EP2517763A1 - Jeu et procédé d'élaboration de mots - Google Patents

Jeu et procédé d'élaboration de mots Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2517763A1
EP2517763A1 EP12165555A EP12165555A EP2517763A1 EP 2517763 A1 EP2517763 A1 EP 2517763A1 EP 12165555 A EP12165555 A EP 12165555A EP 12165555 A EP12165555 A EP 12165555A EP 2517763 A1 EP2517763 A1 EP 2517763A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
tiles
game
tile
player
nested
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP12165555A
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German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Jeffrey Warren Bazarko
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Mattel Inc
Original Assignee
Mattel Inc
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Mattel Inc filed Critical Mattel Inc
Publication of EP2517763A1 publication Critical patent/EP2517763A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F9/00—Games not otherwise provided for
    • A63F9/0098—Word or number games
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F9/00—Games not otherwise provided for
    • A63F9/20—Dominoes or like games; Mah-Jongg games
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/00697—Playing pieces
    • A63F2003/00716—Connectable or stackable playing pieces or parts thereof
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/04—Geographical or like games ; Educational games
    • A63F3/0423—Word games, e.g. scrabble
    • A63F2003/0426—Spelling games

Definitions

  • Board games are played for entertainment and education.
  • One example of such a game is the word game commonly known as the SCRABBLE board game.
  • a word forming game including a predetermined number of tiles. Each tile has a character value associated with the tile, and at least one tile has a special feature value.
  • the players form words on a playing surface, and the words comprise one or more tiles from a player's hand of play and one or more tiles already on the playing surface.
  • Exemplary special feature values instruct players to skip a turn, to reverse the order of play, to redistribute tiles.
  • each tile has a nesting portion and a nested portion, wherein the nesting portion is characterized by a concavity into which another playing tile may be nested, and wherein the nested portion is characterized by a convex edge.
  • the nested portion defines a circle having a radius that is substantially equal to a radius of a circle defined by the nesting portion, and an arc traversed along the nesting portion is substantially shorter than an arc traversed along the nested portion, whereby the direction of the tiles may be changed.
  • a game having: a plurality of tiles, each tile having a nesting portion and a nested portion, wherein the nesting portion is characterized by a concavity into which another playing tile may be nested, and wherein the nested portion is characterized by a convex edge; at least one of the tiles displaying a character value; and at least one of the tiles displaying a special feature value.
  • a word game having: a plurality of tiles, each tile having a nesting portion and a nested portion, wherein the nesting portion is characterized by a concavity into which another playing tile may be nested, and wherein the nested portion is characterized by a convex edge; and wherein the nested portion of each of the plurality of tiles is a portion of a curved peripheral edge of the tile, wherein the portion of the curved peripheral edge is configured to match the convex edge of another tile.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 shows an exemplary set of tiles in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 3 shows an exemplary method for playing a game in accordance with the invention.
  • FIG. 1 shows an exemplary game 100 in the process of being played.
  • the game 100 comprises a plurality of playing tiles 110, which comprise a predetermined number of letter tiles 120, and a smaller predetermined number of special tiles 130.
  • the playing tiles 110 are spread out on a playing surface.
  • the playing surface may be any structure such as a table or the floor or another surface, to which playing tiles may be placed or alternatively adhered wherein the playing tiles 110 may be displayed or otherwise supported.
  • the playing surface is a magnetic wall surface, and playing tiles 110 are magnetically reactive so that they may be adhered to the magnetic wall surface.
  • the playing surface is includes hook and loop fasteners, and playing tiles 110 have a cooperating hook and loop backing so that they may be adhered to the hook and loop surface.
  • the playing tiles and/or the playing surface have an adhesive. Otherwise, the playing surface may be any horizontally oriented surface.
  • the playing surface is a screen such as a CRT display, an LCD display, or any other suitable display means known in the art for displaying information.
  • playing tiles are represented by a visual image displayed on the screen so as to provide a similar game experience.
  • a processor receives instructions from players through a suitable user interface, or set of user interfaces, which facilitate receipt of instructions from players and implement those instructions in accordance with the rules of the game.
  • the displayed image as controlled by the processor, provides a visual representation of the game as it is played in accordance with the instructions from the players and the rules administered by the processor.
  • the playing tiles 110 are divided evenly among a plurality of players (e.g., two to four players of course, other numbers are contemplated) so as to form a reserve pile 140 for each player.
  • each reserve pile 140 may comprise a larger number of playing tiles 110.
  • each reserve pile 140 may comprise a slightly smaller number of playing tiles 110.
  • each reserve pile 140 may comprise an even smaller number of playing tiles 110. Accordingly, regardless how many players are competing, each reserve pile 140 comprises a number of playing tiles such that playing tiles 110 are divided evenly among the players, and at least one playing tile remains in a surplus pile 150.
  • the playing tiles 110 are maintained in a face-down orientation as described more fully below.
  • a predetermined number of playing tiles 110 from each reserve pile 140 are flipped so as to occupy a face-up orientation.
  • the number of tiles flipped up is seven. Other numbers greater or less than seven are contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention.
  • Each set of face-up tiles from a particular reserve pile 140 forms an associated hand of play 160.
