U.S. Pat. No. 8,033,901

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

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.

Additional Example Embodiments

FIGS. 1a-7show an electronic game system in accordance with one or more embodiments. Preferably, the system100includes a base station102operable to communicate with an electronic system104; however, a base station102is not required. The electronic system104is preferably a general purpose computer; however, the electronic system can be a game console. The electronic game system100also preferably includes a first character unit106a(or106) operable to communicate with the base station102. The first character unit106astores data associated with a first character. In one embodiment, the system100also includes a second character unit106boperable to communicate with the base station102. The second character unit106bstores data associated with a second character.

The data associated with the first and second characters is utilized to play a game using the electronic system104. 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 units106store 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 unit106is not required to store any such information. Further, in various embodiments, a character unit106stores 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 unit106has a limited or fixed number of accesses to an online game or game site, and a user must purchase additional character units106or purchase additional access privileges for the character unit106to 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 unit106can play an unlimited amount of offline games; however, a character unit106can 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 units106the 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 units106registered to a user and/or which specific character units106or types of character units106are registered to the user. In another embodiment, having the same amount of points and/or credits associated with one character unit106registered 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 units106registered to the user.

Preferably, the first character unit106ahas a substantially similar appearance to the first character in the game; however, the first character unit106acan have any suitable appearance. In one embodiment, character unit106has a USB connector108for connecting to a base station102and/or an electronic system104; however, a character unit106can connect to a base station102and/or an electronic system104wirelessly (e.g., RFID, Blue Tooth, etc.) or using any other suitable connector such as one or more electronic contacts124. Preferably, the USB connector108is concealed by a removable or movable head110of a character unit106; however, the USB connector108can be located conspicuously or inconspicuously in any suitable location.

Preferably, when a character unit106is inserted into a base station102and/or an electronic system104, a game associated with the character unit106is automatically started on the electronic system104or a character and/or additional game features or access associated with the character unit106are automatically provided to a game already started on the electronic system104; however, any suitable operation, including no operation, can take place when a character unit106is inserted into a base station102and/or an electronic system104.

Preferably, the base station102has a character appearance; however, the base station102is not required to have a character appearance. The character appearance of the base station102can 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 station102, or any other suitable appearance. Preferably, the first character unit106ais removably attachable to the base station102; however, the first character unit106ais not required to be removably attachable to the base station102. Further, the first character unit106ais preferably removably attachable to the base station102at an accessible location inside the head112of the base station102; however, the first character unit106acan be removably attachable to any suitable location on or within the base station102, 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 station102is configured to only enable one character unit106to attach to the base station102at a time. However, in another embodiment, the base station102is configured to enable the first character unit106aand the second character unit106bto be attached to the base station at the same time. Further, the base station102can be configured to enable the first character unit106aand the second character unit106bto be attached to the base station102at 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 unit106aattaches to a USB port of the base station102; however, the first character unit106acan connect wirelessly or through any other suitable wired connection or port such as one or more electronic connectors. Preferably, the base station102is removably attachable to a USB port of the electronic system104, for example by a USB cable; however, the base station102can connect to the electronic system104wirelessly or using any suitable wired connection or port.

Character Unit Embodiments—Base Station Optional

In one embodiment, a character unit106is provided. The character unit106preferably includes a housing configured to resemble a character in a game and a communication device108operable to communicate with an electronic system104; however, the character unit106can have any suitable appearance and is not required to have such a communication device108. Preferably, the electronic system104is used to play the game (e.g., online or offline) and the electronic system104is in communication with a network114. The character unit106also 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 world120having an area118associated with the character and viewable by a plurality of players of the game via the network114; however, the game is not required to include such a game world120.

Preferably, the communication device108communicates with the electronic system104through a base station102; however, the communication device can communicate with the electronic system104directly, if desired. In one embodiment, the character unit106is removably attachable to a USB port of the base station102; however the character unit106can be attachable to any suitable portion of the base station102, such as one or more electronic connectors, and the character unit106is not required to be removably attachable to a USB port of the base station102.

Preferably, the network114is the Internet; however, the network114is not required to be the Internet and can be any suitable network. Preferably, a character or player associated with the character unit106can accumulate virtual items116by playing one or more games; however, such a game feature is not required. Further, the virtual items116or other indicators of the player or character's record of game play can be displayed to a plurality of other players in an area118of a game or game world120. Virtual items116can be furniture, decorative items, weapons, cars, signs or any other suitable items.

Preferably, the game world120includes a plurality of areas122; however the game world120is not required to have a plurality of areas. Further, access to the areas122is preferably restricted. A player preferably gains access to game areas122by attaching a character unit106with access privileges to the area122to the base station102; however, a player can be granted access to a game area122in any suitable manner, including but not limited to earning access by accomplishing tasks in a game or accumulating a collection of virtual items116or points.

Base Station Embodiments—Character Units Optional

In one embodiment, a base station102is provided. The base station102preferably includes a housing and a first communication device operable to communicate with an electronic system104. Preferably, electronic system104is used to play a game and is in communication with a network114. Preferably, the base station102stores game data which enables a player to play the game using the electronic system104; however, such game data can be stored on the electronic system104, a portable storage medium or downloaded from the network114. Alternatively, the base station102requires a character unit106to enable game play.

The base station102also includes a second communication device operable to communicate with a first character unit106a. Similar to as described above, the first character unit106ais 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 station102also includes a third communication device operable to communicate with a second character unit106b. It should be noted that in other embodiments, a base station102can have any suitable number of communication devices for communicating with any suitable number of character units106and/or other base stations102. Also similar to as described above, the second character unit106bis 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 station102; however, the housing can have any suitable appearance.

Preferably, the first character unit106ais removably connectable to a first USB port of the base station102; however, the first character unit106acan be connected to the base station102in any suitable manner and the first character unit106ais not required to be connected to the base station102. 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 station102also includes a second USB port operable to connect to the second character unit106blocated 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 station102or character unit106to an electronic system104. Preferably, game play is initiated automatically; however, game play can be initiated in any suitable manner. Preferably, game play involves a virtual world120in which a player plays one or more games, explores one or more game areas122and 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 unit106to a base station102; however, in other embodiments, a user can attach two or more character units106to a base station102to access and/or play a game using the characters associated with the attached character units106. For example, a player playing a maze game and encountering an obstacle can attach another character unit106associated 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 units106can be opponents or allies in head-to-head or multi-player games. It should be noted that when two character units106are used to play a game, in various embodiments the character units106can be attached sequentially and/or simultaneously.

Preferably, a player is able to accumulate prizes, awards or items116by playing a game and is further able to display some or all of these prizes, awards or items116in a room118or 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.