Abstract:
This invention relates to video games, specifically sports related video games, and the ability to interchange data sets and statistics related to player attributes and stats. The present invention allows for the interchange of data via non-volatile, and flash memory, online updating through global networks and various other memory updating implementation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Technical Field  
         [0002]     This invention relates to the updating of statistical information related to video games, and more particularly to sports related videogames.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     America was introduced to the first home video game system on a Sunday night television broadcast hosted by Frank Sinatra. Released by Magnavox and named “ODYSSEY” this system was little more than a few logic switches and was not considered a microcomputer by the industry. This was not, however, the first time that Americans had seen a videogame. The game “PONG,” created by Nolan Bushnell and Al Alcom (founder and first employee of ATARI, respectively), had been around for nearly a year in game arcades prior to the release of ODYSSEY. Thus videogames were not new. However, a system to play video games in the privacy of your own home had never been seen before.  
         [0005]     Nolan Bushnell was not to be outdone, and with simplicity as his motto, he reproduced his popular arcade game PONG for home use. ATARI&#39;s PONG, the home version, consisted of one simple unit having integral paddles, a built in speaker and was preprogrammed with one game: PONG.  
         [0006]     Today&#39;s videogames use 64-bit graphics and specialized hardware. Game designers are inhibited only by their creativity and available technology. The ultimate goal of most game designers is to make the video game appear as realistic as possible. This is especially true in sports based videogames.  
         [0007]     However, often events happen after the games has been coded and manufactured that take away the realistic aspect of the game. For example, nobody saw the football player Ricky Williams retiring one week before the start of pre-season in the year 2004. Because of that unforeseen event, 2004 video football games had Ricky Williams as the running back for the Miami Dolphins football team even though he was no longer playing.  
         [0008]     Consequently, sport gamers (individuals who are typically avid players of sports video games) were unable to play games that mirrored the reality of this change as associated with real-life sports. What is needed is an apparatus and method to mimic the real world dynamics of a particular sport such as injuries, trades, or unexpected hall-of-fame, career defining seasons by players. The system and method should provide for a nucleus of game statistical data and a fixed statistical database, that can be utilized in conjunction with interchangeable statistical databases, so as to permit constant, easily obtained updates for players to reflect changes in real life play.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0009]     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a statistical updating mechanism is provided wherein a core game application logic provides video game logic and a statistical database. The video game logic system processes the data in the statistical database and controls the game play. The statistical database comprising a fixed portion and a variable portion which together form the complete statistical data set associated with the video game. By statistical data set it is meant a collection of data records for computer processing.  
         [0010]     The fixed portion contains most of the data in the statistical database including the following: games rules, environments, identifiable logic, and other aspects of the gaming environment that should remain static throughout the life of the game. The variable portion is variable and contains data relating to the players, coaches, and any other elements of the gaming environment that could change throughout the life of the game. Because a majority of the data in the statistical database is contained within the fixed portion, the data contained in the variable portion can be updated relatively quickly and easily to reflect changes in real life permitting an update of dynamic statistical content relative to the video game, while retaining the core video game rules and identifiable logic.  
         [0011]     The variable portion may be updated via flashRAM, ROM, CDROM, DVD, hard disk, provided responsive to user generation, online downloads, or other similar methods.  
         [0012]     The update link is preferably loaded onto local RAM memory of the computing system processing and running the video game. The updates may be free or charged on a onetime or subscription type basis.  
         [0013]     In the preferred embodiment, the fixed portion establishes the base level of statistics associated with each videogame object and provides the game with base line data about the videogame object held in the statistical database. The fixed portion and variable portion are managed and controlled by a statistical-mapper which controls the exchange of data between the fixed portion and variable portion.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a system using the present invention; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a cut-away view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     In the descriptions that follow, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same numerals, respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale and certain figures may be shown in exaggerated or generalized form in the interest of clarity and conciseness.  
