Abstract:
The present invention relates to an electronic game, including a housing, electronic circuitry positioned within the housing, and a display unit positioned within the housing and electrically coupled to the circuitry. A first sensor is electrically coupled to the circuitry and when activated initiates a first response from the circuitry. A second sensor electrically coupled to the circuitry and when activated prior to activating the first sensor initiates a second response from the circuitry.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/543,839, filed Feb. 10, 2004, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to an electronic game that has sensors that allow the game to be played with a “real feel”. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electronic game with sensors that allow the game to determine whether the player touches the game playing surface or passes a hand over the game playing surface, thereby dictating the game&#39;s process.  
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0003]     With the rapid development of relatively low cost, digital electronic devices including low cost microprocessors and memory devices, a substantial number of different toys and games have been developed. One type of electronic game which has enjoyed great popularity as low cost digital electronic apparatus continue to develop has become generally known in the art as “handheld” games. Such games derive their name from the relatively small size of the housing used to package the game. These devices are, in essence, small enough to be held by the user either in the hand or upon a game play surface such as a table. While various shapes, configurations and sizes of handheld electronic games have been provided, the basic handheld electronic game utilizes a housing, usually small enough to be held, within which a digital electronic circuit including a microprocessor and associated memory is supported together with a plurality of batteries. The housing typically supports a plurality of input buttons or other devices used in game play. Also, within the housing, a sound circuit and sound producing transducer such as a small speaker or piezoelectric device is supported. The typical handheld electronic game also utilizes a small display screen upon which images may be formed. The most frequently used technology for such screens is found in a plurality of liquid crystal display cells or “LCDs”. Some handheld games, however, also utilize light emitting diode or “LED” display screens.  
         [0004]     The basic game play rules which are used by the microprocessor in playing the game, controlling the displayed images, and responding to user inputs during game play are typically stored in the microprocessor memory. Handheld electronic games are often configured for play by a single user in which the player is, in essence, playing against the microprocessor within the device.  
         [0005]     There exist a continuing need to produce electronic games that simulate “real” games and allow improved player interaction.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0006]     An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic game that has a real feel interface.  
         [0007]     Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic game that has sensors therein that determine the actions of the player, thereby facilitating game play.  
         [0008]     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic game that has at least two sensors that determine whether the user desires one of at least two courses of action, thereby facilitating game play.  
         [0009]     These objects are achieved by an electronic game, including a housing, electronic circuitry positioned within the housing, a first sensor electrically coupled to the circuitry and when activated initiates a first response from the circuitry, and a second sensor electrically coupled to the circuitry and when activated prior to activating the first sensor initiates a second response from the circuitry.  
         [0010]     These objects are further achieved by an electronic card game, including a housing, a display disposed within the housing for displaying card images, electronic circuitry disposed within the housing and in electronic communication with the display, a first sensor in electrical communication with the electronic circuitry; and a second sensor in electrical communication with the electronic circuitry. Wherein activation of the first sensor without activation of the second sensor communicates to the electronic circuitry that an additional card is to be displayed on the display and activation of the second sensor followed by activation of the first sensor, within a predetermined amount of time, communicates that no additional card is to be displayed.  
         [0011]     These objects are further achieved by a method of playing an electronic game, the game including electronic circuitry, an electronic display disposed within a housing and in communication with the electronic circuitry, a first motion sensor and a second motion sensor, each motion sensor in communication with the electronic circuitry, the method including the steps of activating the electronic display, interpreting the electronic display, activating the first motion sensor without activating the second motion sensor within a first predetermined amount of time, thereby sending a first signal to the electronic circuitry which in turn initiates a first display and activating the first and the second motion sensors within a second predetermined amount of time, thereby sending a second signal to the electronic circuitry which in turn initiates a second display.  
