U.S. patent application number 12/722663 was filed with the patent office on 2011-09-15 for board game system with integral docking system.
Invention is credited to Kenneth J. Detmer, JR., Anthony M. Sisson.
Application Number | 20110221129 12/722663 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44559206 |
Filed Date | 2011-09-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110221129 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sisson; Anthony M. ; et
al. |
September 15, 2011 |
Board Game System With Integral Docking System
Abstract
A board game system including a game board that defines a
playing surface, the playing surface being marked with indicia for
directing placement of game pieces on the playing surface, and a
support structure for supporting a mobile electronic device, the
support structure being connected to the game board and rotatable
relative to the game board about at least one axis of rotation.
Inventors: |
Sisson; Anthony M.;
(Waynesville, OH) ; Detmer, JR.; Kenneth J.;
(Kettering, OH) |
Family ID: |
44559206 |
Appl. No.: |
12/722663 |
Filed: |
March 12, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/237 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 3/00643 20130101;
A63F 2009/2492 20130101; A63F 2009/2486 20130101; A63F 2003/00268
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/237 |
International
Class: |
A63F 3/00 20060101
A63F003/00 |
Claims
1. A board game system comprising: a game board that defines a
playing surface, said playing surface being marked with indicia for
directing placement of game pieces on said playing surface; and a
support structure for supporting a mobile electronic device, said
support structure being connected to said game board and rotatable
relative to said game board about at least one axis of
rotation.
2. The board game system of claim 1 further comprising said mobile
electronic device.
3. The board game system of claim 2 wherein said support structure
includes a docking station and said mobile electronic device is
dockable on said docking station.
4. The board game system of claim 1 wherein said mobile electronic
device includes at least one of a mobile telephone, a digital music
player, a personal digital assistant, a mobile computer and a
handheld game console.
5. The board game system of claim 1 wherein said game board defines
a channel extending at least partially therethrough.
6. The board game system of claim 5 wherein said channel extends
below said playing surface.
7. The board game system of claim 5 further comprising an
electrical conductor extending through said channel.
8. The board game system of claim 7 further comprising an
electrical power source, wherein said electrically conductor is
electrically coupled to said electrical power source.
9. The board game system of claim 1 wherein said support structure
includes at least one fastener configured to releasably engage said
mobile electronic device.
10. The board game system of claim 1 wherein said support structure
includes a body that defines a recess and a support surface in said
recess, wherein said recess is sized and shaped to closely receive
said mobile electronic device.
11. The board game system of claim 1 further comprising a platform
fixedly connected to said game board, said platform including a
connection portion, wherein said support structure is rotatably
connected to said connection portion.
12. A board game system comprising: a game board that defines a
playing surface and a channel, said playing surface being marked
with indicia for directing placement of game pieces on said playing
surface, said channel extending through said game board below said
playing surface; a support structure connected to said game board,
said support structure being configured to support a mobile
electronic device; and an electrical conductor extending through
said channel and said support structure to electrically couple said
mobile electronic device to an electrical power source.
13. The board game system of claim 12 further comprising said
mobile electronic device.
14. The board game system of claim 13 wherein said mobile
electronic device includes at least one of a mobile telephone, a
digital music player, a personal digital assistant, a mobile
computer and a handheld game console.
15. The board game system of claim 13 wherein said support
structure includes a docking station electrically coupled to said
electrical conductor and said mobile electronic device is dockable
on said docking station.
16. The board game system of claim 12 wherein said support
structure includes at least one fastener configured to releasably
engage said mobile electronic device.
17. The board game system of claim 12 wherein said support
structure includes a body that defines a recess and a support
surface in said recess, wherein said recess is sized and shaped to
closely receive said mobile electronic device.
18. The board game system of claim 12 wherein said support
structure is rotatable relative to said game board about at least
one axis of rotation.
19. The board game system of claim 12 further comprising a platform
fixedly connected to said game board, said platform including a
connection portion, wherein said support structure is rotatably
connected to said connection portion.
20. A board game system comprising: a game board that defines a
playing surface and a channel, said playing surface being marked
with indicia for directing placement of game pieces on said playing
surface, said channel extending through said game board below said
playing surface; a support structure connected to said game board
and rotatable relative to said game board about at least one axis
of rotation; a mobile electronic device mounted on said support
structure; and an electrical conductor extending through said
channel, said electrical conductor including a first end
electrically coupled to said mobile electronic device and a second
end electrically coupled to an electrical power source.
