EP0659455B1 - Electronic game device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an electronic game device, more particularly but not exclusively intended for children.

Electronic game devices of this type are already known from document US 4 169 592 or from document US 4 280 809.

• des moyens de réception d'une indication de début de jeu en l'absence de laquelle le dispositif est inactif,
• une interface-joueur capable de communiquer au joueur au moins une information de jeu et de recevoir du joueur au moins une information-réponse,
• des moyens de sélection, aptes à sélectionner au moins une information de jeu prise parmi un ensemble prédéterminé d'informations de jeu,
• des moyens de comptage temporel aptes à contenir une valeur de comptage ajustable correspondant à une durée élémentaire de jeu, cette valeur de comptage étant initialisée à une valeur initiale à la réception de ladite indication de début de jeu, et
• des moyens de traitement, aptes, en présence de l'indication de début de jeu,
  • a) à activer les moyens de sélection, et les moyens de comptage temporel après indication de l'information de jeu sélectionnée, puis à comparer, au plus tard à l'expiration de la durée élémentaire de jeu l'information de jeu et l'information-réponse,
  • b) à modifier la durée élémentaire de jeu contenue dans les moyens de comptage temporel en fonction du résultat de la comparaison et de limites temporelles prédéterminées, et
  • c) à répéter automatiquement et cycliquement les étapes a) et b) jusqu'à réception d'une indication de fin de jeu, de façon à moduler automatiquement certaines au moins des durées élémentaires de jeu successives en fonction des réponses du joueur.

According to a general characteristic of the invention, the electronic game device comprises:

• means for receiving an indication of the start of the game in the absence of which the device is inactive,
• a player interface capable of communicating to the player at least one game information and of receiving from the player at least one response information,
• selection means, capable of selecting at least one game item of information taken from a predetermined set of game item information,
• time counting means able to contain an adjustable count value corresponding to an elementary duration of play, this count value being initialized to an initial value on receipt of said indication of start of play, and
• suitable processing means, in the presence of the indication of the start of the game,
  • a) activate the selection means and the time counting means after indication of the selected game information, then compare, at the latest at the end of the elementary game time, the game information and the response information,
  • b) modifying the elementary duration of play contained in the time counting means as a function of the result of the comparison and of predetermined time limits, and
  • c) automatically and cyclically repeating steps a) and b) until an end-of-game indication is received, so as to automatically modulate at least some of the successive elementary playing durations as a function of the player's responses.

The invention therefore makes it possible to offer an interactive game device with the player operating autonomously and without discontinuity from the reception of the indication of start to the reception of the indication of end of play. Furthermore, c is the device itself which selects the game information and which sets the basic game time during which the response information can be provided by the player. This elementary duration of play is automatically modulated by the device according to good or bad answers of the player, and this, without intervention on the part of the latter. This device therefore makes it possible to carry out a game of reflection and reflex. Its autonomy, both material and functional, therefore allows it to be perfectly adapted for children since they simply have to provide the device with an indication of the start of play, for example by actuating an on / off switch or well by actuating any of the actuation means of the device.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the device comprises means for automatically generating the end of game indication after a lack of response from the player during a predetermined number of consecutive cycles, for example four. Such a characteristic is particularly advantageous in the case where the device is used by young children who therefore do not have to worry about cutting the power to the device when they no longer play.

The device advantageously comprises at least one independent support, such as a card, comprising first predetermined areas on which the game information is located, as well as second predetermined areas on which the corresponding response information are located; the support can then include first connecting means capable of cooperating detachably with second connecting means located on the player-interface. This player interface then preferably comprises means of indication respectively associated with the different first areas of the support, the selection means being able to activate in a predetermined manner at least one of the means of indication to indicate to the player that game information that has been selected. Furthermore, the player interface advantageously includes actuation keys on at least some of which are intended to rest the second areas of the support. Each actuation key is then connected to an indication means, and the first and second areas of the support are arranged according to a correspondence homologous to those existing between the actuation keys and the means of indication.

Such an embodiment allows, by the combined use of indication means controlled by the processing means of the device for the selection of one of them, and of several independent removable supports intended to cooperate with the 'player interface of the device, to provide a very wide variety of possible game information, while retaining a material simplicity of implementation which does not use memories for storing game information.

The first connection means advantageously include orifices associated with the different first areas of the support while the indication means comprise light means projecting from the player interface and thus form the second connection means capable of cooperating with the orifices of the support . The selection means are then advantageously able to keep activated, for example by flashing, at least one of the light means during said elementary playing time to indicate the selected playing information.

