EP2097143A1

EP2097143A1 - Game mobile element, such as a game piece, and related game system

Info

Publication number: EP2097143A1
Application number: EP03799626A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Fabrice Madigou; Albert Palombo
Original assignee: SYLVIUS
Current assignee: SYLVIUS
Priority date: 2002-12-18
Filing date: 2003-12-18
Publication date: 2009-09-09
Also published as: AU2003299344A1; US20070117602A1; JP4509800B2; FR2848871B1; FR2848871A1; WO2004056430A1; JP2006510425A

Abstract

The invention concerns an element such as a game piece (10) or the like designed to be placed on a game board, the game being electronically controlled. The invention is characterized in that it comprises means (100, 102) for wirelessly receiving game control data, control means (100) responsive to the received data, and means (116) for moving the game piece driven by the control means. The invention also concerns an electronic game system comprising such game pieces. The invention is in particular applicable to electronic parlour games on a board with flat display.

Description

"MOVABLE ELEMENT FOR A GAME, SUCH AS A TOKEN, AND RELATED GAME SYSTEM"

The present invention relates generally to the field of games, such as board games, on an interactive electronic platform.

Many Monopoly® type board games,

Trivial Pursuit®, drafts, etc. use pawns which are passive pieces in the game and which must be moved and / or modified manually during

The evolution of the game.

In this type of game, the evolution of technology has therefore not brought any new attraction.

At the same time, in the field of game consoles, progress in data processing and display performance has been considerable, but the user interface remains generally a simple joystick provided with buttons, directional levers, etc.

However, some research has been observed, at least on paper, in the interactivity of electronic games. So, for example, the document GB-

2,271,724 A describes a game system where, in predefined locations, a game piece can be excited by energized studs located in certain locations on the game board to produce an action. Document FR-2 738 159 A describes a chess game in which an electromagnetic coupling between exciters located in the plate and coils in the parts makes it possible to move the latter. Document US 6,186,158 B1 also describes a chess game, with magnetic means for detecting the position of the pieces. Finally, US Pat. No. 6,206,371 B1 describes a throwing device die (or piece) where we detect the face on which the die or the piece fell.

The document US Pat. No. 5,853,327 A also describes a game system with certain parts capable of action by wired or wireless control. However, the "active" parts are not pawns or game figures, but apparently fixed accessories, that is to say limited to a game board without dynamic display such as an LCD or plasma screen. The object of the present invention is to add an additional dimension to games, such as board games, played on a flat platform with dynamic display, and more particularly to bring new interests to these games and to help creation. new games by promoting interactivity between the game and the pawn.

To this end, it proposes, according to a first aspect, an element such as a pawn or the like capable of being moved on a game board comprising a dynamic display device, the game being electronically controlled, characterized in that it comprises means receiving game control information by wireless transmission, and control means responsive to the information received. Advantageously, the element further comprises a pawn animation means controlled by the control means.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides an electronic game system, characterized in that it comprises: an electronic game platform comprising a central unit, a memory, a display device dynamic capable of adopting an essentially horizontal position, at least one user input device, and means for transmitting information by wireless transmission, and a plurality of pins capable of being moved on the display device, each pawn comprising a means for receiving information by wireless transmission capable of communicating with said transmission means, a control means sensitive to the information received, and a pawn animation means controlled by the control means.

Preferably, the means for animating a pawn comprises at least one device chosen from the group comprising light sources, mechanical actuators, sound sources and vibration sources.

The element may optionally further comprise a detection means, preferably consisting of a device chosen from the group comprising optical sensors, mechanical sensors, electromagnetic sensors, sound sensors and vibration sensors.

It is also advantageous for each pawn to have its own address for receiving said information. In a preferred embodiment, each pawn is powered by a rechargeable battery, and the platform and the pawns include arrangements for recharging the pawn batteries.

Other aspects, objects and advantages of the present invention will appear better on reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of example limiting and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 to 3 are functional block diagrams of three examples of pins according to the invention,

FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic views in vertical section of two examples of pins according to the invention,

FIGS. 6 and 7 are elevation views of two examples of pins according to the invention placed on a charger, and

FIG. 8 is a schematic top view of a pawn according to another embodiment, and

Figures 9a and 9b are schematic views in vertical section of a pin according to yet another embodiment.

As a preliminary note, the invention applies in particular to an electronic gaming platform as described in document WO 02 20110 A in the name of the Applicant. Such a platform, for the implementation of the present invention, comprises a wireless communication means (antenna, transmission and, if appropriate, reception circuits, interfacing with game software) allowing communication with pawns or the like. elements as we will describe them now.

A functional block diagram is shown in FIG. 1 a first embodiment of a counter for an electronic game according to the invention, intended in particular to be moved manually over the horizontal display area of the platform described in the document supra. The pin is generally designated at 10. It comprises electronic circuitry 100 associated with a transmit / receive antenna 102, a pawn animation device 116, and a detection device 117 comprising one or more sensors. The antenna 102, adapted to the frequency used, is connected to a reception amplifier 104 and to a transmission amplifier 106.

