Abstract:
A machine readable game card is provided which has a display surface and a readable surface, at least two terminals, and at least one path arranged on the readable surface between the two terminals, the path having an attribute of a predetermined value measured between the two terminals, and an image arranged on the display surface to which the predetermined value is associated. A reader for reading the machine readable game card is also provided which has a board with a surface, a plurality of pairs of terminals arranged on the surface, a connector, a plurality of circuits connecting each of said pairs of terminals to said connector, in which a pair of terminals on a machine readable game card contacts a pair of terminals on the reader when the machine readable game card is placed on the surface. A system for playing a game is also provided including a plurality of machine readable game cards, a reader for reading the machine readable game cards, and a computer containing a game connected to the reader, in which the game is played by placing at least one of the machine readable game cards in the reader and identifying it with the computer.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates generally to the automated identification of collectable or playing cards for the purposes of game playing and amusement.  
           [0003]    2. Background and Related Art  
           [0004]    It has long been desirable to have a card reader that can reliably identify an individual collectable or playing card from a plurality of cards. Previous card reader technology was based on mechanical, magnetic, or optical readers. Such card readers were relatively expensive and complicated, and were thus unsuitable as consumer items or for use as toys.  
           [0005]    A related technology is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,928 to Chan. Chan describes an Educational/Board Game Apparatus in which an interchangeable game card has symbols associated with the locations of underlying sensors. The game participant presses the symbols in response to prompts from an attached computer. The game card of Chan is associated with particular game. The game cards of Chan are thus not suitable for playing a collectible card game.  
           [0006]    Another related technology is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,285 to Levy et al. Levy describes an Electronic Game having Intelligent Game Pieces in which game pieces mate with a game board which contains means for coupling electronic signals to and from each piece. The game pieces of Levy are ‘intelligent’ in that they include programmable circuitry such as a semi-conductor based device. The game pieces of Levy are thus not amenable to inexpensive production or disposable use.  
           [0007]    A third related technology is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,044 to Behm et al. Behm describes a Document Structure with Circuit Elements in which a lottery ticket includes an electronic circuit for use as a means of verification. The device of Behm seeks to thwart alteration or discovery of a lottery ticket&#39;s value. The device of Behm does not, however, associate the electronic circuit with the image on the lottery ticket. Indeed, to do so would negate the uncertainty aspect of a lottery by making the value of the lottery ticket predictable.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention is based on conductive ink, printed on the cards, combined with a simple card reader board which plugs into a computer, video game console, or handheld electronic unit. Because the card reader board needs only inexpensive electrical contacts and switches, and the cards are made of an inexpensive material such as cardboard, this card identification technology would lend itself to inexpensive applications, almost to the point of being disposable. In addition, this technology could be used for any conceivable multiple card application where it would be useful for a computer to be able to identify the particular cards. For example, a role playing card game could be supplemented with specific graphics and sound through a personal computer, while still maintaining the original look and feel of a card game.  
           [0009]    In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a machine readable game card which has a display surface and a readable surface, at least two terminals, and at least one path arranged on the readable surface between the two terminals, the path having an attribute of a predetermined value measured between the two terminals, and an image arranged on the display surface to which the predetermined value is associated. A further object of the present invention is to provide a reader for identifying a machine readable game card which has a board with a surface, a plurality of pairs of terminals arranged on the surface, a connector, a plurality of circuits connecting each of said pairs of terminals to said connector, wherein a pair of terminals on a machine readable game card contacts a pair of terminals on the reader when the machine readable game card is placed on the surface. A further object of the present invention is to provide an system for playing a game including a plurality of machine readable game cards, a reader for identifying the machine readable game cards, and a computer, video game console, or handheld electronic unit containing a game connected to the reader, wherein the game is played by placing at least one of the machine readable game cards in the reader and identifying it with the computer, video game console, or handheld electronic unit. A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for identifying a game card, comprising the steps of installing a game on a computer, video game console, or handheld electronic unit having a joystick port or any similar device that is capable of reading resistance values, connecting a game card reader to the joystick port, placing a game card with an image and an attribute of a predetermined value associated with that image in the reader, receiving a signal at the joystick port associated with the predetermined value, and storing an identification associated with said signal accessible to said computer.  