The indication means therefore fulfill here the double function of indication and of connection with the support allowing correct positioning of the latter on the player-interface of the device. Furthermore, such a combination of means makes it possible, for example by providing a straight symmetry of the different orifices on each support, to have play information on the front and on the back of each support.

Furthermore, it turns out to be particularly advantageous for the device to include a number of actuation keys greater than the number of indication means. Certain keys are then linked together to globally form a number of groups of actuation keys equal to the number of indication means and each second zone of each support corresponding to a group of actuation keys is then arranged on said support. to cover one or the other or all of the actuation keys of said group.

This makes it possible to avoid, by providing in particular that response information corresponding to game information is located in different places from one support to another while respecting the correspondence between the actuation key and the associated indicating means, that the child, by dint of playing , identifies that of the actuation keys which corresponds to the selected indication means, and this independently of the response information which covers this actuation key.

• la figure 1 représente schématiquement un aspect extérieur d'un mode de réalisation du dispositif selon l'invention,
• la figure 2 représente schématiquement un support d'informations de jeu,
• la figure 3 représente un synoptique schématique du circuit électronique du dispositif, et
• les figures 4 et 5 illustrent schématiquement plus en détail certaines parties du circuit de la figure 3.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description of an embodiment and the attached drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 schematically represents an external aspect of an embodiment of the device according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 schematically represents a game information medium,
• FIG. 3 represents a schematic block diagram of the electronic circuit of the device, and
• FIGS. 4 and 5 schematically illustrate in more detail certain parts of the circuit of FIG. 3.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the device 1 according to the invention comprises a box 2, for example in one piece, equipped on one of its faces with a zone 3 forming an interface with the player. A loudspeaker 9 and an on / off switch 10 are also arranged on this face of the housing 2.

The interface 3 is intended to removably receive a support 5, such as a cardboard or plasticized card. This sheet 5 includes a series of first zones 8 on which play information materializes which represent, in this figure 1, different volumes. The sheet 5 is provided with holes 6 respectively associated with the different first areas of the sheet.

This sheet 5 also includes a plurality of second zones 7 on each of which is represented a response information corresponding to one of the game information represented on the sheet. In the present case, the response information represents the same volumes, possibly according to different spatial configurations.

The player interface 3 also comprises light indication means 4, such as light-emitting diodes, which protrude from the face of the housing. When the plug 5 is placed on the player interface, the light-emitting diodes 4 are inserted into the orifices 6 so as to allow the plug 5 to be removably attached to the housing 2. During this operation, the second zones 7 advantageously cover a membrane keyboard equipped with different actuation keys, one of which bears the reference BP2.

As will be seen in more detail below, these are the means of indication 4 which will make it possible to select game information on the card and to indicate it to the player. According to a characteristic of the invention, these indication means, whatever their structure, also fulfill the function of means of connection with the support, which simplifies the material production of the device.

Of course, several different cards 5 can be used, such as for example those illustrated in FIG. 2 in which the game information 80 represents human or animal beings pierced by the orifices 60 while the response information 70 represents different foods for these human or animal beings.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the internal electronic circuit of the housing 2 comprises a power supply unit 12 connected via the on / off switch 10 to a supply voltage VCC supplied for example by batteries. This power supply unit 12 is capable, on receipt of an indication of the start of the game which may consist in actuating the switch 10, to deliver a signal for triggering the operation of the device to a control circuit 13 of which we will return in more detail below to the structure and function. This control circuit 13 is connected to means 14 of the "chase" type, formed here by a shift register whose different outputs are connected respectively to the different light-emitting diodes LD1-LD6.

These diodes LD1-LD6 are also connected to a logic comparison circuit 11 capable of receiving, moreover, indications relating to the actuations of the different keys BP1-BP6. Speech synthesis means 15 are also provided, associated with a memory 16 containing information representative of several different types of sound melody. This voice synthesis circuit 15 is in particular controlled by the comparison logic circuit 11 and is connected to the loudspeaker 9. Finally, there is provided a clock circuit, not shown for simplification purposes, capable of generating one or more signals to clock the operation of some of the logic elements of the box.

If we refer more particularly to FIG. 4, we see that the comparison logic circuit 11 includes bistable elements BS1-BS6, such as "D" type latch memories ("Latch" in English) of which the respective control inputs are connected to the various actuation keys BP1-BP6 by means of switches I1-I6, (such as for example field effect transistors), controlled by a first control signal SC1. The other terminal of each actuation key is connected to the supply voltage VCC represented in this figure for the purpose of simplification by the + sign.

