WO2000054859A1

WO2000054859A1 - Electronic paduk board

Info

Publication number: WO2000054859A1
Application number: PCT/KR2000/000226
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ju-Yoeun Moon
Original assignee: LEE, Bang-Hyun
Priority date: 1999-03-18
Filing date: 2000-03-17
Publication date: 2000-09-21
Also published as: KR100310316B1; KR19990068303A

Abstract

Provided is an inexpensive electronic paduk board capable of recognizing the accurate positions of stones that include a transparent upper plate patterned to have 361 cross points, and a printed circuit board and a space with a support plate formed under the transparent upper plate, the printed circuit board having first and second contact patterns with radial contact protrusions at every cross point, the patterns having a connection hole into which both terminals of light-emitting diodes are fixedly inserted, the printed circuit board further including a fixedly soldered cap having an embedded permanent magnet, the first and second contact patterns being connected to each other by means of a conductive layer coated on the permanent magnet, the light-emitting diodes protruding through the central hole of the cap to emit light on the transparent upper plate through the central hole of the magnet and the through hole of the printed circuit board, the electronic paduk board further including a microprocessor for recognizing the positions of stones in such a manner that the first and second contact patterns get in contact with each other as the magnet moves up due to a small metal material embedded in the stones as the stones are set on the cross points of the upper plate, thereby allowing the user to have a game with a desired play pattern and view which point is the best for move.

Description

ELECTRONIC PADUK BOARD

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an electronic paduk board and, more particularly, to an electronic paduk board with a microprocessor for recognizing the accurate positions of stones in sequence during a game of paduk and storing them in a memory, so as not only to visually display the positions of stones with light-emitting diodes when replaying the previous game but also to display the procedure of a predefined standard play, thereby stimulating an interest of the player including a novice at paduk. Background Art

In general, paduk (go) is an abstruse indoor game for two players, each of whom starts with black stones and white stones which can be moved at cross points of 19x19 lines across a board arbitrarily in an attempt to increase the size of a house that

entraps the opponent's stones. The term "house" as used herein refers to a set of points entrapped by successive stones without discontinuation and the size of the house is called "Ho". It is well known that paduk originated with the Chinese.

The player usually does exercises for paduk by himself in order to make his proficient, or has a game of paduk with the opponent. The play pattern of paduk varies indefinitely depending on the sequence of moves and the positions of block stones and white stones. Especially, beginners with no skill in paduk are ready to have difficulty in determining which point is best to set a stone on. Thus there are some cases where the player who sets the stones on undesirable points or takes much time in moving the stones is hard of memorizing the positions of the stones one by one in sequence when replaying the previous game. As this happens often, the player cannot become proficient in paduk.

In an attempt to cope with the above problem, the conventional paduk boards disclosed in reference documents the content of which are hereby incorporated by reference are as follows: (1) a paduk board with a clock to measure the time period for setting a stone on a point; (2) a paduk board with a coil fixed on the bottom surface thereof for transferring electrical signals, and black stones and white stones each independently having a different frequency, for recognizing the cross points on which the stones are set; and (3) an electronic paduk board configured in the form of a screen for playing or learning purposes with the stones displayed on the screen type paduk board.

The first paduk board with a clock is, however, configured to simply count the time period for setting a black or white stone on a point and display it on a display window. This paduk board also has an embedded microphone or a weight-sensing load cell in order to detect the position of the stone. Thus there are some cases where the paduk board fails to detect the positions at which the stones are set during the game.

The second paduk board is very expensive due to high production costs of the board and the stones and has an unexpected drawback that damages on the stones may result in changes of the frequencies as a consequence of which there are some mistakes in distinguishing white stones from black ones.

Finally, the third paduk board configured in the form of a screen allows the player to have a game with the opponent or do exercises for paduk as displayed on the screen. However, the player cannot derive pleasure as much as from playing paduk with real stones and the paduk board is too expensive due to high production costs. That is, the paduk board is quite an expense for amateur paduk fans because of very expensive elements, for example, an LCD touch screen to recognize touch conditions and positions of the stones, a dot matrix type LCD to display the coordinates of the points, etc. Disclosure of Invention

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved paduk board capable of solving the above problems of the related art.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved electronic paduk board designed to add a zest to a game of paduk and help the player in attaining proficiency in paduk, while reducing the production costs.

Further another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic paduk board capable of surely stimulating an interest of the player including a novice at paduk and allowing the player to do exercises and learn paduk.

