Modular electronic gaming system

• US 5,393,074 A
• Filed: 06/06/1994
• Issued: 02/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Jordan, Thomas Bear
• Original Assignee: Robert Jordan, Thomas Bear
• Inventors: Jordan, Robert, Bear, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US08/254,129
• Time in Patent Office: 267 Days
• Field of Search: 273/440, 273/445, 273/459, 273/460, 434/226, 472/62, 472/66
• US Class Current: 273/440
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0291 with a simulated projectile, e.g. an image on a screen

Abstract

A modular, interactive gaming system which may be reconfigured to play a variety of participatory games. The system includes a plurality of interconnectable modules which may be combined to define passageways and gaming rooms in a variety of living game board configurations. Sensors and sensory signal generators are disposed in the passageways and gaming rooms which are in communication via a cable network with a control computer which directs the play of the game in accord with a program resident therein. The combination of modular units and a programmable computer permits great flexibility in game design and play.

Claims

1. A modular, interactive amusement system comprising:

a plurality of interconnectable modules, each of said modules including at least one pair of mating first and second connector members disposed at first and second locations thereon such that one of said plurality of modules may be connected to another of said plurality of modules by connecting a first connector member of said one such module with a second connector member on said another module;

a first portion of said plurality of interconnectable modules including a floor and side walls to define a track module including a passageway for game participants to pass therethrough;

a second portion of said interconnectable modules further including a floor to define a room floor fixture;

a third portion of said plurality of interconnectable modules further including a wall and defining a room wall fixture, said room wall fixtures being interconnectable with said room floor fixtures to define a gaming room in which said game participant may engage in various activities;

a plurality of sensors disposed along said passageways and said gaming rooms and operative to generate electrical signals indicative of the positions and activities of said participants in the passages and gaming rooms;

sensory signal generators disposed along said passageways and in said gaming rooms; and

a central computer connected to said sensors so as to receive said electrical signals therefrom and connected to said sensory signal generators so as to control their operation, said computer being programmed to control the operation of the sensor signal generators as a preprogrammed function of the electrical signals generated by said sensors.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the track module and room floor module floors are sloped.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said floors further include a trough formed along an edge thereof proximate a wall junction, said floor sloping toward said trough such that a loose gaming piece will slide along said floor and into said trough so as to not to impede said passageways.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the track modules and room wall modules further include a cable for electrical interconnection with other cables disposed on other modules so as to form a control cable network, said computer being in electronic communication with said control cable network.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the cable is disposed in an external cable raceway attached to the module.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein at least some of said plurality of modules further include built-in speakers controlled by said computer.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein at least some track modules and some room wall modules are equipped with electronically lockable doors, said doors being controlled by said computer.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein at least some modules further include an electronically lockable compartment for the storage and controlled release of gaming tokens and equipment, said compartments being controlled by the computer.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the floors are adjustable in height.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein at least some modules further include video display units controlled by the computer.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said sensory signal generators include displays and said computer is further programmed to score the performance of the participants based on signals received from said sensors and to communicate the performance scores to the participants through the displays.

12. A modular, interactive amusement system comprising:

a plurality of interconnectable modules having a plurality of configurations such that said modules may be interchangeably interconnected in a plurality of ways to form game playing areas of varied design;

a plurality of sensors disposed in said plurality of modules and operative to generate electrical signals indicative of the positions and activities of participants in the game playing areas;

a plurality of sensory signal generators disposed in said modules and operative to generate sensory signals responsible to said electrical signals; and

a central computer in communication with said sensors and said sensory signal generators, said computer being programmed to control operation of said sensory signal generators in response to the electrical signals generated by said sensors, said computer being further programmable to control said sensors and said sensory signal generators such that any one of a plurality of interactive game formats may be played in said system.