JP2003211879A - Trading card - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a trading card which makes it possible to play a game in linkage with a game machine and to hold a state at a time point in the course of the game and the final result thereof and thus enables playing of various games. <P>SOLUTION: The trading card has a noncontact IC tag which is provided with an antenna for signal reception, a circuit which receives an interrogation signal from an interrogator and transmits a response signal for reply to the interrogator and a storage means which enables additional writing and rewriting. The interrogation signal may be received as well even when it is a signal of which the frequency is made to hop. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a trading card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Originally, a trading card is a card printed with figures of athletes, anime characters, etc., for the purpose of collection and exchange. In recent years, as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-288155, not only the appearance of characters and the like on trading cards but also
A game in which features and abilities of characters and the like are printed and a game is played by utilizing the features and abilities is widespread.

[0003]

However, since the trading cards used in the conventional games only have characters, characters, and features and abilities printed on them, it is possible to play a game in cooperation with a game machine, or in the middle of a game. It is impossible to play various games while retaining the state of time and the final result.

The present invention has been made in view of the drawbacks of the prior art, and it is possible to play a game in cooperation with a game machine and to retain the state at the midpoint of the game and the final result, so that various games can be performed. It is an object to provide a trading card that enables

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object in the present invention, first, in the invention of claim 1, an antenna for signal transmission / reception and an inquiry signal from an interrogator are received,
The trading card is characterized by having a non-contact IC tag having a circuit for transmitting a response signal to the interrogator to the interrogator and a storage means capable of additional recording or rewriting.

According to the invention of claim 2, the interrogation signal is received even if it is a signal whose frequency is hopped. The trading card according to claim 1 is characterized in that.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 1. Trading Card of the Present Invention The trading card of the present invention has a non-contact IC tag. In this case, the non-contact IC tag itself may be formed into a card shape to be a trading card, or the non-contact IC tag may be attached to the trading card. The non-contact IC tag is an IC tag that sends and receives data without contacting the interrogator. The non-contact IC tag includes an antenna, a circuit, and a storage means. An example of a non-contact IC tag is one in which an antenna is provided on an IC chip. The antenna is a signal transmitting / receiving antenna for receiving an interrogation signal from the interrogator and transmitting a signal responsive to the interrogation signal to the interrogator. The circuit is a circuit that receives an interrogation signal from the interrogator and transmits a response signal that responds to the interrogator.
It is preferable that the storage means be rewritable, but if it is not erasable, it becomes difficult to continue to use it when the capacity is full. Therefore, it is preferable that the storage means be rewritable. The rewritable storage means is, for example, an EEPROM.

As the data stored in the storage means of the non-contact IC tag, for example, tools, costumes, weapons, etc. used by characters appearing in the game, data of parts such as characters (eg Mini 4WD, etc.), , The state at the midpoint of the game, the result of the game, the score, the parameters used in the game, and the like. If the state at the midpoint of the game is written in the storage means of the non-contact IC tag, the game can be continued from the next time when the game is started next time. In addition, a trading card in which the data of the parts is initially stored in the storage means of the non-contact IC tag is acquired by purchase, and the data of the parts is written in the storage means of the non-contact IC tag included in the trading card such as a character. As a result, it becomes possible to incorporate the parts into the game, so that a wider variety of games can be enjoyed.

When the interrogator only reads the data stored in the storage means of the non-contact IC tag, the interrogator is also called a reader. Further, when the interrogator performs not only reading but also writing of data stored in the storage means of the non-contact IC tag, the interrogator is also called a reader / writer.

The interrogator, like the interrogator 2 shown in FIG.
It may be one that can be connected to the information device by wire or wirelessly. The information device includes, for example, a game machine, a personal computer, a mobile phone and the like. As a communication standard for wirelessly connecting the interrogator and the information device, there is Bluetooth, for example. When the connectable information device is a game machine, the interrogator may be attached to the game machine. In addition, the interrogator is preferably portable because the user can use the interrogator anywhere.

The interrogation signal is a signal transmitted by the interrogator to the non-contact IC tag. There are both cases of reading the data of the non-contact IC tag and cases of writing the data. When writing data to the contactless IC tag, the inquiry signal includes the data to be written.

