WO1991019551A1

WO1991019551A1 - Decorative or display device

Info

Publication number: WO1991019551A1
Application number: PCT/GB1991/000989
Authority: WO
Inventors: Benjamino Peter Lucius Jozef Klein; David Leslie Mcneight
Original assignee: Klein Benjamino Peter Lucius J; David Leslie Mcneight
Priority date: 1990-06-19
Filing date: 1991-06-19
Publication date: 1991-12-26
Also published as: AU8062791A; GB9013650D0

Abstract

There is disclosed a decorative or display device for game-playing amusement and aesthetic purposes, characterised by comprising a three-dimensional array of switchable indicators (11) in a transparent matrix having a two-dimensional input switch array (13), each switch (14) operating the indicators in a column of the three-dimensional array individually by multiple actuation of the switch.

Description

DECORATIVE OR DISPLAY DEVICE

This invention relates to decorative or display devices for game-playing, amusement or aesthetic purposes.

In earlier European Patent Application No. 90303888.3 (based on British Patent Application No. 8909978.2) are described such devices inter alia for the purpose of playing games such as noughts and crosses in three dimensions and inter alia in the form of plastic cubes with switchable indicators such as light emitting diodes arranged in a three dimensional array in the cube.

In such an arrangement it was proposed that switch means for such indicators be actuable by "touching" coordinate sets of the array. In an n x n x n array, it would be arranged to have switches on two faces, from which the desired indicator can be targetted.

A problem with this arrangement is that it requires a two-handed operation.

The present invention provides a single-handed arrangement.

The invention comprises a decorative or display device for game-playing amusement and aesthetic purposes, characterised by comprising a three-dimensional array of switchable indicators in a transparent matrix having a two-dimensional input switch array, each switch operating the indicators in a column of the three-dimensional array individually by multiple actuation of the switch.

As before, the matrix may be a solid matrix of a transparent, e.g. plastics material. The indicators may be electrically switchable, the matrix supporting elec¬ trical conductors thereto which may be of transparent film circuits or otherwise unobtrusive so as not to impede observation of the indicators.

The switch array may be on a surface of the matrix. The three-dimensional array may be a cartesian array, the switch array being parallel to planes thereof. The matrix may be cubic or cuboidal and the switch array be on one face. The device may comprise a stack of layers of the matrix material.

The indicators may have two states, for example as have liquid crystal devices. Each input switch may be adapted to switch the indicators of its column and an additional dummy indicator sequentially so that each indicator of the column may be in one state (say on) when all the others are in the other (say off) or the dummy indicator is on (i.e. all the actual indicators are in the other, off, state).

The indicators, however, may have three or more states, comprising for example light-emitting diodes capable of emitting at least two colours, or liquid crystal devices capable of being off (one state), of darkening to a "nought" character (second state) or a cross (third state). The device may then be characterised by additional switch means selecting which state the said input switches control. The additional switch means may operate automatically to select different states for control by the input switches after each input switch operation.

The device may, also, as before, have a supporting pedestal housing power and control means for electrically-operated indicators, and said control means may comprise program means adapted for game-playing, which program means may be adaptable as by selectable program modules to playing different games.

The input switches may be touch switches, which may be on a face of the matrix and be transparent or otherwise unobtrusive so as not to impede observation of the indicators. The touch switches, however, may be on a switchpad separate from the matrix. Embodiments of decorative or display devices according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment;

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the embodiment of Figure 1 showing an electrical circuit arrangement therefor;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of another electrical circuit arrangement;

and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a mechanical arrangement.

Figures 1 to 5 illustrate a decorative or display device for game-playing, in one case the game of three-dimensional noughts and crosses. It will be apparent, however, that the device is adaptable to a wide variety of games, amusement and other purposes. The device comprises a three-dimensional array of switchable indicators 11 in a transparent matrix 12. The indicators 11 are of such a size, in relation to their spacing, as will permit a substantially unobstructed view of each from most viewpoints.

Obviously, if one is looking at one face of the array, one or more rows or columns of indicators of the array will be more or less obscured; but by shifting viewpoint slightly, the indicators of the obscured row will, provided the size and spacing are right, soon all become visible before one or more of them becomes obstructed by one or more indicators of another row or column.

Figure 1 illustrates a 3 x 3 x 3 array 12, while Figure 2 illustrates an 8 x 8 x 3 array suitable for playing a variety of three-dimensional draughts or even chess. Many other configurations are possible, of cubic and cuboidal arrays different in the numbers and/or dispositions of indicators 11 in the array as well as in the nature of the indicators. Pyramidal arrays perhaps for playing new and exotic games or just for displaying light sculptures for decorative or aesthetic purposes - which may be moving sculptures as hereinafter further explained - or spherical arrangements with the indicators arranged onion-skin fashion are among the many possibilities. Serious uses may include the modelling of molecules and of crystal lattices for research and teaching purposes. All of this is as described in European Patent Application No. 90303888.3 aforementioned.

Figures 1 to 5, however, illustrate an improved switching arrangement 13 comprising a two-dimensional input switch array, each switch 14 operating the indicators 11 in a column of the three-dimensional array individually by multiple actuation of the switch 14.

An arrangement of the earlier patent application had two-dimensional switch array on two faces e.g. of a cube. Simultaneously touching one switch of each two- dimensional array would fix the indicator to be switched at the intersection the rows and columns containing the switches touched. The cube matrix was a cube of transparent plastics material with electronically switchable indicators such as light-emitting diodes, the matrix supporting electrical conductors thereto being of transparent film circuits, the switches being of similar circuits on the cube faces.

One arrangement of the present invention is basically similar except that there is a need for only one two dimensional array - the switches 14.