The output of the reception amplifier is connected to a circuit 108 for decoding received signals, adapted to the type of modulation used. These signals preferably contain a coding constituting an address of the pawn. This circuit 108 is connected on the one hand to a circuit 110 for putting the pawn's electronic circuitry on standby, and on the other hand to a processing unit 112 provided with a memory.

This unit 112 is connected to a control interface 114 making it possible to selectively activate, according to the instructions contained in the received radio frequency signals, one or more pawn animation devices 116 of sound, light, mechanical displacement, vibration, etc. such as one or more light-emitting diodes, a piezoelectric vibrator, an electromagnet for controlling a movable part of the pin, etc., as will be seen in detail below.

The unit 112 can also receive signals from one or more sensors 117, for example optical sensors, electromagnetic sensors, mechanical sensors, sound sensors and / or vibration sensors. In this embodiment, the processing unit 112 is also connected to an encoding circuit 118 making it possible to generate a signal to be transmitted which, after amplification by the transmission amplifier, is applied to the antenna.

The assembly is powered by a battery (not shown) possibly rechargeable as will be seen below.

FIG. 2 illustrates a functional architecture of a pawn according to an alternative embodiment. In this variant, a specific supply device 120 is provided, comprising a rechargeable battery and a circuit making it possible to recover energy from the electromagnetic or magnetic flux received by the antenna 102. Such supply techniques are known in particular in the field of autonomous electronic transponders or labels, and will not be described further. For example, magnetic coupling can be achieved with a loop antenna surrounding the display part of the electronic gaming platform.

FIG. 3 describes another functional variant, in which the pin communicates with the outside in a unidirectional manner, being able only to receive electromagnetic or magnetic control signals.

Such a pawn is able to cooperate with a transmission-reception circuitry, or transmission only, belonging to the electronic game platform.

There is shown in Figure 4 a possible example of the physical structure of the pin 10. It includes a body

12 preferably in injected plastic material, housing the electronic circuitry 100, a battery 122 in the occurrence of a rechargeable type, the transmit-receive antenna 102, namely here a flat coil arranged horizontally in a sole region of the pin, and an animation device here in the form of a light-emitting diode or LED 116 arranged in the region of its top so as to be visible.

The pin also has a first contact 130 disposed on its underside, and a second contact, peripheral and annular, 132 located just above the sole region of the pin. These contacts make it possible, by placing the pin 10 on a charging support as will be seen below, to recharge the battery 122 by means of an appropriate charging circuit.

It should be noted in this connection that, according to known techniques of awakening / falling asleep, it is possible to provide an automatic falling asleep of part of the electronic circuits of the counter in the event of inactivity, according to techniques also known in the field of battery transponders, and a wake-up call by appropriate wake-up signals.

FIG. 5 illustrates a variant of the arrangement of the pin, in which the electronic circuit 100 is located above the battery 122.

FIG. 6 illustrates diagrammatically a charger device intended to receive a series of pins 10 for their recharging. This device can for example be a region of the housing of an electronic gaming platform as described in particular in the aforementioned document WO 02 20 110 A, or constitute an autonomous and independent device.

This device, the support or retaining parts of the pins of which have not been shown properly- say for the sake of clarity, comprises a series of conductive bars 202 connected together and a series of conductive pads 204, connected together by a conductor 206, in correspondence with the respective bars, the bars and the pads being connected to a regulated voltage source , provided in the game platform, for recharging the batteries 122 of the different pawns 10 when the latter are thus placed. FIG. 7 illustrates another view of the recharging device. The pins 10 are placed in the loader laterally according to arrow F, and a stop piece 209 ensures the pins are wedged in position.

The conductors bringing the recharging voltage to the bars 202 and to the studs 204 are indicated at 208, 210. It is also possible to provide other recharging techniques, and in particular recharging without contact, by induced current, in a manner known per se. .

FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of a disc-shaped pawn of a certain thickness, comprising six light zones 116a-116f of different colors, controlled independently of each other for example using LEDs possibly associated with filters colours. Figures 9a and 9b illustrate a variable shape pin whose body consists of two generally hollow cylindrical parts 12a, 12b capable of sliding relative to each other. The parts are biased apart from one another using an internal pressure spring 164 operating between a lower face of the upper element 12b and the top of a housing 166 housing a electromagnet 170 comprising a return spring 171, as will be seen in detail below.

The parts 12a and 12b are held together by means of arms 160 extending downward from the upper region of the part 12b and externally carrying soles 163 capable of abutting up against an inside edge 165 of the part 12a. At least one of these arms 160 internally carries a tooth 162 capable of cooperating with a movable latch 168 actuated by one electromagnet.

