CA1260974A - Riddle picture with hidden figure - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT
In a three-dimensional riddle picture, code bits are arranged on an object distributed in all three space planes.
The wanted code information in thee form of a two-dimensional picture is obtained only when the three-dimensional object is looked at from a certain viewing direction. The three-dimensionally arranged code bits then lose their depth effect and combine to form a two-dimensional image.

Description

~2~ '7~

Riddle P-cture Wit-h Hldden-El~ure ,, The invention relateg to a riddle Picture with a hidden figure, where before a background a number of code bits are arranged in which the code information sought is hidden.
The starting point here i8 a so-called puzzle picture as it has beco~ known in a variety of forms. What-all formg of realization have in common is that there i8 before a background a number of code bits - appearing at first to be irregularly distributed - e.g. in the form of dashes, lines and other graphic elements. Only after looking at them for scme time, the observer is able to see several code bits in a pattern, so that in the end the hidden figure can be discovered in the picture in the form of the wanted code information.
A disadvantage of the known, two-dimengional puzzle picture is that as a rule the viewer must distinguigh only between important and unimportant code bits to discover the hidden figure ~wanted code information). Another disadvantage is that the puzzle picture cannot be used for other than graphic purpoaes. It is and re-mains bound to the plane, with the result that its uses are limited.
The present invention has set itself the task to develop a riddle picture accord-ing to the introductory part of claim 1 in such a way that its areas of use are substantially enlarged, and at the same time the wanted code information is to be ~tectable according to a fundamentally different principle not anticipated by the viewer.
To solve the problem posed, the invention is characterized in that the riddle picture is three-dimensional, that the code bits are arranged distributed in all three space planes on an object, and that the wanted code information is recognizable only in a certain viewing direction onto the object.
An essential fea~ure of the present Lnvention therefore is the three-dimensionality of the rLddle picture of the invention. This results in entirely new purpose~ of use, as will be explained below.
A three-dimensional riddle picture can be distributed, for example, as an adver-tising gift. In this connection, the ob~ect Ln claLm 3 is preferably a transparentblock consisting of stacked layer3 of trangparen~ glag8 or plastLc plate~ on whLch the code bi~s are arranged in the form of differently digtribu~ed code eler~n~s. On each plate, therefore, code hit8 of different digtribution are arranged. If the plates are fitted together 8t~cked a~ a block, thi8 block can be turned and viewed ;n all three space planes. At fir6t the viewer ~-ees only a random accumulation of code elements on th~ variou8 stacked pla~eg. Only if he turns the ob~ect in a specific direction, all code elementg of all plates combine as the looked-for code information, which may be, for example, a figure~ an advertising text, a telephone number or other information.
With the given technical teaching according to claim 1 the advantage is thus obtained that all code bits are part of the wanted code information. It i8 no longer a matter of distinguishing important from unimportant code bits and separa-ting them from one another by association with some effort of memory retention. So recognition of the hidden figure follows another interesting search principle, because all code ~ts contained in the riddle picture are part of the wanted code Lnformation.
According to claim 2, it is provided that the riddle picture consists of several wanted code informations, which are arranged distributed on the object. To each code information a certain viewing directio~is correlated, 80 that if in a certain viewing direction one code information is recognizablç, the others sre not.
The viewer turns the object in his hand so that he looks at the object in success-ive, different viewing directions and recognizes successively different code informa-tions.
In analogy to prLnting methods, a special form of manufacture results if the code elements distributed on the transparent plates are represented by the differently heavy dots of a r~egular printer's screen. The wanted code lnformation may then be a black-and-white or color photograph resolved by the screen.
To expand the application as toy, it is provided according to claim 4 that the transparent plates are arranged in a mount or a transparent container so as to allow taking the plates apart and arranging them differently.