The reset input R ("Reset" in English) of each of these bistable elements is also intended to receive the first control signal SC1. The input D of these bistable elements is connected to the supply voltage VCC while the uncomplemented outputs Q are respectively connected to a first input of comparators CP1-CP6 whose other respective inputs are connected to the light-emitting diodes LD1-LD6.

The respective outputs of the comparators CP1-CP6 are connected to logic means 110, 111, 112, 113 capable of delivering an INC command or DEC decrement command signal from a time counting means contained in the control circuit 13 , depending on the values of the comparator output signals.

More specifically, the output of each comparator CP1-CP6 is connected to the control input of another bistable element BS10-BS60, the reset input of which is also intended to receive the first control signal SC1. The input D of each bistable element BS10-BS60 is connected to the supply voltage VCC while each non-complemented output Q is connected to one of the inputs another comparator CP10-CP60, which is also connected on its other input to the supply voltage VCC. The outputs of the CP10-CP60 comparators are connected to the inputs of the OR gate 110.

The output of this OR gate 110 is connected on the one hand to the input of an AND gate 111 and on the other hand, via an inverter 112 to the input of an OR gate 113. The two outputs of the circuit 11 capable of respectively delivering the signals DEC and INC are respectively connected to the outputs of the AND gate 111 and of the OR gate 112 by means of switches I 10 and I 11 each controlled by a second control signal SC2.

These control signals INC and DEC also serve to control the voice synthesis means as for the choice of the melody to be broadcast.

Furthermore, the logic means are also connected to the non-complemented output of the bistable elements BS1-BS6 so as to deliver the INC incrementation control signal in the event of actuation of several keys BP1-BP6 during the elementary playing time. More precisely, for this purpose, a programmable logic circuit 114 (Programmable Array Logic: PAL) is provided capable of delivering a logic signal 1 when at least two non-complemented outputs Q of the flip-flops BS1-BS6 go to the high state and a zero logic signal otherwise. The output of this circuit 114 is connected to the control input of another bistable element 115 which can also be reset by the first control signal SC1. The input D of this other bistable element is connected to the supply voltage VCC and the uncomplemented output Q is connected on the one hand to the other input of the OR gate 113 and, on the other hand, to the another input of the AND gate 111 via an inverter 116.

The circuit 11 also comprises means for automatically generating an end of game indication. These means more particularly comprise an AND gate 117 whose inputs are respectively connected to the inputs complemented by the bistable elements BS1-BS6, and whose output is connected, via an inverter 119, to the control input of a bistable element 118. This bistable element 118, whose data input is also connected to the supply voltage VCC may be reset to zero by the first control signal SC1. The output Q of this bistable element 118 delivers on the one hand a control signal SP1 of which we will return in more detail to the meaning below, and is moreover connected by means of a switch I 12 controlled by the second control signal SC2, at the reset input R of a counter 120. The supplemented output of this bistable element 118 is connected by means of another switch I 13 also controlled by the second control signal SC2 at the control input of the counter 120. When the counter reaches a predetermined number, for example four, it delivers to the power supply unit 12 a signal SP2, then acting as an indication of end of game, so as to put the device sleeping.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the control circuit 13 essentially comprises two counters 131 and 132. Furthermore, an OR gate 134 receiving on the one hand the indication of the start of the game provided by the power supply unit 12 and on the other hand, the second control signal SC2 coming from the counter 132 after passing through a predetermined delay circuit 133, outputs an activation signal SAC to activate the shift register 14 as well as the counter 131. The shift register 14 will then successively and cyclically turn on and off the different light emitting diodes at a predetermined frequency. In other words, the light indication means will then be activated in rapid chase, accompanied by a small sound melody generated by the circuit 15 also controlled by the output of the OR gate 134.

At the end of the predetermined counting time of the counter 131, which is fixed for example at 5 seconds, the latter delivers the first control signal SC1 not only to the various elements of the circuit 11 but also by means of speech synthesis 15 and to shift register which has the effect of stopping them and causing one of the light-emitting diodes to flash so as to indicate to the player the selection of the game information carried out by the device. The signal SC1 also acts as an activation signal of the counter 132 which defines the elementary duration of play during which the player will choose the response information corresponding to the selected game information.

At the end of the elementary play time, the counter 132 delivers the second control signal SC2 to the comparison logic circuit 11 and receives in return either the increment control command signal INC or the decrement control command signal DEC. The count value contained in the counter 132 is therefore either incremented by a predetermined value, for example 500 ms, or decremented by a predetermined value, for example 50 ms, depending on the player's response. The elementary playing time for the next cycle will therefore be automatically modified.

