Amusement devices: games – Board games – pieces – or boards therefor – Memory or matching games
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-20
2001-08-07
Chapman, Jeanette (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Board games, pieces, or boards therefor
Memory or matching games
C273S236000, C273S272000, C273S292000, C273S302000, C273S308000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06270077
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to non-competitive leisure time activities, and more specifically to a game which may be played by the elderly or others with memory impairment or difficulty. The present game is preferably played by one or more persons using a game board, with assistance being provided to the host player(s) by others during play.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known that many elderly persons suffer increasing loss of memory with advanced age, due to Alzheimer's disease and other factors. Memory loss is not limited only to the elderly, however, with victims of head injuries, strokes, and other injuries and illnesses also often suffering from memory loss. The loss of memory associated with aging, head injuries, and certain illnesses is generally most frustrating to persons suffering from such memory loss, and can lead to depression and other problems as well. While significant advances in therapy and treatment have been made in attempts to treat such problems over the years, it has proven difficult to reverse such memory loss, particularly due to age.
Various activities have been used for treating such memory loss, such as the use of board games played with and by persons suffering from memory loss. In many instances, such board games can provide mental stimulus and can be of great value in assisting persons in the maintenance of memory or memory training. However, most such games and activities are competitive, and this competitive atmosphere can be discouraging for many persons who suffer from loss of memory, resulting in further frustration for such players. Also, such games are not geared to personal memories of the participants, but rather require general knowledge or skills (e.g., “Trivial Pursuit,” tm) which are quite often difficult for a memory impaired person to demonstrate.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a non-competitive memory enhancement game which may be played by one or more persons. A game board may be provided with a playing path including a series of categories of questions, with the questions relating to general knowledge or personal memories. Questions relating to personal memories may be developed by friends, relatives, and/or acquaintances of the player(s), and provided in visual form (photos, etc.) and/or written or text form, as desired. Questions may have different levels generally corresponding to the degree of memory impairment of the individual player(s).
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,539,015 issued on May 26, 1925 to Paul Mitchell, titled “Dice,” describes a generally cubical die or dice having beveled edges between each face. Mitchell discloses such a die having Roman numerals thereon. The present invention may make use of such a Roman numeral die in a relatively large size (i.e., on the order of about one inch across), for ease of viewing by players. However, Mitchell does not disclose any form of game, either competitive or non-competitive, for play with his dice.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,208,754 issued on Sep. 28, 1965 to Fredda F. S. Sieve, titled “Dice Game With A Tetrahedron Die,” describes numbered dice comprising regular polyhedrons having tetrahedral, cubical, octahedral, dodecahedral, and icosahedral configurations. Sieve also discloses a competitive game which may be played using such dice. However, no non-competitive game, or game of memory enhancement, is disclosed by Sieve.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,710 issued on May 22, 1984 to Norman A. Davis, titled “Game Board, Die And Reward Determining Game Apparatus,” describes a game having a board with a plurality of radially disposed playing paths each leading to a common central winner's position. Players are to solve “life situation problems” (no examples are given by Davis), according to random selection. The present game does not include any winner's position on the board, as the game is non-competitive. Also, the present game is not directed to solving problems, as such solutions may be beyond the abilities of some players, but rather to enhancing memories of people, places, events, etc. from the past.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,510 issued on Feb. 3, 1987 to John C. Braddock et al., titled “Non-Competitive Game For Two Or More Players,” describes a game having a series of tokens representing certain quantities of time. Players acquire the tokens and use them to place demands upon other players for their time. The time may be used later for various activities, e.g., a day trip, a dinner out, etc. The Braddock et al. game does not relate at all to any form of memory recollection or enhancement, as provided by the present memory enhancement game.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,244 issued on Apr. 2, 1991 to Gary K. Johnson, titled “Memory Game,” describes a board game having a peripheral playing path with a plurality of playing positions. Each playing position includes a series of different categories, whereas the playing positions are each distinct from one another and comprise different subject areas in the present game. More importantly, the Johnson memory game is competitive, while the present game is non-competitive, with participants assisting the host player to remember various people, places, things, and events associated with his or her past. The Johnson memory game does not provide any pictorial means for illustrating personal or general effects or incidents from the past of the host player, as provided by the present non-competitive memory game. The Johnson game is thus more akin to a trivia type game, where verbal responses to questions pertaining to general knowledge are required, than to the present game.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,497 issued on Apr. 16, 1996 to Anne M. Sivak, titled “Random Category Naming Game,” describes a game having a plurality of categories arranged as arcuate segments of a circular board. A single die is tossed onto the board, with the player required to list a series of responses according to the category upon which the die comes to rest and the number facing upwardly on the die. The Sivak game is competitive in nature and does not provide any means of enhancing personal memories for any of the players, as provided by the present memory enhancement game.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,370 issued on Jan. 5, 1999 to George E. Stoughton, Jr., titled “Memory Enhancing Game,” describes a game having a series of blank tiles and a series of tiles with indicia on one face thereof. Players are assigned a number of blank and marked tiles, and place some of the blank and marked tiles facing downwardly in a random array while retaining others. Players must remember the locations of their blank and marked tiles, and attempt to exchange blank tiles for marked tiles which they hold. The Stoughton, Jr. game is competitive and does not have a game board or playing path, nor does it provide any questions or remarks about people, places, and events, either generally or relating to personal experiences of one or more players, as provided by the present non-competitive memory enhancement game.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,008 issued on Mar. 16, 1999 to Kenneth A. Siegesmund, titled “Board Game Apparatus And Method Involving Answering Objective And Subjective Questions,” describes a competitive game having a series of playing positions providing the players with a choice of answering either an objective or subjective question, as desired. Incorrect responses require the player's marker to be set back a predetermined number of positions on the board. The Siegesmund game is more closely related to other competitive trivia type games than to the present game. Siegesmund does not provide any means for enhancing personal memories of the host or other players, as provided in the present game.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,882 issued on Jul. 6, 1999 to Nhan D. Truong, titled “Game For Testing Acuity Of The Senses,” describes a board game having a series of categories related to the senses, arr
Chapman Jeanette
Hunter, Jr. Alvin A.
Litman Richard C.
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