Amusement devices: games – Board games – pieces – or boards therefor – Electrical
Utility Patent
1999-06-30
2001-01-02
Graham, Mark S. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Board games, pieces, or boards therefor
Electrical
C273S238000
Utility Patent
active
06168158
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a game device, comprising:
a game board divided into discrete squares and pieces of differing nature for placing on these squares, wherein the squares are ordered in a rectangular array comprising rows and columns of squares, which game device comprises detection means for detecting the possible presence and the type of a piece on each square, in addition to means for generating appropriate detection signals, which device comprises:
resonance coils arranged in the playing pieces, wherein a resonance coil has electrical and magnetic properties related unambiguously to the type of playing piece;
a number of elongate transmit and receive coils arranged in the board which each extend below a row or column of squares such that a part of both a transmit and receive coil is situated under each square;
means for successively selecting a transmit coil and a receive coil in scanning manner;
an amplifier which in correspondingly scanning manner is connected with its output to the selected transmit coil and connected with its input to the selected receive coil such that when a playing piece is situated above both the selected transmit coil and the selected receive coil a resonance signal is generated;
means for detecting the resonance signal and generating a corresponding position and type signal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,368 describes an electronic board game, such as a chessboard, which comprises a number of playing pieces with a resonance coil, a number of transmit and receive coils, means for selecting a transmit and receive coil such that an individual playing position on the board is selected, and wherein the transmit and receive coil is connected to an amplifier such that a resonance frequency is generated which can be detected by detecting means.
A drawback of such a device is that the transmit and receive coils also generate a resonance frequency. This resonance frequency interferes with the resonance frequency of the resonance coil in a playing piece. This interference increases as the topography of the coils round the selected playing square becomes less symmetrical. The interference in the centre of the board is hereby slight and this interference increases towards the edge of the board.
In order to deal with this it is possible to cause the coils to extend a considerable distance beyond the edge of the playing surface. A drawback hereof is that the game board acquires a very wide edge.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above stated drawbacks.
This objective is achieved according to the invention in that for each transmit and/or receive coil at least one winding serving for compensation is arranged on at least one closed end zone in either a transmit coil or a receive coil.
In one embodiment the transmit and/or receive coils comprise a number of windings. The transmitting or receiving capacity of the coil is hereby increased, whereby the resonance frequency is simpler to detect.
In a further preferred embodiment the transmit and receive coils are arranged on a sheet, whereby an inexpensive and effective embodiment is obtained. It is also possible herein to cause electrically conducting tracks to mutually intersect by arranging insulating bridges.
In another embodiment the feed and discharge wire of each coil intersect such that interference of the coils is minimized.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3974425 (1976-08-01), Ueda et al.
patent: 4039036 (1977-08-01), Baumgartner et al.
patent: 4277750 (1981-07-01), Bonnet et al.
patent: 5129654 (1992-07-01), Bogner
patent: 5188368 (1993-02-01), Ryan
patent: 0416955 (1991-03-01), None
patent: 2103943 (1983-03-01), None
patent: 9211909 (1992-07-01), None
DGT Projects B.V.
Graham Mark S.
Mendiratta V K
Webb Ziesenheim & Logsdon Orkin & Hanson, P.C.
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