Electronic game board system communicating at least one game-play-data

• US 10,441,874 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faranak Zadeh, Wolfgang Richter
• Original Assignee: Faranak Zadeh, Wolfgang Richter
• Inventors: Richter, Wolfgang, Zadeh, Faranak
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US14/603,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20160214003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,726 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00662 with an electric sensor for playing pieces A63F2009/2444 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2448 Output devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2486 the computer being an accessory to a board game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2489 by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/265 by skin resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic game board system communicating at least one game-play-data to an external device. The system includes a contactless communication unit (CCU), an electronic game board and one or more play items. The contactless communication unit communicates with the external device, and further provides alternating electric field. The electronic game board includes plurality of the play fields to receive the alternating electric field, wherein the playfields serially interconnected with each other. The play item capacitively transmits the game play data to the contactless communication unit. The contactless communication unit generates a processed-game-play-data defining a status of the play item placed on the play field, and the contactless communication unit further transmits the processed-game-play-data to the external device.

Claims

1. An electronic game board system communicating at least one game-play-data to an external device, the system comprising:

a contactless communication unit to communicate with the external device, and further to provide alternating electric field, wherein the contactless communication unit comprising;

a generator to receive power from a DC source for generating a low level alternating voltage;

a first converter to shift the low level alternating voltage received from the generator to high level alternating voltage;

a first electrode connected to the first converter for emitting high level alternating electric field of fixed frequency;

a memory unit to store reference data associated with each of the play item and the electronic game board;

an interface to receive the game-play-data from the play item caused by the user interaction;

a controller unit to process the game-play-data received from the interface by comparing the reference data with the game-play-data and further transmits the processed game-play-data to the interface; and

a wireless transceiver to bi-directionally communicate the processed-game-play-data received from the controller unit to the external device;

an electronic game board having plurality of the play fields to receive the alternating electric field, wherein the playfields serially interconnected with each other; and

one or more play items capacitively transmits the game play data to the contactless communication unit for generating a processed-game-play-data defining status of the play item placed on the play field,

wherein the contactless communication unit transmits the processed-game-play-data to the external device, wherein the external device processes, stores and displays the game play data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the play item comprising:

a second electrode to receive the alternating electric field emitted from the first electrode, and further receiving gesture signal of the user;

a floating electrode to float the alternating electric field to the ground for forming a closed electric circuit with at least one of;

the CCU; and

the user;

a second converter to convert the alternating voltage received from the second electrode to the direct voltage;

a buffer to store the direct voltage received from the second converter;

a detection unit to detect the game-play-data associated with at least one surface of the play item, position of the play item on the play field, and a first identification information of the play item; and

a modulator to modulate the alternating electric field influenced by the first electrode with the detected data, and further transmits the modulated data to the interface.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the contactless communication unit comprising a display unit to display the processed-game-play-data defining the status of the play item.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a bi-directional player communication unit (PCU) integrated with a wearable article of the user to communicate the second identification information and user-gesture-information with the controller unit through the interface.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein the detection unit comprising:

a first Schmitt trigger to generate a clock signal on receiving the alternating voltage of the second electrode;

a second Schmitt trigger to generate a pulse signal having time interval associated with the electric field strength in between the play item and the play field; and

a counter connected to the first Schmitt trigger and the second Schmitt trigger for generating a digital value indicating the surface information of the play item and the position information of the play item.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller unit further sends a command data to at least one of the play item;

and the player communication unit (PCU) through the interface for signalizing the status of the play item.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the memory unit further stores the processed-game-play-data associated with the game play performed by the user.

8. The system according to claim 2, wherein the play item further comprising:

an optical unit to generate an optical signal for signaling the status of the play items;

a vibration unit to cause a vibration signal for signaling the status of the play items; and

an audio unit to generate an audio signal for signaling the status of the play items.

