U.S. patent application number 11/327771 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-19 for game using transponders to provide player awards.
Invention is credited to Peter Sprogis.
Application Number | 20070167224 11/327771 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38229480 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070167224 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sprogis; Peter |
July 19, 2007 |
Game using transponders to provide player awards
Abstract
A bounty hunter game where game participants attempt to earn
awards, or items, or to have awards or items taken away from
another game participant, by transmitting information from
electronic data storage elements, such as an RFBD tags, to a
central game processing site. The electronic data storage elements
may be carried by the game participants and/or placed at locations
where game participants must go. Clues may be provided to game
participants to lead them to electronic data storage elements.
Clues may also be provided to game participants to lead them on a
treasure hunt that is played simultaneously with the bounty hunter
game.
Inventors: |
Sprogis; Peter; (Freeport,
BS) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Suite 4200
1801 California St.
Denver
CO
80202
US
|
Family ID: |
38229480 |
Appl. No.: |
11/327771 |
Filed: |
January 6, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/29 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 2300/406 20130101;
A63F 2300/208 20130101; A63F 13/327 20140902; A63F 13/85 20140902;
A63F 2300/5513 20130101; A63F 13/80 20140902; A63F 13/332 20140902;
A63F 13/12 20130101; A63F 13/95 20140902; A63F 2300/405 20130101;
A63F 2300/5546 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/029 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A game involving one or more game participants comprising: (a)
one or more electronic data storage elements containing
identification information; (b) one or more electronic data storage
element readers capable of reading the identification information
that is contained on the electronic data storage elements; (c) one
or more communications devices capable of sending the
identification information that is contained on the electronic data
storage element and read by the electronic data storage element
reader to a game processing center; and (d) an award provided to
the game participant that sends the identification information that
is contained on the electronic data storage element and read by the
electronic data storage element reader to the game processing
center.
2. The game of claim 1 wherein said electronic data storage element
is a radio frequency identification tag.
3. The game of claim 1 wherein said electronic data storage
element(s) are carried by the one or more game participants and the
identification information identifies said game participant(s).
4. The game of claim 1 wherein the electronic data storage
element(s) are placed in locations where game participant traffic
is desired.
5. The game of claim 4 wherein the game participant is provided
with a code when a purchase is made and wherein the award is
provided for providing said code to said game processing
center.
6. The game of claim 1 wherein the award is game points credited to
the game participant that sends the identification information that
is contained on the electronic data storage element.
7. The game of claim 1 wherein the award is an item, such as a
virtual sword.
8. The game of claim 1 wherein the award is a period of
invincibility during which the game participant that sends the
identification information that is contained on the electronic data
storage element may not be captured or eliminated by other game
participants.
9. The game of claim 1 wherein the game participant(s) are provided
clues to help locate the electronic data storage elements.
10. The game of claim 9 wherein the game participant(s) locate the
electronic data storage elements using location positioning
technology.
11. The game of claim 10 wherein the clues consist of a latitude
and longitude.
12. The game of claim 3 wherein the award is a deduction of points
or items from the game participant whose identification information
is provided to the game processing center.
13. The game of claim 12 wherein the points or items deducted from
the game participant whose identification information is provided
to the game processing center are credited to the game participant
who sends the identification information.
14. The game of claim 3 wherein the game participant whose
identification information is provided to the game processing
center is eliminated from the game.
15. The game of claim 14 wherein the elimination from the game is
permanent.
16. The game of claim 14 wherein the game participant that has not
been eliminated from the game when all other said game participants
have been eliminated is the winner.
17. A bounty hunter game involving two or more game participants
comprising: (a) two or more electronic data storage elements
containing information that identifies said game participants; (b)
two or more electronic data storage element readers capable of
reading the identification information that is contained on the
electronic data storage elements; (c) two or more communications
devices capable of sending the identification information that is
contained on the electronic data storage elements to a game
processing site; (d) awards that are provided to the game
participant that sends the identification information that is
contained on the electronic data storage element and read by the
electronic data storage element reader to the award processing
center.
