EP0144633A2 - Picture puzzle apparatus with a hidden figure - Google Patents

Abstract

In a three-dimensional picture puzzle, code bits are arranged distributed on an object in all three spatial planes. The code information being sought in the form of a two-dimensional picture is revealed only when the three-dimensional object is viewed from a specific line of sight. The spatially arranged code bits then lose their depth effect and unite to form a two-dimensional picture. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a search image with a hidden figure, a number of code bits being arranged against a background, in which the code information sought is hidden.

This is based on a so-called puzzle picture, as has become known in various embodiments. All embodiments have in common that against a background a number of - initially appearing unregulated - code bits, e.g. in the form of lines, lines and other graphic elements. Only when viewed for a long time does the viewer succeed in seeing various code bits in context, so that the hidden figure in the form of the code information sought can finally be found on the image.

The disadvantage of the known, two-dimensional puzzle picture is that the viewer usually only has to distinguish between important and unimportant code bits in order to discover the hidden figure (sought code information). Another disadvantage is that the puzzle picture cannot be used for purposes other than graphic purposes. It remains tied to the level, which results in severe application restrictions.

The present invention has set itself the task of developing a search image according to the preamble of claim 1 so that its possible uses are significantly expanded, while the code information sought is to be found according to a fundamentally different principle that is not expected for the viewer .

To achieve the object, the invention is characterized in that the search image is three-dimensional, that the code bits are distributed on an object in all three spatial levels, and that the code information sought is only recognizable when the object is viewed in a certain direction.

An essential feature of the present invention is therefore the spatiality of the search image according to the invention. This results in completely new applications, as will be explained below.

A three-dimensional search image can be distributed as a giveaway, for example. It is preferred according to the subject matter of claim 3 if the object is a transparent block, which consists of transparent glass or plastic plates stacked on top of one another, on which the code bits are arranged in the form of differently distributed code elements. Code bits of different distribution are thus arranged on each disk. If the slabs are stacked together to form a block, then this block can be rotated and viewed in all three room levels. The viewer initially recognizes only an unregulated accumulation of code elements on the individual, stacked disks. Only when he turns the object in a very specific spatial direction do all the code elements of all disks unite to form the desired code information, e.g. can be a character, promotional text, phone number, or other information.

With the given technical teaching according to claim 1, there is the advantage that all code bits are part of the code information sought. It is coming So it is no longer important to distinguish between important and unimportant code bits and to separate them associatively by applying memory. The recognition of the hidden figure thus follows another interesting search principle, because all the code bits contained in the search image are part of the code information sought.

According to the subject matter of claim 2, it is provided that the search image consists of several searched code information, which are arranged distributed on the object. Each code information is assigned a certain viewing direction, so that the other code information is not recognizable when the code information is recognizable in a certain viewing direction.

The object is rotated in the hand of the viewer in such a way that the viewer looks at the object in successive, different directions of view and recognizes different code information in succession.

Based on printing technology processes, a special form of production results if the code elements distributed on the transparent plates are represented by the differently strong dots of a regular printing grid. The code information sought can then be black-and-white or color photography resolved via the printing screen.

To expand the game purpose, it is provided according to the subject matter of claim 4 that the transparent plates are arranged in a holder or a transparent container so that disassembly and a different arrangement of the plates is allowed.

This provides a so-called search image principle, i.e. the plates can be arranged in different order and orientation in the holder or the container. Various attempts are then required to arrange the plates in the correct orientation and sequence in such a way that the code information sought is found from a certain viewing direction.

It should also be added that the code information can also be such that a closed, monochrome surface is formed with background code information, in front of which further code information appears in a different color if the search image is viewed by the viewer in the correct direction of view. In addition to the review principle, there is also the supervision principle.

However, the three-dimensional search image is not tied to being fixed in a glass or plastic block. The present invention encompasses all possibilities that allow code bits that stand out from a background to be arranged in all three spatial levels. In the first embodiment, the code bits were provided in the form of dark code elements that stand out against a light background. Conversely, it is also possible to provide bright code bits against a dark background.

In a further embodiment according to the invention it is provided that the object is a three-dimensional holding device on which the code bits are arranged in the form of differently distributed code points.

Such a three-dimensional object can be thought of as a stylized "Christmas tree". Such an object is e.g. Ideally suited for advertising purposes at exhibitions or in shop windows.

An outstanding advertising effect is achieved if the code points are selected in the form of point light sources (e.g. in the form of light-emitting diodes). Such a three-dimensional object is an excellent eye-catcher at exhibitions or in shop windows.

If the visitor looks at this object from a very specific point of view, then the code points compose the desired code information.

In addition to the use of active code bits in the form of point light sources, passive code bits can also be used, e.g. in the form of mirrors. These triple mirrors radiate a captured light back to the viewer, so that one can speak of passive point light sources. The advantage of these passive elements is that there is no need to wire the LEDs.

In a further development of the present invention there is provided the display of a digital display, for example, form a digital display of the time, temperature, air pressure and the like _l as such a three-dimensional search image. The digital display would then only be readable from a certain viewing direction, while from all other viewing directions only the spatially scattered individual elements of the digital display (the code bits), but not the digital display itself (the code information) can be seen.

The subject matter of the present invention results not only from the subject matter of the individual patent claims, but also from the combination of the individual patent claims with one another.

All of the information and features disclosed in the documents, in particular the spatial design shown in the drawings, are claimed to be essential to the invention insofar as they are new to the prior art, individually or in combination.

In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to drawings showing several possible embodiments. Further features and advantages of the invention which are essential to the invention emerge from the drawings and their description.

• Figur 1: dreidimensionales Suchbild in Form eines Glas-oder Kunststoffblockes in perspektivischer Darstellung,
• Figur 2: Einzeldarstellung der übereinandergeschichteten Glas- oder Kunststoffplatten,
• Figur 3: die sich bei der Betrachtung des Glas- oder Kunststoffblockes nach Figur 1 ergebende Suchinformation,
• Figur 4: perspektivische Darstellung eines dreidimensionalen Suchbildes in einer zweiten Ausführungsform,
• Figur 5: die sich bei Betrachtung des Gegenstandes nach Figur 4 ergebende Suchinformation,
• Figur 6: schematisiert gezeichnete Draufsicht auf ein Suchbild in einer ersten Blickrichtung,
• Figur 7: Draufsicht auf das Suchbild nach Figur 6 in einer zweiten Blickrichtung,
• Figur 8: Draufsicht auf das Suchbild nach Figur 6 in einer dritten Blickrichtung.

Show it:

• FIG. 1: three-dimensional search image in the form of a glass or plastic block in a perspective view,
• Figure 2: Individual representation of the stacked glass or plastic plates,
• FIG. 3: the search information resulting from the observation of the glass or plastic block according to FIG. 1,
• FIG. 4: perspective representation of a three-dimensional search image in a second embodiment,
• FIG. 5: the search information resulting when the object according to FIG. 4 is viewed,
• FIG. 6: schematically drawn top view of a search image in a first viewing direction,
• FIG. 7: top view of the search image according to FIG. 6 in a second viewing direction,
• Figure 8: Top view of the search image according to Figure 6 in a third viewing direction.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the three-dimensional search image consists of a transparent block 1, which consists of a plurality of plates 2, 3, 4, 5, which are stacked one on top of the other. Each plate 2, 3, 4, 5 has differently distributed code elements 6, 7, 8, 9, wherein the code elements can have the same or different size and shape.

The code elements can consist of dots, dashes, curved lines, arrows, triangles and the like. If block 1 is viewed in the direction of view 10, the code information 11 shown in FIG. 3 results, e.g. in the form of an advertising message. All of the code elements 6 to 9 contained on the plates 2 to 5 are then combined to form the code information 11 sought.

It is important here that the individual letters or numbers of the code information are composed of different code elements 6 to 9 from different plates 2 to 5.

For example, the letter "S" is composed of code lines 7, 8, 9, which are contained on the three plates 3, 4, 5.

The code elements can be printed by printing on the plates, e.g. in the screen printing process, or also be produced by a photomechanical reproduction process.

Similarly, photos can also serve as templates for a search image. The photo is broken down into halftone dots at different levels, with each level corresponding to a glass or plastic plate that is printed on the front or back with the corresponding halftone dots. Only from a certain direction of view are all grid points put together so that the photo is visible as hidden search information.

Figures 4 and 5 show a further embodiment. There, the three-dimensional search image is designed as a vertically projecting holder 12, on which struts 13, 14, 15, 16 pointing in any spatial plane are arranged one above the other.

