Electronic sequence matching game and method of game play using same

• US 7,351,148 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2004
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hasbro Inc., R.R. Design and Development Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ARM Design Development, Hasbro Inc.
• Inventors: Raviv, Roni, Rothschild, Omri, Merino, Darrell M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II; John M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hylinski; Steven J.
• Application Number:
  US10/941,590
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/2, 463 30- 33, 463/35, 463 36- 38, 463/46, 463/47, 273/153.R, 273/429, 273/460
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2413 Magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2447 Motion detector
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2451 using illumination, e.g. with lamps
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2452 as a signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2454 with LED
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/247 audible, e.g. using a loudspeaker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2494 Battery, e.g. dry cell
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2011/0083 Memory oriented or pattern matching games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/486 with an ergonomic grip
• 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

The present invention is directed to an apparatus and a method of game play for an electronic sequence matching game the may include a pair of elongated stick member that may be operatively coupled together by an electrical cord so the game play for the electronic matching game may be coordinated between the elongated stick members. During the electronic sequence matching game, the elongated stick members may illuminate different colored lights and generate corresponding sounds in particular sequences, and a player must manipulate the sticks to repeat the sequences generated by the elongated stick members. Depending on the mode of game play, the elongated stick members may repeat the sequence with an additional light being added to the sequence each time the player successfully matches the sequence, or the elongated stick members may generate a new sequence that may be longer or played faster than the previous sequence each time the player successfully matches a sequence. In a further mode, the player may be able to manipulate the elongated stick members in any desired sequence, with the player'"'"'s manipulation of the elongated stick members causing the stick members to respond with lights and sounds of the music chosen by the player.

Claims

1. An electronic game for use by at least one player, comprising:

a first game element having a first illumination source configured to illuminate a plurality of different colors, and a first motion switch configured to detect movement of the first game element by the player; and

a second game element having a second illumination source configured to illuminate a plurality of different colors, and a second motion switch configured to detect movement of the second game element by the player, wherein the first and second game elements are physically separate game elements that may be moved by a player independently of each other, and wherein the second game element is operatively coupled to the first game element,

wherein each of the plurality of colors illuminated by the first and the second illumination sources corresponds to a particular movement of at least one of the first and the second game elements by the player, and where the first and second motion switches are configured to compare the movement of the first and second game elements by the player to the particular movement corresponding to an illuminated one of the plurality of different colors.

2. An electronic game as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second game elements are configured to cause the first and second illumination sources to illuminate at least one of the plurality of different colors in a particular sequence, and wherein the first and second motion switches are configured to compare the sequence of the detected movement of the first and second game elements to the particular sequence of illuminating the at least one of the different colors.

3. An electronic game as defined in claim 2, wherein the first and second game elements are configured to cause the first and second illumination sources to illuminate the at least one of the plurality of different colors in the particular sequence and to illuminate an additional one of the plurality of different colors after the particular sequence in response to determining that the sequence of movement of the first and second game elements detected by the first and second motion switches corresponds to the particular sequence of illuminating the at least one of the different colors.

4. An electronic game as defined in claim 2, wherein the first and second game elements are configured to cause the first and second illumination sources to illuminate the at least one of the plurality of different colors in a second particular sequence in response to determining that the sequence of movement of the first and second game elements detected by the first and second motion switches corresponds to the particular sequence of illuminating the at least one of the different colors.

5. An electronic game as defined in claim 2, wherein the first and second game elements are configured to cause the first and second illumination sources to illuminate the at least one of the plurality of different colors in a game ending sequence in response to determining that the sequence of movement of the first and second game elements detected by the first and second motion switches do not correspond to the particular sequence of illuminating the at least one of the different colors.

6. An electronic game as defined in claim 1, wherein the first game element has a first speaker configured to generate a sound corresponding to each of the plurality of different colors illuminated by the first illumination source, and the second game element has a second speaker configured to generate a sound corresponding to each of the plurality of different colors illuminated by the second illumination source.