9. An electronic game board system communicating game-play-data over a communication network, the system comprising:

a contactless communication unit communicating over a communication network to provide alternating electric field;

an electronic game board having plurality of the play fields to receive the alternating electric field; and

one or more play items capacitively coupled to the contactless communication unit, further the play items transmit the game-play-data to the contactless communication unit;

wherein the contactless communication unit comprising;

a generator to receive power from a DC source for generating a low level alternating voltage;

a first converter to shift the low level alternating voltage received from the generator to high level alternating voltage;

a first electrode connected to the converter for emitting high level alternating electric field of specific frequency;

a memory unit to store reference data associated with the play item and the electronic game board;

an interface to receive the game-play-data transmitted from the play item caused by the user interaction;

a controller unit to process the game-play-data received from the interface by comparing the reference data with the game-play-data and further transmits the processed game-play-data to the interface; and

a display unit to display the processed-game-play-data defining the status of the play item received from the interface;

an electronic game board having plurality of the play fields to receive the alternating electric field, wherein the playfields serially interconnected with each other; and

one or more play items capacitively coupled to the contactless communication unit, the play item comprising;

at least a second electrode to receive the alternating electric field emitted from the first electrode, and further receiving the trigger signal from gesture of the user;

a floating electrode to float the alternating electric field to the ground for forming a closed electric circuit with at least one of;

the CCU; and

the user;

a second converter to convert the alternating voltage received from the second electrode to the direct voltage;

a buffer to store the direct voltage received from the second converter;

a detection unit to detect the game-play-data associated with at least one surface of the play item, position of the play item on the play field, and a first identification information of the play item; and

a modulator to modulate the alternating electric field influenced by the first electrode with the detected data, and further transmits the modulated data to the interface.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a bi-directional player communication unit (PCU) integrated with a wearable article of the user to transmit the second identification information and gesture information associated with the user.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the detection unit comprising:

a first Schmitt trigger to generate a clock signal on receiving the alternating voltage of the second electrode;

a second Schmitt trigger to generate a pulse signal having time interval associated with the electric field strength in between the play item and the play field; and

a counter connected to the first Schmitt trigger and the second Schmitt trigger for generating a digital value indicating the surface information of the play item and the position information of the play item.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the controller unit further sends a command data to the play item and the player communication unit (PCU) through the interface for signalizing the status of the play item.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the memory unit further stores the processed-game-play-data associated with the game play performed by the user.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein the play item further comprising:

an optical unit to generate an optical signal for signaling the status of the play items;

a vibration unit to cause a vibration signal for signaling the status of the play items; and

an audio unit to generate an audio signal for signaling the status of the play items.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein the play item further comprising a flexible polymer foil for embedding the second electrode, the floating electrode, the second converter, the buffer, the detection unit, and the modulator of the play item.

16. An electronic game system communicating game-play-data, the system comprising:

a contactless communication unit to display plurality of play fields associated with a game, and further to provide alternating electric field;

one or more play items capacitively coupled to the contactless communication unit, further the play items transmit the game-play-data to the contactless communication unit;

wherein the contactless communication unit comprising;

a generator to receive power from a DC source for generating a low level alternating voltage;

a first converter to shift the low level alternating voltage received from the generator to high level alternating voltage;

a first electrode connected to the converter for emitting high level alternating electric field of specific frequency;

a memory unit to store reference data associated with the play item;

an interface to receive the game-play-data transmitted from the play item caused by the user interaction;

a controller unit to process the game-play-data received from the interface by comparing the reference data with the game-play-data and further transmits the processed game-play-data to the interface; and

a display unit to display the processed-game-play-data defining the status of the play item received from the interface;

one or more play items placed on the play fields displayed on the contactless communication unit, the play item comprising;

at least a second electrode to receive the alternating electric field emitted from the first electrode, and further receiving the trigger signal from gesture of the user;

a floating electrode to float the alternating electric field to the ground for forming a closed electric circuit with at least one of;

the CCU; and

the user;

a second converter to convert the alternating voltage received from the second electrode to the direct voltage;

a buffer to store the direct voltage received from the second converter;

a detection unit to detect the game-play-data associated with at least one surface of the play item, position of the play item on the play field, and a first identification information of the play item; and

a modulator to modulate the alternating electric field influenced by the first electrode with the detected data, and further transmits the modulated data to the interface.

17. The system according to claim 16, further comprising a player communication unit (PCU) integrated with a wearable article of the user to transmit the second identification information and gesture information associated with the user, and further receives the command data signalizing the status of the play items from the controller unit through the interface.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the detection unit comprising:

a first Schmitt trigger to generate a clock signal on receiving the alternating voltage of the second electrode;

a second Schmitt trigger to generate a pulse signal having time interval associated with the electric field strength in between the play item and the play field; and

a counter connected to the first Schmitt trigger and the second Schmitt trigger for generating a digital value indicating the surface information of the play item and the position information of the play item.

19. The system according to claim 16, further comprising an electronic game board to receive the alternating electric field;

wherein the play items placed on the electronic game board transmit the game-play-data to the contactless communication unit.