Method and apparatus for playing a quiz game

• US 6,497,412 B1
• Filed: 09/08/2000
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peter J. Bramm
• Original Assignee: Peter J. Bramm
• Inventors: Bramm, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierce, William M.
• Application Number:
  US09/658,521
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 273/429, 273/430, 273/431, 273/432
• US Class Current: 273/430
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/183 electric

Abstract

A quiz game in which a player must attempt to answer one or more questions in a selected category employs a method for selecting the category to enhance the fairness of the game over a wide range of players'"'"' ages. At least one attribute of the category is selected by chance and at least one other attribute of the category is selected based on an individual preference of the player, wherein the selected category is defined by all of the selected attributes. Basing the category selection at least in part on the individual preference of the player increases the player'"'"'s chances of correctly answering the question(s). Such a category selection method may be beneficially employed in an audio quiz game (e.g., a music trivia game) that includes a source of categorized questions and answers, an audio playing device that can selectively access and play pre-stored audio clips, and one or more selectors for selecting the by-chance attribute(s) of the category. The audio quiz game preferably utilizes an audio playing device that receives the category attributes, automatically retrieves the corresponding audio clip based on the entered attributes, and plays the clip at the instruction of the player. The game may be implemented as a discrete set of game components, or electronically as a hand-held game unit or as software to facilitate play between remote computer users over a network, such as the Internet.

Claims

1. In a game in which a player attempts to answer at least one question in a category, a method for a player whose turn is currently in process to select the category for the at least one question, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting at least a first attribute-of the category based on an individual preference of the player; and

selecting at least a second attribute of the category by chance, wherein the at least a first attribute and the at least a second attribute together define the category.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a first attribute of the category comprises a first time period.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least a second attribute of the category comprises a second time period within the first time period.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first time period is a decade.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second time period is a year of the decade.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the category relates to music and wherein the at least a first attribute of the category comprises at least one of a type of music and a genre of music.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a second attribute of the category comprises a recognition attribute.

8. A method for playing a game in which a player attempts to provide an answer to at least one question after listening to an audio clip related to the at least one question, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a source of questions and answers, the questions and answers being arranged into a plurality of categories, each category including at least one question and answer;

providing an audio source containing'"'"'s electively accessible audio clips, each audio clip containing information relating to a corresponding category of questions and answers;

selecting, by a player whose turn-is currently in process, a category of the plurality of categories to produce a selected category by selecting at least a first attribute of the category based on an individual preference of the player and selecting at least a second attribute of the category by chance, wherein the at least a first attribute and the at least a second attribute together define the selected category; and

playing the audio clip from the audio source, the audio clip relating to the selected category.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

playing the audio clip a second time prior to an attempt to answer the at least one question.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the audio clip comprises music.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein each question in the selected category has a predetermined number of points associated therewith, and wherein the method further comprises the step of:

receiving the predetermined number of points for each question in the selected category that is answered correctly.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

receiving a token for correctly answering all of the questions in the selected category.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

indicating, by another player, an intention to attempt to answer the at least one question in the selected category before the player whose turn is currently in process attempts to answer the at least one question; and

attempting to answer, by the other player, the at least one question in the selected category.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each question in the selected category has a predetermined number of points associated therewith and wherein the method further comprises the step of:

receiving, by the other player, the predetermined number of points for each question in the selected category that is answered correctly.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

attempting to answer any questions incorrectly answered by the other player in the event that the other player does not correctly answer all of the questions in the selected category.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

subtracting, by the other player, an aggregate number of points associated with all questions in the selected category in the event that the other player answers all of the questions in the selected category incorrectly.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

returning, by the other player, a token in the event that the other player answers all of the questions in the selected category incorrectly.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

receiving, by the other player, a token for correctly answering all of the questions in the selected category.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of indicating occurs before the step of selecting a category.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of indicating occurs before the step of selecting a category.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of indicating comprises the step of:

presenting an indici to all players of the game, wherein the indicia indicates an the at least one question in the selected category.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

obtaining, by the other player, the indicia by chance during a turn initiated by the other player.

23. An apparatus for playing a game in which a player attempts to answer at least one question in a category, the apparatus comprising:

a source of questions and answers, the questions and answers being arranged into a plurality of categories, each category including at least one question and answer; and

at least one selector for selecting, by chance, at least a first attribute of a plurality of attributes defining a selected category of questions and answers, the plurality of attributes including at least a second attribute selected based on an individual preference of the player.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the source of questions and answers comprises a source of questions and a source of answers, and wherein the source of questions comprises a plurality of areas of the at least one selector.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

an indicia for indicating an intention of another player to attempt to answer the questions in the selected category before the player whose turn is currently in process attempts to answer the questions.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the indicia is a labeled card.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one selector comprises two spinners for selecting the at least a first attribute.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein a first spinner of the two spinners is used to select a recognition attribute and wherein a second spinner of the two spinners is used to select a time attribute, the time attribute comprising a first time period within a second time period selected based on the individual preference of the player.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein a first spinner of the two spinners resembles a 33 ⅓

