Techniques and apparatus for entertainment sites, amusement parks and other information and/or entertainment dispensing sites

• US 6,352,478 B1
• Filed: 04/17/1998
• Issued: 03/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hasbro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Creator Limited
• Inventors: Cohen, Moshe, Sandlerman, Nimrod, Gabai, Oz, Gabai, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Neill, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): White, Carmen D.
• Application Number:
  US09/062,500
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 463/46
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers

Abstract

Amusement park apparatus including a first plurality of entertainment providing nodes playing a second plurality of games with a third plurality of players who are simultaneously playing the second plurality of games, a node controller operative to assign each player from among the third plurality of players to an individual game from among the second plurality of games and operative to control each individual node from among the first plurality of nodes such that when the individual node enters into an interaction with an individual player, the node plays, with the individual player, the game assigned to the individual player, and a communication network operative to associate each of the first plurality of nodes with the node controller.

Claims

1. Amusement park apparatus comprising:

a first plurality of entertainment-providing nodes playing a second plurality of games with a third plurality of players who are simultaneously playing said second plurality of games, each player employing plural entertainment-providing nodes to play a single game;

a node controller operative to assign each player from among the third plurality of players to an individual game from among the second plurality of games and operative to control each individual node from among said first plurality of nodes such that when the individual node enters into an interaction with an individual player, the node plays, with the individual player, the game assigned to said individual player, and

a communication network operative to associate each of said first plurality of nodes with said node controller.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second plurality of games comprises at least one group game in which at least one encounter between an individual player of the group game and one of said first plurality of nodes is affected by at least one previous encounter between at least one other player of the group game and at least one of said first plurality of nodes.

2. Amusement park apparatus comprising:

a first plurality of entertainment-providing nodes each operative to sequentially participate in a second plurality of games being played simultaneously with any of a third plurality of players, each player employing plural entertainment-providing nodes to play a single game;

a node controller operative to control said first plurality of nodes;

a communication network operative to associate each of said first plurality of nodes with said node controller.

9. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said second plurality of games comprises at least one group game in which at least one encounter between an individual player of the group game and one of said first plurality of nodes is affected by at least one previous encounter between at least one other player of the group game and at least one of said first plurality of nodes.

3. Amusement park apparatus comprising:

a first plurality of entertainment-providing nodes providing entertainment to players, each player employing plural entertainment-providing nodes to play a single game;

a node controller operative to control said first plurality of nodes to play a second plurality of games such that at least one of the first plurality of nodes participates in each of at least two ongoing ones of said second plurality of games; and

a communication network operative to associate each of said first plurality of nodes with said node controller.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said node controller is operative to control said first plurality of nodes so as to accommodate a third plurality of players participating in at least two ongoing ones of said second plurality of games.

10. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said second plurality of games comprises at least one group game in which at least one encounter between an individual player of the group game and one of said first plurality of nodes is affected by at least one previous encounter between at least one other player of the group game and at least one of said first plurality of nodes.

11. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said second plurality of games comprises at least one group game in which at least one encounter between an individual player of the group game and one of said first plurality of nodes is affected by at least one previous encounter between at least one other player of the group game and at least one of said first plurality of nodes.

6. A method of providing entertainment, the method comprising:

providing a first plurality of entertainment-providing nodes playing a second plurality of games with a third plurality of players who are simultaneously playing said second plurality of games, each player employing plural entertainment-providing nodes to play a single game;

providing a node controller operative to assign each player from among the third plurality of players to an individual game from among the second plurality of games and operative to control each individual node from among said first plurality of nodes such that when the individual node enters into an interaction with an individual player, the node plays, with the individual player, the game assigned to said individual player, and

networking each of said first plurality of nodes with said node controller.

7. A method of providing entertainment, the method comprising:

providing a first plurality of entertainment-providing nodes each operative to sequentially participate in a second plurality of games being played simultaneously with any of a third plurality of players who are simultaneously playing said second plurality of games, each player employing plural entertainment-providing nodes to play a single game;

controlling said first plurality of nodes; and

networking each of said first plurality of nodes with said node controller.

8. A method of providing entertainment, the method comprising:

providing a first plurality of entertainment-providing nodes providing entertainment to players, each player employing plural entertainment-providing nodes to play a single game;

controlling said first plurality of nodes to play a second plurality of games such that at least one of the first plurality of nodes participates in each of at least two ongoing ones of said second plurality of games; and

networking each of said first plurality of nodes with said node controller.