# US 7,461,845 B2 · Memory game and method of playing same

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- Number: US 7,461,845 B2
- Document ID: US7461845B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/161,036
- Filed: 2005-07-20
- Published: 2007-01-25
- Granted: 2008-12-09
- Earliest claimed: 2005-07-20
- Assignees: Doublestar, LLC
- Inventors: Stuart Montaldo; Jennie Kretchmar; Brett Kretchmar
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7461845B2

## CPC

- A63F 1/04: Card games combined with other games
- A63F 2001/0491: {having markings on the rear face or reverse side}
- A63F 2009/0643: {erasable}
- A63F 2009/0665: {using a plurality of markers, e.g. different colours}
- A63F 2011/0081: {"Memory"-type games, e.g. finding the corresponding hidden element}
- A63F 2011/0083: {Memory oriented or pattern matching games}
- A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A memory game is shown similar to the game of concentration. However, each tile has a coding region associated therewith for players to aid their memories with mnemonic codes. Additional variations are disclosed, including limiting which indicia may be matched and removed on a given turn and the use of a rummy-style removal of tiles using logically ordered indicia.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of playing a game by a plurality of players comprising the steps of:
placing a plurality of pairs of tiles in a playing area, each pair of tiles having a front side with matching indicia thereon, and a back side, the tiles being placed front side down within the playing area;
taking turns among the players;
in each turn, selecting two tiles and examining the front sides thereof, one of which is exposed to all other players;
removing the tiles from play if the indicia on the two examined tiles match, the removed tiles to be retained by the player who selected them;
returning the tiles to the playing area if the indicia on the two examined tiles differ;
placing mnemonic coding on the back side of one or more of the examined tiles that were returned; and
repeating the selecting-examining, removing, returning, and placing steps with each turn until all tiles have been removed from the playing area.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of playing a game of claim 1, wherein a player who finds a pair of tiles with matching indicia immediately takes another turn.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of playing a game of claim 2, wherein a player who finds three consecutive pairs of tiles with matching indicia may take for himself/herself a pair of tiles from any other player.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of playing a game of claim 1, wherein a characteristic is associated with each set of indicia, the method further comprising the steps of:
maintaining two or more characteristics indicators and an indicator token adapted to mark one of said characteristics indicators as active;
rotating the indicator token to mark the next characteristics indicator as active each time a pair of tiles is removed; and
wherein tiles are only removed from play if the indicia on the two examined tiles match and the characteristic associated with those indicia further matches a characteristic on the active characteristics indicator.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of playing a game of claim 4, wherein one or more indicia are associated with a wildcard characteristic that automatically matches with any active characteristics indicator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of playing a game of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:
supplying each player with one or more switching tokens; and
permitting a player to use a switching token, prior to the selecting and examining step, such use causing the indicator token to immediately rotate to the next characteristics indicator.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The method of playing a game of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:
tracking the number of matching pairs of tiles removed for each characteristics indicator; and
eliminating a characteristics indicator from the rotation when all pairs of tiles corresponding to that characteristics indicator have been matched and removed from play.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of playing a game of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
including with the tiles, one or more passes that appear the same as the tiles from the back sides thereof;
permitting a player who selects a pass to keep it for later use at a time of his/her choosing; and
allowing a player upon use of a pass to select and examine one tile before the normal selecting and examining of two tiles in the normal course of a turn.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of playing a game of claim 1, wherein the backside of the tiles are covered with an erasable surface, and the mnemonic coding is applied with an erasable marker.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of playing a game of claim 9, wherein each player is given a distinct color erasable marker for his/her own mnemonic coding.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of playing a game of claim 1, wherein the tiles are placed in a grid formation within the playing area.

### Claim 12

A game for a plurality of players comprising:
a plurality of pairs of tiles, each pair of tiles having a front side with matching indicia thereon designed to be hidden from view, and a back side;
a coding region on the back side of each tile for players to apply mnemonic coding relating to the indicia of the tiles that an individual player has seen, said coding region comprising a surface material readily capable of being written upon and subsequently erased a plurality of times; and
an ink marker suitable for use on said coding region.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The game of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of ink markers suitable for use on said coding region, each marker having a distinct color.

### Claim 14

A method of playing a game by a plurality of players comprising the steps of:
placing a plurality of tiles in a playing area, each tiles having a front side with one or more indicia thereon, and a back side, the tiles being placed front side down within the playing area;
taking turns among the players;
in each turn, selecting a plurality of tiles and examining the front sides thereof, one of which is exposed to all other players;
removing the tiles from play if the indicia on the examined tiles meet a set of preselected criteria, the removed tiles to be retained by the player who selected them;
returning the tiles to the playing area if the indicia on the examined tiles do not meet said preselected criteria;
placing mnemonic coding on the back side of one or more of the examined tiles that were returned; and
repeating the selecting-examining, removing, returning, and placing steps with each turn until all tiles have been removed from the playing area.