Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – With communication link
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-12
2001-09-11
O'Neill, Michael (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
With communication link
C463S006000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06287201
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to game systems and, more particularly, is concerned with inputting player information for arcade game systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Video arcade games are a technology providing a certain degree of user feedback. Arcade games are typically placed in public areas such as arcade halls, theaters, airports and other areas where the users can occupy time and entertain themselves by playing the game. Video Arcade games utilizing video displays have been around for some time now, beginning with the simplistic game of bouncing a ball across a line with paddles known as “Pong”. However, with the passage of time, video arcade games have become ever more sophisticated and realistic.
In many senses, the arcade game called “Hard Drivin'™”, manufactured and distributed by Atari Games Corp. of Milpitas, Calif., represents the state of the art in arcade game realism. The physical layout of the game includes clutch, brake and gas pedals, a gearshift and a steering wheel. The player, or driver, is provided feedback response from a video display having a three-dimensional graphical representation of the driving environment and from a speaker which generates realistic sounds of driving. A digital processor, comprising a number of microprocessors and a memory, is the interface between the player inputs and the feedback response.
Conventional arcade games allow players to input their names or initials into the game through several cumbersome methods. For example, in some games, players arc asked to spell out their names or initials by turning a steering wheel. As the steering wheel is turned a pointer moves along a row of letters. The player uses the steering wheel to move the pointer to the desired letter and then presses a gas pedal to add that letter to previously chosen letters. As can be imagined, this method is time-consuming for the player, especially if they have a long name.
While some conventional arcade games store statistics related to a player's performance, the games do not store preferences for each player. Examples of player preferences are, for example, in a driving game, the type of car, type of transmission and type of view. Thus, every time a player begins a new game, his preferences have to be entered. This is a time-consuming process that slows down the game play, and leads to lower revenues for the game operator. Companies that make arcade game systems rely on players being able to quickly enter and start each game. If a player has to spend a lot of time entering his name, the total earnings for the machine are reduced since fewer players can use the game every hour.
Some more recent games have been linked through dedicated data lines so that players in physically distant locations can play one another. However, these linked games do not store preferences for each player. Thus, a player of a linked game that normally plays in Los Angeles cannot go to San Francisco and have his preferences automatically set at the beginning of the game. These games are normally only linked so that each player can see each other during the game.
Consequently, a need exists for a simple, easy to use mechanism for players to enter their identities and preferences into an arcade game. The present invention provides a system for meeting such a need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of the invention is an arcade game that includes: a keypad for receiving alphanumeric data from a player; a memory in communication with the keypad for storing the alphanumeric data; first instructions for searching a database of players with the received alphanumeric data to retrieve stored information on the player; and second instructions for displaying the stored information on a display attached to the arcade game.
Another embodiment of the invention is a system in an arcade game for storing the names of players that includes: a keypad for receiving alphanumeric data from a player; first instructions for searching a database of players with the received alphanumeric data to determine whether the player has a record stored in the database; second instructions, responsive to the first instructions, for displaying a data entry screen to the player if a record for the player is not found in the database; and third instructions for storing the data entered on the data entry screen to the database.
Still another embodiment of the invention is a system in an arcade game for storing game information, that comprises: a keypad for receiving alphanumeric data from a player; first instructions for determining whether a player has a record stored in a player database, wherein a new record for the player is generated if one does not exist; and second instructions, responsive to the termination of a game play, wherein updated game data and default preferences are stored to the player's record in the database.
One additional embodiment of the invention is an arcade game that includes a system for rewarding players that have reached a predetermined goal. This embodiment includes: a keypad for receiving alphanumeric data from a player; first instructions for searching a database of players with the received alphanumeric data to retrieve stored information on the player; second instructions for determining whether any of the stored information is a statistic that has reached a predetermined goal; and third instructions for providing a reward to the player for reaching the predetermined goal.
Yet another embodiment of the invention is a method of storing player-related data in an arcade game, comprising: receiving alphanumeric data from a keypad; storing the received data to a memory; searching a database of players with the received alphanumeric data to retrieve stored information on the player; and displaying the stored information on a display attached to the arcade game.
One additional embodiment of the invention is a method in an arcade game for rewarding players that have reached a predetermined goal, comprising: receiving alphanumeric data from a player; searching a database of players with the received alphanumeric data to retrieve stored information on the player; determining whether any of the stored information is a statistic that has reached a predetermined goal; and providing a reward to the player for reaching the predetermined goal.
Other embodiments of the invention include an arcade game that has first means for receiving alphanumeric data from a player; second means for storing the alphanumeric data received from the first means; third means for searching a database of players with the received alphanumeric data to retrieve stored information on the player; and fourth means for displaying the stored information on a display attached to the arcade game.
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Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
Midway Games West
O'Neill Michael
LandOfFree
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