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GB2292093A - Electronic games - Google Patents

Electronic games Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2292093A
GB2292093A GB9515109A GB9515109A GB2292093A GB 2292093 A GB2292093 A GB 2292093A GB 9515109 A GB9515109 A GB 9515109A GB 9515109 A GB9515109 A GB 9515109A GB 2292093 A GB2292093 A GB 2292093A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
bar
cartridge
game
accessory
connector
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB9515109A
Other versions
GB9515109D0 (en
Inventor
Philip Martin Ashley
Edmund David Gill
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of GB9515109D0 publication Critical patent/GB9515109D0/en
Publication of GB2292093A publication Critical patent/GB2292093A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F13/00Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
    • A63F13/30Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F9/00Games not otherwise provided for
    • A63F9/24Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F13/00Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
    • A63F13/20Input arrangements for video game devices
    • A63F13/21Input arrangements for video game devices characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
    • A63F13/213Input arrangements for video game devices characterised by their sensors, purposes or types comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F13/00Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
    • A63F13/20Input arrangements for video game devices
    • A63F13/23Input arrangements for video game devices for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F13/00Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
    • A63F13/90Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
    • A63F13/95Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F13/00Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
    • A63F13/90Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
    • A63F13/98Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F13/00Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
    • A63F13/20Input arrangements for video game devices
    • A63F13/24Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
    • A63F13/245Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F13/00Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
    • A63F13/40Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F13/00Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
    • A63F13/40Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
    • A63F13/42Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F9/00Games not otherwise provided for
    • A63F9/24Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for
    • A63F2009/2401Detail of input, input devices
    • A63F2009/2411Input form cards, tapes, discs
    • A63F2009/2419Optical
    • A63F2009/242Bar codes
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F2300/00Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game
    • A63F2300/10Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
    • A63F2300/1025Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F2300/00Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game
    • A63F2300/10Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
    • A63F2300/1087Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F2300/00Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game
    • A63F2300/20Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterised by details of the game platform
    • A63F2300/206Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Control Of Vending Devices And Auxiliary Devices For Vending Devices (AREA)

Abstract

An accessory or peripheral for an electronic game console including a computer or microprocessor capable of running a game program carried in a cartridge which can be plugged into a socket in the apparatus, comprises a bar code reader 20 which can be plugged by a plug 10 into the cartridge socket of the console and into a socket 12 of which accessory, in turn, the cartridge can be plugged. The computer is operable, under the cartridge program, to read bar-codes presented to the bar-code reader 20 and to modify the game features according to the bar codes read. <IMAGE>

