Universal signaling system for board games

Abstract

The proposed invention consists of an opto-acoustic signaling system for game elements used in so-called hybrid games. Said games being provided with companion app, that is, a support app that is run on a paired electronic terminal (PC, tablet, console). Said opto-acoustic signaling system makes it possible to provide visual information in real time, inherent to game states, situations and events, correlated to one or more of the game elements (typically pawns or functionally equivalent objects) used and moved by the players in the execution of said hybrid games. In particular, the proposed invention focuses on a base that can be paired with different game elements, this allowing said base to be used universally as different games vary and as the type of game elements or pawns that characterize said games varies. Said base accommodates internally an electronic board, in charge of the remote communication with the remote electronic terminal and coordinates/controls the emission of visual and/or acoustic signals. In particular, the electronic board contains, as a solving element, a memory provided with a lookup table with preloaded instructions to activate visual or acoustic type emitters depending on. The game selected and used. The particular game element/pawn hooked to said base. The events and states that are determined dynamically during the execution of the game used.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . Opto-acoustic signalling system ( 1000 ) for game elements ( 100 ,  110 ,  120 ,  130 ,  140 ) used in hybrid board games; said hybrid board games being provided with a remote electronic terminal ( 400 ) equipped with a transmission system ( 405 ); said opto-acoustic signalling system ( 1000 ) being usable with a hybrid board game g selectable among G different hybrid board games; said game g being characterized by a total number N(g) of game elements [X 1 , X 2 , . . . , X n , . . . , X N(g) ] where 1<=n<=N(g); said signalling system ( 1000 ) allowing to generate, for each of said game elements X n , specific opto-acoustic feedback; said opto-acoustic feedback being determined by different game events [E 1 , E 2 , . . . , E q , . . . , E Q ] where 1<=q<=Q and by different game states [S 1 , S 2 , . . . , S p , . . . , S P ] where 1<=p<=P; said events E q  and said states S p  characterizing the performance of said hybrid board game g and being controlled and transmitted by said remote electronic terminal ( 400 ); said opto-acoustic signalling system ( 1000 ) comprising:
 a) At least one electronic board ( 210 ), said electronic board ( 210 ) being provided with a CPU ( 211 ) provided with a unique identification code, a memory ( 212 ), at least one visual ( 213 ) or acoustic ( 214 ) type emitter and a radio frequency remote transceiving system ( 215 ) compatible with said transmission system ( 405 );   b) At least one base ( 200 ); said base being provided with a housing for accommodating said electronic board ( 210 ); said base ( 200 ) being provided with means for hooking according to a unique and predefined orientation with said game elements Xn;   c) means for activating said visual ( 213 ) or acoustic ( 214 ) type emitter depending on:
 said selected game g; 
 said game element X n  hooked to said base ( 200 ); 
 said events E q  and states S p  received from said remote electronic terminal ( 400 ). 
   
     
     
         2 . Opto-acoustic signalling system ( 1000 ) according to  claim 1  wherein said means for activating said visual ( 213 ) or acoustic ( 214 ) type emitter comprises a lookup table ( 300 ) pre-loaded in said memory ( 212 ) and comprising activation commands; said commands being selected depending on:
 said game g; 
 said game element X n ; 
 said events E q  and said states S p  received from said remote electronic terminal ( 400 ). 
 
     
     
         3 . Signalling system according to  claim 2  above wherein said lookup table ( 300 ) comprises G sub-tables ( 301 ,  302 ,  303 ) corresponding to said selectable hybrid games G, each sub-table comprising a number N(g) of rows; each row defining, for each game element X n , the activation commands corresponding to said events E q  and said states S p . 
     
     
         4 . Opto-acoustic signalling system ( 1000 ) according to  claim 1  wherein said means for hooking comprise a fixing element ( 201 ) adapted to be inserted into a corresponding joint ( 111 ) of said game element X n . 
     
     
         5 . Opto-acoustic signalling system ( 1000 ) according to  claim 1  wherein said base ( 200 ) includes a battery ( 220 ) connected to said electronic board ( 210 ). 
     
     
         6 . Opto-acoustic signalling system ( 1000 ) according to  claim 1  wherein said base ( 200 ) comprises at least one transparent sector ( 202 ) at said at least one light emitter ( 213 ) installed on said electronic board ( 210 ). 
     
     
         7 . Opto-acoustic signalling system ( 1000 ) according to  claim 1  wherein said base ( 200 ) further comprises a slit at said at least one acoustic emitter ( 214 ) installed on said electronic board ( 210 ). 
     
