Method and system for multiplayer multifunctional electronic surface gaming apparatus

• US 8,540,569 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2009
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eric G. Orlinsky
• Original Assignee: Eric Gustav Orlinsky
• Inventors: Orlinsky, Eric Gustav, Morris, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brewster, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): SKAARUP, JASON M
• Application Number:
  US12/554,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20100062846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/9, 463/30, 463/34, 463/37, 463/42, 345/156, 345/158, 345/173, 345/174, 273/237, 273/239, 273/248, 273/258, 273/285
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00078 Naval war
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/241 Touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/302 holographic
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6653 for altering the visibility of an object, e.g. preventing the occlusion of an object, partially hiding an object
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console
• 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: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means

Abstract

A method for electronic board game play by producing on a display surface a first image which is a field of play image that senses at least one object on the display surface. The object is proximate or in contact with the display surface thus forming on a table-top horizontal display surface, at least one game piece image overlaid on the field of play image, and determined by sensing a position of the object on the display surface.

Claims

1. A method for playing a board game comprising:

producing on a display surface a first image, wherein the first image is a game board image, and wherein the entire display surface is divided into a plurality of selectable regions;

sensing at least one object on the display surface, wherein the object is in contact with the display surface;

showing on the display surface at least one game piece image at a first position overlaid on the game board image, wherein the game piece image is created by sensing the object on the display surface;

moving the game piece image from the first position on the game board image to a second position on the game board image by contacting the object at the first position and subsequently at the second position; and

selectively rendering selected ones of said selectable regions unintelligible using optical louvers comprising one or more active filter elements.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the display surface further comprises a touch-sensitive screen adapted to accept player input for multiple player identities.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming game-specific shapes, symbols or letters indicating the position and progress of each game player.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying counter pieces for each player.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said active filter elements block from view at least a portion of the game board image by other players during play, by modifying electrical images, showing players perspectives, displayed via said active filter elements.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising a physical barrier connected to the display surface, said physical barrier shielding from view at least a portion of the game board image by other players during play.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said game pieces comprise non-physical game pieces.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said game pieces are holographic.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising rotating a perspective of the game board image according to a player having a turn.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the display surface comprises an internal adaptable central processing unit.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising enabling user input selected from the group consisting of:

selecting a game, identifying the game piece image for game play, taking a turn of play, and recognizing a player position relative to the display surface.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the display surface includes a memory device configured with software encoding at least one board game.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising loading a board game software product directly to the display surface.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising loading additions to games selected from alternative rules, ancillary products, limited edition games or game pieces.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising downloading games via wi-fi, Bluetooth, cellular, or internet connectivity.

16. The method according to claim 1, further providing for artificial intelligence.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the display surface comprises an embedded camera, and wherein said camera is configured as a gaze-tracking device so as to detect where a user'"'"'s eyes are focused, and wherein selected ones of said selectable regions are rendered unintelligible based on where the user'"'"'s eyes are detected as being focused.

18. A board game apparatus, comprising:

a display surface adapted to display a game board image;

a touch sensitive game board surface adapted to receive user input from a pointing device in contact with the touch sensitive game board surface, wherein the touch sensitive game board surface senses user input comprising movement of a pointing device from a first position to a second position;

a software driver wherein the software driver translates the sensed user input into movement of a game piece image from a first position to a second position;

the game piece image being moved from the first position on the game board image to a second position on the game board image by contacting the object at the first position and subsequently at the second position,

wherein the touch sensitive game board surface is adapted to receive input from multiple players, wherein the game system comprises no physical game pieces, and wherein the entire display surface is divided into a plurality of selectable regions, and selected ones of said selectable regions are selectively rendered unintelligible using optical louvers comprising one or more active filter elements.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the pointing device is selected from the group consisting of resistive devices, surface wave devices or capacitive devices.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18 further comprising a non-physical game piece.

21. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein a perspective of the game board image rotates according to one of the players having a turn.

22. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the display surface comprises a central processing unit adapted to accept user input.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the central processing unit is adapted to download a board game from a plurality of sources.

24. The apparatus according to claim 18 further comprising a shielding device to block from view at least a portion of the game board image.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the shielding device comprises a physical barrier detachable from the display surface.

26. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the shielding device comprises optical louvers for optically filtering the game board image.

27. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the display surface displays counter pieces for each player.

28. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the display surface is attached to a console.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the console comprises a means for connecting physical shielding devices.

30. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the console comprises a storage compartment.

31. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the console is collapsible, foldable, or flexible for storage.

32. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the display surface comprises an embedded camera, and wherein said camera is configured as a gaze-tracking device so as to detect where a player'"'"'s eyes are focused, and wherein selected ones of said selectable regions are rendered unintelligible based on where the player'"'"'s eyes are detected as being focused.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the display surface is attached to a console and wherein the console bears an exterior universal serial bus (USB).

34. A board game apparatus, comprising:

a display surface adapted to display a game board image, the display surface being divided into a plurality of selectable regions associated with a plurality of optical louvers;

a camera embedded in the display surface, wherein said camera is configured as a gaze-tracking device so as to detect where a player'"'"'s eyes are focused, wherein selected ones of said selectable regions are rendered unintelligible using the optical louvers based on where the player'"'"'s eyes are detected as being focused;

a touch sensitive game board surface adapted to receive user input from a pointing device in contact with the touch sensitive game board surface, wherein the touch sensitive game board surface senses user input comprising movement of a pointing device from a first position to a second position;

a software driver wherein the software driver translates the sensed user input into movement of a game piece image from a first position to a second position;

the game piece image being moved from the first position on the game board image to a second position on the game board image via user input by contacting the object at the first position and subsequently at the second position,

wherein the touch sensitive game board surface is adapted to receive input from multiple players, and wherein the game system comprises no physical game pieces.