Patent ID: 8708821

Claim:
A wireless gaming system including physically collectible or tradable items for entertaining one or more game participants playing a game using one or more of a wireless-compatible game console, hand-held game unit, personal computer or play facility, said gaming system comprising: one or more collectible or tradable items depicting or representing persons, characters or objects relevant to said game, each of said one or more collectible or tradable items having associated therewith a passive RFID tag, each said RFID tag comprising: a unique tag ID for identifying or tracking each said corresponding collectible or tradable item; non-volatile, programmable memory configured to selectively store, retrieve and update selected information pertaining to certain relevant attributes, experiences or accomplishments of a person, character or object depicted or represented by each said corresponding collectible or tradable item; a tag antenna sized and configured to be selectively activated or energized by an externally produced radio frequency signal for powering said RFID tag; and a tag transceiver circuit electrically coupled to said tag antenna and powered by said externally produced radio frequency signal configured to wirelessly send and receive information relevant to each said corresponding collectible or tradable item, including at least said unique tag ID and said selected information; an intermediary gaming device for wirelessly communicating with said one or more collectible or tradable items and a wireless-compatible game console, hand-held game unit, personal computer or play facility, said intermediary gaming device comprising: i) an RFID reader configured to wirelessly power and communicate with each said RFID tag when placed in proximity to said intermediary gaming device and to thereby send and receive information relevant to each said collectible or tradable item, including at least said unique tag ID and said selected information; and ii) a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with said game console, hand-held game unit, personal computer or play facility, and to thereby send and receive information relevant to each said collectible or tradable item, including at least said unique tag ID and said selected information; whereby game participants can affect the play of said game by selectively placing said one or more collectible or tradable items in proximity to said intermediary gaming device and whereby said selected information associated with said selectively placed collectible or tradable items can be stored, retrieved and updated according to the play of said game.