THREE-DIMENSIONAL GAME PIECE

• US 20090104988A1
• Filed: 10/23/2007
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Enge, Amy D., Adams, James E. JR.
• Application Number:
  US11/876,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20090104988A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00662 with an electric sensor for playing pieces A63F2009/2444 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00794 Stereometric shapes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00826 Changeable playing pieces
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2458 LCD's
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2489 by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID
• 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

Moveable display units providing a gaming experience, each display unit includes one or more displays that when actuated change a visual image associated with the display. There is an operator interface including a computer and a first transceiver for sending and receiving signals from the moveable display units. Each moveable display unit includes a second transceiver and an associated sensor for detecting a marker indicating the position of the display unit and for providing a signal to the first transceiver, which communicates with the computer. The computer responds to the signal to cause the first transceiver to send a signal to the second transceiver on the moveable display unit to actuate a change in the visual image associated with such moveable display unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing a gaming experience comprising:

a. a plurality of moveable display units each of which includes one or more displays that when actuated change a visual image associated with the display,

b. an operator interface including a computer and a first transceiver for sending and receiving signals from the moveable display units,

c. each moveable display unit including a second transceiver and an associated sensor for detecting a marker indicating the position of the display unit and for providing a signal to the first transceiver which communicates with the computer; and

d. the computer responds to the signal to cause the first transceiver to send a signal to the second transceiver on the moveable display unit to actuate a change in the visual image associated with such moveable display unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a display unit detects the presence of another display unit and changes the visual image associated with the display.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a display unit detects the presence of an object other than a display unit and changes the visual image associated with the display.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein an audio system in each moveable display unit for producing sounds, which are selected by the computer in response to the positions of other movable units.

5. Apparatus for providing a gaming experience comprising:

a. a game board including a surface and having detectable indicia indicating the position on the surface;

b. a plurality of moveable display units disposed on the surface each of which includes one or more displays that when actuated change a visual image associated with the display;

c. an operator interface including a computer and a first transceiver for sending and receiving signals from the moveable display units;

d. each moveable display unit including a second transceiver and an associated sensor for detecting a detectable indicium indicating the position of the display unit and for providing a signal to the first transceiver which communicates with the computer and; and

e. the computer responds to the signal to cause the first transceiver to send a signal to the second transceiver on the moveable display unit to actuate a change in the visual image associated with such moveable display unit.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the surface includes detectable indicia, sensing means for detecting the indicia to determine the position of its corresponding movable display unit on the surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein a display unit detects the presence of another display unit and changes the visual image associated with the display.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein a display unit detects the presence of an object other than a display unit and changes the visual image associated with the display.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein an audio system in each moveable display unit for producing sounds, which are selected by the computer in response to the positions of other movable units.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the surface includes one or more displays.

11. A method for providing a gaming experience comprising

a. displaying a first image of an object on a portable display unit according to a first spatial location;

b. sensing information on movement of the portable display unit from the first spatial location to a second spatial location; and

c. displaying a second image of the object on the portable display unit in response to movement of the portable display unit from the first to the second spatial location;

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the information on movement comprises information on translational movement.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the information on movement comprises information on rotational movement.

14. A method for providing different images of a given object comprising:

a. displaying a first image of a portion of an object on a portable display unit according to a first spatial location;

b. a user manually changing the position of the portable display unit from the first spatial location to a second spatial location;

c. sensing information on movement of the portable display unit from the first spatial location to the second spatial location and displaying a second image of a different portion of the object from the second position; and

d. displaying a second image of the object on the portable display unit in response to movement of the portable display unit from the first to the second spatial location.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the object is a human being and the visual displays in the first and second positions are cross-sections from within the human being.