limited or fixed number of accesses is not required. Preferably, a character unit 106 can play an unlimited amount of offline games; however, a character unit 106 can be limited in the number of offline games it is able to play, similar to the number of accesses to an online game in the above embodiment, if desired.
Preferably, a user can register the character units 106 the user possesses; however, such registration is not a required feature in several embodiments. In one embodiment, rewards, game privileges and other game features or real world prizes available to a user are at least partly determined by the number of character units 106 registered to a user and/or which specific character units 106 or types of character units 106 are registered to the user. In another embodiment, having the same amount of points and/or credits associated with one character unit 106 registered to a user results in less desirable rewards, game privileges and other game features or real world prizes being available to a user than if the user has the same amount of points and/or credits associated with a plurality of character units 106 registered to the user.
Preferably, the first character unit 106a has a substantially similar appearance to the first character in the game; however, the first character unit 106a can have any suitable appearance. In one embodiment, character unit 106 has a USB connector 108 for connecting to a base station 102 and/or an electronic system 104; however, a character unit 106 can connect to a base station 102 and/or an electronic system 104 wirelessly (e.g., RFID, Blue Tooth, etc.) or using any other suitable connector such as one or more electronic contacts 124. Preferably, the USB connector 108 is concealed by a removable or movable head 110 of a character unit 106; however, the USB connector 108 can be located conspicuously or inconspicuously in any suitable location.
Preferably, when a character unit 106 is inserted into a base station 102 and/or an electronic system 104, a game associated with the character unit 106 is automatically started on the electronic system 104 or a character and/or additional game features or access associated with the character unit 106 are automatically provided to a game already started on the electronic system 104; however, any suitable operation, including no operation, can take place when a character unit 106 is inserted into a base station 102 and/or an electronic system 104.
Preferably, the base station 102 has a character appearance; however, the base station 102 is not required to have a character appearance. The character appearance of the base station 102 can be similar to the appearance of one or more character units, similar to another character in a game associated with or played using the base station 102, or any other suitable appearance. Preferably, the first character unit 106a is removably attachable to the base station 102; however, the first character unit 106a is not required to be removably attachable to the base station 102. Further, the first character unit 106a is preferably removably attachable to the base station 102 at an accessible location inside the head 112 of the base station 102; however, the first character unit 106a can be removably attachable to any suitable location on or within the base station 102, including but not limited to an exterior or interior portion of a body part of the character appearance such as the head, a limb, the torso or any other suitable location.
In one embodiment, the base station 102 is configured to only enable one character unit 106 to attach to the base station 102 at a time. However, in another embodiment, the base station 102 is configured to enable the first character unit 106a and the second character unit 106b to be attached to the base station at the same time. Further, the base station 102 can be configured to enable the first character unit 106a and the second character unit 106b to be attached to the base station 102 at the same time and at the same body part of the character appearance; however, such a configuration is not required. In one embodiment, the first character unit 106a attaches to a USB port of the base station 102; however, the first character unit 106a can connect wirelessly or through any other suitable wired connection or port such as one or more electronic connectors. Preferably, the base station 102 is removably attachable to a USB port of the electronic system 104, for example by a USB cable; however, the base station 102 can connect to the electronic system 104 wirelessly or using any suitable wired connection or port.
In one embodiment, a character unit 106 is provided. The character unit 106 preferably includes a housing configured to resemble a character in a game and a communication device 108 operable to communicate with an electronic system 104; however, the character unit 106 can have any suitable appearance and is not required to have such a communication device 108. Preferably, the electronic system 104 is used to play the game (e.g., online or offline) and the electronic system 104 is in communication with a network 114. The character unit 106 also preferably includes a memory unit configured to store data associated with the character; however, the memory unit of a character unit can store any suitable data. The data is used to play the game, and the game preferably includes a game world 120 having an area 118 associated with the character and viewable by a plurality of players of the game via the network 114; however, the game is not required to include such a game world 120.
Preferably, the communication device 108 communicates with the electronic system 104 through a base station 102; however, the communication device can communicate with the electronic system 104 directly, if desired. In one embodiment, the character unit 106 is removably attachable to a USB port of the base station 102; however the character unit 106 can be attachable to any suitable portion of the base station 102, such as one or more electronic connectors, and the character unit 106 is not required to be removably attachable to a USB port of the base station 102.
