Abstract:
The application provides for a system and method of playing an educational balancing game. An electronic game spinner is used to select a category to be tested, as well as a specific question within this category. Once the specific question has been selected, potential answers are shown on an electronic game board whereby a user must then use their body to select a circle containing an answer. The game board may also be constructed out of plastic, where the answers are fixed, however, the electronic game spinner scans a code on the game board so that appropriate questions are used with the printed answer selections.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/817,322 filed on Aug. 4, 2015, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/120,244, filed on Feb. 24, 2015, the contents of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0002]    The invention and its embodiments relate to an educational balancing game, namely interactive electronic or board games with an educational focus, involving placing an aspect of a participant&#39;s anatomy on the appropriate predesignated area. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0003]    It is well known that the majority of children need some encouragement to study academic subjects. While there are many different ways in which people attempt to get children to study, one popular method is through the gamification of studying; turning the act of studying into a fun game so that the child will have a desire to engage in studying. There are many games that attempt to engage a child in this way, but few of these game are active, and even fewer of them can reasonably be classified as “fun.” 
         [0004]    Confounding this problem is the fact that all humans, generally, participate in different styles of learning. Typically, these styles are auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Thus, games that fail to address all three of these subsets will not educate all children effectively. Accordingly, there is a need for an active, educational game that employs one or more of these learning styles that is equally accessible and effective to learners of all types. 
         [0005]    Review of related technology: 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,495 pertains to games for teaching alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes and math along with coordination and motor skills comprising a planar member having a circle at its central interior and having curves therearound to define a plurality of zones around the center. The zones have lines that extend radially therethrough, some of which are offset from each other to define segments with indicia in the form of an alphabet, number, color, and/or shape marked in each of the segments. A plurality of indicia is correlated to the indicia of the planar member, such plurality of indicia being randomly selectable by the players. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,454,279 pertains to an apparatus for playing a game wherein the objective of each player is to force his opponent or opponents first to fall to the ground. In a series of successive steps, each of the players, responsive to a command, moves, simultaneously with his opponent, a command-designated limb of his respective anatomy to a player-selected one of a plurality of command-designated delineated areas within a playing arena, all to the end on the part of each player to so entwine or interengage himself with the opposing player as to allow such opposing player no alternative but to be forced to assume a gamelosing position. 
         [0008]    Raki&#39;s Rad Resources (http://www.rakisradresources.com/2012/05/twister-math.html) teaches an improved version of the popular game Twister®, wherein a plurality of numbers are disposed on a standard playing board. That game contemplates graphing the frequency in which certain events occur and team-based arithmetic practice. 
         [0009]    The Math U Can blog (http://mathtutorphd.com/blog/math-twiste-a-new-twist-on-an-old-game/) teaches another math-themed twister. This variant disposes numbers on the spinner. A participant spins the spinner which eventually will land on a number. Once this number is chosen the mat will be disposed with multiples of the selected number. The spinner is spun again and the participants will place an appendage on the number on the mat that is equal to the first number multiplied by the second number. This disclosure also contemplates a similar game involving division, addition, and subtraction. 
         [0010]    Various devices are known in the art. However, their structure and means of operation are substantially different from the present invention. Such devices fail to provide a device that can help develop a participant&#39;s knowledge in a multitude of different subject areas, while simultaneously engaging the participant physically. At least one embodiment of this invention is presented in the drawings below, and will be described in more detail herein. 
       SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0011]    The present disclosure provides for an educational balancing game to be played by one or more players, the winner of the game being the first to earn a predetermined amount of points by answering a corresponding amount of questions correctly, by using an appendage to select a correct answer from a number of options, comprising: an electronic game board, comprising: a top surface, having a touch-sensitized display disposed thereon, a bottom surface, located below the top surface; a plurality of walls extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, the plurality of walls having a recess and a power port; a chamber defined by the top surface, the bottom surface, and the plurality of walls, wherein the electronic game board is configured to show a plurality of answer zones on the touch-sensitized display, each of the plurality of answer zones having a size and a position, wherein the size and the position are dynamic until selected by one of the players, wherein the chamber is sized to accommodate multiple human users, and wherein the chamber is strong enough to support the weight of multiple human users; and a prompter, comprising: a touch-sensitized display configured to display a category chooser, a spinner, and a spin initiator; a memory having a set of questions and a plurality of corresponding answer choices; and a wireless transceiver for transmitting the plurality corresponding answer choices to the electronic game board for display, wherein one of the answer choices is displayed within the one of the answer zones. In some embodiments the plurality of answer zones are color-coordinated to indicate to players which appendage is to be used. 
         [0012]    The present disclosure also provides for a method of playing an educational balancing game, for helping one or more human users educate themselves while developing motor skills by standing on and interacting with an electronic game board, the electronic game board having a top surface, having a touch-sensitized display disposed thereon, a bottom surface, located below the top surface, a plurality of walls extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, the plurality of walls having a recess and a power port, a chamber defined by the top surface, the bottom surface, and the plurality of walls, wherein the electronic game board is configured to show a plurality of answer zones on the touch-sensitized display, and a prompter having a touch-sensitized display and a wireless transceiver, for providing wireless electronic communication with the electronic game board, the method comprising the steps of: selecting, by a user, a final score; choosing, a category of questions; entering, a number of users playing the educational game; initializing, by the prompter, a spinner and spin initiator; engaging, by the user, the spin initiator; displaying, by the prompter, a question; displaying, by the electronic game board, a plurality of answer zones, the plurality of answers zones containing an amount of correct answers that corresponds to the number of users playing the educational game, the remainder of the plurality of answer zones containing incorrect answers, wherein each answer zone contains one answer, each answer zone having a size and a position, where the size is dynamic and the position is dynamic; selecting, by each user using one appendage, one of the plurality of answer zones, wherein the size and the position of the selected answer zone becomes static upon selection; adding, by the prompter, a point to each user that selected an answer zone with the correct answer; repeating steps the question and answer steps until one user has an amount of points equal to the final score. Preferably, the plurality of answer zones are non-uniformly sized. In another preferred embodiment, a user will have a predetermined time limit to select the appropriate answer zone. In a highly preferred embodiment, this predetermined time limit will be selected by the user via the prompter and the electronic game board can detect whether a player has fallen over while attempting to select one of the plurality of answer zones; the method will terminate if the electronic game board detects such an event. In some embodiments, the category of questions is selected randomly by the prompter, and in other embodiments the actual question is selected randomly by the prompter. In some embodiments, this method employs at least one additional electronic game board, allowing the plurality of answer zones to travel, independently, from the first electronic game board to one of the additional electronic game boards. This method also supports the color coordination of the plurality of answer zones to indicate which human appendage is to be used to select that answer zone. Many preferred embodiments contain a database of questions and corresponding answer choices which are stored in an external database. 
         [0013]    Additionally, the present disclosure further provides for an electronic game system for use by one or more players to engage in an educational balancing game by using the appendages of a player, the electronic game system comprising: a plurality of game boards, each game board comprising: a top surface, having a touch-sensitized display disposed thereon; a bottom surface, located below the top surface; a plurality of walls extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, the plurality of walls having a recess and a power port; a chamber defined by the top surface, the bottom surface, and the plurality of walls, wherein the electronic game board is configured to show a plurality of answer zones on the touch-sensitized display; and a prompter, comprising: a touch-sensitized display configured to display a category chooser, a spinner, and a spin initiator; and a wireless transceiver, wherein each of each of the plurality of game boards in is electronic communication with the other plurality of game boards and the prompter, providing for one or more of the answers zones to travel from the touch-sensitized display of one electronic game board to the touch-sensitized display of a second electronic game board. Preferably, the plurality of walls includes a speaker grill and the chamber includes at least one speaker, where the at least one speaker is located proximately to the speaker grill. 
