System and method for toy adoption and marketing

Abstract

A toy is represented on a website via a virtual replica of the product. The toy has a registration data associated with it that is electronically stored in the toy using an electronic storage medium. A user is registered on the website by associating the user with a user ID. The user ID is associated with the virtual replica of the product by utilizing the registration data. Access is granted to one or more features on the website in connection with the virtual replica of the product subsequent to input and validation of the registration code via the user ID.

1 . A method comprising the steps of:
 the user receiving a toy including a toy body representing an animate object and an electronic storage device that stores registration data for registering said toy on a server system;   the user connecting the electronic storage device to a user computer for communicating the registration data to the user computer and receiving from the server information indicative of the toy on the server system, said registering utilizing the user computer communicating over the Internet, wherein said registration data is of a type for supporting said registering in the server system;   in response to said connecting, viewing a virtual world on the user computer by utilizing specialized data received from the server system; and   participating in specialized activities in the virtual world using the user computer, said participating utilizing data received from the server system on the user computer for supporting the activities in the virtual world, wherein   said participating in the specialized activities is not received without prior completion of said registering.   
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said electronic storage device is operative for automatically registering using said registration data, over the Internet. 
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said storage device stores updated data associated with said virtual world that is different than original data stored in said storage device, wherein said updated data includes an online profile of a virtual character that is associated with said toy on the computer server. 
     
     
         4 . The method as in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of playing with the toy without use of the user computer or any other computer. 
     
     
         5 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein said receiving from the server information indicative of the toy having been registered on the server system is accomplished automatically. 
     
     
         6 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein said registration data is a unique code that is uniquely indicative of the toy. 
     
     
         7 . The method as in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of said storage device storing at least one of information from said server computer system or information received from the user computer but not from the server computer system. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising the steps of:
 receiving, by a user, a product including a body formed with a shape and appearance representing an animate object and an electronic storage device for storing registration data that is effective for registering the product on a server system;   connecting, by the user, the electronic storage device to a user computer for automatically communicating the registration data to the user computer for registering the product on the server system, said registering utilizing the user computer in communication with the server system over the Internet, wherein said registration data on the storage device is adapted for supporting said registering;   in response to said connecting, receiving specialized data from the server system on the user computer, the specialized data for generating a virtual character in a virtual world on the user computer; and   viewing an animated version of the virtual character in specialized activities in the virtual world on the user computer, said viewing utilizing data received from the server system on the user computer for supporting the specialized activities in the virtual world, wherein   participation in the specialized activities with the virtual character is not permitted by a computer operation without prior completion of said registering step.   
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 8 , wherein said storage device stores updated data associated with said virtual world that is different than original data stored in said storage device, wherein said updated data includes an online profile of a virtual character that is associated with said toy on the computer server. 
     
     
         10 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein said registration data is a unique code that is uniquely indicative of the product. 
     
     
         11 . The method as in  claim 9 , further comprising the step of said storage device storing at least one of information from said server system or information received from the user computer but not from the server system. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a toy including a toy body that has a form representing an animate object and an electronic storage device connected to said toy body for storing registration data for registering the toy on a server system;   connecting the electronic storage device to a user computer for communicating the registration data to the user computer;   transmitting said registration data to said server system via the Internet;   in response to said transmitting, receiving specialized data from the server system, the specialized data used by the user computer for generating a virtual world on the user computer; and   participating in specialized activities in the virtual world using the user computer, said participating utilizing data received from the server system on the user computer for supporting the specialized activities in the virtual world, wherein   in response to said participating, storing information about the specialized activities received from the server system on the storage device connected to the user computer.   
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein said retrieving from said electronic storage device is done automatically, over the Internet. 
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein at least some of said data from said server system is updated data associated with said virtual world for storage in said storage device, that is different than original data stored in said storage device, wherein said updated data includes an online profile of a virtual character that is associated with said toy on the computer server. 
     
     
         15 . The method as in  claim 12 , wherein said communicating the registration data to the user computer for registering the toy on the server system is accomplished automatically. 
     
     
         16 . The method as in  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of:
 subsequent to said registering, initiating a new session for participating in more specialized activities in the virtual world; and   in response to said initiating a new session, automatically transmitting the information about the specialized activities to the server system for supporting additional specialized activities in the virtual world.   
     
     
         17 . The method as in  claim 12 , wherein said registration data is a unique code that is uniquely indicative of the toy. 
     
     
         18 . The method as in  claim 22 , wherein said toy represents an animal. 
     
     
         19 . The method as in  claim 11 , further comprising the step of said storage device storing at least one of information from said server system or information received from the user computer but not received from the server system. 
     
     
         20 . A method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a product including a body having a shape and appearance representing an animate object and an electronic storage device connected to said body for storing registration data for registering the product on a server system;   connecting the electronic storage device to a user computer for automatically communicating the registration data to the user computer;   transmitting said registration data to the server system via the Internet;   in response to said transmitting, receiving specialized data from the server system, the specialized data for generating a virtual character in a virtual world on the user computer;   viewing an animated virtual character in specialized activities in the virtual world using the user computer utilizing data received from the server system on the user computer for supporting the specialized activities in the virtual world; and   in response to said participating, storing information associated with the character that was received from the server system on the storage device, wherein said data on said storage device represents an online profile of a user.   
     
     
         21 . A method as in  claim 20 , wherein said electronic storage device is operative for automatically registering using said registration data, over the Internet. 
     
     
         22 . A method as in  claim 20 , wherein said storage device stores updated data associated with said virtual world that is different than original data stored in said storage device. 
     
     
         23 . The method as in  claim 20 , wherein said registration data is a unique code that is uniquely indicative of the product. 
     
     
         24 . The method as in  claim 20 , wherein said product represents an animal. 
     
     
         25 . The method as in  claim 20 , further comprising the step of said storage device storing at least one of information from said server system or information received from the user computer but not received from the server system. 
     
     
         26 . A method comprising the steps of:
 a user receiving a product including a body representing a shape and appearance of an animate object and an electronic storage device for storing data for registering the product on a server system;   the user connecting the electronic storage device to a user computer, which connects to the server system via the Internet for automatically communicating the data stored in the electronic storage device to the server system over a communication network for registering the product on the server system;   in response to said connecting, the user computer receiving specialized data from the server system, the specialized data for generating a virtual character in a virtual world on a user device; and   the user viewing the virtual character in specialized activities in the virtual world using the user device, said viewing comprising viewing an animated character that is animated utilizing data received from the server system on the user device for supporting the specialized activities in the virtual world.   
     
     
         27 . A method as in  claim 26 , wherein said storage device stores updated data associated with said virtual world that is different than original data stored in said storage device, wherein said updated data includes an online profile of a virtual character that is associated with said toy on the computer server. 
     
     
         28 . The method as in  claim 26 , further comprising the steps of:
 the storage device receiving information associated with the character from the server system, and   storing the information associated with the character on the storage device.   
     
     
         29 . The method as in  claim 26 , wherein the animating of the virtual character is not provided without prior completion of registering the product. 
     
     
         30 . The method as in  claim 26 , wherein said virtual character is a virtual representation resembling said product. 
     
     
         31 . The method as in  claim 26 , wherein said data stored on the electronic storage device is a unique code that is uniquely indicative of the product. 
     
     
         32 . The method as in  claim 26 , wherein said product represents an animate object. 
     
     
         33 . The method as in  claim 26 , further comprising the step of said storage device storing at least one of information from said server system or information not received from the server system.