Puzzle with conductive path

• US 10,155,153 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2015
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sphero Inc.
• Original Assignee: LittleBits Electronics Inc (Sphero Inc.)
• Inventors: Binder, Yehuda
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Application Number:
  US14/607,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20150137448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/1016 the pieces having additional connections, i.e. in addition to the connection by the jig-saw shapes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/1066 completing a circuit if solved correctly
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/10 Two-dimensional jig-saw puzzles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/1011 Composition of faces, i.e. visages, using individual pieces representing parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/1044 Display boards therefor
• 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

System and method for additional amusement, entertaining and surprising visual or audible reward provided upon completing the reconstructing of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. The puzzle pieces include conductive pads connected by a conductor such as a wire, a metallic strip or a conductive paint, so that upon assembling the puzzle, the pads are in contact to form a continuous conductive path. The frame or the puzzle pieces include a battery (or an AC adapter) and a visual or audible signaling device operating upon sensing the continuity of the conductive path. Each of the puzzle pieces may include three or more conductive pads, allowing for the forming two or more isolated or connected distinct conductive paths. The conductive path can further affect a time measurement and its related display for timing the puzzle solving.

Claims

1. A set, comprising:

a plurality of electrically and mechanically connectable devices including a first device, a second device and a third device,

each of said first device, said second device and said third device being mechanically and electrically connectable to at least one other device from the plurality of devices,

said first device connectable to a power source,

said second device includes a first electrical component configured to perform a first function,

said third device includes a second electrical component configured to perform a second function different than the first function, said second electrical component is an annunciator configured to provide at least one of visual or audible signaling, and

firmware and a processor coupled to or incorporated within at least one device from the plurality of devices and configured to execute instructions embedded in said firmware, said processor being configured to control at least one of said first electrical component or said second electrical component,

each of said first, second and third devices includes a magnet configured to engage a magnet of another device from the plurality of devices to mechanically attach that device to the another device from the plurality of devices,

upon mechanically attaching said first device to said second device, and said second device to said third device, an electrical circuit is formed such that the second electrical component is controlled by the first electrical component and such that said second electrical component is powered by the power source.

2. The set according to claim 1, wherein the power source is a battery and said first device includes said battery and a connector configured to connect to the battery.

3. The set according to claim 2, wherein the battery is a primary type or a rechargeable type.

4. The set according to claim 3, wherein the battery is a coin-type battery.

5. The set according to claim 1, wherein said first electrical component is an electrical switch, and when the electrical circuit is formed, upon activating said switch, a current is passed from the power source to said second electrical component.

6. The set according to claim 5, wherein said switch is a single pole, single throw switch.

7. The set according to claim 5, wherein said switch is a pushbutton switch.

8. The set according to claim 1, wherein said annunciator includes a visual signaling device.

9. The set according to claim 8, wherein said visual signaling device is a visible light emitter.

10. The set according to claim 9, wherein said visible light emitter is a semiconductor device, an incandescent lamp, or a fluorescent lamp, and is configured to provide at least one of a steady illumination or blinking.

11. The set according to claim 1, wherein said annunciator includes an audible signaling device.

12. The set according to claim 11, wherein said audible signaling device includes an electromechanical sounder or a piezoelectric sounder.

13. The set according to claim 12, wherein said audible signaling device includes a buzzer, a chime, or a ringer.

14. The set according to claim 11, wherein said audible signaling device includes a loudspeaker and a digital to analog converter coupled to said loudspeaker.

15. The set according to claim 11, wherein said audible signaling device is configured to generate at least one of a single tone or multiple tones.

16. The set according to claim 11, wherein the sound emitted from said audible signaling device is a characteristic sound of one of a household appliance, a vehicle, an emergency vehicle, an animal, and a musical instrument.

17. The set according to claim 11, wherein the sound emitted from said audible signaling device is a song or a melody.

18. The set according to claim 11, wherein the sound emitted from said audible signaling device simulates a talking human voice.

19. The set according to claim 18, wherein the sound emitted from said audible signaling device is a syllable, a word, a phrase, a sentence, a short story, or a long story.

20. The set according to claim 19, wherein the sound emitted from said audible signaling device is based on speech synthesis or is pre-recorded.

21. The set according to claim 1, wherein said annunciator includes an electric motor.

22. The set according to claim 1, wherein said annunciator includes a time metering device.

23. The set according to claim 22, wherein said time metering device is configured to indicate a start time and a stop time and is controlled by said first electrical component.