         [0014]    The method of the present invention provides a novel improvement over past methods of educating children. By combining the learning experience with an active game, children are being stimulated and incentivized to learn at an increased rate. Studies have shown that most people, when it comes to how they learn material, fall into one of three categories: visual; auditory; and kinesthetic. The present invention strikes at all three of these learning styles to provide for a more holistic approach to serving educational material to a student. The visual learners will be stimulated by seeing the question and answers appear on the spinner and game board. While not all embodiments are specifically tailored for the auditory learners, many embodiment exist where the questions are read aloud by the game spinner, and other embodiments where the participant is encouraged to state their selected answers audibly at the end of a round. The kinesthetic learners will be stimulated by the fact that they must physically select the correct answer with part of their body, and must move again to select a subsequent answer. The inherent activeness with this activity, coupled with the visual stimulation, and, in some embodiments, the auditory stimulation, shows that the system and method of the present invention are applying modern-learning principles to allow for improved learning. Further, this game will enhance the effect of the education due to the repetition in the prompting and answering of questions. 
         [0015]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an entertaining way to learn. 
         [0016]    It is an object of the present invention to gamify the learning of information. 
         [0017]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a game that is entertaining for children and adults alike. 
         [0018]    It is an object of the present invention to educate children. 
         [0019]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a game that children and adults both enjoy. 
         [0020]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an educational game that is equally applicable to a variety of subjects. 
         [0021]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for multiple people to engage in simultaneous learning. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the system of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2A  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the electronic game board of the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 2B  shows a top view of an embodiment of the spinner  202  of the instant invention, rendered on a tablet. 
           [0025]      FIG. 3A  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the electronic game board of the present invention, where said game board is comprised of a plurality of touch screens. 
           [0026]      FIG. 3B  shows a top view of an embodiment of the spinner  202  of the present invention, rendered on a smartphone. 
           [0027]      FIG. 4A  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the electronic game board of the present invention, where the answer zones that contain the answer choices are of a non-uniform size. 
           [0028]      FIG. 4B  shows a top view of an embodiment of a stylized spinner  202  of the present invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 4C  shows a top view of an alternative embodiment of a stylized spinner  202  of the present invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 4D  shows a top view of an embodiment of the spinner  202  scanning a unique optical identifier. 
           [0031]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the game board of the present invention, where the game board is a plastic mat. 
           [0032]      FIGS. 6A-6B  show screenshots of an embodiment of the method of the present invention. 
           [0033]      FIG. 6C  shows two participants participating in an embodiment of the method of the present invention, on an electronic game board of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0034]    The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Identical elements in the various figures are identified with the same reference numerals. 
         [0035]    Reference will now be made in detail to each embodiment of the present invention. Such embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the present invention, which is not intended to be limited thereto. In fact, those of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate upon reading the present specification and viewing the present drawings that various modifications and variations can be made thereto. 
         [0036]    As a threshold matter, it should be noted that for the purposes of this disclosure the terms “prompter” and “electronic game spinner” are to be used interchangeably, and refer to the same components of the present invention. The term “random,” as used in this application, does not refer to true random selection, which only living beings are capable of Rather, the term “random”, when used here, refers to a selection algorithm used by computers. For example, the algorithm might select the digit from the current time to act as the “random” number. There exist a multitude of selection algorithms known in the art. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of an embodiment of the system of the present invention is provided for. Here, a prompter  200  having a touch-sensitized display  201  is shown. Additionally, the spinner  202  and spin initiator  203  are shown displayed on the prompter  200 . Also shown is a game board  100 . Here, the game board  100  includes a top surface  101 A having a touch-sensitized display  102 , a bottom surface  101 B, and a plurality of walls  101 C that extend between the top surface and the bottom surface. The touch-sensitized display  102  is shown with a plurality of answer zones  103 . In the particular embodiment shown here, the plurality of walls  101 C features a power port  104 , a speaker grill  105 , and a recess  106 . 
