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US 6,036,188 AGranted
Amusement game with pinball type playfield and virtual video images
AssigneeWilliams Electronic Games, Inc.
InventorsGeorge A. Gomez, Patrick Lawlor, Thomas W. Uban
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An amusement game which comprises a playfield having a game piece and a plurality of play features, and an apparatus for projecting a changeable virtual image in association with the playfield.
Claims49
An amusement game comprising:
- a playfield having a plurality of play features;
- a projection arrangement for projecting a virtual video image to appear to be superimposed upon said playfield, said virtual video image including a virtual video target;
- a game piece moveable relative to said playfield;
- at least one sensor for generating a sensor signal in response to sensing at least one of the presence and absence of said game piece at one or more predetermined locations on said playfield;
- and
- a controller, responsive in part to said sensor signal, for selecting the content of said virtual video image.
3 more elements
An amusement game comprising:
- a playfield having a plurality of play features;
- a projection arrangement for projecting a virtual image to appear to be superimposed upon said playfield, said virtual image including a dynamic virtual target moveable relative to said playfield;
- a game piece moveable relative to said playfield;
- at least one sensor for generating a sensor signal in response to sensing at least one of the presence and absence of said game piece at one or more predetermined locations on said playfield;
- and
- a controller, responsive in part to said sensor signal, for selecting the content of said virtual video image.
3 more elements
A method of operating an amusement game including a game piece and a playfield having a plurality of play features, said method comprising:
- displaying a video image on a video display;
- projecting said displayed video image as a virtual image that appears to be superimposed upon said playfield, said virtual image including a virtual target;
- propelling said game piece across said playfield;
- sensing at least one of the presence and absence of said game piece at one or more predetermined locations on said playfield;
- generating a sensor signal in response to sensing said at least one of the presence and absence of said game piece at said one or more predetermined locations on said playfield;
- and
- selecting the content of said video image partly in response to said sensor signal.
4 more elements
A pinball game comprising:
- an inclined playfield having a plurality of play features;
- a source of video information;
- a video display;
- a controller coupled to said source of video information and to said video display for selecting video information from said source to be displayed upon said video display;
- and
- a projection arrangement for projecting the video information displayed on said video display as a virtual image that appears to be superimposed upon said playfield, said virtual image including a virtual target;
- a rolling ball moveable relative said playfield;
- and
- at least one sensor for generating a sensor signal in response to sensing at least one of the presence and absence of said rolling ball at one or more predetermined locations on said playfield, said controller selecting the video information from said source partly in response to said sensor signal.
6 more elements
An amusement game comprising:
- a playfield having a plurality of play features;
- means for displaying a video image;
- means for projecting the displayed video image as a virtual image that appears to be superimposed upon said playfield, said virtual image including a virtual target;
- a game piece moveable relative to said playfield;
- means for sensing at least one of the presence and absence of said game piece at one or more predetermined locations on said playfield and generating a sensor signal in response thereto;
- and
- means, responsive in part to said sensor signal, for selecting the content of said video image.
4 more elements
An amusement game comprising:
- a playfield having a plurality of play features, said plurality of play features including a physical object;
- a projection arrangement for projecting a virtual video image to appear to be superimposed upon said playfield and proximate to said physical object;
- a game piece moveable relative to said playfield;
- at least one sensor for generating a sensor signal in response to sensing at least one of the presence and absence of said game piece at one or more predetermined locations on said playfield;
- and
- a controller, responsive in part to said sensor signal, for selecting the content of said virtual video image.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.