Method and system for affecting gaming conditions

Abstract

The invention concerns a method ( 300 ) and system ( 100 ) for affecting gaming conditions based on operating conditions of a power source ( 126 ). The method includes the steps of—in a first gaming unit ( 110 ) that receives power from the power source—providing ( 312 ) a gaming environment and monitoring ( 314 ) at least one operating condition of the power source. When at least one of the operating conditions reaches a predetermined threshold, the method further includes the step of altering ( 320 ) at least one gaming condition in the gaming environment to indicate to a user that the operating condition has reached the predetermined threshold.

1 . A method for affecting gaming conditions based on operating conditions of a power source, comprising the steps of: 
 in a first gaming unit that receives power from the power source, providing a gaming environment;    monitoring at least one operating condition of the power source; and    when at least one of the operating conditions reaches a predetermined threshold, altering at least one gaming condition in the gaming environment to indicate to a user that the operating condition has reached the predetermined threshold.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the gaming condition is selected from the availability of gaming elements, the display size of gaming elements, the strength of gaming elements in the gaming environment, the ability of gaming elements to mutate in the gaming environment, the stealthing ability of gaming elements in the gaming environment, the display color of gaming elements or the speed at which gaming elements operate in the gaming environment.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the altering step comprises the steps of: 
 reducing the availability of gaming elements;    decreasing the display size of gaming elements;    decreasing the strength of gaming elements in the gaming environment;    decreasing the ability of gaming elements to mutate in the gaming environment;    decreasing the stealthing ability of gaming elements in the gaming environment; or    reducing the speed at which gaming elements operate in the gaming environment.    
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the altering step comprises the steps of: 
 increasing the availability of gaming elements;    increasing the display size of gaming elements;    increasing the strength of gaming elements in the gaming environment;    increasing the ability of gaming elements to mutate in the gaming environment;    increasing the stealthing ability of gaming elements in the gaming environment; or    increasing the speed at which gaming elements operate in the gaming environment.    
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the power source is a battery and the monitoring the operating condition of the power source comprises the steps of: 
 monitoring a voltage level of the battery;    monitoring a current level of the battery;    monitoring a temperature of the battery;    monitoring a charging status of the battery a or monitoring an operating condition of a backup battery.    
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the power source is a manually operable mechanism and the monitoring the operating condition of the power source comprises the step of monitoring the revolutions per minute of the manually operable mechanism.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the power source is a solar cell and the monitoring the operating condition of the power source comprises of the steps of: 
 monitoring an output current level of the solar cell;    monitoring a voltage level of the solar cell; or    monitoring a temperature of the solar cell.    
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the gaming unit is a wireless communications device.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 communicating to a second gaming unit at least one of a status of the operating condition of the power source of the first gaming unit and an altered gaming condition, wherein the first gaming unit and the second gaming unit are part of a multi-player gaming environment.    
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the gaming unit is a wireless communication device and the method further comprises the step of altering the operation of at least one operating feature of the wireless communication device.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the wireless communication device includes a ringtone and a navigation key for permitting a user to navigate through menus and the altering the operation of operating feature step comprises the steps of: 
 decreasing at least one of a pitch and a speed of the ringtone;    increasing a response time of the navigation key; or    modifying an image on a display of the wireless communication device.    
   
   
       12 . A method for affecting operations of a wireless communications device having a ringtone and a navigation key for permitting users to navigate through menus, comprising the steps of: 
 in the wireless communications device, monitoring at least one operating condition of a power source that provides power to the wireless communication device;    when at least one of the operating conditions reaches a predetermined threshold, performing: 
 decreasing at least one of a pitch and a speed of the ringtone;  
 increasing a response time of the navigation key; or  
 modifying an image on a display of the wireless communication device.  
   
   
   
       13 . A system for affecting gaming conditions, comprising: 
 a user interface section that provides a gaming environment;    a power source that has at least one operating condition and that provides power to the user interface section; and    a processor, wherein the power source also provides power to the processor and the processor is programmed to: 
 monitor at least one of the operating conditions of the power source; and  
 when the processor determines that at least one of the operating conditions has reached a predetermined threshold, alter at least one gaming condition in the gaming environment to indicate to a user that the operating condition has reached the predetermined threshold.  
   
   
   
       14 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the user interface section comprises a display and wherein the gaming condition is selected from the availability of gaming elements, the display size of gaming elements, the strength of gaming elements in the gaming environment, the ability of gaming elements to mutate in the gaming environment, the stealthing ability of gaming elements in the gaming environment, the display color of gaming elements or the speed at which gaming elements operate in the gaming environment.  
   
   
       15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further programmed to perform: 
 reducing the availability of gaming elements;    decreasing the display size of gaming elements;    decreasing the strength of gaming elements in the gaming environment;    decreasing the ability of gaming elements to mutate in the gaming environment;    decreasing the stealthing ability of gaming elements in the gaming environment; or    reducing the speed at which gaming elements operate in the gaming environment.    
   