         [0038]    The game according to the present disclosure begins when a user touches the spin initiator  203 . In a preferred embodiment, the spinner  202  will rotate about the center of a wheel of categories for some amount of time. After a predetermined amount of time, the spinner  202  will stop, landing on a given category. In some embodiments, there is only a single question/answer set for a given category, while in other embodiments there are multiple question/answer sets. In the single question/answer set embodiment, that question/answer set is loaded and the respective potential answers are sent to the game board  100 . In a preferred embodiment, correct answers as well as some known incorrect answers are sent to the game board  100 . This provides the additional benefit of a user not being able to select the first answer zone  103  they see. This enhances the educational value of the game, as both speed and accuracy are rewarded in this embodiment. In the multiple question/answers, a question/answer set is selected randomly. In yet another preferred embodiment, once a category has been selected, the prompter will show a sub-category (See  FIG. 6B ). A similar animation of the spinner  202  spinning is shown for the subcategory, and from that subcategory a question is randomly selected. 
         [0039]    Turning to  FIG. 2A  a perspective view of an embodiment of the game board  100  is shown. Here, the game board  100  features at least one touch-sensitized display  102 , the power port  104 , the plurality of answer zones  103 , and the speaker grill  105 . In a preferred embodiment, the game board  100  is built such that multiple adults may utilize the board without the board breaking under the weight. Further, while this particular embodiment uses a single display inside of a single housing, the present invention contemplates multiple displays within a single housing, or multiple displays within multiple housings. In one embodiment the game board  100  is operated via a standard 120V or 240V wall outlet connected via the power port  104 . In another embodiment, the game board  100  is equipped with a battery housed within a chamber bounded by the top surface  101 A, the bottom surface  101 B, and the plurality of walls  101 C. This battery is preferably a lithium-ion battery, although most batteries are suitable for use with the game board  100 . This embodiment is equipped with speaker within the chamber discussed above. This speaker is located proximate to the speaker grill  105 . This is beneficial as the present invention can add auditory cues to both the question delivery and answering. In one embodiment, the game board  100  will read the question aloud. In other embodiments, the game board  100  will make a positive sound when the proper answer zone  103  is touched, and a negative sound when an improper answer zone  103  is touched. 
         [0040]    In  FIG. 2B  a top view of an embodiment of the spinner  202  rendered on a tablet is shown. Here the prompter  200  is a tablet. However, the prompter  200  can be a smartphone, a tablet, a touchscreen laptop computer, or any other electronic device that is touch-sensitized. In one embodiment, the prompter  200  can select from the following categories: math; entertainment; science; law; history; politics; art; geography; language; music; and current events. In a preferred embodiment, there is a “wild card” option whereby a random category will be chosen. The random category can be made known to the users, or it may be kept a secret from the users. In another embodiment, users will be able to customize the categories they see fit. Preferably, these custom categories will be populated with questions generated by the users in advance of playing the game. 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIG. 3A , a perspective view of an embodiment of the game board  100  of the present invention, where said game board  100  is comprised of a plurality of touch-sensitized displays  102  is shown. Here, the game board  100  is comprised of multiple touch-sensitized displays  102 , in multiple housings. This embodiment has a number of benefits. When multiple users are playing, if each user has a separate touch-sensitized display  102  to interact with, the ability for them to cheat by looking at another user&#39;s selection is seriously limited. In other embodiments, users must rotate between each touch-sensitized display  102  after a predetermined amount of questions. If the touch-sensitized displays  102  are spaced far enough apart, this allows an element of exercise to be incorporated into the game. In yet another embodiment, the plurality of answer zones  103  move around the game board  100 . When the game board  100  is spread across multiple touch-sensitized display  102 , the answer zones  103  may migrate freely between the various boards. This is facilitated by each unit being in wireless communication with each other, as well as with the prompter shown in  FIG. 3B . 
