Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – In a game requiring strategy or problem solving by a...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-05
2001-04-10
Sager, Mark (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
In a game requiring strategy or problem solving by a...
C463S023000, C463S042000, C434S128000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213873
ABSTRACT:
REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
This application includes a microfiche appendix of a software listing, the copyright to which is retained by the copyright owner. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears on the files and records of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to computer-based games of strategy, and more particularly to computer chess games.
BACKGROUND ART
Strategic games, such as chess, checkers, Nim, and Go, have been popular for centuries, and these strategic games continue to be popular forms of creative recreation. Accordingly, it is perhaps not surprising that with the advent of computers, computer-based chess engines have been developed against which a player can match wits. Owing to the extraordinary complexity of strategic games such as chess that stem from the enormous number of move combinations which are possible over the course of the game, chess engines require comparatively fast processors. As processor technology has advanced, so have chess engines.
It happens that chess players who might want to play computer chess range from novice to grandmaster. Stated differently, the consumer of a computer chess product might have a very low chess rating, indicating that the consumer has little or no skill at chess, while another consumer might have a very high chess rating, indicating that the consumer has a great deal of skill at chess. Regardless, the present invention recognizes that it is desirable to provide a computer chess game that is entertaining and challenging for virtually all consumers who might want to match wits against a computer.
Representative of current advanced computer-based chess engines is IBM's “Deep Blue” system. The “Deep Blue” system, like other chess engines such as the WChess engine developed by Heuristic Programming Inc. of Mobile, Ala., has been developed to the point where the equivalent chess ratings of the engine is as high as the ratings of human grandmasters. It readily will be appreciated that current chess engines that can defeat grandmasters will overwhelm ordinary chess players.
To render such advanced chess engines appropriate for use by an ordinary chess player while retaining the ability of the engine to defeat advanced players, systems have been provided that permit a user-player to define the desired skill level, i.e., the rating, of his or her computer opponent, that is, the chess engine. In response to the user's definition, the system disables, i.e., cripples, the chess engine by an amount that will cause the engine to generate moves at the user-defined skill level.
As recognized by the present invention, however, such systems have drawbacks, including the drawback of discouraging a player who wins and believes the victory to be the result of setting the computer's rating too low. Or, a player might set the computer's rating too high, thereby ensuring that the player will rarely if ever win and, thus, dampening the player's enthusiasm for the game. As recognized by the present invention, it would be advantageous for a computer chess brain to automatically adapt to the actual playing skill of a player as evidenced by the player's move, to permit the player to win about 25% of the time. With this win ratio, the player is assured of continuously learning and improving at chess without becoming unduly discouraged at repeated losses.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a strategic game program which automatically adapts to a player's skill level. Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer chess game which is entertaining and educational. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a computer chess game that is easy to use and cost effective.
Other features of the present invention are disclosed or apparent in the section entitled: “BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION.”
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The present invention is a computer chess game system that automatically adapts its apparent skill to each human opponent it plays, based on the human opponent's moves. During the game, the present system evaluates each move of the human opponent for updating the system's adaption to that opponent and for generating an audio-visual critique of the human opponent's play immediately post game, to maximize both the entertainment and instructional utility of the system.
The chess game provided by the present system includes three main phases (under most circumstances) that a human, referred to herein as a “player”, contests against an adaptive computer opponent, referred to herein as the “King” or “Kingbrain”. The “King” or “Kingbrain” is an instantiation of a commercial chess engine, preferably the WChess™ engine discussed above, that is adaptively “crippled” as appropriate for the player's skill as demonstrated by the player's moves.
The first of the three main phases is the opening book, in which the King's moves follow a predetermined plan unless and until the player deviates from what the plan considers to be the optimum or near-optimum player moves in the opening book. The predetermined plan includes various “traps”, i.e., preprogrammed mistakes that the King will make. Once a player refutes a particular mistake (by taking advantage of the mistake by making one or more preprogrammed “correct” moves), the King will not make the mistake again in subsequent games. Rather, in subsequent games the King will play the “correct” move in the opening book and proceed to subsequent moves (and traps).
Once the player has deviated from the preprogrammed opening book moves, the game enters a “midgame” phase which chessically can include midgame and endgame positions. In the midgame phase, the King's moves in response to those of the player are no longer rendered by a preprogrammed plan. Rather, the King's moves are rendered by the Kingbrain chess engine, i.e., the WChess™ engine as crippled to adapt to the player's ability as evidenced by the player's moves in previous games. Thus, the strength rating of the Kingbrain is established in response to the player moves in previous games.
Furthermore, the playing style and strength rating of the Kingbrain dynamically can change within a game, in response to what the Kingbrain perceives to be the game situation. Specifically, if the Kingbrain assesses that it is winning, it can assume a “heroic” style of play in which the King makes aggressive moves. As part of the “heroic” style, the Kingbrain may not be permitted to think as long as it would otherwise, thus affecting the strength of the Kingbrain. Also, if the Kingbrain assesses that it is losing, it can assume a “craven” style of play in which the King makes conservative, defensive moves. Moreover, after assuming the heroic style and then losing ground as a result, the Kingbrain can revert only to a craven style, and then only after it is losing significantly. Likewise, after assuming the “craven” style, the Kingbrain will not revert to a normal style of play until it is winning significantly. This is referred to herein as “hysterisis”. Both the conditions for assuming the various styles of play, and the hysterisis, are determined by the Kingbrain strength rating.
When the midgame concludes as determined by, among other things, the number of pieces left on the board, the game enters the endgame. The King's moves during the endgame are affected both by the Kingbrain rating and the King's style of play.
During the midgame, a second instantiation of the chess engine is rendered and is referred to herein as the “Queen” or “Queen brain”. The Queen brain instantiation is the uncrippled chess engine. During the midgame, the Queen brain evaluates both the King's moves and the player's moves by comparing the moves to what th
Abbott Thomas M.
Gasper Elon J.
Gilmore John G.
Hotaling II John M.
LaRiviere Grubman & Payne, LLP
Sager Mark
Sierra-On-Line, Inc.
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