18. The game of claim 17 wherein said electronic data storage
element is a radio frequency identification tag.
19. The game of claim 17 wherein the electronic data storage
elements are carried by the game participants.
20. The game of claim 17 wherein the electronic data storage
elements are placed in locations where game participant traffic is
desired.
21. The game of claim 20 wherein the game participants are provided
with clues to the location of the electronic data storage elements
and locate the electronic data storage elements using location
positioning technology.
22. The game of claim 21 wherein the clues consist of a latitude
and longitude.
23. The game of claim 20 wherein the game participants are provided
with a code when a purchase is made and wherein an award is
provided said game participants for providing said code to said
game processing center.
24. The game of claim 17 wherein the award is points credited to
the game participant that sends the identification information that
is contained on the electronic data storage elements.
25. The game of claim 17 wherein the award is an item, such as a
virtual sword.
26. The game of claim 17 wherein the award is a period of
invincibility during which the participant that sends the
identification information that is contained on the electronic data
storage elements may not be captured or eliminated by other game
participants.
27. The game of claim 17 wherein the award is a deduction of points
or items from the game participant whose identification information
is provided to the game processing center.
28. The game of claim 27 wherein the points or items deducted from
the game participant whose identification information is provided
to the game processing center are credited to the game participant
who sends the identification information.
29. The game of claim 17 wherein the game participant whose
identification information is provided to the game processing
center is eliminated from the game.
30. The game of claim 29 wherein the elimination from the game is
permanent.
31. The bounty hunter game as described in claim 17 wherein the
game participants simultaneously play a treasure hunt game
comprising clues transmitted from the game processing center to the
game participants' wireless communications devices to guide game
participants on a treasure hunt.
32. A treasure hunt game involving one or more game participants
and using electronic data storage elements comprising: (a)
electronic data storage elements containing clues to direct the one
or more game participants on a treasure hunt; (b) electronic data
storage element readers capable of reading and displaying said
clues to said game participants; (c) reading said clues on said
electronic data storage element readers and following said clues on
said treasure hunt; and (d) providing an award to said game
participant that completes said treasure hunt.
33. A method of playing a bounty hunter game involving two or more
game participants comprising: (a) providing the game participants
with electronic data storage elements containing information that
identifies said game participants; (b) providing the game
participants with electronic data storage element readers capable
of reading the identification information that is contained on the
electronic data storage elements and with communications devices
capable of sending the identification information contained on the
electronic data storage elements to a game processing center; and
(c) providing an award to the game participant that sends the
identification information contained on the data storage element of
another game participant and read by the electronic data storage
element reader to the game processing site.
34. The method of claim 33 wherein said electronic data storage
element is a radio frequency identification tag.
35. The method of claim 33 wherein additional electronic data
storage elements are placed in locations wherein customer traffic
is desired.
36. The game of claim 35 wherein the game participant is provided
with a code when a purchase is made and wherein an award is
provided to said game participant for providing said code to said
game processing center.
37. The method of claim 33 wherein the award is game points
credited to the game participant that sends the identification
information contained on the electronic data storage elements.
38. The method of claim 33 wherein the award is an item, such as a
virtual sword.
39. The method of claim 33 wherein the award is a period of
invincibility during which the game participant that sends the
identification information may not be captured or eliminated by
other game participants.
40. The method of claim 33 wherein the game participants carry the
electronic data storage elements and wherein the award is a
deduction of points or items from the game participant whose
identification information is provided to the game processing
center.
41. The method of claim 40 wherein the points or items deducted
from the game participant whose identification information is
provided to the game processing center are credited to the game
participant who sends the other game participant's identification
information.
42. The method of claim 33 wherein the game participant whose
identification information is provided to the game processing
center is eliminated from the game.
43. The method of claim 33 wherein the elimination from the game is
permanent.
44. The method of claim 33 wherein the game participants are
provided clues to help locate the electronic data storage
elements.
