3-D amusement and display device

• US 5,276,609 A
• Filed: 05/28/1991
• Issued: 01/04/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David M. Durlach
• Original Assignee: David M. Durlach
• Inventors: Durlach, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Envall, Jr., Roy N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUNG TRANS, XUONG MY
• Application Number:
  US07/706,560
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 364/410, 364/522, 364/521, 358/88, 358/89, 358/90, 340/729, 340/795, 350/130, 350/131, 40/449, 40/406, 40/439, 40/426, 40/446, 40/447, 273/1 M, 446/268
• US Class Current: 40/426
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/0063 Magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2485 using a general-purpose personal computer
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00214 Three-dimensional game boards
• 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: A63F 3/00694 Magnetic board games other games using magnetically moved or magnetically held pieces A63F9/34
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/02 incorporating moving display members

Abstract

A device provides temporal and spatial 3-D patterns with a plurality of elements. The shape, position and orientation of the elements are controlled by a computer. The medium in which the elements lie provide movement of the elements without effects of vibration or turbulence. In a particular medium elements movements are dampened such that a quick change in position and/or orientation of an element is without apparent vibration. The medium and elements are of respective materials such that noise is eliminated. Iron powder elements on a surface are repositionable and reorientable in a desired temporal and spatial pattern through computer controlled changes to a generated magnetic field. Different sized bubbles are generated in a desired temporal and spatial pattern in a tank of glycerin through computer controlled air valves. The computer control is preprogrammed or in response to user operation of an input device.

Claims

1. A 3-D amusement and display device comprising:

a working medium formed of a region of 3-dimensional space, the working medium physically having three dimensions and including;

(i) a working surface,

(ii) a first working magnetic field generated by a permanent magnet adjacent the working surface, and

(iii) a second working magnetic field selectively generated by at least one electromagnet adjacent the working surface and controlled by the computer means;

a multiplicity of repositionable elements comprising magnetic material which protrudes from and lies on the working surface, the repositionable elements positioned on the working surface along three dimensions of the working surface, the elements being repositionable on the working surface for forming physical three dimensional arrangements of the elements on the working surface; and

computer means coupled to the electromagnet for providing signals for creating a temporal and spatial series of physical 3-dimensional arrangements of the elements on the working surface, the temporal and spatial series being the change of at least one of position and shape of elements on the working surface from one physical 3-D arrangement to another physical 3-D arrangement in a desired time sequence, the temporal and spatial series of physical 3-dimensional arrangements of elements being formed on the working surface and includes various geometrical shapes, the computer means being coupled to the electromagnet for selectively generating the second working magnetic field, and the computer means changing position and orientation of the elements on the working surface by perturbing the first working magnetic field with the second working magnetic field, the computer means controlling strength of the second working magnetic field.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a computer routine executable by the computer means for substantially equally distributing the elements over the working surface.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each element is able to quickly change position and orientation in the working medium without apparent vibration.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the elements change position and orientation in a response time of about 1/30 second to about 1/4 second.

5. A 3-D amusement and display device comprising:

a working medium formed of a region of 3-dimensional space, the working medium physically having three-dimensions and including a volume of liquid contained in a container;

a multiplicity of repositionable elements comprising gas bubbles positioned in the working medium along 3-dimensions of the working medium, the gas bubbles being repositionable in the working medium for forming physical 3-dimensional arrangements of the gas bubbles in the working medium;

computer means coupled to the working medium, for providing signals for creating a temporal and spatial series of physical 3-dimensional elements in the working medium, the temporal and spatial series being the change of at least one of position and shape of gas bubbles in the working medium from one physical 3-D arrangement to another physical 3-D arrangement in a desired time sequence, the temporal and spatial series of physical 3-dimensional arrangements of the gas bubbles being formed in the working medium and includes various geometrical shapes, such that the gas bubbles are generated in the container in a temporal and spatial pattern through the computer means as desired, wherein each gas bubble travels a substantially straight path independent of apparent turbulence.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 further comprising:

a source of pressurized gas; and

a plurality of valves for delivering gas from the source into the container, each valve being controlled by the computer means for generating gas bubbles of different sizes.

7. A 3-D amusement and display device comprising:

(a) a working surface;

(b) a plurality of iron elements positioned on and protruding from the working surface, the iron elements lying in 3-dimensional space, each iron element including;

a permanent magnet fixed to the working surface, and

iron powder covering the permanent magnet, the permanent magnets generating a first working magnetic field about the working surface, said first working magnetic field determining an initial position and orientation of the iron elements with respect to the working surface;

(c) an electromagnet adjacent the working surface for selectively generating a second magnetic field, the second magnetic field perturbing the first working magnetic field changing the shape of the iron elements on the working surface; and

(d) computer means coupled to the electromagnet for controlling strength of the second magnetic field, the computer means programmed to provide signals for changing the strength of the second magnetic field in a manner that the second magnetic field controllably perturbs the first working magnetic field changing the respective shapes of the iron elements according to a desired temporal and physical 3-dimensional spatial pattern of the iron elements collectively, said pattern including various geometrical shapes.

