Electronic game system

• US 5,702,305 A
• Filed: 02/15/1996
• Issued: 12/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jachimowicz, Karen E., Norman, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/601,925
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/7-16, 463/30-31, 463/25, 463/40-42, 273/292, 273/237, 273/256, 273/273, 273/278, 364/410, 364/411, 345/7-11, 345/156, 345/158, 359/13, 359/109, 359/630, 359/558, 385/133, 385/147, 385/901
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/27 characterised by a large display in a public venue, e.g. in a movie theatre, stadium or game arena
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/008 adapted for being playable on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2488 Remotely playable
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8023 the game being played by multiple players at a common site, e.g. in an arena, theatre, shopping mall using a large public display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32

Abstract

An interactive electronic game system (10) composed of at least one control unit (12) for receiving, monitoring, compiling and transmitting game data and information and several personal display units (14) for controlling game play and displaying game data and information. The personal display units (14) and the control unit (12) being in constant omni-directional communication. The personal display units (14) of the system having an aperture (100) formed therein, and capable of receiving and displaying game data and information in a direct view image and/or a virtual image.

Claims

1. An electronic game system comprised of:

at least one control unit for receiving, compiling, monitoring, processing, and transmitting game data and information; and

a plurality of personal display units in omni-directional communication with the at least one control unit, each of the plurality of personal display units including a virtual image display area for displaying as a virtual image, game data and information received from the at least one control unit.

2. The electronic game system of claim 1 wherein the at least one virtual image display area has provided an image source for generating the virtual image.

3. The electronic game system of claim 2 wherein the image source for displaying the virtual image is one of a light emitting diode, a liquid crystal display, a cathode ray tube, a field emission device, a laser projection, a direct retinal scan display, an inorganic electroluminescent display, a reflective spatial light modulator and a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.

4. The electronic game system of claim 1 wherein the at least one control unit is comprised of at least one microprocessor and a means for communication between the at least one microprocessor and the plurality of personal display units.

5. The electronic game system of claim 4 wherein the means for communication utilizes infra-red (IR) technology.

6. The electronic game system of claim 4 wherein the means for communication utilizes radio frequency (RF) technology.

7. The electronic game system of claim 4 wherein the means for communication utilizes vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) technology.

8. The electronic game system of claim 4 wherein the means for communication utilizes fiber optical link technology.

9. The electronic game system of claim 4 wherein the means for communication utilizes cellular technology.

10. The electronic game system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of personal display units have at least one image viewing aperture formed therein.

11. The electronic game system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of personal display units are handheld personal display units.

12. The electronic game system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of personal display units are head-mounted personal display units.

13. The electronic game system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of personal display units are table-mounted personal display units.

14. An electronic game system comprised of:

at least one control unit having contained therein at least one means for controlling and a means for communication, for receiving, compiling, monitoring, processing, and transmitting game data and information;

a plurality of personal display units in omni-directional communication with the at least one control unit;

a common view display area for receiving game data and information from the at least one control unit and displaying the game data and information on a central display, the central display being displayed as at least one of a direct view image and a virtual image; and

a personal view display area for receiving game data and information from the at least one control unit and displaying the game data and information on the plurality of personal display units, the personal view display area being displayed as a virtual image.

15. The electronic game system of claim 14 wherein the at least one means for controlling includes at least one microprocessor.

16. The electronic game system of claim 14 wherein the at least one control unit is centrally located and separate from the plurality of personal display units.

17. The electronic game system of claim 14 wherein the at least one control unit is contained within one of the plurality of personal display units.

18. The electronic game system of claim 14 wherein the at least one control unit is contained within each of the plurality of personal display units.

19. The electronic game system of claim 18 wherein at least one control unit of the game system is recognized as a controlling control unit.

20. The electronic game system of claim 14 wherein the means for communication utilizes one of infra-red (IR) technology, radio frequency (RF) technology, vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) technology, fiber optical link technology, and cellular technology.

21. The electronic game system of claim 14 further comprised of an image source for displaying the direct view image, comprised of one of a light emitting diode, a liquid crystal display, a cathode ray tube, a field emission device, a laser projection, a direct retinal scan display, an inorganic electroluminescent display, a plasma display and a vacuum fluorescent display.

22. The electronic game system of claim 14 further comprised of an image source for displaying the virtual image comprised of one of a light emitting diode, a liquid crystal display, a cathode ray tube, a field emission device, a laser projection, an inorganic electroluminescent display, a reflective spatial light modulator and a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.

23. The electronic game system according to claim 14 wherein the plurality of personal display units each have an image viewing aperture formed therein.

24. The electronic game system according to claim 23 wherein the plurality of personal display units are handheld personal display units.

25. The electronic game system according to claim 23 wherein the plurality of personal display units are head-mounted personal display units.

26. The electronic game system according to claim 23 wherein the plurality of personal display units are table-mounted personal display units.

27. An electronic game system comprised of:

a control unit having contained therein at least one microprocessor and a means for communication, for receiving game data and information;

a plurality of personal display units in omni-directional communication with the control unit;

a common view display area for receiving game data and information from the control unit and displaying the game data and information on at least one of a central display as a direct view image and on the plurality of personal display units as a virtual image.

and

a personal view display area capable of receiving game data and information from the control unit and displaying the game data and information on the plurality of personal display units, the personal view display area being displayed as a virtual image.

28. The electronic game system of claim 27 wherein the control unit and the common view display area are embedded in a centrally located game board.

29. An electronic game system comprised of:

a plurality of personal display units;

at least one control unit, positioned within at least one of the plurality of personal display units, having contained therein a means for controlling and a means for communication with the plurality of personal display units;

a common view display area for receiving game data and information from the control unit and displaying the game data and information on at least one of a central display as a direct view image and on the plurality of personal display units as a virtual image display; and

a personal view display area capable of receiving game data and information from the control unit and displaying the game data and information on the plurality of personal display units, the personal view display area being displayed as a virtual image display.

30. The electronic game system of claim 29 wherein the means for controlling includes at least one microprocessor.

31. The electronic game system of claim 29 wherein a control unit is positioned within each of the plurality of personal display units.