Innovations In Video Games
Written by: Matt Moldovanyi
Associate Attorney
When was the last time you played a video game? This week? This month? Maybe you haven’t played one in years, or you never did (you don’t know what you are missing). You might be surprised to learn how many patents go into each of the systems and the games, outside of the expected type of patents. Below are some of the more unique patents you might find in your popular video game and video game system.
Do you ever wonder why pedestrians haphazardly dive out of your way while you careen around in racing games? You might be surprised to learn that Sega has a U.S. Patent (U.S. Patent No. 6,200,138) covering the idea of a “danger area” around the player in a driving game. If a virtual pedestrian enters the danger area, the patented game development causes the pedestrian to flee from the you to prevent racers hitting the pedestrian.
Why just play the game when you can be in the game? Eastman Kodak has a U.S. Patent (U.S. Patent 5,595,389) for forming a personalized video game where a user takes a picture of themselves, uploads the picture, and a “cut-out” of their head is pasted onto the video game character. In addition to being “uploaded” into a video game, the user can even print a hardcopy of their personalized video game character. Maybe to create a personalized video game case.
Imagine all the fun of playing driving games in the arcade where you can sit in the vehicle and pretend to drive around with the convenience of playing from home. Well, have I got the patent for you. U.S. Patent No. 8,210,534 discloses an inflatable vehicle for simulating a driving experience from home. The steering wheel has a compartment for receiving a controller, such as a Wii remote, so the user can “steer” the vehicle. And to up the realism, the inflatable vehicle even includes a front bumper, a rear bumper, a driver’s seat, and four tires.
Do you ever get lost driving? Well, imagine getting lost while driving in a video game. You can’t exactly stop the car and get out to ask for directions. Luckily, Sega created, and patented, the idea of a giant arrow in the sky that point the player toward the target destination (U.S. Patent No. 6,200,138). This is the same patent as the “danger area,” so looks like Sega made sure to maximize each patent.
Those abrasions from hours playing video games are a worry no more with the video game protective glove! The glove of U.S. Patent No. 4,519,097 leaves the fingertips exposed for greater sensitivity and feel of the controls while covering the rest of the hand. The glove does not look comfortable because it is short to leave the user’s wrist free and unfettered, but maybe after 2 hours of playing the user no longer notices how short the glove is.
These are just a few of the patents owned by video game companies. Do you have an idea to improve video game systems? Contact us today!