~ 3 ~

This establishes a so-called riddle picture principle, that i~, ~hc plate~ can be arranged in the mount or container in a dlfferent order and orlentation. It then takes many trials to arrange the plates ln the correct orientatLon and order in such a way tha~ from a certain viewing direction the looked-for code info~nation is found.
It should be added further that the code lnformation may also be such that with a background code information a continuous, monochromatic surface is formed, before which an additional code information appearg in a different color when the riddle picture is viewed by the observer in the correct viewing direction. Thus we have in addition to the through-view (transmitted light) principle also the frontal view (incident light) principle.
The three-dimensional riddle picture is, however, not limited to fixation in a glass or plastic block. The present invention comprises all possibi~ties that permit the arrangement of code bits which stand out from a background in all three space planes. In the first embodiment the code bits were provided in the form of dark code elements which stand out from a bright background. Conversely it is equally possible to provide brigh~ code bits before a dark background.
In another embodiment of the invention it i8 provlded that the object is a three-dimensional holding device on which the code bits are arranged in the form of differ-ently distributed code dots.
ne can conceive of such a three-dimensional object for instance as a stylized llchristmas tree." Such an object is eminently suitable for example for advertising purposes in exhibits or in show windows.
An outstanding advertising effect results if one selects the code dots in the form of punctiform light sources (e.g. as light-emltting diodes). Such a three-dlmensional object is an excellent eye catcher in exhibits or show windows.
When the visitor views this obJect from a certain viewing angle, the code dots compose the wanted code information.
Besides the use of active code bits in the form of punctiform light sources also passive code bits can be used, e.g. in the form of mirrors. These triple mirror ~ 4 ~ ~2~

beams reflect received light back to the viewer, 80 that they rnay be referred to as passive punctiform light sources. An advanta~e of these pas~ive elements is that the wiring of the light-emitting diodes is obviated.
In a variant of the present invention it i~ provided to fo~m the display of a digital indication, e.g. a digital indLcation of tirne, temperature, barometric pressure and the like, as such a three-dimensional riddle picture. The digital in:
dication could then be read only from a certain viewing direction, while from all other viewing directions only the scattered individual elements of the digital dis-play (the code bits~, but not the digital indication itself (the code information) appear.
The present invention covers not only the subject matter of the individual claims, but also the combination thereof.
All data and features dlsclosed in the documents, in particular the three-dimen-sional realization illustrated in the drawings,are claimed as essential to the inven-tion insofar as they are singly or in combination novel relative to the state of the art. -In the following, the invention will be explained more specifically with refer-ence to drawings illustrating several forms of realization. From the drawings and their description additional features essential to the invention and advantages of the invention will be evident.
Figure 1 shows a three-dimcnsional riddle picture in the form of a glass or plastic block, in perspective,;~
Figure 2, a separate representation of the stackcd glass or plastic plates;
Figure 3, ~he wanted information which results when viewlng the glass or plastic block according to Figure l;
Figure 4, a perspective view of a three-dimensLonal rLddle picture Ln a second form of realL~a~ion;
Figure 5, the wanted infor~ation which result~ when viewing the ob3ect according to Figure 4;