         [0012]     Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description of the Invention and the figures. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0013]     Referring to the drawings which form a part of this disclosure:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1   a  illustrates a top plan view of an electronic game according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 1   b  illustrates a bottom plan view of an electronic game according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a elevational side view of the of the electronic game of  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b;    
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a enlarged view of the LCD layout for the electronic game of  FIG. 1   a;    
         [0018]      FIG. 4A  is a schematic view of the sensors used in the electronic game of  FIG. 1  for determining the choices of a player;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4B  is a flow diagram of the process of determining “hit” or “stand” input from the sensors from  FIG. 4A ; and  
         [0020]     FIGS.  5 A-D are flow diagrams illustrating examples of game play. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]      FIGS. 1   a - 5 D illustrate an electronic game  10  according to the present invention. Electronic game  10  is preferably a hand held electronic version of the card game Blackjack or twenty-one; however, game  10  can be any suitable electronic game. Electronic game  10  is preferably formed from plastic and has a generally circular housing. The housing has an upper portion  12  and a lower portion  14  that are coupled together and house all of the game playing electronics; however the housing can be any shape, material or configuration desired. It is noted also that game  10  can have any configuration or number of housing portions desired.  
         [0022]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the lower or back housing portion  14  has a curved edge  16  and a main housing back surface  18 . The main housing back has a speaker area  20  and an aperture  22  with a battery door  24  that allows access to the battery compartment  26 ; however it is noted that device  10  can be powered by any suitable means.  
         [0023]     The front and back housing portions are sized and configured to house all of the electronics of the present invention. For example, all the circuitry, including a microprocessor, memory, an LCD display three sensors, a power supply and various other suitable and/or necessary components are all housed between the front and back housing portions. It is not necessary for all electronics to be completely situated within the housing and the electronics can be situated in any manner desired.  
         [0024]     As shown in  FIGS. 1   a,    1   b  and  2 , the upper or front housing portion  12  has a curved edge  28 , a circumferential area  30 , an upper area  32  and a lower area  34 . Area  30  substantially surrounds areas  32  and  34  and has several buttons  35  thereon. For example, area  30  can have surrender, insure/shuffle, bet/ride, on/deal/hit, stand, double, split, sound and reset buttons thereon. Each of these buttons is preferably a semicircle but can be any configuration desired. Additionally, adjacent the circumferential area and the upper area is a “win” LED  36  that is positioned behind the upper housing portion or translucent cover  12 . Furthermore, opposite the “win” LED on the circumferential area  30  are two distance sensors  33  and  37 . The above buttons, sensors and LEDs can be positioned in any suitable position on the game or housing portions.  
         [0025]     The upper portion or area  32  is preferably a semicircle (or any other suitable configuration) and includes a logo pad print  38  and an LCD area  40 . The area  40  is a transparent portion of area  32  that allows an LCD positioned between the housing portions  12  and  14  to display graphics and text to the user, as shown in  FIG. 3 . For example, in the preferred embodiment, the display graphics illustrate a game of blackjack between the dealer (i.e., the computer) and the user. Of course as discussed herein, the display  40  can display any suitable graphics or other means for a game or other device.  
         [0026]     The LCD area  40  displays substantially all of the graphics and information to be displayed to the player. For example, the LCD area displays the cards played, the score, the player&#39;s choices and the status of the game. This list is not meant to be exhaustive and the LCD area can display any suitable information. The LCD is in communication with a circuit or a processor  39  that makes decisions based on the input from the player and a random selection of cards to make the game playing as realistic as possible. It is noted the connection between the circuit or processor  39  and the LCD, buttons  35  and sensors is merely exemplary to show that each user interface, display or other portion of the present invention connects in some way to the internal circuitry and the circuit or processor  39 . The figures illustrating the internal circuitry and circuit or processor  39  are not meant to limit the manner in which the internal circuitry of the present invention is configured. In fact the internal circuitry and circuit or processor  39  can be configured in any manner desired.  
         [0027]     The lower area  34  is preferably a semicircle and is configured to look and feel like a casino Blackjack playing surface. For example, the lower area is configured to look and feel like a felt pad with color graphics; however, the lower area can be any suitable configuration for any suitable electronic game. As shown in  FIG. 1   a,  the lower area allows access to three separate sensors. Sensors  42  and  46  are in the two upper corners of the lower area and sensor  44  is positioned adjacent the circumferential area equidistant from sensors  42  and  46 ; however, the sensors can number any suitable number and be positioned in any manner desired. Each of the three sensors is preferably a light or infrared (IR) sensor or any other sensor that can determine motion and/or change in light.  
         [0028]     The sensors are in communication with the electronic circuitry and the circuit or processor  39 , which as discussed above makes decisions based on the player input, including information from sensors  42 ,  44  and  46  and a random selection of cards.  
