Universal puzzle piece with customizable surface

Abstract

A universally shaped puzzle piece is provided that may mate with any side of a puzzle piece having the same universal shape. Instead of placing a portion of an overall puzzle image on the universally shaped puzzle piece, indicia related to a theme are placed on one side. The other side of the puzzle piece may be customizable to a user such that an infinite number of the universally shaped puzzle pieces may be customized and fit together to form a puzzle with a unique image. Thus, puzzle pieces may be distributed to individuals at a public event so that a puzzle is created that represents the overall theme of the event.

1 . A puzzle piece comprising: 
 a perimeter having a universal shape such that a second one of said puzzle piece may interlock with said puzzle piece;    a first surface; and    a second surface, wherein neither said first nor second surfaces include a portion of an overall puzzle image.    
   
   
       2 . The puzzle piece of  claim 1  wherein said first surface is customizable.  
   
   
       3 . The puzzle piece of  claim 1  wherein said first and second surfaces are customizable.  
   
   
       4 . The puzzle piece of  claim 1  wherein said first surface is customizable and said second surface is non-customizable.  
   
   
       5 . The puzzle piece of  claim 1  further comprising one or more indicia located on said first surface.  
   
   
       6 . The puzzle piece of  claim 5  wherein said first surface is non-customizable and said second surface is customizable.  
   
   
       7 . The puzzle piece of  claim 5  wherein said one or more indicia includes a logo.  
   
   
       8 . The puzzle piece of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an electronic output device;    memory for storing media; and    circuitry for playing said media on said electronic output device.    
   
   
       9 . The puzzle piece of  claim 8  wherein said electronic output device is a speaker and said media is an audio segment.  
   
   
       10 . The puzzle piece of  claim 8  wherein said electronic output device is a display.  
   
   
       11 . The puzzle piece of  claim 8  further comprising an electronic input device.  
   
   
       12 . The puzzle piece of  claim 8  further comprising circuitry for recording audio data.  
   
   
       13 . The puzzle piece of  claim 1  wherein said universal shape is symmetrical.  
   
   
       14 . The puzzle piece of  claim 1  wherein said universal shape has an even number of sides.  
   
   
       15 . The puzzle piece of  claim 14  wherein said universal shape has four sides.  
   
   
       16 . The puzzle piece of  claim 1  wherein said universal shape has an odd number of sides.  
   
   
       17 . The puzzle piece of  claim 16  where said universal shape has three sides.  
   
   
       18 . The puzzle piece of  claim 1  further comprising at least one male connector, wherein one or more indicia are printed on at least one of said at least one male connector.  
   
   
       19 . The puzzle piece of  claim 1  wherein said puzzle piece is virtual.  
   
   
       20 . The puzzle piece of  claim 1  wherein said puzzle piece is virtual and storable in a remote database.  
   
   
       21 . The puzzle piece of  claim 1  wherein said puzzle piece is virtual and customizable.  
   
   
       22 . The puzzle piece of  claim 1  wherein said first and second surfaces are located on a single layer of material.  
   
   
       23 . The puzzle piece of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a first layer of material, wherein said first surface is located on said first layer; and    a second layer of material, wherein said second surface is located on said second layer.    
   
   
       24 . The puzzle piece of  claim 23  wherein said first and second layers form a sticker.  
   
   
       25 . The puzzle piece of  claim 23  wherein said first layer of material is customizable and said second layer of material is non-customizable.  
   
   
       26 . The puzzle piece of  claim 23  wherein said first and second layers are fixed together and non-removable from each other.  
   
   
       27 . The puzzle piece of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a first layer of material, wherein said first and second surfaces are located on said first layer; and    a plurality of layers of material.    
   
   
       28 . The puzzle piece of  claim 27  wherein said plurality of layers are partially bound to and removable from said first layer.  
   
   
       29 . The puzzle piece of  claim 28  wherein the material of said plurality of layers is paper.  
   
   
       30 . The puzzle piece of  claim 29  wherein the material of said first layer is cardboard.  
   
   
       31 . The puzzle piece of  claim 1  further comprising an envelope, wherein said puzzle piece is provided in or with said envelope.  
   
   
       32 . The puzzle piece of  claim 31  wherein said envelope is transparent.  
   
   
       33 . The puzzle piece of  claim 31  further comprising at least one customization tool.  
   
   
       34 . A puzzle piece pad comprising: 
 a first universally shaped puzzle piece; and    at least one second universally shaped puzzle piece having the same shape as said first universally shaped puzzle piece, wherein said at least one second puzzle piece is aligned with said first puzzle piece and said first and at least one second puzzle pieces are attached together on one side.    
   
   
       35 . The puzzle piece pad of  claim 34  wherein said puzzle piece provided in or with a packaging.  
   
   
       36 . The puzzle piece pad of  claim 35  further comprising at least one customization tool provided in or with said packaging.  
   
   
       37 . The puzzle piece pad of  claim 36  wherein said at least one customization tool comprises one or more crayons, markers, pens, paint sets, or pencils.  
   
   
       38 . A customizable puzzle piece sticker comprising: 
 a first layer having a universal shape;    one ore more indicia on said first layer, wherein said one or more indicia is not a portion of an overall puzzle image; and    a second layer having the same shape as said first layer, wherein said second layer is removable from said first layer, said second layer is substantially devoid of one or more indicia, and said second layer is customizable.    
   
   
       39 . The puzzle piece sticker of  claim 38  wherein said second layer includes static cling properties after said second layer is removed from said first layer such that said second layer may adhere to a surface.  
   
   
       40 . The puzzle piece sticker of  claim 38  wherein said second layer includes a sticker adhesive on one side such that, after said second layer is removed from said first layer, said second layer may adhere to a different surface.  
   
   
       41 . A punch-out puzzle piece consisting of: 
 a layer of material, wherein a single universal puzzle piece is defined in said layer of material and the perimeter of said puzzle piece is perforated such that said universal puzzle piece may be punched out by a user.    
   
   
       42 . The punch-out puzzle piece of  claim 41  wherein one or more indicia are located only on the portion of said layer of material where said universal puzzle piece is not defined.  
   
   
       43 . A trading card puzzle piece comprising: 
 male and female connectors defined by a perimeter of said puzzle piece; and    a first surface, wherein said first surface includes a representation of an identifiable personality; and    a customizable portion located on said puzzle piece.    
   
   
       44 . The trading card puzzle piece of  claim 43  wherein an autograph of said sports figure is provided on said customizable portion.  
   
   
       45 . The trading card puzzle piece of  claim 43  wherein said perimeter has a universal shape.  
   
   
       46 . The trading card puzzle piece of  claim 43  further comprising: 
 a second surface; and    one or more indicia located on said second surface, wherein said one or more indicia is a portion of an overall puzzle image.    
   
   
       47 . The trading card puzzle piece of  claim 43  wherein said trading card puzzle piece is provided with a plurality of trading cards in a trading card pack.  
   
   
       48 . A system for creating a virtual puzzle comprising: 
 a webserver configured to publish a virtual puzzle piece to a webpage; and    tools to customize said virtual puzzle piece.    
   
   
       49 . The system of  claim 48  wherein said virtual puzzle piece has a universal shape.  
   
   
       50 . The system of  claim 48  wherein said virtual puzzle piece has an identification number.  
   
   
       51 . The system of  claim 48  further comprising a user profile, wherein said virtual puzzle piece is associated to said user profile.  
   
   
       52 . The system of  claim 51  further comprising a login feature for accessing said user profile.  
   
   
       53 . The system of  claim 48  wherein said customization tools comprises one or more color palettes, cut functions, paste functions, copy functions, brush size functions, erase functions, paint functions, or zoom functions.  
   
   
       54 . The system of  claim 48  further comprising tools to place said virtual puzzle piece in a virtual puzzle.  
   
   
       55 . The system of  claim 48  further comprising a remote database configured to store said virtual puzzle piece.  
   
   
       56 . The system of  claim 48  wherein said customization tools includes an import tool, wherein said input tool allows an image to be imported onto said virtual puzzle piece.  
   
   
       57 . The system of  claim 55  wherein said database is configured to store the placement of said virtual puzzle piece in a puzzle.  
   
   
       58 . The system of  claim 57  wherein said webserver is configured to publish said puzzle to said webpage.  
   
   
       59 . A machine readable medium having program logic imprinted thereon for: 
 providing a virtual puzzle piece; and    providing tools to customize said virtual puzzle piece.    
   
   
       60 . The machine readable medium of  claim 59  further comprising machine readable program logic imprinted thereon for publishing said virtual puzzle piece on the internet.  
   
   
       61 . The machine readable medium of  claim 59  wherein said virtual puzzle piece has a universal shape.  
   
   
       62 . The machine readable medium of  claim 59  further comprising machine readable program logic imprinted thereon for placing said virtual puzzle piece in a virtual puzzle.  
   
   
       63 . The machine readable medium of  claim 62  further comprising machine readable program logic imprinted thereon for printing said puzzle.  
   
   
       64 . The machine readable medium of  claim 59  further comprising machine readable program logic imprinted thereon for printing said virtual puzzle piece.