         [0042]      FIG. 3B  shows a top view of an embodiment of the spinner  202  of the present invention, rendered on a smartphone. Of note here is how prompter  200  is a smartphone, as opposed to the tablet shown in  FIG. 2B . 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIG. 4A , a perspective view of an embodiment of the game board  100  of the present invention, where the answer zones  103  that contain the answer choices are of a non-uniform size is provided. Here, plurality of answer zones  103  consist of non-uniform sized circles. While here, plurality of answer zones  103  is shown as circles, any geographic shape is suitable for use as an answer zone. This shape could be a pure polygon, a free-hand drawn shape, or some sort of image. In a preferred embodiment, the answer zones  103  correspond to the answer selection contained therein. For example, if the answer contained in the answer zone was the Oregon Trial, the answer zone  103  may be shown as an era-appropriate wagon. In yet another embodiment, plurality of answer zones  103  will move around, adding an element of coordination to the game. 
         [0044]    Further,  FIG. 4B  shows the spinner  202  being stylized. That is, because the category of art was selected, the spinner now appears with an art theme. Accordingly, the game board  100  of  FIG. 4A  is also stylized to match the spinner. This is an optional component found in a preferred embodiment.  FIG. 4C  shows a stylized spinner  202  when the category is science.  FIG. 4D  shows the prompter  200  of the present invention scanning unique optical identifier  109 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the game board  100 , where the game board  100  is a plastic mat. Of note here is unique optical identifier  109 . Unique optical identifier  109  is used by the prompter  200  (see  FIG. 1 ) to learn of the answers disposed on game board  100 . In this embodiment, a user may have multiple game boards  100 . As a user gets tired of the first game board  100 , they may use the prompter to scan the unique identifier  109  on the second game board  100 , and the prompter  200  (see  FIG. 1 ) will display the appropriate categories and subcategories while loading the appropriate questions. Note here how game board  100  is stylized for the science category. 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIGS. 6A-6B , various screenshots of an embodiment of the method of the present invention being performed are shown. First, a user will touch the spin initiator  201  shown in screen  301 . As shown, the spinner  202  will spin for a predetermined amount of time until it lands on a category, as shown in screen  302 . In an alternative embodiment, the spinner  202  will spin indefinitely, and a user will touch the screen a second time to stop the spinner  202 . In this embodiment, after landing on a category in screen  302 , a spinner  202  showing subcategories is shown, as seen in screen  303 . Once again the user will touch the touch-sensitized display  201  such that the spinner  202  spins, and it will arrive at one of the subcategories in the manner previously described. Once the subcategory has been selected, a question will be randomly chosen. In some embodiments, the question will merely be displayed visually, in other embodiments, the question will be read aloud. Once the question has been read, a user is brought to screen  304  where they are presented with a plurality of answer zones  103 . As shown here, these answers zones  103  will be of various sizes and will preferably move around the touch-sensitized display  102 , shown in screen  304 . In a preferred embodiment, this embodiment is performed on at least two devices independently selected from the group consisting of smartphones, tablets, touch-sensitized laptop computers, and any other internet-enabled electronic device with a touchscreen. This embodiment is particularly suitable for two users sitting next to each other on a road trip, while each user participates on their respective device. Here, the electronic game board  100  and the prompter  200  are the same device. 
         [0047]      FIG. 6C  shows two participants participating in an embodiment of the method of the present invention, on a game board  100  of the present invention. 
         [0048]    When introducing elements of the present disclosure or the embodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. Similarly, the adjective “another,” when used to introduce an element, is intended to mean one or more elements. The terms “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive such that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. 
         [0049]    While the disclosure refers to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, many modifications will be appreciated by those skilled in the art to adapt a particular instrument, situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the spirit thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed.