System and method for uniquely identifying physical trading cards and incorporating trading card game items in a video game

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10213682-B2
Application number	US-201514883154-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2015
Priority date	Jun 15, 2015
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

A system and method for uniquely identifying physical trading cards and/or incorporating trading card game items in a video game is provided. In certain implementations, a unique code that identifies a trading card may be obtained. A graphical representation of the unique code may be generated based on a graphical coding scheme. The graphical representation of the unique code may comprise at least a part of: (1) a depiction of a game item that is usable in the video game; or (2) a border of the trading card. Content associated with the depiction of the game item may be obtained. The trading card may be generated based on the content associated with the depiction of the game item and the graphical representation of the unique code such that the generated trading card depicts the game item and the graphical representation of the unique code.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of facilitating a printing of trading cards for use with a video game, the method being implemented in a computer system having one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions which, when executed by the one or more physical processors, cause the computer system to perform the method, the method comprising:
obtaining, by the computer system, information related to a first portion of a first trading card that is unique to the first trading card and information related to a second portion of the first trading card that is common to a set of trading cards;
obtaining, by the computer system, information related to a first portion of a second trading card that is unique to the second trading card, wherein the second trading card further comprises a second portion that is common to the set of trading cards, and corresponds to the second portion of the first trading card;
providing, by the computer system, the information related to the first portion of the first trading card to a printing system;
providing, by the computer system, the information related to the second portion of the first trading card to the printing system;
providing, by the computer system, an indication to the printing system that the information related to the second portion of the first trading card is to be used to print a corresponding second portion of the second trading card;
providing, by the computer system, the information related to the first portion of the second trading card to the printing system;
wherein the first trading card is printed based on the information related to the first portion of the first trading card and the information related to the second portion of the first trading card; and
wherein the second trading card is printed based on the information related to the first portion of the second trading card, the information related to the second portion of the first trading card, and the indication that the information related to the second portion of the first trading card is to be used to print a corresponding second portion of the second trading card.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the first trading card comprises a graphical representation of a first unique code that identifies the first trading card and wherein the first portion of the second trading card comprises a graphical representation of a second unique code that identifies the second trading card.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein, without the computer system providing information regarding the second portion of the second trading card to the printing system, the second trading card is printed such that the second trading card depicts content that is the same as content of the second portion of the first trading card.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining, by the computer system, from the printing system, a request for information related to a trading card portion that is common to the set of trading cards, wherein the indication that the information related to the second portion of the first trading card is to be used to print a corresponding second portion of the second trading card is provided by the computer system in response to the request for the information related to the trading card portion that is common to the set of trading cards.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the indication further comprises providing one or more printing instructions indicating that the information related to the second portion of the first trading card is to be used to print a corresponding second portion of the second trading card.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information related to the first portion of the first trading card comprises instructions for creating content of the first portion of the first trading card, the information related to the second portion of the first trading card comprises instructions for creating content of the second portion of the first trading card, and the information related to the second portion of the first trading card comprises instructions for creating content of the second portion of the second trading card.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein content of respective trading card portions is created based on respective creation instructions and printed as part of respective trading cards by the printing system.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information related to the first portion of the first trading card comprises instructions for creating a graphical representation of a first unique code that uniquely identifies the first trading card.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information related to the first portion of the first trading card comprises a graphic file that includes the first portion of the first trading card, the information related to the second portion of the first trading card comprises a graphic file that includes the second portion of the first trading card, and the information related to the first portion of the second trading card comprises a graphic file that includes the first portion of the second trading card.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the first trading card comprises a first layer of the first trading card that is unique to the first trading card, the second portion of the first trading card comprises a second layer of the first trading card that is common to the set of trading cards, the first portion of the second trading card comprises a first layer of the second trading card that is unique to the second trading card, and the second portion of the second trading card comprises a second layer of the second trading card that is common to the set of trading cards.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of trading cards is ordered prior to printing based on whether certain trading cards will be packaged together.

12. A system for detecting and validating a trading card for use with a video game, the system comprising:
a computer system comprising one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions which, when executed by the one or more physical processors, causes the computer system to:
obtain information related to a first portion of a first trading card that is unique to the first trading card and information related to a second portion of the first trading card that is common to a set of trading cards;
obtain information related to a first portion of a second trading card that is unique to the second trading card, wherein the second trading card further comprises a second portion that is common to the set of trading cards and corresponds to the second portion of the first trading card;
provide the information related to the first portion of the first trading card to a printing system;
provide the information related to the second portion of the first trading card to the printing system;
provide an indication to the printing system that the information related to the second portion of the first trading card is to be used to print a corresponding second portion of the second trading card;
provide the information related to the first portion of the second trading card to the printing system;
wherein the first trading card is printed based on the information related to the first portion of the first trading card and the information related to the second portion of the first trading card; and
wherein the second trading card is printed based on the information related to the first portion of the second trading card, the information related to the second portion of the first trading card, and the indication that the information related to the second portion of the first trading card i

Assignees

• Activision Publishing Inc

Inventors

• Linden John P
• Watkins Iii James R
• Medeiros Ryan H
• Marr Michael D
• Pasteris Paul G

Classifications

• A63F2009/2425

  Scanners, e.g. for scanning regular characters · CPC title

• A63F13/213 Primary

  comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells (A63F13/219 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A63F1/02

  Cards; Special shapes of cards · CPC title

• A63F13/23

  for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console · CPC title

• A63F13/69

  by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions · CPC title