Interactive system for simulating a treasure hunt

• US 8,814,644 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2010
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bernard Trouvilliez
• Original Assignee: Bernard Trouvilliez
• Inventors: Trouvilliez, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): HARPER, TRAMAR YONG
• Application Number:
  US13/380,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20120115559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: 463/9
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2472 Buzzer, beep or electric bell
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2488 Remotely playable
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2489 by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2011/0079 keeping something hidden or invisible
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0076 Games representing technical, industrial or scientific activities, e.g. oil exploration, space ship navigation games
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/30 Capturing games for grabbing or trapping objects, e.g. fishing games

Abstract

An interactive system for simulating a treasure hunt, comprising a plurality of pseudo-treasures (1) distributed over a playing area (5), and a detector (6) which is allocated to each player (7, 20, 21) and is suitable for scanning over the playing area (5) and detecting at least one pseudo-treasure (1), characterized in that said system further comprises means (24) suitable for allocating, to each player (7, 20, 21), at least one specific pseudo-treasure (1) to be found within a predetermined time period, each pseudo-treasure (1) comprising identification means and each detector (6) being suitable for identifying the scanned pseudo-treasures (1) and indicating the pseudo-treasure or treasures (1) found within the set time period.

Claims

1. An interactive system configured to simulate a treasure hunt comprising:

a plurality of pseudo-treasures distributed over a playing area buried or located just above the ground visibility, and a detector located at the extremity of a support tube allocated to at least one player, the detector configured to scan the playing area and detect at least one pseudo-treasure of the plurality of pseudo-treasures, the plurality of pseudo-treasures each configured to transmit an encoded magnetic signal and an encoded magnetic field and the detector configured to sense the magnetic field of the plurality of pseudo-treasures, and to analyze said signal to indicate whether the plurality of pseudo-treasures are located within the allotted time, and

at least one computer configured to allocate, to the at least one player, at least one specific pseudo-treasure to be located within a predetermined period, the at least one computer configured to generate, for the at least one player, at least one goal table randomly with the pseudo-treasures current or available to be located by a player, during each game match, each pseudo-treasure comprising identification means, and the detector being configured to identify the scanned pseudo-treasures in response to magnetically communicating with the scanned pseudo-treasures and indicate the pseudo-treasure(s) located in the allotted period,

said system further comprising at least one of the following means;

means configured to dig a virtual hole in response to the at least one player physically moving the detector when a pseudo-treasure among the plurality of pseudo-treasures is located by the at least one player, and

means configured to open an element containing a prize or winnings allocated to the a located pseudo-treasure when said pseudo-treasure(s) is located.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the computer comprises means configured to determine, in real-time, the timing schedule of the pseudo-treasures according to the players present in the playing area and the evolution of their game.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the pseudo-treasures and each of the detectors are, respectively, capacitive or ultrasound or infrared or high-frequency transmitters and receivers.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising means for determining the parameter coordinates of each of the pseudo-treasures and means for detecting the spatial coordinates of each of the detectors on the playing area.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein each of the pseudo-treasures is passive and able to able to absorb a magnetic field emitted by each of the detectors.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the pseudo-treasures and each of the detectors are, respectively, magnetic, capacitive or infrared sensors and transmitted.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a sound assistance device configured to at least broadcast messages to the player and/or to perform a sound and light animation varying according to the proximity of the detector of the player relative to the pseudo-treasure to be located.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising means configured to display, for the at least one player, a located pseudo-treasure.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means configured to dig a virtual hole includes removing a plurality of physical elements stored in a first physical container.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of physical elements covers a first identifier that identifies a respective pseudo-treasure, and wherein the means configured to dig a virtual hole further includes transferring the plurality of physical elements from the first physical container to a second container such that the identifier is exposed.