Description
FIELD
[0001] This application relates to board games and, more
particularly, to board games that integrate mobile electronic
devices with physical game boards.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Board games traditionally include a physical game board upon
which players move game pieces in accordance with a pre-defined set
of rules. In some board games, such as CANDY LAND by Hasbro Games,
the movement of the game pieces and the overall outcome of the
board game is entirely dictated by chance. In other board games,
such as the game of chess, the movement of the game pieces and the
overall outcome of the board game is entirely dictated by the
strategies employed by the players. In yet other board games, such
as MONOPOLY by Hasbro Games, a combination of luck and strategy
controls the overall outcome.
[0003] Thus, traditional board games have provided families and
friends with a source of entertainment for many generations.
[0004] With the advent of modern electronics, many games
traditionally played as board games are now played entirely
electronically. For example, the game of MONOPOLY can be played
entirely electronically using, for example, a computer, wherein the
computer displays a virtual game board on the computer screen and
directs movement of virtual game pieces on the virtual game board
in response to inputs from the players. Inputs from the players are
communicated to the computer by way of a user interface, such as a
mouse, a joystick or the like.
[0005] Despite the technological advancements made in the field of
electronic board games, there still exists a market for traditional
board games. Indeed, some game enthusiasts believe that the
hands-on, personal interaction experienced while playing a
traditional board game cannot be replaced by electronic games.
[0006] Accordingly, those skilled in the art continue to seek new
and exciting ways of enhancing the traditional board game
experience.
SUMMARY
[0007] In one aspect, the disclosed board game system may include a
game board that defines a playing surface, the playing surface
being marked with indicia for directing placement of game pieces on
the playing surface, and a support structure for supporting a
mobile electronic device, the support structure being connected to
the game board and rotatable relative to the game board about at
least one axis of rotation.
[0008] In another aspect, the disclosed board game system may
include a game board that defines a playing surface and a channel,
the playing surface being marked with indicia for directing
placement of game pieces on the playing surface, the channel
extending through the game board below the playing surface, a
support structure connected to the game board, the support
structure being configured to support a mobile electronic device,
and an electrical conductor extending through the channel and the
support structure to electrically couple the mobile electronic
device to an electrical power source.
[0009] In yet another aspect, the disclosed board game system may
include a game board that defines a playing surface and a channel,
the playing surface being marked with indicia for directing
placement of game pieces on the playing surface, the channel
extending through the game board below the playing surface, a
support structure connected to the game board and rotatable
relative to the game board about at least one axis of rotation, a
mobile electronic device mounted on the support structure and an
electrical conductor extending through the channel, the electrical
conductor including a first end electrically coupled to the mobile
electronic device and a second end electrically coupled to an
electrical power source.
[0010] Other aspects of the disclosed board game system will become
apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings
and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of one particular aspect
of the disclosed board game system; and
[0012] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, in section, of the board
game system of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, one particular aspect of the
disclosed board game system, generally designated 10, may include a
game board 12 and a support structure 14 connected to the game
board 12 for integrating a mobile electronic device 16 into the
board game system 10. An optional platform 18 may be positioned
between the game board 12 and the support structure 14 to elevate
the support structure 14 over the game board 12. An optional
electrical conductor 20, such as a power cord, may be provided to
electrically couple the mobile electronic device 16 to an
electrical power source 22 such that the mobile electronic device
16 may be electrically powered and/or electrically charged during
game play.
[0014] The mobile electronic device 16 may be a mobile telephone,
such as the iPhone.RTM. available from Apple, Inc. of Cupertino,
Calif., a digital music player, such as the iPod.RTM. or
iTouch.RTM. available from Apple, Inc., a person digital assistant
("PDA"), such as the HP iPAQ.RTM. available from Hewlett-Packard
Company of Palo Alto, Calif., a mobile computer, such as the
iPad.TM. available from Apple, Inc., or a handheld game console,
such as the Nintendo DS.RTM. available from Nintendo of America,
Inc. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other mobile
electronic devices, such as digital cameras, e-book readers and
navigation devices, may also be used without departing from the
scope of the present disclosure.
[0015] In one particular implementation, the mobile electronic
device 16 may include a display 44 and a user interface 46, and may
be capable of sending and receiving data over a network 48, such as
a wireless local area network, a mobile telecommunications network
and/or the internet. Furthermore, the mobile electronic device 16
may include memory capabilities for storing game data. The game
data may be stored directly in a memory device (not shown) on the
mobile electronic device 16 or the mobile electronic device 16 may
communicate the game data to an external memory device by way of
the network 48.