Still further another object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive electronic paduk board capable of memorizing the positions of stones in sequence in the game of paduk and visually displaying them in sequence at the cross points of the paduk board in a replay mode, or displaying the procedure of a predefined standard play on the board in a training mode.

To achieve the above object, there is provided an electronic paduk board including: an upper plate member made of a light transmitting material and printed with an image of paduk board; a printed circuit board underlying the upper plate member and printed with conductive lines in rows and columns in correspondence to the image of paduk board, the conductive lines being printed to be isolated from each other, the printed circuit board having first and second contact patterns separately formed at every cross points of the row and column conductive lines, the printed circuit board having through holes each formed in the vicinity of a point at which the first and second contact patterns are separated from each other; magnet assemblies each underlying the printed circuit board and embedded in every cross points in order to have the first and second contact patterns get in electrical contact with each other only when each magnet-sensitive stone is moved onto the upper plate member; display devices each substantially provided in every spaces under the magnet assemblies, for applying light to the corresponding cross points on the upper plate member via central through holes of the magnet assemblies and the through holes of the printed circuit board in response to power supply applied thereto through the corresponding ones of power supply lines patterned in the printed circuit board; and a controller for sequentially storing addresses of the cross points on which the stones are set in a first active mode and sequentially driving the display devices corresponding to the stored addresses in a second active mode. The paduk board further includes a case for receiving the other constituent elements than the upper plate member and supporting the upper plate member as high as a predetermined height. The printed circuit board is preferably a double-sided base plate. Also, each of the magnet assemblies includes: a magnet having a light-transmitting hole at the center thereof, the magnet including a permanent magnet coated with a conductive material; and a cap made of an insulating material and fixed on the bottom surface of the printed circuit board, the cap having an internal space for the magnet with a step difference greater than the thickness of the magnet, the cap substantially having a central through hole for the light emitted from the display device to pass through. Preferably, the display devices include light-emitting diodes and the controller includes a digital logic circuit with a microprocessor.

The first active mode refers to a play mode and the second active mode refers to a replay mode. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. Brief Description of Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together will the description serve to explain the principles of the invention:

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the overall appearance and the partial sectional structure of an electronic paduk board in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the partial sectional structure shown in Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view showing the lower pattern of a PCB board shown in Fig. 1 ; and

Figs. 4A and 4B are block diagrams showing an operation of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 shows the overall appearance and the partial sectional structure of an electronic paduk board in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. For better understanding of the detailed structure, an enlarged cross-sectional view of the partial sectional structure shown in Fig. 1 is given in Fig. 2 and an enlarged plan view showing the lower pattern of a PCB board 2 in Fig. 1 is given in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, on a transparent upper plate 1 is printed a pattern of paduk board with 361 cross points la formed by 19 parallel lines in rows and 19

parallel lines in columns that cross each other, i.e., 19 x 19 lines. The transparent

upper plate 1 is made of a flexible translucent material and substantially semitransparent such that the content under the transparent upper plate 1 cannot be seen when viewed from above. The transparent upper plate 1 corresponds to the aforementioned upper plate member.

Fig. 1 shows that the PCB board 2 with a pattern 2a on both sides thereof as shown in Fig. 3 underlies the transparent upper plate 1. Conductive lines insolated from each other are printed in many rows and columns on the PCB board 2 to be in correspondence to the pattern of paduk board. The PCB board 2 also has first and second contact patterns 5 and 6, apart from each other, at every cross points of the conductive lines. A through hole 2c is formed in the vicinity of the point at which the first and second contact patterns 5 and 6 are separated from each other. At every cross points la, the first contact pattern 5 includes radial, external contact protrusions 5a and the second contact pattern 6 includes radial, internal contact protrusions 6a. There is formed under the PCB board 2 a space 3 for a case with a bottom support plate 4 having an appropriate thickness. The PCB board 2 with the first and second contact patterns 5 and 6 has a fixing groove 2c in which a cap 8 protruding downward to the space 3 is fixed. The cap 8 is internally provided with a permanent magnet 9 movable up and down. When the permanent magnet 9 moves up, the contact protrusions 5 a and 6a of the first and second contact patterns 5 and 6 get in contact with each other due to a conductive layer 9a coated on the permanent magnet 9. A light-emitting diode 7 with both terminals soldered to connection grooves 2b emits light through a central hole 8a of the cap 8. The light from the light-emitting diode 7 propagates up to the bottom side of the transparent upper plate 1 through, in sequence, the central hole 8a of the cap 8, a central hole 9b of the permanent magnet 9, and the through hole 2c of the PCB board 2. Thus the player can see the light at the cross point. Here, the permanent magnet 9 and the cap 8 correspond to the aforementioned magnet assembly and the light-emitting diode 7 corresponds to the display device. Therefore, only when a magnet-sensitive stone is moved onto a point of the transparent upper plate 1 by means of the above-structured magnet assembly, the corresponding first and second contact patterns 5 and 6 get in electrical contact with each other due to the conductive layer 9a of the permanent magnet 9. Block or white stones 10 are internally provided with a metal 11. When any one of the stones 10 is set on the transparent upper plate 1 , the permanent magnet 9 jumps up to the bottom side of the PCB board 2 to bring the contact protrusions 5 a and 6a of the first and second contact patterns 5 and 6 in electrical contact with each other.