24. The set according to claim 1, wherein said annunciator is a first annunciator, the set further comprising:

a fourth device including a second annunciator configured to provide at least one of visual or audible signaling.

25. The set according to claim 24, wherein one of said first annunciator and said second annunciator includes a visual indicator and the other of said first annunciator and said second annunciator includes an audible indicator.

26. The set according to claim 1, wherein:

upon mechanically attaching said first device, said second device and said third device, distinct and isolated first and second conductive paths are formed for each of said first device, said second device and said third device,

said first conductive path is associated with said first electrical component and said second conductive path is associated with said second electrical component.

27. The set according to claim 1, wherein:

the set is a game set, said plurality of devices is a plurality of game pieces;

said first device, said second device and said third device are each a game piece from the plurality of game pieces;

the game set being further associated with a theme or shape; and

at least one of said first electrical component or said second electrical component is associated with said theme or said shape.

28. The set according to claim 27, wherein:

said game set is a jigsaw puzzle and said plurality of game pieces is a plurality of puzzle pieces; and

each of said puzzle piece has a front surface containing a portion of an image such that an entire image is formed on a front surface of the jigsaw puzzle when all of said plurality of puzzle pieces have been correctly connected together.

29. The set according to claim 1, wherein each of said first device, said second device and said third device includes two or more conductive pads.

30. The set according to claim 29, wherein, when said first device is attached to said second device and said second device is attached to said third device, said two or more conductive pads of each of said first device, said second device and said third device are connected to form one or more conductive paths.

31. The set according to claim 29, wherein at least two of said two or more conductive pads are electrically connected using a conductor.

32. The set according to claim 1, wherein at least two of said devices from said plurality of devices have a similar shape or structure.

33. The set according to claim 1, wherein said first electrical component is a sensor configured to send an electrical output in response to detecting a physical phenomenon.

34. The set according to claim 33, wherein said second electrical component is activated in response to said electrical output of said sensor.

35. The set according to claim 33, wherein said sensor is a light sensor.

36. The set according to claim 33, wherein said sensor is a voltage sensor or a current sensor.

37. The set according to claim 33, wherein said sensor is a motion sensor or a pressure sensor.

38. The set according to claim 1, wherein said first device further includes the power source, said power source configured to be powered from a domestic AC power outlet, and

said set further comprises a power cord configured to connect the first device to the AC power outlet.

39. The set according to claim 38, further comprising:

an AC/DC adapter configured to be powered from the AC power outlet, said AC/DC adapter including a step-down transformer and an AC/DC converter for DC powering at least one of said first electrical component or said second electrical component.

40. The set according to claim 1, wherein said second electrical component includes a relay configured to be activated by the power source.

41. The set according to claim 40, wherein said relay is a mechanical relay or a solid-state relay.

42. The set according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of devices has a square shape or a rectangular shape.

43. The set according to claim 42, wherein each device from the plurality of devices has a square shape or a rectangular shape.

44. The set according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of devices has a circular shape or an elliptical shape.

45. The set according to claim 1, wherein said annunciator includes a display.

46. The set according to claim 45, wherein said display is configured to display a quantity or a number.

47. The set according to claim 45, wherein said display is an alphanumeric display configured to display digits.

48. The set according to claim 45, wherein said display is a liquid crystal based display.

49. The set according to claim 1, wherein each device from said plurality of devices defines an indentation and includes a protrusion and is mechanically attachable to another device from the plurality of devices by disposing said protrusion within said indentation of the another device.

50. The set according to claim 1, wherein each device from said plurality of devices has multiple sides, each of said multiple sides of one of said devices is mechanically attachable to one of said sides of another one of said devices.

51. The set according to claim 1, further comprising a timer configured to measure a time period.

52. The set according to claim 1, wherein each device from said plurality of devices is distinctly visually identifiable.

53. The set according to claim 52, wherein said first device has a first color, said second device has a second color different than the first color, and said third device has a color different than the first device and the second device.