  • an object of the game is to be the first player to get rid of or play all their tiles to win the game.
  • one of the playing tiles from the surplus pile 150 is flipped right side up in the center of the table so as to reveal a display side of that playing tile. This letter becomes the starting letter, and the remaining tiles from the surplus pile are out of the game.
  • play begins with a first player playing tiles only from their associated hand of play 160.
  • a player will use any number of the tiles in their hand to form a word in the center of the table or surface using at least one tile that already exists in the center puzzle.
  • a starting tile may be employed.
  • the tile placement shall be subject to the following rules: tiles must nest together; tiles that are already played in the center cannot be moved to make room for new tiles; special tiles are the last tile to be played but can be placed on any of the tiles that the player has played this turn. Passing: if a player decides that they cannot play a word, they may choose to pass.
  • they may then place as many tiles from their hand face down on the bottom of their reserve and draw an equal amount of tiles as a replacement.
  • a player may choose to only play an action or special tile. In that case, the player may place the action tile adjacent to any tile in the center.
  • the end of the game is determined when one player has used all of their tiles or if every player passes in succession then the player with the fewest tiles after each player passes wins.
  • players have assembled playing tiles on the playing surface so as to form words 170 such as "COY” and "NEST".
  • words 170 such as "COY” and "NEST”.
  • the letter tile that bears the “C” nests into the letter tile bearing the letter "O”
  • the letter tile that bears the "O” nests into the letter tile bearing the letter "Y”.
  • the letter tile that bears the "Y” nests into a special tile 130, which bears a symbol indicative of a special feature of the tile.
  • changes in direction are formed such that words are not constrained to follow a straight line or an orthogonal grid pattern.
  • FIG. 2 shows a set of playing tiles 210 comprising standard character tiles 220 and special character tiles 230.
  • each playing tile 210 is relatively thin (e.g., approximately one-sixteenth to one-quarter of an inch thick) and is generally circular in shape with a diameter equal to approximately one to two inches, preferably one and one-quarter of an inch. Other configurations are contemplated to be within the scope of exemplary embodiments of the present invention.
  • Each playing tile 210 is generally planar and has a perimeter edge 212 that is generally continuous within two distinct regions - a nesting portion 214 and a nested portion 216. In an exemplary embodiment, the perimeter edge 212 defines the generally circular shape of each playing tile 210.
  • the perimeter edge 212 defines a concavity into which another playing tile 210 may be nested.
  • the perimeter edge 212 also defines the nested portion 216 characterized by a portion of the playing tile 210 having a convex edge. Accordingly the perimeter edge is continuous along both the nesting portion and the nested portion of a playing tile.
  • the nested portion includes an arc of a circle.
  • the nesting portion also includes an arc of a circle, where the arc of the nesting portion is shorter than the arc of the nested portion.
  • the arc of the nested portion may have a radius that is substantially equal to the radius of the arc of the nesting portion.
  • each nested portion 216 is configured to mate with a nesting portion 214 of another playing tile.
  • a portion of the arc of the nested portion of one playing tile may fit within the arc of the nesting portion of another playing tile.
  • the convex portion of each playing tile comprises at least half of the circumference of each playing tile.
  • an arc traversed by a perimeter edge 212 along the nesting portion 214 of each playing tile 210 is substantially shorter than an arc traversed by a perimeter edge 212 along the nested portion 216 of each playing tile 210. Therefore, as playing tiles are nested together, the direction of the tiles may be changed as differing arc portions of the nested portion of one playing tile nests with the arc of the nesting portion of another playing tile. A wide array of orientations are possible so that a word may be conformed to the space available at the time the word is played.
  • Standard character tiles 220 each have a display side and a blank side.
  • Standard character tiles 220 each display, on their display sides, a character value 222 associated with the tile 220.
  • Blank sides may display an emblem, logo, design or other information but do not reveal the information displayed on the display side (i.e., the character value 222 associated with the tile).
  • Character values may be any formative of a complete word or phrase such that each character value may be used to form a complete word or phrase - either alone or in combination with one or more other formatives from one or more other tiles.
  • Exemplary character values include alpha-numeric characters (e.g., a, b, c, d, etc.), syllables (e.g., un, bi, tac, pur, mon), Japanese characters such as hiragana, katakana, or kanji, and characters from other languages.
  • tiles may also display a point value.
  • Exemplary point values include any numerical point value (e.g., + or - 0 to infinity, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).
  • Special character tiles 230 also have a display side and a blank side.
  • Special character tiles 230 each display, on their display sides, a special feature value 232 associated with the special character tile 230. Blank sides may display a design or other information but do not reveal the information displayed on display side (i.e., special feature value 232 associated with the tile).
  • Exemplary special feature values include "skip player”, "reverse order of play", “give two tiles away", and "give three tiles away”. The above-described special feature values can be used to affect the order of players' turns and the content of the players' allocation of playing tiles. Specific special feature values may be represented by words as described above or may be conveyed using symbols.
  • a pair of opposing arrows may be used to indicate a reversal of the order of play.
  • a circle with a diagonal line through it may be used to indicate that the next player will skip a turn.
  • An arrow with a graphic depicting two or three tiles could be used to indicate that a player may or must give away a corresponding number of tiles from his or her hand of play.