A controller provided in the internal space 3 is configured as shown in Figs. 4A and 4B to store the sequential addresses of cross points on which the stones are set in a play mode, and sequentially drive the display devices corresponding to the stored addresses in a replay mode.

Figs. 4A and 4B are schematic circuit diagrams showing one circuit for management of various plays executed on the electronic paduk board of Fig. 1.

In the figures, a constant voltage IC 13 for maintaining an external DC power supply or the power supply of a battery 12 supplies power to a microprocessor 14 and other logic circuit elements. The microprocessor 14, which receives the options of the player input through keys of a key input 15, is connected to ROM 17, RAM 18 and memory controller 19 and controls the entire operation for a paduk game according to a program stored in the ROM 17. For this, the microprocessor 14 outputs an address signal and inputs/outputs a data signal. In this case, the microprocessor 14 communicates signals directly or via a tri-state D-latch 16. The ROM 17 and the RAM 18 receive a chip select signal from the memory controller 19 and communicates the data signal with the microprocessor 14 via a data bus. Here, the RAM 18 is used as a working memory. An LCD driver 21 communicates the data signal with the input/output terminals of the microprocessor 14 via tri-state buffers 20 and 20a. The LCD driver 21 drives an LCD display 21a to display characters, signals or numerals according to the paduk operation. That is, the LCD display 21a displays all representations and indications according to the procedure of paduk play such as normal play, handicap, retraction of a move, sequent order for move, and the like.

A contact controller 23 communicates the data signal with the input/output terminals of the microprocessor 14 via tri-state buffers 22 and 22a. The contact controller 23, as shown in Fig. 4B, transfers the data signals to data terminals D0-D7 of lighting flipfiop ICs 24 and 24a-24e for lighting a plurality of light-emitting diodes 7 via input/output terminals P10-P17, to selectively turn on/off the light-emitting diodes 7. The contact controller 23 also transfers the data signal to data terminals D0- D7 of contact-recognizing flipfiop ICs 25, 25a and 25b for the first and second contact patterns 5 and 6 and receives the data signal from data terminals D0-D7 of contact- recognizing tri-state buffers 26, 26a and 26b.

The contact controller 23 outputs clock signals to clock terminals of the flipfiop ICs 24 and 24a-24e via a 3-input 8-output demultiplexer 27. The contact controller 23 also outputs clock signal to clock terminals of the flipfiop ICs 25, 25a and 25b via a 3- input 8-output demultiplexer 28. This enables determination whether or not the first and second contact patterns 5 and 6 are in contact with each other.

The paduk board of the present invention as configured above sets to operate, upon energized with the external DC power supply or the internal battery power as the player turns on the power switch of the key input. The player selects a play pattern select key corresponding to his/her desired play pattern such as normal play, 2-point handicap, 3-point handicap, etc. and then presses a start key. The microprocessor 14 clocks the time period for moves with an internal real time controller (not shown) starting from that moment. That is, the microprocessor 14 clocks the time period for setting a stone on a selected point while recognizing the firstly set stone as a black stone in a normal play, or as a white one in a handicap. As the stone 10 is set on the cross point la of the transparent upper plate 1, the permanent magnet 9 provided in the cap 8 moves up according to a mechanism with the metal 11 in the stone 10 so that the conductive layer 9a coated on the permanent magnet 9 brings the radial, external contact protrusions 5a of the first contact pattern 5 in electrical contact with the radial, internal contact protrusions 6a of the second contact pattern 6. As such, the contact controller 23 connected to the flipfiop ICs 25, 25a and 25b and the tri-state buffers 26, 26a and 26b transfers a contact detection signal to the microprocessor 14. The microprocessor 14 detects on which point the stone has been set and, if the ON state of that point lasts over a predetermined time period of several seconds, considers the stone as confirmed at the point, after which it sends numeral information about the coordinates of the cross point la to the RAM 18. The RAM 18 then stores the information in a predetermined internal save area. If the two players select a cancel key by mutual agreement, the microprocessor 14 considers it to retract the current move and performs a control to delete the stored information about the current position of the stone.

