Motion-sensitive controller and associated gaming applications

Abstract

A wireless gaming toy is provided for playing an interactive game using a wireless-compatible game console in which a virtual play environment is represented through one or more computer-animated visual, aural or tactile effects. The gaming toy can include optional motion-sensitive circuitry and/or command circuitry for generating control signals and/or an effects generator and associated control circuitry to enable the toy to selectively generate visual, aural or tactile effects. The gaming toy can include a wireless transceiver for providing two-way wireless communication with the wireless-compatible game console. One or more optional auxiliary components may modularly attach to the gaming toy to selectively create a modified gaming toy having different desired functions or aesthetics. One or more adjunct gaming devices, such as RFID-enabled collectible/tradable tokens, coins, trinkets, simulated crystals or the like, may also be provided and used in association with the gaming toy to play a game.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An RFID-enabled gaming system, said RFID-enabled gaming system comprising:
 an action figure comprising a first radio frequency identification (RFID) tag having a first antenna and memory storing character information, wherein the character information enables a compatible gaming platform to simulate a first character associated with the character information in a virtual game environment;   an adjunct play object comprising a second RFID tag having a second antenna and memory storing object-specific information, wherein the object-specific information enables the compatible gaming platform to identify the adjunct play object; and   an RFID reader/writer unit configured to be coupled to the compatible gaming platform, wherein the RFID reader/writer unit is configured to activate the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag and to receive the character information and the object-specific information from the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag and communicate the character information and the object-specific information to the compatible gaming platform.   
     
     
         22 . The RFID-enabled gaming system of  claim 21 , wherein said object-specific information comprises identification information. 
     
     
         23 . The RFID-enabled gaming system of  claim 21 , wherein said character information describes one or more attributes of the first character associated with the character information. 
     
     
         24 . The RFID-enabled gaming system of  claim 23 , wherein said RFID reader/writer unit is configured to store information on the first RFID tag representing progress of the first character in the virtual game environment. 
     
     
         25 . The RFID-enabled gaming system of  claim 21 , wherein said object-specific information is configured to modify the powers or abilities of a virtual game character in said virtual game environment. 
     
     
         26 . The RFID-enabled gaming system of  claim 21 , wherein said RFID reader/writer unit is configured to actuate one or more associated lighting or sound effects. 
     
     
         27 . The RFID-enabled gaming system of  claim 21 , wherein said adjunct play object comprises a molded plastic body having a cavity formed therein and wherein said second RFID tag is disposed in said cavity and encapsulated within said molded plastic body. 
     
     
         28 . The RFID-enabled gaming system of  claim 27 , wherein said molded plastic body is formed from a transparent plastic material in a shape and color simulating a natural crystal. 
     
     
         29 . A wireless gaming system, said wireless gaming system comprising:
 a reader/writer unit configured to wirelessly communicate with one or more transponders to read information stored on the one or more transponders;   a first play object comprising a first transponder having first non-volatile programmable memory storing object-specific information associated with said first play object, wherein in response to reading the object-specific information from the first transponder, the reader/writer unit communicates the object-specific information to a compatible gaming device to enable the compatible gaming device to simulate a first character in a virtual game environment; and   a collateral play object comprising a second transponder having second non-volatile programmable memory for storing object-specific information identifying said collateral play object, wherein in response to reading the object-specific information from the second transponder, the reader/writer unit communicates the object-specific information to the compatible gaming device;   wherein the reader/writer unit is configured to transmit game-related information to the second transponder of the collateral play object to be stored in the second non-volatile programmable memory.   
     
     
         30 . The wireless gaming system of  claim 29 , wherein said first play object comprises an action figure or toy representing the first character. 
     
     
         31 . The wireless gaming system of  claim 29 , wherein said game-related information comprises one or more of: points, levels, and upgrades attained by the first character in the virtual game environment. 
     
     
         32 . The wireless gaming system of  claim 29 , wherein said game-related information comprises character information associated with a role-play character in the virtual game environment. 
     
     
         33 . The wireless gaming system of  claim 29 , wherein said reader/writer unit is configured to wirelessly communicate with said first and second transponders over a limited wireless communication range of less than 60 cm. 
     
     
         34 . The wireless gaming system of  claim 29 , wherein said collateral play object comprises a molded plastic body having a cavity formed therein and wherein said second transponder is disposed in said cavity and encapsulated within said molded plastic body. 
     
     
         35 . The wireless interactive gaming system of  claim 34 , wherein said molded plastic body is formed from a transparent plastic material in a shape and color simulating a natural crystal. 
     
     
         36 . The wireless interactive gamins system of  claim 29 , wherein said reader/writer unit comprises a radiofrequency transceiver and wherein said first transponder and said second transponder comprise radiofrequency identification tags. 
     
     
         37 . A method implemented by an interactive game system comprising:
 activating, by a wireless reader/writer unit, a first wireless tag comprising a first data storage device, said first wireless tag associated with a first toy within a communication range of the wireless reader/writer unit;   reading, by the wireless reader/writer unit, a first set of data from the first wireless tag, wherein the first set of data indicating characteristics of a first game character playable in a virtual environment simulated on a gaming device;   activating, by the wireless reader/writer unit, a second wireless tag comprising a second data storage device associated with a second toy within the communication range of the wireless reader/writer unit;   reading, by the wireless reader, a second set of data from the second wireless tag, wherein the second set of data indicates one or more attributes of the second toy and enables the gaming device to represent the second toy in the virtual environment; and   storing, by the wireless reader/writer unit, in response to receiving data from the gaming device indicative of progress of the first game character in the virtual environment, game-related data in the second data storage device.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising actuating, by the wireless reader/writer unit, one or more lighting or sound effects, in response to receiving said data indicative of progress of the first game character in the virtual environment. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising storing, by the wireless reader/writer unit, data on the first data storage device representing progress of the first character in the virtual environment. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the second set of data enables the gaming device to access an optional feature of the virtual environment comprising modifying the powers or abilities of a virtual game character in the virtual environment.