Electronic talking board game

• US 5,120,065 A
• Filed: 02/08/1991
• Issued: 06/09/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hasbro Incorporated Pawtucket Rhode Island
• Original Assignee: Hasbro Inc.
• Inventors: Driscoll, Robert W., Marceau, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US07/653,068
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 273/237, 273/243, 434/169, 434/201
• US Class Current: 273/237
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0041 in electronic form, e.g. video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2414 Cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2476 Speech or voice synthesisers, e.g. using a speech chip
• 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: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation

Abstract

A talking board game having a board and an electronic computer system providing speech information to the players, and cards which can be read by the electronic computer system.

Claims

1. A game comprising a game board having a plurality of defined locations, a plurality of pawns for moving on the game board one pawn for each of the game players, a plurality of cards having machine readable information thereon, said cards also containing machine readable identification information, first machine means for asking questions of the game players and directing the players to move the pawns on the game board, the second machine means for identifying the game cards by reading the machine readable information and determining if the player has selected the card having information responsive to game questions.

2. The game according to claim 1, in which said first machine means provides said instructions and questions as voice signals.

3. The game according to claim 1, in which said first machine means includes third means for keeping track of the position of each player'"'"'s pawn on the game board.

4. The game according to claim 3, said first machine means including fourth machine means for producing audible reinforcing information to the players'"'"' so that they can correct their position on the board if their pawn has been moved by the player to the wrong location.

5. The game according to claim 1, in which the written information on each of the cards starts with a different letter of the English alphabet.

6. The game according to claim 1, in which said second machine means instructs the player who selected a correct card to discard the correct card.

7. The game according to claim 1, in which said second machine also keeps track of the number of cards held by each player.

8. The game according to claim 1, in which said second machine information comprises one or more holes in said cards and in which said second means includes hole detecting means for reading said holes.

9. A method of teaching information to players of a game having pawns, one for each player, a game board having a plurality of locations and a plurality of cards for each player, and machine means for directing the play of the game, said cards having machine readable information and information to assist the player in learning, said method comprising said machine audibly instructing the player to move a pawn along a game board, said machine means then audibly asking questions of said player relating to cards in the possession of said player and the determining by reading said machine means readable information if said player has a card responsive to the question asked.

10. The method according to claim 9, in which said machine means instructs said player to select a card from a pile of said cards or to take a card or give a card to another player.

11. The method according to claim 9, in which said method includes said machine means indicating to said player whether or not the player has picked a card responsive to the question asked.

12. A talking board game comprising a playing board having eight "place" locations, four "take or give a card locations" and four "play again" locations, pawns for each player to be used on the game board, a plurality of cards having machine readable information for identifying the card, a card reader and first machine means for directing the play of the game, said first means comprising second machine means for providing instructions to each player for moving a pawn on the game board, and third machine means for asking the player if the player has a card with the information thereon responsive to the question asked.