Interactive toys and games connecting physical and virtual play environments

A wireless interactive toy for amusing or entertaining a game participant playing a game on a wireless-compatible gaming platform wherein at least a first portion of said game is virtually represented through one or more computer-animated effects and wherein at least a second portion of said game is physically represented through one or more physical play items depicting or representing persons, characters or objects relevant to said game, said wireless interactive toy comprising:

• a physical play item depicting or representing a person, character or object that is virtually represented in a game through one or more computer-animated effects;
• non-volatile memory associated with said physical play item configured to store selected information, including at least one unique identifier that uniquely identifies said physical play item and/or said represented person, character or object within said game;
• an electrically-powered RF transceiver associated with said physical play item configured to wirelessly communicate said selected information with a wireless-compatible gaming platform over a distance greater than about 1 cm and wherein said selected information includes said at least one unique identifier;
• an electrically-powered lighting effect generator associated with said physical play item configured to produce at least one lighting effect;
• and
• at least one antenna, inductance coil or wire associated with said physical play item configured to receive electrical energy through inductive coupling when exposed to an external electromagnetic field to thereby wirelessly power said RF transceiver and said lighting effect generator;
• wherein said physical play item is further sized and configured to be selectively exposed to said external electromagnetic field to wirelessly power said RF transceiver and said lighting effect generator and thereby cause or allow said selected information stored in said non-volatile memory to be wirelessly communicated to said wireless-compatible gaming platform to activate, control or modify said one or more computer-animated effects in accordance with said game.

An interactive gaming system for entertaining a game participant playing a computer-animated game on a compatible gaming platform, said interactive gaming system comprising:

• at least one handheld gaming device comprising one or more user inputs for directing or controlling a computer-animated game;
• one or more physical gaming items depicting or representing persons, characters or objects associated with said game, each said gaming item comprising an electronically-readable radio frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising a unique identification number that uniquely identifies each said corresponding gaming item within said game;
• each said RFID tag further comprising:
• i) non-volatile programmable memory configured to store selected game-relevant information associated with each said corresponding gaming item, ii) a radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to facilitate two-way wireless communication with one or more compatible RFID reader devices, and iii) a tag antenna configured to wirelessly receive electrical energy through inductive coupling when exposed to an electromagnetic field to thereby power at least said RF transceiver;
• at least one RFID reader device configured to wirelessly power and communicate with each said RFID tag at least in part through inductive coupling with said tag antenna and wherein said wireless communication includes communication of said unique identification number and/or said selected game-relevant information;
• and
• game software comprising program instructions stored in a machine readable format and configured to be read and executed by a computing device associated with a compatible gaming platform for conducting said computer-animated game, said game software further comprising program instructions for causing said computing device to:
• i) ascertain selected game-relevant information from one or more gaming items provided within communication range of said RFID reader device, ii) use said selected game-relevant information to determine selected traits or attributes relevant to said corresponding depicted or represented persons, characters or objects, and iii) produce in the computer animation of said game said depicted or represented persons, characters or objects with said relevant selected traits or attributes in accordance with said selected game-relevant information.

A multi-layered interactive entertainment system for amusing or entertaining one or more game participants playing a game wherein at least a first layer of said game is conducted in a virtual play environment through one or more computer-animated effects and wherein at least a second layer of said game is conducted in a physical play environment, said interactive game comprising:

• a virtual play environment comprising at least one gaming console comprising a computing device configured to provide through computer-animation one or more virtual play effects, games or challenges in accordance with a first game layer conducted in said virtual play environment through one or more computer-animated effects;
• a physical play environment comprising a play structure, play space, entertainment facility, theme park, or destination resort configured to provide one or more physical play effects, games or challenges in accordance with a second game layer conducted in said physical play environment;
• one or more portable gaming items comprising an associated physical manifestation in said physical play environment and an associated virtual manifestation in said virtual play environment, each said gaming item comprising a toy depicting or representing a person, character or object relevant to a game and comprising a unique identifier uniquely identifying said toy within said game, each said gaming item further comprising a transmitter device for wirelessly transmitting a signal containing at least said unique identifier;
• at least one of said one or more gaming items comprising a hand-held wand controller comprising a wireless transmitter and one or more motion- or position-sensors and associated electronic circuitry configured to enable said game participant to cause said wireless transmitter to wirelessly transmit a signal containing sensor state data by moving the entire body of said hand-held wand controller in a waving or shaking motion;
• one or more receiver devices configured to wirelessly receive said transmitted signal and to determine from said transmitted signal at least said unique identifier;
• and
• a master control system in communication with one or more receiver devices for actuating or controlling one or more virtual play effects, games or challenges in said virtual play environment and one or more physical play effects, games or challenges in said physical play environment to provide an overall interactive entertainment experience, said master control system configured to individually track game progress or performance of one or more game participants playing said game in said physical play environment and said virtual play environment according to said transmitted signals whereby the game progress or performance of a game participant in one game layer can affect the game progress or performance of said game participant in another game layer.

A multi-layered interactive entertainment system for amusing or entertaining one or more game participants playing a game wherein at least a first layer of said game is conducted in a virtual play environment through one or more computer- animated effects and wherein at least a second layer of said game is conducted in a physical play environment, said interactive game comprising:

• a virtual play environment comprising at least one gaming console comprising a computing device configured to provide through computer- animation one or more virtual play effects, games or challenges in accordance with a first game layer conducted in said virtual play environment through one or more computer-animated effects;
• a physical play environment comprising a play structure, play space, entertainment facility, theme park, or destination resort configured to provide one or more physical play effects, games or challenges in accordance with a second game layer conducted in said physical play environment;
• one or more portable gaming items comprising an associated physical manifestation in said physical play environment and an associated virtual manifestation in said virtual play environment, each said gaming item comprising a toy depicting or representing a person, character or object relevant to a game and comprising a unique identifier uniquely identifying said toy within said game, each said gaming item further comprising a transmitter device for wirelessly transmitting a signal containing at least said unique identifier;
• one or more receiver devices configured to wirelessly receive said transmitted signal and to determine from said transmitted signal at least said unique identifier;
• an image capture and retrieval system configured to automatically capture and store digital images of each toy and/or said corresponding play participant when said unique identifier is wirelessly transmitted by said toy and received by a receiver device associated with said image capture and retrieval system;
• and
• a master control system in communication with one or more receiver devices for actuating or controlling one or more virtual play effects, games or challenges in said virtual play environment and one or more physical play effects, games or challenges in said physical play environment to provide an overall interactive entertainment experience, said master control system configured to individually track game progress or performance of one or more game participants playing said game in said physical play environment and said virtual play environment according to said transmitted signals whereby the game progress or performance of a game participant in one game layer can affect the game progress or performance of said game participant in another game layer.