Game with programmable light emitting segments

• US 8,398,470 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2006
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting Holding BV (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Gillies, Murray Fulton, Bergman, Anthonie Hendrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Hylinski, Steven J
• Application Number:
  US12/090,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20080237981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,345 Days
• Field of Search: 273/460, 273/153.R, 273/157.R, 273/153.S, 463 36- 37, 463 46- 47
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0846 characterised by the shape of the puzzle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• 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 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0613 Puzzles or games based on the use of optical filters or elements, e.g. coloured filters, polaroid filters, transparent sheets with opaque parts optical, colour or shadow toys A63H33/22
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0842 each group consisting of again a central element and a plurality of additional elements rotatable about three orthogonal axes at both ends, the additional elements being rotatable about at least two axes, e.g. Rubik's cube

Abstract

A puzzle includes light emitting diodes integrated in the puzzle in order to achieve a high level of interaction between the user and the puzzle. The puzzle can adapt to the players needs by increasing or decreasing the difficulty level or by giving the user hints. The puzzle functions not only as a puzzle but may also function as an ambient light (or object) of programmable color point (and layout) when not in use as a puzzle.

Claims

1. A game comprising:

a plurality of segments, each segment comprising a housing and a light module arranged inside said housing and configured to receive a control signal and to emit light of a color that is dependent on said control signal; and

a central processor configured to control said light modules and to provide a hint to continue the game in response to a request for the hint, wherein the request for the hint includes pressing a predetermined side of a segment,

wherein at least one segment of the plurality of segments has a plurality of processors,

wherein each of said segments comprises a transceiver configured to transmit to and receive signals from other segments, and

wherein said transceiver comprises a capacitive coupler, and wherein the capacitive coupler is configured to oscillate at a predetermined frequency that is representative of the segment.

2. The game according to claim 1, wherein said segments can be rearranged in a certain order so as to solve a puzzle.

3. The game according to claim 2, wherein said game is a 3-dimensional puzzle.

4. The game according to claim 3, further comprising a core, wherein said plurality of segments comprises 26 separate segments and said core mechanism is configured to hold together the 26 segments.

5. The game according to claim 1, wherein said light module comprises at least two light emitting diodes configured to radiate light of different colors.

6. The game according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of segments comprises a battery.

7. The game according to claim 6, wherein said battery is a rechargeable battery.

8. The game according to claim 1, wherein said central processor comprises a memory configured to store game rules.

9. The game according to claim 1, wherein said central processor is configured to receive an input signal indicative of at least one of a reset of the game, the request for the hint, a trigger to start another game and a command for turning off the game.

10. The game according to claim 1, wherein said central processor is configured to be programmed by a user by way of an external programming tool.

11. The game of claim 1, wherein central processor is further configured to provide the hint by flashing a light module at a side that should be moved.

12. The game of claim 1, wherein central processor is further configured to change a difficulty level of the game at a beginning of a play period.

13. The game of claim 1, wherein central processor is further configured to changes a difficulty level of the game during a play period.

14. The game of claim 1, wherein each segment comprises two contacts for contacting two neighboring contact points of a neighboring segment for providing redundant paths of communication between processors of neighboring segments.

15. The game of claim 1, wherein each segment includes a battery, and wherein the plurality of segments are electrically linked together via contact wires so that a total power from batteries of the plurality of segments in the segment is shared by the plurality of segments.

16. A game comprising:

a plurality of segments, each segment comprising a housing and a light module arranged inside said housing and configured to receive a control signal and to emit light of a color that is dependent on said control signal; and

a central processor configured to control said light modules and to provide a hint to continue the game in response to a request for the hint, wherein the request for the hint includes pressing a predetermined side of a segment,

wherein at least one segment of the plurality of segments has a plurality of processors, and

wherein each segment comprises contacts for connecting neighboring segments to each other for communication between processors of the neighboring segments, and wherein a color of a segment is changed to be a mix of colors of the neighboring segments.

17. A game comprising:

a plurality of segments, each segment comprising a housing and a light module arranged inside said housing and configured to receive a control signal and to emit light of a color that is dependent on said control signal; and

a central processor configured to control said light modules and to provide a hint to continue the game in response to a request for the hint, wherein the request for the hint includes pressing a predetermined side of a segment,

wherein at least one segment of the plurality of segments has a plurality of processors, and

wherein the at least one segment of the plurality of segments has a plurality of chambers, and wherein each chamber of the plurality of chambers has one processor of the plurality of processors.