     
         8 . Opto-acoustic signalling system ( 1000 ) according to  claim 5  wherein said electronic board ( 210 ) further includes a magnetic sensor ( 216 ); said magnetic sensor ( 216 ) being used to connect said battery ( 220 ) with said electronic board ( 210 ) if said base ( 200 ) is coupled to a game element X n  comprising a magnet ( 116 ). 
     
     
         9 . Opto-acoustic signalling system ( 1000 ) according to  claim 1  wherein said electronic board ( 210 ) further includes a unique code reader ( 217 ); said unique code reader being used to detect and identify a game element X n  comprising a unique identifier ( 117 ). 
     
     
         10 . Opto-acoustic signalling system ( 1000 ) according to  claim 1  wherein said system ( 1000 ) further includes a mediator device ( 500 ) connected via an interface ( 501 ) with said remote electronic terminal ( 400 ); said mediator device ( 500 ) being provided with a wireless communication system ( 505 ) for communicating with said electronic board ( 210 ). 
     
     
         11 . Method for providing opto-acoustic feedback to the game elements X n  of a hybrid game g selectable from G hybrid games by means of the opto-acoustic signalling system ( 1000 ) as described in  claim 3  comprising the following steps:
 a) Sending of an activation signal to the remote electronic terminal ( 400 ); 
 b) Reception from said remote electronic terminal ( 400 ) of the identifier corresponding to the game g in progress and of the identifier corresponding to the game element X n  paired with the base ( 200 ); 
 c) Selection, in the lookup table ( 300 ), of the sub-table ( 303 ) indexed by g and loading the data and configuration parameters of the electronic board ( 210 ); 
 said data and parameters being contained in the N(g) rows of said selected sub-table ( 303 ); 
 d) Selection of the row “n” of said sub-table ( 303 ) loaded into memory, corresponding to the game element X n ; 
 e) Reception from said remote electronic terminal ( 400 ) of the signal corresponding to an event E q  or to a state E p  of the game g with execution in progress; 
 f) Identification of the activation commands corresponding to the event E q  or state E p ; 
 g) Implementation of said activation commands by means of said visual ( 213 ) or acoustic ( 214 ) type emitters; 
 h) Transmission of successful execution to the remote electronic terminal ( 400 ). 
 
     
     
         12 . Method for providing opto-acoustic feedback to the game elements X n  provided with a unique identifier ( 117 ) of a hybrid game g selectable from G hybrid games by means of the opto-acoustic signalling system ( 1000 ) as described in  claim 9  comprising the following steps:
 a) Sending of an activation signal to the remote electronic terminal ( 400 ); 
 b) Reception from said remote electronic terminal ( 400 ) of the identifier corresponding to the game g in progress; 
 c) Acquisition by means of the unique code reader ( 217 ) of the unique identifier ( 117 ) corresponding to the game element X n  paired with the base ( 200 ); 
 d) Selection, in the lookup table ( 300 ), of the sub-table ( 303 ) indexed by g and loading the data and configuration parameters of the electronic board ( 210 ); said data and parameters being contained in the N(g) rows of said selected sub-table ( 303 ); 
 e) Selection of the row “n” of said sub-table ( 303 ) loaded into memory, corresponding to the game element X n ; 
 f) Reception from said remote electronic terminal ( 400 ) of the signal corresponding to an event E q  or to a state E p  of the game g with execution in progress; 
 g) Identification of the activation commands corresponding to the event E q  or state E p ; 
 h) Implementation of said activation commands by means of said visual ( 213 ) or acoustic ( 214 ) type emitters; 
 i) Transmission of successful execution to the remote electronic terminal ( 400 ). 
 
     
     
         13 . Method for providing opto-acoustic feedback to the game elements X n  of a hybrid game g selectable from G hybrid games by means of the opto-acoustic signalling system ( 1000 ) as described in  claim 3  comprising the following steps:
 a) Sending of an activation signal to the mediator device ( 500 ); 
 b) Reception from said mediator device ( 500 ) of the identifier corresponding to the game g in progress and of the identifier corresponding to the game element X n  paired with the base ( 200 ); 
 c) Selection, in the lookup table ( 300 ), of the sub-table ( 303 ) indexed by g and loading the data and configuration parameters of the electronic board ( 210 ); said data and parameters being contained in the N(g) rows of said selected sub-table ( 303 ); 
 d) Selection of the row “n” of said sub-table ( 303 ) loaded into memory, corresponding to the game element X n ; 
 e) Reception from said mediator device ( 500 ) of the signal corresponding to an event E q  or to a state E p  of the game g with execution in progress; 
 f) Identification of the activation commands corresponding to the event E q  or state E p ; 
 g) Implementation of said activation commands by means of said visual ( 213 ) or acoustic ( 214 ) type emitters; 
 h) Transmission of successful execution to the mediator device ( 500 ).