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    The invention will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings, in which:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system for playing a card game according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a view of a display surface of an embodiment of a game card used in connection with the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a view of a readable surface of an embodiment of a game card used in connection with the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a game card reader used in connection with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]    In FIG. 1 is shown a block diagram of a system  100  for playing a card game according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system  100  includes a machine readable game card  101 , a reader  102  for reading the machine readable game card  101 , and a computer  103  connected to the reader  102 . Game card  101  is made of an inexpensive material. In a preferred embodiment, game card  101  is made of cardboard, but game card  101  could also be made of, for example, paper, plastic, Styrofoam, particle board, organic material, fiber board, or any equivalent material. Reader  102  is equipped with connector  105 , and computer  103  has access to port  106 . In a preferred embodiment, port  106  is a component of computer  103 . In a preferred embodiment connector  105  is a joystick connector, and port  106  is a joystick port, but connector  105  or port  106  could also be, for example, a serial port, a SCSI port, an optical port, an RS232 adaptor, or any equivalent means of connection, or a device that is capable of reading resistance values. In a preferred embodiment computer  103  is a personal computer, but computer  103  could also be, for example, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a handheld electronic device, a palmtop computer, a video game console, a mainframe computer, a mini-computer, a micro-computer, a digital computer, an analog computer, an organic computer, an emulator, a thin client, or any equivalent device. A game  104  is accessible to computer  103 . In a preferred embodiment, game  104  is stored on computer  103 , but game  104  may also be stored elsewhere, on another device, for example, as long as computer  103  is able to access game  104 . In one embodiment, computer  103  is connected to the Internet, and access to game  104  could be acquired over an Internet connection. Computer  103  could also access game  104  over an intranet or other equivalent network. In a preferred embodiment, game  104  is a card game, but game  104  could also be, for example, a role-playing game, an adventure game, a fantasy game, a video game, a virtual reality game, a competition game, an educational game, a board game, or any equivalent game. Connector  105  and port  106  are connected with cable  107 . In a preferred embodiment, cable  107  is a coaxial cable, but cable  107  could also be, for example, a flat cable, a wireless connection, an infrared connection, an RF connection, an optical fiber, twisted pair, telco cable, or any equivalent means of connecting connector  105  and port  106 . Cable  107  is further shown carrying signal  108 . In a preferred embodiment, signal  108  is an electrical signal, but signal  108  could also be, for example, an infrared signal, an ultraviolet signal, an RF signal, a microwave signal, an optical signal, radiated baseband, an audio signal, or any equivalent means of transmitting information. In addition, transducer  109  is shown between connecter  105  and port  106 . Transducer  109  is optional. Transducer  109  would only be necessary if, for example, the output of connector  105  were incompatible with port  106 . If the output of connector  105  were incompatible with port  106 , for example, transducer  109  could be used to convert the output of connector  105  to a form that is compatible with port  106 , as would be known to one skilled in the art. Transducer  109  could, for example, convert the output of connector  105  into audio tones, if port  106  were an audio port. Transducer  109  could also be, for example, an active filter, a passive filter such as a ferrite, or an amplifier. The placement of transducer  109  is not limited to the location shown in FIG. 1. Transducer  109  could be, for example, placed anywhere along cable  107 , or in parallel with cable  107 . Transducer  109  could also be, for example, incorporated within reader  102  or computer  103 . The exact location of transducer  109  is not critical to the principles of the invention. Computer  103  further includes identification means  110 . In a preferred embodiment, identification means  110  identifies game card  101  based on signal  108  as discussed further below, and supplies the identity of game card  101  to computer  103 , which causes game  104  to act based on the identity of game card  101 .  
         [0016]    In FIG. 2 is shown the display surface  201  of an embodiment of game card  101 . An image  202  may be seen to be arranged on display surface  201 . In a preferred embodiment, image  202  is a photograph, but image  202  could also be, for example, a painting, a hologram, a drawing, a lithograph, an offset, a bas-relief, an etching, a pictogram, a print, a mirror, a light-emitting diode, a luminescent coating, a reflective coating, a phosphorescent coating, a glow-in-the-dark coating, a magnetic coating, an optical filter or any equivalent medium. Image  202  could also be a means of tactile stimulation, such as a message in the Braille alphabet, if the game were to be played by the sight-impaired. In a preferred embodiment, image  202  denotes a particular aspect of a computer game. Image  202  may depict or suggest, for example, a character such as a joker, an action such as ‘Go Directly to Jail’, or a value such as a monetary amount or a quantity of points. In a preferred embodiment, game card  101  is one of a plurality of game cards. Different game cards  101  could bear identical images  202 , but in a preferred embodiment, image  202  is unique to a particular game card  101 . In a preferred embodiment there will thus be as many images  202  as there are game cards  101 , and there will further be a one-to-one mapping of the set of images  202  to the set of game cards  101 .  
         [0017]    In FIG. 3 is shown the readable surface  301  of an embodiment of game card  101 . In a preferred embodiment, readable surface  301  and display surface  201  shown in FIG. 2 are on opposite sides of game card  101 , but they could be on the same side as well. Path  302  is arranged on readable surface  301  between terminals  303  and  304 . In a preferred embodiment path  302  is an electrical conductor, but path  302  could also be, for example, a wave guide, a transmission line, or any equivalent medium. In a preferred embodiment path  302  is formed of conductive ink, but path  302  could also be, for example, formed of a metal such as copper or aluminum, an amorphous, polymorphous or crystalline semiconductor, an insulator, a polymer, an optical fiber, a suspension, or any equivalent substance. One skilled in the art will know that conductive ink is also known as conductive paint or coating; resistive ink, paint, or coating; electrical ink, paint, or coating; or metal or metallized ink, paint, or coating. Conductive ink may be formulated to produce a specific electrical resistance value when printed as a path of a given thickness, width, and length on a suitable substrate. A given ink formulation will have a certain resistivity. The resistance of a path made of conductive ink of a given formulation will vary with the length of the path and inversely with the width and the thickness. To obtain varying resistance values the path pattern can be varied in length, thickness, and width. In the alternative, the chemical formulation of the conductive ink can be varied to obtain different values of resistivity. An electrical multi-meter or similar device can be used to measure the resistance value of a conductive ink path. In particular, the joystick port on a personal computer can be used to indirectly measure the resistance, producing a value which is relative to the resistance value.  
