Patent Publication Number: US-2004041343-A1

Title: Game

Description:
[0001] The invention relates to a game to test patience comprising rotatably mounted pieces. The aim of the game is to put the pieces in a determined position. This is made difficult due to the fixed arrangement of the pieces in pairs and the restricted rotation of said pieces.  
       [0002] Different games are known wherein patterns or a symmetric arrangement of colours can be achieved by shifting or rotating elements on a surface or three-dimensionally.  
       [0003] In DE 31 46 801 A1 and DE 297 13 242 U1 games are described wherein pieces having concave lateral surfaces (inside pieces) are arranged rotatably within a frame. The lenticular cavities between these pieces are filled by edge pieces such that each inside piece together with the adjacent edge pieces provides a rotatable disk with a circular base. The lenticular edge pieces can change their positions by rotating this figure and thus a pattern printed on the pieces can be destroyed and re-established, respectively.  
       [0004] A similar principle is described in DE 3129494 A1: Jigsaw puzzle pieces are rotatably arranged on a plane. Movements of adjacent pieces, however, influence each other so that only a simultaneous rotation of all pieces of a row is possible. Refinding the position marked as the solution is made difficult by that the rotation of single pieces into the correct angular position influences other pieces already correctly positioned.  
       [0005] DE 3143735 A1 describes a rotational toy comprising a base plate and rotating bodies. The rotating bodies can be moved on circular paths prescribed by the base plate. Intersecting circular paths on the base plate allow to move the rotating bodies from one circular path to an adjacent one. Also this game requires intelligence to find an arrangement of the rotating bodies which was marked previously by an imprint.  
       [0006] In DE 29620201 a jigsaw puzzle game is described wherein circular pieces are inserted rotatably in indentations of a base plate. A printed picture or pattern can be destroyed and re-established by rotating the pieces. Because the pieces can be moved independently of each other, the solution is simple to find and no high level of attraction by the game can be expected.  
       [0007] Still there is a high demand for games.  
       [0008] The objective is, therefore, to create a novel game to test patience, whereby a printed picture or pattern can easily be destroyed, but can only be re-established with difficulty due to interrelated impediment of the movements.  
       [0009] According to the invention, the problem is solved by a game which comprises at least two rotatably mounted or rotatably arranged pieces having diameters that are bigger than the distances between the pieces and whereby at least one part is removed from at least one piece, said part including at least the overlapping surface of the adjacent overlapping piece.  
       [0010] The game according to the invention can be a three-dimensional and a virtual game as well, in which the pieces can be shown virtually on the display of a data processing device by means of a computer programme.  
       [0011] In the three-dimensional embodiment of the game according to the invention the pieces are rotatably mounted on a base plate by one axle each. This arrangement ensures a fixed distance between the pieces.  
       [0012] In an advantageous embodiment of the three-dimensional game, the axles of the pieces penetrate the base plate. Pieces are arranged on the axles on both sides of the base plate, whereby on one side of the base plate called the setting side the diameter of the rotatably mounted pieces is bigger than the distance between the pieces and at least one part is removed from at least one piece, said part including at least the overlapped surface of the adjacent overlapping piece, and whereby on the other side of the base plate called the result side the diameter of the pieces is smaller than the distance between the pieces and said pieces carry a pattern printed on them.  
       [0013] The pieces of the result side have preferably lines or surface elements of the same kind which, at appropriate angular positions, lead to symmetric patterns which appear to be offset relative to the positions of the rotating axles. Opposite to a picture printed on the result side, several solutions are possible.  
       [0014] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, three adjacent pieces in each case are arranged in an equilateral triangle so that the closest possible arrangement of the pieces is achieved.  
       [0015] In another embodiment of the invention, the number of the parts cut out of the pieces variies so that, on the one hand, the level of difficulty of the game is increased and, on the other hand, a greatest possible number of symmetric patterns can be established.  
       [0016] In yet another embodiment of the invention, the game comprises 19 pieces on both the setting and result sides, said pieces arranged in a regular hexagon.  
       [0017] In a preferred embodiment, the game according to the invention is implemented in a computer, which is connected to at least one data input device and at least one display as a screen surface. The pieces as data in the computer are shown as pictures in the screen surface. The data are changed via the data input device so that as a result the pieces move in the screen surface in correspondence with the input. Thereby the representations of the pieces of both the setting and the result sides rotate in correspondence with the input via the data input device. Therefore at least one player can observe all movements of the pieces corresponding with his or her input.  
       [0018] Another preferred embodiment of the solution according to the invention is a game as an external memory device as a data carrier with data for a computer that is connected to at least one data input device and at least one display as a screen surface. The data carrier allows that the game can be implemented on any computer. Hereby a particular advantage is that also interrupted games can be continued at different places. Therefore the user is not limited to a certain location and/or device. Preferably for games with many pieces, this can be very important.  
       [0019] In another embodiment of the game, the representations of the result side pieces result in graphic patterns, when the positions of the representations of the setting side pieces are correct so that also different solutions are given. This feature extends the value of the game significantly. The result is a graphic representation on the setting side and a graphic representation on the result side as well.  
       [0020] In yet another embodiment of the game, it is possible to show the pieces of the setting and the result sides simultaneously or successively on a screen surface. This results in further applications in using the game. Of course, it is possible to show the representations of the pieces on several screen surfaces so that the process of the game can be observed by persons who are not engaged actively.  
       [0021] In another embodiment of the game according to the invention the state of the game may advantageously not only be an initial position, but also game states may be continued which are provided by a random event generator or were aborted. 
     
