Intelligent game system including intelligent foldable three-dimensional terrain

• US 8,974,295 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2010
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tweedletech, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tweedletech, LLC
• Inventors: Maharbiz, Michel Martin, Jaqua, Steve, Morichau-Beauchant, Theodore
• Primary Examiner(s): Harper, Tramar
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANH-VO V
• Application Number:
  US12/878,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20100331083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,643 Days
• Field of Search: 463/30, 273/237, 446/478, 446/488
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00223 shaped as a container into which playing pieces may enter box or container for board games A63F2003/00943
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00258 rollable, flexible or deformable board shaped as an endless belt A63F2003/00321; flexible rim A63F2003/00504
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00394 with a surface relief
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00662 with an electric sensor for playing pieces A63F2009/2444 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00668 using hall effect
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2419 Optical
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/242 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2467 of a slide
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/247 audible, e.g. using a loudspeaker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2486 the computer being an accessory to a board game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2489 by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00003 Types of board games chess A63F3/02; educational board games A63F3/04
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00214 Three-dimensional game boards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00895 Accessories for board games A63F3/00697 takes precedence; game accessories of general use A63F11/00

Abstract

An intelligent game system and apparatus comprises one or more sensors, a controller, a projector, one or more game pieces and one or more foldable three-dimensional terrain pieces. The game board and terrain pieces comprise one or more sensors each having an identifier for sensing when a game piece or terrain piece is located on the game board and/or terrain piece. The sensors obtain object information from the game pieces and/or terrain pieces and transfer the object information to a controller. The sensors of the terrain pieces transfer the object information to the sensor of the terrain piece below them until the bottom terrain piece transfer the object information to a game board sensor. The controller is thereby able to track properties of the game and/or terrain pieces, such as position, and adjust the gameplay accordingly.

Claims

1. An intelligent game system comprising:

a. a game board comprising one or more game board sensors;

b. one or more game pieces each comprising game piece object information capable of being read by the game board sensors;

c. one or more three-dimensional objects each having a hollow body including a plurality of levels and one or more object sensors, wherein the plurality of levels are positioned on the hollow body, wherein an inner level of the levels is positioned within a hollow portion of the hollow body and an elevated level of the levels is positioned such that when one of the three-dimensional objects is on top of the game board the elevated level is substantially elevated above the game board;

d. interface electronics coupled to receive the game piece object information from each game board sensor;

e. a controller coupled to receive the game piece object information of each game board sensor from the interface electronics, and to associate the game piece object information with a portion of an image;

f. a non-transitory storage media, programmed with instructions for implementing a game, and configured to be read by the controller; and

g. a projector, coupled to receive image information from the controller, wherein the projector receives image information from the controller and projects the image onto the surface of the game board sensors based on the image information received from the controller;

wherein the one or more object sensors are configured to sense the one or more game pieces when the one or more game pieces are positioned on the plurality of levels of the three-dimensional object; and

wherein the one or more object sensors are configured to sense the one or more game pieces when one or more game pieces are positioned within the inner level within the hollow portion of the hollow body of the three-dimensional object.

2. The intelligent game system of claim 1 wherein each level corresponds to a different elevation above the game board.

3. The intelligent game system of claim 2 wherein the one or more object sensors are configured to sense when one or more additional three-dimensional objects are positioned on top of the plurality of levels.

4. The intelligent game system of claim 3 wherein when the one or more three-dimensional objects sense the one or more game pieces or the one or more additional three-dimensional objects, the three-dimensional object communicates presence of the one or more game pieces or the one or more additional three-dimensional objects to at least one of the one or more game board sensors located underneath the three-dimensional object.

5. The intelligent game system of claim 4 wherein at least one of the one or more three-dimensional objects and or the one or more additional three-dimensional objects comprise object information that uniquely identifies the corresponding three-dimensional object and or additional three-dimensional object.

6. The intelligent game system of claim 5 wherein the object information comprises an object identifier that is an RFID tag or a bar code.

7. The intelligent game system of claim 6 wherein the one or more game board sensors that can read the object information when the one or more three-dimensional objects are located on top of one or more of the one or more game board sensors.

8. The intelligent game system of claim 1 wherein the one or more three-dimensional objects further comprise one or more folding lines configured to bend such that the one or more three-dimensional objects can be arranged into three-dimensional shapes.

9. The intelligent game system of claim 8 wherein at least one of the one or more three-dimensional objects further comprise object information capable of being read by the one or more game board sensors.

10. The intelligent game system of claim 9 wherein the object information and game piece object information comprise identifiers.

11. The intelligent game system of claim 1 wherein the projector adjusts the image based on the position of the one or more three-dimensional objects.

12. The intelligent game system of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more game board sensors correspond to a portion of the image.

13. A three-dimensional object for use with a game board having one or more game board sensors, the three-dimensional object comprising:

a. a planar body having one or more fasteners;

b. one or more object sensors within the body;

c. object information capable of being read by the one or more game board sensors, wherein the object information comprises an object identifier that uniquely identifies the three-dimensional object such that three dimensional object is able to be distinguished from other three-dimensional object of the same type; and

d. one or more folding lines formed by a flexible portion of the body;

wherein the fasteners and the folding lines are positioned along the body such that when folded along the folding lines and held together by the fasteners, the three-dimensional object forms a predetermined non-flat shape having a hollow body, and further wherein the non-flat shape comprises a plurality of levels positioned on the hollow body, wherein an inner level of the levels is positioned within a hollow portion of the hollow body and an elevated level of the levels is positioned such that when the three-dimensional object is on top of the game board in the non-flat shape, the elevated level is substantially elevated above the game board;

wherein the one or more object sensors are configured to sense the one or more game pieces when the one or more game pieces are positioned on the plurality of levels of the three-dimensional object; and

wherein the one or more object sensors are configured to sense the one or more game pieces when one or more game pieces are positioned within the inner level within the hollow portion of the hollow body of the three-dimensional object.

14. The three-dimensional object of claim 13 wherein each level corresponds to a different elevation above the game board.