INTELLIGENT GAME SYSTEM INCLUDING INTELLIGENT FOLDABLE THREE-DIMENSIONAL TERRAIN

• US 20100331083A1
• Filed: 09/09/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tweedletech, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tweedletech, LLC
• Inventors: Morichau-Beauchant, Theodore, Maharbiz, Michel Martin, Jaqua, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 8,974,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00223 shaped as a container into which playing pieces may enter box or container for board games A63F2003/00943
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00258 rollable, flexible or deformable board shaped as an endless belt A63F2003/00321; flexible rim A63F2003/00504
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00394 with a surface relief
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00662 with an electric sensor for playing pieces A63F2009/2444 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00668 using hall effect
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2419 Optical
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/242 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2467 of a slide
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/247 audible, e.g. using a loudspeaker
• 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 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00003 Types of board games chess A63F3/02; educational board games A63F3/04
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00214 Three-dimensional game boards
• 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 3/00895 Accessories for board games A63F3/00697 takes precedence; game accessories of general use A63F11/00

Abstract

An intelligent game system and apparatus comprises one or more sensors, a controller, a projector, one or more game pieces and one or more foldable three-dimensional terrain pieces. The game board and terrain pieces comprise one or more sensors each having an identifier for sensing when a game piece or terrain piece is located on the game board and/or terrain piece. The sensors obtain object information from the game pieces and/or terrain pieces and transfer the object information to a controller. The sensors of the terrain pieces transfer the object information to the sensor of the terrain piece below them until the bottom terrain piece transfer the object information to a game board sensor. The controller is thereby able to track properties of the game and/or terrain pieces, such as position, and adjust the gameplay accordingly.

Claims

1. Three-dimensional terrain for use with a game board, the three-dimensional terrain comprising:

a. one or more terrain sensors; and

b. one or more levels positioned such that when the three-dimensional terrain is on top of the game board at least one of the one or more levels is substantially elevated above the game board.

2. The three dimensional terrain of claim 1 wherein the one or more terrain sensors are configured to sense when one or more game pieces are positioned on the one or more levels of the three-dimensional terrain.

3. The three-dimensional terrain of claim 2 wherein the one or more terrain sensors are configured to sense when the one or more game pieces are positioned within the three-dimensional terrain.

4. The three-dimensional terrain of claim 3 wherein the one or more terrain sensors are configured to sense when one or more additional three-dimensional terrains are positioned on top of the one or more levels.

5. The three-dimensional terrain of claim 4 wherein each level corresponds to a different elevation above the game board.

6. The three-dimensional terrain of claim 5 wherein at least one of the three-dimensional terrain and or the additional three-dimensional terrain comprise terrain object information that uniquely identifies the corresponding three-dimensional terrain and or additional three-dimensional terrain.

7. The three-dimensional terrain of claim 6 wherein the terrain object information comprises a terrain identifier that is an RFID tag or a bar code.

8. The three-dimensional terrain of claim 7 wherein the game board comprises one or more game board sensors that can read the terrain object information when the three-dimensional terrain is located on top of one or more of the one or more game board sensors.

9. The three-dimensional terrain of claim 8 wherein when the three-dimensional terrain senses the one or more game pieces or the one or more additional three-dimensional terrains, the three-dimensional terrain communicates the position of the one or more game pieces or the one or more additional three-dimensional terrains to at least one of the one or more game board sensors underneath the three-dimensional terrain.

10. A terrain object for use with a game board, the terrain object comprising:

a. one or more terrain sensors; and

b. one or more folding lines configured to bend such that the terrain object can be arranged into a three-dimensional shape.

11. The terrain object of claim 10 wherein the terrain object remains in the three-dimensional shape due to at least one fastener.

12. The terrain object of claim 10 wherein when the one or more folding lines are not bent the terrain object is substantially flat.

13. The terrain object of claim 10 wherein the one or more terrain sensors are configured to sense when a game piece is positioned on the terrain object.

14. The terrain object of claim 13 wherein the game board comprises one or more game board sensors and the terrain object further comprises terrain object information capable of being read by the one or more game board sensors, and further wherein the terrain object information comprises a terrain identifier.

