Patent Publication Number: US-2006003805-A1

Title: System for accessing auxiliary content data

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a system for accessing auxiliary content data and in particular but not exclusively to a system for use within a mobile communications system and for playing a game on a user equipment.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Auxiliary products associated with mobile communication devices or user equipment have over the last couple of years become popular. These products include ringtones, background wallpapers displayed on the user equipment, and games.  
      These games are often supplied to the user equipment in the form of a physical device such as a multimedia card (MMC), or over the user equipment communications link from an external memory source to a memory within the user equipment.  
      This data once loaded into the user equipment is typically fixed. In other words the user of the application data is not generally able to change aspects of the game/ringtone/wallpaper.  
      In other areas of computer gaming there is a growing popularity for games that allow the user to play the game using different characters or using different rules. An example of such games are role playing games, where the user explores a virtual world from the viewpoint of a fantasy or real-life character. A further example are sports management games where the user manages a sports team, the team comprising various characters with varying attributes.  
      Due to the finite amount of memory within the MMC and user equipment it is sometimes not possible to provide more than a small range of variation for rules and characters.  
      It is the aim of embodiments of the present invention to provide, address or at least mitigate the problems described above.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a communications system for operating in a cellular communications network, the system comprising: user equipment comprising a first communications port; said user equipment being arranged to operate a first application and a card for accessing options on the user equipment applications, the card comprising: a storage element storing information relating to the application in a form readable by the port, the user equipment being arranged to receive said card-stored information via said first communications port. said storage element information being such as to allow a user to access an option in the application in dependence on said stored information; a visual display element, arranged to display information dependent on the information representative of the option.  
      Said storage element may comprise at least one of: a smart card; a grid of indicia; a barcode; punched holes; an radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip; a password; and a magnetic strip.  
      Said storage element information may comprise additional application information. Said application may be arranged to access said option by appending said additional application information to said application.  
      Said storage element information may comprise access information. Said application may be arranged to access said option by unlocking access to said application in dependent on said access information.  
      Said visual display element may comprise a card status indicator. Said card status indicator may provide a visual cue after said card has been used at least once, and not before.  
      Said card may have user-removable obscuring means obscuring reading of the visual display element.  
      Said system may further comprise a card reader, said card reader being arranged to access said card stored information from said card and transmit said information to said first communications port. Said card reader may be arranged to be integral with said user equipment. Said card reader may be arranged to be detachably mounted to said user equipment. Said card reader is arranged to be separate from said user equipment; said card reader communicating to said user equipment over a communications link. Said communication link may comprise a wired or a wireless link.  
      Said user equipment may further comprise a second communications port, said second communications port being arranged to communicate signals over a cellular network.  
      The system may further comprise a server. Said storage element information may then comprises server information. The server information may be information stored by and/or suitable for operation with the server.  
      Said user equipment may be arranged to communicate to and from said server over said cellular network in dependence on said server information stored in said storage element.  
      Said server may comprise at least one of: access information; or additional application information. Said server may pass said information to said user equipment second communications port in dependence on said server information, wherein said user equipment application arranged to access said option in dependence on said information received at said second communications port.  
      According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a hand portable electronic device for operating in a cellular communications network in conjunction with a card for accessing options on the device, the card comprising a storage element storing information relating to an application, the storage element information being such as to allow a user to access an option in the application in dependence on said stored information; the hand portable electronic device being arranged to operate the application and comprising: a first communications port for reading the storage element information, the user equipment being arranged to receive said card-stored information via said first communications port; and a visual display element, arranged to display information dependent on the information representative of the option.  
      According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a program for execution by a hand portable electronic device that is capable of operating in a cellular communications network in conjunction with a card for accessing options on the device, the card comprising a storage element storing information relating to an application, the storage element information being such as to allow a user to access an option in the application in dependence on said stored information; the program being executable to provide an application operable by the device and being arranged to read the storage element information via a communications port of the electronic device and to control a visual display element of the electronic device to display information dependent on the information representative of the option. The program may be stored on an information carrier such as a ROM.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
      For a better understanding of the present invention and how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example only to the accompanying drawings in which:  
       FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of a typical mobile communications device within a mobile communications environment incorporating an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  shows a schematic view of a series of embodiments of the invention incorporated within various card technologies;  
       FIG. 3  shows a schematic view of embodiments of embodiments of the invention as they are combined with mobile communication devices;  
       FIG. 4  shows a flow diagram showing the method used in performing an update action as applied to a mobile communications device for an embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
      Reference is made to  FIG. 1 , which shows a mobile communications device otherwise known as user equipment incorporated in a cellular communications system into which embodiments of the present invention may be implemented.  
