Abstract:
The present invention provides a system which helps a user develop his or her visual perceptual skills in a game-style activity that is challenging and interesting, and encourages sustained visual attention with self-checking of answers. The present invention may develop the seven visual perceptual skills identified in the widely used and norm-based assessment of the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills 3.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of provisional application Ser. No. 61/094,425 filed on Sep. 5, 2008 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
       [0002]    The present invention is directed to a skill-building game, more particularly, to a game that develops the user&#39;s visual perceptual skills. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Visual perceptual skills may need to be developed by children or others for reading, writing and other important activities. However, many worksheets and other activities for developing visual perceptual skills fail to attract and maintain the interest of the users long enough to develop visual endurance and sufficiently increase visual perceptual skills. In addition, many worksheets and other activities fail to develop a sufficient variety of visual perceptual skills. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In one embodiment the present invention provides an interesting and challenging system in which a user develops his or her visual perceptual skills in a game-style activity that is challenging and interesting, and encourages sustained visual attention with self-checking of answers. The present invention may develop the seven visual perceptual skills identified in the widely used and norm-based assessment of the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills 3 (TVPS 3). 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  shows the three different types of game cards in addition to the beginning and end game cards. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  shows the start card. 
           [0007]      FIGS. 3-9  show how the different types of cards relate to each other. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]    The system or game  10  of the present invention may utilize or include a plurality of cards, such as, for example, index-card sized cards (i.e., 3″×5″, 4″×6″, etc.), each of which may have a surface area of less than about  30  square inches for ease of handling and playing. The cards can be made from any of a wide variety of materials, such as paper, cardboard, coated or laminated paper, plastic, etc. 
         [0009]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , in one embodiment, the game includes a start card  12 , an end card  14 , and a plurality of play cards  16 ,  18 ,  20 . In the illustrated embodiment, the start card  12  and end card  14  each include a single, relatively large horizontally oriented image printed thereon which enables the start  12  and end  14  cards to be easily located. As can be seen, the start  12  and end  14  cards may each include a drawing, picture or other representation of a train and caboose, respectively to provide a visual indication of the concepts of starting and ending. However, it should be understood that various other “start” and “end” indicia may be used, such as, for example, a green light and a red light, a head and a tail (i.e., of a caterpillar or other animal), the nose and tail of an airplane, a starting gun and a finish line, etc. 
         [0010]    Each play card  16 ,  18 ,  20  includes an upper portion  22  and a lower portion  24 , each portion  22 ,  24  including its own separate and discrete indicia. Moreover, the upper  22  and lower  24  portions may be differently colored. For example, in one embodiment, each upper portion  22  has a background color of yellow, and each lower portion  24  has a background color of white. However, the upper  22  and lower  24  portions may be of the same color, or may be differentiated by any of a wide variety of other means, such as, patterns, shading, texture, etc. 
         [0011]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , there are three basic types of play cards: a challenge card  16 , an answer card  18 , and a full play (or challenge and answer) card  20 . Each challenge card  16  has a question/challenge portion or indicia  26  on a portion thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, each challenge card  16  has challenge indicia  26  located on the lower portion  24 . Each challenge card  16  also includes a picture, illustration or other representation of a train car  28  on the other portion thereof (the upper portion  22  in the illustrated embodiment). Of course, other than train cars, other “middle” or “body” indicia  28  may be used on the upper portion  22  of the card  16 , such as, for example, automobiles, body segments of a caterpillar, windows of an airplane, etc. 
         [0012]    Each answer card  18  has an answer portion or indicia  30  on a portion thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the answer indicia  30  is located on the upper portion  22  of the card  18 . Each answer card  18  also includes a picture, illustration or other representation of a train car, or other middle indicia  28 , on the other portion thereof (the lower portion  24  in the illustrated embodiment). Each answer card  18  may lack any challenge portion or indicia  26  thereon. Conversely, each challenge card  16  may lack any answer portion or indicia  30  thereon. 
