Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
  • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
  • G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
  • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
  • G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
  • G07F17/3286—Type of games
  • G07F17/3293—Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • A63F1/00—Card games
  • A63F1/02—Cards; Special shapes of cards
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • A63F13/00—Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
  • A63F13/50—Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
  • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
  • G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
  • G07F17/3244—Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for playing games by using cards, and more particularly to an apparatus and a method for playing a game by reading card identification codes inserted into images, which are printed on the surface of game cards, detecting corresponding game data, and conducting a game based on the data.
• Background Art
• Japanese Laid-open Patent No. 2002-143367 entitled “Card bundle reader, and card thereof”, discloses technology for reading identification codes printed on the lateral edge of cards so as to detect corresponding game data and conduct a game.
• Japanese Laid-open Patent No. 2002-301264 "Card game device, card data reader, card game control method, recording medium, program, and card”, discloses technology for reading card data and conducting a game by using a card data reading means for reading a play field, in which an arbitrary set of cards selected from a plurality of cards having their own data are arranged, and the data of cards arranged in the play field.
• Game cards used in the prior art includes those having identification codes printed on their lateral edge (refer to FIG. Ia), those having barcodes printed in a predetermined region of their surface (refer to FIG. Ib), those having two-dimensional codes printed in a predetermined region of their surface (refer to FIG. Ic), and those having circular codes printed in a predetermined region of their surface (refer to FIG. Id).
• the codes include visible ones (e.g. those made of conventional ink) and invisible ones (e.g. those made of IR ink).
• the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and the present invention provides an apparatus and a method for playing games by using game cards which can be neither copied nor counterfeited by conventional optical copying.
• the present invention provides an apparatus and a method for playing games by using game cards which are not visibly recognizable even without a special printing process (e.g. one using IR ink).
• the present invention provides an apparatus and a method for playing games by using game cards which have an aesthetic appearance, i.e. which have no dispensable components such as barcodes.
• an apparatus for playing a game by using cards including a card recognition unit for recognizing a card having a composite image which is created by inserting a card identification code into raster data of an original image; an input unit for sensing an operation from a gamer; an output unit for outputting information regarding a game status; a storage unit for storing game data corresponding to the card identification code; and a control unit for controlling the card recognition unit, the input unit, the output unit, and the storage unit, wherein the control unit reads the card identification code contained in the composite image, detects game data corresponding to the card identification code, and conducts the game based on the game data.
• a game card having a composite image which is created by inserting a card identification code into raster data regarding an original image.
• the card identification code is combined with a parity code so as to create a code word, which is arranged in an nxm matrix so as to create a code block, which is inserted into the raster data regarding the original image.
• a method for playing a game by using cards comprising the steps of: a) reading a card identification code from a card having a composite image which is created by inserting a card identification code into raster data regarding an original image; b) detecting game data corresponding to the card identification code; and c) conducting the game based on the game data.
• the apparatus and method for playing games according to the present invention are advantageous in that, by inserting card identification codes into images on the surface of game cards, it is impossible to visually determine whether or not codes have been inserted. As a result, the cards can neither be copied nor counterfeited.
• game cards can be easily fabricated through a conventional color printing process.
• special ink e.g. IR ink
• FIG. 1 shows exemplary game cards according to the prior art
• FIG. 2 shows a game card according to the present invention, which is obtained through a process of inserting a code block into a part of an original image to create a composite image;
• FIG. 3 shows a process of combining a card identification code with a parity code to create a code word and arranging the code word in an nxm matrix to create a code block;
• FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process of inserting a card identification code into an original image to create a composite image
• FIG. 5 shows the structure of a game apparatus according to the present invention
• FIG. 6 shows an example of implementation of the game apparatus shown in FIG.
• FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a game method according to the present invention.
• FIG. 8 shows a table of game data stored for respective card identification codes according to the present invention.
• FIG. 9 shows a game system having a plurality of game apparatuses connected to a game server via a network.
• An apparatus and a method for playing games according to the present invention conduct a game by recognizing actual game cards (i.e. cards used for offline games) by the game apparatus, reading card identification codes, and detecting corresponding game data.
• Game cards according to the present invention will now be described first.
• Game cards according to the present invention may be made of plastic or paper, as in the case of conventional cards, and have images (e.g. characters, objects, persons,) printed on their surface as shown in FIG. 2.
• the images contain card identification codes, respectively.
• an image e.g. character, object, person
• an image obtained by inserting a card identification code (refer to FIG. 2b) into the original image
• a composite image (refer to FIG. 2c).
• An original image is decomposed into color-based rasters according to basic printing colors. For example, when four primary colors of CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) are used, an original image is decomposed into rasters with regard to C (Cyan), M (Magenta), Y (Yellow), and K (Black), respectively.