    
    
     [0022] Examples of embodiment of the invention are discussed in more detail by the drawings enclosed. It is shown by  
     [0023]FIG. 1 game comprising 2 pieces with the game positions a-c;  
     [0024]FIG. 2 game comprising 3 pieces with several parts cut out in each case;  
     [0025]FIG. 3 game comprising 3 pieces with a pattern;  
     [0026]FIG. 4 game comprising 19 pieces on each the setting and result sides. 
    
    
     [0027]FIG. 1 shows a representation of the basic principle of the game according to the invention. Two pieces A and B are arranged rotatably such that their diameters are bigger than the distance between said pieces. In order to avoid overlapping of the pieces, a part of each piece including the overlapped part of the other piece is removed. Dependent upon the angular positions, rotation of the other piece can be prevented. This results in different game situations:  
     [0028] a Piece A is blocked by piece B.  
     [0029] b Both pieces can be freely rotated.  
     [0030] c Piece B is blocked by piece A.  
     [0031] In the games shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 three adjacent pieces each are rotatably arranged in an equilateral triangle so that the closest possible arrangement of the pieces is obtained. The pieces are rotatably mounted on a base plate not shown in the FIGS. 2 and 3 by means of axles, whereby the axles penetrate the base plate and pieces are mounted on the axles on both sides of the base plate. The pieces form a setting side (FIG. 2) and a result side (FIG. 3). A pattern or a picture is printed on the result side of the pieces.  
     [0032] The aim of the game to FIGS. 2 and 3 is to put the pieces in a position in that the picture on the result side is correct or a special symmetry of the pattern shows. This, however, is made difficult due to the fixed arrangement of the pieces in pairs on the result and setting sides and the restricted rotation of said pieces on the setting side as well.  
     [0033]FIG. 2 shows the pieces of the setting side. Three adjacent pieces are rotatably arranged in an equilateral triangle so that their diameters are bigger than the distance between them. Compared with the representation in FIG. 1 the number of the parts cut out of the pieces is increased and variied. This, on the one hand, increases the level of difficulty of the game and, on the other hand, allows a greater number of settings of the pieces of the result side, which are connected through the axles.  
     [0034]FIG. 3 shows the pieces of the result side, the diameters of which are smaller than the distances between them. On the pieces there are lines or surface elements of the same kind which at appropriate angular positions of the pieces result in symmetric patterns, whereby said patterns preferably appear offset relative to the position of the rotating axles. Opposite to a picture printed on the result side, several solutions are possible.  
     [0035]FIG. 4 shows a preferred embodiment of the game with 19 pieces on the result side (FIG. 4 a ) and 19 pieces on the setting side (FIG. 4 b ). Below the pieces a hexagonal base plate is shown in FIG. 4 a . Use of running colours for the circular patterns on the pieces of the result side makes setting of symmetric overall patterns difficult.  
     [0036] In another preferred embodiment of the game said game is implemented in a computer. The computer is connected to at least one data input device and at least one display as a screen surface. Representations in the screen surface of setting side pieces are first data and representations in the screen surface of result side pieces are second data in at least one memory of the computer. The representations of the pieces of the setting side in the screen surface are presented such that their diameters are bigger than their distances and at least one part is removed from at least one piece, whereby said part includes at least the overlapped surface of the adjacent overlapping piece. FIG. 1 shows, as an aspect of the invention, representations of setting side pieces formed in said manner. The pieces of the result side are presented in the screen surface such that their diameters are not bigger than the distances between them.  