Preferably, the network 114 is the Internet; however, the network 114 is not required to be the Internet and can be any suitable network. Preferably, a character or player associated with the character unit 106 can accumulate virtual items 116 by playing one or more games; however, such a game feature is not required. Further, the virtual items 116 or other indicators of the player or character's record of game play can be displayed to a plurality of other players in an area 118 of a game or game world 120. Virtual items 116 can be furniture, decorative items, weapons, cars, signs or any other suitable items.
Preferably, the game world 120 includes a plurality of areas 122; however the game world 120 is not required to have a plurality of areas. Further, access to the areas 122 is preferably restricted. A player preferably gains access to game areas 122 by attaching a character unit 106 with access privileges to the area 122 to the base station 102; however, a player can be granted access to a game area 122 in any suitable manner, including but not limited to earning access by accomplishing tasks in a game or accumulating a collection of virtual items 116 or points.
In one embodiment, a base station 102 is provided. The base station 102 preferably includes a housing and a first communication device operable to communicate with an electronic system 104. Preferably, electronic system 104 is used to play a game and is in communication with a network 114. Preferably, the base station 102 stores game data which enables a player to play the game using the electronic system 104; however, such game data can be stored on the electronic system 104, a portable storage medium or downloaded from the network 114. Alternatively, the base station 102 requires a character unit 106 to enable game play.
The base station 102 also includes a second communication device operable to communicate with a first character unit 106a. Similar to as described above, the first character unit 106a is preferably configured to resemble a first character in the game and to store first data associated with the first character. The first data is preferably used to play the game. In some embodiments, the base station 102 also includes a third communication device operable to communicate with a second character unit 106b. It should be noted that in other embodiments, a base station 102 can have any suitable number of communication devices for communicating with any suitable number of character units 106 and/or other base stations 102. Also similar to as described above, the second character unit 106b is preferably configured to resemble a second character in the game and to store second data associated with the second character. The second data is preferably used to play the game.
Preferably, the housing is shaped similarly to the first character unit; however, the housing can have any suitable shape. Preferably, the housing resembles one or more characters of a game playable using the base station 102; however, the housing can have any suitable appearance.
Preferably, the first character unit 106a is removably connectable to a first USB port of the base station 102; however, the first character unit 106a can be connected to the base station 102 in any suitable manner and the first character unit 106a is not required to be connected to the base station 102. Preferably, the first USB port is located at an exterior or interior portion of a body part of the housing including but not limited to a head, a limb and a torso. In one embodiment, the base station 102 also includes a second USB port operable to connect to the second character unit 106b located at a same body part as the first USB port; however the first and second USB ports (or other suitable connectors such as one or more electronic connectors) can be located in any suitable location.
Exemplary Game Play
In one embodiment, game play is initiated by connecting a base station 102 or character unit 106 to an electronic system 104. Preferably, game play is initiated automatically; however, game play can be initiated in any suitable manner. Preferably, game play involves a virtual world 120 in which a player plays one or more games, explores one or more game areas 122 and decorates a room or “crib” associated with a player; however, game play can involve any suitable features and can involve online or offline features.
In one embodiment, a user can only attach one character unit 106 to a base station 102; however, in other embodiments, a user can attach two or more character units 106 to a base station 102 to access and/or play a game using the characters associated with the attached character units 106. For example, a player playing a maze game and encountering an obstacle can attach another character unit 106 associated with a character having the ability to circumvent or eliminate the obstacle. The player can then use the additional character to circumvent or eliminate the obstacle. Alternatively, additional characters added by attaching additional character units 106 can be opponents or allies in head-to-head or multi-player games. It should be noted that when two character units 106 are used to play a game, in various embodiments the character units 106 can be attached sequentially and/or simultaneously.
Preferably, a player is able to accumulate prizes, awards or items 116 by playing a game and is further able to display some or all of these prizes, awards or items 116 in a room 118 or other game world area associated with the player that is viewable to other players; however, the player is not required to have such an ability.
It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.