      The cellular communications system  51  is a telecommunications system which divided into a series of areas known as cells  25 . Each cell  25  has at least one base transceiver station (BTS)  23  within the cell boundary. The base transceiver stations transmit signals to and receive signals from user equipment (UE)  21 . In some embodiments of the present invention the user equipment (UE)  21  can communicate directly to other user equipment (UE)  21  without the need to communicate via the BTS  23 . In other embodiments of the present invention base transceiver stations (BTS)  23  can communicate between other base transceiver stations (BTS)  23 .  
      User equipment (UE)  21 , can for example comprise mobile telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and personal computers with transceiver capability. User equipment  21 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , is a mobile telephone.  
      The user equipment  21  comprises an external case  1  for protecting the internal components, a display  3  for displaying text and graphical information to the user, keypad  27  for providing a user selection interface, antenna  19  for physically transmitting and receiving signals over the wireless communications link, and I/O port  11  for physically transmitting and receiving signals over a short-range communications link. The I/O port  11  in some embodiments of the present invention is located within the case.  
      The user equipment further comprises a processor  5  for processing received instructions and data; internal memory  7  for storing instructions and data; transceiver  9  for converting data into signals to be transmitted by the antenna  19  or I/O port  11 , and also for converting received signals from the antenna  19  or I/O port  11  to data.  
       FIG. 1  also shows two usual methods for providing the user equipment  21  with the data required for a game. As described earlier user equipment can be supplied with data for games from multimedia cards (MMC)  13 . MMCs  13  interface with the user equipment  21  via the I/O port  11 , and can be accessed directly from the processor  5  or can load some or all of the data stored in the MMC to the user equipment memory  7  to be accessed by the processor  5 .  
      A second method for providing the user equipment  21  with the data required for a game to operate is to transfer the data from a remote server  17  connected to the cellular communications system  51  into the memory  7  of the user equipment  21 .  
      In other words the user equipment  21  sets up a communication channel from the user equipment  21  to the remote server  17  via the base transceiver station  23 . The user equipment  21  requests the game from the server  17 . The server  17  passes the game data to the BTS  23 , and he BTS  23  transmits the game data over the cellular communications link to the user equipment  21 .  
      Once the game is loaded into the memory  7  or the game MMC  13  connected to the user equipment  21  the user can access the game. As known in the art the game can be provided inputs using the keypad  27 , which are detected and processed by the processor  5  and information provided on the display  3 .  
      Upgrades or unlocked features for the game can be carried out in embodiments of the present invention by an update card  15 .  
      The update card  15  comprises a smart-card  29  and a visual identification element  31 . The smart-card  29  is configured to physically interface with the user equipment  21  via the I/O port  11 . The smart-card  29  contains data containing new elements for the game described above. This data is read from the smart-card  29  and stored in the memory  7 .  
      In some embodiments of the present invention the data is deleted from the smart-card  29  as it is transferred from the update card  15  to the memory  7  to prevent the information being used by other than the original user of the update card  15 .  
      For example in a football manager game, each update card  15  has a smart card  29  containing the statistics of a football player. Once the smart-card  29  has been read the user can select the player. After the player is selected, the statistics are transferred into the memory  7  and the statistics deleted from the smart-card  29 .  
      The visual identifier  31  comprises an image identifying that the update card  15  is for use with a specific game or range of games. Using the football manager game example, the visual identifier  31  can be a picture of the football player together with a visual display of at least some of the statistics relating to the player. Preferably the update cards  15  can be designed in such a way that the cards are perceived to have a value after they have been used to update the game.  
      In some embodiments of the present invention the visual identifier is a holographic or pseudo-holographic image.  
      With reference to  FIG. 2   a  the update card  15  described above is shown in further detail. The update card  15  is a card body  33 , on which or within which the smart-card  29  and visual identifier  31  are formed. The smart-card  29  shown in this embodiment of the invention is located near one edge of the update card  15 , with contact pins  29   a  forming a conductive contact with a physical reader (not shown in  FIG. 2   a ) in order to communicate with the user equipment  21 . The visual identifier  31  is located at the opposite edge of the update card  15 . The card body can be made from a commonly used material such as card or plastic.  