  • each special feature value invokes a special feature of play.
  • a special feature value of "skip player”, displayed either in words or corresponding symbols invokes a special feature of play characterized by the skipping of the next player's turn.
  • a special feature value of "reverse order” invokes a special feature of play characterized by reversal of the direction of play (i.e., reversing the order of players' turns).
  • a special feature value of "give two away” invokes a special feature of play characterized by a player's distributing a total of two tiles to one or two other players chosen by the distributing player.
  • a special feature value of "give three tiles away” invokes a special feature of play characterized by a player's distributing a total of three tiles to one, two, or three other players as chosen by the distributing player.
  • the special character tiles add an added dimension or aspect to the game.
  • the set of playing tiles 210 further includes one or more blank character tiles.
  • a blank character tile may stand in for any standard character tiles 220 in a word being played.
  • a blank character tile may have a similar make and appearance to a standard character tile, but instead may have no features (i.e. it is "blank") on its display side.
  • FIG. 3 shows an exemplary method 300 for playing a word game in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
  • a predetermined number of tiles are distributed to each of the players (step 310). Those distributed tiles form the players' reserve piles.
  • the tiles in each player's reserve pile are maintained with their display sides hidden from view (e.g., face down) and their blank sides showing (e.g., face up).
  • Each player flips over a predetermined number (e.g., seven) of the tiles in his/her reserve pile (step 320), exposing the display sides of the tiles and forming each player's hand of play.
  • a predetermined number e.g., seven
  • the un-distributed tiles is flipped right side up in the center of the playing surface so as to reveal its display side (step 330). The remaining undistributed tiles are not used and are considered "out of the game.”
  • a first player is selected and uses any number of the tiles in his hand to form a word that includes the single tile that was placed in the center of the playing surface and additional tiles from the player's hand of play (step 340).
  • a predetermined method e.g., coin toss, dice roll, blind tile selection, players' ages such as wherein the youngest player goes first
  • a first player is selected and uses any number of the tiles in his hand to form a word that includes the single tile that was placed in the center of the playing surface and additional tiles from the player's hand of play (step 340).
  • play begins with a first player playing tiles only from their hand of play.
  • tiles being played so as to form a word or phrase must be placed so as to nest together, and may not be placed where their nested combination with an adjacent tile fails to form a word or phrase, and tiles may touch other tiles only where touching tiles form word being played.
  • tiles that have already been played cannot be moved to accommodate placement of new tiles and/or formation of new words or phrases.
  • each subsequent player uses any number of the tiles in his/her hand to form a word that includes any previously one or more tiles on the playing surface (step 350).
  • Players take turns according to a predetermined order, continuing to add tiles and forming words until a winner is declared (step 360).
  • the winner is the first player to play all of his or her tiles.
  • the winner is the first player to play all of his or her tiles and none of the other players can play all of their tiles before play returns to the first player.
  • the player with the fewest remaining tiles in that player's hand of play is declared the winner.
  • the player having earned the most points from tiles that person has played may be declared the winner.
  • the game is played until a player acquires a predetermined number of points, such as 500 points.
  • a player may choose to pass (step 370). Upon passing, the player places one playing tile from their hand on the bottom of their reserve pile with the display side hidden (step 372). The passing player then draws the top tile as a replacement and places that drawn tile in the player's hand of play with its display side showing (step 374).
  • a player may use a special character tile as the last tile of a word being played (step 380).
  • a player may not form a word using a special character tile except where the special character tile occurs at the end of the word being formed/played. If a player plays a special character tile with a special feature value of "skip”, then the next player's turn is skipped (step 382). If a player plays a special character tile with a special feature value of "reverse”, then the direction of play is reversed (i.e., the order of players' turns is reversed).
  • a player plays a special character tile with a special feature value of "give two”, then that player may distribute a total of two tiles to one or two other players chosen by the distributing player. If a player plays a special character tile with a special feature value of "give three”, then that player may distribute a total of three tiles to one, two, or three other players as chosen by the distributing player.
  • a player may use a special character tile in any position within a word being played (step 390).
  • a player is allowed to form a word using a special character tile within the word being formed/played so long as the player follows the instructions associated with the special feature of the tile.
  • a player may play a special character tile adjacent any standard character tile played during their turn.
  • the present disclosure provides games and method for playing games such as word games. Further, the present disclosure provides an interesting set of variations to enhance the playing experience by adding new and interesting twists to compensate for disparities between playing abilities of competitors or to accommodate players with increased levels of experience.
  • the disclosed games and methods may be implemented using conventional plastic or pressed board playing surfaces with plastic, wooden, or cardboard tiles or may be implemented as a virtual game presented via a display system.
  • the word game is easy to learn and interesting for the players.
  • the word game is versatile and accordingly individuals from all age groups may be interested in playing the word game.

