Educational balancing game

• US 10,026,333 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alexandra Rose Huffman
• Original Assignee: Alexandra Rose Huffman
• Inventors: Huffman, Alexandra Rose
• Primary Examiner(s): Bumgarner, Melba
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baldori, Joseph B
• Application Number:
  US15/296,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20170036102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 273237, 273430, 273431, 273432, 273445, 273449, 273453, 273454, 273455
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/00 Sporting games or accessories therefor, not provided for in groups A63B1/00 - A63B65/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00359 Modular units
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/241 Touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/242 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2489 by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/21 Adapted outdoor game resembling to an indoor game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/183 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/06 of the multiple-choice answer-type, i.e. where a given question is provided with a series of answers and a choice has to be made from the answers

Abstract

The application provides for a system and method of playing an educational balancing game. An electronic game spinner is used to select a category to be tested, as well as a specific question within this category. Once the specific question has been selected, potential answers are shown on an electronic game board whereby a user must then use their body to select a circle containing an answer. The game board may also be constructed out of plastic, where the answers are fixed, however, the electronic game spinner scans a code on the game board so that appropriate questions are used with the printed answer selections.

Claims

1. A method of playing an educational balancing game, for helping one or more human users educate themselves while developing motor skills by standing on and interacting with an electronic game board, the method including an electronic game board and a prompter, the electronic game board having a top surface, having a first touch-sensitized display disposed thereon, a bottom surface, located below the top surface, a plurality of walls extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, the plurality of walls having a recess, a power port, and a chamber defined by the top surface, the bottom surface, and the plurality of walls, wherein the chamber holds a first processor, a first memory, and a first wireless transceiver, wherein the first processor, the first memory, the first wireless transceiver, and the first touch-sensitized display are in electronic communication, wherein the electronic game board is sized to allow one or more human users to stand thereon, is configured to show a plurality of answer zones on the first touch-sensitized display, and is capable of supporting the weight of one or more human users standing thereon, and the prompter having a second touch-sensitized display, a second processor, a second memory, and a second wireless transceiver, for providing wireless electronic communication with the electronic game board, wherein the second touch-sensitized display, the second processor, the second memory, and the second wireless transceiver are in electronic communication, the method comprising the steps of:

a. selecting, by one user, a final score on the second touch-sensitized display, causing the second processor to store the final score on the second memory;

b. entering, by the one user on the second touch-sensitized display, a number of users playing the educational balancing game, wherein the number of users is stored on the second memory;

c. initializing, by the second processor, a spinner and a spin initiator displayed on the second touch-sensitized display;

d. engaging, by the one user on the second touch-sensitized display, the spin initiator to randomly select a category stored in the second memory;

e. displaying, on the second touch-sensitized display by the second processor receiving instructions from the second memory, a question corresponding to the selected category stored on the second memory which is selected by the second processor from a plurality of questions stored on the second memory;

f. transmitting, to the electronic game board via the second wireless transceiver, a correct answer to be stored on the first memory and processed by the first processor;

g. displaying, by the first processor on the first touch-sensitized display, a plurality of answer zones, wherein an amount of the plurality of answer zones contains a correct answer, the amount corresponding to the number of users playing the educational balancing game, wherein the remainder of the plurality of answer zones contains incorrect answers, and wherein each answer zone contains one answer, each answer zone having a size and a position, where the size is dynamic and the position is dynamic;

h. selecting, by each user using one appendage, one of the plurality of answer zones, wherein the size and the position of the selected answer zone becomes static upon selection;

i. transmitting, from the first wireless transceiver to the second processor via the second wireless transceiver, the amount of answer zones selected with the correct answer;

j. assigning, by the one user on the second touch-sensitized display, a point to each user that selected an answer zone with the correct answer; and

k. repeating, steps c-j until one user has an amount of points equal to the final score.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of answer zones are non-uniformly sized.

3. The method of claim 2, where step h has a predetermined time limit.

4. The method of claim 3, where the predetermined time limit is selected by the one user in step a, via the second touch-sensitized display causing the second memory to store the predetermined time limit.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the game terminates if the electronic game board determines that one or more users have fallen over.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising at least one additional electronic game board, wherein the plurality of answer zones may travel, independently, from the first electronic game board to one of the additional electronic game boards.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of answer zones are color-coordinated to indicate which appendage should be used to select the answer zone.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein all of the electronic game boards are located proximately to each other, and wherein all of the electronic game boards have a physical distance therebetween.