The response signal is a signal transmitted by the non-contact IC tag to the interrogator in response to the inquiry signal. When reading the data of the non-contact IC tag, the response signal includes the data stored in the non-contact IC tag. When writing data to the contactless IC tag, the response signal may include a signal indicating that writing has been completed. The data stored in the storage means of the non-contact IC tag included in the response signal may be displayed on the interrogator or the information device connected to the interrogator. In that case, for example, the following method may be mentioned. (B) A method of displaying the response signal as it is. (B) Display of the interrogator or the information equipment connected to the interrogator when it is desired to store and store the response signal in the storage means of the interrogator or the information equipment connected to the interrogator and to see the data from the contactless tag. How to display by means. (C) The response signal is used as a code, and the interrogator or an information device connected to the interrogator displays the data obtained by calculation from the code, or the interrogator or the information device connected to the interrogator has been previously stored in the interrogator. A method of displaying the display data corresponding to the code by referring to the stored “(code)-(display data)” correspondence table.

The signal transmitted / received between the non-contact IC tag and the interrogator may be a frequency-hopping signal, for example, a signal based on the Bluetooth communication system. Further, the interrogated signal may be the signal subjected to the frequency hopping. In that case, the response signal may be a signal having a constant frequency.

The interrogator may be connectable to an electronic communication line. For example, it may be directly connectable to the electronic communication line 4 like the interrogator 1 in FIG. 1, or may be connected to the interrogator 2 in a wired or wireless manner like the interrogator 2 in FIG. The electronic communication line 4 may be indirectly connectable via the existing information device 3. The electronic communication line may be a wide area communication network such as a telephone line, a dedicated line, the Internet, or a local area communication network such as a LAN, a wireless LAN, or Bluetooth. In the case of an interrogator that can be connected to a mobile phone, the interrogator can be connected to a telephone line and the Internet via the mobile phone. Further, in this case, the interrogator may be integrated with the mobile phone, or may be external to the mobile phone and connected by a cable or wireless.

To the electronic communication line to which the interrogator is connected,
The server may also be connected. For example, a server 5 is connected to the electronic communication line 4 shown in FIG. In this case, based on the data stored in the storage means of the non-contact IC tag of the trading card, the interrogator is the interrogator if it is directly connected to the telecommunication line, and the interrogator is the information device. The information device may be connected to the server when it is indirectly connected to the electric communication line via the server. For example, the server 5 shown in FIG. 1 is a Web server that manages the homepages of game manufacturers and sellers, stores the URL of the homepage in the storage means of the contactless IC tag, and asks the URL. By reading with an instrument and connecting the interrogator or the information device to the server 5 through the electric communication line, more data can be stored in the information device, the interrogator, or the storage means of the contactless IC tag of the trading card. Can be captured.

Further, a game software company providing game software for game machines compatible with a trading card having a non-contact IC tag installs a server, and a person who purchases the game software compatible with a trading card uses a telecommunication line. The game machine may be configured to be connectable to the server. Then, the non-contact I that the game machine or the trading card has data about the game
It may be used for loading in the storage means of the C tag. Because the game is apt to become obsolete, new tools, costumes, weapons, etc. used by characters etc. appearing in the game,
This is because when it is desired to add data of parts such as characters, it is possible to import them from the server into the storage means of the non-contact IC tag included in the game machine or trading card. Then, each purchaser of the game software transmits the high score of the game from the game machine to the server, and another person can read it on the game machine to compete for the high score with the other person. By doing so, the game can be made as obsolete as possible.

2. Example of Use of the Trading Card of the Present Invention FIG. 2 shows an example of an environment in which the trading card of the present invention is used. Here, an interrogator, a personal computer, and a home-use game machine are wirelessly connected by Bluetooth. Also, the personal computer and the home-use game machine are each connected to a Web server via the Internet.

In this example of use, characters are printed on the trading card to be purchased, and the data of the printed character is stored in the storage means of the contactless IC tag of the trading card. . By giving various parameters such as additional parts as the data, the character can grow. In addition, some of the trading cards used in this example are distributed as promotional items at confectionery bonuses and at events. Note that the promotional item does not have to have a card shape as long as it has a non-contact IC tag and data is stored in the storage means of the non-contact IC tag.

Further, in this example of use, the interrogator can read and write data from and to the storage means of the non-contact IC tag of the trading card, and by Bluetooth, the non-contact IC tag and the promotional item of the trading card Wireless data communication is possible between the non-contact IC tag, the personal computer, and the game console for home use.