         [0018]      FIG. 1 , shows video game system  102  connected to television  104  via display cord  106 . Game system  102  may be any video game system, including but not limited to, the SONY PLAYSTATION produced by the Sony Corporation located in Tokyo Japan, NINTENDO GAME CUBE produced by Nintendo of America located in Redmond, Wash., or MICROSOFT XBOX produced by the Microsoft Corporation located in Redmond, Wash. and further includes use of CDs and DVDs in a computer running an operating system such as WINDOWS, LINUX, MACINTOSH, or other computer operating system. Television  104  may be any television, computer monitor, or some other similar display device.  
         [0019]     Game system  102  contains video game logic system (not shown) and statistical database  118 . The video game logic system processes the data in the statistical database and controls the game play and all other necessary functions. Statistical database  118  contains fixed database  112  and variable database  114 . Fixed database contains static data such as rules of the game, information to render playing environments, identifiable logic, and other aspects of the gaming environment that do not need to change.  
         [0020]     In a sports based video game, variable database  114  contains data that must be updated in order to provide a realistic gaming environment. For example, variable database  114  contains information about what players are available to play the game, specific attributes about each player, such as the player&#39;s current season batting average or ERA, whether or not the player is injured and therefore cannot perform 100%, or what team the player plays for. Variable database  114  can be updated via flash RAM, ROM, CDROM, DVD, hard disk, through an Ethernet, LAN, WAN, the Internet, or other similar methods. The update link is preferably loaded into local RAM memory of the video game logic system that is processing and running the game. The updates may be free or charged on a onetime or subscription type basis.  
         [0021]     In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 1 , game system  102  is connected to network port  108  via cable  110 . Network port  108  may be a connection to the Internet, an Ethernet, or some other network that allows access to data stored in a separate database. The separate database contains all the data necessary for game system  102  to mimic the real world dynamics of a particular sport.  
         [0022]     Game system  102  retrieves data from the separate database via network port  108  and uses the data to update variable database  114 . For example, if the present invention is used for a football game and in the current football season one player has a season ending injury, a second player, who plays quarterback, has a strained shoulder that prevents him from being accurate, a third player is traded to anther team, and a fourth player is an old veteran running back that has regained his old form and has exceeded everybody&#39;s expectations, then all the necessary information to update game system  102  would be contained in the separate database and downloaded to variable database  114  and variable database  114  would be updated accordingly.  
         [0023]     The update may occur when game system  102  is activated and can connect to the separate database via network port  108 , when an update button is pressed on game system  102 , or on a periodical interval such as daily, weekly or monthly.  
         [0024]     Using the above example of four players, after the update has occurred, when a game is played on game system  102 , player one would not be available, player two would have a lower accuracy rating and would not complete many of his passes, player three would have a different uniform, and player four would be a stronger running back and gain more yards per carry. By updating variable database  114 , the players would mimic the real sports world.  
         [0025]     In another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 2 , game cartridge  204  contains the statistic database  118  which includes fixed database  112  and variable database  114 . Flash media  202  is used to update variable database  114 . In one embodiment, flash media  202  contains the entire variable database  114 .  
         [0026]     In another embodiment, flash media  202  contains only the portion of variable database  114  that needs to be updated. When flash media is inserted into game cartridge  204 , the video game logic system extracts from flash media  202  all the necessary information to update the game system  102 . In another embodiment, flash media  202  is inserted directly into game system  102  and the video game logic system uses the information on flash media  202  to update variable database  114  in game cartridge  204  to mimic the real sports world.  
         [0027]     In yet another embodiment, the variable database  114  contains information about the environment or special rules or information about enemies, game maps, where to find specific items, money, weapons, or other items such as “Easter eggs” hidden within the game. The flash media or network port is used to unlock hidden features or invoke special rules such as unlimited life, weapons, money, power, or other attributes. Also the flash media or network port could be used to child proof a game and make the game more child friendly or to unlock any parental controls installed on the game. For example, in a first person shooter game the weapon could be a slingshot instead of a gun and the “victims” could be knocked out or otherwise wounded instead of killed.  
         [0028]     It should be understood that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.