NUMBER GUESSING GAME DEVICE

• US 3,825,255 A
• Filed: 02/14/1973
• Issued: 07/23/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lawrence E. Moseman, Thomas J. Kennard
• Original Assignee: Lawrence E. Moseman, Thomas J. Kennard
• Inventors: Kennard, Thomas J., Moseman, Lawrence E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oechsle, Anton O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro, Paul E.
• Application Number:
  US05/332,326
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 273/1E,138A,139,85R
• US Class Current: 273/139
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/186 Guessing games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2404 Keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2457 Display screens, e.g. monitors, video displays
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2494 Battery, e.g. dry cell
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0421 Electric word or number games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

A game device or apparatus of the electronic type where the concept of the game is to find a hidden and random number generated automatically by the electronic apparatus. The game includes a keyboard entry unit by means of which players may select a number in search of the hidden random number and the number so selected will be displayed on a numerical readout display. Once the number has been selected, a test command will compare the selected number with the hidden random number to determine the relationship of the same relative thereto. The selection can either be higher than, lower than, or equal to the hidden random number. If the selection is equal to the hidden random number, the game is completed with a win indication displayed on the display modules on the face of the apparatus. Should the number be higher or lower than the hidden random number, an indication will be provided on the display apparatus of this relationship and the number transferred from its initial position to a higher or lower register wherein it will be displayed. As the game progresses, and after initial selections, the selected number, when found to be higher or lower than the hidden random number will be compared with the next previous selection of a higher or lower number so that its relationship relative to the previous numbers which are stored and displayed on the display modules must be closer to the hidden random number than the previous number or an error situation exists and no transfer of the selected number as a new high or low selection takes place. The keyboard entry unit provides for a clear command to clear the error in the selected number by removing the same from the main keyboard register in the display modules and permits a new try or selection by the player in the search for the random number. The keyboard selection entries together with the logic control operating the display modules are all in binary coded decimal form. The hidden random number is generated by a continuously running clock apparatus whenever the game is energized but not in operation and is determined by initial operation of a keyboard entry unit at the start of a game.

Claims

1. In the game device, in combination, an input module having a plurality of manually operable selection means the majority of which are integers representing numbers between zero and nine, additional selection means providing an operation command means included on the module, means included in the module for providing signal outputs from the manually operable selection means in binary coded decimal outputs therefrom representative of the integers of a plural digit number, a plurality of main display register means connected to and set by said input module and displaying the digits selected at the manually operable selection means in plural digit form, logic control means including means for generating a random number in binary coded decimal form having a plurality of integers equal to the number of integers selectable on the input module, said logic control means including clock generating means for generating a timing sequence signal and transfer commands, means included in the logic control means and responsive to an operation command from the input module to compare the selected integers from the manually operable selection means with the random number upon operation of the operation command in the manual selection means, additional register means representing high and low registers controlled by the logic control means for transferring the selected digits forming the number to a high or a low register depending on the comparison in the logic control with the random number, and means included in said high or low registers for displaying the selected number.

2. The game device of claim 1 and including in the logic control means, a circuit responsive to an exact comparison of a random number with a selected number to display the selected number in the main display registers with a win indication without transfer to a high or lower register and to prevent further input from the input module.

3. The game device of claim 2 including means in the logic control and connected to the main display register means for preventing further transfer of digits by the manually operable selection Means after a number of digits have been selected equal to the number of digits to the random number.

4. The game device of claim 2 in which numbers displayed in the main register are displayed in the lighted display in digit form and including means upon transfer of said number to a high or low register for displaying the number in the high or low register in a flashing lighting form.

5. The game device of claim 1 in which the main display register means and the additional register means each include separate registers for each digit in binary coded decimal form with each of the registers simultaneously receiving input signals from the input module with operation of the manually operable selection means and with the selected number being displayed in the main display register means prior to the comparison with the random number upon operation of the operation command.

6. The game device of claim 5 in which the main display register means and the additional register means include decoders and lighted displays operatively connected to the logic control and decoding and displaying the selected integers in numeric form from the binary coded decimal forms in the respective registers.

7. The game device of claim 6 in which previously selected numbers which are higher or lower than the random number are continuously displayed on the additional registers with the current selection of the of the selected number on the main display register means, and including means in the logic control after comparison of the random number with the selected number and before transfer of the selected number to a high or lower register depending upon the direction of comparison in the logic control for comparing the selected number with a previously selected high or low selection and determining whether the selected number is closer to the random number than the previously selected number.

8. The game device of claim 7 in which the logic control includes further means responsive to the comparison between the selected number and the previously selected number permitting transfer of the selected number to a high or lower register only if the selected number is closer to the random number than the previously selected number and including means for displaying an error in the selection if the selected number is not closer to the random than the previously selected number.

9. The game device of claim 8 in which the input module includes an additional operation command means in the selection means operative to clear the selected number from the registers with operation of the same.

10. The game device of claim 9 and including lighted counter means counting the number of complete operations of the manually operable selected means in a selection of a plural digit number which is compared with the random number and selectively displayed in the high or low register and the main display registers.

11. The game device of claim 1 and including energizing circuit control means for said register means and said logic control means including coin operated switch preventing operation of said register means and said logic control means until operation of the coin operated switch.

12. The game device of claim 11 in which said logic control means and said register means with said indicating and coding displays are mounted in a common structure and including a counter means displaying operation of the coin operated switch and energization of the logic control means and register means.

13. The game device of claim 1 in which said input module is a self-contained portable unit and including a power supply and a radio transmitter for transmitting radio signals in binary coded decimal form and the operation commands in binary coded decimal form, and including the receiver means associated with the logic control means and said register means for receiving the radio signals from the input module and decoding the same for operation of said logic control means and said register means.

14. ThE game device of claim 13 in which the radio transmitter and the receiver means send and receive transmission in a bit form with the transmitter including a clock generator means, controlling operation of the clock generating means in said logic control means.

15. The game device of claim 1 in which the means for generating the random number in the logic control means includes separate clock generating means continuously counting between zero and the maximum of the plural digit number and converting said count to binary coded decimal from with said clock generation means being stopped and the random number established with initial operation of a manually operable selection means in the input module and with the random number retained in the logic control means for comparison with selected numbers through operation of the manually operated selection means.

16. A game device comprising, an input module, a plurality of registers connected to the input module, means included in the input module for providing the selection of a plural digit integer and converting said plural integer in to binary coded decimal form and transferring the same selectively to the plurality of registers, a logic control connected to said input nodule and said registers and operative in response to an initial operation of the input module to select a plural digit random number in binary coded decimal form and to store the same in the logic control, means included in the logic control and responsive in an operative command after selection of the plural digit integer in the input module to compare the random number with the selected number in said register in binary coded decimal form, means indicative of the comparison and operative upon a lack of comparison to transfer the selected digits to additional registers and display the same with respect to their relationship to their random number, and means included in the logic system operative upon a like comparison of the integers of the random number with the selected integers to indicate the like comparison and to prevent further operation of the input module in the selection of plural digit integers.

17. The game device of claim 16 in which the logic control includes clock generator means continuously counting between zero and the maximum of the plural digit number and converting the same count to binary coded decimal form with said counting sequence being continuous until initial operation of the input module to set the plural digit random number in binary coded decimal form in the logic control for comparison with selected numbers from the input module.