Abstract:
A method for at least two players to play a spinning disk game that includes each player spinning a disk having an image displayed thereon on a surface starting at substantially the same time; the player spinning the disk the longest winning a predetermined number of points; the players accumulating points by repeatedly spinning their disks; when a player reaches a predetermined threshold number of points, spins the disk the longest, and identifies the image on the disk surface, the player wins the game. The identified image may include those chosen from the group consisting of natural objects, man-made objects, caricatures, people, pop culture figures, designs and logos.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/096,542 filed Sep. 12, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to games and, more specifically, to a method and system for a spinning disk game. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Games of dexterity, suspense, and intellectual challenge provide entertainment for adults and children. Games that combine these features offer an even greater level of entertainment, especially if they are of low complexity, so that the effort required to learn them is low. Games that combine these features with players&#39; other interests, such as sports, history, or popular culture, increase a game&#39;s desirability and playability even further. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention generally relates to a method for at least two players to play a game that includes the steps of (1) each player being associated with a different spinning object; (2) each player spinning their associated object on a surface starting at substantially the same time; (3) the player spinning their associated object the longest winning a predetermined number of points; (4) the players accumulating points by repeatedly spinning their associated objects; (5) when a player reaches a predetermined threshold number of points and spins their associated object the longest, the player identifying an image displayed on a face of their associated spinning object while the object is still spinning; and (6) when the player correctly identifies the image on their associated spinning object while the object is still spinning, the player winning the game. The identified images are preferably chosen from the group consisting of natural objects, man-made objects, caricatures, people, pop culture figures, designs and logos. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a spinning object used with the present invention; and 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  shows a flowchart of a preferred method of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0008]    The present invention is directed to a portable, educational spinning object game for use on a substantially flat surface. The game challenges players to determine who can spin an object the longest and identify images of people, places and things. The preferred objects can be any size or shape and may compete with other objects of the same type or shape. The objects used for the games may be of a wide variety of sizes and shapes, as long as each includes an identifying image on the object. 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  shows one embodiment of the spinning object a disk  10 . The disk  10  is substantially flat and circular, similar to a coin in shape, and includes a front face  12 , a rear face  14  and an edge surface  16 . The disk  10  is preferably composed of metal, polymer, or ceramic, or in an alternative embodiment is a combination of two or more of these materials. In one embodiment at least one face is smooth. In another embodiment, at least one face is textured. The edge surface  16  is substantially smooth, but in an alternative embodiment the edge surface  16  is knurled. 
         [0010]    At least one of the faces  12 ,  14  includes an image  18 . In one embodiment, the front face  12  includes a front face image  18 - 1  and the rear face  14  includes a rear face image  18 - 2 . In another embodiment, the disk  10  includes only a single image  18  on the front face  12  and the rear face  14  is plain or nondescript. 
         [0011]    The spinning object may be any shape or configuration capable of spinning that allows for display of an image on a least one surface. 
         [0012]    The image  18  is any humanly recognizable person, place or thing. Examples include a natural object, a man-made object, a caricature, a person, a pop culture figure, a design, or any other physical or created feature that could be recognizable to a person playing the game. In one embodiment, the front face image  18 - 1  is a sports team logo and the rear face image  18 - 2  is a football. In another embodiment, the front face  12  has no front face image  18 - 1  and the rear face  14  includes the rear face image  18 - 2  of a figure from popular culture. Other examples and categories exist outside of those examples provided. 
         [0013]    In another alternative embodiment, the front and rear faces  12 ,  14  also include a label  24 . In one embodiment, the label  24  occupies a perimeter region  26  of the front face  12  and is related to the brand-manufacturer of the disk  10 . In another embodiment, the label  24  occupies the perimeter region  26  of the rear face  14  and is related to the rear face image  18 - 2 . 
         [0014]      FIG. 2  shows a method  30  of the present invention. The method uses at least one disk  10  for each participating player and a playing surface. The playing surface is a substantially hard, flat surface, such as a table. At a first block  32 , each player simultaneously spins one disk  10  on the playing surface. The players can use any method they desire for putting their disk  10  into a spinning motion. One condition is that each player&#39;s disk  10  must begin spinning at substantially the same time. 
         [0015]    Next, at blocks  34 - 40 , the players evaluate whether the spin initiated at block  32  meets certain predetermined conditions so as to be considered a satisfactory spin. A plurality of players, a single designated player, or a non-playing judge could make this determination. Alternatively, the role of determining this could alternate from player to player, or between players and non-players. 
         [0016]    At a block  34 , the players determine whether each player started their spin at substantially the same time. If each player&#39;s spin is determined to have not started at substantially the same time, then the method  30  returns to the block  32  for a new spin. If the players&#39; spins were substantially simultaneous, then at a block  36  the players determine if no disks  10  spun off the edge of the playing surface. If at least one disk  10  has fallen off the playing surface during the spin, then the method  30  returns to the block  32  for a new spin. If all disks  10  are still on the playing surface, then at a block  38  the players determine if any player touched another player&#39;s disk  10  during the spin. If any player has touched another player&#39;s disk  10  during the spin, then the method  30  returns to the block  32  for a new spin. If no player has touched another player&#39;s disk  10  during the spin, then at a block  40  the players determine if any player&#39;s disk  10  has touched any other player&#39;s disk  10  during the spin. If any player&#39;s disk  10  has touched any other player&#39;s disk  10  during the spin, then the method  30  returns to the block  32  for a new spin. 
         [0017]    It will be appreciated that additional or different conditions could considered during this phase of the game methodology without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, conditions could be added such that the spinning must occur within certain predefined areas of the playing surface. In addition, one or more of the determinations made at blocks  34 - 40  may be made substantially simultaneously or in different orders. 
         [0018]    If all of the predetermined conditions agreed to by the players are met, then at a block  42  the players determine which player&#39;s disk  10  is spinning the longest and whether that player has accumulated a predetermined threshold number of points x, such as ten. If the player with the longest spinning disk  10  has not accumulated the predetermined threshold number of points x, then at a block  44  the player is awarded a predetermined number of points y for winning the spin, such as one point, and the method  30  returns to block  32  for a new spin. If the player with the longest spinning disk  10  has accumulated the predetermined threshold number of points x, at a block  46  the player states what they believe to be the identifying name of the image  18  of their disk  10  while the disk  10  is still spinning. 
         [0019]    Next, at a block  48 , the players or judges used at blocks  34 - 40  determine whether the player with the longest spinning disk  10  correctly identified the image  18  on their disk  10 , and did so while their disk  10  was still spinning. If the player did not identify the image  18  on their disk  10  correctly, or did not identify the image  18  on their disk  10  while it was still spinning, the method  30  returns to the block  32  for a new spin. If the player identified the image  18  on their disk  10  correctly, then at a block  50  the player wins the game. 
         [0020]    In one embodiment of the method  30 , the disks  10  used by the players have an image  18  that is different for each player. In a further embodiment, the image  18  is recognizable, but intellectually challenging for the players to identify in block  36  of the method  30 . In another embodiment, the image  18  is selected according to the intellectual ability, age, or interests of the intended users of the disks  10 . 
         [0021]    While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment.