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US 2008/0001357 A1Published application
Game Method and Apparatus, Including Word Game With Hand-Held Scrambling Device
OwnerHenry Atkins, Ramon Callantainventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of playing a game includes scrambling letters, presenting identical sets of the letters in scrambled form in multiple display areas for viewing by multiple players of the game, and communicating a first word formed by a player from the scrambled letters, the first word having a minimum number of characters.
Claims125
A method of playing a game, comprising:
- scrambling letters;
- presenting identical sets of the letters in scrambled form in multiple display areas for viewing by multiple players of the game;
- and
- communicating a first word formed by a player from the scrambled letters, the first word having a minimum number of characters.
1 more element
A method of playing a game, comprising:
- initiating a mechanical scrambling of game pieces within a game device;
- causing the mechanical scrambling of the game pieces to end by placing the game device on a surface which forces the game pieces upward into the game device and into stationary positions such that letters on the game pieces are aligned;
- and
- communicating a word that can be formed from letters that are visible on the game pieces.
1 more element
A method of playing an electronic game, comprising:
- causing a computer-executable program to control one or more video displays to present a randomly ordered arrangement of letters;
- identifying a first word that can be formed from the letters, the first word having a minimum number of characters;
- providing an input that causes the computer-executable program to control the one or more video displays to present a timer;
- and
- attempting to identify a word longer in length than the first word before a time interval presented by the timer expires.
2 more elements
A method for controlling a video game, comprising:
- providing a processor with access to a computer-executable program which, when executed by the processor, controls the video game to
- present a randomly ordered arrangement of visible indicia of one or more types selected from a group including letters, characters, numbers, symbols, and images, and
- present a timer in response to a start timer input provided to the video game by a player.
A game apparatus, comprising:
- an electronic device with a display, the electronic device being configured to present on the display
- a randomly ordered arrangement of visible indicia of one or more types selected from a group including letters, characters, numbers, symbols, and images, and
- a visible timer, in response to a start timer input provided to the electronic device by a player.
In a game apparatus that facilitates scrambling game pieces, the improvement comprising:
- a structure that aligns the game pieces in an arrangement facilitating ergonomic viewing of the game pieces by a player when the game apparatus is placed upon a surface.
A game apparatus, comprising:
- game pieces which are scrambled by operation of the game apparatus;
- and
- means, engaged by placing the game apparatus upon a surface, for automatically aligning the game pieces in an arrangement facilitating ergonomic viewing of the game pieces.
In a game apparatus in which multiple game pieces are scrambled, the improvement comprising:
- a structure that sets the game pieces into positions resulting in multiple identical arrangements of visible indicia on the game pieces being simultaneously presented.
A game apparatus, comprising:
- game pieces which are scrambled by operation of the game apparatus, the game pieces including visible indicia;
- and
- a structure for setting a scrambled arrangement of the game pieces providing dual simultaneous displays of the visible indicia.
A game apparatus, comprising:
- a housing with a display portion that includes receiving channels;
- a plurality of game pieces laterally supported by the receiving channels, each game piece being hexagonal in shape and including a circular inner surface, the game pieces having outer surfaces that are blank or bear visible indicia;
- and
- a rod secured to the housing and configured to support the game pieces adjacent to the circular inner surfaces, the rod being positioned a sufficient distance away from the display portion and the game pieces having a sufficiently large inner diameter such that the game pieces are fully seated within the receiving channels and set in position when an engaging force is applied to the game pieces and such that the game pieces are partially disengaged from the receiving channels and free to rotate about the rod when the engaging force is removed.
1 more element
A game apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of hexagonal ring game pieces that each include six outer surfaces, the outer surfaces selectively bearing visible indicia;
- and
- a housing including receiving channels complementary in shape to the hexagonal ring game pieces, the housing including windows through which one or more rows of the outer surfaces can be viewed when the hexagonal ring game pieces are positioned within the receiving channels.
A game apparatus, comprising:
- a housing containing game pieces which are scrambled by repositioning the housing;
- a handle secured to the housing, the handle including a compartment;
- and
- a timer sized to fit within the compartment.
1 more element
A game apparatus, comprising:
- a set of hexagonal rings for a scramble game, the hexagonal rings including outer surfaces that are blank or bear visible indicia, the visible indicia being arranged along the outer surfaces such that pairs of the visible indicia that are spaced a predetermined number of outer surfaces apart are identical but inverted in orientation.
A method of solo game play, comprising:
- (a) providing a player with a scramble of letters;
- (b) awarding one or more points to the player for each qualifying word identified by the player in the scramble of letters depending upon scoring rules;
- and
- (c) repeating (a) and (b) for a number of rounds, aggregating points awarded to the player to provide a final score after a last round is played.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.