Description

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Title: "Improvements in or relating to electronic games" THIS INVENTION relates to electronic games and game apparatus.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved electronic game apparatus incorporating a bar-code reader, by means of which enhanced user interest and entertainment may be obtained.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided electronic game apparatus including a computer or microprocessor capable of running a game program, a barcode reader forming a peripheral to said computer or microprocessor and means storing a game program for execution by said computer or microprocessor, said computer or microprocessor being operable, under said program, to read bar-codes presented to said bar-code reader and to modify the user-perceptible features of the game played in accordance with the reading of bar-codes by said bar-code reader.
The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, applicable to electronic game apparatus of the type comprising a microcomputer controlling the display, control buttons or other controls by way of which the user can pass instructions to the microcomputer, and connector means adapted to receive a complementary cartridge which typically incorporates read only memory ROM storing a program for a particular game to be played using the apparatus. Thus when the user has become tired of playing one particular game using the apparatus he can remove the cartridge for that game and replace it by a cartridge incorporating a program for a different game and so on.
Such electronic game apparatus is herein referred to as "an electronic game of the cartridge-utilising type".
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a cartridge for an electronic game of the cartridge-utilising type, as herein defined, the cartridge incorporating a bar-code reader.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided an accessory for an electronic game of the cartridge-utilising type, as herein defined, the accessory including a first connector portion for cooperation with the cartridge connector of the electronic game, a second connector portion for cooperation with a connector part of a game cartridge, and a bar-code reader.
An embodiment of the invention is described below by way of example with reference to the sole figure of the accompanying drawing which is a schematic circuit diagram showing an accessory embodying the invention.
Referring to the drawing, there is indicated schematically the circuitry of an accessory, embodying the invention, for a self-contained electronic game apparatus of the cartridge-utilising type as herein defined and which apparatus may be of the hand-held type comprising a casing housing the microprocessor and associated circuitry and incorporating an integral display and control buttons allowing the user to communicate with the microcomputer in manner known per se. The electronic game apparatus includes a cartridge connector, (not shown), adapted to receive a complementary connector on a game cartridge (not shown) incorporating, for example, read only memory (ROM) storing a program for a particular game to be played using the apparatus.
The accessory illustrated in the drawing includes a connector or plug 10 which is identical in configuration with the standard cartridge connector of a games cartridge for the game apparatus concerned so that connector 10 can be plugged into the cartridge connector of the game apparatus.
The apparatus shown includes a complementary connector or socket 12 which can thus receive the connector of a game cartridge. The horizontal lines 14 between connectors 10 and 12 in the drawings represent respective electrical conductors connecting respective contact elements of connector 10 with complementary contact elements of connector 12. The corresponding contact elements of the cartridge connector of the game apparatus are, of course, connected with respective conductors of a conductor bus for carrying electrical signals between the connector and the microcomputer.
The apparatus shown in the drawing comprises a barcode reader head indicated generally at 20 and which may comprise, as shown in the inset 21, a light emitting diode (LED) 22 or other light transmitter and a photodiode or other light detecting device 24 mounted together in a reading head adapted to be traversed across a bar-code, for example on the package of a breakfast cereal or similar product. The reader head may be carried at the free end of a stylus connected by a flexible lead with the remainder of the accessory. Alternatively, the bar-code reader, may be fixed with respect to the remainder of the accessory and may form, with a formation 26, one side of a slot through which a card or sheet bearing a bar-code (for example a cardboard panel, bearing a bar-code, cut from a product package) can be "swiped".As illustrated in inset 21, the LED 22 is arranged to direct light onto the surface bearing the bar-code to be read and the device 24 is arranged to receive the light reflected from that surface and to provide a corresponding electrical signal to an amplifier 28. The LED 22 and photodiode 24 are shielded from extraneous light by a housing of black plastics around these components.
The reader unit is a low cost, low component count circuit.
The amplified signal from amplifier 28 is passed to a programmable logic array (PLA) 30 which, in operation, provides the interface between the reader head and amplifier and the microcomputer of the game apparatus. The PLA 30 is a "protected" IC and cannot be read by unauthorised persons. The PLA 30 also contains a "key" which can be interrogated by the software and used to check for a genuine manufacturers' unit.
It will be appreciated that, in use of the reading head 20 to read a bar-code on a card traversed past the reading head, through said slot, the light reflected back from the card has either a high or low value depending whether the detector 24 is currently receiving light reflected from a white stripe or a black stripe of the barcode.
The output from the photodiode 24 is at a very low level and is amplified and clipped by amplifier 28 to produce a binary output at standard TTL level. The output of amplifier 24 is presented to the PLA 30. The PLA 30, in the preferred embodiment, simply stores temporarily at a memory location in PLA the value 1 or zero depending upon whether the output of amplifier 28 is for the time being high or low, which memory location can be read by the microcomputer in the electronic game apparatus. The memory location referred to appears as a location in the memory map of the game apparatus microcomputer which is otherwise left free.The procedures necessary to determine, from the series of digits stored successively in that memory location, the bar-code being read, are carried out by the microcomputer in accordance with a routine stored in ROM in the game apparatus or in the game cartridges used therewith. Such routine could, alternatively, be stored in ROM in the bar-code reader accessory provided that the necessary memory locations in the memory map of the game apparatus microprocessor were reserved for such routine.
The connector 12 is so disposed physically in relation to the connector 10 as to allow the connector 10 to be inserted into the cartridge slot/connector of the game apparatus, leaving the connector 12 accessible and to allow a game cartridge, of normal configuration, for the electronic games apparatus concerned, to be inserted into the complementary connector 12. Thus, the bar-code reader accessory is placed between the electronic game apparatus and a game cartridge of normal configuration for the game apparatus concerned. In general usage the accessory remains transparent to the cartridge program. The game cartridge is thus accessible to the microprocessor in the games apparatus in the normal way.
The combined hardware and software enables the electronic game apparatus to read standard bar-codes. Nonstandard coding can be used to provide a "security" mode operation, although this would require minor software changes.
The bar-code software can be placed anywhere in the programmer's memory map provided that a few locations are left available for the hardware interface, (i.e. for the bar-code reader accessory described). The reading from the hardware unit is taken by a "call" to a "read bar-code" routine, and the result is stored temporarily in a "bar table" in RAM. The "bar table" need only be 18 bytes long.
It is suggested that the "read bar-code" routine is used in an interrupt mode or within a key scan mode to enable exiting from the read loop.
The software is preferably capable of reading a card "swiped" in either direction past the reading head 20.
It would, of course, be possible to provide an accessory corresponding, in effect, to the combination of the circuitry represented in the drawing with a game cartridge, i.e. in effect to provide the bar-code reader in a game cartridge, although such an arrangement would not generally be economical.
It will be appreciated that a corresponding barcode reading accessory could be used in conjunction with electronic game apparatus of other than the cartridgeutilising type, and using software stored in forms other than ROM cartridge, for example, floppy disk, optical compact disk, etc. and for example could be used with home computers in conjunction with games software for such home computers.
The accessory described with reference to the drawing may form the basis of a key code system for electronic video games whereby the accessory enables the player to experience features in a game not normally accessible, and to enhance those that are accessible, e.g.
extra lives.
The accessory can read bar-codes from product labels, e.g. cans, tins, boxes, packets, cards, etc. These bar-codes, when "swiped" through the bar-code reader may enable the player, for example, to "enter a secret room", "choose a secret weapon", "find a hidden game" or any other game enhancement that has been programmed into the game in order to take advantage of the system. These game enhancements will therefore only be available to the purchaser of the product that the bar-code was attached to.
The purchasers may collect labels for example, bearing barcodes, and swap them for other game bar-codes.
It is envisaged that providers of software for electronic games (for example in the form of cartridges for electronic game apparatus of the cartridge-utilising type) would so configure such software that the game played would respond in different ways to bar-codes identifying different products, raising the possibility of joint promotion or the like agreements between manufacturers of products such as breakfast cereals, and the providers of such software so that, for example, breakfast cereal manufacturers could use in advertising, as a promotional feature, the fact that the bar-codes on their product packages could be used in conjunction with particular games apparatus, the bar-code reading accessory for that apparatus and particular games for such apparatus, to obtain certain enhancements, and, in return, the breakfast cereal manufacturer would pay an appropriate fee to the software provider.
In some instances, the bar-code reader may be built into a game console, rather than being constructed as a separate unit adapted to be plugged into or unplugged from the game console.