     [0037] Two setting side pieces, A and B, can be rotated on the screen surface by an input via the data input device, whereby no overlapping of these pieces is possible. Therefore, dependent upon the angular position, rotation of the respective other piece can be prevented. Different game situations follow:  
     [0038] a Piece A is blocked by piece B.  
     [0039] b Both pieces can be freely rotated.  
     [0040] c Piece B is blocked by piece A.  
     [0041] Through an input by means of the data input device such as a keyboard, a mouse and/or a joystick, the first data are changed and by the computer, at the same time, the second data are correspondingly changed such that at least one piece of the setting side and the assigned piece of the result side are rotated in the screen surface by equal angles bigger than 0. In the game shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 three adjacent pieces each are arranged in an equilateral triangle, whereby pieces of the setting side are shown in FIG. 2 and pieces of the result side in FIG. 3. The pieces of the result side show a pattern or a picture. The aim of the game to FIGS. 2 and 3 is to put the pieces in a position in that the picture on the result side is correct or a special symmetry of the pattern shows. FIG. 2 shows the pieces of the setting side. Three adjacent pieces can be rotated in an equilateral triangle so that their diameter is bigger than the distance between them. Compared with the representation in FIG. 1 the number of the parts cut out of the pieces is increased and variied. This, on the one hand, increases the level of difficulty of the game and, on the other hand, allows a greater number of settings of the result side pieces rotating equivalently.  
     [0042]FIG. 3 shows the pieces of the result side, the diameters of which are smaller than the distance between them. The pieces have line or surface elements of the same kind which, at appropriate angular positions of the pieces, result in symmetric patterns which preferably appear offset relative to the position of the rotating axles.  
     [0043]FIG. 4 shows a preferred embodiment of the game with 19 pieces on the result side (FIG. 4 a ) and 19 pieces on the setting side (FIG. 4 b ). Use of running colours for the circular patterns on the pieces of the result side makes setting of symmetric overall patterns difficult.  
     [0044] The representations of the pieces of the setting side and of the result side can be shown either together at the same time, or successively in one screen surface. Of course, several screen surfaces may be used so that the pieces of the setting side can be shown in a first screen surface and the pieces of the result side can be shown in at least one other screen surface.  
     [0045] The representations of the pieces of the setting side in the at least one screen surface can be a representation of an initial position and/or a random position and/or a position which has been changed from an initial position by an input via the at least one input device. The initial position can be an unchanging element in a memory. A random position according to the conditions of the game can be achieved by a connection with a random event generator, which is a component of the computer.  
     [0046] In another preferred embodiment the game is a component of an external memory device. The external memory device includes devices such as a floppy, a compact disc or a digital versatile disc. Said devices are characterized by that they can be detachably connected to a computer such that data exchange can be carried out. Representations in the screen surface of setting side pieces are first data and representations in the screen surface of result side pieces are second data of the external memory device. The pieces of the setting side in the screen surface are presented such that their diameters are bigger than distances between them and at least one part is removed from at least one piece, whereby said part includes at least the overlapped surface of the adjacent overlapping piece. The pieces of the result side in the screen surface are presented such that their diameters are not bigger than the distances between them. At least one of the pieces of the setting side and the assigned piece of the result side on the screen surface can each be rotated by an equal angle bigger than 0, whereby no overlapping of the pieces of the setting side is possible. This results in a game corresponding with the preferred embodiment previously described of the game.