Apparatus for an electronically-enabled board game
OwnerStephen John THOMSONinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for an improved board game combining the advantages of both traditional and electronic games. The apparatus includes a game board and a plurality of game pieces, wherein the apparatus is configured to detect the identity and location of a given game piece on the game board; and a server communicable with the game board and configured to receive information on the identity and location of the game pieces relative to the game board, and, if appropriate, send to the game board a display instruction, wherein the game board is configured to, in response to the display instruction, electronically display a game progress indicator.
Claims20
An apparatus for an electronically-enabled board game, said board game being configured for playing by at least two players, each assigned a plurality of game pieces, the players taking sequential turns to cause or instruct movement of at least one of their game pieces relative to a game board in accordance with the rules of the game, said apparatus comprising:
- the game board;
- the plurality of game pieces assigned to each player;
- wherein the apparatus is configured to detect the identity and location of a given game piece relative to the game board;
- and
- a server comprising a processor and a memory and communicable with at least the game board, wherein the server is configured to receive information on the identity and location of the game pieces relative to the game board, the server being further configured to, upon each sequential turn taken by each player, determine whether a game progress indicator is appropriate, and if so, send to the game board a display instruction, wherein the game board is configured to, in response to the display instruction, electronically display the game progress indicator.
A game board configured for use in an electronically-enabled board game, said board game being configured for playing by at least two players, each assigned a plurality of game pieces, the players taking sequential turns to cause or instruct movement of at least one of their game pieces relative to the game board in accordance with the rules of the game,
- wherein the identity and location of the game pieces relative to the game board is detectable by a server, the server being configured to, upon each sequential turn taken by each player, determine whether a game progress indicator is appropriate,
- wherein the game board is configured to, if the server determines that a game progress indicator is appropriate, receive from the server a display instruction,
- wherein the game board is configured to, in response to the display instruction, electronically display the game progress indicator.
A game piece configured for use in an electronically-enabled board game, said board game being configured for playing by at least two players, each assigned a plurality of game pieces, the players taking sequential turns to cause or instruct movement of at least one of their game pieces relative to a game board in accordance with the rules of the game,
- wherein the identity and location of the game pieces relative to the game board is detectable by a server, the server being configured to, upon each sequential turn taken by each player, determine whether a game progress indicator is appropriate,
- wherein the game board is configured to, if the server determines that a game progress indicator is appropriate, receive from the server a display instruction,
- wherein the game board is configured to, in response to the display instruction, electronically display the game progress indicator.
A server configured for use in an electronically-enabled board game, said board game being configured for playing by at least two players, each assigned a plurality of game pieces, the players taking sequential turns to cause or instruct movement of at least one of their game pieces relative to a game board in accordance with the rules of the game,
- wherein the server is configured to detect the identity and location of the game pieces relative to the game board, the server being further configured to, upon each sequential turn taken by each player, determine whether a game progress indicator is appropriate,
- wherein, if the server determines that a game progress indicator is appropriate, the server is configured to send to the game board a display instruction, wherein the game board is configured to, in response to the display instruction from the server, electronically display the game progress indicator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.