Electronic game having intelligent game pieces
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electronic game comprising:
- at least one intelligent game piece providing a three-dimensional representation of at least one participant of an activity to be simulated and containing a re-programmable electronic memory for storing activity characteristics associated with the activity to be simulated;
a game board for physically supporting each of a plurality of the game pieces and for coupling electrical signals thereto;
an electronic control unit coupled to the game board for reading the electronic memory in each game piece supported by the game board to obtain the activity characteristics stored in each said game piece and for simulating an activity to be performed by at least one participant, the characteristics of the activity to be simulated being determined, at least in part, in accordance with the activity characteristics electronically stored in the electronic memory for each game piece; and
at least one operator controller coupled to the control unit for enabling an operator to provide input to the control unit to allow the operator to perform the simulated activity.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic game (10) is provided with at least one, and preferably a plurality, of intelligent game pieces (14,14'"'"' ) which each contain a re-programamble memory device (30,70). The memory device (30,70) in each of the game pieces (14 and 14'"'"', respectively), stores characteristics of an activity to be simulated by the game (10). By re-programming the game pieces (14,14'"'"'), the characteristics of the activity simulated by the game (10) can be changed to make the activity more interesting and challenging.
284 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. An electronic game comprising:
-
at least one intelligent game piece providing a three-dimensional representation of at least one participant of an activity to be simulated and containing a re-programmable electronic memory for storing activity characteristics associated with the activity to be simulated; a game board for physically supporting each of a plurality of the game pieces and for coupling electrical signals thereto; an electronic control unit coupled to the game board for reading the electronic memory in each game piece supported by the game board to obtain the activity characteristics stored in each said game piece and for simulating an activity to be performed by at least one participant, the characteristics of the activity to be simulated being determined, at least in part, in accordance with the activity characteristics electronically stored in the electronic memory for each game piece; and at least one operator controller coupled to the control unit for enabling an operator to provide input to the control unit to allow the operator to perform the simulated activity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. An electronic game comprising:
-
at least one game piece physically symbolizing an activity to be simulated and containing a re-programmable electronic memory for electronically storing activity characteristics associated with a game to be simulated; a game board including; a support having a flat surface which is ferromagnetic;
a circuit member having at least one pattern of metallized areas thereon, each metallized area in each pattern making an electrical connection to one of the game pieces;means carried by the circuit member for coupling signals to the metallized areas; and at least one magnet for detachably adhering the circuit member to the flat surface of the support; an electronic control unit coupled to the game board for reading the activity characteristics stored in each game piece and for simulating an activity to be performed by at least one player, the characteristics of the activity to be simulated being determined, at least in part, in accordance with the activity characteristics stored in each game piece; and at least one operator controller coupled to the electronic control unit for enabling an operator to provide input to the control unit to allow the operator to perform the simulated activity.
-
-
12. In combination with a video game containing a processor and at least one memory containing program data indicative of an activity to be simulated and program instructions which are executed by the processor to simulate the activity in accordance with the program data, the improvement comprising:
-
at least one intelligent game piece providing a three-dimensional representation of at least one participant of the activity to be simulated and containing an electronic re-programmable memory chip for storing activity characteristics associated with the activity to be simulated, which memory is read by the processor to obtain the activity characteristics; a game board for physically supporting each of a plurality of the game pieces and for electrically coupling the memory chip in each game piece to the processor. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. In combination with a video game containing a processor and least one memory containing program data indicative of an activity to be simulated and program instructions which are executed by the processor to simulate the activity in accordance with the program data, the improvement comprising:
-
at least one game piece, physically symbolizing an activity to be simulated, and containing a re-programmable electronic memory chip for electronically storing characteristics of the activity to be simulated, which characteristics are read by the processor; and a game board for coupling each game piece to the processor, the game board including; a support having a flat surface which is ferromagnetic; a circuit member having at least one pattern of metallized areas thereon, each metallized area in each pattern making an electrical connection to one of the game pieces; means carried by the circuit member for coupling signals between the metallized area and the processor; and at least one magnet for detachably adhering the circuit member to the flat surface of the support. - View Dependent Claims (21)
-
-
22. A method of playing a video game comprising the steps of
(a) providing at least one game piece having a first electronic memory which is reprogrammable and which is pre-programmed to contain data representative of characteristics associated with an activity to be simulated; -
(b) providing a second memory containing program instructions for performing actions in accordance with user commands and in accordance with the activity characteristics stored in the first memory. (c) electronically reading the first memory in each game piece to obtain the activity characteristics stored therein; (d) reading the second memory to obtain the program instructions stored therein; (e) displaying at least one prompt message to prompt an operator to enter a user-command; (f) reading the user-entered command; (g) performing an action in accordance with the instructions contained in the second program memory and in accordance with the activity characteristics stored in the first memory; (h) displaying the results of such action; and (i) repeating the steps of (e)-(h) until no more actions are to be taken.
-
Specification