FIG. 9a also shows the antenna 102 in the base part of the lower part 12a of the pin and the battery 122 above the antenna.

In the position of FIG. 9a, the latch 168 retains the part 12a in the low position by cooperating with the tooth 162, against the force exerted by the spring 164. In this position, a contact 163a located under the sole 163 establishes an electrical contact between two other contacts 163b, 163c located opposite on the bottom of the part 12a.

When the electromagnet 170 is actuated by the control electronics 100, the latch 168 is moved to the right when we observe FIG. 9, and the part 12b is released. The spring 164 can then exert a stress up to the position illustrated in FIG. 9b, where the soles 163 of the part 12b have limited the movement by coming into abutment against the flange 165 of the part 12a. The pawn thus generally has a greater height than in the situation in FIG. 9a. The contact 163a then no longer short-circuits the contacts 163b and 163c. To return the pin to the position of FIG. 9a, it suffices to apply manual pressure until the tooth 162 comes to engage behind the latch 168, the latter having returned to its original position at the after the actuation of the electromagnet by the action of the spring 171 on the latch 168.

It will be noted here that the contacts 163a-163c make it possible to inform the circuit 100 as to the relative position of the parts 12a and 12b, the contacts 163b and 163c being for this purpose connected to an appropriate input of the circuit 100. Preferably, the parts 12a, 12b are assembled to each other by a bayonet mechanism or the like.

Preferably, this electronic circuit is produced on a single semiconductor chip.

Concretely, each pawn is able, thanks to its components described above, to receive and memorize a certain amount of information according to the evolution of a game, such as a board game, in which the pawn participates. .

As described above, the animation of the pawn may include a change in its physical appearance

(color, shape, etc.), but also or alternatively the emission of sounds, vibrations, etc. As also indicated, the game platform comprises means of radiofrequency transmission and, where appropriate, reception, these transmission means allowing it, in response to instructions from a program executing the game in question, to transmit command information to the pawns and act on their animation. It should be noted here that most games are used with several pawns. In this case, the system uses addressing means, quite conventional in particular in the field of contactless electronic transponders or labels, to differentiate the instructions issued to a pawn from the instructions issued to another pawn.

The examples of use of the present invention are numerous.

Thus figure 8 illustrates a pawn for the game Trivial Pursuit®, where a sector of a certain color lights up when the player gave the correct answer on a corresponding colored box. The counter can include six light-emitting diodes (LEDs) which light up for each correct answer. In a Monopoly® type game, a pawn can correspond either to the movements of a player, or to a house or a hotel placed on a street. The color and the number of the light sources can indicate houses and their number (for example 3 lit green LEDs indicate three houses), or a hotel (a red LED).

In the case of checkers, the pawn illustrated in Figures 9a and 9b can see its height substantially doubled when it arrives on the base line of the opposite side.

Many variations and modifications can be made to the invention.

First, the wireless transmission technology between the game system and a pawn can be arbitrary and in particular by radio frequency, low frequency magnetic coupling, ultrasound, infrared, etc. Second, the size and shape of the pawn's body can vary widely depending on the type of game.

Claims

1. Element such as a pawn (10) or the like capable of being moved on a game board comprising a dynamic display device, the game being electronically controlled, characterized in that it comprises means (100, 102) receiving game control information by wireless transmission, and control means (112, 114) responsive to the information received.

2. Element according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises means (116) of pawn animation controlled by the control means (112, 114).

3. Element according to claim 2, characterized in that the animation means (116) comprises at least one device chosen from the group comprising light sources, mechanical actuators, sound sources and vibration sources.

4. Element according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it further comprises a means (117) of detection.

5. Element according to claim 4, characterized in that the detection means comprises at least one device chosen from the group comprising optical sensors, mechanical sensors, electromagnetic sensors, sound sensors and vibration sensors.

6. Element according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it has its own address for receiving said information.

7. Element according to one of claims 1 and 6, characterized in that it is powered by a rechargeable battery, and in that it comprises arrangements for receiving a battery recharging current.

8. Electronic game system, characterized in that it comprises: an electronic game platform comprising a central unit, a memory, a dynamic display device capable of adopting an essentially horizontal position, at least one input device for a user, and a means for transmitting information by wireless transmission, and a plurality of pins (10) capable of being moved on the display device, each pin comprising means for receiving (100, 102) information by wireless transmission capable of communicating with said transmission means, a control means (112, 114) sensitive to the information received, and a pawn animation means (116) controlled by the control means.

9. System according to claim 8, characterized in that the means for animating a pawn comprises at least one device chosen from the group comprising light sources, mechanical actuators, sound sources and vibration sources.

10. System according to one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that each pawn has its own address for receiving said information.

11. System according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that each pawn is powered by a rechargeable battery, and in that the platform and the pawns include arrangements for recharging the pawn batteries.