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  Data recording medium and game deviceUSPTO Application #: 20080085775Title: Data recording medium and game device Abstract: A data recording medium for use in a game device comprises a first printed layer in which a first code pattern, which is detected by a first code pattern detecting unit of the game device, is printed and a second printed layer in which a second code pattern, which is detected by a second code pattern detecting unit of the game device, is printed. The second printed layer is overlaid on the first printed layer. Data based on a combination of the first and second code patterns is recorded in the first and second printed layers so that the data is recognizable to the game device as data intrinsic to the data recording medium. The game device detects the first and second code patterns by the first and second code pattern detecting units to make progress of a game according to the data. (end of abstract)
Agent: Ladas & Parry LLP - Chicago, IL, US Inventors: Kazuyoshi Kasai, Yousuke Tsukamoto, Toshiyuki Kaji, Takao Yamauchi USPTO Applicaton #: 20080085775 - Class: 463 43 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080085775. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD [0001]The present invention relates to data recording media and game devices for performing a card game or the like. BACKGROUND ART [0002]In a card game, a card with a figure, such as a game character, printed thereon is used, and card information indicating the kind or strength of the card concerned is printed as a code pattern to a part of the card. The card is inserted in a card slot of a card game device, or the card is placed on a play field wherein a card pattern detecting unit for reading the card pattern is provided. The code pattern is read from the card, and the card game is performed according to the card information read from the card. For example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-301264. [0003]In another card game device, a plurality of cards are inserted in the card game device in a state where they are made into a card bundle. In this card game device, reading of a code pattern from the card bundle is permitted without separating the plurality of cards. It is possible to prevent the cards from suffering from damages or dirt due to the conveyance of the cards, and it is possible to shorten the time for reading of the code pattern. For example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-143367. [0004]In a board game, a game piece in which information indicating the kind, strength, etc. of the game piece is recorded is placed on the game board which is used as the play field, and the board game is performed according to the information recorded on the game piece. For example, see Japanese Published Utility Model Application No. 63-024941. [0005]In the card of the card game or the game piece of the board game mentioned above, a large number of cards or game pieces are used in playing the game, in view of the user-friendliness at the time of game playing and the ease of collection, conveyance, etc., it is desirable that the size of the cards or game pieces be made into an appropriate size which is not so large. Especially when a code pattern is printed in a narrow area, such as a card side face or a game piece surface, the amount of data that can be recorded therein is limited. It is desirable that the amount of recordable data be increased. [0006]Some of the cards used in card game devices are purchased on the basis of a package, and other cards are paid out by coin insertion at the time of start of playing the game. There are also rare cards whose amount of purchase is very small. Such rare cards serve as a special role different from that of the usual cards, and players have the greatest concern in acquiring the rare cards. And forgery of the rare cards is often conducted. [0007]One of the methods for preventing forgery of such cards is to use an electronic device, such as an IC tag, provided in each of such cards and acquire the card information from the IC tag. However, the cost of the cards with the IC tags becomes too high, and it is much higher than the cost of the normal paper-based cards. Thus, such method is not realistic. [0008]The above-mentioned problems are not restricted to the cards for card game devices. The problems also arise in the items (for example, game pieces) accompanied by other printed matter and such printed matter on which the game data is printed can be the counterfeit target. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [0009]According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an improved game device in which the above-mentioned problems are eliminated. [0010]According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided any of a data recording medium and a game device which are adapted to increase the amount of recordable data, without increasing the cost steeply, and prevent forgery of the data recording medium effectively. [0011]In an embodiment of the invention which solves or reduces one or more of the above-mentioned problems, there is provided a data recording medium for use in a game device, the data recording medium comprising: a first printed layer in which a first code pattern, which is detected by a first code pattern detecting unit of the game device, is printed; and a second printed layer in which a second code pattern, which is detected by a second code pattern detecting unit of the game device, is printed; wherein the first and second printed layers are formed so that the second printed layer is overlaid on the first printed layer, wherein data based on a combination of the first and second code patterns is recorded in the first and second printed layers so that the data is recognizable to the game device as data intrinsic to the data recording medium, and the game device detects the first and second code patterns by the first and second code pattern detecting units to make progress of a game according to the data. [0012]The above-mentioned data recording medium may be configured so that the first code pattern and the second code pattern are printed so that each content of the first code pattern and the second code pattern is respectively detectable to a code pattern reading unit using a corresponding one of light beams having different wavelengths. [0013]The above-mentioned data recording medium may be configured so that the data intrinsic to the data recording medium is an ID information identifying the data recording medium which is used for the game device to make progress of the game. [0014]The above-mentioned data recording medium may be configured so that the data recording medium is a card, and the first and second code patterns are printed on a side face part of the card so that the second code pattern is overlaid on the first code pattern. [0015]The above-mentioned data recording medium may be configured so that the data recording medium is a card, and the first and second code patterns are printed on a side face part of the card so that the second code pattern is overlaid on the first code pattern, wherein the data recording medium further comprises a third printed layer which is printed with an visible ink and overlaid on the first and second code patterns. [0016]The above-mentioned data recording medium may be configured so that the data recording medium is a game piece which is used for performing the game, and the game device is provided with a play field in which the game piece is placed, wherein the first and second code patterns are printed and overlaid on a surface of the game piece which faces the play field. [0017]The above-mentioned data recording medium may be configured so that the first printed layer and the second printed layer which are printed and overlaid are made into a group of printed layers, and a plurality of said groups of printed layers are provided at a plurality of locations of the data recording medium. [0018]The above-mentioned data recording medium may be configured so that the data recording medium further comprises one or more third printed layers in which a code pattern is printed so that the one or more third printed layers are overlaid on the first printed layer and the second printed layer, and code pattern detecting methods for the one or more third printed layers are different from each other. [0019]The above-mentioned data recording medium may be configured so that one of the first and second code patterns is generated based on conversion processing of the other code pattern. [0020]In an embodiment of the invention which solves or reduces one or more of the above-mentioned problems, there is provided a game device comprising: a first code pattern detecting unit detecting a first code pattern from among a plurality of code patterns recorded in a detection area of a data recording medium; a second code pattern detecting unit detecting a second code pattern containing information different from information contained in the first code pattern among the plurality of code patterns recorded in the data recording medium, a printed layer in which the second code pattern is printed being overlaid on a printed layer in which the first code pattern is printed in the detection area of the data recording medium; a memory unit in which a combination of the first and second code patterns is stored as being data intrinsic to the data recording medium, and game data corresponding to the combination of the first and second code patterns is stored; and a control unit adapted to detect a combination of the first and second code patterns based on detection signals from the first and second code pattern detecting units, adapted to compare the detected combination of the first and second code patterns with the code pattern combination stored in the memory unit, adapted to read, when a match occurs, game data corresponding to the detected combination from the memory unit, and adapted to execute a game program based on the read game data to makes progress of the game. [0021]The above-mentioned game device may be configured so that the first code pattern is printed with an ultraviolet-light emission ink on a detection surface of the data recording medium and the second code pattern is printed with an infrared-light absorption ink by overlaying the second code pattern on the first code pattern, wherein the first code pattern detecting unit is provided to emit ultraviolet light to the detection surface of the data recording medium, and the second code pattern detecting unit is provided to emit infrared light to the detection surface, so that an image of the detection surface of the data recording medium is captured to detect a corresponding one of the first and second code patterns respectively. Continue reading... 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