Electronically interactive target game

• US 6,837,495 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2002
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles A. Cummings, Joanne Gerson
• Original Assignee: Charles A. Cummings, Joanne Gerson
• Inventors: Cummings, Charles A., Gerson, Joanne
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): RADA, ALEX P
• Application Number:
  US10/093,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20030168811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 473/476, 473/467, 473/409, 473/412, 473/192, 473/154, 473/151, 473371-372, 473/365, 473/369, 473/359, 473/345.4, 473/317.6, 473/317.5, 473455-456, 473/156, 473/431, 473/422, 473/415, 273/372, 273/371, 273/369, 273/365, 273/359, 273/348.4, 273/317.6, 273/317.5
• US Class Current: 273/372
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/056 Switch actuation by hit-generated mechanical vibration of the target body, e.g. using shock or vibration transducers

Abstract

An Electronically Interactive Target Game to be played indoors by children, wherein the target is a flexible sheet hung on a wall or attached to a portable stand; and has mural-like artwork on the sheet portraying characters playing an action sport. A projectile corresponding to the portrayed sport is thrown at the target. Selected area rigid surfaces, each with a sensor, are attached behind selected areas of the sheet and, when struck, activate audible and visual signals that relate to the success of the child hitting the selected areas to facilitate the fantasy of actually playing a game with the characters in the artwork. A vibration sensor may be attached to the target sheet to detect contact of the projectile with the rest of the target outside of the selected areas. Hook and loop material may be used on the ball and on a selected area (e.g., mitt).

Claims

1. A game comprising:

a projectile, being a free object; and

a target, comprising a flexible sheet, mountable on a whole-area rigid surface wherein;

the sheet has a front side and a back side;

the front side comprises mural-like artwork illustrating a scene that has one or more selected areas related to scoring or other actions of the game, the selected areas being portions of a total area of the sheet;

attached to the sheet are one or more selected area rigid surfaces that are shaped correspondingly to the one or more selected areas, each of the one or more selected area rigid surfaces being positioned within a corresponding one of the one or more selected areas;

a single sensor is attached behind each of the one or more selected area rigid surfaces;

a non-selected area of the sheet is a portion of the total area that is outside of all of the one or more selected areas;

a single vibration sensor is attached to the non-selected area;

a display is associated with the target; and

circuitry connects each sensor and the display with a processor that is preprogrammed such that when the projectile contacts the non-selected area or one of the one or more selected areas, the display responds with feedback signals that are appropriate to the actions of the game, and further such that activation of the vibration sensor is interpreted as projectile contact with the non-selected area only if there is no concurrent activation of a selected area sensor.

2. A game as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the sensor attached behind one of the one or more selected area rigid surfaces detects when the projectile contacts the corresponding selected area by being compressed between the one of the one or more selected area rigid surfaces and the whole-area rigid surface.

3. A game as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the feedback signals are audible sounds which inform a player about a game-related consequence of the projectile contacting one of the one or more selected areas.

4. A game as defined in claim 3, wherein:

the audible sounds are spoken words.

5. A game as defined in claim 3, wherein:

the audible sounds are the buzz of a buzzer.

6. A game as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the feedback signals are visual effects which inform a player about a game-related consequence of the projectile contacting the target.

7. A game as defined in claim 6, wherein:

the visual effects are a scoreboard display with numeric scores.

8. A game as defined in claim 1, wherein the processor is further preprogrammed such that:

for each one of the one or more selected areas, when contacted by the projectile, a specific feedback signal is displayed that is unique to the one of the one or more selected areas.

9. A game as defined in claim 1, wherein the processor is further preprogrammed such that:

for each one of the one or more selected areas, when contacted by the projectile, a specific feedback signal is displayed such that the specific feedback signal is selected from a bank of feedback signals according to a predetermined sequential pattern.

10. A game as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the feedback signals include simulated sounds of fireworks exploding; and

the sounds can be used to indicate the conclusion of a time of playing the game.

11. A game as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the display is attached to the perimeter of the target.

12. A game as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the scene depicts a sport that involves a projectile.

13. A game as defined in claim 12, wherein:

the scene depicts at least one character associated with the sport.

14. A game as defined in claim 12, wherein:

the projectile simulates a projectile chosen from the group consisting of a baseball, a football, a basketball, a soccer ball, a tennis ball, a table tennis ball, a golf ball, and a hockey puck.

15. A game as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the projectile is made safe for indoor play.

16. A game as defined in claim 1, wherein:

at least a portion of the back side of the sheet has adhesive material thereon, for mounting the target on the whole-area rigid surface;

the whole-area rigid surface is a wall; and

the adhesive material removably adheres to the wall without additional fasteners and without damaging the wall.

17. A game as defined in claim 1, wherein:

at least a portion of the back side of the sheet has adhesive material thereon, for mounting the target on the whole-area rigid surface; and

the whole-area rigid surface is a stiff portable surface that is either hand held or free standing.

18. A game as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the sheet comprises a first layer having a first planar area, and a second layer having a second planar area;

the first planar area is larger than the second planar area;

the first layer has an adhesive backing; and

the second layer is adhered to the adhesive backing such that a portion of the adhesive backing around the perimeter of the second layer is uncovered by the second layer, thereby providing a means for mounting the target on the whole-area rigid surface.

19. A game as defined in claim 18, wherein:

the first layer is a transparent flexible material; and

the second layer is a flexible material having a portion of the artwork on the side adhered to the adhesive backing of the first layer.

20. A game as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the projectile is at least partly covered with a first attachment means; and

at least a portion of the front side of the sheet is covered with a second attachment means that matingly corresponds to the first attachment means.

21. A game as defined in claim 20, wherein:

the first attachment means is loop-threaded material; and

the second attachment means is hook-threaded material.

22. A game as defined in claim 20, wherein:

the second attachment means covers an area within one of the one or more selected areas.

23. A game as defined in claim 1, further comprising an on-off switch, wherein the processor is further preprogrammed such that while the on-off switch is switched on, the game functions automatically such that:

contacting the target causes the display to be active, and begins a game sequence if the game was in a sleep mode prior to the target being contacted; and

after a predetermined game score, or at a predetermined time period following a most recent contact of the target, the game automatically changes into the sleep mode wherein the display is inactive and the game sequence is assumed to be completed.