45. The method of claim 44 wherein the game participants locate the
electronic data storage elements using location positioning
technology.
46. The method of claim 45 wherein the clues consist of a latitude
and longitude.
47. A method of playing a treasure hunt game using electronic data
storage elements comprising: (a) locating electronic data storage
elements containing clues to direct one or more game participants
on a treasure hunt along a treasure hunt route; (b) providing
electronic data storage element readers capable of reading and
displaying said clues to said game participants; and (c) reading
said clues on said electronic data storage element readers and
following said clues on said treasure hunt.
48. The method of playing the bounty hunter game as described in
claim 33 wherein game participants simultaneously play a treasure
hunt game comprising clues transmitted from the game processing
center to participants' wireless communications devices to guide
participants on a treasure hunt.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] (1) Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a game where game
participants attempt to earn awards, or items, or to have awards or
items taken away from another player, by transmitting information
from electronic data storage elements, such as an RFID tags, to a
game processing center.
[0003] (2) Description of Related Art
[0004] Evolving technologies allow products or other items to be
tagged with inexpensive electronic data storage elements ("EDSEs")
then tracked by devices that can read the information encoded into
the tag. One form of electronic data storage element is a radio
frequency transponder. Radio frequency identification ("RFID") uses
low-powered radio transmitters to read data stored in a transponder
at distances up to 200 feet away. Present applications of this
technology include tracking assets, managing inventory, automatic
vehicle identification, highway tolls and authorizing payments.
RFID technology is also used by certain automobile manufacturers to
provide electronic keys to their automobiles.
[0005] RFID systems originated in the 1940s when the U.S.
government used transponders to distinguish between friendly and
enemy aircraft. Aircraft still utilize transponders today for
aircraft tracking. In addition to tracking aircraft, the airline
industry, along with the FAA has used RFID tags to route baggage
and increase air security. In the 1970s, the U.S. government used
RFID systems for tracking livestock and nuclear material. Companies
such as McDonald's and Exxon Mobile have tested RFID chips to allow
customers to pay for food or gas.
[0006] RFID technology is known to those skilled in the art.
Commercial utilizations typically operate in a number of unlicensed
frequency bands, with 125 KHz and 13.56 MHz being the most common.
The greater the bandwidth the more information a RFID tag can hold.
For instance, a 13.56 MHZ tag can hold as much as 2,000 bits of
data, roughly 30 times the information that can be held on a 125
KHz tag. Active RFID tags are equipped with a battery that allows
an active tag to transmit a signal to a reader. These tags often
provide the greatest range, up to 200 feet, but are more expensive
than other tags. Passive RFID tags are not battery powered. They
draw power from the electromagnetic waves emitted from the
receiver-transmitter. The read range of these tags is generally
under three meters and the tags are inexpensive to manufacture.
Semi-passive RFID tags have batteries like active RFID tags, but
the battery is only used to power the tag's microchip circuitry, it
does not power the transmission from the tag to the reader.
Semi-passive tags also have longer read ranges than passive
tags.
[0007] One example of EDSE or RFID use is inventory control. In
this application, an RFID tag is placed on the item to be tracked.
Up to 2,000 bits of data are stored on a memory chip that is housed
in a button or integrated circuit card. Tags can also be etched on
a substrate that is then embedded in a paper or plastic tag. The
information stored on the tag may include a unique product
identification code, the place of product manufacture and the place
of sale. The tag may include a battery or it may be passive. A RFID
transmitter-receiver or reader is utilized that contains a
transmitter, receiver and digital control module connected to a
transmitting antenna. When the control module senses a tag, it
interrogates the tag (after awakening the tag if passive), decodes
the data and typically passes that data on to a host system by way
of wired or wireless communication. The host system assimilates the
data received from the product tags and the data is used to track
product inventory and sales.