• a raster for each basic color may be expressed in terms of "existent” and “non-existent", or "1" and "0" on a digital basis, and constructs raster data.
• K black
• CMYK complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor
• a card identification code refers to proper information for identifying a game card, and is registered in advance on a database interworking with a game apparatus or a game server.
• the card identification code may be directly inserted into the raster data of an original image, it is commonly converted into a code block (data block) through several steps and then inserted, in order to improve the efficiency of recognition and prevent counterfeiting.
• a card identification code (refer to FIG. 3a) is combined with a parity code (refer to FIG. 3b) to create a code word (refer to FIG. 3c).
• the parity code is added to the card identification code for the purpose of error detection, and may be created by conventional coding technology. It is also possible to correct errors when the size of the parity code is increased.
• the code word is arranged in an nxm matrix (n and m are natural numbers) so as to create a code block (refer to FIG. 3d), which is inserted into raster data of an original image.
• an encryption algorithm such as a DES (Data Encryption Standard) or AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) may be conducted to obtain an encrypted code block and insert it.
• DES Data Encryption Standard
• AES Advanced Encryption Standard
• the code block is inserted (coupled) into raster data of an original image, as mentioned above, and raster data regarding a composite image is created accordingly.
• the code block (including the card identification code) is either inserted into a part of the original image or distributed over the entire original image and inserted into it.
• the code block is inserted into a part of the original image, which corresponds to a predetermined location on a card, in order to prevent counterfeiting and facilitate card recognition.
• the code block is inserted into the original image in such a manner that the code block is printed at a location on a game card, which ensures that the recognition camera can best recognize the card when it is positioned (inserted) on the card recognition unit of the game apparatus.
• color-based raster data regarding the composite image is completed by decomposing the original image into rasters for respective colors and inserting a card identification code into raster data regarding a predetermined basic color (K in the present embodiment).
• the color-based rasters regarding the composite image are printed on a game card and mixed with one another so as to create a composite image substantially (visually) identical to the original image.
• FIG. 4 which summarizes the above description, is a flowchart showing a process of inserting a card identification code into an original image to create a composite image.
• the original image and the card identification code are separately processed and coupled to each other to create a composite image.
• the original image is processed as follows: in step S410, the original image is decomposed into color-based rasters with reference to basic printing colors and, in step S412, the resulting rasters regarding basic colors are divided into "existent" and "nonexistent” so as to create raster data.
• the card identification code is processed as follows: in step 420, a card identification code is determined or created. In step 422, the created card identification code is combined with a parity code to create a code word. In step S424, the code word is arranged in an nxm matrix to create a code block.
• step S426 an encryption algorithm is conducted with regard to the code block to create an encrypted code block.
• step S430 the resulting code block is inserted into raster data regarding a predetermined basic color so as to create raster data regarding a composite image.
• step S432 the code block (card identification code) is inserted into a game card to create a composite image. This completes the process for creating a composite image.
• FIG. 5 shows the structure of a game apparatus according to the present invention
• FIG. 6 shows an example of implementation of the game apparatus shown in FIG. 5.
• a game apparatus 500 according to the present invention includes a card recognition unit 510, an input unit 520, an output unit 530, a storage unit 540, and a control unit 550.
• the card recognition unit 510 is adapted to recognize an image, which is printed on the surface of a game card.
• the card recognition unit may simply consist of a digital camera for photographing the surface of game cards and transmitting the taken images to the control unit (in this case, the control unit reads card identification codes).
• the card recognition unit may incorporate a function for reading card identification codes so that it can read card identification codes from the taken images by itself.
• the card recognition unit may be placed on one side of the game apparatus, as shown in FIG. 6, so that the user (gamer) can insert game cards therein.
• the process for reading card identification codes is the inverse of the above- mentioned process for inserting card identification codes into original images.
• a black (K) raster is separated from a taken image, the pattern of the raster (code word) is detected, and the parity code is removed to obtain a card identification code.
• the setup and registration of card identification codes, the manner of combining card identification codes with parity codes, and the manner of detecting code words from overlapping patterns are predetermined by the game apparatus developer when the cards are fabricated, so that card identification codes can be accurately detected from taken images.
• the input unit 520 is adapted to receive signals from external devices, sense the gamer's operation, and transmit it to the control unit.
• the input unit may consist of a joystick, a mouse, a keypad, buttons, or a touch screen so that the gamer can operate it.
• the input unit according to the present invention is substantially the same as conventional input units (or input means) used in game apparatuses, and detailed description thereof will be omitted herein.
• the output unit 530 is adapted to output information regarding games (e.g. current game status, sounds) to the outside so that the gamer can sense it.
• the output unit 530 may include a visual output means (e.g. LED, display, lighting device) and an audio output means (e.g. speaker).
• the output means according to the present invention is substantially the same as conventional output means (or output means) used in game apparatuses, and detailed description thereof will be omitted herein.
