Electronic educational game set having communicating elements with a radio-frequency tag

• US 20060246403A1
• Filed: 10/19/2004
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Trannoy, Anne-Marie, Monpouet, Pascal, Ricard, Francois-Gilles
• Application Number:
  US10/574,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20060246403A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/128
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00662 with an electric sensor for playing pieces A63F2009/2444 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2439 the input being a code, e.g. ID
• 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 3/0052 with a plurality of boards used during one game, i.e. separate game boards or playing areas
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

The invention relates to a game set which comprises communicating elements, in the form of pieces, figurines, cards or dice, each having a radio-frequency tag provided with an individual identification code. A game board comprises a digital processing circuit which is connected to a plurality of antennas, arranged such as to form a sensor matrix, for detecting the presence, type and position of the communicating elements. Radio-frequency readers are respectively connected to m corresponding input/output terminals of the digital processing circuit. Each radio-frequency reader is connected to an associated group of antennas, preferably by means of a corresponding multiplexer. The game board may consist of a removable assembly of basic boards, each comprising a basic digital processing circuit which is connected to the antennas of the corresponding basic board.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. Electronic educational game set comprising communicating elements, each having a radio-frequency tag provided with an individual identification code, and a game board comprising a digital processing circuit connected to a plurality of antennas arranged such as to form a sensor matrix for detecting the presence, type and position of the communicating elements, wherein the game board comprises a plurality of radio-frequency readers respectively connected to corresponding input/output terminals of the digital processing circuit, each radio-frequency reader being connected to an associated group of antennas.

23. Set according to claim 22, comprising a multiplexer between each radio-frequency reader and the associated group of antennas.

24. Set according to claim 22, wherein the board is formed by a removable assembly of a plurality of basic boards each comprising a basic digital processing circuit connected to the antennas of said basic board.

25. Set according to claim 24, wherein each basic board comprises, on three lateral sides thereof, means for electrical and mechanical connection with another basic board.

26. Set according to claim 24, wherein each basic board comprises means for configuring as master board or slave board, only the master board communicating with a display and supervision means.

27. Set according to claim 24, wherein the basic digital processing circuits of the basic boards communicate without wires between one another and/or with an external display and supervision.

28. Set according to claim 22, wherein the communicating elements comprise pieces, figurines, cards or dice.

29. Set according to claim 22, wherein the game board comprises several game zones respectively dedicated to different types of communicating elements.

30. Set according to claim 22, wherein the communicating elements comprise at least one dice, the game board comprising at least one corresponding sensor element arranged in a game zone delineating a space for throwing dice.

31. Set according to claim 30, wherein the dice comprises a radio-frequency tag associated with each of its faces, the different tags of the dice being provided with different identification codes.

32. Set according to claim 30, wherein the dice comprises at least one radio-frequency identification tag, the set comprising selection means for randomly selecting a number and for displaying the selected number on a screen, when the presence of the dice is detected.

33. Set according to claim 22, comprising a removable game mat arranged on the game board and comprising a radio-frequency tag provided with an identification code representative of the corresponding game.

34. Set according to claim 22, comprising a screen enabling a virtual game mat to be displayed on a front face of the game board.

35. Set according to claim 22, wherein the radio-frequency readers emit carrier signals having a frequency of about 14 MHz.

36. Set according to claim 22, wherein the radio-frequency readers emit carrier signals having a frequency of about 125 kHz.

37. Set according to claim 22, wherein each individual code being unique, the set comprises means for storing the historical account of the characteristics and/or of the movements of the communicating elements on the game board.

38. Set according to claim 37, wherein the means for storing comprise an external data base accessible via Internet.

39. Set according to claim 37, wherein the means for storing comprise means for storing the historical account associated with a communicating element in a memory of the tag of said communicating element.

40. Set according to claim 22, wherein the game board comprises at least one enter button connected to the digital processing circuit.

41. Set according to claim 22, wherein the game board comprises a cancel button connected to the digital processing circuit.

42. Electronic set comprising communicating elements, each having a radio-frequency tag provided with an individual identification code, and a board comprising a digital processing circuit connected to a plurality of antennas arranged such as to form a sensor matrix for detecting the presence, type and position of the communicating elements, wherein the board comprises a plurality of radio-frequency readers respectively connected to corresponding input/output terminals of the digital processing circuit, each radio-frequency reader being connected to an associated group of antennas.