8. A 3-D amusement and display device comprising:

a working medium formed of a region of 3-dimensional space and including (a) a first working magnetic field generated by a permanent magnet, and (b) a second working magnetic field generated by at least one electromagnet;

a working surface positioned in the working medium;

a multiplicity of repositionable elements repositionable in the working medium for forming physical 3-dimensional arrangements thereof in the working medium, the repositionable elements comprising magnetic material and lying on the working surface; and

computer means coupled to the electromagnet generating the second working magnetic field, the computer means for providing a temporal and spatial series of physical 3-dimensional arrangements of the elements in the working medium including various geometrical shapes, the temporal and spatial series of physical 3-dimensional arrangements of the elements being the change in at least one of position and shape of elements in the working medium from one physical 3-D arrangement of the elements to another physical 3-D arrangement of the elements in a desired time sequence, the computer means changing position and orientation of the elements on the working surface by providing signals for perturbing the first working magnetic field with the second working magnetic field, the signals controlling strength of the second working magnetic field.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the computer means includes a specification of the series of the physically 3-dimensional arrangements of elements.

10. A device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the temporal and spatial series is established according to operation of an input device coupled to the computer means.

11. A device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the working medium and elements are formed of respective materials which substantially eliminate noise.

12. A device as claimed in claim 8 further comprising:

a computer routine executable by the computer means for substantially equally distributing the elements over the working surface.

13. A device as claimed in claim 8 wherein each element is able to quickly change position and orientation in the working medium without apparent vibration.

14. A device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the elements change position and orientation in response time of about 1/30 second to about 1/4 second.

15. A 3-D amusement and display device comprising:

a working medium formed of a volume of liquid contained in a container, the working medium physically having three dimensions;

a multiplicity of repositionable elements coupled to the container and repositionable in relation to each other in 3-dimensional space along horizontal and vertical axes in the volume of liquid for forming physical and truly 3-dimensional arrangements of the repositionable elements in the working medium resulting in truly 3-dimensional images, the repositionable elements comprising gas bubbles generated in the container; and

bubble generation means coupled to the container for generating gas bubbles in the container; and

computer means coupled to the bubble generation means for providing a temporal and spatial series of physical 3-dimensional arrangements of the elements in the working medium including various geometrical shapes, the temporal and spatial series being the change of at least one of position and shape of the elements in the working medium from one physical 3-D arrangement of the elements to another physical 3-D arrangement of the elements in a desired time sequence, the computer means controlling the bubble generation means to generate gas bubbles in the container, in a temporal and spatial pattern as desired, the temporal and spatial series of physical 3-dimensional arrangements of elements being formed in the working medium.

16. A device as claimed in claim 15 wherein each gas bubble travels a substantially straight path independent of apparent turbulence.

17. A device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the bubble generation means includes:

a source of pressurized gas; and

a plurality of valves connected between the container and the source of pressurized gas for delivering gas from the source into the container, each valve being controlled by the computer means for selectively generating gas bubbles of different desired sizes in the container.

18. A device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the valves are check valves.

19. A device as claimed in claim 18 further including a plurality of 3-way fast response valves, each connected between a different check valve and a source of pressurized gas.

20. A device as claimed in claim 19 wherein the temporal and spatial pattern is established in real time according to viewer operation of an input device coupled to the computer means.

21. A device as claimed in claim 20 wherein the input device is a keyboard.

22. A 3-D amusement and display device comprising:

a working medium formed of a volume of liquid contained in a container, the working medium physically having three dimensions;

a multiplicity of repositionable elements coupled to the container and repositionable in the volume of liquid for forming physical 3-dimensional arrangements thereof in the working medium, the repositionable elements comprising gas bubbles generatable in the container, wherein each gas bubble travels a substantially straight path independent of apparent turbulence;

bubble generation means coupled to the container for generating gas bubbles in the container; and

computer means coupled to the bubble generation means for providing a temporal and spatial series of physical 3-dimensional arrangements of the elements in the working medium including various geometrical shapes, the temporal and spatial series being the change of at least one of position and shape of the elements in the working medium from one physical 3-D arrangement of the elements to another physical 3-D arrangement of the elements in a desired time sequence, the computer means controlling the bubble generation means to generate gas bubbles in the container, in a temporal and spatial pattern as desired, the temporal and spatial series of physical 3-dimensional arrangements of elements formed in the working medium.