Amusement devices: games – Problem eliciting response
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-24
2004-06-22
Pierce, William M. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Problem eliciting response
C273S432000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06752396
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a format and method for playing trivia question games and particular to a format and method in which a player or team's total score can be substantially affected by the amount of time a player takes to correctly answer the questions during the game.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various trivia games testing the knowledge and/or skill of the players have been known for centuries. Trivia board games appear to be the most common form of trivia game. More recently, games involving the testing of trivial knowledge (e. g., Trivial Pursuit™) have become popular. Generally, the subject of such trivia games falls within historical information, broken into categories such as sports, theater, national histories and other names, events and places having some significance in past history. Differing categories of subject matter may be selected by random selection devices or by intentional choice of the player. Such games generally involve a peripheral or other playing path described over a portion of the board, with the playing path being common to all players. Players advance position markers along the playing track according to the degree of success of each in correctly responding to randomly selected questions, usually contained in a deck of question and answer cards. A winning condition exists when the player has traversed a given player movement track.
The results of such a game are generally straightforward, with players having a greater knowledge in the given subject or field of the game, almost always winning the game. Each player's fate is in his or her own hands in such a game, and there is nothing any of the other players can do to alter the course of success of such a superior player. Once such a player approaches the end point of the game, the result is a foregone conclusion.
Other board game formats have a question and response format with rules or procedures allowing players to retard or set back the progress of other players, under certain circumstances of play. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,376, the board game is played on a board having a series of parallel playing paths thereon, with each player using a single one of the paths. The winning player is the first to move one's position marker from one end of the board (or path) to the other, in accordance with the rules. Opposing players may restrict or reverse the progress of a player by correctly answering a question, preferably at a higher level of difficulty, and choosing to move the player's marker back rather than advancing their own marker. An incorrect response results in the corresponding position marker being set back a corresponding number of positions, depending upon the level of difficulty of the selected question. While the present game may be played using questions from virtually any subject area, it is particularly directed to the use of trivia questions based upon television programs, and more particularly upon current or past situation comedies (“sitcoms”).
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,816 issued on Aug. 27, 1991 to Tracy L. Davis et al., titled “Biblical Question And Answer Game,” describes a game having a game board with a peripheral path and at least one crossing path, unlike the game board of the present invention. Davis et al. provide different groups of cards, unlike the present game. One group has plural questions on each card, but the questions are selected by chance means and do not differ in difficulty, as do the present cards. Moreover, Davis et al. do not provide means to set back the progress of an opposing player.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,535 issued on Oct. 6, 1992 to Adolph Roberts, titled “Bible Quiz Game,” describes a game having a game board with playing paths of different levels of difficulty. Players select the level of difficulty desired at the beginning of the game and are restricted to that level throughout the game, rather than being allowed to select a question of a certain level of difficulty at each turn, as in the present game. “Freeze” cards are provided for a player to restrict an opponent from advancing, but this differs from the present game in that (1) the “freeze” cards may only be used against an opponent positioned on one of the penultimate positions of the game board paths, and (2) no means is provided for setting back the position of an opposing player.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,160 issued on Mar. 4, 1997 to Arthur J. Stevens et al., titled “Three Talent Board game,” describes a game having a triangular board with intersecting arcuate playing paths thereon. The playing paths are divided into a series of three different types of positions, requiring teams of players to answer a series of three questions, draw representations of three different articles, or act out representations of three different words, depending upon the position. Chance means is used to determine the number of positions to be moved on each team's turn, unlike the present game in which the distance advanced is determined according to the difficulty of the question selected by the player. Stevens et al. provide no means for setting back the progress of a player in the event of an incorrect response, and/or for setting back the progress of an opponent if a first player responds correctly to a question at a predetermined level of difficulty.
In addition to popular board games, many of trivia games can be played in situations where the contestants do not move around a board or path. Games played on television do not facilitate the movement of contestants. These games involve a contestant or team answering questions and accumulating points based on correct answers. Usually a contestant has a specific amount of time to answer the presented question. Some of these games have various categories of questions with different degrees of complexity. More points are awarded for answering a more complex question.
It is desired to have a trivia game that combines some of the characteristics of traditional board games and of some television quiz and games shows.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a format and method of playing a game that can education the contestants about the particular subject that is covered by facts in the questions being asked during the course of the game.
It is a second objective of the present invention to provide a trivia game in which the contestant or teams pre-select the pool of questions from which the questions asked during the game will be selected.
It is a third objective of the present invention to provide a format and method for playing a game in which the contestants have a set time period to answer a question.
It is a fourth objective of the present invention to provide a format and method for playing a game in which there is a standard question-answering round and a speed question-answering round.
It is a fifth objective of the present invention to provide a format and method for playing a game that determines the amount of time in the speed round based on the amount of time used by the contestants to answer questions in the standard round.
The format of the present invention comprises a set of pre-selected questions, a means to ask questions of the contestants, a time-keeping means and a means to calculate excess time from the answered questions and a scorekeeper. In the process of the present of the present invention, each contestant or team can pre-select a number of questions from a question pool. These questions will be comprised into the game question list. The questions asked during the game will come from this pre-selected list of questions. The game format can have one round or there can be at least rounds of questions. In the two round format, there can be a standard question answering round and a speed question answering round. A set amount of time can be designated to answer each question. During the standard round, each time a question is asked the contestant will this designated amount time to respond. If the contestant responds in less than the designated time, the r
Pierce William M.
Walker Darcell
LandOfFree
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