[0016] The game board 12 may be any apparatus or thing that defines
a playing surface 26 for playing a board game. The playing surface
26 may be marked with various indicia 24 for directing placement of
game pieces 27 on the playing surface 26 in accordance with the
pre-defined set of rules associated with one or more board games.
The game board 12 may be formed in various sizes and shapes, and
may be a generally two-dimensional game board or a generally
three-dimensional game board. The indicia 24, as well as the
arrangement of the indicia 24 on the playing surface 26, may
facilitate playing a particular board game or multiple different
board games using the same game board 12, but applying different
rules of play. For example, the game board 12 may be a generally
flat, rectangular game board having a length L, a width W and a
generally uniform cross-sectional thickness T.sub.1, and the
indicia 24 may define a plurality of spaces on the playing surface
26, wherein at least some of the spaces define a continuous or
semi-continuous path.
[0017] The game board 12 may define a channel 28 extending at least
partially therethrough. The channel 28 may receive the electrical
conductor 20 therein to electrically couple the mobile electronic
device 16 with the electrical power source 22 when the mobile
electronic device 16 is supported by the support structure 14. The
channel 28 may include an open first end 30 that opens at the
playing surface 26 of the game board 12 and an open second end 32
that opens at the side edge 34 of the game board 12. Therefore, the
majority of the channel 28 may be hidden below the playing surface
26 of the game board 12 such that the electrical conductor 20 does
not interfere with game play on the playing surface 26.
[0018] The platform 18 may include a generally rigid body 19 (e.g.,
a disc) having a second cross-sectional thickness T.sub.2, and may
be fixedly connected to the game board 12. While the platform 18 is
shown connected to the game board 12 generally at the center of the
game board 12, the platform 18 (and associated support structure
14) may be located at various locations on the game board 12
without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0019] The platform 18 may define a vertical channel 36, which may
be in communication with the channel 28 extending through the game
board 12 by, for example, aligning the vertical channel 36 with the
open first end 30 of the channel 28. Additionally, the platform 18
may include a circumferential male connection portion 38 extending
upward from an upper surface 40 of the platform 18. The vertical
channel 36 may be positioned within the male connection portion 38.
An optional stop 42 may also extend upward from the upper surface
40 of the platform 18 outside of the male connection portion
38.
[0020] The support structure 14 may be a cradle, a docking station
or the like connected to the platform 18 for supporting the mobile
electronic device 16 in a desired position (or in various
positions) relative to the game board 12. For example, as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2, the support structure 14 may support the mobile
electronic device 16 such that the mobile electronic device 16 is
at a non-zero angle (e.g., 20 to 45 degrees) relative to the game
board 12 (or at least one plane defined by the game board 12).
Alternatively, the support structure 14 may support the mobile
electronic device 16 such that the mobile electronic device 16 is
generally parallel with the game board 12 (or at least one plane
defined by the game board 12).
[0021] In a first implementation, the support structure 14 may be
connected to the platform 18 (or directly to the game board 12)
such that the support structure 14 may rotate relative to the
platform 18 and the game board 12 about an axis A of rotation. For
example, the support structure 14 may rotate 360 degrees relative
to the platform 18. In a second implementation, the support
structure 14 may be fixedly connected to the platform 18 (or
directly to the game board 12).
[0022] In one expression of the first implementation, the support
structure 14 may include a body 50 having an upper support surface
52, a lower mating surface 54 and side surfaces 56, 58, 60. The
support surface 52 may be recessed in the body 50 and may receive
and support the mobile electronic device 16. As one example, the
mobile electronic device 16 may be rested on the support surface
52. A non-skid material may be provided on the support surface 52
such that the mobile electronic device 16 does not slip off of the
support surface 52, particularly when the support surface 52 is
disposed at an angle relative to the game board 12. Side walls 62,
64 may extend upward from associated side surfaces 58 to encompass,
at least partially, the support surface 52 and, when present, the
mobile electronic device 16 supported on the support surface 52. As
another example, the support surface 52 may include fasteners 53,
such as clips, clamps or the like, that may releaseably engage the
mobile electronic device 16 to secure the mobile electronic device
16 to the support structure 14.
[0023] The mating surface 54 of the body 50 of the support
structure 14 may define a circumferential female connection portion
66 sized and shaped to receive the male connection portion 38 of
the platform 18 therein, thereby releaseably and rotatably coupling
the support structure 14 with the platform 18. Optionally, a
protrusion 68 may extend radially outward from the female
connection portion 66 to engage the stop 42 of the platform 18,
thereby limiting rotation of the support structure 14 relative to
the platform 18 about the axis A of rotation beyond the location of
the stop 42. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that wear on
the electrical conductor 20 as a result of rotation of the support
structure 14 relative to the game board 12 may be reduced by
limiting the extent of such rotation using, for example, the stop
42 and the protrusion 68.
