U.S. patent application number 13/535450 was filed with the patent office on 2013-12-12 for play system representing a character.
The applicant listed for this patent is Eitan Lev, Mordechai Teicher. Invention is credited to Eitan Lev, Mordechai Teicher.
Application Number | 20130331001 13/535450 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49715653 |
Filed Date | 2013-12-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130331001 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lev; Eitan ; et al. |
December 12, 2013 |
Play System Representing a Character
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for a play system representing a
character, including multiple distinct physical play units for
representing the same character simultaneously, while establishing
and preserving the impression that, independent of the physical
play units, the character itself has a genuine and unique existence
of its own. The invention provides for this property of the play
system by permitting only a single play unit to fully represent the
dynamic components of the character at any given time. Enabled
status can be reversibly transferred from one play unit to another
by user command.
Inventors: |
Lev; Eitan; (Even Yehuda,
IL) ; Teicher; Mordechai; (Hod Hasharon, IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Lev; Eitan
Teicher; Mordechai |
Even Yehuda
Hod Hasharon |
|
IL
IL |
|
|
Family ID: |
49715653 |
Appl. No.: |
13/535450 |
Filed: |
June 28, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61658346 |
Jun 11, 2012 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
446/297 ;
446/268; 446/330; 446/352 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H 2200/00 20130101;
A63H 13/00 20130101; A63H 3/28 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
446/297 ;
446/330; 446/268; 446/352 |
International
Class: |
A63H 30/02 20060101
A63H030/02; A63H 13/00 20060101 A63H013/00; A63H 3/28 20060101
A63H003/28 |
Claims
1. A play unit that forms part of a play system of a user, the play
system representing a character, the play unit comprising: a
character dynamic component that performs at least one action of
the character, the action selected from a group consisting of: an
audio effect, a visual effect, and a mechanical motion; a
communication device for communicating with other play units of the
play system; and a computing device operative to: control the
character dynamic component; enable the character dynamic component
upon receiving an enabling signal via the communication device, and
send an enabling signal via the communication device upon disabling
the character dynamic component.
2. The play unit of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises
a user interface for receiving user commands for at least one of:
interacting with the play unit when the character dynamic component
is enabled; disabling the character dynamic component; or sending a
request for the enabling signal, via the communication device, to
an alternate play unit of the play system.
3. The play unit of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises
a device-writable and device-readable non-transient storage device
that stores a status of the play unit, and wherein the status is
set to enabled when receiving the enabling signal and is set to
disabled when disabling the character dynamic component.
4. The play unit of claim 3 wherein the computing device is
operative to control a plurality of character dynamic components,
and wherein all character dynamic components are disabled when the
play unit has disabled status.
5. The play unit of claim 1, wherein the play unit is a
general-purpose computing device.
6. The play unit of claim 5, wherein the play unit is a handheld
computing device that includes a graphical user interface.
7. The play unit of claim 1, embodied as a doll that serves as a
physical effigy of the character.
8. The play unit of claim 7, wherein the doll comprises a physical
actuator for performing a mechanical motion as an action of the
character.
9. A play system representing a character, the play system
comprising a first play unit and a second play unit, the first play
unit including: a character dynamic component that performs at
least one action of the character, the action selected from a group
consisting of: an audio effect, a visual effect, and a mechanical
motion; and a computing device operative to: control the character
dynamic component; enable the character dynamic component upon
receiving an enabling signal from the second play unit, and send an
enabling signal to the second play unit upon disabling the
character dynamic component.
10. The play system of claim 9, wherein the computing device of the
first play unit comprises a user interface for receiving user
commands for at least one of: interacting with the first play unit
when the character dynamic component is enabled; disabling the
character dynamic component; or sending to the second play unit a
request for the enabling signal.
11. The play system of claim 9, wherein the computing device of the
first play unit comprises a device-writable and device-readable
non-transient storage device that stores a status of the first play
unit, and wherein the status is set to enabled when receiving the
enabling signal from the second play unit and is set to disabled
when disabling the character dynamic component.
12. The play system of claim 11, wherein the computing device of
the first play unit is operative to control a plurality of
character dynamic components, and wherein all character dynamic
components are disabled when the respective play unit has disabled
status.
13. The play system of claim 9, wherein the first play unit is a
general-purpose computing device.
14. The play system of claim 13, wherein the general-purpose
computing device is a handheld computing device that includes a
graphical user interface.
15. The play system of claim 9, wherein the first play unit is
embodied as a doll that serves as a physical effigy of the
character.
16. The play system of claim 15, wherein the doll comprises a
physical actuator for performing a mechanical motion as an action
of the character.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefits of U.S. provisional
patent application 61/658,346 filed on 11 Jun. 2012, which is
incorporated by reference as if set forth herein.
FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to play systems and, more
particularly, to computerized active devices embodying a
character.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In entertainment, recreation, and amusement, a character is
sometimes represented in an active device in order to simulate an
autonomous being, either real or fictitious. A specific appearance
and/or personality is typically attributed to the character in
order to convey the impression that the character possesses traits
such as personality, individuality, self-awareness, freedom of
choice, opinions, tendencies and preferences, habits, and other
qualities commonly associated with intelligent life. An active
device which represents a character is designed and/or configured
to actualize, in some fashion, one or more dynamic components of
the appearance, traits, and/or personality of the character.
[0004] Characters are often represented by toys or as computerized
beings, and as the capability and versatility of smart devices
continue to expand, it is common to find a commercially popular
character represented in a variety of different formats in
different devices.
[0005] A single user may own several active devices that are
capable of representing the same character. For example, a young
user may have an action figure toy that represents a particular
character, and also have a virtual simulation of the same character
on a home computer and in a mobile telephone or similar device.
When multiple devices simultaneously actively represent the same
character, however, the identity of the character as a distinct
individual may become blurred, and this could negatively impact the
user's experience.
[0006] Accordingly, it is desirable to have systems and methods
which coordinate multiple active devices in such a way to preserve
and enhance the individual aspect of a character, irrespective of
the multiplicity of the devices which embody the character. This
goal is met by the present invention.
SUMMARY
[0007] The present invention provides methods and apparatus for a
play system having multiple physical play units for representing
the same character, while establishing and preserving the
impression that, independent of the physical play units, the
character itself has a genuine and unique existence of its own,
including intangible aspects, like a consciousness or "soul".
[0008] Embodiments of the invention accomplish this by ensuring
that the character is dynamically represented in at most one of the
user's play units at any given time. According to certain
embodiments of the invention, disabled play unit may continue to
represent a static component of the character, but does not fully
represent the character dynamically, so that the user can tangibly
identify the current "live" unit with the active dynamic components
as being "the character".
DEFINITIONS
[0009] In embodiments of the invention, a "play unit" is a distinct
physical device embodying a character. In an embodiment of the
invention, a play unit is a dedicated computerized toy representing
the character. In another embodiment, a play unit is a general
purpose computing device, such as a mobile telephone, that includes
programming for representing the character.
[0010] In certain embodiments of the invention, an "action"
includes any physical expression of a play unit that signals or
depicts a tangible act by a character represented by the play unit,
including, but not limited to mechanical, visual, and audible
expressions.
[0011] In certain embodiments of the invention, a "reaction"
includes an action by a play unit in response to external stimulus,
as well as a modification of behaviors of the play unit triggered
by external stimulus.
[0012] In certain embodiments of the invention, "behaviors" include
manners, mannerisms, habits, or styles of action and/or
responsiveness of a character.
[0013] In certain embodiments of the invention, a "computing
device" includes any programmable physical device with data
processing capabilities, tangible non-transient data storage and a
data communication device or comparable data communication
component. In connection with an embedded computing device, a play
unit includes suitable input and/or output devices by which the
play unit can interface with the user. According to certain
embodiments of the invention, a play unit also has one or more
physical actualizers for detecting and producing physical motion,
visible images, and sounds. Non-limiting examples of input/output
and actualizer devices include: microphones; speakers; cameras;
lights, screens, and other visual displays; buttons, switches,
and/or keys in a keypad or keyboard; physical sensors and
transducers, such as pressure sensors, strain gauges, magnetic
sensors, capacitive sensors, thermometers, accelerometers,
navigation chips, compasses, and gyroscopes; and electric motors
and electric actuators for producing and/or controlling mechanical
motion.
[0014] In certain embodiments of the invention, a play unit is a
computerized doll that serves as a physical effigy of a character
represented by the play unit. The physical effigy typically
exhibits static components of the character. In an embodiment of
the invention, the doll contains one or more physical actuators for
performing mechanical motion constituting one or more actions of
the character.
The Components of a Character
[0015] As illustrated in FIG. 1A, certain embodiments of the
invention define a "character" 100 as encompassing both static
components 110 and dynamic components 120. Static components 110
are typically related to a physical appearance or a perceived
physical appearance, and are substantially constant in time.
Dynamic components 120, however, are time-varying, and involve
different elements of character and personality. For this reason,
it is dynamic elements 120 which best convey the sense of a "live"
character, and which must be orchestrated properly in a play system
with multiple play units representing the same character.
[0016] According to certain embodiments of the invention, dynamic
components 120 include a set of actions 122, a set of reactions
124, and a set of behaviors 126. As illustrated in FIG. 1B, actions
122, reactions 124, and behaviors 126 interact in a variety of ways
according to these embodiments. In particular, behaviors 126 have
effects 126A on actions 122 as well as effects 126B on reactions
124. Reactions 124 include action initiators 124A in response to
external stimulus, as well as modifications 124B of behaviors as
triggered by external stimulus.
[0017] According to various embodiments of the invention, actions
are initiated by a character without direct external stimuli,
whereas reactions are made by a character in response to dynamic
external stimuli given to the character. Both action and reaction
as exhibited by these embodiments are separate traits of
characters. In a non-limiting example, a kung fu character might
kick an opponent character as an action, but would block a punch as
a reaction to the opponent character's attack.
[0018] According to embodiments of the invention, actions include,
but are not limited to: motion, both real (such as a tangible
mechanical motion) and virtual (such as visual effects via video or
graphical renditions), of the character and/or parts of the
character's body; audio effects, including audible sounds emanating
from the character, such as speech or other vocalizations. In some
embodiments of the invention, actions relate to objects and
features, both real and virtual, that are distinct from the
character, such as objects and features of the character's
environment.
[0019] According to embodiments of the invention, examples of
reactions include, but are not limited to: actions in response to
external stimulus from the character's environment, both real and
virtual; actions in response to (simulated) internal stimulus of
the character itself; modifications of the character's behaviors as
triggered by external stimulus from the character's environment;
and modifications of the character's behaviors as triggered by
(simulated) internal stimulus of the character itself. In
non-limiting examples: a character may respond to a question or
command from the user with an action representing an answer to the
question or a carrying out of the command; a character may express
a desire to eat in response to a (simulated) hunger condition; or
may become talkative or quiet, playful or sullen, etc., in reaction
to external or (simulated) internal conditions.
[0020] According to embodiments of the invention, examples of
behaviors include, but are not limited to: manners or styles of
speech or motion; sensitivity to stimulus; habits, tendencies,
attitudes, and so forth, which are associated with the personality
of the character. Behaviors govern and modify the manner or style
of actions and reactions, as well as other behaviors themselves. In
non-limiting examples, one character may exhibit a behavior that
encourages speech--such a behavior might be considered "talkative";
whereas another character may exhibit a behavior that discourages
speech--such a behavior might be considered "reserved". Still other
characters may exhibit behaviors of humorousness, aggressiveness,
bravado, sensitivity, and so forth.
[0021] In certain embodiments of the invention, not all character
components are explicitly present. In some embodiments, only
actions 122 and reactions 124 are present. In these embodiments,
behaviors 126 are implicit in actions 122 and reactions 124 and are
static. In a non-limiting example, the character may be a pet
kitten, whose dynamic actions 122 are inherently playful, frisky,
and otherwise typical of a juvenile feline--and non-changing. In
this case, the actions and reactions of such a character are
limited and constant, so that behaviors 126 may be implicit without
having to be executed per se. In other embodiments, only actions
122 and behaviors 126 are present. In these embodiments, actions
122 vary in time according to behaviors 126 without responding to
any particular stimuli.
[0022] In some embodiments of the invention, at least one action
122 is present in a play unit, even if reactions 124 and behaviors
126 are not present. In certain embodiments, at least one action
122 is a tangible action including autonomous physical motion of at
least a part of the play unit. In other embodiments, character
actions are virtual, such as by a virtual character in a virtual
environment on a display screen.
[0023] Therefore, according to an embodiment of the present
invention, there is provided a play unit that forms part of a play
system of a user, the play system representing a character, the
play unit including: (a) a character dynamic component that
performs at least one action of the character, the action selected
from a group consisting of: (i) an audio effect, (ii) a visual
effect, and (iii) a mechanical motion; (b) a communication device
for communicating with other play units of the play system; and (c)
a computing device operative to: (i) control the character dynamic
component, (ii) enable the character dynamic component upon
receiving an enabling signal via the communication device, and
(iii) send an enabling signal via the communication device upon
disabling the character dynamic component.