7. An electronic game for use by at least one player, comprising:

a first game element having a first illumination source configured to illuminate a plurality of different colors, and a first manipulation detection mechanism configured to detect the manipulation of the first game element by the player; and

a second game element having a second illumination source configured to illuminate a plurality of different colors, and a second manipulation detection mechanism configured to detect the manipulation of the second game element by the player, wherein the second game element is operatively coupled to the first game element,

wherein each of the plurality of colors illuminated by the first and the second illumination sources corresponds to a particular manipulation of at least one of the first and the second game elements by the player, where the first and second manipulation detection mechanisms are configured to compare the manipulation of the first and second game elements by the player to the particular manipulation corresponding to an illuminated one of the plurality of different colors, wherein the first illumination source is configured to illuminate a first color, a second color and a third color, and the second illumination source is configured to illuminate the second color, the third color and a fourth color, wherein the first and second manipulation detection mechanisms are configured to detect motion of the first and second game elements, respectively, wherein at least one of the first and second manipulation detection mechanisms is configured to detect the proximity of the first and the second game elements to each other, wherein the detection of motion of only the first game element by the first and the second manipulation detection mechanisms corresponds to the illumination of the first color by the first illumination source, wherein the detection of motion of both the first and second game elements by the first and the second manipulation detection mechanisms corresponds to the illumination of the second color by the first and second illumination sources, wherein the detection of only the first and second game elements being disposed in close proximity by the at least one of the first and the second manipulation detection mechanisms corresponds to the illumination of the third color by the first and second illumination sources, and wherein the detection of motion of only the second game element by the first and the second manipulation detection mechanisms corresponds to the illumination of the fourth color by the second illumination source.

8. An electronic game for use by at least one player, comprising:

a first elongated game element, comprising;

a first illumination source configured to illuminate a first color, a second color and a third color,

a first motion switch,

a first magnetic switch, and

a first controller operatively coupled to the first illumination source, the first motion switch and the first magnetic switch;

a second elongated game element, comprising;

a second illumination source configured to illuminate the second color, the third color and a fourth color,

a second motion switch,

a second magnetic switch, and

a second controller operatively coupled to the second illumination source, the second motion switch, the second magnetic switch and the first controller,

the first controller being programmed to cause the first illumination source to illuminate the first color in response to detecting motion of the first elongated game element at the first motion switch, and not detecting motion of the second elongated game element at the second motion switch,

the first controller being programmed to cause the first illumination source to illuminate the second color, and the second controller being programmed to cause the second illumination source to illuminate the second color, in response to detecting motion of the first elongated game element at the first motion switch, and motion of the second elongated game element at the second motion switch,

the first controller being programmed to cause the first illumination source to illuminate the third color, and the second controller being programmed to cause the second illumination source to illuminate the third color, in response to detecting that the first magnetic switch is disposed proximate the second magnetic switch, and

the second controller being programmed to cause the second illumination source to illuminate the fourth color in response to detecting motion of the second elongated game element at the second motion switch, and not detecting motion of the first elongated game element at the first motion switch.

9. An electronic game as defined in claim 8, wherein:

the first and the second controllers are programmed to cause the first and the second illumination sources to illuminate at least one of the first, second, third and fourth colors in a particular sequence;

the first and the second controllers are programmed to detect the actuation of the motion switches and the magnetic switches in the response to manipulation of the first and the second elongated game elements; and

the first and the second controllers are programmed to compare the sequence of the actuation of the motion switches and the magnetic switches to the particular sequence of illumination of the first, second, third and fourth colors.

10. An electronic game as defined in claim 9, wherein the first and the second controllers are programmed to cause the first and the second illumination sources to illuminate the first, second, third and fourth colors in the particular sequence and to illuminate an additional one of the first, second third and fourth colors after the particular sequence in response to determining that the sequence of actuation of the motion switches and the magnetic switches corresponds to the particular sequence of illumination of the first, second, third and fourth colors.

11. An electronic game as defined in claim 9, wherein the first and the second controllers are programmed to cause the first and the second illumination sources to illuminate at least one of the first, second, third and fourth colors in a second particular sequence in response to determining that the sequence of actuation of the motion switches and the magnetic switches corresponds to the particular sequence of illumination of the first, second, third and fourth colors.

12. An electronic game as defined in claim 9, wherein the first and the second controllers are programmed to cause the first and the second illumination sources to illuminate at least one of the first, second, third and fourth colors in a game ending sequence in response to determining that the sequence of actuation of the motion switches and the magnetic switches does not correspond to the particular sequence of illumination of the first, second, third and fourth colors.

