Abstract:
The present invention is a computerized game device or game playing method for use with objects such as balls and a generally planar surface. The game device may comprise at least two electromagnetic beam transmitters arranged to emit electromagnetic beams and at least two corresponding electromagnetic beam receivers generating signals. The game device further comprises a support for the transmitters and receivers having a surface shaped to rest stably against the planar surface, the support positioning each transmitter to emit its electromagnetic beam parallel to the other beams and parallel to the planar surface, the support positioning each receiver to receive one of the electromagnetic beams, and the support shaped to permit the objects to pass through the beams and to strike the planar surface without striking the support. The game device further comprises a game computer arranged to receive signals from the receivers and programmed to implement at least one game where performance is judged by analysis of the signals received from the receivers.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to electronic games utilizing balls, and more particularly to such games that detect where a ball bounces by means of sensors when the ball breaks or deflects an electromagnetic beam. 
   Visible and infrared light beams generated by transmitters and aimed at receivers are well-known as arrangements that can detect when an object or person moves between the transmitter and the receiver, thus blocking the beam from reaching the receiver. For example, elevators have long been equipped with a beam transmitter positioned at one side of an elevator door and beamed at a beam receiver positioned at the other side of the door. The elevator doors are not permitted to close whenever the transmitted beam does not reach the receiver, since it is presumed that some person or object (such as boxes on a dolly) is blocking the elevator door. Similar arrangements are used in conjunction with conveyor belts to detect when boxes and other objects are passing by a work station. Such beams are also used as burglar alarms. 
   Infrared beams are also used widely in remote controls for television sets and other electronic appliances. In such applications, the beams are normally broader and not so focused, since such remote controls are normally hand held. Since several controllers may be in operation at the same time, the infrared beams generated by remote controls are typically modulated with a different encoding depending upon both the appliance being addressed and also the desired function. Decoders in the television sets and the like decode the information conveyed by the beams first to determine if the information is directed to that particular television set or other appliance and secondly to determine what function is called for. 
   Infrared beams and visible light beams are also used in conjunction with some touch sensitive computer displays. Horizontal and vertical beams are sent from transmitters to receivers across the surface of such a display to detect any finger that touches the screen and to determine, by which horizontal and which vertical beam is broken, the approximate X and Y coordinates of the finger pressed against the screen. 
   Electromagnetic transmitters capable of sending beams to electromagnetic receivers have been used in a variety of games and sports activity motion tracking devices in the past. U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,182 discloses a game where the players use mirrors to selectively divert the path of laser beams towards and away from targets. U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,086 discloses a system that uses a stationary electromagnetic wave transmitter with three orthogonally-disposed antennas to detect the motion of a sensor attached, for example, to a ping pong paddle, the sensor having three orthogonally-disposed coils. U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,554 discloses a simulated gun which beams a focused beam of light at a retro-reflective target such that the beam is reflected back to a receiver also mounted on the gun if the gun is properly aimed at the target. U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,484 discloses a simulated ping-pong game where light beams are directed to the fore-hand and back-hand sides of a player, and the player must, within a given short time period, deflect those light beams with a hand-held paddle having a light-diffusing surface such that light is reflected back to a receiver whenever the paddle intercepts the beam. U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,507 discloses a shooting arcade game with multiple simulated guns and multiple targets, each target having a light sensor, each gun having a light pulse transmitter, the system using time multiplexing to determine which gun hit which target. U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,825 discloses two infrared light sources and three linear arrays of focused multiple infrared light sensors. The three linear arrays of multiple sensors, by capturing infrared light reflected off of a driven golf ball, are able to record the left-to-right positioning of the golf ball in three spaced-apart planes oriented generally perpendicular to the golf ball&#39;s outward path of travel as it travels away from a golfer and also its return path of travel after it bounces off of a target screen. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Briefly described, the present invention, in one embodiment, may be a computerized game device or game playing method for use with objects such as balls and a generally planar surface. A game device may comprise at least two electromagnetic beam transmitters arranged to emit electromagnetic beams and at least two corresponding electromagnetic beam receivers generating signals. The game device further comprises a support for the transmitters and receivers having a surface shaped to rest stably against the planar surface, the support positioning each transmitter to emit its electromagnetic beam parallel to the other beams and parallel to the planar surface, the support positioning each receiver to receive one of the electromagnetic beams, and the support shaped to permit the objects to pass through the beams and to strike the planar surface without striking the support. The game device further comprises a game computer arranged to receive signals from the receivers and programmed to implement at least one game where performance is judged by analysis of the signals received from the receivers. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  presents a perspective view of a ball bounce game designed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention sitting on a flat surface (not shown) and illustrating how a bouncing ball cuts one of two beams and is thereby detected by one of two electromagnetic beam receivers. 