[0024] Also, according to another embodiment of the present
invention there is provided a play system representing a character,
the play system including a first play unit and a second play unit,
the first play unit including: (a) a character dynamic component
that performs at least one action of the character, the action
selected from a group consisting of: (i) an audio effect, (ii) a
visual effect, and (iii) a mechanical motion; and (b) a computing
device operative to: (i) control the character dynamic component;
(ii) enable the character dynamic component upon receiving an
enabling signal from the second play unit, and (iii) send an
enabling signal to the second play unit upon disabling the
character dynamic component.
[0025] In addition, according to still another embodiment of the
present invention there is provided a computing device product for
coordinating a first play unit representing a character with a
second play unit representing the character, the play units each
operative to execute at least one character dynamic component, the
computing device product including tangible non-transient
device-readable data storage that includes a set of executable
commands for the computing device, which commands, when executed by
the computing device, cause the computing device to perform: (a)
receiving a user command; and (b) in response to the user command:
(i) disabling the at least one character dynamic component in the
first play unit; and (ii) enabling the at least one character
dynamic component in the second play unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] The present invention will be more fully understood from the
following detailed description of the embodiments thereof, taken
together with the drawings in which:
[0027] FIG. 1A conceptually illustrates components of a character
according to embodiments of the invention.
[0028] FIG. 1B conceptually illustrates relationships between
components of dynamic components of a character.
[0029] FIG. 2 is a conceptual block diagram of a play unit in a
play system according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0030] FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary types of play units according
to certain embodiments of the invention.
[0031] FIG. 4 illustrates transfer of enabled status from a
currently-enabled play unit to a currently-disabled play unit
according to certain embodiments of the invention.
[0032] FIG. 5 illustrates a method according to certain embodiments
of the invention.
[0033] For clarity of illustration, some elements in the drawings
are shown as sub-elements of higher-level elements. It is
understood, however, that such grouping of elements into
higher-level elements is non-limiting, and that there exist
alternate embodiments of the invention in which elements are
grouped differently, and embodiments of the invention in which the
elements are not grouped at all.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0034] The principles and operation of a play system according to
embodiments of the present invention may be understood with
reference to the drawings and the accompanying description.
[0035] FIG. 2 is a conceptual block diagram of a play system 200
that includes a plurality of play units 210 according to certain
embodiments of the invention. Each play unit 210 includes a
computing device 220 which features: a processor 228; a tangible
device-writable and device-readable non-transient data storage
device 240 which includes a program storage area 242; a user
interface 226, which includes the drivers for devices and
components that perform user input/output operations, including,
but not limited to: user input devices such as buttons, switches,
touch-sensitive devices, microphones, speakers, cameras, and
display screens; a data communication device 224, or comparable
data communication component for communicating with other play
units of system 200; and optionally general functionalities 232
which are unrelated to a character, such as functionalities of a
mobile telephone, text messaging or photography.
[0036] In certain embodiments of the invention, physical
actualizers 290 are controlled by computing device 220 and input
environmental stimulus into computing device 220. Non-limiting
examples of physical actualizers include electric motors for
physically animating a play unit; cameras for simulating visual
recognition; microphones and speakers for speech interaction; and
display screens for virtual characters and environments.
[0037] In certain embodiments of the invention, play unit 210
receives a user command via user interface 226. In other
embodiments, play unit 210 receives a user command via
communication device 224, wherein the command was sent from another
play unit. In still other embodiments, play unit 210 has both user
interface 226 and communication device 224, to receive user
commands from either user interface 226 or communication device
224, as well as send a user command entered via user interface 226
to another play unit via communication device 224.
[0038] In addition to accepting user commands to enable and disable
character dynamic components via user interface 226, embodiments of
the invention provide user interface 226 for accepting user
interactions with play unit 210 when a character dynamic component
120 is enabled.
Character Dynamic Components
[0039] According to certain embodiments of the invention, as shown
in FIG. 2, computing device 220 of play unit 210 executes character
dynamic components 120, by specifically executing actions 122,
reactions 124, and behaviors 126. In specific embodiments,
computing device 220 executes character dynamic components by
virtue of processor 228 executing instructions in program storage
242 which cause computing device 220 to execute one or more
character dynamic components 120.
[0040] Play unit character dynamic components 120 are varied and
depend on the nature of the character represented by the play unit.
As a non-limiting example, a user who is a young child may choose a
character representing a pet. A popular character dynamic component
120 for a pet character is to express hunger or a desire to eat a
treat, to which the user responds by offering the character an
appropriate food. In an embodiment of the invention, a doll play
unit in the enabled state could express a desire to eat, such as by
making certain sounds or assuming certain postures indicative of a
desire to eat. The user could then transfer the character to
another play unit, such as a tablet computer, by a signal entered
at one of the play units. When the transfer is complete, the doll
will have disabled status and the tablet computer's play unit
implementation will have enabled status. The user can then feed the
pet character in the virtual environment of the tablet computer,
where the graphical representation of the pet character can be
portrayed as eating the virtual food given to it by the user.
Later, when the user transfers the pet character back to the doll
play unit, the doll play unit can express appreciation to the user
for the food, such as by making certain sounds or assuming certain
postures indicative of appreciation.
[0041] Similar transfers can be made in other embodiments of the
invention, such as for fighting characters, sports characters, and
so forth.
[0042] In certain embodiments of the invention, character dynamic
components 120 pertain only to the character and are distinct from
general functionalities 232 of play unit 210 (FIG. 2). In these
embodiments, disabling and enabling character dynamic components
120 does not affect general functionalities 232, which may be
enabled and disabled independently of enabling and disabling of
character dynamic components 120.
Play Unit Status
[0043] With reference to FIG. 2, according to some embodiments of
the invention, play unit 210 has a settable and readable status 280
which is either enabled or disabled. The default status of a play
unit is disabled. If, for any reason, the status of a play unit is
not set or is not settable, then by default the status of that play
unit is preferably disabled. Likewise, if a play unit is currently
not operational (e.g., no electrical power is furnished), then that
play unit is considered to have a disabled status. The term
"enabled play unit" denotes a play unit having enabled status; and
the term "disabled play unit" denotes a play unit having disabled
status. In certain embodiments of the invention, status 280 is
stored in data storage 240.
[0044] According to certain embodiments of the invention, for an
enabled play unit, all of character dynamic components 120 are
enabled. In other embodiments of the invention, for a disabled play
unit at least one character dynamic component 120 is disabled. In
an embodiment of the invention, a disabled play unit has all
dynamic character components 120 disabled. In another embodiment of
the invention, status 280 is set to enabled when play unit 210
receives an enabling signal, and is set to disabled when a
character dynamic component 120 is disabled.
[0045] According to embodiments of the invention, no more than one
play unit of a play system can have enabled status at any given
time. For example, in order to set disabled play unit to have
enabled status, it is necessary to change the status of the
currently-enabled play unit to disabled, either before setting the
disabled play unit to enabled status, or simultaneously therewith.
According to certain embodiments of the invention, in the context
of changing the enabled play unit of a play system, the term
"simultaneously" denotes that the setting changes of the
currently-enabled play unit to disabled status and the setting of a
currently disabled play unit to enabled status both take place
within a time span that is small compared to a time interval that
is discernable to the user.
[0046] Thus, preferably, at most only a single one of play units
210 of play system 200 have all of character dynamic components 120
enabled at any given time. In this manner, at most only a single
one of play units 210 of play system 200 dynamically represents the
complete character.
Play Unit Kinds
[0047] FIG. 3 illustrates different play unit kinds 210K according
to certain embodiments of the invention. A general-purpose
computing device 210C can be programmed to function as a play unit.
Such devices include, but are not limited to: personal computers;
workstations; smart terminals; handheld computing devices with
graphical user interfaces, such as tablet computers and smart
phones; programmable electronic games; and the like. A dedicated
multimedia device 210M may include a multimedia device that
represents a single character only. A computerized doll 210D may
include action figures, robotic toys, and other forms of
interactive smart toys.
[0048] In certain embodiments of the invention, not all character
dynamic components 120 are necessarily available in the different
play units of a play system. For example, doll play unit 210D may
have real physical motion capabilities which computing device play
unit 210C lacks. Conversely, however, the virtual environment of
computing device play unit 210C may offer character dynamic
components 120 which are not offered by doll play unit 210D, such
as the ability to transform or morph into a completely different
visual form, or offer telephony functionalities as part of
character dynamic components 120.