   
       16 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further programmed to perform: 
 increasing the availability of gaming elements;    increasing the display size of gaming elements;    increasing the strength of gaming elements in the gaming environment;    increasing the ability of gaming elements to mutate in the gaming environment;    increasing the stealthing ability of gaming elements in the gaming environment; or    increasing the speed at which gaming elements operate in the gaming environment.    
   
   
       17 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the system further includes a backup battery and the power source is a battery and the processor is further programmed to monitor the operating condition of the power source by: 
 monitoring a voltage level of the battery;    monitoring a current level of the battery;    monitoring a temperature of the battery;    monitoring a charging status of the battery; or    monitoring an operating condition of the backup battery.    
   
   
       18 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the power source is a manually operable mechanism and the processor is further programmed to monitor the operating condition of the power source by monitoring the revolutions per minute of the manually operable mechanism.  
   
   
       19 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the power source is a solar cell and the processor is further programmed to monitor the operating condition of the power source by: 
 monitoring an output current level of the solar cell;    monitoring a voltage level of the solar cell; or    monitoring a temperature of the solar cell.    
   
   
       20 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the system is contained within a wireless communication device having gaming capability.  
   
   
       21 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the system is part of a first gaming unit and wherein the system further comprises a transceiver section, wherein the transceiver section communicates to a second gaming unit at least one of a status of the operating condition of the power source of the first gaming unit and an altered gaming condition and wherein the first gaming unit and the second gaming unit are part of a multi-player gaming environment.  
   
   
       22 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the system is contained within a wireless communication device and the processor is further programmed to alter the operation of at least one operating feature of the wireless communication device.  
   
   
       23 . The system according to  claim 22 , wherein the wireless communication device comprises a ringtone and the user interface section of the wireless communication device includes a display and a navigation key for permitting a user to navigate through menus and wherein the processor is further programmed to alter the operation of at least one operating feature of the wireless communication device by: 
 decreasing at least one of a pitch and a speed of the ringtone;    increasing a response time of the navigation key; or    modifying an image on the display of the user interface section.    
   
   
       24 . A system to alter the operation of at least one operating feature of a wireless communication device, comprising: 
 a user interface section having a display, a ringtone and a navigation key for permitting users to navigate through menus;    a power source that has at least one operating condition and that provides power to the user interface section; and    a processor, wherein the power source also provides power to the processor and the processor is programmed to: 
 monitor at least one operating condition of the power source; and  
 when at least one of the operating conditions reaches a predetermined threshold, perform: 
 decreasing at least one of a pitch and a speed of the ringtone;  
 increasing a response time of the navigation key; or  
 modifying an image on the display of the user interface section.  
 
   
   
   
       25 . A machine readable storage having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a gaming unit for causing the gaming unit to perform the steps of: 
 providing a gaming environment;    monitoring at least one operating condition of a power source that provides power to the gaming unit; and    when at least one of the operating conditions reaches a predetermined threshold, altering at least one gaming condition in the gaming environment to indicate to a user that the operating condition has reached the predetermined threshold.    
   
   
       26 . The machine readable storage according to  claim 25 , wherein the gaming condition is selected from the availability of gaming elements, the display size of gaming elements, the strength of gaming elements in the gaming environment, the ability of gaming elements to mutate in the gaming environment, the stealthing ability of gaming elements in the gaming environment, the display color of gaming elements or the speed at which gaming elements operate in the gaming environment.  
   
   
       27 . The machine readable storage according to  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of code sections further cause the gaming unit to perform the steps of: 
 reducing the availability of gaming elements;    decreasing the display size of gaming elements;    decreasing the strength of gaming elements in the gaming environment;    decreasing the ability of gaming elements to mutate in the gaming environment;    decreasing the stealthing ability of gaming elements in the gaming environment; or    reducing the speed at which gaming elements operate in the gaming environment.    
   
   
       28 . The machine readable storage according to  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of code sections further cause the gaming unit to perform the steps of: 
 increasing the availability of gaming elements;    increasing the display size of gaming elements;    increasing the strength of gaming elements in the gaming environment;    increasing the ability of gaming elements to mutate in the gaming environment;    increasing the stealthing ability of gaming elements in the gaming environment; or    increasing the speed at which gaming elements operate in the gaming environment.    
   
   
       29 . The machine readable storage according to  claim 25 , wherein the gaming unit is a wireless communication device and wherein the plurality of code sections further cause the gaming unit to perform the step of altering the operation of at least one operating feature of the wireless communication device.  
   
   
       30 . The machine readable storage according to  claim 29 , wherein the wireless communication device includes a display, a ringtone and a navigation key for permitting a user to navigate through menus and the plurality of code sections cause the wireless communication device to perform the steps of: 
 decreasing at least one of a pitch and a speed of the ringtone;    increasing a response time of the navigation key; or    modifying an image of the display of the wireless communication device.    
   
   
       31 . A machine readable storage having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a wireless communication device for causing the wireless communication device to perform the steps of: 
 monitoring at least one operating condition of a power source that provides power to the wireless communication device; and    when at least one of the operating conditions reaches a predetermined threshold: 
 decreasing at least one of a pitch and a speed of a ringtone of the wireless communication device;  
 increasing a response time of a navigation key of the wireless communication device; or  
 modifying an image on a display of the wireless communication device.