      With reference to  FIG. 2   b  a second embodiment of the present invention is shown. The update card  15  is made from a card body  33  marked with a grid of dots  29   b  rather than the smart-card  29 . The grid of dots  29   b  can be formed on a front side of the card body  33  by indenting the material from the reverse side. The grid of dots  29   b  is readable by the I/O port  11 . The grid of dots  29   b  contains information that is used by the game allow the player to access new elements for the game. The update card  15  further comprises a visual identifier  31  similar to those described in the previous embodiment.  
      With reference to  FIG. 2   c , a third embodiment of the present invention is shown. The update card  15  in this embodiment comprises a bar code  29   c  rather than the smart-card  29 . The bar code  29   c  is printed on the card body  33 . In further embodiments the card body  33  is transparent or translucent and the bar code  29   c  is embedded within the card body  33 . The bar code  29   c  is readable by the I/O port  11 . The bar code contains information containing new elements for the game described above. The update card  15  further comprises a visual identifier  31 , similar to those described earlier.  
      With reference to  FIG. 2   d , a fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown. The update card  15  comprises a magnetic strip  29   d  rather than a smart-card  29 . The magnetic strip  29   d  is integral to the card body  33  where the card body  33  is made from magnetically programmable material. In other embodiments of the present invention the magnetic strip  29   d  is a separate strip of magnetically programmable material attached to the card body  33 . The magnetic strip  29   d  is readable by the I/O port  11 . The magnetic strip  29   d  contains information detailing new elements for the game described above. The update card  15  further comprises a visual identifier  31 , similar to those described earlier.  
      With reference to  FIG. 2   e , a fifth embodiment of the present invention is shown. The update card  15  comprises a radio frequency identification chip (RF-ID)  29   e  connected to a loop antenna  35  instead of a smart-card  29 . The RF-ID chip  29   e  and RF-ID loop antenna  35  is located on or in the card body  33 . The RF-ID chip  29   e  is wirelessly readable by the I/O port  11 . The RF-ID chip  29   e  contains information containing new elements for the game described above. The update card  15  further comprises a visual identifier  31 , similar to those described earlier.  
      With reference to  FIG. 2   f , a sixth embodiment of the present invention is shown. The update card  15  comprises a password  29   f  printed on the card body instead of a smart-card  29 . The password  29   f  is readable by the I/O port  11 . In some embodiments of the present invention the password  29   f  is entered to the user equipment  21  by the user to the application using the keypad  27 . The password  29   f  contains information containing new elements for the game described above. In some embodiments of the invention the password  29   f  is covered by a removable opaque film, such as metal foil glued over the password  29   f , which can be removed by the user prior to reading the password  29   f.    
      The update card  15  further comprises a visual identifier similar to those described above.  
      In some embodiments of the present invention the visual identifier  31   b  as shown in  FIG. 2   f  shows a visual identifier which does not provide an indication of the contents of the card other than which game or range of games the update card  33  can be used with. Continuing the same example as described earlier the visual identifier  31   b  is the logo of the football game and contains no information on the player information contained within the card.  
      With reference to  FIG. 2   g  a seventh embodiment of the present invention is shown. The update card  15  comprises a series of punched holes  29   g  in the card body  33 . The punched holes  29   g  are readable by the I/O port  11 . The position and number of the punched holes  29   g  contains information containing new elements for the game described above. The update card  15  further comprises a visual identifier  31 , similar to those described earlier.  
      In further embodiments of the present invention the information stored on the update card  15  is information enabling a user to unlock or enable access to previously hidden parts of the game. For example the information stored could unlock access to levels of the game otherwise accessed by completing specific tasks.  
      With reference to  FIG. 3   a  to  FIG. 3   c  three different card reader embodiments of the present invention are shown. With reference to  FIG. 3   a , the user equipment  21  case  1  contains a card slot  101  located on one side of the case  1 . The card slot  101  is designed to accept the update card  15  and to be connected to the I/O port  11 . In order to use the update card  15 , the user physically inserts the update card  15  into the card slot  101 , and reader circuitry contained within the case  1  reads the update card  15  and transfers the data to the I/O port  11 .  