[0008] The majority of RFID tags are write-once/read-only, but
others offer read/write capability such that the information
contained on the tag can be rewritten. For instance if tracking an
item in transit, the information can be rewritten as the item
travels along its route or is rerouted. RFID readers may be
hand-held and wireless. Devices are being produced that combine an
RFID reader with a wireless, mobile telephone, such as the Nokia
Mobile RFID Kit for Nokia 5140 and Nokia 5140i. A Smart Card
Alliance task force is working toward building a robust market for
contactless payments utilizing mobile telephones equipped with RFID
technology.
[0009] Several companies have developed RFID technology, including
Texas Instruments (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,347,280 and 5,541,604), IBM
(see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,528,222; 5,550,547; 5,521,601; and
5,682,143), Motorola/Indala (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,378,880 and
5,565,846), and Mikron/Philips Semiconductors (see U.S. Pat. Nos.
4,442,507; 4,796,074; 5,095,362; 5,296,722; and 5,407,851). In
addition, RFID technology and tracking systems are described in
additional patents, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,424,262 and
6,484,780 to Garber, assigned to 3M (describing the use of RFID to
track library materials); U.S. Pat. No. 6,100,804 to Brady,
assigned to Intecmec (describing a RFID system employing a thin,
flexible RFID tag and integrated antenna); U.S. Patent Application
2002/0139848 (describing a system for tracking a changeable
description of an article for use in a home inventory system); and
U.S. Pat. No. 6,563,417 to Shaw, assigned to Identec Solutions
(describing a RFID method of tracking products moving along a
distribution path). Other patents and patent applications describe
other uses for RFID technology. For example, U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/859,359 by Hind describes a method for
providing targeted advertising and personalized customer services
using RFID tagged products and wireless communication devices and
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/442533 by Hidary describes a
system for distributing and retrieving information about an object
using RFID transponders and Internet access devices.
[0010] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/230,049 by Sprogis
discloses a method and apparatus for providing awards using
transponders. U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,698 and No. 6,320,495 to Sprogis
describe the use of location positioning technology to direct a
game participant to a specific location or locations.
[0011] Examples of RFID technology and uses can also be found in
the June 2003 Equity Research of Bear Stearns, titled Supply-Chain
Technology: Track(ing) to the Future, The Impending RFID-based
Inventory Revolution.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention involves a game wherein participants
are provided with electronic data storage elements, such as radio
frequency identification ("RFID") tags, and data readers. The game
participants try to be the first game participant to read the RFID
tag(s) of other game participants and to send that information to a
game processing center. The participant transmitting information to
the game processing center is awarded points or some other award,
such as an item, for transmitting information from the other
players' RFID tag. In addition, the game player or participant
whose information is sent by the other game participant to the game
processing center may be eliminated from the game, either
permanently or for a certain period of time, have points taken
away, or lose an item. The object of the game is to earn awards
(points, items, etc.), eliminate other players, and be the last
game participant in the game--the last man standing.
[0013] In a further embodiment of the present invention, players
are also provided with awards or items for transmitting information
to the game processing center or centers from RFID tags that are
not associated with other game participants. For example, RFID tags
are placed in fast food restaurants and when a game participant
enters the restaurant, reads the tag and transmits the tags'
identification information to a game processing center, the player
is provided with an award such as additional points, an item, or a
period of invincibility wherein the player may not be captured or
eliminated from the game. The captured player may also have points
taken away, lose items or have his or her points or items
transferred to the capturing player. Players may be directed to
specific locations where tags have been placed through the use of
location positioning technology such as GPS. Numerous variations on
the basic concept of the invention can also be implemented.
[0014] All documents, including other patents and references,
referred to in this document are hereby incorporated by reference
in their entirety, although no documents are admitted to render any
of the claims herein unpatentable either alone or in combination
with any other references known by the applicant.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 depicts the components of the system and method
involving two game participants.
[0016] FIG. 2 depicts an aspect of the invention where RFID tags
are placed in business establishments to drive customer
traffic.
[0017] FIG. 3 depicts a further embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] The present invention involves a game played by game
participants. The game is in the form of a bounty hunter game, in
that there are players that are hunting other players, Hunters, and
other players that are trying to escape capture by the Hunters, the
Hunted. Players may sign up for the game as either Hunters or
Hunted.