The above procedure for recognizing the position of the stone can be performed

for every 361 cross points la formed by 19 x 19 lines. After the completion of a play,

selection of a replay key on the key input 15 leads the microprocessor 14 to enter a replay mode. This is to replay any one of the previous plays from the start. For this, the player inputs the number of a desired previous play by the numeral keys of the key input 15. Then, the information concerning the positions of the stones from the start to the end of the selected play is read out and the communication data are sequentially output from the contact controller 23. As a result, an ON signal is applied to one of the light-emitting diodes 7 connected to the flipfiop ICs 24 and 24a-24e to thereby light a corresponding cross point. The light-emitting diodes 7 corresponding to the other cross points are all similarly lighted in sequence to replay the previous game.

When the user selects a standard play key for learning, the microprocessor 14 indicates the user to input the number of his desired standard play through a numeric key in response to the selection of the standard play key. Then, the microprocessor 14 reads information concerning the sequence of moves and the positions of the stones according to the corresponding standard play and lights the cross points on the board in sequence, so that

The user can view the procedure of the standard play. Industrial Applicability

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described as to a paduk board, the present invention is also applicable to the other fields of game such as chess.

As described above, the electronic paduk board according to the present invention not only adds a zest to a game of paduk but also helps the player in attaining proficiency in paduk, while reducing the production costs.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An electronic paduk board comprising: an upper plate member made of a light transmitting material and printed with an image of paduk board; a printed circuit board underlying the upper plate member and printed with conductive lines in many rows and columns in correspondence to the image of paduk board, the conductive lines being printed to be isolated from each other, the printed circuit board having first and second contact patterns separately formed at every cross points of the row and column conductive lines, the printed circuit board having through holes each formed in the vicinity of a point at which the first and second contact patterns are separated from each other; magnet assemblies each underlying the printed circuit board and embedded in every cross points in order to have the first and second contact patterns get in electrical contact with each other only when each magnet- sensitive stone is moved onto the upper plate member; display devices each substantially provided in every spaces under the magnet assemblies, for applying light to the corresponding cross points on the upper plate member via central through holes of the magnet assemblies and the through holes of the printed circuit board in response to power supply applied thereto through the corresponding ones of power supply lines patterned in the printed circuit board; and a controller for accessing predefined paduk educational data in a predetermined active mode and then sequentially controlling the display devices corresponding to the cross points to set the stones on based on the access operation.

2. The electronic paduk board as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magnet assemblies are configured to have the first and second contact patterns get in contact with each other when a stone made of a metal is moved onto the printed circuit board.

3. The electronic paduk board as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second contact patterns serve as a switch for connecting the magnet assemblies depending on whether the stone is deposited, and transmitting information to the controller.

4. The electronic paduk board as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the magnet assemblies comprises: a magnet having a light-transmitting hole at the center thereof; and a cap made of an insulating material and fixed on the bottom surface of the printed circuit board, the cap having an internal space for the magnet with a step difference greater than the thickness of the magnet, the cap substantially having a central through hole for the light emitted from the display device to pass through.

5. The electronic paduk board as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display devices are light-emitting diodes.

6. An electronic paduk board comprising : an upper plate member made of a light transmitting material and printed with an image of paduk board having a matrix pattern; a printed circuit board underlying the upper plate member and printed with power supply lines in correspondence to rows and columns of the matrix pattern, the printed circuit board having through holes in correspondence to cross points of the image of paduk board on the upper plate member; display devices for applying light to the corresponding cross points on the upper plate member via the through holes of the printed circuit board in response to power supply applied thereto through the corresponding ones of the power supply lines patterned in the printed circuit board; and a controller for accessing predefined paduk educational data in a predetermined active mode and then sequentially controlling the display devices corresponding to the cross points to set the stones on based on the access operation.

7. An electronic paduk board comprising : an upper plate member printed with an image of paduk board having a matrix pattern; an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel extended from the upper plate member and designed to display the image of paduk board on an LCD monitor; and a microprocessor provided in a paduk board case underlying the upper plate member, for accessing predefined paduk educational data in a predetermined active mode and then performing a control to display on the LCD panel the positions of cross points to set stones on at a defined time based on the access operation.