         [0013]    Each full play card  20  includes answer indicia  30  on one portion and challenge indicia  26  on the other portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the answer indicia  30  is on the upper portion  22  of each card  20 , and the challenge indicia  26  is on the lower portion  24  of each card  20 . Each full play card  20  lacks any of the middle (i.e., “train car”) indicia  28 . 
         [0014]    Each challenge portion  26  and answer portion  30  has indicia  32  about its outer three edges configured to match up with indicia  32  of the corresponding answer/challenge portion (on another card). In the illustrated embodiment, the matching/reinforcing/self-check indicia  32  takes the form of various differently-spaced and arranged color tabs  34 . For example, in the challenge card  16  of  FIG. 1 , the indicia  32  takes the form of a red tab  34   a,  a green tab  34   b  and a purple tab  34   c,  wherein the green  34   b  and purple  34   c  tabs are positioned immediately adjacent to each other, and the red tab  34   a  is spaced apart from the green  34   b  and purple  34   c  tabs. In the illustrated embodiment, each color may have its own, dedicated position relative to the other colors (i.e. a red tab  34   a  is always located in the same position relative to the other tabs  34 , etc.) However, this convention need not necessarily be followed, and if desired the position of each color tab  34  may be varied. 
         [0015]    In order to play a game with the cards/system  10 , in one embodiment, all the cards are arranged on a playing surface, face up (it should be understood that the cards shown in  FIGS. 1-9  illustrate only a limited number of cards, and there may be many more cards (i.e., at least about 30, 40 or 50 or so total cards may be utilized). A user selects the start card  12  and places it on the playing surface, as shown in  FIG. 2 . Next, a challenge card  16  is selected and placed to the right of the start card  12 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The illustration of the train car  28  of the challenge card  16  may be placed adjacent to the engine card  12  to reinforce the “linking” concept between the cards  12 ,  16 . 
         [0016]    Next, a user reviews the challenge portion  26  of the challenge card  16 , and searches through the remaining cards to find a card having an answer portion  30  that corresponds to the challenge portion  26  of the challenge card  16 . Once that card (a full play card  20 , in the illustrated embodiment) is identified, it is selected and placed adjacent to the challenge card  16 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The matching indicia  32  of the challenge portion  26  of the challenge card  16  should correspond to the matching indicia  32  of the answer portion  30  of the full play card  20  to reinforce to the user that the user has identified the proper full play card  20  by solving the visual perceptual challenge. In particular, the color and spacing of the tabs  34  on the answer portion  30  of the card  20  should match that of the indicia  32  on the challenge portion  26  of the challenge card  16 . 
         [0017]    In this manner, the matching indicia  32  on the cards  16 ,  20  provides reinforcement that the user has selected the proper card and found the correct answer to the visual perceptual challenge  26 . Of course, it should be understood that any of a wide variety of matching indicia  32  beyond that shown herein may be utilized to provide a self-check feature. For example, the matching indicia  32  may rely only upon spacing of tabs, instead of colors; or use strictly colors, or use differently sized tab or shapes, or geometric shapes (i.e., triangles, squares, circles, etc.), use incomplete, matching, or mirror image shapes, letters, numbers or figures; use varying textures, or combinations of these features. 
         [0018]    Once the full play card  20  of  FIG. 3  has been matched to the challenge card  16 , the user then reviews the challenge portion  26  at the bottom of the full play card  20 . The user then selects the next card having an answer portion  30  that correspondence to the challenge portion  26  of the card  20  and that matching card is then selected and matched to the previously-played full play card  20 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . In this case, the matching card is another full play card  20 . Next, as shown in  FIG. 6 , a card having an answer portion  30  corresponding to the challenge portion  26  of the previously-played card is identified using a particular visual perception skill. The identified card is then placed next to the previously-played card, which can be self-checked by examining the matching indicia  32 . 
