METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR MANAGING GAMES AND A LEARNING PLAYTHING

• US 20100311507A1
• Filed: 01/08/2009
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: In-Dot Limited
• Original Assignee: In-Dot Limited
• Inventors: Nour-Omid, Bahram, Cohen, Moshe, Raichman, Yossef
• Granted Patent: US 8,556,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00662 with an electric sensor for playing pieces A63F2009/2444 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2419 Optical
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2011/0072 Indicating values other than scores, e.g. handicap, initial settings, coefficients
• 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: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/086 with primary projections fitting by friction in complementary spaces between secondary projections, e.g. sidewalls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/38 Picture books with additional toy effects, e.g. pop-up or slide displays picture books B42D1/00

Abstract

A plaything having adjustable game attributes. The plaything comprises a reading unit for reading a unique machine-readable representation of game related information from a labeled game element and a memory for hosting an attribute record characterizing at least one game attribute of a game. The plaything further comprises a learning module for updating the attribute record according to the game related information and a presentation unit for expressing the game attribute according to the updated attribute record.

Claims

1. A plaything having one or more adjustable game attributes, comprising:

a reading unit configured for reading a unique machine-readable representation of game related information from a labeled game element;

a memory configured for hosting at least one attribute record characterizing at least one game attribute of a game;

a learning module configured for updating said at least one attribute record according to said game related information; and

a presentation unit configured for expressing said game attribute according to said at least one updated attribute record.

2. The plaything of claim 1, wherein said game attribute is selected from a group consisting of:

an action of said plaything, a reaction of said plaything to an action of a player, a reaction of said plaything to said reading, a progress in said game, and a status of a player in said game.

3. The plaything of claim 1, wherein said at least one attribute record is associated with a plurality of media records, said game related information being indicative of at least one of said plurality of media records, said presentation unit being performing said expressing by playing said at least one media record.

4. The plaything of claim 1, wherein said plaything is a pawn indicating a progress of a player in a multi-stage game, said game related information being associated with an indication to a stage in said multi-stage game, said at least one game attribute define said progress.

6. The plaything of claim 1, wherein said labeled game element is selected from a group consisting of:

a card, a plastic game element, a fastened plastic block, and a pawn.

8. The plaything of claim 1, further comprising a communication interface for communicating with an additional plaything, said presentation unit being configured for performing said expressing in response said communication.

10. The plaything of claim 1, further comprising a communication interface for communicating with a player, said presentation unit being configured for performing said expressing in response said communication.

12. The plaything of claim 1, wherein said plaything is a pawn indicating a character having at least one property in a multiplayer game, said game related information being associated with an indication to a change in said property, said at least one game attribute define a current level of said property.

13. The plaything of claim 1, wherein said at least one attribute record records a development of a game played by a plurality of players, said game related information define an action taken by one of said plurality of players.

14. The plaything of claim 1, wherein said learning module comprises a game management module configured for identifying a progress in said game according to said at least one updated attribute record, said presentation unit configured for expressing said progress.

15. The plaything of claim 1, wherein said reading unit is configured for reading a plurality of unique machine-readable representations of game related information from at least one labeled game element.

17. The plaything of claim 1, wherein said reading unit is configured for reading a plurality of unique machine-readable representations in an order, said order being indicative as said game related information.

19. The plaything of claim 1, wherein said reading unit is configured for reading said unique machine-readable representation from a combination of a plurality of labeled game elements.

5. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

20-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A method for managing a game, comprising:

a) allowing a player to use a sensor based plaything for reading a unique machine-readable representation of game related information from at least one labeled game element;

b) updating at least one game attribute being related to said player according to said game related information; and

c) expressing said updated game attribute according to said update.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising using said sensor for reading at least one additional unique machine-readable representation of additional game related information and updating said at least one game attribute according to said additional game related information before c).

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said additional game related information is printed on an additional labeled game element.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said at least one labeled game element comprises a plurality of labeled game elements.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing said plurality of labeled game elements before said a), wherein each said labeled game element comprises a portion of said unique machine-readable representation.

27-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A game management apparatus for managing an interactive game with at least one player, comprising:

a reading unit configured for reading a plurality of game related information identifiers from a plurality of labeled game elements;

a memory for hosting a game status;

a managing module configured for adjusting said game status according to at least one of said plurality of game related information identifiers; and

a presentation unit configured for presenting at least one game instruction to the at least one player, said at least one game instruction being selected according to said adjusted game status.

31. The game management apparatus of claim 30, further comprising an additional reading unit configured for reading said plurality of game related information identifiers, said managing module being configured for adjusting said game status according to reading of said reading unit and said additional reading unit.

32-40. -40. (canceled)