Game using transponders to provide player awards

Abstract

A bounty hunter game where game participants attempt to earn awards, or items, or to have awards or items taken away from another game participant, by transmitting information from electronic data storage elements, such as an RFBD tags, to a central game processing site. The electronic data storage elements may be carried by the game participants and/or placed at locations where game participants must go. Clues may be provided to game participants to lead them to electronic data storage elements. Clues may also be provided to game participants to lead them on a treasure hunt that is played simultaneously with the bounty hunter game.

1 . A game involving one or more game participants comprising: 
 (a) one or more electronic data storage elements containing identification information;    (b) one or more electronic data storage element readers capable of reading the identification information that is contained on the electronic data storage elements;    (c) one or more communications devices capable of sending the identification information that is contained on the electronic data storage element and read by the electronic data storage element reader to a game processing center; and    (d) an award provided to the game participant that sends the identification information that is contained on the electronic data storage element and read by the electronic data storage element reader to the game processing center.    
   
   
       2 . The game of  claim 1  wherein said electronic data storage element is a radio frequency identification tag.  
   
   
       3 . The game of  claim 1  wherein said electronic data storage element(s) are carried by the one or more game participants and the identification information identifies said game participant(s).  
   
   
       4 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the electronic data storage element(s) are placed in locations where game participant traffic is desired.  
   
   
       5 . The game of  claim 4  wherein the game participant is provided with a code when a purchase is made and wherein the award is provided for providing said code to said game processing center.  
   
   
       6 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the award is game points credited to the game participant that sends the identification information that is contained on the electronic data storage element.  
   
   
       7 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the award is an item, such as a virtual sword.  
   
   
       8 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the award is a period of invincibility during which the game participant that sends the identification information that is contained on the electronic data storage element may not be captured or eliminated by other game participants.  
   
   
       9 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the game participant(s) are provided clues to help locate the electronic data storage elements.  
   
   
       10 . The game of  claim 9  wherein the game participant(s) locate the electronic data storage elements using location positioning technology.  
   
   
       11 . The game of  claim 10  wherein the clues consist of a latitude and longitude.  
   
   
       12 . The game of  claim 3  wherein the award is a deduction of points or items from the game participant whose identification information is provided to the game processing center.  
   
   
       13 . The game of  claim 12  wherein the points or items deducted from the game participant whose identification information is provided to the game processing center are credited to the game participant who sends the identification information.  
   
   
       14 . The game of  claim 3  wherein the game participant whose identification information is provided to the game processing center is eliminated from the game.  
   
   
       15 . The game of  claim 14  wherein the elimination from the game is permanent.  
   
   
       16 . The game of  claim 14  wherein the game participant that has not been eliminated from the game when all other said game participants have been eliminated is the winner.  
   
   
       17 . A bounty hunter game involving two or more game participants comprising: 
 (a) two or more electronic data storage elements containing information that identifies said game participants;    (b) two or more electronic data storage element readers capable of reading the identification information that is contained on the electronic data storage elements;    (c) two or more communications devices capable of sending the identification information that is contained on the electronic data storage elements to a game processing site;    (d) awards that are provided to the game participant that sends the identification information that is contained on the electronic data storage element and read by the electronic data storage element reader to the award processing center.    
   
   
       18 . The game of  claim 17  wherein said electronic data storage element is a radio frequency identification tag.  
   
   
       19 . The game of  claim 17  wherein the electronic data storage elements are carried by the game participants.  
   
   
       20 . The game of  claim 17  wherein the electronic data storage elements are placed in locations where game participant traffic is desired.  
   
   
       21 . The game of  claim 20  wherein the game participants are provided with clues to the location of the electronic data storage elements and locate the electronic data storage elements using location positioning technology.  
   
   
       22 . The game of  claim 21  wherein the clues consist of a latitude and longitude.  
   
   
       23 . The game of  claim 20  wherein the game participants are provided with a code when a purchase is made and wherein an award is provided said game participants for providing said code to said game processing center.  
   
   
       24 . The game of  claim 17  wherein the award is points credited to the game participant that sends the identification information that is contained on the electronic data storage elements.  
   
   
       25 . The game of  claim 17  wherein the award is an item, such as a virtual sword.  
   
   
       26 . The game of  claim 17  wherein the award is a period of invincibility during which the participant that sends the identification information that is contained on the electronic data storage elements may not be captured or eliminated by other game participants.  
   
   
       27 . The game of  claim 17  wherein the award is a deduction of points or items from the game participant whose identification information is provided to the game processing center.  
   
   
       28 . The game of  claim 27  wherein the points or items deducted from the game participant whose identification information is provided to the game processing center are credited to the game participant who sends the identification information.  
   
   
       29 . The game of  claim 17  wherein the game participant whose identification information is provided to the game processing center is eliminated from the game.  
   
   
       30 . The game of  claim 29  wherein the elimination from the game is permanent.  
   
   
       31 . The bounty hunter game as described in  claim 17  wherein the game participants simultaneously play a treasure hunt game comprising clues transmitted from the game processing center to the game participants' wireless communications devices to guide game participants on a treasure hunt.  
   
   
       32 . A treasure hunt game involving one or more game participants and using electronic data storage elements comprising: 
 (a) electronic data storage elements containing clues to direct the one or more game participants on a treasure hunt;    (b) electronic data storage element readers capable of reading and displaying said clues to said game participants;    (c) reading said clues on said electronic data storage element readers and following said clues on said treasure hunt; and    (d) providing an award to said game participant that completes said treasure hunt.    
   
   
       33 . A method of playing a bounty hunter game involving two or more game participants comprising: 
 (a) providing the game participants with electronic data storage elements containing information that identifies said game participants;    (b) providing the game participants with electronic data storage element readers capable of reading the identification information that is contained on the electronic data storage elements and with communications devices capable of sending the identification information contained on the electronic data storage elements to a game processing center; and    (c) providing an award to the game participant that sends the identification information contained on the data storage element of another game participant and read by the electronic data storage element reader to the game processing site.    
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said electronic data storage element is a radio frequency identification tag.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 33  wherein additional electronic data storage elements are placed in locations wherein customer traffic is desired.  
   
   
       36 . The game of  claim 35  wherein the game participant is provided with a code when a purchase is made and wherein an award is provided to said game participant for providing said code to said game processing center.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the award is game points credited to the game participant that sends the identification information contained on the electronic data storage elements.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the award is an item, such as a virtual sword.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the award is a period of invincibility during which the game participant that sends the identification information may not be captured or eliminated by other game participants.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the game participants carry the electronic data storage elements and wherein the award is a deduction of points or items from the game participant whose identification information is provided to the game processing center.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the points or items deducted from the game participant whose identification information is provided to the game processing center are credited to the game participant who sends the other game participant's identification information.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the game participant whose identification information is provided to the game processing center is eliminated from the game.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the elimination from the game is permanent.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the game participants are provided clues to help locate the electronic data storage elements.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the game participants locate the electronic data storage elements using location positioning technology.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the clues consist of a latitude and longitude.  
   
   
       47 . A method of playing a treasure hunt game using electronic data storage elements comprising: 
 (a) locating electronic data storage elements containing clues to direct one or more game participants on a treasure hunt along a treasure hunt route;    (b) providing electronic data storage element readers capable of reading and displaying said clues to said game participants; and    (c) reading said clues on said electronic data storage element readers and following said clues on said treasure hunt.    
   
   
       48 . The method of playing the bounty hunter game as described in  claim 33  wherein game participants simultaneously play a treasure hunt game comprising clues transmitted from the game processing center to participants' wireless communications devices to guide participants on a treasure hunt.