Personalized wireless video game system

Abstract

A video game system is described which includes a wireless game controller which stores information about the user of the controller. The controller includes a memory for storing the information. The information is communicated through wireless transmissions to a processor which can operate a video game. The personalized information can include, for example, the user's name, skill level, preferred characters, handicaps, limitations, and/or historical game scores. The game controllers can include a wireless receiver for receiving communications from the processor to update information stored in the controller. Several different communication operations and protocols are described, including storing a user identification code in the controller with corresponding detailed information stored in the processor, or storing detailed information in the hand held controller and down loading the information to the processor.

1. A video game system comprising:
 a processor unit for executing game instructions and displaying video images on a display screen, the processor includes a receiver for receiving wireless identification and control signal transmissions; and  
 a personalized portable control comprising: 
 a plurality of control switches for generating game control signals;  
 a non-volatile memory for storing personalized identification information corresponding to a user of the controller, the personalized identification information comprises a user age, and historical game performance data; and  
 a transmitter for wireless transmitting of the personalized identification and game control signals to the processor unit, wherein the processor unit authorizes game execution based on the user age, further the processor unit comprises a transmitting for transmitting the historical game performance data to the portable controller.  
 
 
     
     
       2. The video game system of  claim 1  wherein the processor unit further comprises a memory for storing user information corresponding to a plurality of possible users. 
     
     
       3. The video game system of  claim 2  wherein the user information stored in the memory of the processor unit is retrieved for use by the processor unit in response to the identification signal transmitted by the personalized portable controller. 
     
     
       4. The video game system of  claim 3  wherein the identification signal is transmitted from the personalized portable controller with a transmission of each control signal. 
     
     
       5. The video game system of  claim 2  wherein the user information stored in the memory of the processor unit is down loaded from the personalized portable controller prior to the operation of a video game. 
     
     
       6. The video game system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a wireless transmitter located in the processor unit for transmitting updated information to the personalized portable controller; and  
 a receiver located in the personalized portable controller for receiving the updated information for storage in the non-volatile memory of the personalized portable controller.  
 
     
     
       7. The video game system of  claim 1  wherein the personalized portable controller includes a removable rechargeable battery pack. 
     
     
       8. The video game system of  claim 1  wherein the personalized portable controller includes power saver circuitry for reducing the power consumption of the controller when the controller is not in use. 
     
     
       9. A personalized portable video game controller comprising:
 a wireless transmitter for transmitting user personalized information and video game control signals to a video game processor, the personalized identification comprises a user age, and historical performance data;  
 a plurality of input controls for generating the control signals in response to movements by a user;  
 a non-volatile memory for storing the user personalized information; and  
 a receiver for receiving wireless transmissions from the video game processor, the received wireless transmissions including performance data to be stored in the non-volatile memory.  
 
     
     
       10. The personalized portable video game controller of  claim 9  wherein at least a portion of the user personalized information is transmitted to the video game processor with each control signal transmission. 
     
     
       11. The personalized portable video game controller of  claim 9  wherein the user personalized information is selected from the group comprising user name, video game skill level, video game operating preferences, previous video game scores, or user age. 
     
     
       12. The personalized portable video game controller of  claim 9  wherein the user personalized information is updated during video game operation via wireless transmissions from the video game processor. 
     
     
       13. The personalized portable video game controller of  claim 9  wherein the user personalized information is transmitted from the controller to the game processor prior to interactive operation of a video game. 
     
     
       14. The personalized portable video game controller of  claim 9  further comprising a removable rechargeable battery pack. 
     
     
       15. The personalized portable video game controller of  claim 14  wherein the personalized portable controller includes power saver circuitry for reducing the power consumption of the controller when the controller is not in use. 
     