15. The terrain object of claim 14 wherein the identifier is a unique identifier.

16. The terrain object of claim 15 wherein the unique identifier is an RFID tag or a bar code.

17. A terrain object for use with a game board comprising one or more game board sensors, wherein the terrain object comprises terrain object information capable of being read by the one or more game board sensors, and further wherein the terrain object information comprises a terrain identifier.

18. The terrain object of claim 17 wherein the identifier is a unique identifier.

19. The terrain object of claim 18 wherein the unique identifier is an RFID tag or a bar code.

20. An intelligent game system comprising:

a. a game board comprising one or more game board sensors;

b. one or more game pieces each comprising game piece object information capable of being read by the game board sensors;

c. one or more three-dimensional terrains each having one or more levels and one or more terrain sensors, wherein the one or more levels are positioned such that when one of the three-dimensional terrains is on top of the game board at least one of the one or more levels is substantially elevated above the game board;

d. interface electronics coupled to receive the game piece object information from each game board sensor;

e. a controller coupled to receive the game piece object information of each game board sensor from the interface electronics, and to associate the game piece object information with a portion of an image;

f. a computer readable media, programmed with instructions for implementing a game, and configured to be read by the controller; and

g. a projector, coupled to receive image information from the controller, wherein the projector receives image information from the controller and projects the image onto the surface of the game board sensors based on the image information received from the controller.

21. The intelligent game system of claim 20 wherein the one or more terrain sensors are configured to sense when one or more game pieces are positioned on the one or more levels of the three-dimensional terrain.

22. The intelligent game system of claim 21 wherein the one or more terrain sensors are configured to sense when the one or more game pieces are positioned within the one or more three-dimensional terrains.

23. The intelligent game system of claim 22 wherein each level corresponds to a different elevation above the game board.

24. The intelligent game system of claim 23 wherein the one or more terrain sensors are configured to sense when one or more additional three-dimensional terrains are positioned on top of the one or more levels.

25. The intelligent game system of claim 24 wherein when the one or more three-dimensional terrains sense the one or more game pieces or the one or more additional three-dimensional terrains, the three-dimensional terrain communicates the position of the one or more game pieces or the one or more additional three-dimensional terrains to at least one of the one or more game board sensors located underneath the three-dimensional terrain.

26. The three-dimensional terrain of claim 25 wherein at least one of the one or more three-dimensional terrains and or the one or more additional three-dimensional terrains comprise terrain object information that uniquely identifies the corresponding three-dimensional terrain and or additional three-dimensional terrain.

27. The three-dimensional terrain of claim 26 wherein the terrain object information comprises a terrain identifier that is an RFID tag or a bar code.

28. The three-dimensional terrain of claim 27 wherein the one or more game board sensors that can read the terrain object information when the one or more three-dimensional terrains are located on top of one or more of the one or more game board sensors.

29. The intelligent game system of claim 20 wherein the one or more three-dimensional terrains further comprise one or more folding lines configured to bend such that the one or more three-dimensional terrains can be arranged into three-dimensional shapes.

30. The intelligent game system of claim 29 wherein at least one of the one or more three-dimensional terrains further comprise terrain object information capable of being read by the one or more game board sensors.

31. The intelligent game system of claim 30 wherein the terrain object information and game piece object information comprise identifiers.

32. The intelligent game system of claim 20 wherein the projector adjusts the image based on the position of the one or more three-dimensional terrains.

33. The intelligent game system of claim 20 wherein each of the one or more game board sensors correspond to a portion of the image.

34. A three-dimensional terrain for use with a game board having one or more game board sensors, the three-dimensional terrain comprising:

a. one or more levels positioned such that when the three-dimensional terrain is on top of the game board at least one of the one or more levels is substantially elevated above the game board;

b. one or more terrain sensors;

c. terrain object information capable of being read by the one or more game board sensors, wherein the terrain object information comprises a terrain identifier; and

d. one or more folding lines configured to fold such that the three-dimensional terrain is able to form a three-dimensional shape.

35. The three dimensional terrain of claim 34 wherein the one or more terrain sensors are configured to sense when a game piece is positioned on the one or more levels of the three-dimensional terrain.

36. The three-dimensional terrain of claim 35 wherein the one or more terrain sensors are configured to sense when a game piece is positioned within the three-dimensional terrain.

37. The three-dimensional terrain of claim 36 wherein each level corresponds to a different elevation above the game board.