Electronic game with separate emitter

• US 5,672,108 A
• Filed: 01/16/1996
• Issued: 09/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hasbro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tiger Electronics, Ltd. (Hasbro Inc.)
• Inventors: Osterhout, Ralph F., Lam, Clive
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHAAF, JAMES CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US08/586,589
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 463/36, 463/37, 463/39, 463/47, 463/50, 463/51, 463/2, 545/158, 545/182
• US Class Current: 463/39
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0291 with a simulated projectile, e.g. an image on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/2655 in which the light beam is sent from the weapon to the target

Abstract

An electronic game comprising an emitter unit and a target unit. The emitter unit can emit a beam of electromagnetic radiation of a particular wavelength. The target unit has a liquid crystal display and an electromagnetic radiation sensor for measuring the amount of electromagnetic radiation directed at it from the emitter. An electronic controller inside the target unit controls the flow of the game and receives input signals from the radiation sensor which affect the game.

Claims

1. An electronic game comprising:

an emitter unit for emitting a directed beam of electromagnetic radiation; and

a target unit comprising;

a display partitioned into multiple target areas for displaying a target viewable within at least one of said multiple target areas; and

multiple electromagnetic radiation sensors along the periphery of said display, each of said sensors being associated respectively with one of said multiple target areas of said display for detecting said directed beam of electromagnetic radiation at the one of said multiple target areas associated therewith;

said display having a plurality of display states viewable within at least one of said multiple target areas responsive to said directed beam of electromagnetic radiation when said emitter unit projects said directed beam of electromagnetic radiation onto the sensor associated respectively with the target area at which the emitter unit is directed, a poll of said multiple electromagnetic radiation sensors determining whether any of said sensors detect said directed beam of electromagnetic radiation at associated multiple target areas of said display, wherein a hit detection signal is generated in response to said poll determination of the sensor corresponding to the target area which detects said directed beam of electromagnetic radiation thereat generally measuring more electromagnetic radiation than others of said multiple target areas.

2. A game in accordance with claim 1 wherein said display comprises a liquid crystal display.

3. A game in accordance with claim 2 wherein said emitter unit comprises one or more infrared light emitting diodes for emitting a directed beam of infrared light, said multiple electromagnetic radiation sensors each comprising one or more photo-transistors detecting infrared light.

4. A game in accordance with claim 3 wherein said emitter unit comprises simulation of a projectile-emitting weapon such as a gun, a bazooka or the like for emitting a directed beam of infrared light.

5. A game in accordance with claim 4 wherein said multiple target areas comprise quadrants of said liquid crystal display.

6. A game in accordance with claim 5 wherein said multiple electromagnetic radiation sensors comprise at least four of said sensors near the corners at the periphery of said display each of said sensors being associated respectively with one of said quadrants of said display for detecting said directed beam of electromagnetic radiation at the one of said quadrants associated therewith when said emitter unit aimed at said one of said quadrants emits infrared light.