Interactive video game system comprising toys with rewritable memories
AssigneeActivision Publishing, Inc.
InventorsPaul Reiche, Ray West, Robert Leyland, Daniel Neil, Kern Corrigan
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Abstract
The invention disclosed herein relates to a video game system comprising a video game console and an object or toy used in connection with the video game console, wherein the object or toy has a rewritable data storage device, and wherein the video game console stores information in the rewritable data storage device in response to game play events occurring in a first gaming session. The stored information is subsequently retrieved by the video game console in a second gaming session, and the retrieved information is used to conduct the game play of the second gaming session.
Claims28
A method useful in providing video game play using a game device, comprising:
- loading information of a game character from a first toy into the game device through a peripheral;
- providing gameplay in which the game character, controlled by a user using user inputs, encounters another game character;
- determining the occurrence of a predefined game event involving the game character and the other character;
- simulating transfer of the game character from the virtual world to the physical world in a sensory perceivable manner;
- and
- storing information of the other game character in memory of a second toy.
A system useful in providing videogame play, comprising:
- a game device including at least one processor;
- a toy including rewritable memory;
- a peripheral device in communication with the game device, the peripheral device including circuitry for wirelessly commanding reads and writes to the rewritable memory of the toy;
- the at least one processor configured by program instructions to:
- provide gameplay in which a game character under control of user inputs to the game device encounters another game character;
- detect a game play event indicating capture of the other game character;
- command writing of information relating to the other game character to the memory of the toy;
- and
- command presentation of a sensory perceptible simulated transfer of the other game character to the toy.
A peripheral device for use with a game device in providing videogame play, the peripheral device comprising:
- a housing having a region for placement of some toys and a cavity for receiving a portion of other toys;
- a first antenna for use in wirelessly communicating with toys on the flat top surface area;
- a second antenna for use in wirelessly communicating with toys having a portion received by the cavity;
- a speaker;
- and
- at least one light source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.