INTERACTIVE MODULAR TILE SYSTEM

• US 20100052253A1
• Filed: 10/01/2007
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting BV (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Dirkx, Hubertus Cornelius Antonius, Macura, Marko, Marzano, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,215,642 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/237
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/068 hexagonal
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2442 Sensors or detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2451 using illumination, e.g. with lamps
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2452 as a signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2457 Display screens, e.g. monitors, video displays
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2463 on a screen, e.g. using a video projector
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/247 audible, e.g. using a loudspeaker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2494 Battery, e.g. dry cell
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/215 Hop-scotch
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• 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 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32

Abstract

The interactive modular tile system of the invention comprises a plurality of modular interactive tiles (11, 13). The system comprises electronic circuitry which is operative to determine a configuration of the plurality of modular interactive tiles, and determine whether a game can be played, which game can be played and/or which variation of a game can be played with the determined configuration. The computer program product of the invention enables a programmable device to function as the interactive modular tile system of the invention.

Claims

1. An interactive modular tile system comprising a plurality of modular interactive tiles (11, 13), the system comprising electronic circuitry (21), the electronic circuitry (21) being operative to:

determine (1) a configuration of the plurality of modular interactive tiles (11, 13); and

determine (3) whether a game can be played, which game can be played and/or which variation of a game can be played with the determined configuration.

2. An interactive modular tile system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic circuitry (21) indicates where at least one of the plurality tiles (13) should be placed in order to play a certain game or a certain variation of a game.

3. An interactive modular tile system as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of tiles (11, 13) indicates that a further tile (13) should be placed next to the one tile in order to play the certain game or the certain variation of the game.

4. An interactive modular tile system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of tiles (11, 13) are hexagonal in shape.

5. An interactive modular tile system as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of tiles (11, 13) acts as a master tile (11) having a main power supply (23).

6. An interactive modular tile system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the tiles have connectors (25) allowing the master tile (11) and further ones of the tiles (13) to be stacked and allowing batteries of the further ones of the tiles (13) to be charged when the master tile (11) and the further ones of the tiles (13) are stacked.

7. An interactive modular tile system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least some of the tiles (11, 13) comprise lights and/or displays (33).

8. A computer program product enabling a programmable device to function as the system of claim 1.