      With reference to  FIG. 3   b , the user equipment  21  external case  1  comprises two parts  1   a  and  1   b . At least one of these removable parts  1   a  contains a card slot  101 , designed to accept and read update cards  15  and also connected to the I/O port  11 . In a manner similar to the method described above the user inserts the update card  15  into the card slot  101  in order to access the information on the update card  15 .  
      The use of removable case parts has the added advantage that it is possible to replace the card reader part  1   a  of the case  1  with a smaller, lighter part (not shown) when card reading is not required.  
      With reference to  FIG. 3   c , the user equipment  21  is shown to be in physical connection over wired communications link  10   s  to a card reader  103  comprising a card slot  101 . The wired communications link  105  connects the card reader  103  to the I/O port  11 . In some embodiments of the present invention the communications link connecting the card reader  103  to the I/O port  11  is a wireless communications link, such as a radio frequency (e.g. Bluetooth) or Infra red Data Access (IrDA) wireless link.  
      With reference to the flow diagram of  FIG. 4 , the methods used in embodiments of the present invention are shown. The first two branches (a) and (b) of  FIG. 4  describe methods that use information stored on the card to access new elements for the game described above. The second two branches describe methods that use the information stored on the card to access further data in order to access new elements for the game described above.  
      The first method branch (a) describes the method where the game data contained on the update card  15  comprises additional game data, for example game character data, or additional game level data.  
      In a first step  401 , the user equipment  21  accesses the game data in the form of additional game data from the update card  15 .  
      The additional game is read from the card and passed to the memory  7  in step  403   a.    
      In step  405   a  the additional game data is accepted by the previously loaded game. The user is able to select and use the additional game data.  
      The second method branch (b) of  FIG. 4  describes a further embodiment of the present invention where the information contained on the update card  15  is a code enabling the user to enable access a previously inaccessible part of the game. For example the information could contain a game cheat code enabling the user to more easily complete the game, or reveal a hint enabling the user to more easily complete the game.  
      In a first step  401 , the user equipment accesses the information in the form of access data stored on the update card  15 .  
      The access data is read from the card and passed to the memory  7  in step  403   b.    
      In step  405   b  the access data is accepted by the game. The user is able to select and use the newly accessible parts of the game.  
      The third and fourth method branches describe further embodiments of the present invention. The third branch (c) and fourth branch (d) are those where the information contained on the update card enables the user equipment  21  to access a remote server  17  in order to download either additional game data (c) or access data (d). The (c) and (d) branches are differ only on their final application of the data and the common elements described together.  
      In a first step  401 , the user equipment accesses the information in the form of server information stored on the update card  15 .  
      The server information is read from the update card  15  and passed to the memory  7  in step  403   c,d.    
      In step  405   c,d , the game uses the server information to access the external server  17  over the cellular communications network  51 .  
      The server  17  is passed any required server information in step  407   c,d . This server information could be authentication or authorisation information allowing the server to determine that the user is entitled to the update information, or is entitled to specific update.  
      Based on the server information the server  17  passes, in step  409   c,d , the authorised additional game data or access data to the user equipment  21  via the cellular communications network  51 .  
      Where the server passes unlock or access data, the method proceeds to step  411   d , where the access data is accepted by the game. The user is able to select and use the newly accessible game elements.  
      Where the server passes update or additional game data, the method proceeds to step  411   c , where the additional game data is accepted by the game. The user is able to select and use the additional game data.  
      Preferably the cards can be designed in such a way that the cards are perceived to have a value after they have been used to upgrade or update the application. For example where the application is a football computer game, the unlock card  15  can contain the updated game character of a footballer, the design of the unlock card containing a picture of the footballer and containing career details.  
      In the embodiments of the present invention where the update card  15  does not visibly state exactly what characteristics is contained within the update card  15 , users of the cards can choose not to use the card where a card with identical elements has been used before.  
      In such an embodiment the user is able to pass the update card  15  to a third party. The user may therefore choose to swap used or unused update cards  15  to acquire a desired update card  15 .  
      In further embodiments of the present invention the visual identifier  31  further comprises a card status indicator. The card status indicator provides a visual cue to whether the card has already been used.  
      In further embodiments of the present invention the update card  15  is used to update or unlock auxiliary user equipment products. For example the update card  15  is used to enabling access to or provide ringtones or wallpaper designs.  
      In further embodiments of the present invention the update card  15  could have user-removable obscuring means, such as an envelope or scratch-off coating, obscuring reading of the visual display element.