Smart video game board system and methods

• US 10,363,486 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2017
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pixel Press Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: Pixel Press Technology, LLC
• Inventors: Rath, Robin, Bennet, Jr., Robert William
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherwin, Ryan W
• Application Number:
  US15/480,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20170266558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13144 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, OI operator interface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23258 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, labview
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23291 Process, graphic programming of a process, text and images
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/35 model driven
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs

Abstract

Systems and methods for creating a playable video game from user-generated artwork. The systems and methods include a smart game board system having a plurality of recesses arranged in a grid and configured to accept an RFID tag embedded in a block. As the user places blocks in the recesses, an antenna system detects which recesses contain blocks, and the color or another identifier of the block. This information is transmitted to a computer system for translation into playable video game data, such as level data or a skin or image.

Claims

1. A game system comprising:

a game board comprising;

a grid of recesses;

an antenna array comprising a plurality of coils, each coil in said plurality associated with a recess in said arid of recesses; and

a control unit communicatively coupled to said antenna array and configured to, for each said coil in sequence;

energize said each coil;

interrogate, using said each coil, said recess associated therewith for the presence of a radio-frequency identification tag in said recess;

receive signals indicative of an identifier associated with a radio-frequency identification tag in said associated recess and a location of said associated recess in said grid; and

,

deenergize said each coil; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a microprocessor, perform the steps of;

receiving said identifier and said location;

translating said identifier to a functional video game element corresponding to said identifier; and

generating a video game level which, when rendered as a playable video game, implements said functional video game element at a location in said playable video game corresponding to said location of said recess in said grid.

2. The game system of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter coupled to said control unit.

3. The game system of claim 2, wherein said identifier and said location are received by transmission using said transmitter.

4. The game system of claim 2, wherein said control unit is further configured to cause said transmitter to transmit each of said identifiers.

5. The game system of claim 2, wherein said transmitter is a wireless transmitter.

6. The game system of claim 5, wherein said wireless transmitter communicates via a short-range radio protocol.

7. The game system of claim 1, wherein each recess is sized and shaped to accommodate a generally cubic block containing a radio-frequency identification tag.

8. A method for detecting user-created art on a game board comprising:

providing a game board comprising;

a grid of recesses;

a base;

an antenna array comprising a plurality of coils, each coil in said plurality associated with a recess in said grid of recesses; and

a control unit;

energizing said each coil;

sequentially interrogating, using said each coil, said recess associated therewith for the presence of a radio-frequency identification tag in said associated recess;

receiving, at said control unit, signals indicative of an identifier associated with a radio-frequency identification tag in said associated recess and a location of said associated recess in said grid;

translating said identifier to a functional video game element corresponding to said identifier; and

generating a video game level which, when rendered as a playable video game, implements said functional video game element at a location in said playable video game corresponding to said location of said recess in said grid.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing a transmitter communicatively coupled to said control unit;

transmitting, using said transmitter, said identifier and said location.

10. The game board of claim 9, wherein said transmitter is a wireless transmitter.

11. The game board of claim 10, wherein said transmitting step uses a short-range radio protocol.

12. A system for translating a player-created artwork on a physical game board into video game data comprising:

a game board comprising;

a plurality of recesses;

an antenna array configured to interrogate each of said recesses for the presence of a radio-frequency identification tag therein;

a transmitter; and

a control unit configured to;

receive signals indicative of whether a radio-frequency identification tag is detected in each of said recesses and to cause said transmitter to transmit information identifying each of said recesses in which a radio-frequency identification tag was detected; and

receive, for each radio-frequency identification tan detected in one of said recesses, an identifier for each said detected radio-frequency identification tag, and to cause said transmitter to transmit each said identifier; and

a computer system having a non-transitory computer-readable medium haying computer-readable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a microprocessor, cause said computer system to perform the steps of;

receiving said transmitted information identifying each of said recesses in which a radio-frequency identification tag is detected; and

translating said identifier for each said detected radio-frequency identification tag to a functional video game element corresponding to said identifier; and

generating a video game level which, when rendered as a playable video game, implements said functional video game element at a location in said playable video game corresponding to a location in said grid of a corresponding recess in which a radio-frequency identification tag having said identifier is detected.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said plurality of recesses comprise a square grid of recesses configured to accept a generally cubic block containing a radio-frequency identification tag.