Abstract:
A game about intellectual properties comprising a game board, decks of associated playing cards, dice and a bag of playing pieces together with playing methods comprising method of inventing if a playing piece lands on an invention space ( 18 ), methods of creating if a playing piece lands on a copyright space ( 16 ), method of consuming consumer products if a playing piece lands on a consumer space ( 52 ), means of licensing patented inventions, means of licensing copyrighted materials and means of determining a winner of the game.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    Not Applicable  
         FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH  
         [0002]    Not Applicable  
         SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM  
         [0003]    Not Applicable  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    1. Field of Invention  
           [0005]    This invention relates to a game that can be played with a game board and playing pieces, specifically to intellectual properties.  
           [0006]    2. Object and Advantages  
           [0007]    Current board games and computer games do not address the fact that our high living standard is based largely upon many inventions. One key factor for the myriad of inventions is the right to intellectual properties. It encourages new inventions by allowing inventors to claim exclusive rights to related productions. Imitations are significantly deterred. Today, human beings can fly, communicate with one another via wireless phones, cook food without having to depend on fire are mostly because of patented inventions.  
           [0008]    Today&#39;s society is one that advances at an unprecedented speed. The birth of new computer technology, the internet and many satellite devices set the new technological foundation for our current society to leap forward in term of living standards. The inventions of birth control and drugs help not only to control the growth of our population, but also health and longevity of individuals.  
           [0009]    This game is to arouse players&#39; awareness to the relationship between inventions and the well being of our society, more importantly, to intellectual properties. And with today&#39;s society, one that is hard hit by economic downturn, a focus on educating citizens about the importance of invention seems unavoidable. This is based on the fact that new inventions often create new job opportunities. For example, the invention of computer has created a chain of new industries ranging from software engineering to computer stores and from data entry to IT consulting.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    According to the invention, this game is based on inventions and the process of inventing and patenting. Each player is not only an inventor, but also a consumer. Game features a game board having a start space and one game track which is closely continuous and is uniquely designed only for this game. The track contains a number of playing spaces representing either inventions or copyright materials. Some of such spaces represent commercial places that let consumers consume already invented and commercialized products. Each player uses a playing piece to advance on the game track according to the result of throwing two dice. Simulated money is used by the players of this game. A player is an inventor if his playing piece lands on an invention space then pay fees to patent his inventions. A player is a consumer if his playing piece lands on a consumer space then pay royalties to inventors.  
           [0011]    According to another aspect of the invention, the game board and players&#39; moves on the board may be simulated on a monitor of a personal computer, when a storage device such as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM containing corresponding program data is used in connection with the computer.  
           [0012]    For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and claims. 
       
    
    
     DRAWING—FIGURES  
       [0013]    In the drawing:  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a view of an intellectual properties game board according to the invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2-A is a view of one side of a sample invention card;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2-B is a view of another side of a sample invention card;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2-C is a view of one side of a sample copyright card;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2-D is a view of another side of a sample copyright card;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3-A is a view of one side of a sample court card;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3-B is a view of another side of a sample court card;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 is a view of a sample drawing card;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a first portion of the game board in FIG. 1;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of a second portion of the game board in FIG. 1;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view of a third portion of the game board in FIG. 1;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 8 is an enlarged plan view of a fourth portion of the game board in FIG. 1;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 9 shows all other components including playing cards, pieces, dice and stimulated money. 
     
    
     DRAWINGS—REFERENCE NUMERALS  
       [0027]    [0027] 1  start space  10  game board  
         [0028]    [0028] 14  a donation space  16  a copyright space  
         [0029]    [0029] 18  an invention space  23  a fries invention space  
         [0030]    [0030] 24  a soda invention space  25  a consumer space  
         [0031]    [0031] 27  another invention space  38  court space  
         [0032]    [0032] 40  an invention space  41  an invention space  
         [0033]    [0033] 42  an invention space  43  an invention space  
         [0034]    [0034] 44  shopping mall entrance space  52  a consumer space  
         [0035]    [0035] 53  first portion of the game board  
         [0036]    [0036] 54  second portion of the game board  
         [0037]    [0037] 55  third portion of the game board  
         [0038]    [0038] 56  fourth portion of the game board  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0039]    [0039]FIG. 1 is a plan view of an intellectual properties game board  10  according to the invention. FIGS.  5 - 8  are enlarged views of portions of the game board in FIG. 1, and  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 9 shows all game peripherals including playing cards, pieces, dice and play money used during play of the game of the present invention.  
