Video puzzle cube game

• US 5,312,113 A
• Filed: 11/24/1992
• Issued: 05/17/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chen Ta-Hsien, Yang Hsiu-Yu
• Original Assignee: Chen Ta-Hsien, Yang Hsiu-Yu
• Inventors: Ta-Hsien, Chen, Hsiu-Yu, Yang
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US07/980,840
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 273/434
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/554 by saving game or status data
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/80 specially adapted for executing a specific type of game

Abstract

A video puzzle cube game includes a plurality of keys controlled to drive a program to show a hexahedron pattern, a menu and a field on a screen display, said hexahedron pattern having six sides, each side being divided into nine equal divisions, each division being divided into nine six blanks respectively filled with or for filling with either of six different unit squares alternatively given by said program through said field, by means of the control of said keys.

Claims

1. A video puzzle cube game comprising a game machine having a display screen and a plurality of control keys, controlled program means controlled by said keys for showing a hexahedron pattern, a menu and a field on said display screen, said hexahedron pattern having six sides, each side being divided into nine equal divisions, each division being divided into six blanks respectively filled with or for filling with either of six different unit squares, each of a different predetermined pattern, alternatively given by said program through said field, by means of the control of said keys, said pattern having an operative side wherein said unit squares are used to fill blanks and said program further being controlled by said keys to change the operative side of said pattern available for filling.

2. The video puzzle cube game according to claim 1 wherein said keys include an ON/OFF power switching key, said ON/OFF power switching key being alternatively pressed to turn the game to an initial state and cause said program to score the play and display the content of the game and the scoring of the play and make sounds while scoring, or to turn off said game machine in stopping the game.

3. The video puzzle cube game according to claim 2 wherein said keys include a RESET key, said RESET key being pressed to clear the game and return it to the initial state.

4. The video puzzle cube game according to claim 3 wherein said keys include a START/PAUSE key, said START/PAUSE key being pressed to drive said program to make a first decision so as to process an action in displaying GAME OVER in said menu on said display and making a sound for 20 seconds and then automatically shutting off power supply if the decision =TIME OUT or HI-SCORE and there is no further instruction given.

5. The video puzzle cube game according to claim 4 wherein said program is driven to make a second decision in determining if there is any game content present by the player when said first decision ≠

TIME OUT and ≠

HI-SCORE, and to execute any game content present by the player or to continue the game according to the game content defined by said program.

6. The video puzzle cube game according to claim 5 wherein said program comprises an action to make a first specific sound when scoring up or a second specific sound when scoring down, and an action to count time and show predetermined indexes on said menu during the playing of the game.

7. The video puzzle cube game according to claim 6 wherein the game is terminated as said ON/OFF power switching key was pressed during the playing of the game;

the game is returned to the initial state as said RESET key was pressed during the playing of the game;

the game is stopped for a time and said menu shows the figure of score being achieved, the figure of time being counted and the figure of sides being made up, as said START/PAUSE key was pressed during the playing of the game.

8. The video puzzle cube game according to claim 7 wherein the game is continued as said START/PAUSE key was pressed after the game was stopped for a time.

9. The video puzzle cube game according to claim 8 wherein said keys include a SELECT/BOON key, said SELECT/BOON key being pressed to drive said program to make a decision so as to show related menus of the game through said screen display for selection as the game was at the initial state, or to drive said program to make another decision if the game was not at the initial state.

10. The video puzzle cube game according to claim 9 wherein said program does not make any action if the game was at the mode of GAME A as said SELECT BOON key was pressed;

said program is instructed to make a sound and execute an action if the game was at the mode of GAME B as said SELECT/BOON key was pressed, the action being to let the player select the positions of banks for filling with unit squares if said SELECT/BOON key was pressed at the initial state, or to reset the game if said SELECT/BOOM key was pressed during the playing of the game.

11. The video puzzle cube game according to claim 1 wherein said keys include a SET/ENTER key, said SET/ENTER key being pressed to drive said program to make a first decision, so as to make an action in letting the player change the default value of the menu if the game =MENU (at the state of the menu) or to make a second decision if the game ≠

MENU ≠

TIME OUT ≠

HI-SCORE.

12. The video puzzle cube game according to claim 11 wherein said program does not make an action if the game was at the mode of GAME A as said SET/ENTER key was pressed;

said program is instructed to make an action for letting the player to set the positions of the blanks for filling with unit squares if the game was at the mode of GAME B as said SET/ENTER key was pressed.

13. The video puzzle cube game according to claim 1 wherein said keys include CURSOR MOVE/CUBE ROTATE keys for rotating said hexahedron pattern in four directions.

14. The video puzzle cube game according to claim 1 wherein said keys include SINGLE ROTATE keys for rotating said operative side of said hexahedron pattern in four directions.

15. The video puzzle cube game according to claim 1 wherein said keys include a HELP key, said HELP key being pressed to instruct said program to perform a tutorial function as said START/PAUSE key and said SET/ENTER key were maintained pressed.