13. An electronic game as defined in claim 9, wherein one of the first and the second elongated game elements comprises at least one skill level adjustment switch operatively coupled the corresponding first or second controllers, the first and second controllers being programmed to cause the first and second illumination sources to illuminate the particular sequence with a different speed in response to detecting the actuation of the at least one skill level adjustment switch.

14. An electronic game as defined in claim 9, wherein one of the first and the second elongated game elements comprises at least one skill level adjustment switch operatively coupled the corresponding first or second controllers, the first and second controllers being programmed to cause the first and second illumination sources to illuminate a particular sequence having a different number of first, second third and fourth colors illuminated in response to detecting the actuation of the at least one skill level adjustment switch.

15. An electronic game as defined in claim 8, wherein the first elongated game element comprises a first speaker operatively coupled to the first controller and the first controller is programmed to cause the first speaker to generate one of a first, a second and a third sound when the first controller causes the first illumination source to illuminate a corresponding one of the first, the second and the third colors, respectively, and wherein the second elongated game element comprises a second speaker operatively coupled to the second controller and the second controller is programmed to cause the second speaker to generate one of the second, the third and a fourth sound when the second controller causes the second illumination source to illuminate a corresponding one of the second, the third and the fourth colors, respectively.

16. An electronic game as defined in claim 15, wherein the first and the second controllers are programmed to cause the first and the second speakers to generate one of at least one available background music selection.

17. An electronic game as defined in claim 16, wherein one of the first and the second elongated game elements comprises at least one background music selection switch operatively coupled the corresponding first or second controllers, the first and second controllers being programmed to cause the speakers to generate a different one of the available background music selections in response to detecting the actuation of the at least one background music selection switch.

18. An electronic game as defined in claim 15, wherein one of the first and the second elongated game elements comprises at least one volume adjustment switch operatively coupled the corresponding first or second controllers, the first and second controllers being programmed to cause the speakers to generate sounds with a different volume in response to detecting the actuation of the at least one volume adjustment switch.

19. An electronic game as defined in claim 8, comprising a cord operatively coupling the first controller to the second controller.

20. An electronic game as defined in claim 8, wherein the first and second illumination sources comprise tri-colored LEDs.

21. A method for providing an electronic game for use by at least one player, comprising:

providing first and second physically separate operatively couple game elements, wherein the physically separate game elements may be moved independently of each other by a player, wherein the first and second game elements are responsive to physical movements of the game elements alone and relative to each other by the player, and are each configured to illuminate a plurality of different color lights;

configuring the first and second game elements to illuminate a sequence of the different color lights;

configuring the first and second game elements to detect the movements of the first and second game elements by the player after the first and second game elements illuminate the sequence of different color lights, wherein each of the different color lights has a corresponding movement of at least one of the first and second game elements; and

configuring the first and the second elements to compare the sequence of the detected movements of the first and second game elements to the sequence of different color lights.

22. A method for providing an electronic game as defined in claim 21, comprising configuring the first and second game elements to illuminate the sequence of different color lights and to illuminate an additional one of the different color lights after the sequence in response to determining that the sequence of detected movements of the first and second game elements corresponds to the sequence of the different color lights.

23. A method for providing an electronic game as defined in claim 21, comprising configuring the first and second game elements to illuminate a second sequence of different color lights in response to determining that the sequence of detected movements of the first and second game elements corresponds to the sequence of the different color lights.

24. A method for providing an electronic game as defined in claim 21, comprising configuring the first and second game elements to illuminate a game ending sequence of the different color lights in response to determining that the sequence of detected movements of the first and second game elements does not correspond to the sequence of the different color lights.

25. A method for providing an electronic game as defined in claim 21, comprising:

configuring the first game element to generate a sound corresponding to each of the different color lights illuminated by the first game element; and

configuring the second game element to generate a sound corresponding to each of the different color lights illuminated by the second game element.