[0019] Each player or participant is equipped with: an electronic
data storage element such as a radio frequency identification
("RFID") tag; a reader capable of reading the information stored on
the RFID tag; and a wireless communications device capable of
communicating with a game processing center or centers that manage
the game and provide awards to the players. The object of the game
is to earn awards, points, items or other awards by, among other
things, capturing the Hunted or by eliminating Hunters. Items might
include such things as a virtual sword that may be used in the game
by the participant, health boosts to give the participant extended
life or any of a multitude of other items typically sought by
players of computer and video games and known in the gaming
industry. Capture or elimination awards are earned by sending
information from the RFID tag of the participant captured or
eliminated to the game processing center before that person is able
to send the information from your RFID tag to the game processing
center. Another object of the game is to stay in the game as long
as possible, avoiding elimination, and being be the last player
standing.
[0020] A description of the game involving two participants is now
described using FIG. 1. A first participant (10) is provided with a
RFID tag (11) that contains information identifying the first
participant, such as an alpha-numeric code that is associated with
the participant. The first participant also carries a reader
capable of reading RFID tags (12). In FIG. 1, the RFID tag (11) is
carried by the first participant on a belt that can also hold the
first participant's RFID tag reader (12) and a wireless
communications device, such as a cellular telephone (13). As
depicted in FIG. 1, the RFID tag reader (12) and the wireless
communications device (13) may be integrated into a single unit
(14), such as the Nokia Mobile RFID Kit for the Nokia 5140 and
Nokia 5140i. A second game participant (20) is also provided with
an RFID tag (21) that contains information identifying the second
game participant (20). The second game participant (20) also
carries, in this example, an integrated device (24), comprising an
RFID reader (22) and a wireless communication device such as a
cellular telephone (23).
[0021] When a first game participant (10) comes into proximity of
the RFID tag carried by a second game participant (20), such that
the first game participant's tag reader (12) can read the second
game participant's RFID tag (21) and, conversely, the second game
participant's reader (22) can read the first game participant's tag
(11), the race is on.
[0022] The first game participant's tag reader (12) receives the
identification information from the second game participant's RFID
tag (21) and displays that information to the first game
participant (10) on his reader (12). The first game participant
(10) must then, using his wireless communications device (13),
transmit the identification information to a game processing center
(30) before the second game participant (20) receives and transmits
information from the first game participant (10) to the game
processing center (30). The information may be transmitted to the
processing center (30), which may comprise a computer with a
processor and a memory, by using cellular, voice over Internet
protocol, Internet or other technologies.
[0023] When the game processing center (30) receives the
transmitted information it recognizes the information as
identifying the second game participant (20). This may be done
easily by such methods as having a look-up table that matches the
identification information from the RFID tag to the name of the
game participant. Other methods of matching the RFID tag
information to the game participant carrying the RFID tag are of
course possible and are well-known to those skilled in the art. The
identification information could even be the participant's name.
The game processing center then will note that the second game
participant (20) has been captured (if it is a Hunted) or
eliminated (if it is a Hunter). The second game participant (20) is
then excluded from the remainder of the game.
[0024] In addition to excluding the second game participant (20)
from the remainder of the game, the game processing center (30) may
also, or alternatively, award capture or elimination points to the
first game player (10). For example, it may be worth five points to
capture a Hunted or eliminate a Hunter and upon the game processing
center's receipt of identification information from an RFID tag it
may award five points to the participant sending the information.
The game processing center identifies the participant sending the
information by, for example, recognizing the cellular telephone
number of the participant that transmits the RFID information. The
participant sending the identification information may also send a
pre-assigned code to identify herself.