The initial value of the elementary playing time is chosen in this case equal to approximately 2 seconds. The counter 132 is reset to this initial value, by the connection between the power supply unit 12 and the counter reset input (Reset) each time an indication of the start of the game is received.

Finally, the delivery of the second control signal SC2 to the counter 131, via the OR gate 134 and after a predetermined delay 133, allows the device, before starting the next cycle, to signal the player whether it is good or bad. of its response by means, for example, of one or the other of two sound melodies generated from the voice synthesis circuit as a function of the reception by the latter either of the INC incrementation control signal in state 1 or of the DEC decrement command signal in state 1.

We will now describe the operation of the logic comparison circuit 11. It is assumed for this that the output of each comparator CP1-CP6 and CP10-CP60 is in logic state 1 when its two inputs are in logic state 1 and at logical state 0 otherwise. Furthermore, the bistable elements are arranged to trigger on the rising edge of their control signal.

On reception of the first control signal SC1, all the bistable elements are reset to zero and consequently their non-complemented output Q is in logic state 0 and their complemented output is in logic state 1. The switches I 1- I6 are closed while the switches I 10, I 11, I 12 and I 13 are open.

Since one of the light-emitting diodes (for example LD1) has been selected by the shift register, one of the inputs of the corresponding comparator CP1 is in logic state 1.

As long as no action is carried out on one of the keys BP1-BP6, all the outputs of the comparators CP10-CP60 are at zero. The output of logic gate 113 is therefore in state 1 while the output of AND logic gate 111 is in state 0.

Also, if at the end of the elementary playing time, that is to say on the reception of the second control signal SC2, no action on an actuation key has been carried out, the control signal d INC increment, having the value 1, will act on the counter 132 to increment the count value, that is to say the elementary playing time of the following cycle, and will also cause the generation of the sound melody signifying that the player lost.

If during the elementary duration of play, the player chooses the correct response information and actuates consequently the actuation key BP1 associated with the bistable element BS1 and with the comparator CP1 of which one of the inputs is in the high state , the output of this comparator will also be high, just like the associated comparator CP10. Consequently, the output of the OR logic gate 113 will be in logic 0 and the output of the AND logic gate will be in state 1, which will therefore cause the DEC signal to be put in state 1 and the decrementation of the signal. counter 132 as well as the generation of the winning sound melody.

In order not to reach an elementary playing time that is either too long or too short, the count value of the counter 132 can vary between two predetermined time limits, for example between 500 ms and 8 seconds. When one of these time limits is reached, for example the upper limit, the elementary playing time can no longer be increased even in the event of new incorrect answers from the player.

Of course, if during the elementary playing time, the player actuates the wrong actuation key, the values of the logic signals at the output of the OR gates 113 and AND 111 are reversed and the count value of counter 132 is incremented.

In the case where the player actuates, during the elementary playing time, more than one actuation key, the logic circuit 114 delivers as an output a signal at state 1 which has the consequence of delivering on the other input of the AND gate 111 a signal at state 0 (while this signal is maintained at 1 in the case of actuation of a single key). Consequently, the decrement command signal is at state 0 while the increment command signal will be at state 1 which is equivalent to a bad response.

In the case where, during the elementary playing time, no BP1-BP6 key is pressed, the outputs complemented by the bistable elements BS1-BS6 are all in state 1. Consequently, the complemented output by the bistable element 118 is also in state 1. Also, at the end of the elementary playing time, that is to say on reception of the second control signal SC2 actuating the switch I 13, the counter 120 is incremented. Thus, after a predetermined number of cycles, for example 4, during which no key has been pressed, the counter 120 delivers the control signal SP2 to the power supply unit 12 which has the effect of putting the device sleeping.

To reactivate the device, the player can either use the on / off button 10 or press one of the BP1-BP6 keys. In the latter case, the output Q of the bistable element 118 changes to state 1 which has the effect of delivering a wake-up signal SP1 to the power supply unit 12 and also of resetting the counter 120. Of course , this reset is carried out throughout the game each time one of the keys is pressed.

In general, the response information and the game information appearing on each medium must be arranged in such a way that when game information cooperates with one of the means for indicating the medium, the response information corresponding is based on the actuation key connected to the comparator, the other input of which is also connected to this indication means. However, so that the child does not automatically identify the correspondence which exists between a key and a means indication, whatever the response information based on this key, provision is made for the device to include a number of actuation keys greater than the number of indication means. In this case, certain actuation keys, for example the keys BP1 and BP7 are connected together to the same bistable element associated with an indication means. Thus, from one medium to another, the response information corresponding for example to the game information associated with the indication means LD1 may rest either on the BP1 key or on the BP7 key, the other key being for example covered by a support part free of any response information. In still other media, the response information may occupy an area covering the two keys.

