Electronic word puzzle

• US 20040242295A1
• Filed: 05/27/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nabil N. Ghaly
• Original Assignee: Nabil N. Ghaly
• Inventors: Ghaly, Nabil N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,618,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0421 Electric word or number games

Abstract

A word puzzle device, method and apparatus, is disclosed which is based on the popular “find a word,” and “form a word” games. The puzzle employs logical structures to scramble an initial board display of characters, and requires a player to reconstruct the scrambled board before finding predefined words hidden in the display. The logical structures include a shift process, and a cause/effect process to change the position of characters in the display, or to replace characters with other characters based on predefined rules. When playing “form a word” game, a player is permitted to shift rows and/or columns, and/or activate control points to replace characters, to form as many new words as possibly can within a predetermined period of time. The puzzle device includes means to store a plurality of games, and input control mechanisms to enable a player to interact with the device. The device keeps a score that measures the player'"'"'s skills in solving the word puzzle.

Claims

1. A game device comprising:

a microprocessor or micro-controller to control the operation of the device,

plurality of input control mechanisms to enable a player to interact with the device,

computer memory to store game data,

an indicator subdivided into a plurality of playing positions, each of which is used to display a character from an alphabet, and

a control program executed on a processor that includes a first program segment to alter the alphabet display, and a second program segment that recognizes words.

2. A game device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a housing.

3. A game device as recited in claim 1 further comprising visual and sound effects.

4. A game device as recited in claim 1 wherein said first program segment to alter the display is based on shifting an entire row or column.

5. A game device as recited in claim 1 wherein said first program segment to alter the display is based on a plurality of control points, each of which effects a plurality of playing positions by replacing the characters at said playing positions with new characters based on predefined rules.

6. A game device as recited in claim 5 wherein said plurality of playing positions associated with a control point is defined by a geometric pattern.

7. A game device as recited in claim 6 wherein said geometric pattern is the same for each control point.

8. A game device as recited in claim 6 wherein each control point employs a different geometric pattern.

9. A game device as recited in claim 2 wherein said plurality of playing positions is mapped on the surface of a three-dimensional housing.

10. A game device as recited in claim 9, wherein said three-dimensional housing is in the form of a cube.

11. A game device as recited in claim 9, wherein said three-dimensional housing is in the form of a sphere.

12. A game device as recited in claim 10, wherein said first program segment to alter the display is based on shifting an entire perimeter strip of characters around the corresponding axis of the cube.

13. A game device as recited in claim 11, wherein said program segment to alter the display is based on shifting an entire circular arc of characters around its corresponding axis of the sphere.

14. A game device comprising:

a housing for the device,

a microprocessor or micro-controller to control the operation of the device,

plurality of input control mechanisms to enable a player to interact with the device,

computer memory to store game data,

an indicator subdivided into a plurality of playing positions, each of which is used to display a character from an alphabet,

means to scramble or modify the alphabetic display, and

means to recognize words on the display.

15. A game device as recited in claim 14, further comprising a structure to provide visual and sound effects.

16. A game device as recited in claim 14, wherein said means to scramble or modify the alphabetic display includes a logical structure to shift an entire row or column.

17. A game device as recited in claim 14, wherein said means to scramble or modify the display includes a logical structure that consists of a plurality of control points each of which effects a plurality of playing positions by replacing the characters at said playing positions with new characters based on predefined rules.

18. A game device comprising:

a housing for the device,

a microprocessor or micro-controller to control the operation of the device,

plurality of input control mechanisms to enable a player to interact with the device,

computer memory to store game data,

an indicator subdivided into a plurality of playing positions, each of which is used to display a character from an alphabet, and

a program segment to scramble the alphabetic display by shifting an entire row or column, and

means to recognize words on the display.

19. A game device as recited in claim 18, further comprising a plurality of control points, and a program segment which, upon the activation of a control point, will replace characters at playing positions associated with said control point with new characters based on predefined rules.

20. A method for providing an electronic word puzzle comprising:

generating an initial display board from a configuration of characters by scrambling said initial configuration,

providing control logic responsive to input control mechanisms to enable a player to unscramble the display for the purpose of finding hidden words or forming words, and evaluating if words selected by a player constitutes valid words.

21. The method recited in claim 20, wherein said control logic is based on shifting an entire row or column.

22. The method recited in claim 20, wherein said control logic is based on activating control points, each of which effects a plurality of playing positions by replacing characters at these playing positions with new characters based on predefined rules.

23. A game device comprising:

a housing for the device,

a microprocessor or micro-controller to control the operation of the device,

plurality of input control mechanisms to enable a player to interact with the device,

computer memory to store game data,

an indicator subdivided into a plurality of playing positions, each of which is used to display a character from an alphabet,

a program segment to scramble the alphabetic display by shifting an entire row, or an entire column, or by activating a plurality of control points, each of which affects a plurality of playing positions by replacing characters at these playing positions with new characters based on predefined rules, and

means to recognize words.