• the storage unit 540 is adapted to store game programs, game data, etc.
• the game data includes all types of game-related data, and is stored after matching it with each card identification code, as will be described later in more detail.
• the storage unit may be adapted to store information necessary to read card identification codes, e.g. a table containing code words and card identification codes matching with each other, so that the card recognition unit or the control unit can refer to it and read card identification codes.
• the control unit 550 is in charge of the overall control of components of the game apparatus, including the card recognition unit, the input unit, the output unit, and the storage unit. For example, based on images transmitted by the card recognition unit, the control unit 550 reads card identification codes with reference to materials stored in the storage unit. In addition, the control unit 550 retrieves game data, which corresponds to game identification codes, from the storage unit, conducts a game based on the gamer's operation (control) inputted via the input unit, and outputs the result of conducting the game via the output unit. Detailed functions of the control unit will be described later in connection with descriptions of a method for playing games by using cards.
• the recognition unit recognizes the image printed on the surface of the game card (refer to step S710).
• the recognized image is transmitted to the control unit, which then detects the pattern of a code block (code word) contained in the image (refer to step S720).
• the set and size of the code word are determined in advance. Considering that the code block is obtained by arranging the code word in an nxm matrix, the control unit recognizes rasters corresponding to the size of the code word (4x4 in the case of FIG. 3), shifts the rasters horizontally and/or vertically, and compares them with a predetermined set of code words so as to find the correct code word.
• a code word should be created in such a manner that different code words do not overlap one another after they are moved horizontally and/ or vertically. This can be accomplished by using parity codes suitably.
• a raster for location detection is added at a predetermined location when a code word is created so that the correct code word is detected with reference to the raster for location detection.
• the control unit decodes the detected code word and reads a card identification code from which the parity code has been removed (refer to step S730).
• the control unit retrieves game data corresponding to the card identification code from the storage unit (refer to step S740) and, based on the operation (control) inputted by the gamer, conducts a game with reference to the game data (refer to step S750).
• game data refers to game -related data stored for respective card identification codes. Particularly, game data means information regarding characters appearing in the game, their ability, energy, asset, age, past game record, how long they can play the game, etc., which is determined according to the game contents (game program).
• the game data relates to each player's name, age, position, offensive ability, defensive ability, stamina, amount of exercise, main skill, past record, etc.
• this type of game data is determined as a default by the card manufacturer, it is changed into a value confirming to the game result in terms of respective gamers (more accurately, card identification codes) as the game goes on.
• a gamer who carries his/her own card, can call his/her own character during a game and enjoy the game as desired.
• the gamer carries a plurality of cards corresponding to different characters (which are printed on the surface of corresponding cards), he/she can replace the character (i.e. card) during the game and enjoy it in various ways.
• game data is preferably determined in such a manner, after predetermining characters when cards are fabricated, respective characters have different initial values. For example, when actual (i.e. existing offline) soccer players are used as characters, their position, offensive ability, defensive ability, main skill, etc. are determined as the initial value of game data based on the actual value so that the gamer can enjoy the game realistically.
• the game data which is stored for respective card identification codes, preferably contains information regarding how long or how many times the gamer can play the game so that, by paying the corresponding fee in advance, the gamer can play the game in an arcade, for example, without carrying cash.
• the period of time or the number of times the gamer can play the game is determined either for each gamer or on a group basis.
• FIG. 9 shows a game system according to the present invention, which has game apparatuses 901, 902, and 903 connected to a game server 920 via a network 910 so that a plurality of gamers can play a network-based game.
• the game server preferably manages the game data.
• Respective game apparatuses (including first, second, and third game apparatuses) use their card recognition unit to read card identification codes of cards inserted by corresponding gamers, and transmit the card identification codes to the game server.
• the first game apparatus reads the first card identification code, which is contained in the image printed on the first card, and transmits it to the game server.
• the second game apparatus reads the second card identification code, which is contained in the image printed on the second card, and transmits it to the game server.
• the game server retrieves game data, which corresponds to respective card identification codes, from the database and transmits it to corresponding game apparatuses.
• the game server retrieves first game data, which corresponds to the first card identification code, and transmits it to the first game apparatus.
• the game server retrieves second game data, which corresponds to the second card identification code, and transmits it to the second game apparatus.
• the first and second game apparatuses After receiving the first and second game data from the game server, the first and second game apparatuses conduct the game accordingly.
• the game server acts as a relay and enables the first and second game apparatuses to interwork with each other so that a plurality of gamers can play the game interactively.

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Citations (5)

• 2006
  • 2006-04-27 KR KR1020060038177A patent/KR100819018B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2007
  • 2007-04-26 WO PCT/KR2007/002062 patent/WO2007126254A1/en active Application Filing

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