GAME TOWER

• US 20110115157A1
• Filed: 11/15/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hasbro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hasbro Inc.
• Inventors: Capper, David G., Albert, Charles, Filo, Andrew S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,328,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/237
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00078 Naval war
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00347 the playing surface as a whole being replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00419 with a shield in the middle A63F2003/00406 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00652 Light-emitting diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/241 Touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2419 Optical
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2445 detecting reflected light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2451 using illumination, e.g. with lamps
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2457 Display screens, e.g. monitors, video displays
• 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 2009/2494 Battery, e.g. dry cell
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00 Board games; Raffle games racing games, traffic games, or obstacle games characterised by figures moved by action of the players A63F9/14
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00006 Board games played along a linear track, e.g. game of goose, snakes and ladders, along an endless track A63F3/00028 - A63F3/00157, A63F3/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00072 played along an endless track, e.g. monopoly A63F3/00069 takes precedence
• 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

A game apparatus and a method using a light source, a convex mirror and an optical sensor, all disposed within a housing, are described. The housing is transparent to the range of wavelengths from the light source and is composed of a low distortion scratch-resistant material. A game board is also used along with retro-reflective elements, such as moveable playing markers or game tokens, cards or regions affixed to and integrated into the game board. A data store stores the locations of the reflective elements and other game-related data, such as data needed to measure a player'"'"'s score or position in a game or data to provide guided play. The convex mirror is disposed inside the housing such that light reflects from the light source, off the convex mirror, through the housing, and onto the game board. The one or more retro-reflective elements, when placed on the game board, receive light emanated from the light source. The light received by the one or more retro-reflective elements reflects off of the convex mirror and along substantially the same path from which the light was received. The optical sensor receives light reflected from the one or more retro-reflective elements, senses increases and decreases in the intensity of the reflected light, and signals changes in the intensity of the reflected light greater than or equal to a predefined level. A processor, or computer, is responsive to signals from the sensor and the data in the data store.

Claims

1. A game apparatus comprising:

a light source;

a housing disposed around the light source wherein the housing is transparent to the range of wavelengths from the light source and wherein the housing is composed of a low distortion scratch-resistant material;

a game board;

a convex mirror disposed inside the housing such that light is reflected from the light source, off the convex mirror, through the housing, and onto the game board;

one or more retro-reflective elements placed on the game board that receive light emanated from the light source and reflected off of the convex mirror and reflect said light along substantially the same path from which the light was received;

a sensor disposed inside the housing that receives light reflected from the one or more retro-reflective elements, that senses increases and decreases in the intensity of the reflected light, and that signals changes in the intensity of the reflected light greater than or equal to a predefined level;

a data store for storing the locations of the reflective elements and other game-related data; and

a processor responsive to signals from the sensor and the data in the data store.

2. The game apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the housing is removably mountable at the center of the game board.

3. The game apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein the game board has a hole in the center for removably mounting the housing and wherein the housing further comprises a flange to securely hold the housing in a fixed position relative to the game board.

4. The game apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein the housing is keyed to orient the housing to a notch in the game board so that the housing and the game board are consistently aligned.

5. The game apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the retro-reflective elements comprise at least one of a game token, a card and a region affixed to the game board.

6. The game apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the data store and the processor are disposed inside the housing.

7. The game apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the processor produces sensory output in response to signals from the sensor and data in the data store and wherein the sensory output provides guided game play.

8. The game apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein a cap is coupled to the housing to prevent light extraneous to the light source from reflecting off of the convex mirror.

9. The game apparatus recited in claim 8 wherein the convex mirror and the cap each have a small hole centrally located that can be illuminated for alignment with the light source and the sensor during manufacture.

10. The game apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the housing is tapered to minimize light not directly from said light source, such as reflections and light directly from somewhere other than said light source.

11. The game apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the edge of the convex mirror is painted to prevent unwanted reflections.

12. The game apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the light source, the convex mirror, and the sensor are vertically aligned along a central axis within the housing.

13. The game apparatus recited in claim 1 further comprising a shield coupled to the bottom of the light source and a tube surrounding the sides of the light source to mask unwanted light originating from the light source from reflecting off the convex mirror.

14. The game apparatus recited in claim 13 wherein the light source and the convex mirror share the same axis and are aligned to prevent an image of the light source from being detected by the sensor.

15. The game apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the sensor is a camera.

16. The game apparatus recited in claim 15 wherein reflected light is focused into the camera using a lens.

17. The game apparatus recited in claim 13 wherein the sensor is positioned below the light source so that the shield eclipses the reflected light to minimize unwanted glare.

18. A game apparatus comprising:

a light source;

a housing disposed around the light source wherein the housing is transparent to the range of wavelengths from the light source and wherein the housing is composed of a low distortion scratch-resistant material;

a game board;

a convex mirror disposed inside the housing such that light is reflected from the light source, off the convex mirror, through the housing, and onto the game board;

one or more retro-reflective elements placed on the game board that receive light emanated from the light source and reflected off of the convex mirror and reflect said light along substantially the same path from which the light was received;

a sensor disposed inside the housing that receives light reflected from the one or more retro-reflective elements, that senses increases and decreases in the intensity of the reflected light, and that signals changes in the intensity of the reflected light greater than or equal to a predefined level;

a first data store for storing the locations of the reflective elements and other game-related data used during game play;

a second data store for storing one or more discreet data modules wherein each discreet data module is a self-contained, comprehensive collection of all static data necessary for playing a single game; and

a processor responsive to signals from the sensor and the data in the first data store and the second data store.

19. A method for playing a game comprising:

emanating light from a light source;

surrounding the light source with a housing composed of a low distortion scratch-resistant material wherein the housing is transparent to the range of wavelengths from the light source;

providing a game board;

mounting a convex mirror inside the housing;

removably mounting the housing on the game board in a fixed position relative to the game board so that the housing and the game board are consistently aligned;

reflecting light from the light source off the convex mirror, through the housing, and onto the game board;

placing on the game board one or more retro-reflective elements, comprising at least one of a game token, a card, and a region affixed to the game board, that receive light emanated from the light source and reflected off of the convex mirror and reflect said light along substantially the same path from which the light was received;

providing a sensor disposed inside the housing that receives light reflected from the one or more retro-reflective elements, that senses increases and decreases in the intensity of the reflected light, and that signals changes in the intensity of the reflected light greater than or equal to a predefined level;

storing the locations of the reflective elements and other game-related data in a data store;

processing signals from the sensor and data in the data store using a processor; and

producing sensory output using the processor to provide guided game play.

20. The method for playing a game recited in claim 19 further comprising aligning the light source and the convex mirror along a common axis so that light that is reflected from the light source to the convex mirror, off the one or more retro-reflective elements, coaxially back off the convex mirror, and to the sensor, is eclipsed by the light source to prevent unwanted glare while maintaining a panoramic area illuminated by the light source.