26. A method for providing an electronic game for use by at least one player, comprising:

providing first and second operatively couple game elements, wherein the first and second game elements are responsive to manipulations by the player, and are each configured to illuminate a plurality of different color lights;

configuring the first and second game elements to illuminate a sequence of the different color lights;

configuring the first and second game elements to detect the manipulation of the first and second game elements by the player after the first and second game elements illuminate the sequence of different color lights, wherein each of the different color lights has a corresponding manipulation of at least one of the first and second game elements;

configuring the first and the second elements to compare the sequence of the detected manipulations of the first and second game elements to the sequence of different color lights;

configuring the first game element to illuminate a first color, a second color and a third color, and to detect motion of the first game element;

configuring the second game element to illuminate the second color, the third color and a fourth color, and to detect motion of the second game element; and

configuring at least one of the first and second game elements to detect the proximity of the first and the second game elements to each other,

wherein the detection of motion of only the first game element corresponds to the illumination of the first color by the first game element, wherein the detection of motion of both the first and second game elements corresponds to the illumination of the second color by the first and second game elements, wherein the detection of only the first and second game elements being disposed in close proximity corresponds to the illumination of the third color by the first and second game elements, and wherein the detection of motion of only the second game element corresponds to the illumination of the fourth color by the second game element.

27. A game apparatus, comprising:

a pair of physically separate game elements operatively coupled to each other, wherein the physically separate game elements may be moved independently of each other by a player, each game element comprising;

a plurality of input devices each requiring manipulation of at least the corresponding game element for actuation, wherein at least two of the input devices require different manipulations for actuation,

a visual output device, and

a controller operatively coupled to each of the input devices and to the visual output device;

wherein the controllers output a first sequence of first command signals to the visual output devices, each of the first command signals of the first sequence corresponding to one of the plurality of input devices;

wherein the controllers further output a second sequence of first command signals to the visual output devices when the input devices corresponding to the first command signals are actuated in the first sequence within a predetermined period of time, each of the first command signals of the second sequence corresponding to one of the plurality of input devices; and

wherein the controllers further output first error command signals to the visual output devices when the input devices are not actuated in the first sequence and when the input devices are not actuated within the predetermined period of time.

28. A game apparatus as defined in claim 27, wherein the second sequence of first command signals comprises the first sequence of first command signals followed by an additional first command signal.

29. A game apparatus as defined in claim 27, wherein the second sequence of first command signals does not duplicate the first sequence of first command signals.

30. A game apparatus as defined in claim 27, wherein each of the visual output devices comprises a multi-color illumination source, and wherein a color illuminated by the illumination source corresponds to each manipulation required for actuation of at least one of the plurality of input devices.

31. A game apparatus as defined in claim 27, wherein the input devices for each game element include a motion switch and a magnetic switch.

32. A game apparatus as defined in claim 27, wherein each of the game elements comprises an audible output device operatively coupled to the controller, wherein the controllers output second command signals corresponding to the first command signals to the audible output devices when the controllers output the first and second sequences of first command signals, and wherein the controllers further output second error command signals corresponding to the first error command signals to the audible output devices when the controllers output the first error command signals.

33. A method of playing an electronic sequence matching game, comprising:

outputting a first sequence of first command signals to visual output devices of a pair of physically separate operatively coupled game elements capable of being moved independently of each other by a player, each of the first command signals of the first sequence corresponding to one of a plurality of input devices of the game elements, wherein the plurality of input devices each require manipulation of at least the corresponding game element for actuation, and wherein at least two of the input devices require different types of manipulations for actuation;

outputting a second sequence of first command signals to the visual output devices when the input devices corresponding to the first command signals are actuated in the first sequence within a predetermined period of time, each of the first command signals of the second sequence corresponding to one of the plurality of input devices; and

outputting first error command signals to the visual output devices when the input devices are not actuated in the first sequence and when the input devices are not actuated within the predetermined period of time.

34. A method of playing an electronic sequence matching game as defined in claim 33, wherein the second sequence of first command signals comprises the first sequence of first command signals followed by an additional first command signal.

35. A method of playing an electronic sequence matching game as defined in claim 33, wherein the second sequence of first command signals does not duplicate the first sequence of first command signals.

36. A method of playing an electronic sequence matching game as defined in claim 33, wherein each of the visual output devices comprises a multi-color illumination source, and wherein a color illuminated by the illumination source corresponds to each manipulation required for actuation of at least one of the plurality of input devices.

37. A method of playing an electronic sequence matching game as defined in claim 33, wherein the input devices for each game element include a motion switch and a magnetic switch.

38. A method of playing an electronic sequence matching game as defined in claim 33, comprising:

outputting second command signals corresponding to the first command signals to audible output devices of the game elements when the first and second sequences of first command signals are output to the visual output devices; and

outputting second error command signals corresponding to the first error command signals to the audible output devices when the first error command signals are output to the visual output devices.