Interactive modular tile system

• US 8,215,642 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2007
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting BV (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Macura, Marko, Marzano, Thomas, Dirkx, Hubertus Cornelius Antonius
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US12/442,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20100052253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,744 Days
• Field of Search: 273/237, 273/286, 273/309, 473/414
• US Class Current: 273/309
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/068 hexagonal
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2442 Sensors or detectors
• 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 2009/2457 Display screens, e.g. monitors, video displays
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2463 on a screen, e.g. using a video projector
• 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 2250/215 Hop-scotch
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• 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 interactive modular tile system of the invention comprises a plurality of modular interactive tiles (11, 13). The system comprises electronic circuitry which is operative to determine a configuration of the plurality of modular interactive tiles, and determine whether a game can be played, which game can be played and/or which variation of a game can be played with the determined configuration. The computer program product of the invention enables a programmable device to function as the interactive modular tile system of the invention.

Claims

1. An interactive modular tile system comprising:

a plurality of modular interactive floor tiles, the plurality of modular interactive floor tiles including one master tile and a number of play tiles, capable of being arranged in a plurality of game layout configurations with the play tiles connected to each other on their sides and the master tile, wherein responsive to a connection of the master tile to the play tiles, the play tiles are powered up; and

,

electronic circuitry being operative to;

determine a configuration of the plurality of modular interactive floor tiles; and

determine whether a particular game selected from a set of games can be played with the determined configuration.

2. The interactive modular tile system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic circuitry indicates where at least one of the plurality floor tiles should be placed in order to play a certain game selected from the set of games.

3. The interactive modular tile system as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of floor tiles indicates that a further floor tile should be placed next to the one floor tile in order to play the certain game.

4. The interactive modular tile system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one of the plurality of floor tiles contains at least one light indicator that will glow upon its proper placement.

5. The interactive modular tile system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of floor tiles are hexagonal in shape.

6. The interactive modular tile system as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of floor tiles acts as a master tile having a main power supply.

7. The interactive modular tile system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least some of the floor tiles comprise lights and/or displays.

8. The interactive modular tile system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of games comprises one or more variations of a particular game.

9. An interactive modular tile system comprising:

a plurality of modular interactive floor tiles, capable of being arranged in a plurality of configurations; and

electronic circuitry being operative to;

determine a configuration of the plurality of modular interactive floor tiles; and

determine whether a particular game selected from a set of games can be played with the determined configuration, wherein one of the plurality of floor tiles acts as a master tile having a main power supply, and wherein the floor tiles have connectors allowing the master tile and further ones of the floor tiles to be stacked and allowing batteries of the further ones of the floor tiles to be charged with the master tile.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a computer program for use in arranging interactive floor tiles in a plurality of configurations, said program including a set of instructions executable by a processor, the medium comprising:

code for determining a configuration of the plurality of modular interactive floor tiles, the plurality of modular interactive floor tiles including one master tile and a number of play tiles, capable of being arranged in a plurality of game layout configurations with the play tiles connected to each other on their sides and the master tile, wherein responsive to a connection of the master tile to the play tiles, the play tiles are powered up; and

,

code for determining whether a particular game selected from a set of games can be played with the determined configuration.