Code points 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 in the form of point light sources are attached to the struts. These point light sources are preferably in the form of light-emitting diodes or light bulbs, because this results in a sharply delimited code point that stands out well against a background of a different color.

If one looks at the object according to FIG. 4 in the direction of view 10, then the code information 22 shown in FIG. 5 results. Here too it is important that the code information is composed of different code points in different spatial levels.

FIGS. 6 to 8 show a further glass or plastic block 30, in which three search fields 31-33 are present as an exemplary embodiment. Code information 34-36 is hidden in each search field 31-33.

If the block 30 (which is shown two-dimensionally in the drawings for the sake of simplicity) is rotated in the direction of the arrow 37, then the code information 34 hidden in the search field 31 becomes visible in the direction of view 41. The code information 35, 36 hidden in the other search fields 32, 33 is not visible; instead, only the individual ones are distributed and arranged; Code lines 38.39 recognizable.

If the glass or plastic block 30 is rotated further in the direction of the arrow 37, then the code information 34 disappears in the first search field 31 and instead only the code lines 40 can be seen.

In the viewing direction 42, the code information 35 specified in the search field 32 then appears as an arrow pointing to the right.

If the block 30 according to FIG. 8 is rotated further in the direction of the arrow 37, then only the code lines 40, 39 can be seen in the search fields 31, 32, while the code information 36 can be seen in the right search field 33 in the direction of view 43.

The essence of the present invention is therefore that the viewer is initially presented with a three-dimensional object with code bits of different depth effects arranged thereon, the spatial effect of these code bits being canceled when the viewer viewed this object from a certain point of view.

The code bits then combine to form a two-dimensional image.

DRAWING LEGEND

• 1 glass or plastic block 31 search field
• 2 glass or plastic plate 32 search field
• 3 "33 search box
• 4 "34 code information
• 5 "35 code information
• 6 code line 36 code information
• 7 code line 37 arrow direction
• 8 code lines 38 code lines
• 9 code lines 39 code lines
• 10 viewing direction 40 code lines
• 11 Code information 41 Direction of view
• 12 holder 42 viewing direction
• 13 strut 43 viewing direction
• 14 "
• 15 "
• 16 "
• 17 code point
• 18 "
• 19 "
• 20 "
• 21 "
• 22 Code information
• 30 glass or plastic block

Claims (9)

1. Search picture with a hidden figure, with a number of code bits arranged in a background in which the searched two-dimensional code information is bent, characterized in that the search picture is three-dimensional in that the code bits (6-9; 17-21) in aumebenen all three _R distributed to an object (1; 12-16) are arranged, and that the required code information (10,22) only in a particular viewing direction (10) to the object (1; 12-16) can be seen, ( Fig. 1-3). 2. Search image according to claim 1, characterized in that on the object (30) a plurality of searched code information (34,35,36) are arranged distributed and that each code information (34,35,36) a certain direction of view (41,42,43 ) is assigned (Fig. 6-8). 3. Search image according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the object is a transparent block (1) which consists of layers of transparent glass or plastic plates (2-5) stacked one above the other, on which the code bits in the form of differently distributed code lines or other graphic code elements of different shape and size (6-9) are arranged (Fig. 1,2). 4. Search image according to claim 3, characterized in that for use as a puzzle, the glass or plastic plates (2-5) are arranged in a holder or in a transparent container so that disassembly and a different arrangement of the plates (2-5 ) is permitted (Fig. 2). 5. Search image according to claim 1, characterized in that the code bits (6-9) are partial points of a print screen. 6. Search image according to claim 1, characterized in that the object is a three-dimensional holding device - e.g. a holder (12) with struts (13-16) arranged differently in the three spatial levels, in which the code bits are arranged in the form of differently distributed code points (17-21) (FIG. 4). 7. Search image according to claim 6, characterized in that the code points (17-21) are designed as point light sources (light-emitting diodes or light bulbs) (Fig. 4). 8. Search image according to claim 7, characterized in that the code points (17-21) passive light elements, e.g. Triple mirrors are, (Fig. 4). 9. Search image according to claim 1, characterized in that the object is a compact plastic block (e.g. epoxy resin or plexiglass) in which the code bits or code points (17-21) are firmly embedded in the plastic.

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