[0025] Instead of eliminating the second participant whose
information is first transmitted to the game processing center, in
order to facilitate longer play the game processing center may
instead isolate that participant from the game for a period of
time. This may be done by disabling the second game participant's
RFID reader (22) or implementing a screen so that no information
sent by the second game participant's wireless communication device
(23) is processed by the game processing center (30). This
embodiment of the game is similar to the disabling of a player's
laser gun after that player is tagged in the popular game of laser
tag. To enhance the game, game participants may be sent clues as to
the location of other game participants or RFIDs on their wireless
communications device.
[0026] Other envisioned permutations include deducting points from
the captured or eliminated participant or changing the participant
from Hunter to Hunted or vice versa. Deducted points could be
awarded to the capturing or eliminating game participant as
well.
[0027] RFID tags also may be placed at selected locations in and
around the area in which the game is played, such as in business
establishments, on lampposts or on the side of a building. This
aspect of the invention is illustrated FIG. 2.
[0028] Businesses that wish to drive traffic to their locations
place RFID tags (31) at strategic locations, such as the counter of
a fast food restaurant (32). Game participants (10) that enter the
restaurant and approach the counter (32) interrogate the RFID tag
(31) with their reader (12). The information from the tag (31) is
then transmitted by the game participant (10) to a game processing
center (30) using a wireless communication device such as a
cellular telephone (13). The information from the tag is correlated
with a designated function by the game processing center (30). For
example, the game participant (10) may be awarded immunity from
game capture or elimination for a period of time as an award for
transmitting the RFID tag (31) information to the game processing
center (30). The game processing center (30) recognizes the game
participant (10), for example, by the telephone number of the
participant's cellular telephone (13). The game then gives the
transmitting game participant (10) immunity from capture or
elimination for a period of time, for example, 15 minutes. During
the period of immunity, the game processing center (30), if it
receives the information from the game participant's RFID tag (11)
from another game participant, will not eliminate the
participant.
[0029] In one embodiment of the invention, the person entering the
fast food restaurant or other establishment must make a purchase in
order to earn an award (either an initial award or a second award
in addition to an award for sending RFID information). This
embodiment is depicted in FIG. 3. In this case, the person is
provided with a code (40) at the time of purchase indicating that a
purchase has been made. The code (40) is preferably present on the
receipt for the purchase (41), but may also be included in the
packaging of the item purchased (42) or otherwise provided. The
game participant then types the code (40) into his or her wireless
communications device (13) and the code is sent back to the game
processing center which recognizes the code as indicative of a
purchase and provides awards commensurate with the purchase. The
award may be extended periods of immunity or some other award.
[0030] This embodiment is depicted with the game participants
carrying their own identifying RFID tag on their person. It is not
a limitation of the invention, however, that game participants
carry RFID tags. Player identifying RFID tags could be placed on
the player's car or in their home. Or, player identifying RFID tags
may be eliminated and the game played by game participants going to
where RFID tags are located, transmitting the identifying
information from the RFID tag to a game processing center and
receiving awards.
[0031] The present invention may also be used in conjunction with a
treasure hunt game, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No.
6,932,698, which is incorporated herein by reference. In the
treasure hunt game, participants are guided in a treasure hunt
through clues that are provided to the participants on RFID
readers. RFID tags containing clues are placed along the treasure
hunt route such that when a participant arrives at a site with an
RFID tag, the participant reads the clue from the tag with her RFID
tag reader and may then, upon deciphering the clue, proceed to the
next location of the treasure hunt route, read and decipher the
next clue on the next tag and move on. This continues until the
participant completes the treasure hunt route. At that point,
and/or at interim points, the participant is provided an award.
[0032] In another embodiment, the game participants play in a
treasure hunt game, consisting of providing clues to participants
to direct them to a final destination, while the participants are
simultaneously playing the Bounty Hunter game such as described
above. The participants may be provided with the location of an
RFID tag and use locating positioning technology such as GPS in
order to find the tag. In this way, the excitement of seeking to
capture or eliminate players is added to the thrill of a treasure
hunt game.
[0033] The preceding examples are preferred embodiments of the
invention. The invention itself is not limited to the examples
above, and as will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, can be
practiced in numerous variations on the above. The invention is
limited only by the following claims.
* * * * *