Claims (5)

1. Electronic game apparatus including a computer or microprocessor capable of running a game program, a barcode reader forming a peripheral to said computer or microprocessor and means storing a game program for execution by said computer or microprocessor, said computer or microprocessor being operable, under said program, to read bar-codes presented to said bar-code reader and to modify the user-perceptible features of the game played in accordance with the reading of bar-codes by said bar-code reader.
2. A cartridge for an electronic game of the cartridge-utilising type, as herein defined, the cartridge incorporating a bar-code reader.
3. An accessory for an electronic game of the cartridge-utilising type, as herein defined, the accessory including a first connector portion for cooperation with the cartridge connector of the electronic game, a second connector portion for cooperation with a connector part of a game cartridge, and a bar-code reader.
4. An accessory for an electronic game, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
5. Any novel feature or combination of features described herein.
GB9515109A 1994-07-25 1995-07-24 Electronic games Withdrawn GB2292093A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9414935A GB9414935D0 (en) 1994-07-25 1994-07-25 Improvements in or relating to electronic games

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9515109D0 GB9515109D0 (en) 1995-09-20
GB2292093A true GB2292093A (en) 1996-02-14

Family

ID=10758816

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9414935A Pending GB9414935D0 (en) 1994-07-25 1994-07-25 Improvements in or relating to electronic games
GB9515109A Withdrawn GB2292093A (en) 1994-07-25 1995-07-24 Electronic games

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9414935A Pending GB9414935D0 (en) 1994-07-25 1994-07-25 Improvements in or relating to electronic games

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (2) GB9414935D0 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2330540A (en) * 1997-10-24 1999-04-28 Rare Limited Game memory pack
US9545575B2 (en) 2000-02-18 2017-01-17 Inventor Holdings, Llc Method and apparatus for conducting or facilitating a promotion

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2230462A (en) * 1989-03-29 1990-10-24 Eric Bromley Electronic sports game
EP0567687A1 (en) * 1992-04-30 1993-11-03 Epoch Co., Ltd. Card game player
EP0572710A1 (en) * 1992-06-03 1993-12-08 Kabushiki Kaisha Bandai Game toy
GB2275619A (en) * 1993-03-05 1994-09-07 Tomy Co Ltd Fortune telling game

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2230462A (en) * 1989-03-29 1990-10-24 Eric Bromley Electronic sports game
EP0567687A1 (en) * 1992-04-30 1993-11-03 Epoch Co., Ltd. Card game player
EP0572710A1 (en) * 1992-06-03 1993-12-08 Kabushiki Kaisha Bandai Game toy
GB2275619A (en) * 1993-03-05 1994-09-07 Tomy Co Ltd Fortune telling game

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2330540A (en) * 1997-10-24 1999-04-28 Rare Limited Game memory pack
US9545575B2 (en) 2000-02-18 2017-01-17 Inventor Holdings, Llc Method and apparatus for conducting or facilitating a promotion

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9414935D0 (en) 1994-09-14
GB9515109D0 (en) 1995-09-20

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)