Enabling and Disabling of Play Units
[0049] According to certain embodiments of the invention, a user of
play system 200 can issue a command to a play unit 210 of play
system 200 to change the currently-enabled play unit to a different
play unit of play system 200, and thereby change the unit which
dynamically represents the complete character, in such a manner as
to insure that, at most, only one single play unit represents the
complete character at any given time, i.e., a character having
dynamic components as well as static components.
[0050] FIG. 4 illustrates a transfer 270 of enabled status from a
currently-enabled play unit 210A to a currently-disabled play unit
210X. According to certain embodiments of the invention, transfer
270 is accomplished by simultaneously performing an enabling action
270E on play unit 210.times. and a disabling action 270D on play
unit 210A. After transfer 270, play unit 210X has enabled status
and play unit 210 has disabled status. According to additional
embodiments of the invention, transfer is reversible and enabled
status may be transferred repeatedly back and forth among multiple
play units of the same play system. This is illustrated in FIG. 4
with a transfer 272, for which an enabling action 272E is performed
on play unit 210A and a disabling action 272D is performed on play
unit 210X. In some embodiments of the invention, the enabling
and/or disabling actions are preformed is response to signals sent
by one play unit to another. In other embodiments, the signals are
sent to the respective play units by a device that is not a play
unit. In a specific embodiment, an enabled play unit sends an
enabling signal to another (disabled) play unit while disabling
itself. In another specific embodiment, a disabled play unit
enables itself while sending a disabling signal to another
(enabled) play unit. It is reemphasized that, according to these
embodiments, at most only one play unit of a play system has
enabled status at any given time. In these embodiments, the terms
"simultaneously" and "at the same given time" denote that a user
cannot discern any time interval in which two play units are
enabled.
[0051] In an embodiment of the invention, status 280 is implemented
by a hardware register which is settable and readable by processor
228 of computing device 220; in another embodiment, status 280 is
implemented as a value in a specified location in data storage 240
which is settable and readable by program control, e.g. as a
digital flag.
[0052] According to an embodiment of the invention, a
currently-disabled play unit can be used to transfer enabled status
to itself from the currently-enabled play unit. In this embodiment,
the currently-disabled play unit is enabled at the same time as a
currently-enabled play unit is disabled. According to another
embodiment, a currently-enabled play unit can be used to transfer
enabled status from itself to a currently-disabled play unit. In
this embodiment, the currently-enabled play unit is disabled at the
same time as it sends an enabling signal to the currently-disabled
play unit.
[0053] In embodiments of the invention, status 280 is an
implementation feature that is transparent to the user. That is,
the user does not relate to the play units in terms of their
"status", but rather conceives the various play units as different
incarnations or venues for the same single character to inhabit at
different times and under different circumstances.
Operation
[0054] FIG. 5 illustrates an operation method according to certain
embodiments of the invention for transferring enabled status from a
first currently-enabled play unit 504 to a second
currently-disabled play unit 512. When the method starts, a user
transfer command 503 is received in a step 501. According to an
embodiment of the invention, user transfer command 503 is received
by a first play unit 504. In another embodiment, user transfer
command 503 is received by another play unit, such as a second play
unit 512.
[0055] In a step 505, a status 507 of play unit 504 is set to
disabled, and in a step 509 at least one character dynamic
component 511 of play unit 504 is disabled. In an embodiment of the
invention, all of character dynamic components 511 are
disabled.
[0056] In a step 513, a status 515 of play unit 512 is set to
enabled, and in a step 517 at least one character dynamic component
519 of play unit 512 is enabled. In certain embodiments of the
invention, all of character dynamic components 519 are enabled.
Computing Device Product
[0057] A further embodiment of the invention provides a product for
use with a computing device for performing the foregoing method or
variants thereof.
[0058] A product for a computing device according to this
embodiment includes a set of executable commands for performing the
method on a computing device, wherein the executable commands are
contained within a tangible device-readable non-transient data
storage medium including, but not limited to: data media such as
magnetic media and optical media; computer memory; semiconductor
memory storage; flash memory storage; data storage devices and
hardware components; and the tangible non-transient storage devices
of a remote computing device or communication network; such that
when the executable commands of the product are executed, the
product causes the computing device to perform the method.
[0059] While the invention has been described with respect to a
limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many
variations, modifications and other applications of the invention
may be made.
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