Intelligent game system for putting intelligence into board and tabletop games including miniatures

A method of updating image information and projecting a changing image on a sheet formed by an array of abutting radio frequency identifier reader sensors to obtain object information from one or more movable objects including radio frequency identifier tags placed on the sheet, the method comprising:

• a. reading the object information stored on memory of one of the movable objects placed on the sheet above one or more of the one or more sensors with a controller coupled with the sensors by transmitting a radio frequency read signal from the one or more of the sensors to the radio frequency identifier tag of the one of the movable objects and receiving a radio frequency response signal from the tag;
• b. associating the object information with a portion of an image that the one or more of the sensors correspond to with the controller;
• c. performing application specific processing with the controller using the object information;
• d. adjusting each portion of the image with the controller based on the associated object information, wherein the adjusted portions of the image form a changed image;
• and
• e. transmitting the changed image with the controller to a projector and projecting the changed image onto the top surface of the game board with the projector.

A method of obtaining object information using a plurality of abutting sensors that together form a game board, each sensor having a state indicating the presence of an object, the method comprising:

• a. associating each of the plurality of sensors with a different location on the game board and a portion of an image with a controller based on the different location;
• b. reading the sensor state and a sensor identifier from each of the sensors by transmitting a state signal to the sensors with the controller in a predefined order, wherein the sensor identifier of each of the sensors is stored in a memory within the associated sensor, wherein the predefined order indicates the order in which the sensors are read;
• and
• c. if the sensor state indicates the presence of an object, then initiating with the controller a transmission of the object's object information to a receiver by sending a read signal to the object via the sensor.

A method of playing an intelligent game comprising:

• a. initializing intelligent game system components and software with a controller;
• b. associating one or more first objects with a first player with the controller;
• c. obtaining object information for one or more first objects with the controller using one or more abutting sensors by transmitting a read signal to the one or more first objects via the sensors, wherein the first objects are located on a sheet formed by an array of the sensors with each of the one or more sensors corresponding to a portion of an image;
• d. processing the object information for at least one first object with the controller using an application software;
• e. adjusting each portion of the image with the controller based on the object information obtained by the corresponding sensors forming a changed image;
• f. transmitting the changed image with the controller to an image projector;
• and
• g. acquiring and saving the current game state information with the controller in response to pausing of the game.

An intelligent game system comprising:

• a. a sheet formed by a plurality of abutting sensor modules to obtain object information from an object positioned on the sheet;
• b. interface electronics coupled to receive the object information from each sensor module;
• c. a controller coupled to receive the object information of each sensor module from the interface electronics, and to associate the object information with a portion of an image;
• d. a computer readable media, programmed with instructions for implementing a game, and configured to be read by the controller;
• e. a projector, coupled to receive image information from the controller, wherein the projector receives image information from the controller and projects an image onto the sheet above the sensor modules based on the image information received from the controller;
• and
• f. a game piece comprising object information capable of being read by the sensor modules, wherein the object information is an identifier, wherein the controller transmits a read signal to the game piece via one or more of the sensor modules and the game piece transmits a response signal to the controller in response to the read signal.