Interactive probe game

• US 5,890,717 A
• Filed: 11/22/1996
• Issued: 04/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fenton Rosewarne, Howard H. Berger, Jack Star, Richard Perkins
• Original Assignee: Fenton Rosewarne, Howard H. Berger, Jack Star, Richard Perkins
• Inventors: Perkins, Richard, Rosewarne, Fenton, Berger, Howard H., Star, Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHAAF, JAMES CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US08/753,290
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 463/9, 463/30, 463/39, 273/236, 273/237, 273/260, 273/281, 273/288, 273/289, 273/444
• US Class Current: 273/236
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00662 with an electric sensor for playing pieces A63F2009/2444 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2489 by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID
• 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

Abstract

An interactive game is disclosed which may take the form of a board game, a hand held game or a yard game. It includes a series of printed circuits or devices which may be concealed within a playing surface and an electronic detector for the circuits. Easily as many as 8 or 16 different discrete device may be detected and distinguished. Stored messages associated with each device or combinations of devices is displayed or audibly reproduce the messages.

Claims

1. A game for use by players comprising a game surface;

a plurality of radio frequency signal devices hidden within the game surface so as not to be visible to players;

probe means movable in the region of the playing surface;

said probe means being responsive to the presence or absence of a device within the game surface to provide a detectable signal;

means responsive to the detection of a device for providing to players an indication of the presence of a device near the probe;

said device responsive means including discrimination means for identifying which of a plurality of different type devices is detected; and

means responsive to said discrimination means for generation of a signal observable by the player having game significance.

2. The game in accordance with claim 1 wherein said playing surface conceals at least two devices wherein the detection of each of said devices has a different game significance and said signal generation means provides a different signal to a player depending upon which device is detected.

3. The game in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means for detecting the presence of a device in the game surface provides a random response.

4. The game in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means for detecting the presence of a device provides an audible response.

5. The game in accordance with claim 2 wherein the means for detecting the presence of a device provides a response which is variable depending upon the order of detection of more than one device.

6. The game in accordance with claim 1 wherein the device is concealed within a member which is selectively placed by a player on the game surface.

7. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said detecting means includes means for attachment to the footwear of players and the game surface comprises at least one stepping surface to allow the player to step on the game surface and bring the detecting means into the region of a hidden device.

8. The game in accordance with claim 7 wherein a plurality of devices are concealed in each surface upon which a player may step.

9. The game in accordance with claim 7 wherein the game a plurality of game surfaces each of sufficient size to allow a player to place his feet one by one on a sequence of game surfaces.

10. The game in accordance with claim 9 wherein said stepping surfaces are of sufficient size to conceal more than one device and that a player may step on a surface with detecting none, one or more than one devices with a single step.

11. A game including a frame, a game surface mounted on said frame, a plurality of game pieces which may be placed by a player on the game surface;

said game pieces concealing one or more radio frequency signal responsive devices which are not detectible visually or tactually by a player;

means movable across the playing surface to pass over the game surface and the concealed devices;

probe means secured to said movable means to move across said game surface and responsive to the detection of the presence of said concealed radio frequency responsive devices in the game pieces;

indicator means mounted with said probe means to provide an indication as a probe passes near such concealed device.

12. The game in accordance with claim 11 wherein said moving means is secured to a frame and said frame is mounted for movement across the playing surface.

13. The game in accordance with claim 11 including a plurality of probes, each of which is mounted on said movable means for movement across a particular area of the playing surface any of said probes to responsive to the presence of a device under the particular area of the playing surface.

14. The game in accordance with claim 11 including logic means responsive to the order of detection of a plurality of concealed devices for providing a signal to a player dependent upon the order detected.

15. The game in accordance with claim 11 including logic means responsive to the combination of more than one different type of devices being detected for generating a response for player related to the combination of devices detected.

16. A game including a probe for generating radio frequency signal and for radiating it in a local area;

a game body;

said game body concealing a plurality of radio frequency signal devices;

means for detecting the presence of one of said devices when said probe radiates a radio frequency signal into a local area containing a concealed device; and

means responsive to the detection of a concealed device for providing an identifiable indication to a game player.

17. The game in accordance with claim 16 wherein said detecting means is contained in said probe.

18. The game in accordance with claim 16 wherein said indication providing means is contained in said probe.

19. A game in accordance with claim 16 including logic means for providing a different responsive depending upon the order of detection of a plurality of radio frequency signal responsive devices by said detection means.

20. A game in accordance with claim 16 wherein said probe includes means for generating a radio frequency signal covering a frequency band in the order of 100 Megahertz to 250 Megahertz;

wherein said devices each include a passive resonant circuit having a peak responsive in said frequency range;

wherein said probe includes means for detecting the presence of one of said devices in the local area into which the radio frequency signal is radiated;

wherein said probe includes means for discriminating between different concealed devices having different peak responses in said frequency range; and

wherein said means for providing an identifiable indication provided a different indication for each different concealed device detected.