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EP12165555A 2011-04-29 2012-04-25 Jeu et procédé d'élaboration de mots Withdrawn EP2517763A1 (fr)

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US201161480837P 2011-04-29 2011-04-29

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EP2517763A1 true EP2517763A1 (fr) 2012-10-31

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CN (1) CN102764502A (fr)
CA (1) CA2775692A1 (fr)
MX (1) MX2012005044A (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN103065518A (zh) * 2012-12-31 2013-04-24 苏州云都网络技术有限公司 一种英语单词学习玩具及使用方法

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
TWI489427B (zh) * 2013-12-05 2015-06-21 輔英科技大學 語文拼字紙牌之遊戲程式及記錄該程式之電腦可讀取的記錄媒體

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1532875A (en) * 1922-05-22 1925-04-07 Brown James Puzzle
GB1267799A (en) * 1970-01-09 1972-03-22 Marc Odier Improvements in games
DE2922854A1 (de) * 1979-06-06 1980-12-18 Matthias Ing Grad Simon Grundelement zur bildung platten- und andersfoermiger gegenstaende und figuren, sowie abwandelbarer flaechenverzierungen fuer waende, decken und boeden
WO2008020204A1 (fr) * 2006-08-15 2008-02-21 Dynamic Geometry Ltd Éléments en mosaïque
CN201175570Y (zh) * 2008-01-07 2009-01-07 孙旭东 多层多米诺骨牌

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1532875A (en) * 1922-05-22 1925-04-07 Brown James Puzzle
GB1267799A (en) * 1970-01-09 1972-03-22 Marc Odier Improvements in games
DE2922854A1 (de) * 1979-06-06 1980-12-18 Matthias Ing Grad Simon Grundelement zur bildung platten- und andersfoermiger gegenstaende und figuren, sowie abwandelbarer flaechenverzierungen fuer waende, decken und boeden
WO2008020204A1 (fr) * 2006-08-15 2008-02-21 Dynamic Geometry Ltd Éléments en mosaïque
CN201175570Y (zh) * 2008-01-07 2009-01-07 孙旭东 多层多米诺骨牌

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN103065518A (zh) * 2012-12-31 2013-04-24 苏州云都网络技术有限公司 一种英语单词学习玩具及使用方法

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CN102764502A (zh) 2012-11-07
MX2012005044A (es) 2012-10-29
CA2775692A1 (fr) 2012-10-29

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