Method of using a hidden image game piece

• US 20020153661A1
• Filed: 06/17/2002
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hidden Image Technology Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hidden Image Technology Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Brooks, Joel M., Montesi, Matthew, Causey, Donnie
• Application Number:
  US10/173,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20020153661A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/288
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00826 Changeable playing pieces
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0616 with colours
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0618 used for masking, e.g. for making objects with the same colour invisible
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2011/0079 keeping something hidden or invisible
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00697 Playing pieces
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/065 Tickets or accessories for use therewith A63F3/0625 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0685 having a message becoming legible after a chemical reaction or physical action has taken place, e.g. applying pressure, heat treatment, spraying with a substance, breaking microcapsules use of microcapsules for duplicating paper B41M5/165
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0613 Puzzles or games based on the use of optical filters or elements, e.g. coloured filters, polaroid filters, transparent sheets with opaque parts optical, colour or shadow toys A63H33/22
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/10 Changing, amusing, or secret pictures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2495 Thickness [relative or absolute]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24967 Absolute thicknesses specified
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24975 No layer or component greater than 5 mils thick

Abstract

A hidden image game piece and a method by which a hidden image game piece is produced and used. A first hidden image game piece is formed on a transparent or translucent substrate. A second hidden image game piece is formed electronically, and optionally printed or, alternatively, saved and distributed in electronic format. The hidden image game piece can be used to distributed either physically or electronically, and it may be used to derive demographic information from recipients, to drive them to web sites or retail outlets, and to provide a means for distributing advertising, either on the game pieces or at a game site, which may be a physical site, such as a retail outlet, or an electronic site, such as an Internet site. The methods of the present invention include the method of producing a game piece, the method of deriving demographic information from recipients of the game pieces, and the method of providing advertising to recipients of the game pieces.

Claims

1. A game piece with a hidden image comprising:

(a) a first visible layer comprising an image formed in a first color, said first layer being formed in a manner which will assist in obfuscating an image to be hidden;

(b) a second visible layer containing an image to be hidden, said second layer being formed in said first color;

(c) a third visible layer comprising an image formed in a second color, said second color being distinct from said first color, said third layer being formed in a manner which will assist in obfuscating said image to be hidden which is on said second layer.

2. The game piece of claim 1 wherein said image on said first layer is comprised of text.

3. The game piece of claim 2 wherein said image on said third layer is comprised of text.

4. The game piece of claim 3 wherein said image on said first layer and said image on said third layer are comprised of the same text.

5. The game piece of claim 4 wherein said first color is selected from the group consisting of cyan, yellow, and magenta, and said second color is selected from said group consisting of cyan, yellow, and magenta.

6. The game piece of claim 5 wherein said first color is yellow and said second color is cyan.

7. The game piece of claim 4 wherein said text is formed in lines.

8. The game piece of claim 7 wherein said text is formed in wavy lines.

9. The game piece of claim 8 wherein said wavy lines of text on said first layer are displaced, whereby columns of white space are minimized.

10. The game piece of claim 9 wherein said wavy lines of text on said third layer are displaced, whereby columns of white space are minimized.

11. The game piece of claim 10 wherein said image on said first layer is filtered.

12. The game piece of claim 10 wherein said image on said third layer is filtered.

13. The game piece of claim 12 wherein said hidden image on said second layer is text.

14. The game piece of claim 13 wherein said text on said first layer is formed in a san serif font.

15. The game piece of claim 14 wherein said text on said second layer is formed in a serif font.

16. The game piece of claim 15 wherein said font used on said hidden text is larger in point size than said font used on said text in said first layer.

17. The game piece of claim 16 wherein said font used on said hidden text is formed in outline with a transparent interior.

18. The game piece of claim 10 wherein said first layer and said third layer are identical but offset from one another.

19. The game piece of claim 18 wherein said offset is approximately one-half character horizontally.

20. The game piece of claim 19 wherein said offset is approximately one-half line vertically.

21. The game piece of claim 1 wherein said hidden image game piece is formed as an electronic image.

22. The game piece of claim 21 wherein said image is saved as a single layer.

23. The game piece of claim 22 wherein said image is saved in RGB mode, whereby it can be displayed on a monitor.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of offsetting the text in adjacent lines in order to minimize flowing “

white spaces”

, prior to said step of forming a first mask.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of offsetting said first layer from said third layer prior to said step of combining.

27. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of forming a wavy path which forms a text baseline, prior to said step of forming a first line of text.

28. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of filtering said first mask prior to said step of combining.

29. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of filtering said second mask prior to said step of combining.

30. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of placing said third layer in multiply mode prior to said step of combining.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said first and second layer are formed in a color selected from the group consisting of cyan, yellow, and magenta and said third layer is formed in a color selected from the group consisting of cyan, yellow, and magenta.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of flattening the image after said step of combining.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising the step of changing the mode of said image from cyan, yellow, magenta, black (CYMK) to red, green, blue (RGB) whereby said flattened image can be saved in a file which is an image file.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of reversing the input and output of the RGB channels prior to saving said image file.

36. The method of collecting demographic information of claim 35 wherein said first electronically formed image is an additive light source.

37. The method of collecting demographic information of claim 35 wherein said first electronically formed image is a hidden image game piece.

38. The method of collecting demographic information of claim 35 wherein said game site is a web site on the Internet.

39. The method of collecting demographic information of claim 35 wherein game site is a web site and said step of collecting demographic information is performed by using a form at a first web page, and upon receiving said demographic information, said recipient is permitted to gain access to a second web page containing said electronically formed image.

40. The method of claim 35 wherein said game site is a retail outlet and said step of collecting demographic information is performed by having said recipient provide such information before said recipient is given access to means for producing said electronically formed image.

41. The method of collecting demographic information of claim 35 wherein said game site is a retail outlet, said game piece includes a hidden image, and said step of providing said recipient with access to said electronically formed image is accomplished by giving said recipient access to a source of additive light of the correct color to decode said hidden image on said game piece.

24. The method of creating an electronic hidden image file which can be displayed as an image on a computer monitor, comprising:

(a) forming a first line of text;

(b) replicating said first line of text to form an image which is sufficiently large that said image of replicated lines of text can be used to hide form a concealing image;

(c) forming a first mask from said concealing image, such that said replicated lines of text are transparent while the areas around said replicated lines of text have a first color;

(d) replicating said first mask in a second color different from said first color to produce a second mask;

(e) forming a layer having a hidden image in said first color;

(f) combining said first mask as a first layer, said hidden image as a second layer, and said second mask as a third layer, with said first layer being below said second layer and said third layer being above said second layer.

35. A method of collecting demographic information comprising:

(a) creating a game site, said game site containing a first electronically formed image;

(b) distributing game pieces containing an image printed on a transparent or translucent substrate to recipients;

(c) directing said recipients of said game pieces to visit said game site;

(d) collecting demographic information from said recipients when they visit said game site; and

then

(e) providing said recipients with access to said electronically formed image upon collecting their demographic information.

42. A method of providing promotional advertising comprising:

(a) creating a game site containing advertising, said game site containing a first electronically formed image;

(b) distributing game pieces containing an image printed on a transparent or translucent substrate to recipients;

(c) directing said recipients of said game pieces to visit said game site;

(d) providing said recipients with promotional advertising when said recipients visit said game site; and

then

(e) providing said recipients with access to said electronically formed image.

43. The method of providing promotional advertising of claim 42 wherein said first electronically formed image is an additive light source.

44. The method of providing promotional advertising of claim 42 wherein said first electronically formed image is a hidden image game piece.

45. The method of providing promotional advertising of claim 42 wherein said game site is a web site on the Internet.

46. The method of providing promotional advertising of claim 42 wherein game site is a web site and said step of collecting demographic information is performed by using a form at a first web page, and upon receiving said demographic information, said recipient is permitted to gain access to a second web page containing said electronically formed image.

47. The method of providing promotional advertising of claim 42 wherein said game site is a retail outlet and said step of collecting providing promotional advertising is performed by exposing said recipient to said promotional advertising by exhibiting said promotional advertising in said retail outlet.

48. The method of collecting demographic information of claim 42 wherein said game site is a retail outlet, said game piece includes a hidden image, and said step of providing said recipient with access to said electronically formed image is accomplished by giving said recipient access to a source of additive light of the correct color to decode said hidden image on said game piece.

50. The method of distributing game pieces of claim 49 further comprising the step of providing means for said users to upload a file containing artwork to be included on said game piece.

49. The method of distributing game pieces comprising the steps of:

(a) producing at least one template for a game piece, said template including areas for filling in text for a hidden image and text to be used for a concealing image;

(b) providing a web site for users to select a template from a collection including said at least one template;

(c) providing means for said users to enter text for said hidden image and for said concealing image;

(d) providing means for said users to provide payment information; and

(e) providing means for said users to provide delivery information,

whereby an image file produced in accordance with the information received from said user can be used to create an image file and said image file can be delivered to said user either electronically, or physically in the form of printed game pieces.