The hardware production of the electronic means of the device, essentially consisting of simple logic elements, can easily be carried out by means of an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). This simplicity of implementation nevertheless makes it possible to offer a very large number of game information - information-response pairs, while dispensing with the use of storage memories, by the combination of the indication means connected to the means of actuation, and different supports.

Claims (10)

1. Electronic game device, which comprises:

   - means of reception (10) of a start-of-game indication in the absence of which the device (1) is inactive,

   - a player-interface (3) capable of informing the player of at least one game cue (8) and of receiving at least one response-cue (7) from the player,

   - selection means (14), able to select at least one game cue picked out from a predetermined set of game cues,

   - time counting means (132) able to contain an adjustable count value corresponding to an elementary game period, this count value being initialized to an initial value on reception of the said start-of-game indication, and characterized by

   - processing means (11, 13), able, in the presence of the start-of-game indication,

   a) to activate the selection means (14), and the time counting means (132) after indication of the selected game cue, and then to compare, at the latest upon the expiry of the elementary game period, the game cue and the response-cue,

   b) to modify the elementary game period contained in the time counting means (132) on the basis of the result (INC, DEC) of the comparison and of predetermined time limits, and

   c) automatically and cyclically to repeat steps a) and b) until reception of an end-of-game indication, so as automatically to modulate some at least of the successive elementary game periods on the basis of the responses from the player.
2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that it includes means (117, 118, 120) for automatic generation of the end-of-game indication (SP2) after an absence of response from the player for a predetermined number of consecutive cycles.
3. Device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises at least one independent medium (5) which includes first predetermined areas (8) in which the game cues are situated, as well as second predetermined areas (7) in which the corresponding response-cues are situated,

   in that the medium (5) includes first link means (6) capable of cooperating in a removable manner with second link means (4) situated on the player-interface (3),

   in that the player-interface includes indication means (4) respectively associated with the various first areas of the medium (8), the selection means (14) being able to activate one at least of the indication means (4) in a predetermined manner so as to indicate to the player which one of the game cues has been selected,

   in that the player-interface includes operating keys (BP1-BP6) on some at least of which are intended to rest the second areas of the medium (7),

   in that each operating key is linked to an indication means, the first and second areas of the medium being laid out in accordance with a correspondence which is the counterpart of that existing between the operating keys and the indication means.
4. Device according to Claim 3, characterized in that the first link means include orifices (6) associated with the various first areas of the medium (8), in that the indication means (4) include luminous means standing proud of the player-interface and form the second link means capable of cooperating with the orifices of the medium, and in that the selection means (14) are able to maintain one at least of the luminous means activated for the said elementary game period so as to indicate the selected game cue.
5. Device according to Claim 3 or 4, characterized in that it includes a number of operating keys (BP1, BP7) which is greater than the number of indication means (4),

   in that some keys (BP1, BP7) are linked together to form overall a number of groups of operating keys which is equal to the number of indication means and in that each second area of each medium corresponding to a group of operating keys is arranged on the said medium so as to cover the one or the other or all of the operating keys of the group.
6. Device according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the processing means include bistable elements (BS1-BS6) such as D-type latch memories, input-linked to the various operating means (BP1-BP6), each bistable element being output-linked to a first input of a comparator (CP1-CP6) whose other input is connected to an indication means (LD1-LD6), the outputs of the comparators being linked to logic means (110, 111, 113) capable of delivering an incrementation control signal (INC) or decrementation control signal (DEC) for the time counting means (132) on the basis of the values of the output signals from the comparators (CP1-CP6).
7. Device according to Claim 6, characterized in that the logic means (110) are also connected to the output of the bistable elements (BS1-BS6) so as to deliver the incrementation control signal (INC) should several keys be operated during the elementary game period.
8. Device according to one of Claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the means of automatic generation of the end-of-game indication include a logic means of the AND gate type (117), linked to the output of the bistable elements (BS1-BS6), followed by another bistable element (118) whose two mutually complemented outputs are linked to an auxiliary counter (120) delivering an off signal (SP2) to the means of supply (12) of the device when the said predetermined number of consecutive cycles is reached.
9. Device according to one of Claims 2 to 8, characterized in that the means of automatic generation of the end-of-game indication are also able to generate a new start-of-game indication (SP1) in response to the operating of one of the operating means.
10. Device according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the selection means include a shift register (14) activated on reception of the start-of-game indication and at the end of each elementary game period defined by the time counting means (132) for a predetermined selection period, on completion of which the time counting means (132) is activated.

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