       FIG. 2  presents a perspective view of a foldable connecting arm containing connecting wires illustrating how it folds for storage and unfolds for use. 
       FIG. 3  presents a perspective view of a beam transmitter game unit section, a beam receiver game unit section, and the foldable connecting arm illustrating how the foldable connecting arm is plugged into both game unit sections to connect them together both electrically and mechanically, with the beam transmitters and receivers held in proper beam transmission and reception alignment. 
       FIG. 4  is a plan view of the two game unit sections connected and spaced apart by the connecting arm illustrating how strings are drawn from one section and connected to the other section to indicate the path of the beam for the benefit of game players. 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of the beam receiver game unit section illustrating the arrangement of LED lights and pushbutton switches. 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic circuit diagram of an embodiment of a bounce ball game illustrating one way in which a microcontroller can be interconnected with two electromagnetic beam transmitters and two electromagnetic beam receivers to form a ball bounce game. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
   Definition of Terms 
   The following terms used in this application shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them below unless otherwise expressly defined in this application. 
   An “electromagnetic beam transmitter” is a device that generates radio waves or visible or infrared or ultraviolet light. In an embodiment of the invention, it is an infrared light emitting diode. It could also be such a diode emitting visible light, and it could be a laser beam of light. It could also be a low power microwave or radio wave beam. The beam may be directional, or it may be encoded or modulated with a beam identification signal, or both. 
   An “electromagnetic beam receiver” is a device that generates a signal when it receives an electromagnetic beam of the type generated by the electromagnetic beam transmitter. It can be a photodiode that detects visible, infrared, or ultraviolet light or laser light, or it can be some form or microwave or radio receiver. The receiver may be directional, or the receiver (or some downstream component such as a programmed microcontroller) may contain a decoder or demodulator designed to identify a specific beam identification signal, or both. 
   A “support” is the mechanical assembly that positions the beam transmitters and receivers relative to each other such that the receivers are kept aligned to receive the beams generated by the beam transmitters. The support also maintains the beams parallel to and spaced apart from each other, and it maintains the beams within a plane that is generally parallel to a flat surface upon which, or against which, the support may be placed when the game is played. In an embodiment of the invention, the support is formed from a beam transmitter game unit section containing two beam transmitters and a separate beam receiver game unit section containing two beam receivers interconnected by a removable, foldable connecting arm that maintains the two game unit sections spaced apart in proper alignment and that may also convey electrical signals between the two game unit sections. 
   A “game computer” is a programmed personal computer, programmed microcomputer, or programmed microcontroller which receives signals from the beam receivers and which then processes those signals in a way that implements one or more bounce ball games. The game computer may be supported by or placed within the “support” as an embedded processor, or it may be remote from the support, receiving signals conveyed by wires or by radio transmissions from the beam receivers. 
   Introduction 
   The present invention is an electronic ball bounce game that is arranged to detect how rapidly and accurately one or more balls are bounced in such a manner as to block the path of one or several electromagnetic beams, thereby preventing electromagnetic radiation emitted by beam transmitters from reaching beam receivers. A computer connected to the beam receivers measures the number of bounces that block the beams and how rapidly such bounces occur. The computer is connected to a speaker and is programmed to generate music and speech to teach the game, to indicate the progress of the game, and to proclaim the winner and the winning and losing scores at the end of each game. A number of different games can be implemented with this ball bounce game, as will be explained at a later point. 
   Mechanical Details 
   With reference to  FIG. 1 , an overview of the ball bounce game  100  is shown assembled for play, Normally, the ball bounce game is positioned on a floor or other flat surface such as a table (not shown), but it can also be positioned against a reclining or vertical wall or other flat surface or even against a ceiling. If there is only one player and the game is on a floor or table, the game may also be positioned adjacent a wall or vertical (or angled) partition such that the ball may be bounced first off the floor or table, then off the wall or partition, and then return to the one player. If there are two players, they may position themselves on opposite sides of the game, and a single ball may be bounced off the floor or table from one player to the other and back again. If there are four players, two balls may be bounced back and forth between each pair of two players positioned on opposite sides of the game and working together as a team. 
   The bounce game  100  includes one or two balls  102  ( FIGS. 1 and 6 ) and  103  ( FIG. 6 ). It also includes a support formed from three parts: a beam transmitter game unit section  106 , a beam receiver game unit section  108 , and a foldable connecting arm  104 . 
   The connecting arm  104  forms a semicircle that plugs into the sides of the two game unit sections  106  and  108 , holding them spaced apart, with the beam transmitters  120  and  122  and beam receivers  116  and  118  ( FIG. 4 ) kept generally aligned such that the two transmitted beams are parallel, spaced apart, and focused upon the corresponding two beam receivers as shown in the figures. Signal conveying wires  644  and  646  and a wire conveying the positive voltage Vcc  622  (all shown in the  FIG. 6  schematic circuit diagram) pass through the connecting arm  104  and electrically connect the two beam transmitters  120  and  122  within the beam transmitter game unit section  108  to a microcontroller  622  within the beam receiver game unit section  106 . 
   The connecting arm  104  folds about a hinge  124  that is shown in  FIG. 2 . Two signal wires  644  and  646  and also a wire conveying the positive voltage supply Vcc  622  pass right through this hollow hinge  124 . The arm  104  is unfolded into a semicircle for use, as is indicated by an arrow  126 . Once unfolded, the two electrical plug ends  128  and  130  of the connecting arm  104  are respectively plugged firmly into matching electrical sockets  132  and  134  in the game unit sections  106  and  108 , as is best illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The ball bounce game  100 , when viewed from above, then appears as is shown in  FIG. 4 . 
   In an embodiment where the beams are formed of visible light, and particularly in the case of laser light, the beam transmitters  120  and  122  may be arranged to paint a visible line along the surface (not shown) upon which the game rests, thus indicating to the players the paths of the two light beams. An alternative embodiment, illustrated best in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , provides a pair of retractable strings  110  and  112  that may be pulled out of the game unit section  108  from right beneath each of the beam transmitters  120  and  122  and stretched across and attached, by means of simple eye fasteners such as the eye fastener  114 , to tiny hooks (not shown) located on the game unit section  106  just beneath the respective beam receivers  116  and  118 , as is illustrated by the arrows  136  and  138  shown in  FIG. 4 . These strings, when extended, are arranged to be touching the surface upon which the game rests so as not to interfere with the bouncing of any balls. These strings may be wound upon spring-loaded take-up spools (not shown) mounted internally within the game unit section  108  such that the two strings rewind immediately into the section  108  (in the manner of window shades) when their respective eyes are disconnected from the tiny hooks and released. 
   Spherically-shaped indentations  140  and  142  may be included in the upper surface of one of the one of the game unit sections  108 , as is shown in  FIG. 4 , to form repositories where the two balls  102  and  103  may be stored conveniently between games. 
   The operation of the bounce gall game is controlled by means of six simple pushbutton switches  602 ,  603 ,  604 ,  605 ,  606 , and  608  that are formed in a semicircular arrangement ( FIG. 5 ) in the upper surface of the beam receiving game unit section  106 . The circuitry for four of these switches  602 ,  603 ,  606 , and  608  is illustratively shown in the circuit diagram presented in  FIG. 6 , and the remaining two pushbutton switches  604  and  605  (not shown in  FIG. 6 ) are wired in essentially the same manner as the switches  602 ,  603 , and  606 . Five of these pushbutton switches  602  to  606  are clearly labeled as indicated below, and these five switches are used during normal game play:
         ON/OFF switch  606 —Closing this switch by pushing it and releasing it starts the game; closing it again by pushing it and releasing it stops the game. The game also turns off automatically after a three-minute delay during which no player actions are detected by any of the switches  602 — 608  or by the beam receivers  116  and  118 .   GAME switch  604 —Three different games are provided in one embodiment: Show Down, Time Challenge, and Point Lead. Each time this switch is depressed (closed) and released (opened), a different one of the three games is selected. To change games in the middle of a game, this switch must be kept depressed (closed) for three seconds.   PLAYER switch  603 —Each game may include one, two, or four players. Each time this switch is depressed (closed) and released (opened), the number of players changes.   SCORE switch  602 —Depression (closure) and release (opening) of this switch reports the score for the game just completed (however, a score of zero is not reported). The highest score ever achieved for this game is also announced. Holding this switch depressed (closed) for four seconds resets the current game&#39;s highest score.   SOUND switch  605 —Depression (closure) and release (opening) of this switch adjusts the volume of the speaker. The three possible settings are normal volume, low volume, and off.       

   The above five switches are implemented as is illustrated by the three switches  602 ,  603 , and  606  shown in  FIG. 6 . A sixth switch shown in  FIG. 6  is a RESET switch  608 , and it is wired in a slightly different fashion, as is shown in  FIG. 6 :
         RESET switch  608 —Actuating (closing) the switch  608  with a ball point pen resets the microprocessor, and this can clear up problems that may be encountered where the system malfunctions or the microcontroller enters a “hung” state (due to gamma rays or radio-frequency transients that may have altered the state of the microcontroller&#39;s RAM memory or register contents or the like).       

   After the ON/OFF switch  606  is actuated to start a game and the GAME and PLAYER switches  604  and  603  have been (optionally) actuated to select a game and the number of players, a voice generating program within the microprocessor generates a speech message, optionally with music, explaining the rules of the selected game and inviting the player(s) to bounce a ball in such a manner as to block an electromagnetic beam so as to signal that it is time for the selected game to start. When a first ball bounce is detected, the voice may say: “READY! . . . GO!”, and then the game begins. 
   To enhance the game, colored light emitting diodes, such as the six red LED lights  610 ,  611 ,  612 ,  613 ,  614 , and  615  shown in  FIG. 5  (three of which lights  610 ,  611 , and  615  are also shown illustratively in the circuit diagram of  FIG. 6 ) may be embedded into the upper surface of one or both of the game unit sections  106  ( FIG. 5 ) or  108  (not shown). In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , two sets of these three LED lights  610 ,  611 , and  612  (first set) and also  613 ,  614 , and  615  (second set) are embedded into the upper surface of the beam receiver game unit section  106 . One of these sets of lights positioned adjacent each of the two beam receivers  116  and  118  to signal that the adjacent beam is operational and should be targeted by the player. The three LED lights in the set adjacent each beam receiver are shown in  FIG. 5  positioned to form a line just above and parallel to the centerline of the adjoining beam so as to indicate to the players (along with the strings shown in  FIG. 4 ) just where the invisible infrared beam is located. In the case of a one-player game, these LED lights  610 – 615  can be used to signal which of the two beams a single game player must block (by bouncing the ball in the path of the beam) during that player&#39;s next turn. In one game (described below), play shifts randomly from one beam to the other, as is indicated by these sets of LED lights  610 – 612  and  613 – 615 , and the single player is penalized if the ball chances to block the wrong beam. So these LED lights can add considerable excitement to some games. 
   Circuit Details 
     FIG. 6  presents a schematic circuit diagram of the ball bounce game  100 , showing its internal electrical and electronic parts. None of the supporting structure is shown in  FIG. 6 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 6 , the game  100  is powered by a 4.5 volt battery  616 , which may be three M cells, either regular or rechargeable. The battery  616  is connected in series with a fuse  618 , which may also be a diode to protect against damage caused by battery reversal. The battery  616  and fuse  618  are hooked serially from ground  620  to Vcc  622 , the positive supply for the game  100 . 
   The game  100  contains a microcontroller  622  complete with internal RAM and ROM memory. The microcontroller  622  normally rests in a “shut-down” mode, in which it draws almost no current. When the ON/OFF switch  606  is momentarily closed, internal hardware (not shown) within the microcontroller  622  powers it up and commences program execution. When the switch  606  is depressed again, or after 3 minutes with no input from any of the switches  602 – 606  and  608  or either beam receiver  116  and  118 , the microprocessor  622  shuts down again, preserving only the best score values internally. 
   The infrared sensor beam receivers  116  and  118  are normally powered off by means of a transistor switch  624 . When the beam receivers  116  and  118  are to be read, the microcontroller  622  turns on the electronic switch  624  and thereby permits current to flow from Vcc through the two filter resistors  626  and  628  into two filter electrolytic capacitors  630  and  632  which respectively provide carefully filtered control voltages  634  and  636  to each of the beam receivers  116  and  118 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . The filter resistors and capacitors provide isolation of the receivers  116  and  118  from each other, from power supply voltage transients, and from spurious radio frequency signals generated by the microprocessor  622 . 
   The microcontroller  622  is powered by current drawn from Vcc  622  and ground  620 , filtered for spurious radio frequency signals by a ceramic capacitor  623 . The microcontroller  622  generates binary (on/off) output signals on the two signal lines or wires  644  and  646 . These signals are applied to the beam transmitters  120  and  122  which in this embodiment are infrared light emitting diode (or LED) transmitters. The beam transmitter  120  develops an infrared (invisible) light beam  648  which reaches the infrared receiver  116  unless it is blocked, for example, by the blue ball  102 , as shown. Likewise, the beam transmitter  122  develops an infrared (invisible) light beam  650  which reaches the infrared receiver  118  unless it is blocked, for example, by the yellow ball  103 , as shown. 
   In response to incoming infrared and other light, the beam receivers  116  and  118  develop output signals on signal lines  638  and  640  and across the two resistors  642  and  644 . These output signals are fed into the microcontroller  622  where they are analyzed to see if one or both beams are being received from one or both transmitters or whether one or both of the bouncing balls are blocking one or both of the beams of infra-red light. 
   To distinguish the infrared beam transmissions from other light that may be present in the vicinity of the game  100 , the microcontroller  622  can apply a distinctive signal or encoding or modulation (in the form of a distinctive signal on/off sequence) to both beam transmissions, analogous to those used with television remote control infrared signals. If the incoming signal received by one of the beam receivers  116  or  118  contains the distinctive signal or modulation or encoding that is being applied to its corresponding beam transmitter  120  or  122 , then the beam signal is getting through and is not being blocked by the game ball. If the incoming signal does not contain that distinctive signal or modulation or encoding, then the beam is presumed to be blocked by one of the game balls. Alternatively, the electromagnetic beams may be made directional enough, through directional beam design in the transmitters or receivers or both, such that a distinctive signal, modulation, or encoding is not essential. Or both directionality in the beam transmitters and receivers and a distinctive signal or modulation or encoding may be used together to eliminate crosstalk between the two beams and to minimize interference caused by other sources of electromagnetic radiation, such as sunlight or room light or infrared light from other sources. 
   The speaker  652  (shown in  FIG. 6  and hidden beneath sound holes  653  penetrating the top of the beam receiver game unit section  106  shown in  FIG. 5 ) is driven directly by an output of the microcontroller  622  with voice and music signals and other audio special effects signals as desired to add to the fun of playing the game. 
   Description of the Individual Games 
   An embodiment of the game  100  comes equipped to play three different games with one, two, or four players. 
   A first game called SHOW DOWN measures how long it takes the best player to bounce the ball so that it blocks that player&#39;s beam 20 times. In the one-player game, the player receives one point each time the beam signaled by illumination of the LED lights  610 – 612  or  613 – 615  ( FIG. 5 ) aligned parallel to and above that beam  648  or  650  ( FIG. 6 ) is broken by the bouncing ball  102  (or  103 ). The player preferably places the game close to a wall so that the ball bounces on the floor or table to block the beam and then bounces off the wall and back to the player each time after it is tossed. A point is subtracted if the other beam (whose LED lights are not illuminated) is broken. In the two-player version of this game, the two players preferably stand on opposite sides of the game and bounce the ball back and forth between them, each player aiming for only that player&#39;s one of the two beams. In the four-player version, the players pair up, and one player in each pair stands on the opposite side of the game from the other player in each pair, such that two opposing players are on opposite sides of the game. The players in each pair bounce their ball back and forth and aim for their particular beam as rapidly and as accurately as they can. 
   A second game is TIME CHALLANGE. This game measures how many points can be scored in 45 seconds. With one player, the game is preferably placed against a wall, as in the case of the first game with one player. The LED lights again signal which beam the player should aim for each time. Each time the player hits a beam, the LED lights adjacent that beam are turned off, the LED lights adjacent the other beam are turned on, and now the player must block the other beam. The player is penalized one point for hitting the wrong beam. The two-player version of this game has the two players standing on opposite sides of the game, as in the first game, batting a single ball back and forth, and each aiming at only one beam. The game ends in 45 seconds, and the highest scoring player wins. The four-player version of this game is similar to the four-player version of the first game, but the team that blocks its beam the most times in 45 seconds wins. 
   A third game is POINT LEAD. The goal is to score as many points as possible, and the game ends (in the two-player version) when one player leads the other by 5 points. In the one-player version of this game, the game is placed next to a wall as described above. The illuminated LED lights indicate which beam the player must hit each time. The beam changes randomly—there is no regular pattern as to which beam the player must hit next. The game ends when the player hits the wrong beam five times. Each such wrong beam hit costs the player a point. The two- and four-player games are like the two- and four-player versions of the other games, but the game ends when one player, or one team, is five points ahead. 
   All the games provide bonus points for speed. If a light beam is hit twice within two seconds by a player or a team, a bonus point is awarded. 
   While several embodiments of the invention have been described, further modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the claims appended to and forming a part of this specification are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.