54. The set of claim 1, wherein:

the first device, the second device and the third device each includes a base structure including a first electrical conductor, a second electrical conductor, a third electrical conductor and a fourth electrical conductor,

for each of the first device, the second device and the third device, at least one of the first electrical conductor, the second electrical conductor, the third electrical conductor or the fourth electrical conductor is disposed at a side surface of the base structure different than a side surface of the base structure at which at least one of the remaining the first electrical conductor, the second electrical conductor, the third electrical conductor or the fourth electrical conductor is disposed;

the first electrical component is coupled to the base structure of the second device and connected between the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor of the second device, the first electrical component configured to perform a function different than a function of the first electrical conductor, a function of the second electrical conductor, a function of the third electrical conductor and a function of the fourth electrical of the second device,

the first electrical conductor of the first device configured to engage the first electrical conductor of the second device to electrically couple the first device to the second device,

the second electrical conductor of the second device configured to engage the first electrical conductor of the third device to electrically couple the second device to the third device,

upon mechanically attaching said first device to said second device, and said second device to said third device, the electrical circuit is formed via the first electrical conductor of the second device and the second electrical conductor of the second device and electrical current passes from the second device to the third device via the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor of the second device.

55. The set according to claim 54, wherein said first electrical component is an electrical switch.

56. The set according to claim 54, wherein said first electrical component is an annunciator configured to provide at least one of visual or audible signaling.

57. The set according to claim 56, wherein said annunciator includes a visual signaling device.

58. The set according to claim 57, wherein said visual signaling device is a visible light emitter.

59. The set according to claim 56, wherein said annunciator includes an audible signaling device.

60. The set according to claim 59, wherein said audible signaling device includes an electromechanical sounder or a piezoelectric sounder.

61. The set according to claim 59, wherein said audible signaling device includes a loudspeaker and a digital to analog converter coupled to said loudspeaker.

62. The set according to claim 54, wherein said plurality of electrically and mechanically connectable devices is a plurality of game pieces that includes the first device, the second device and the third device, and the set is further associated with a theme or shape, and said first electrical component is associated with said theme or said shape.

63. The set according to claim 62, wherein said plurality of game pieces is a plurality of puzzle pieces included in a jigsaw puzzle and each puzzle piece from said plurality of puzzle pieces has a front surface containing a portion of an image such that a whole image will be visible on the jigsaw puzzle when each puzzle piece from said plurality of puzzle pieces has been correctly connected together.

64. The set according to claim 54, wherein said first electrical component is a sensor configured to send an output in response to detection of a physical phenomenon.

65. The set according to claim 64, wherein said sensor is a light sensor.

66. The set according to claim 64, wherein said sensor is a voltage sensor or a current sensor.

67. The set according to claim 64, wherein said sensor is a motion sensor or a pressure sensor.

68. The set according to claim 54, wherein said first electrical component includes a display.

69. The set according to claim 68, wherein said display is configured to display a quantity or a number.

70. The set according to claim 68, wherein said display is an alphanumeric display configured to display digits.

71. The set according to claim 54, wherein the first electrical conductor of the second device is coupled to one of an indentation defined by the base structure of the second device and a protrusion of the base structure of the second device and the second electrical conductor of the second device is coupled to the other one of the indentation and the protrusion of the second device,

the second device is couplable to the first device by attaching said one of the indentation and the protrusion of the second device to one of a mating protrusion and mating indentation on the first device, and couplable to the third device by attaching the other one of the indentation and the protrusion of the second device to one of a mating protrusion and mating indentation on the third device.

72. A system, comprising:

a first device having a magnet section and a first electrical component, the first device connectable to a power source;

a second device having a magnet section and a second electrical component; and

a third device having a magnet section and a third electrical component,

each of the first device, the second device and the third device being attachable to each other by engagement of its magnet section to the magnet section of a remaining of the first device, the second device and the third device,

upon mechanically attaching the first device to the second device and upon mechanically attaching the second device to the third device, an electrical circuit is defined such that the second electrical component and the third electrical component are powered from the power source and controlled by the first electrical component during operation of the first device, the second device and the third device, and the electrical circuit performs a first function, a second function and a third function,

the first device configured to perform the first function, not the second function and not the third function,

the second device configured to perform the second function, not the first function and not the third function,

the third device configured to perform the third function, not the first function and not the second function,

each of the first device, the second device and the third device define a first conductive path and a second conductive path that is distinct and electrically isolated from the first conductive path,

the first conductive path and the second conductive path for each of the first device, the second device and the third device, define a portion of the electrical circuit.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein:

at least one of the first electrical component, the second electrical component, or the third electrical component includes a switch or an audio indicator device.

74. The system of claim 72, wherein:

each of the first device, the second device and the third device is interengagable;

each of the first device, the second device and the third device has an indentation and a mating protrusion;

each of the first device, the second device and the third device are further mechanically attachable to the remaining of the first device, the second device and the third device by engaging the mating indentation of that device with the protrusion of one of the remaining of the first device, the second device and the third device.