-RPM speed record album and wherein a second spinner of the two spinners resembles a 45-RPM speed record album.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

an audio playing device for playing an audio clip, the audio clip being selectively accessible and relating to the selected category of questions and answers, wherein the player attempts to answer at least one question in the selected category after listening to the audio clip.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the audio playing device includes a display for presenting an identifier associated with a location in the source of questions and answers that contains the questions and answers for the selected category.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the audio playing device comprises:

a user input device for inputting the plurality of attributes and an indication of a desire by the player to listen to the audio clip;

at least one digital storage device for storing a plurality of audio clips, the plurality of audio clips including the audio clip;

at least one processor operably coupled to the user input device and the at least one digital storage device, the at least one processor receiving the plurality of attributes and the indication from the user input device, determining the selected category of questions and answers based on the plurality of attributes, and retrieving the audio clip from the at least one digital storage device based on the selected category of questions and answers;

an audio display device, operably coupled to the at least one processor, for audibly playing the audio clip; and

memory, operably coupled to the at least one processor, for storing at least one database relating the selected category of questions and answers to the audio clip, the at least one database being searchable by the at least one processor.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the user input device includes a data input portion and an audio control portion, the data input portion facilitating input of the plurality of attributes and the audio control portion enabling the player to indicate a desire to listen to the audio clip.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising:

an alpha-numeric display, operably coupled to the at least one processor, for displaying an identifier associated with a location in the source of questions and answers that contains the questions and answers for the selected category.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the audio display device comprises at least one speaker.

36. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the user input device further enables the player to indicate a desire to replay the audio clip at least once.

37. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the at least one digital storage device comprises at least one of a flash memory card, a CD-ROM, a digital versatile disk (DVD), a floppy disk, and a magnetic tape.

38. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the source of questions and answers and the at least one selector are implemented in at least one of software and firmware.

39. An audio playing device, comprising:

a user input device for inputting a plurality of attributes relating to an audio category and for inputting an indication of a desire by a user to listen to an audio clip from the audio category;

at least one digital storage device for storing a plurality of audio clips, the plurality of audio clips including the audio clip;

at least one processor operably coupled to the user input device and the at least one digital storage device, the at least one processor receiving the plurality of attributes and the indication from the user input device, and retrieving the audio clip from the at least one digital storage device based on the plurality of attributes;

an audio display device, operably coupled to the at least one processor, for audibly playing the audio clip; and

memory, operably coupled to the at least one processor, for storing at least one database relating the plurality of attributes to the audio clip, the at least one database being searchable by the at least one processor.

40. The audio playing device of claim 39, wherein the user input device includes a data input portion and an audio control portion, the data input portion facilitating input of the plurality of attributes and the audio control portion enabling the user to indicate a desire to listen to the audio clip.

41. The audio playing device of claim 39, wherein the audio display device comprises at least one audio amplifier and at least one speaker.

42. The audio playing device of claim 39, wherein the user input device further enables the user to indicate a desire to replay the audio clip at least once.

43. The audio playing device of claim 39, wherein the at least one digital storage device comprises at least one of a flash memory card, a CD-ROM, a digital versatile disk (DVD), a floppy disk, and a magnetic tape.

44. The audio playing device of claim 39, wherein the audio playing device is used to play a game in which a player attempts to answer at least one question related to the audio clip after listening to the audio clip, the audio playing device further comprising:

an alpha-numeric display, operably coupled to the at least one processor, for displaying an identifier associated with a location in a source of questions and answers that contains an answer to the at least one question.

45. The audio playing device of claim 39, wherein the plurality of attributes includes at least a first attribute selected by the user by chance and at least a second attribute selected based on an individual preference of the user.

46. A storage medium for use with an audio playing device that includes a user input device, at least one digital storage device, at least one processor, and an audio display device, the storage medium comprising:

memory including operating instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to;

receive, from the user input device, a plurality of attributes relating to an audio category and an indication of a desire by a user to listen to an audio clip from the audio category;

retrieve the audio clip from the at least one digital storage device based on the plurality of attributes; and

provide the audio clip to the audio display device for presentment of the audio clip to the user.

47. The storage medium of claim 46, wherein the plurality of attributes includes at least a first attribute selected by the user by chance and at least a second attribute selected based on an individual preference of the user.

48. In a game in which a player attempts to answer at least one question in a category, a method for selecting the category for the at least one question, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting, during play of the game, at least a first attribute of the category based on an individual preference of the player; and

selecting, during play of the game, at least a second attribute of the category by chance, wherein the at least a first attribute and the at least a second attribute together define the category.

49. A method for playing a game in which a player attempts to provide an answer to at least one question, the game including a source of questions and answers, the questions and answers being arranged into a plurality of categories, each category including at least one question and answer, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting, during play of the game, a category of the plurality of categories to produce a selected category by selecting at least a first attribute of the category based on an individual preference of the player and selecting at least a second attribute of the category by chance, wherein the at least a first attribute and the at least a second attribute together define the selected category; and

attempting to answer a question in the selected category.