Further, in the present application example, a personal computer is connected to a Web server to purchase / download additional parts, and a network battle is performed using character data stored in the storage means of the contactless IC of the trading card. You can do games and network trading such as additional parts for trading cards.

Further, in this application example, a home game machine is
By connecting to the eb server, you can do the same as a personal computer. Further, by using the character data stored in the storage means of the non-contact IC tag included in the home-use trading card, it is possible to enjoy home-use games other than the network battle game.

An example of the flow in which the trading card of the present invention is used by a certain user in the use environment shown in FIG. 2 will be described below with reference to FIG. Incidentally, FIG.
Then, trading cards are abbreviated as trading cards.

(1) The user purchases trading in which initial data of the character is written.

(2) The user purchases additional parts from the Internet using a personal computer.

(3) The user reads the data of the additional part from the personal computer with the interrogator and writes the data in the storage means of the non-contact IC tag included in the trading card.

(4) The user plays the game with the friend by reading the data stored in the non-contact IC tags of both trading cards with the interrogator and displaying the data. By winning or losing, the experience value (parameter) is stored in the storage means of the non-contact IC card of the trading card of the character.
With an interrogator. Trading card characters gain experience points by winning and losing, and as the experience points accumulate, the character powers up.

(5) The user purchases sweets at the shop. The user uses an interrogator to read the data of the additional parts stored in the storage means of the non-contact IC tag of the sweets (promotional item) of the sweets, and reads this data from the non-contact IC tag of the character trading card. Write to storage means. This will increase the power of the trading card character.

(6) The user reads the data from the storage means of the non-contact IC of the trading card by using the interrogator in the home-use game machine. The user uses this data to play a game compatible with a trading card on a home-use game machine.

(7) The user writes the experience value of the character grown by playing the game from the home-use game machine to the non-contact IC included in the trading card of the character with the interrogator.

(8) The user uses the interrogator on the personal computer to read the data from the storage means of the non-contact IC of the trading card. Using this data,
Connect your PC to a Web server via the Internet and play against strangers on the network.

(9) The user goes to an event sponsored by a trading card maker. A free promotional item is installed at the entrance of the event venue, and the storage means of the non-contact IC tag of the promotional item stores additional part data. The user receives the promotional item, reads the data of the additional part with the interrogator, and writes it in the storage means of the non-contact IC tag included in the trading card of the character. Then, the user participates in the preliminary contest of the national competition sponsored by the manufacturer.

(10) Since the rare additional parts data has been duplicated, the user uses the personal computer to exchange the parts with a stranger at an Internet trade site.

(11) The user uses the interrogator on the personal computer to read the character data from the storage means of the non-contact IC tag of the character trading card and send it to the official homepage of the manufacturer. The user confirms that the name of his character is at the top of the official ranking board on this homepage.

(12) A premium card is sent from the manufacturer to the user because it has entered the top ranking.

[0035]

According to the invention described in claim 1, an antenna for signal transmission / reception, a circuit for receiving an inquiry signal from an interrogator and transmitting a response signal to respond to a reader, and a rewritable or rewritable memory. Since it is a trading card characterized by having a non-contact IC tag equipped with means, a game that cooperates with a game machine, a game is interrupted, a final result is retained, and a game case is restarted next time. Or, when you start anew, you can restart from the continuation and compare with the previous result, so you can get a trading card that enables various ways to enjoy.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the interrogation signal is received even if the frequency is hopped, it is possible to provide a trading card that is resistant to interference and interference and has few troubles. Become. Further, the conventional communication means such as Bluetooth can be used as it is, and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a first example of an environment in which a trading card of the present invention is used.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a second example of an environment in which a trading card of the present invention is used.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the first half of an example of the flow of using the trading card of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the latter half of an example of the flow of using the trading card of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols] 1 ... Interrogator 2 ... Interrogator 3 ... Information equipment 4 ... Electronic communication line 5 ... server

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Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A non-contact IC tag comprising an antenna for signal transmission / reception, a circuit for receiving an inquiry signal from an interrogator and transmitting a response signal for responding to the interrogator, and a write-once or rewritable storage means. A trading card characterized by having. 2. The interrogation signal is received even if it is a frequency hopped signal.
The listed trading card.