Figure 3 illustrates a vertical section through the cube device of Figure 1 showing the nine indicators 11, assumed for present purposes to be light emitting diodes, of one of the three such vertical sections, and the three switches 14 corresponding to that vertical section comprising one row of the 3 x 3 two-dimensional array of switches 14 on the top face of the cube.

The arrangement, simply, is such that touching any one of the three switches 14 will turn on the indicator 11 immediately below it. Touching the same switch 14 again will then turn off that indicator and turn on the next one down. A further touch will turn that one off and turn on the bottom indicator 11. Yet a further touch will turn off the bottom indicator. The next touch should turn on the topmost indicator again - it is basically a modulo-4 counting operation.

Figure 3 illustrates diagrammatically one way of doing this. Each switch 14 comprises essentially a push-button-operated four-output stepping latching relay having a first output 0(0) to a dummy indicator D that looks in the circuit like the other indicators 11 but does not switch visibly. The other three outputs 0(1), 0(2), 0(3) connect current in turn to the three indicators 11(1), 11(2), 11(3) in the column immediately beneath the switch 14.

Actually, Figure 3 illustates only half of an arrangement suitable for playing a noughts and crosses type of game. In practice each indicator 11 needs to have two "on" states as well as an "off" state. This can be done by, assuming the indicators shown are red led's, having a parallel arrangement of green led's. After each "go" - this can be regulated by a timer which switches after a certain time has elapsed since the last switching operation - control from the switches will pass from the red to the green led's and back again after the next operation, and so on.

As described, the arrangement has certain limitations - two reds cannot be switched on in the same column, for example. This is, however, dealt with by causing the timing device aforementioned to latch the selected led on for the duration of a game.

Additional circuitry can be built in to control the game - to clear the indicators 11 for the start of a game, and to signal the end of the game - possibly by flashing the completed line of indicators - and preventing further moves, all of this being well within the design capability of the electronics engineer.

Figure 4 shows how, in an led version, specifically for noughts and crosses, liquid crystal "0" and "X" symbols are switched on and off like the led's of Figure 3. The device 41 is an alternate move switch that transfers control to the "0" and "X" symbols on alternate moves, each set of symbols having its own stepping switch arrangement with outputs 0(0)-0(3) as before.

Figure 5 illustrates how, though the arrangement is devised particularly with electronic operation in mind, a mechanical arrangement can be fashioned working on a similar principle. Figure 5 shows just one column of "indicators", which essentially comprises three cavities 51 in a transparent plastics block 52 connected by a vertical bore 53. Red and green marbles 54 can be dropped into the bore 53 from the top, at which a sprung push rod 55 terminates. The rod 55 has sprung ledges 56. If a marble is simply dropped into the bore 53 it lands on the first ledge 56A and is displaced sideways into the top cavity 51A, by slightly tilting the arrangement. It "latches" there.

If, however, the rod 55 is depressed, the ledge

56A moves aside as indicated by the arrow due to it engaging against a shoulder 57 and lets the marble drop down to the next, fixed, ledge 56B from where it can be latched into the cavity 51B. Further depression of the rod 55 would let the marble drop down to the next ledge 56C for latching in the cavity 51C. To unlatch the marbles at the end of a game the arrangement would be tilted the other way. Of course, many other arrangements are possible, and in particular, more complicated but versatile electronics would give enhanced operation - the somewhat simplistic circuitry described is intended to demonstrate the operation rather than constitute a commercially practicable arrangement, which would fall within the ambit of the design engineer once the requirements are specified.

Claims

1. Decorative or display device for game-playing amusement and aesthetic purposes, characterised by comprising a three-dimensional array of switchable indicators in a transparent matrix having a two- dimensional input switch array, each switch operating the indicators in a column of the three-dimensional array individually by multiple actuation of the switch.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the matrix is a solid matrix of a transparent material.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterised in that the matrix is of a transparent plastics material.

4. Device according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterised in that the indicators are electrically switchable and the matrix supports electrical conductors thereto.

5. Device according to claim 4, characterised in that the said electrical conductors are of transparent film circuits or otherwise unobtrusive so as not to impede observation of the indicators.

6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the switch array is on a surface of the matrix.

7. Device according to claim 6, in which the three- dimensional array is a cartesian array and the switch array is parallel to planes thereof.

8. Device according to claim 7, characterised in that the matrix is cubic or cuboidal and the switch array is on one face.

9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised by comprising a track of layers of matrix material.

10. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the indicators have two states.

11. Device according to claim 10, characterised in that the indicators are led's.

12. Device according to claim 10 or claim 11, characterised in that each input switch is adapted to switch the indicators of its column and an additional dummy indicator sequentially so that each indicator of the column may be in one state (say on) when all the others are in the other (say off) or the dummy indicator is on (i.e. all the actual indicators are in the other, off, state) .

13. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the indicators have three or more states.

14. Device according to claim 13, characterised in that the indicators comprise light-emitting diodes capable of emitting at least two colours.

15. Device according to claim 13 or claim 14, characterised by additional switch means selecting which state the said input switches control.

16. Device according to claim 15, characterised in that said additional switch means operate automatically to select different states for control by the input switches after each input switch operation.

17. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterised by having a supporting pedestal housing power and control means for electrically-operated indicators.

18. Device according to claim 17, characterised by said control means comprising program means adapted for game-playing.

19. Device according to claim 18, characterised by said program means being adaptable as by selectable program modules to playing different games.

20. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 19, characterised in that the input switches are touch switches.

21. Device according to claim 20, characterised in that the touch switches are on a face of the matrix and are transparent or otherwise unobtrusive so as not to impede observation of the indicators.

22. Device according to claim 20, characterised in that the touch switches are on a switchpad separate from the matrix.