METHOD OF EMPLOYING A TELEVISION RECEIVER FOR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION

• US 3,778,058 A
• Filed: 06/17/1971
• Issued: 12/11/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William T. Rausch
• Original Assignee: William T. Rausch
• Inventors: Rausch, William T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkham, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stouffer, Richard T.
• Application Number:
  US05/154,162
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 273/DIG.28,1E,85R,101.1,101.2,12.2R 178/6.8 340/324AD
• US Class Current: 463/3
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/203 Image generating hardware
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car

Abstract

Methods and the additional apparatus used to carry out these methods are herein disclosed for use in conjunction with standard monochrome and color television receivers, for the generation, display and manipulation of symbols or geometric figures upon the screen of the television receivers for the purpose of playing games. The invention comprises in one embodiment a control unit, connecting cables and in some applications a television screen overlay mask utilized in conjunction with a standard television receiver. The control unit includes the control knobs switches and electronic circuitry for the generation, manipulation and control of video signals which are to be displayed on the television screen. The symbols are generated by developing current pulses proportional to predetermined portions (slices) of horizontal and vertical sawtooth waves. The connecting cables couples couple signals to the receiver antenna terminals thereby using existing electronic circuits within the receiver to process and display the signals. An overlay mask which may be removably attached to the television screen may determine the nature of the game to be played. Control units may be provided for each of the participants. Alternatively, games may be carried out in conjunction with background and other pictorial information originated in the television receiver by commercial TV, closedcircuit TV or a CATV station. The methods of playing the games include the steps of attaching the control unit to the television receiver, and generating at least two video signals from the control unit, which signals are displayed as a simulated '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'hitting'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' object and a simulated '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'hit'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' object on the television screen. A participant using the control unit then manipulates one of the control knobs to cause movement, independent of the hit object, of the hitting object over the television screen in a desired direction selected by the participant in an effort to make the two objects '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'collide'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' on the screen.

Claims

1. A method of employing a standard television receiver for active participation by participants who are watching said receiver, comprising the steps of:

attaching circuits, at least one of which is electromechanically controlled, to the television receiver, which circuits generate and control video signals for displaying symbols upon the television receiver screen;

generating a first video signal with at least one of said electromechanically controlled circuits, which signal is displayed as a first symbol on the television receiver screen representing a simulated hitting object;

generating a second video signal with at least one other of said circuits, which signal is displayed as a second symbol on the television receiver screen representing a simulated hit object;

manipulating electromechanical controls for said electromechanically controlled circuits to cause movement, independent of said second symbol, of said first symbol over the screen of said television receiver in a desired direction selected by at least one of the participants; and

electronically causing movement of said second symbol over the screen of said television receiver upon coincidence of said first and second symbols.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

causing said second symbol to bounce off at least one edge of the television receiver screen upon impact therewith.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein upon said impact said second symbol will bounce off said edge of said screen with a reflection angle equal to its incidence angle.

4. A method of playing a game on the screen of a television receiver by participants who are watching said receiver, comprising the steps of:

attaching circuits, at least one of which is electromechanically controlled, to the television receiver, which circuits generate and control video signals for displaying symbols upon the television receiver screen;

generating a first video signal with at least one of said electromechanically controlled circuits, which signal is displayed as a first symbol on the television receiver screen representing a simulated player;

generating a second video signal with at least one other of said circuits, which signal is displayed as a second symbol on the television receiver screen representing a simulated hit object;

manipulating electromechanical controls for said electromechanically controlled circuits to cause movement, independent of said second symbol, of said first symbol over the screen of said television receiver in a desired direction selected by at least one of the participants; and

electronically causing said second symbol to move from a predetermined off-screen left position to a predetermined off-screen right position and vice versa except when coincidence occurs between said first and second symbols.

5. The method of claim 4, further including the step of manipulating controls to change said predetermined off-screen left and right positions.

6. The method of claim 5 further including the steps of:

generating a third video signal with at least one other of said electromechanically controlled circuits, which signal is displayed as a third symbol on said screen to representing a simulated second player;

manipulating electromechanical controls for said other electromechanically controlled circuit to cause movement, independent of said first and second symbols, of said third symbol over the screen of said television receiVer in a desired direction selected by another of said participants; and

precluding said second symbol from moving to said predetermined position upon coincidence of said second and third symbols.

7. A method of playing a game on the screen of a television receiver by participants who are watching said receiver, comprising the steps of:

attaching circuits, at least two of which are electromechanically controlled, to the television receiver, which circuits generate and control video signals for displaying symbols upon the television receiver screen;

generating a first video signal with at least one of said electromechanically controlled circuits, which signal is displayed as a first symbol on the television receiver screen representing a simulated first player;

generating a second video signal with at least one other of said electromechanically controlled circuits, which signal is displayed as a second symbol on the television receiver screen representing a simulated second player;

generating a third video signal with at least one other of said circuits, which signal is displayed as a third symbol on the television receiver screen representing a simulated hit object;

manipulating electromechanical controls for said electromechanically controlled circuits to cause movement, independent of said third symbol, of said first symbol or second symbol over the screen of said television receiver in a desired direction selected by at least one of the participants; and

electronically causing movement of said third symbol over the screen of said television receiver screen upon coincidence of said first or second and third symbols, said third symbol being moved in the direction of movement of said first or second symbol coincident with said third symbol.

8. The method of claim 7, further including the step of electronically causing said third symbol to move at a velocity proportional to the velocity of the symbol coincidence with hitting said third symbol.

9. The method of claim 8, further including the step of electronically causing said third symbol to bounce away from at least one edge of said screen when incident thereat.

10. A method of employing a standard television receiver for playing a simulated ping-pong game on the screen thereof by participants who are watching said receiver, comprising the steps of:

attaching circuits, at least two of which are electromechanically controlled, to the television receiver, which circuits generate and control video signals for displaying symbols upon the television receiver screen;

generating a first video signal with at least one of said electromechanically controlled circuits, which signal is displayed as a first symbol on the television receiver screen representing a first simulated paddle;

generating a second video signal with at least one other of said electromechanically controlled circuits, which signal is displayed as a second symbol on the television screen representing a second simulated paddle;

generating a third video signal with at least one other of said circuits, which signal is displayed as a third symbol on the television screen representing a simulated ball;

electronically causing movement of said third symbol over the television screen from an off-screen left position to an off-screen right position and vice versa;

manipulating electromechanical controls for said electromechanically controlled circuits to cause movement, independent of said third symbol, of said first or second symbols over the screen of said television receiver in a desired direction selected by at least one of the participants;

electronically causing said third symbol to reverse direction upon coincidence of either said first or second symbols and said third symbol; and

electronically serving said third symbol from an off-screen position when coincidence is not made with another symbol during traverse across the screen.