Amusement devices: games – Simulated-projectile game – target therefor – or accessory
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-20
2001-06-19
O'Neill, Michael (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Simulated-projectile game, target therefor, or accessory
C463S051000, C463S052000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06248019
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to apparatus for playing amusement games.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Laser tag games are known, which employ laser guns and targets receptive to being “hit” by the laser guns. Players score by hitting the targets.
The targets in laser tag games are often worn by other players. This can be unacceptable to some people. However, games involving inanimate targets can lack amusement value due to low levels of skill being required to play.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to provide apparatus for playing improved amusement games.
According to the invention there is provided apparatus for playing amusement games, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of player units adapted for direction by players, each unit having:
an emitter for emitting a directed beam,
means for timing successive potentially scoring emissions from the emitter and
means for indicating to the player a count-down to each potentially scoring emission.
In use, the emissions may be directed to other players and/or to other targets. Thus each player unit may be adapted to receive a potentially scoring emission from another player unit. Alternatively or additionally, the apparatus may include at least one target device for receiving potentially scoring emissions.
Where the player units are adapted to receive potentially scoring emissions, they preferably include means for indicating that they are in an active state, i.e. in the process of timing an emission which will be counted down. This indicating means can be a flashing light and/or an audible signal.
Similarly, the target devices can be adapted to react to receipt of potentially scoring emissions. They may be adapted to react differently to some potentially scoring emissions than to others, particularly where the players and their player units are arranged in teams.
In the preferred embodiments, the player units include memories for memorising the events in which they are concerned in the game, e.g. number of potentially scoring emissions made and received, and from which other player units they are received. Similarly the target devices can store their events.
Typically the count-down means will be a loud speaker, although it could be a visual display.
Preferably, the emitters will emit light beams, which may be of visible light or infra red light. The beams can be emitted with wide beams or narrow beams. Typically wide beams will be of infra-red light from LED emitters and narrow beams will be of visible light from laser emitters.
Normally the beams will be modulated to identify which particular emitter device is emitting which beam. Emission of the beams can be continuous with its modulation being altered at the potential score times. Alternatively, emission of the beam can be intermittent and occur only at the potential score times.
Where the emission is continuous, it can be modified prior to the potential score times to give a warning to target devices enabling them to take evasive action.
In one type of embodiment, each player unit counts down successively. In either type, the interval between its potentially scoring emissions can be varied in accordance with a number of parameters, including a handicap and the players success or failure during the game. Randomly or regularly introduced “misfires” can be introduced, whereby a potentially scoring emission does not occur.
In another type of embodiment, the player units are intended to be carried and simulate balls, being illuminated prior to emission on count down. On emission their illumination is extinguished, but another will illuminate if it has received an emission.
The player units may be equipped with controls, particularly a “tackle” control for causing an extra emission for blocking an emission from one other unit and/or its reception by a different other unit. Another envisaged control is an “interception” or “catch” control, which must be activated in order to allow a potentially scoring emission to be received by the player unit concerned.
In the second type, the player units will normally be hand held; whereas in the first type they will normally not be hand held. However, if they are to be carried by a player, it is preferred that they be adapted to be carried on another part of a player's body such as a shoulder or the head. This can have a variety of advantages, such as reducing the risk of harm to players in collision, and/or requiring players to perform more whole body movement to aim their emitter devices, and/or enabling players to aim whilst using their hands for other tasks.
Alternatively, the player units can be adapted to be vehicle mounted on floats, boats, bicycles, go-karts etc.
In addition to the player units directed by the players, some or all of the targets can be provided with emitter devices, which may also be controlled to emit on countdown. Alternatively, these emitters may be controlled to emit only in response to receiving emission from a player unit.
The target devices may be movable, for instance being carried on players. However, it is preferred that they be fixed or at least mechanically movable. When mechanically movable, they can be adapted to move in or out of hiding from the view of players. The movement can be caused by receipt of warning emission for more than a certain period prior to the potential score times.
The targets can be inert, registering scores each time they receive a potentially scoring emission. They indicate that they have registered a score in any of a variety of ways, particularly by illumination, sound or collapse. They can be inactivated for a certain period, the inactivation being general or to the particular emitter device for which they have just registered a score.
The targets can be arranged within a play area, but will normally be arranged peripheral to it.
For scoring a game, the scores on targets can be communicated to a control unit by hardwiring or wireless transmission such as ultrasonic, radio or infrared transmission. Alternatively the individual targets can be adapted to transmit back to the player units when one of the former has registered a score from one of the latter. The player units can be adapted to down load their scores at the end of each game.
In addition to transmitting back a score, the targets or some of them, may emit to the player a signal which gives him a specific property for a predetermined period of time, such as invincibility to emission from other players.
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Mudie Robert Walter
Plache Jonathan Michael
Cormorant Properties Limited
Hotaling, II John M
O'Neill Michael
Ware Fressola Van der Sluys & Adolphson LLP
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