Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/938,893 filed on May 18, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth. U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,011, issued Aug. 10, 2004, is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention comprises a game having a game surface including a plurality of game piece receiving members. The game also includes a first set of game pieces, each of the first set of game pieces having a base and a game surface-engaging member located on the base. Each of the first set of game pieces also includes at least one solution position in which the game surface-engaging member is mated with one of the plurality of game piece receiving members and at least one non-solution position in which the game surface-engaging member is mated with one of the plurality of game piece receiving members. Each of the first set of game pieces that is in the at least one solution position exhibits a visual indication which distinguishes that game piece from at least one other of the first set of game pieces which is in the at least one non-solution position. In addition, aside from the visual indication, each of the first set of game pieces is visually indistinguishable from all others of the of the first set of game pieces when each of the game surface-engaging members of the first set of game pieces is engaged with one of the game piece receiving members. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]    The following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For purposes of illustrating the invention, drawings depict the embodiments which are presently preferred. It is understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentality shown in the drawings: 
           [0004]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a first embodiment of a game board according to the present invention; 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a view of a game piece used in this embodiment; 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  shows sections taken through the center of a number of game pieces; 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  shows a player&#39;s view of a second embodiment; 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing more detail of the board and game pieces; 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing possible shading of the sides of game pieces; 
           [0011]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing possible shading of the tops of game pieces; 
           [0012]      FIG. 9  is an exploded view of an insert/disc assembly of a third embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view through the centers of the insert shown in  FIG. 9  and a sphere in which the insert interacts. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    The present invention comprises the concept of a strategy game comprising game pieces that can be moved into different positions on a game board and have one or more “solution positions,” which are visually distinguishable from “non-solution positions.” The games of the present invention can be single or multiple player games. Each player&#39;s respective game pieces are preferably visually identical to each other on surfaces that are visible to the player during game play, when the pieces are on a non-solution position. 
         [0015]    Each player&#39;s game pieces provide a visual indication that a particular piece is in a potential solution position—i.e., by sitting higher or lower on the game board, or by illuminating the game piece. Preferably, each game piece will provide the visual indication in both the solution position and some non-solution positions (hereinafter “ambiguous positions,” which are a subset of the non-solution positions for each game piece). Therefore, the only way for a player to confirm that a game piece is a solution position is when all of the game pieces are simultaneously providing the visual indication that they are in a potential solution position. 
         [0016]      FIGS. 1 &amp; 2  show a first embodiment of a game  10  of the present invention. In this embodiment a rectangular board  12  has depth to allow reception of the game piece  26  shown in  FIG. 3  and to be described in greater detail herein. In this embodiment, two rows of five equally spaced holes are provided, all having the same diameter as the first hole  14 . Each hole includes a cylindrical peg centered therein. The holes in each row each include a peg having a different diameter. In this embodiment, the pegs  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24  in each row have decreasing diameters from left to right (as oriented in  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0017]      FIG. 3  shows a game piece  26  for use with the game  10 . Game piece  26  has a generally circular base  28  and profiled body, a shaped upper portion  30 , shown in this embodiment as spherical, and a height great enough to allow easy grasp by a player. The upper portion shape  30  could be any of many other shapes conducive to manual manipulation by the game  10  player. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , cross-sectional views of the five nearly identical game pieces  26 - 26 D, chosen to illustrate this embodiment, are shown. Each of the game pieces  26 - 26 D has a similar base and profile shape  28 , upper shaped portion  30  and height. Each game piece  26 - 26 D is differentiated from the others by the diameter of the holes  32 - 40  in the base  28 . The holes  32 - 40  are progressively smaller in diameter as shown and fit closely on the pegs  16 - 24  in the board  12  shown in  FIG. 2 . Therefore, each game piece hole  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  has a “matching” peg  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24 —i.e., a peg  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24  that is slightly smaller than the hole  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40 . Hole  32  matches with peg  16 , hole  34  matches with peg  18 , and so on. In accordance with the present invention, the game pieces  26 - 26 D are indistinguishable from each other, except for a portion that is not visible when the game  10  is being played properly (i.e., not inverting the pieces  26 - 26 D during play). 
         [0019]    The components of game  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-4  could be fabricated from wood or machined from common metals, but the board  12  and game pieces  26 - 26 D are preferably made from a polymer, such as polyethylene or polycarbonate, which can be injection molded to provide the precision, as molded, detail required. 
         [0020]    Game  10  is, in this embodiment, a game played between two players who alternate moves of game pieces  26 - 26 D (each player&#39;s pieces being the same color, but different from the color of the other player&#39;s pieces) until one player has his or her respective game piece holes  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  positioned on its matching peg  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24  (this will be referred to herein a “solution position”). A player can tell if all of the game pieces  26 - 26 D are in the solution position if none of the five game pieces  26 - 26 D is elevated—meaning that its respective hole  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  doesn&#39;t slide over the peg  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24 . If a game piece  26 - 26 D is elevated on the board  12 , the piece  26 - 26 D is situated on top of a peg  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24  that is larger than the hole  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  on the bottom of the game piece  26 - 26 D. If a game piece  26 - 26 D is leveled (i.e., not elevated), it is either in the solution position or situated on a peg  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24  that is smaller than its hole  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  (ambiguous/potential solution position). 
         [0021]    Typically, the game pieces  26 - 26 D would be placed randomly on the board. There are many different configurations that could be used to start a game and many different variations of rules for playing the game. For example, the game could be started by randomly positioning the game pieces  26 - 26 D three of the same and two opposing colors in alternating array, on the board  12  such that a player has only two of their own color on their side of the board. A player&#39;s turn allows switching of one of their own game pieces  26  with another of their own or the opponent&#39;s without moving the opponent&#39;s piece  26  to the player&#39;s side of the board  12 . In this embodiment the game is solved or won when all of a player&#39;s game pieces  26 - 26 D are correctly positioned to fit on the pegs  16 - 24  in the board  12 . Thus all game pieces  26 - 26 D are fully recessed into the holes  14  of the board  12 . If the player who started the game  10  finishes first, the opponent may have one more move to tie. The game  10  also finishes in a tie also if the last exchange of game pieces  26  makes both sides positioned correctly. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 5-8  illustrate an embodiment of another game  110  that may involve visually identical or indistinguishable playing pieces  126  depending upon the desired level of difficulty and the intentions of the inventor.  FIG. 5  is a player&#39;s view of the game  110 . For this embodiment, a four by four array of game pieces  126  is shown in position on the board  112  with all sixteen game pieces a single color. Two game pieces  126 A,  126 B are shown in a raised position which will be explained below. The number of game piece positions on the board  112  equals the number of game pieces  126  utilized. 
         [0023]    In  FIG. 6 , two game pieces  126  are removed from the board  112  to show differing peg patterns  116 ,  118  in the board  12  and hole patterns  132 ,  134  in the game pieces  126 C,  126 D. The hole patterns  132 ,  134  in the game pieces  126 C,  126 D are different, but match and fit into the peg patterns  116 ,  118  respectively in the board  112 . The game pieces  126  have a square, equal side length, base which allows any game piece  126  to rest in four positions rotationally on the board  112 . The differing peg patterns  116 ,  118  enable two visually distinguishable positions of an individual game piece on the board  112 . Specific game pieces  126 A,  126 B are shown in the “up” position (indicating a non-solution position) while all others  126  are shown in the “down” (indicating a solution position or an ambiguous position). 
         [0024]    In this embodiment, for a specific game piece  126  in a board  112  location with a compatible peg pattern  116 ,  118  there is only one “down” position, but three possible “up” positions depending upon its rotational orientation. If the game piece  126  is positioned in a location with an incompatible peg pattern  116 ,  118  all four possible rotational positions will result in the game piece in the “up” position. In other embodiments, a specific game piece could have more than one compatible peg pattern, which would decrease the level of difficulty. 
         [0025]    The single color game pieces  126  shown in  FIG. 5  illustrate a single player version of the game  110 . To begin the game the game pieces  126  are randomly located on the board  112 . For a move the player either exchanges location between two game pieces  126  or changes the rotational position of a game piece  126 . The movement of game pieces  126  continues until all of the pieces  126  are a solution position. A player is not allowed to look at the bottom of game pieces during play. The object would be to reach the solution position with all game pieces  126  in the shortest time or with the fewest number of moves. Typically reaching a rapid solution requires the player to remember peg pattern  116 ,  118  locations as well as game piece  126  hole patterns  132 ,  134  rather than making random moves. 
         [0026]    The level of difficulty of game  110  can be increased depending upon a number of variables. For instance, this embodiment has been described as utilizing a board  112  with two distinct peg patterns  116 , 118 . It can be understood that the solution difficulty increases if the number of peg patterns  116 , 118  were to increase. Also increasing the size of the board  112  and the corresponding number of game pieces  126  required could have a similar result. 
         [0027]    The details and fit required between the board  112  and the game pieces  126  would likely result in these parts being manufactured as molded polymer parts. As in the first embodiment, a polymer such as polyethylene or polycarbonate could preferably be used in an injection molding process to economically produce large volumes of consistent, precision parts. The size of game pieces  126  and board  112  is chosen to be appropriate for the intended end use, i.e. pocket or table use, and to provide for ease of player manipulation of the pieces  126 . 
         [0028]      FIGS. 7 &amp; 8  illustrate some example variations that can provide other embodiments of the game  110 .  FIG. 7  shows game pieces  126  with one side in a different color. Game pieces  126  colored in this way could be used to indicate hole pattern  132 ,  134  orientation and aid the player in making moves toward a solution. 
         [0029]      FIG. 8  shows game pieces  126  with a colored top surface. Splitting the game pieces  126  into two groups using the differentiating top colors would allow two players to participate competitively. As in the original embodiment, the number of peg patterns  116 ,  118  in the board  112  and corresponding hole pattern  132 ,  134  in the game pieces  126  could be varied to provide a desired difficulty level. 
         [0030]    One way the two player game  110  could start would be with half of each color of game piece  126  distributed over the respective player&#39;s side of the board. Each individual player&#39;s turn would involve the rotating in place or exchange of game pieces  126  between two positions. Again a player may not move an opponent 3  s game piece  126  away from its side of the board  112 . The alternating repositioning of game pieces  126  would continue until one player has all their game pieces  126  in the solution position. The starting positions and/or move rules could be changed to provide variations of the game  110  utilizing the same board  112  and game pieces  126 . 
         [0031]      FIGS. 9 &amp; 10  show a third embodiment of the present invention, which comprises a game that is an improvement of the puzzle disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,011.  FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the pieces of an insert  232  that, together with other revised components of the puzzle disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,011, comprise the game  210 . Game  210  utilizes visually identical or indistinguishable playing pieces/inserts  232  that must be relocated by movement or rotation into a correct position in order to arrive at a solution. Insert  232  and like inserts (not shown) are mechanically interchangeable with inserts 32-34 disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,011 and the new game  210  components are mechanically identical to the corresponding components in the referenced puzzle disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,011 except as otherwise disclosed herein. 
         [0032]    In  FIG. 9 , the insert  232  is shown comprised of an upper surface/disc half  274 , LED/printed circuit board  282  with a light emitting diode  284  (“LED”) and lower surface/disc half  276 . The upper surface  274  and lower surface  276  are preferably made of a polymer such as polyethylene or polycarbonate. The LED/printed circuit board  282  is preferably made with flexible circuit board material with the LED  284  attached to the top side and the contacts  286 ,  290  protruding from the bottom of the board just enough to allow electrical continuity with the contacts  288 ,  292  embedded in the lower surface  276 . 
         [0033]    The upper and lower surfaces  274 ,  276  are snapped, adhered or otherwise mechanically fastened to each other to form the complete insert  232  which is spherical and symmetrically shaped. LED/printed circuit board  282  is located by the LED  284  cover and retained mechanically by being sandwiched in place between the upper and lower surfaces  274 ,  276 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 10  is a cross-section of a sphere/element  218  and the insert  232  described above. The sphere/element  218  is mechanically identical to spheres 18, 20, 22, 24 disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,011 and inserts  232  are used in place of inserts 32-34, but both have functional modifications that have been or will be described. There are four distinct locations for the versions of the contact  292  in insert  232  which correspond to four versions of the sphere/element  218 . Referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , contact  292  aligns with contact  296  labeled  2  in the recess  226  of the sphere/element  218 . The contacts in the other three recesses of sphere  218  are in the same location, thus the sphere  218  shown is dedicated to position  2 . In the other three versions, each dedicated to one of the contact positions  1 ,  3  or  4 , the contact on the lower surface of the respective insert would align with the contact positions labeled  1 ,  3  or  4 . In this way, the insert&#39;s LED would only have continuity to the contact in the sphere/element when positioned in the correct recess. Each of the four sphere/elements is dedicated to a singular insert contact configuration. 
         [0035]    The contact  288  centered in the lower surface  276  of the insert  232  is the LED  284  ground connection. It provides continuity through ground contact  294  centered in the recess  226  of the sphere/element  218  and with the ground connections similarly located in each sphere/element  218  recess  226 ,  230 . This circuit connects to a power source, not shown, contained within the sphere/element  218 . The power source is preferably a small dry cell battery contained within the sphere  218 . Each distinct recesses  226  contact  296 , labeled as  1 ,  2 ,  3  or  4  also connects with the battery power source, not shown. Thus when any insert  232  is positioned in the recess  226  with an aligned contact  296 , the LED  284  has electrical continuity with the power source and will light. 
         [0036]    The sphere/element  218  is preferably made of a polymer such as polyethylene or polycarbonate with the imbedded contacts  296  being circular to enable continuity with the lower surface contacts  292  in any rotational position of insert  232 . 
         [0037]    This embodiment of game  210  differs from the previously disclosed puzzle in that four sphere/elements  218  and three similar others, replace the sphere/elements 18, 20, 22, 24. Insert  232  and two similar others replace the inserts 32, 34, 36. The mechanical manipulations necessary to play the game  210  are the same, but the asymmetrical nature of the inserts  232  results in two passes being required to return the LED  284  to an outward facing position. 
         [0038]    After randomly positioning the inserts  232 , the player moves them by rotation or passing them between sphere/elements  218  until all LEDs  284  are illuminated (solution position). Thus the solution/game object is lighted LEDs rather than a color pattern such as a single color on each side of the case. For increased game solution difficulty or variety the LEDs could be different colors and/or the contacts in the sphere/element recesses could be scrambled. In addition, the electrical contacts  288 ,  292  could be configured to illuminate the LED  284  on a particular insert  232  when the insert is not in a solution position (ambiguous/potential solution position). 
         [0039]    While the principles of the invention have been described above in connection with preferred embodiments, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation of the scope of the invention.

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