         [0041]    In the illustrated embodiment, the present game can be played by up to fifteen players. The player with the highest amount of money, most inventions, plus highest number of purchases of consumer products wins the game, e.g., received the highest amount of fees and royalties, bought the highest amount of consumer products and visited theme parks, public restrooms, airports, shopping mall most often, etc.  
         [0042]    In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a game board  10  features a game track including fifty two playing spaces.  
         [0043]    The game board  10  also has a start space  1  at the beginning of the track. Playing spaces of the game track are divided into two main categories. The first category is retail stores and commercial places. The second category of playing spaces is inventions and creations.  
         [0044]    The present game begins by providing each player with a playing piece drawn from a bag (FIG. 9). Each player places his game piece at start space  1  (FIG. 5). A deck of “Drawing” cards (FIG. 9) and a deck of “Court” cards (FIG. 9), are placed on the open space of the game board  10 . One player is selected to be the “Game Banker”, and she provides each player with, for example, $1,000 start money; distributes invention cards and copyright cards, etc. The game banker gets one free airline ticket for the game. Examples of instructions or notices provided on the undersides of the drawing cards (FIG. 9) may include, but are not limited to, the following:  
         [0045]    1. You have won a free cup of coffee. (if land on coffee and donut house, pay only the inventor of donuts.)  
         [0046]    2. You have won a shopping spree. Collect $200.  
         [0047]    3. The Patent Office refunds you $100. Collect $100.  
         [0048]    4. A free bag of French fries the next time. (if land on French fries and soda palace, pay only the inventor of soda drinks.)  
         [0049]    5. You look great! Please continue to have fun and win the game.  
         [0050]    6. You don&#39;t have to pay for public restroom once. Isn&#39;t it great? 
         [0051]    7. President has signed tax refund act. Collect $300.  
         [0052]    8. Royalties from your invention is received. Collect $100.  
         [0053]    9. Your novel sells well, you receive royalties. Collect $120.  
         [0054]    10. A bad hair day? No more! Try a new hair-dryer for free. (use this card once.)  
         [0055]    The following are examples, without limitation, of instructions or notices provided on the court cards (FIG. 9):  
         [0056]    1. Products without warning labels. Fine: $250.  
         [0057]    2. Settled down a copyright infringement lawsuit out of court. Pay: $50.  
         [0058]    3. Infringed someone else&#39;s patent right. Fine $300.  
         [0059]    4. Your product name infringes on someone else&#39;s trademark. Fine: $200.  
         [0060]    5. Split up your company into two and pay fines. Fine: $400.  
         [0061]    6. You are protected by bankruptcy. Payment to your banker is reduced. Pay $40.  
         [0062]    7. Accounting problems found in your company. Fine: $500.  
         [0063]    8. Your supplier has lost the lawsuit. You receive $220.  
         [0064]    9. You appealed and won. Collect $150.  
         [0065]    10. No court today. Happy Holiday! 
         [0066]    To start the game, each player rolls two dice. The player with the highest number begins. The player with the second highest number plays next and so forth. Then, players may rearrange their seating according to their playing sequence, e.g., rotating toward the right of the starting player. The starting player rolls the dice again, and moves forward from the start space  1 .  
         [0067]    One or more players may occupy any one space on the game board  10  at the same time during the game.  
         [0068]    Playing method for invention spaces, for example space  18  (FIG. 6):  
         [0069]    If a playing piece lands on an invention space  18  (FIG. 6), the player, say player A, can make an invention, namely roller coaster, by possessing the associated invention card of the invention space. FIG. 2-A and FIG. 2-B show both sides of a sample invention card.  
         [0070]    If player A&#39;s playing piece lands on the same invention space again during the game, player A may then patent his invention by paying a fee. The fee is according to the incremental fee schedule for patents printed on the associated invention card (FIG. 2-A).  
         [0071]    Player A can patent new inventions for up to four times for the same invention space.  
         [0072]    However, if such an invention has been invented, meaning another player, say player B, possesses the associated invention card, player A has to pay a royalty to player B. Associated royalties schedule is printed on one side of the associated invention card (FIG. 2-B).  
         [0073]    Each new patent represents a new invention under the item name of each invention space. For example, four patents can be applied for soda invention space  24  (FIG. 7) since each new patent represents new formula for a unique taste of soda.  
         [0074]    The same method applies to all other invention spaces on the game board.  
         [0075]    Playing method for copyright spaces, for example space  16  (FIG. 6):  
         [0076]    If a playing piece lands on a copyright space  16  (FIG. 6), the player, say player, C can make a copyright material by possessing the associated copyright card of the copyright space. FIG. 2-C and FIG. 2-D show both sides of a sample copyright card.  
         [0077]    If player C&#39;s playing piece lands on the same copyright space again during the game, player C may then create his copyright material, namely novel, by paying a fee. The fee is shown in the incremental fee schedule for creation printed on the associated copyright card (FIG. 2-C).  
         [0078]    Player C can create new copyright materials for up to four times for the same copyright space.  
         [0079]    However, if such a copyright material has been created, meaning another player, say player D, possesses the associated copyright card, player C has to pay a royalty to player D. Associated royalties schedule is printed on one side of the associated copyright card (FIG. 2-D).  
         [0080]    The same method applies to all other creation spaces on the game board.  
         [0081]    Playing method for consumer spaces, for example space  25  (FIG. 7):  
         [0082]    If a playing piece lands on a consumer space, for example “Soda and Fries Palace”  25  (FIG. 7), the corresponding player, say player E, will have to pay royalties to the all associated inventors, namely the inventor of soda and the inventor of fries.  
         [0083]    For example, if player F possesses invention card for playing space  23  (FIG. 7) and player G possesses invention card for playing space  24  (FIG. 7), player E has to pay royalties to both players F and G. The royalties are paid according to the royalties schedules of the invention cards possessed by player F and player G respectively.  
         [0084]    The same method applies to other consumer spaces, such as shopping mall spaces, theme park spaces and theatre spaces.  
         [0085]    As far as payments of royalties are concerned, the worst case happens when a player&#39;s playing piece lands on playing space  52  (FIG. 5). That is a computer and electronic store space stimulating a retail store in a real shopping mall. The player has to pay royalties to all associated inventors, namely players who possess invention cards for space  44 ,  43 ,  42 ,  41  and  40  (FIG. 8) respectively.  
         [0086]    Playing method for court space  38  (FIG. 8):  
         [0087]    If a playing piece lands on such court space  38  (FIG. 8), the player has to draw a court card. The player may get a penalty or a favorable court result depending on his luck. A sample court card is in the drawing (FIG. 3-A) and (FIG. 3-B).  
         [0088]    Playing method for passing start space  1  (FIG. 5):  
         [0089]    If a playing piece has traveled the game track for one round and is passing the start space again, the associated player can get a “Drawing Card”. An example of a drawing card is shown (FIG. 4). A player may be awarded with a free usage of certain inventions, such as a free airline ticket, or a free bag of donut, etc. That is to exclude the associated player to pay royalties to related inventors once.  
         [0090]    Method for determining the winner  
         [0091]    The player with the biggest sum of royalties, inventions and consumption wins the game. This is usually the player who can remain in the game for the longest time. Such a player will be the best inventor and consumer in the game.