Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-02
2001-09-11
O'Neill, Michael (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
C273S14200F, C273S1420HA, C446S242000, C446S244000, C446S256000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06287193
ABSTRACT:
RESERVATION OF COPYRIGHT
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, as it becomes available to the public, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic and electromechanical games and, more particularly, to hand-held games having a visual display in which the user can obtain feedback on his or her performance during, or after, play, play a game, and/or interact with a virtual pet or other character.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mechanical games (games in which the user performs the entire game via some mechanical function without the assistance of electronics), have decreased in popularity over the years. With the advent of electronics, many of these games have become obsolete, and others merely remain in existence for nostalgic purposes. In order to curb this trend, some people have tried to rekindle consumer interest in such games by adding electronics to them. While such attempts have added electronics, none have achieved the level of inviting user interaction and/or providing user feedback.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,518, to Knauff, discloses an inertial device for adding sight and/or sound to a rotating device, be it a wheel, a yo-yo, a top, a frisbee, or any other like device. While Knauff discloses adding electronics to a rotating device, it is limited in the type of entertainment it provides because it does not invite user interaction and/or provide the user with feedback on his or her performance during, or after, the game. Ultimately, the addition of such electronics amounts to no more than adding “bells and whistles” to an old mechanical game. Such attempts are doomed to fail in attracting and maintaining the user's attention. After minutes, if not seconds, of play, any user will realize that this is simply the same old mechanical game with an added “blinking light” or “cute noise.” The addition of such electronics neither allows for user interaction nor provides the user with feedback on his or her performance during, or after, the game.
Another attempt to modernize mechanical games is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,444, to VanKuiken. VanKuiken discloses use of a light emitting diode (LED), positioned within a rotatable device, such as a yo-yo, to produce “a stroboscopic effect.” The addition of LEDs to a rotatable device does, perhaps, make the device more interesting to look at, but will quickly lose the observer's interest because it too does not allow for user interaction and/or provide the user with feedback during, or after, the game.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,328, to Ho, discloses a multi-purpose yo-yo that provides for a plurality of LEDs, which light-up upon rotation of the yo-yo, and a speaker to generate “funny” or “exciting” sounds. Again, the addition of LEDs and/or speakers create initial interest in the operation of the device, but quickly lose their attraction because they fail to create user interaction and/or supply the user with feedback on his or her performance during, or after, the game.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,966, to Capps et al., discloses a rotating body having an electronic display. This patent discloses use of a display to generate a message that can be read by a user once the rotational speed of the body is in synchronization with the clocking speed of the display circuitry. The Capps patent discloses nothing more than an invention capable of displaying a visual message or character. Such a device is limited in that it only provides a preselected output to be displayed to the user and does not provide user interaction and/or feedback on the user's performance during, or after, the game.
Accordingly, it has been determined that the need exists for an improved electronic toy which overcomes the aforementioned limitations and which further provides capabilities, features and functions, not available in current devices (be they simply mechanical, electrical, or electromechanical).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A hand-held electronic game apparatus according to the present invention provides added functionality and enjoyment by enabling the user to interact with a plurality of game functions. The plurality of game functions include such things as: allowing the user to obtain feedback on his or her performance during, or after, the game; allowing user interaction with a virtual pet or character of some kind; allowing the user to play additional games stored in memory (e.g., video games); and/or allowing the user to turn on and off, or reset, the game.
The feedback function of the game includes the ability to obtain information such as: the distance the device has traveled, the speed at which the device moved, the amount of time the device has, or has not, been used, and the number of times the device has been used or operated. Allowing the user to obtain feedback on the distance the device has traveled can be accomplished in several different manners. The cumulative distance traveled could be displayed to the user (much like an odometer reading). In addition, feedback on distance traveled could be displayed as the distance of each yo (one yo is equal to a release and catch of a yo-yo), or each toss (a toss of any device be it a top, frisbee, or any other rotational body). Furthermore, the distance traveled could be displayed as the distance the device has traveled for that specific period of use. Typically, such measurements are displayed in miles or kilometers, but could be displayed in any unit for measuring distance including fictitious measuring units (i.e., yo-miles, yo-kilometers, etc.).
The speed at which the device moves could be displayed to the user in many different manners as well. Such a measurement could be displayed as the maximum speed the device has reached over its lifetime. Another way of displaying the speed is by providing the user with the average speed reached over its lifetime. In addition, the speed of the device could be displayed as the speed reached each yo, or toss. Further, the speed of the device may be displayed as the speed reached each period of use, or average speed reached each period of use. Such measurements are typically displayed in miles-per-hour (mph), kilometers-per-hour (kph), or revolutions-per-minute (rpm). However, any unit for measuring speed or velocity could be used, including fictitious measuring units (i.e., rpyo, rpuse, etc.).
Allowing the user to obtain feedback on the amount of time the device has, or has not, been used may also be a valuable piece of information. This amount of time could be displayed as the amount of time the device has been used over its lifetime. Similarly, this could be displayed as the amount of time the device has not been used over its lifetime (its “sleep” time). The amount of time the device has been used could also be displayed as the amount of time of each period of use or the amount of sleep time between each period of use. The average of these periods could be displayed as well. Amounts of time are usually displayed in seconds, minutes, hours, days, or years, but could be displayed in any measuring unit of time, including fictitious units.
The user may also desire feedback in the form of a count. Such a measurement may display the number of times the rotational body has been used. Another counting measurement may be displayed as the number of yos, or tosses, over the rotational bodies lifetime. In addition, the user may desire a counting of the number of yos, or tosses, each period of use, or the average number of yos, or tosses, each period of use.
Regardless of the information, or manner in which it is displayed, the user will appreciate the ability to obtain feedback from this device.
An additional game function might consist of the ability to care f
Black Ronald L.
Kass Michael M.
O'Patka Dennis J.
Rehkemper Jeffrey G.
Rehkemper Steven F.
Clayton Sheila
O'Neill Michael
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