     
       16. A method of operating an interactive video system, the method comprising:
 activating a processing unit;  
 transmitting personalized information from a controller using wireless transmissions, the personalized identification information comprising a user age, and historical performance data;  
 storing the personalized information in a memory of the processing unit;  
 authorizing operation of a video game based upon the user age;  
 transmitting updated personalized information from the processing unit to the controller using wireless transmissions; and  
 storing the updated personalized information in a memory of the controller.  
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16  wherein the personalized information is transmitted from the controller prior to interactive operation of a video game. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16  wherein the updated personalized information is transmitted during interactive operation of a video game. 
     
     
       19. A method of operating an interactive video game system comprising:
 activating a game processing unit;  
 transmitting personalized information from a controller using wireless transmissions, the personalized identification information is stored in a memory of the controller and comprises a user age; and  
 adjusting the video game based upon the user age.  
 
     
     
       20. A game apparatus comprising:
   a wireless transmitter to transmit both an identification code and game control signals to a processor executing a game, the identification code is used by the processor to retrieve identification data and authorize game play based at least in part on an age of a player; and        a plurality of input controls to allow the player to interact with the processor to play the game.     
     
     
       21. A method of playing an interactive game comprising:
   transmitting data from a controller using wireless transmissions to a processor executing the interactive game;        authorizing play of the interactive game based at least in part on the data and an age of the player; and        transmitting game playing signals from the controller to the game processor.     
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21  wherein the data further comprises performance history. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 21  further comprises transmitting game performance data from the game processor to the controller. 
     
     
       24. A gaming system comprising:
   a processor to execute an interactive game; and        a game controller comprising a wireless transmitter to transmit an identification code and game playing signals to the processor, the identification code is used by the processor to authorize game play based on an age of a player, and a plurality of input controls to generate game playing signals in response to the player.     
     
     
       25. A gaming system comprising:
   a central processing unit (CPU) for executing a game, the CPU comprises:      a receiver for wirelessly receiving an identification code and control signal transmissions,        a CPU memory to store data corresponding to a game controller, wherein the CPU analyzes the identification code and retrieves data stored in the CPU memory which corresponds to the identification code, and        a CPU transmitter for wirelessly transmitting game performance data to the controller; and          wherein the game controller comprises:      a plurality of control switches for generating game control signals;        a non - volatile memory for storing the identification code; and        a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the identification code and the control signal transmissions to the CPU, wherein the CPU authorizes game participation if a player's age is within a defined age group.       
     
     
       26. A method of operating a game comprising:
   wirelessly transmitting data from a controller to a processor executing the game, wherein the data is used by the processor to determine an age of a game player; and        either allowing participation in the game based at least in part on the age of the player, or adjusting the game based at least in part on the age of the player.     
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 21  further comprising adjusting the game based at least in part on the age of the player. 
     
     
       28. The game controller of  claim 20  further comprising a wireless receiver to receive data from the processor. 
     
     
       29. The gaming system of  claim 24  wherein the processor analyzes the identification code and retrieves data stored in a memory which corresponds to the identification code. 
     
     
       30. A method of operating a game comprising:
   wirelessly receiving data from a controller by a processor executing the game;        determining an age of a game player using the data; and        either allowing participation in the game based at least in part on the age of the player, or adjusting the game based at least in part on the age of the player.     
     
     
       31. A method of playing a game comprising:
   transmitting data from a hand - held device using wireless transmissions to a processor executing the game;        authorizing play of the game based at least in part on the data and an age of a game player; and        transmitting game control signals from the hand - held device to the game processor.     
     
     
       32. A method of operating a game comprising:
   wirelessly transmitting data from a portable communication device to a processor executing the game, wherein the data is used by the processor to determine an age of a game player operating the portable communication device; and        allowing play of the game based at least in part on the age of the game player.     
     
     
       33. A method of operating a game comprising:
   wirelessly receiving data from a hand - held game device;        determining an age of a game player operating the hand - held game device using the received data; and        allowing the game player to participate in play of the game executed by a processor based at least in part on the age of the game player.     
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 33  wherein the data comprises an identification code. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 34  wherein determining the age of the game player operating the hand- held game device using the received data comprises retrieving stored data corresponding to the identification code, wherein the stored data comprises an indication of the age of the game player.