         [0029]     As shown in FIGS.  4 A-B, the sensors are positioned such that motion that triggers just sensor  44  or sensor  44  first, in combination with sensor  42  and/or  46 , initiates a first response from the circuitry; for example, the circuitry will construe this action as the player wanting to be “hit” or in other words receive an additional card from the dealer. When receiving an additional card, the circuitry or processor  39  is randomly selecting one of at least two alternatives. That is, in response to the “hit” request from the player the microprocessor or circuit  29  will randomly display another card on the LCD.  
         [0030]     If the sensors sense motion over sensor  42  first, sensor  44  and then  46  or in the opposite order,  46 ,  44  then  42  the circuit or microprocessor initiates a second response; for example, the circuitry will construe this action as the player requesting to “stand”, or in other words keep the current cards and continue play without receiving any additional cards.  
         [0031]     If the sensors sense any other motion, such as sensor  42  or  46  by themselves or any combination of two of the sensors, other than the specification combinations above, the microprocessor will do nothing and look for additional motion. It is noted however that this configuration and ordering of sensor activation is exemplary only and this invention is intended to include any combination of activation of one, two, three or more sensors to achieve the desired output or action in an electronic game.  
         [0032]     In another embodiment, the device  10  can have only two sensors (e.g. sensors  42  and  44 ), which works in substantially similar manner to the embodiment described above. However, a hit is activated be the activation of only one sensor (in such a case it can be specifically one sensor (e.g.  44 ), or activation of either sensor (e.g,  42  or  44 ), but not both. To stand, the player must activate both sensors (e.g.  42  and  44 ) in a predetermined amount of time, in either a specific order (e.g.  42  first) or any order (e.g.  42  or  44  first). This embodiment is merely exemplary and does not limit the overall game (or this specific embodiment) to having two sensors, and this embodiment and the overall invention can have more or less than two sensors and the sensors can be activated in any manner and/or order suitable. As discussed herein each sensor can be positioned in any suitable position  
         [0033]     Additionally, the game preferably has two distance sensors  33  and  37 , which are preferably infrared (IR) sensors that ensure that the other sensors  42 ,  44  and  46  are actually sensing a hand or other appropriate object rather than just a change of light, thereby accidentally triggering a “hit” or a “stand”. It is noted that it is not necessary to include two distance sensors and that there can be no distance sensors, one distance sensors or two or more distance sensors. The distance sensor(s) (if included) can be positioned in any suitable place or area of the game  10  and can be any suitable sensors or devices.  
         [0034]     In the preferred embodiment, the sensors or an appropriate button  35  can be used during game play. For example, one button  35  can be a “hit” button, which will activate the same response as the movement detected by the sensors for a “hit”. However, it is noted that it is not necessary to have buttons and sensors, and either or both of these devices in any number, configuration and/or in any combination is suitable for the present invention. Operation  
         [0035]     FIGS.  5 A-D illustrate an exemplary method for playing the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it does not restrict the possible variations of number of buttons/sensors and the possible variations of the positioning thereof disclosed above.  
         [0036]     The game  10  is activated or “woken up” by pushing the on/deal/hit button. The player then selects a bet using the bet/ride button, at which time the game will “deal” two cards to the player and one card to the “dealer”. The cards are displayed on the LCD along with the total of the two cards for the player and the total of the one card to the dealer.  
         [0037]     The dealer second card is dealt face down. The player at this time can be “hit” (i.e., receive another card) by tapping or moving a hand over the area where sensor  44  is located or pushing the hit button in the circumferential area, or the player can “stand” (i.e., receive no more cards) by waving a hand over the all three sensors from left or right or right to left or pushing the stand button. If the player stands and the player&#39;s cumulative score is not over 21, the dealer shows the second card in the dealer hand at which time the dealer attempts to reach a cumulative score of 21.  
         [0038]     The game has many options consistent with casino blackjack. For example, a player can “bust” (go above 21), “push” (tie) with the dealer, spilt the cards in a hand “double down” on the current bet and buy insurance if the dealer&#39;s first card is an ace.  
         [0039]     It is noted that this invention in not limited to each of the above described options with casino blackjack, with the game of blackjack itself, or with card games in general. The use of sensors and/or buttons to activate, initiate or continue game play is suitable for any game or electronic device desired.  
         [0040]     It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.