3~

Figure 6, a schematically drawn top view of a riddle yicture in a first viewing direction;
Figure 7, a top view of the riddle picture according to Figure 6 in a second viewing direction;
Figure 8, a top view of the riddle picture according to Figure 6 in a third viewing direction.
In the embodiment shown in Figure~ 1 to 3, the three-dimensional riddle picture consists of a transparent block 1 consigting of several stacked plates 2,3,4,5.
Each plate 2,3,4,5 comprises differently digtributed code elements 6,7,8,9, which may be identical or different in ~ize and form.
The code elements may consist of dots, da~hes, curved lines, arrows, triangle~
and the like. When viewing block 1 in viewing direction 10, there results the code information 11 shown in Figure 3, e.g. in the form of an advertisement. All code elements 5 to 9 contained on plates 2 to 5 then combine to form the wanted code in-formation 11.
An importan~ point h~re i8 that the individual letters or numbers of the code information are composed from different code elements 6 to 9 of different plates 2 to 5. For example, the letter "S" is composed of code dashes 7,8,9, which are con-tained on the three plates 3,4,5.
The code elements can be produced by a printing process on the plateæ, e.g.
screen printing, or by a photo-mechanical reproduction proce~s.
Similarly al80 photos can serve as pattern for a riddle picture. The photo is resolved in raster points in different planes, each plane being associated with a glass or plastfc plate which i~ imprinted on its front or back with the respective raster (6creen~ dots. Only when viewed from a certain direction, all ra~ter do~
will then fit together 80 that the photo i8 visible a8 hidden riddle information.
Figures 4 and 5 show an additional embodiment. Here the three-dimen~ional riddle picture is formed as a vertically standing holder 12, on which struts 13,14,15~16 pointing into any desired space planes are arranged one above the other. On the - 6 ~

struts, code dots 17,18,19,20,21 in the form of puncti~orm light sources are pro-vided. These lights source8 are preferably li~ht-emitting diodes or incandescent bulbs, because thus a sharply limited code dot i~ obtained which stands out well from a background of different color.
When viewing the object according to Figure 4 in direction 10, there results the code information 22 shown in Figure 5. Here again it is importan~ that the code in-formation is composed of different code dots in different planes.
Figures 6 to 8 show another glass or plastic block 30, where for example three search fields 31-33 are provided. In each gearch field 31-33 a code information 34-36 is concealed.
If block 30 (which to simplify matters is shown two-dimensionally in the draw ings) is rotated in arrow direction 37, then the code information 34 concealed ini field 31 ~ecomes visible in viewing direction 41. The code informations 35, 36 con-cealed in the other fields 32, 33 are not visible, but instead only the single, scattered code dashes 38, 39 are perceptible.
If the glass or plastic block 30 is rotated farther in arrow direction 37, the code information 34 in the first field 31 disappears and instead only the code dashes 40 are perceptible.
In viewing direction 42 there appears then the code information 35 indicated in field 32, as an arrow pointing ~o the right.
If block 30 is rotated further in arrow direction 37 according to Figure 8, only the code dashes 40, 39 can be seen in fields 31, 32, while in the right search field 33 the code information 36 becomes perceptiable in viewing direction 43.
The essence of the present invention thus i8 that at fir~t the viewer is offered a three-dimen~ional ob~ect with code bits of different depth effect arranged thereon, the three-dimensional effect of these code bits being cancelled when the viewer views this ob~ect from a certain angle.
The code bit~ then combine to form a two-dimensional picture.

Claims (7)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A three-dimensional riddle puzzle creating a two-dimensional image when viewed by an observer in substantially one viewing direction comprising:
an object having a plurality of individual sections being stackable in an arrangement, each of said sections being positioned relative to each other, abutting an adjacent section and having three spatial planes forming said arrangement; and graphic representations of code information particularly arranged on each of said sections of said object and forming the two-dimensional image when substantially all of said graphic representations on said sections forming said arrangement are viewed in the one viewing direction.

2. A three-dimensional riddle puzzle according to claim 1, wherein said puzzle further comprises a housing accommodating said sections of said object and maintaining said sections in said arrangement.

3. A three-dimensional riddle puzzle according to claim 2, wherein said housing is transparent.

4. A three-dimensional riddle puzzle according to claim 1, wherein said sections of said object are comprised of a transparent material element from a group consisting of glass, plastic and a non-metallic compound.

5. A three-dimensional riddle puzzle according to claim 1, wherein said graphic representations are comprised of code bits in a form of dots and dashes.

6. A three-dimensional riddle puzzle according to claim 1, wherein said graphic representations are comprised of code bits in the form of raster dots.

7. A three-dimensional riddle puzzle according to claim 4, wherein said graphic representations of code information are embedded in said transparent material element of said object.