[0024] Furthermore, the body 50 of the support structure 14 may
define a channel 70 extending at least partially therethrough. The
channel 70 may include an open first end 72 that opens at the
mating surface 54 of the body 50 within the female connection
portion 66 and an open second end 74 that opens at the side surface
60 of the body 50. The open first end 72 of the channel 70 may be
aligned with the vertical channel 36 of the platform 18 such that
the channel 70 of the body 50 is in communication with the channel
28 extending through the game board 12.
[0025] Thus, the electrical conductor 20 may extend through the
channel 28 in the game board 12, through the vertical channel 36 in
the platform 18 and through the channel 70 in the support structure
14 such that a first end 76 of the electrical conductor 20 may be
electrically coupled to the mobile electronic device 16 and a
second end 78 of the electrical conductor 20 may be electrically
coupled to the electrical power source 22 without interfering with
the ability of the support structure 14 to rotate relative to the
platform 18 and the game board 12 about the axis A of rotation.
[0026] In a first optional expression, the first end 76 of the
electrical conductor 20 may be directly electrically coupled to the
mobile electronic device 16. In a second optional expression, the
support structure 14 may be a docking station having an integral
electrical connection (not shown), wherein the first end 76 of the
electrical conductor 20 may be directly electrically coupled to the
integral electrical connection of the support structure 14 and the
mobile electronic device 16 may be directly electrically connected
to the integral electrical connection of the support structure 14.
Other techniques for supplying electrical power to the mobile
electronic device 16 by way of the disclosed board game system 10
(e.g., wirelessly) may be used without departing from the scope of
the present disclosure.
[0027] While rotation of the support structure 14 relative to the
game board 12 is discussed above as being achieved by engaging a
circumferential female connection portion 66 with a circumferential
male connection portion 38 in a ball-and-socket fashion, those
skilled in the art will appreciate that various techniques,
apparatus and systems may be employed to facilitate rotation of the
support structure 14 relative to the game board 12 without
departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, a
lazy Susan-type assembly may be disposed between the support
structure 14 and the game board 12 to facilitate relative rotation
therebetween.
[0028] Accordingly, the disclosed board game system 10 integrates a
mobile electronic device 16 with a physical game board 12, thereby
allowing players to incorporate the mobile electronic device 16
into game play on the game board 12 and, optionally, to supply
electrical power to the mobile electronic device 16 during game
play. Furthermore, the optional rotation of the support structure
relative to the game board 12 may provide all (or several) players
sitting around the game board 12 with the opportunity to view the
mobile electronic device 16 during game play to, for example, read
instructions from the display 44 of the mobile electronic device
16.
[0029] At this point, those skilled in the art will appreciate that
the integration of a mobile electronic device 16 with a physical
game board 12 may allow players to perform certain game activities,
such as receiving instructions and random number generation, on the
mobile electronic device 16, while moving physical game pieces 27
over the physical game board 12. Furthermore, game play may be
stopped and saved by the mobile electronic device 16, as discussed
above, thereby allowing the players to stow the game board 12 and
associated game pieces 27. Then, at a later time, the mobile
electronic device 16 may provide the players with instructions for
re-assembling the game board 12 and associated game pieces 27 to
resume play. Still furthermore, game play statistics may be saved
in memory by the mobile electronic device 16.
[0030] The integration of a mobile electronic device 16 with a
physical game board 12 may also allow players to update an existing
game or to play a new game using the same game board 12. For
example, the pre-determined rules of a given game may be stored in
the mobile electronic device 16. The mobile electronic device 16
may provide instructions for placing and moving game pieces 27 over
the game board 12 based on the stored rules in response to inputs
provided to the mobile electronic device 16 by the players.
Therefore, an existing game may be updated (or a new game may be
added) simply by updating the pre-determined rules stored in the
mobile electronic device 16 (or adding new pre-determined rules to
the mobile electronic device 16), without the need for changing the
game board 12. The updated/new rules may be communicated to the
mobile electronic device 16 from an application store (e.g.,
iTunes.RTM. by Apple, Inc.) or the like by way of the network
48.
[0031] Although various aspects of the disclosed board game system
have been shown and described, modifications may occur to those
skilled in the art upon reading the specification. The present
application includes such modifications and is limited only by the
scope of the claims.
* * * * *