         [0019]    The card placed in  FIG. 6  is an answer card  18  having train indicia  28  in its lower portion  24 . Accordingly, if desired the game can be terminated at this time by placing the end/caboose card  14  adjacent to the answer card  28 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . Alternately, a challenge card  16  may be selected and placed adjacent to the answer card  18  such that the train car portions  28  are positioned adjacent to each other, as shown in  FIG. 8 . Since the challenge card  16  includes a challenge indicia  26  in its lower portion  24 , the game can continue until another answer card  18  is played, or until all of the cards are played. If the user(s) play the game until all the cards are played, this helps the user(s) to achieve a sense of accomplishment while increasing visual endurance and attention. The user(s) may build up their endurance skills to be able to complete the entire game, if necessary. The answer cards  18 , which include train or other similar indicia  28  on their lower portions  24 , ensure that all of the cards  16 ,  18 ,  20  in the set can be played and matched to an associated card regardless of the order in which the cards are played. 
         [0020]    Because each challenge portion  26  includes the matching indicia  32  along three outer edges thereof, corresponding cards can be placed in any of a variety of configurations adjacent to each other and still be checked for accuracy using the matching indicia  32 . For example,  FIG. 9  illustrates the cards of  FIG. 8  rearranged in a different pattern. Accordingly, the cards can be played in new and different patterns through every play variation, which increases the users&#39; interest, and allows the game to be conformed to restricted spaces. 
         [0021]    The game/exercise of the present invention can be modified and take any of a variety of forms that differ from the play described above. For example, the game can be played by a single user by himself or herself, or the game can be played by two or more users. For example, in one embodiment, each user takes a turn placing a card at the end of the “chain”. In another embodiment, participants are challenged to be the first one to find the card bearing the appropriate answer portion  30 . In yet another alternative, rather than placing the cards face up to begin, the cards are placed face down. In this case, the face-down cards may be arranged in a array of columns and rows. When it is a user&#39;s turn, he or she may have the opportunity to turn over one (or more) cards at a time, and then return the cards to their face down position if the appropriate match is not found. This mode of play encourages visual memory skills. 
         [0022]    The challenge portion  16  on each card may be of a type to further develop the visual perceptual skills of a user. For example, in the various challenge portions, the user may be challenged to: 1) visualize and identify a completed item or picture from a partially drawn item or picture (which develops visual closure skills); 2) find a hidden item or picture (which develops visual figure ground skills); 3) remember a sequence of pictures in order (which develops sequential memory); 4) match pictures (and thereby distinguish from other pictures that are similar but not exact matches, thereby developing visual discrimination skills); 5) predict what comes next in a sequence;  6 ) identify the next or missing item in a pattern; 7) identify an item in a series of overlapping lines; 8) visually assemble disassembled shapes into a recognizable form (which develop visual closure); 9) find something unusual or unexpected in a scene; 10) identify shapes (which develops visual form constancy); 11) count a certain number of shapes; 12) identify an item faced a different direction than other pictures within a list of items (which develops visual spatial relationships); 13) identify an outline or shadow for a presented shape or figure; 14) identify an item that is oriented, sized or shaded differently from other items with the shape remaining consistent (which develops visual form constancy); 15) remember a picture from one card to another (which develops visual memory); 16) visually locate a picture hiding within a busy background (which develops visual figure ground), etc. 
         [0023]    Each challenge portion  26  may address at least one of the seven visual perceptual skills identified in the widely used and norm-based assessment of the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills 3 (TVPS 3). Accordingly, the skills required in the varying cards address a variety of visual perceptual skills such as visual spatial relationships, visual discrimination, visual memory, visual sequential memory, visual closure, visual memory, visual form constancy and visual figure ground in a fun and challenging manner. 
         [0024]    Having described the invention in detail and by reference to the various embodiments, it should be understood that modifications and variations thereof are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.