Collectable card reader

Abstract

A machine readable game card is provided which has a display surface and a readable surface, at least two terminals, and at least one path arranged on the readable surface between the two terminals, the path having an attribute of a predetermined value measured between the two terminals, and an image arranged on the display surface to which the predetermined value is associated. A reader for reading the machine readable game card is also provided which has a board with a surface, a plurality of pairs of terminals arranged on the surface, a connector, a plurality of circuits connecting each of said pairs of terminals to said connector, in which a pair of terminals on a machine readable game card contacts a pair of terminals on the reader when the machine readable game card is placed on the surface. A system for playing a game is also provided including a plurality of machine readable game cards, a reader for reading the machine readable game cards, and a computer containing a game connected to the reader, in which the game is played by placing at least one of the machine readable game cards in the reader and identifying it with the computer.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A machine readable game card comprising: 
 a card with a display surface and a readable surface;    at least one path arranged on the readable surface, said path having two terminals;    said path having an attribute of a predetermined value measured between said two terminals;    an image arranged on the display surface;    wherein said predetermined value is associated with said image.    
     
     
         2 . The machine readable game card of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said path is a conductor.    
     
     
         3 . The machine readable game card of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said path is a wave guide.    
     
     
         4 . The machine readable game card of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said path is a transmission line.    
     
     
         5 . The machine readable game card of  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined value is selected from the group consisting of: 
 a resistance;    an impedance;    an inductance;    a capacitance;    an electrical length;    a delay;    a phase shift;    a resonant mode;    a transmissivity;    an attenuation;    a frequency response.    
     
     
         6 . The machine readable game card of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said display surface and said readable surface are the same surface.    
     
     
         7 . The machine readable game card of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said display surface and said readable surface are different surfaces.    
     
     
         8 . The machine readable game card of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said path is formed of conductive ink.    
     
     
         9 . The machine readable game card of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said two terminals are formed of conductive ink.    
     
     
         10 . The machine readable game card of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said card is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of: 
 cardboard;  
 paper;  
 plastic;  
 Styrofoam;  
 particle board;  
 organic material;  
 fiber board.  
   
     
     
         11 . The machine readable game card of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said image is formed in a medium selected from the group consisting of: 
 a photograph;  
 a painting;  
 a hologram;  
 a drawing;  
 a lithograph;  
 an offset;  
 a bas-relief;  
 an etching;  
 a pictogram;  
 a print;  
 a mirror;  
 a light-emitting diode;  
 a luminescent coating;  
 a reflective coating;  
 a phosphorescent coating;  
 a glow-in-the-dark coating;  
 a magnetic coating;  
 an optical filter.  
   
     
     
         12 . A reader for reading the machine readable game card of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 a board having a reader;    a pair of terminals arranged on said reader;    a connector;    a circuit connecting said pair of terminals to said connector;    wherein said path terminals on said machine readable game card contact said pair of terminals on said reader when said machine readable game card is placed on said reader, completing said circuit.    
     
     
         13 . The reader of  claim 12 , wherein said connector is a joystick connector.  
     
     
         14 . The reader of  claim 12 , further comprising a transducer connected to said joystick connector, for converting said signal to a form suitable for a joystick port.  
     
     
         15 . A system for playing a game, comprising: 
 a machine readable game card;    a reader for reading said machine readable game card;    a computer connected to said reader;    wherein said game is accessible to said computer;    wherein said game is played by placing said machine readable game card on said reader and identifying it with said computer.    
     
     
         16 . The system for playing a game of  claim 15 , wherein said computer is selected from the group consisting of: 
 a personal computer;    a laptop computer;    a notebook computer;    a handheld computer;    a palmtop computer;    a game console;    a mainframe computer;    a mini-computer;    a micro-computer;    a digital computer;    an analog computer;    an organic computer;    an emulator;    a thin client.    
     
     
         17 . The system for playing a game of  claim 15 , wherein said game is selected from the group consisting of: 
 a role-playing game;    an adventure game;    a fantasy game;    a video game;    a virtual reality game;    a competition game;    an educational game;    a board game;    a card game.    
     
     
         18 . The system for playing a game of  claim 15 , wherein said computer is connected to the Internet.  
     
     
         19 . The system for playing a game of  claim 15 , wherein said machine readable game card further comprises: 
 a display surface and a readable surface;    a path arranged on said readable surface, said path having two terminals;    said path having an attribute of a predetermined value measured between said two terminals;    an image arranged on the display surface;    wherein said predetermined value is associated with said image.    
     
     
         20 . The system for playing a game of  claim 19 , wherein: 
 said path is a conductor.    
     
     
         21 . The system for playing a game of  claim 19 , wherein: 
 said path is a wave guide.    
     
     
         22 . The system for playing a game of  claim 19 , wherein: 
 said path is a transmission line.    
     
     
         23 . The system for playing a game of  claim 19 , wherein: 
 said predetermined value is selected from the group consisting of: 
 a resistance;  
 an impedance;  
 an inductance;  
 a capacitance;  
 an electrical length;  
 a delay;  
 a phase shift;  
 a resonant mode;  
 a transmissivity;  
 an attenuation;  
 a frequency response.  
   
     
     
         24 . The system for playing a game of  claim 19 , wherein: said path is formed of conductive ink.  
     
     
         25 . The machine readable game card of  claim 19 , wherein: 
 said image is formed in a medium selected from the group consisting of: 
 a photograph;  
 a painting;  
 a hologram;  
 a drawing;  
 a lithograph;  
 an offset;  
 a bas-relief;  
 an etching;  
 a pictogram;  
 a print;  
 a mirror;  
 a light-emitting diode;  
 a luminescent coating;  
 a reflective coating;  
 a phosphorescent coating;  
 a glow-in-the-dark coating;  
 a magnetic coating;  
 an optical filter.  
   
     
     
         26 . The system for playing a game of  claim 19 , wherein said reader further comprises: 
 a board having a reader;    a pair of terminals arranged on said reader;    a connector;    a circuit connecting said pair of terminals to said connector for carrying a signal;    wherein said path terminals on said machine readable game card contact said pair of terminals on said reader when said machine readable game card is placed on said reader, completing said circuit.    
     
     
         27 . The system for playing a game of  claim 26 , wherein: 
 said signal is associated with said predetermined value.    
     
     
         28 . The system for playing a game of  claim 26 , wherein: 
 said connector is a joystick connector.    
     
     
         29 . The system for playing a game of  claim 26 , wherein: 
 said computer further comprises a joystick port.    
     
     
         30 . The system for playing a game of  claim 28 , further comprising: 
 a transducer connected to said joystick connector, for converting said signal to a form suitable for said joystick port.    
     
     
         31 . A method for identifying a game card, comprising the steps of: 
 1) installing a game on a computer having a joystick port;    2) connecting a game card reader to the joystick port;    3) placing the game card in the game card reader, said game card having an image and an attribute of a predetermined value associated with said image;    4) receiving a signal at said joystick port associated with said predetermined value;    5) storing an identification associated with said signal accessible to said computer.