         [0018]    An attribute  305  is associated with path  302 . Attribute  305  has a predetermined value. The predetermined value of attribute  305  of path  302  on the readable surface  301  of a particular game card  101  is associated with image  202  on the display surface  201  of the same game card  101  as shown in FIG. 2. In a preferred embodiment the predetermined value of attribute  305  of path  302  on the readable surface  301  of a particular game card  101  is unique to image  202  on the display surface  201  shown in FIG. 2. Since game card  101  may be one of a plurality of game cards  101 , in a preferred embodiment there will exist a one-to-one mapping between the predetermined value of attribute  305  on a particular game card  101  and the image  202  on the same game card  101 . In a preferred embodiment, attribute  305  is a resistance, but attribute  305  could also be, for example, an impedance, an inductance, a capacitance, an electrical length, a delay, a phase shift, a resonant mode, a transmissivity, an attenuation, a voltage drop, a frequency response, or any equivalent attribute. In a preferred embodiment attribute  305  is measured between terminals  303  and  304 . If attribute  305  were a resistance, for example, then the predetermined value might be measured between terminals  303  and  304  in units such as ohms or Siemens. Any suitable system of units will do, however, since one skilled in the art will know that a system of units is simply an arbitrary scale factor. Measuring a proxy for resistance, such as the voltage drop across terminals  303  and  304 , or current flow in a circuit in parallel to path  302 , would also be within the scope of the principles of the invention.  
         [0019]    In FIG. 4 is shown a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a game card reader  102  used in connection with the present invention. Card reader  102  includes a board  401  having a reader surface  402 . Terminals  403  and  404  are arranged on reader surface  402 . A connector  105  is shown installed on game card reader  102 . A circuit  405  connects terminals  403  and  404  to connector  105 . A game card  101  as shown in FIG. 1 is read by placing game card  101  on reader surface  402  so that readable surface  301  shown in FIG. 3 is proximate to reader surface  402 , and terminals  303  and  304  shown in FIG. 3 are in contact with terminals  403  and  404 . When terminals  303  and  304  are in contact with terminals  403  and  404 , path  302  arranged on readable surface  301  between terminals  303  and  304  shown in FIG. 3 completes circuit  405 , allowing signal  108  to be transmitted over path  302 . In the alternative, a switch  406  can be placed in series with terminals  403  and  404  to complete circuit  405  when switch  406  is asserted. In a preferred embodiment, signal  108  is related to the predetermined value of attribute  305 . Since there is a one-to-one mapping between the predetermined value of attribute  305  and the image  202  on a particular card, identification means  110  in computer  103  identifies game card  101  by measuring signal  108  through port  106 . Several cards could be measured simultaneously or sequentially by providing further circuits connected in parallel with circuit  405 .  
         [0020]    One skilled in the art will know that there many are equivalent means of identifying game card  101  by determining the predetermined value of attribute  305  within the principles of the invention. If, for example, signal  108  were a direct current (DC) electrical signal and attribute  305  were a resistance, then the predetermined value of attribute  305  could be measured by measuring the voltage drop across terminals  303  and  304 , or the current through a circuit in parallel with path  302 , in the manner of a current divider. If, for example, signal  108  were an alternating current (AC) electrical signal and attribute  305  were the impedance of path  302 , then the predetermined value of attribute  305  could be measured by measuring the voltage drop across terminals  303  and  304 , the current through a circuit in parallel with path  302  in the manner of a current divider, the charge accumulated in an active device such as a capacitor that is in series with path  302 , or the flux linkage in an active device such as an inductor that is in parallel with path  302 . If, for example, signal  108  were an AC electrical signal and attribute  305  were the electrical length of path  302 , then the predetermined value of attribute  305  could be measured by measuring the phase shift or the delay experienced by AC signal  108  as it traversed path  302 . If, for example, signal  108  were an RF signal of one frequency, such as a clock signal, or of several different frequencies, such as band-limited white noise, and attribute  305  were the frequency response of path  302 , then the predetermined value of attribute  305  could be measured by measuring the attenuation or phase shift or delay of AC signal  108  after it had traversed path  302 . If, for example, signal  108  were an optical signal of a given wavelength and attribute  305  were the refractive index or the transmissivity of path  302 , then the predetermined value of attribute  305  could be measured by measuring the amount of light passing through path  302 , for example, by measuring the light incident on one of terminals  304  or  304 .  
         [0021]    The invention having been thus described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same may be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions. All such modifications are intended to be encompassed by the following claims.