Remote control game system with selective component disablement

• US 20050186884A1
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Different Dimensions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Janet E. Evans
• Inventors: Evans, Janet E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,704,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/456
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/14 Endless-track automobiles or trucks
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission

Abstract

A remote control game system comprises two or more game sets, each game set having one or more remote control vehicles and an associated control console. Each of the remote control vehicles comprises: a vehicle body; one or more offensive components mounted with the vehicle body; each of the offensive components operable to communicate at least one offensive signal; one or more sensors mounted with the vehicle body, each of the sensors operable to detect the offensive signal, and in response, to generate a hit signal; and one or more drive components. The drive components are (a) responsive to commands from the control console, to move the vehicle body and operate the offensive components, and (b) responsive to the hit signal to degrade operation of one or both of the vehicle body and offensive components.

Claims

1. A remote control game system, comprising two or more game sets, each game set having one or more remote control vehicles and an associated control console, each of the remote control vehicles having:

a vehicle body;

one or more offensive components mounted with the vehicle body, each of the offensive components operable to communicate at least one offensive signal;

one or more sensors mounted with the vehicle body, each of the sensors operable to detect the offensive signal and, in response thereto, generate a hit signal;

one or more drive components (a) responsive to commands from the control console, to move the vehicle body and operate the offensive components and (b) responsive to the hit signal to degrade operation of one or both of the vehicle body and offensive components.

2. The system of claim 1, each set of remote control vehicles and associated control console being in wireless communication.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the offensive signal comprises a light beam, and wherein at least one of the sensors comprises a detector that detects the light beam.

4. The system of claim 3, the light beam being modulated with encoded information, wherein at least one of the sensors is capable of decoding the information.

5. The system of claim 1, one or more of the remote control vehicles or control consoles being operable to interface with a network.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein software for one or more of the remote control vehicles or control consoles is downloaded from the network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the remote control vehicles simulates a tank, a boat, an airplane, a blimp, a helicopter, a glider, a spaceship, a car, a train, or an amphibious vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, at least one of the remote control vehicles comprising one or more vehicle displays, each vehicle display operable to visually simulate one or more of light, sound, and smoke.

9. The system of claim 8, at least one of the vehicle displays being mounted adjacent to one of the sensors.

10. The system of claim 9, the at least one vehicle display being configured to indicate an injury state.

11. The system of claim 1, at least one of the control consoles being operable to calculate and display at least one game related quantity, the game related quantity comprising one or more of a score, time, shots fired, type of shot, hits, misses, injuries, kills, fuel and ammunition.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a game area, wherein the game area, the vehicles and the control consoles cooperate to determine the position of at least one of the vehicles in the game area, the position being communicated to at least one control console.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the control console utilizes the position to generate a game area map display.

14. The system of claim 12, comprising at least one of a practice weapon and a practice target.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one digital camera, wherein at least one of the remote control vehicles being configured to transmit image data generated by the camera, wherein at least one control console is configured to display an image corresponding to the image data.

16. The system of claim 15, the control console configured to recognize images of opponent vehicles and overlay game related quantities adjacent to opponent vehicle images.

17. A remote control game system, comprising two or more game sets, each game set having one or more remote control vehicles and an associated control console, each of the remote control vehicles comprising:

a vehicle body;

a camera mounted with the vehicle body, for viewing an opponent vehicle;

means for generating an offensive signal indicative of a simulated shot fired to the opponent vehicle;

means for determining whether the simulated shot hits the opponent'"'"'s vehicle based upon trajectory through a field of view of the camera;

one or more drive components (a) responsive to commands from the control console, to move the vehicle body and operate the camera and (b) responsive to the simulated shot to degrade operation of the vehicle body.

18. A gaming method between at least two remote control vehicles, comprising

initializing a game by setting one or more hit counters of the vehicles to zero;

determining whether a sensor on the vehicles has received a hit from an offensive signal; and

if a sensor receives a hit from an offensive signal, degrading one or both of vehicle movement and firing capability for a predetermined length of time.

19. The method of claim 18, the step of degrading comprising reducing movement of one of a wheel and track of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising generating the offensive signal from one of the vehicles in response to user commands at a control console.

21. A software product comprising instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, perform steps for selectively disabling components of a remote control vehicle, comprising:

instructions for determining whether a sensor on the vehicle has received a hit from an offensive signal; and

instructions for degrading one or both of vehicle movement and firing capability if the sensor receives a hit from the offensive signal.

22. The software product of claim 21, further comprising instructions for uploading software to the vehicle, wherein the software reconfigures game characteristics for the vehicle.

23. The software product of claim 21, further comprising instructions for responding to user input in a control console to command one or both of movement of and firing from the vehicle.

24. The software product of claim 21, further comprising instructions for generating a laser beam, as the offensive signal, from a laser mounted with another remote control vehicle.

25. The software product of claim 21, further comprising instructions for uploading software to a control console that controls the vehicle, wherein the software configures game characteristics for the vehicle.