Electronic puzzle

• US 4,957,291 A
• Filed: 11/06/1989
• Issued: 09/18/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Venturi Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Venturi Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Halliday, Robert L., Miffitt, Donald C., Tortola, Angelo, Sebor, Charles S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARRISON, JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US07/433,389
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• Field of Search: 273/153 R, 273/237, 273/1 E, 273/153 S, 273/146
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2451 using illumination, e.g. with lamps
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/247 audible, e.g. using a loudspeaker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2494 Battery, e.g. dry cell
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/0457 for actuating a switch by gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/06 Patience; Other games for self-amusement
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0612 Electronic puzzles
• 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

Abstract

An electronic game that includes a main body that consists of four panels assembled to form a four-sided pyramid having four vertexes. Each vertex serves as a node for supporting a light which may illuminate a plurality of different colors. Digital circuitry defines a color state vector at each node by illuminating one or none of the colors. Control circuitry connected to the digital circuitry is used for altering the color state of at least one of the lights as the tetrahedron is rotated. In one game, the color of the node brought to the top position changes in the color change pattern established by the color state vector. A player rotates the tetrahedron in an effort to figure out the pattern of color changes. Once the pattern is deciphered, the player makes additional rotations to achieve an object of the game such as having each vertex of the tetrahedron lighted the same color.

Claims

1. An electronic puzzle comprising:

(a) a puzzle body including a plurality of lightable positions, each lightable position capable of being illuminated in a plurality of colors;

(b) a first digital circuit for establishing color state vectors defining patterns of color changes for each lightable position, a single color state vector being assigned to a game being played;

(c) a second digital circuit for establishing one or more game rules, each game rule defining the application of one of said color state vectors, a single game rule being assigned to a game being played; and

(d) a third circuit, interconnected with said first digital circuit and said second digital circuit, for changing the color, if required by the game rule, of at least one of said lightable positions;

whereby in response to a manipulation of said puzzle body to bring one of said lightable positions into a reference plane said first digital circuit, said second digital circuit, and said third circuit cooperate to change the color of at least one of said lightable positions to the next color, if required by the game rule, said next color being determined by the color state vector of the game being played and by the game rule of said game being played.

2. The electronic puzzle of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of lightable positions comprises a group of differently colored lights.

3. The electronic puzzle of claim 2 wherein each of said groups of differently colored lights comprises three differently colored LEDs.

4. The electronic puzzle of claim 3 wherein the LEDs are red, green, and yellow.

5. The electronic puzzle of claim 1 wherein said puzzle body comprises four panels assembled to form a tetrahedron that defines one of said lightable positions at each of its four vertexes.

6. The electronic puzzle of claim 5 wherein said third circuit comprises a position sensor switch for informing said first digital circuit and said second digital circuit of the current position of said tetrahedron.

7. The electronic puzzle of claim 6 wherein said position sensor switch comprises:

a housing having a cavity defining four positions, wherein each of the four positions corresponds to one of said vertexes;

a ball located within said cavity that is free to roll to any of said four positions; and

conducting pins at at least three of said positions for informing the third circuit of the location of said ball.

8. The electronic puzzle of claim 7 wherein said position sensor switch is used to select different games.

9. The electronic puzzle of claim 1 further comprising a speaker for emitting audio noises indicating a change in color at each of said lightable positions.

10. The electronic puzzle of claim 1 wherein one of said game rules comprises advancing one color in the lightable position brought into the reference plane, according to the color state vector.

11. The electronic puzzle of claim 1 wherein one of said game rules comprises advancing one color in the lighable position brought into the reference plane and advancing one color in the lightable position previously occupying the reference plane according to the color state vector.

12. The electronic puzzle of claim 1 wherein one of said game rules comprises advancing one color in the lightable position brought into the reference plane according to the color state vector if that lightable position was not brought into the reference plane in the previous two turns.

13. The electronic puzzle of claim 1 wherein one of said game rules comprises advancing one color in the color state vector for each of the three lightable positions that are not brought into the reference plane.

14. The electronic of puzzle of claim 1 wherein one of said game rules comprises advancing one color in the lightable position brought into the reference plane, advancing one color in the lightable position previously occupying the reference plane and backing up one color in each of the remaining two lightable positions, all in accordance with the color state vector.