US20240139614A1

US20240139614A1 - Life-based board game

Info

Publication number: US20240139614A1
Application number: US17/979,610
Authority: US
Inventors: Alex Hurst
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2022-11-02
Filing date: 2022-11-02
Publication date: 2024-05-02

Abstract

A life-based board game, including a game board, including a plurality of spaces, each of the plurality of spaces comprising a space display unit to display at least one event based on a game objective thereon, and a board controller disposed within at least a portion of the game board to randomly generate the at least one event for at least one of the plurality of spaces in response to at least one of the plurality of spaces detecting at least one player has landed thereon, a fortune teller connected to the game board to display at least one shape thereon and reveal a message in response to the at least one shape being touched, and a plurality of figurines to identify a position of the at least one player on at least one of the plurality of spaces.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present general inventive concept relates generally to a board game, and particularly, to a life-based board game.

2. Description of the Related Art

Board games are a form of entertainment that engage players in a physical medium using playing pieces and a set of rules. One well known board game includes playing pieces moved around a game board using dice and cards to amass the most money by capturing property and building homes and/or hotels on the captured property.
Board games have enjoyed a decent rise in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as an engaging and safe social activity among friends and family. However, existing board games are well known and offer little variation once the board game has been played multiple times. Thus, current options on the market can quickly become boring to play.
Therefore, there is a need for a life-based board game that generates random experiences with each play session to offer a different type of game during play.

SUMMARY

The present general inventive concept provides a life-based board game.
Additional features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept.
The foregoing and/or other features and utilities of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing a life-based board game, including a game board, including a plurality of spaces, each of the plurality of spaces comprising a space display unit to display at least one event based on a game objective thereon, and a board controller disposed within at least a portion of the game board to randomly generate the at least one event for at least one of the plurality of spaces in response to at least one of the plurality of spaces detecting at least one player has landed thereon, a fortune teller connected to the game board to display at least one shape thereon and reveal a message in response to the at least one shape being touched, and a plurality of figurines to identify a position of the at least one player on at least one of the plurality of spaces.
The board controller may generate the at least one event based on a number of moves at least one of the plurality of figurines has made upon reaching at least one of the plurality of spaces.
The fortune teller may include a body, a plurality of display units disposed on at least a portion of the body to display at least one shape thereon, and a control unit disposed within at least a portion of the body.
The control unit may randomly generate the at least one shape displayed on each of the plurality of display units.
The control unit may command each of the plurality of display units to change the at least one shape each time the body is moved.
The control unit may update at least one of the plurality of display units to display a message in response to the at least one of the plurality of display units with the at least one shape being touched.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other features and utilities of the present generally inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of a life-based board game, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept; and

FIG. 2 illustrates a zoomed in view of a fortune teller, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various example embodiments (a.k.a., exemplary embodiments) will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some example embodiments are illustrated. In the figures, the thicknesses of lines, layers and/or regions may be exaggerated for clarity.
Accordingly, while example embodiments are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the figures and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure. Like numbers refer to like/similar elements throughout the detailed description.
It is understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.).
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art. However, should the present disclosure give a specific meaning to a term deviating from a meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill, this meaning is to be taken into account in the specific context this definition is given herein.

LIST OF COMPONENTS

- Life-Based Board Game 100
- Game Board 110
- Spaces 111
- Board Controller 112
- Board Power Source 113
- Fortune Teller 120
- Body 121
- Display Units 122
- Control Unit 123
- Power Source 124
- Figurines 130
- Currency 140
- Cards 150

FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of a life-based board game 100, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.
The life-based board game 100 may be constructed from at least one of metal, plastic, wood, glass, and rubber, etc., but is not limited thereto.
The life-based board game 100 may include a game board 110, a fortune teller 120, a plurality of figurines 130, a plurality of currency 140, and a plurality of cards 150, but is not limited thereto.
Referring to FIG. 1 , the game board 110 is illustrated to have a rectangular shape. However, the game board 110 may be circular, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, or any other shape known to one of ordinary skill in the art, but is not limited thereto.
The game board 110 may include a plurality of spaces 111, a board controller 112, and a board power source 113, but is not limited thereto.
The game board 110 may be an electronic game board with electronic components to activate functions therein. Alternatively, the game board 110 may be a cardboard based board, a plastic based board, and/or a metal based board.
Each of the plurality of spaces 111 may be a space display unit. More specifically, each of the plurality of spaces 111 may include a plasma screen, an LCD screen, a light emitting diode (LED) screen, an organic LED (OLED) screen, a computer monitor, a hologram output unit, a sound outputting unit, or any other type of device that visually or aurally displays data. Also, each of the plurality of spaces 111 may include a sensor and/or a speaker.
The plurality of spaces 111 may be disposed on at least a portion of the game board 110 and distanced from each other. Each of the plurality of spaces 111 may display at least one event thereon in response to at least one player landing thereon. For example, each of the plurality of spaces 111 may have at least six events (e.g., buying real estate, selling real estate, marriage, divorce, the birth of children, etc.) based on a current game objective. Also, the plurality of spaces 111 may emit at least one sound output in response to the at least one event being displayed. For example, at least one of the plurality of spaces 111 may emit “here comes the bride” in response to the at least one player getting married in the game. Furthermore, at least one of the plurality of spaces 111 may emit sirens and/or tire sounds in response to a traffic stop event being revealed.
The board controller 112 may include a processing unit, a communication unit, and a storage unit, but is not limited thereto.
The processing unit of the board controller 112 (or central processing unit, CPU) may include electronic circuitry to carry out instructions of a computer program by performing basic arithmetic, logical, control and input/output (I/O) operations specified by the instructions. The processing unit of the board controller 112 may include an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) that performs arithmetic and logic operations, processor registers that supply operands to the ALU and store the results of ALU operations, and a control unit that fetches instructions from memory and “executes” them by directing the coordinated operations of the ALU, registers and other components. The processing unit of the board controller 112 may also include a microprocessor and a microcontroller.
The communication unit of the board controller 112 may include a device capable of wireless or wired communication between other wireless or wired devices via at least one of Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, infrared (IR) wireless communication, satellite communication, broadcast radio communication, Microwave radio communication, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Zigbee, near field communication (NFC), and radio frequency (RF) communication, USB, Firewire, and Ethernet.
The storage unit of the board controller 112 may include a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a hard disk, a flash drive, a database connected to the Internet, cloud-based storage, Internet-based storage, or any other type of storage unit.
The processing unit of the board controller 112 may access the Internet via the communication unit of the board controller 112 to access a website, and/or may allow a mobile application and/or a software application to be executed using the processing unit of the board controller 112. For ease of description, the mobile application and/or the software application will be hereinafter referred to as an app. The app may be downloaded from the Internet to be stored on the storage unit of the board controller 112.
The processing unit of the board controller 112 executing the app may randomly generate the at least one event for each of the plurality of spaces 111 in response to at least one of the plurality of spaces 111 detecting the at least one player has landed thereon. For example, the processing unit of the board controller 112 may generate the at least one event based on a number of moves the at least one player has made upon reaching and/or stopping on at least one of the plurality of spaces 111. In other words, the plurality of spaces 111 may have a hidden and/or a mystery event that is unknown (i.e., not displayed) prior to landing thereon.
Thereafter, the at least one of the plurality of spaces 111 landed upon may display the at least one event and/or scenario for which the at least one player must perform and/or follow during play of the game.
The board power source 113 may include a power inlet, a battery, and a solar cell, but is not limited thereto.
The board power source 113 may be disposed within at least a portion of the game board 110. The board power source 113 may provide power to the plurality of spaces 111 and/or the board controller 113.
FIG. 2 illustrates a zoomed in view of a fortune teller 120, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.
The fortune teller 120 may include a body 121, a plurality of display units 122, a control unit 123, and a power source 124, but is not limited thereto.
The body 121 may be movable in response to an application of force (e.g., pushing, pulling) by a user.
Each of the plurality of display units 122 may include a plasma screen, an LCD screen, a light emitting diode (LED) screen, an organic LED (OLED) screen, a computer monitor, a hologram output unit, a sound outputting unit, or any other type of device that visually or aurally displays data. Also, each of the plurality of display units 121 may include a touch sensor.
The plurality of display units 122 may be disposed on at least a portion of the body 121. Each of the plurality of display units 122 may display at least one shape thereon. Moreover, the plurality of display units 122 may have similar and/or different shapes with respect to each other. Also, the plurality of display units 122 may illuminate the shape.
The control unit 123 may include a processing unit, a communication unit, and a storage unit, but is not limited thereto.
The processing unit of the control unit 123 (or central processing unit, CPU) may include electronic circuitry to carry out instructions of a computer program by performing basic arithmetic, logical, control and input/output (I/O) operations specified by the instructions. The processing unit of the control unit 123 may include an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) that performs arithmetic and logic operations, processor registers that supply operands to the ALU and store the results of ALU operations, and a control unit that fetches instructions from memory and “executes” them by directing the coordinated operations of the ALU, registers and other components. The processing unit of the control unit 123 may also include a microprocessor and a microcontroller.
The communication unit of the control unit 123 may include a device capable of wireless or wired communication between other wireless or wired devices via at least one of Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, infrared (IR) wireless communication, satellite communication, broadcast radio communication, Microwave radio communication, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Zigbee, near field communication (NFC), and radio frequency (RF) communication, USB, Firewire, and Ethernet.
The storage unit of the control unit 123 may include a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a hard disk, a flash drive, a database connected to the Internet, cloud-based storage, Internet-based storage, or any other type of storage unit.
The processing unit of the control unit 123 may access the Internet via the communication unit of the control unit 123 to access a website, and/or may allow a mobile application and/or a software application to be executed using the processing unit of the control unit 123. For ease of description, the mobile application and/or the software application will be hereinafter referred to as an app. The app may be downloaded from the Internet to be stored on the storage unit of the control unit 123.
The processing unit of the control unit 123 may randomly determine the at least one shape to be displayed on each of the plurality of display units 122. Additionally, the processing unit of the control unit 123 may command each of the plurality of display units 122 to change the at least one shape each time the body 121 is moved. After the body 121 is no longer moved, at least one of the plurality of display units 122 may be touched by the at least one player to reveal a message. As such, the processing unit of the control unit 123 may update a display on the at least one of the plurality of display units 122 to show the message that identifies how many of the plurality of spaces 111 the at least one player must move, which may be forward and/or backward on the game board 110.
Alternatively, the plurality of display units 122 may display the at least one shape that are at fixed locations. In other words, each of the plurality of display units 122 may keep the at least one shape at all times for each game played.
The power source 124 may include a battery and a solar cell, but is not limited thereto.
The power source 124 may be disposed within at least a portion of the body 121. The power source 124 may provide power to the plurality of display units 122 and/or the control unit 123.
The plurality of figurines 130 may include playing pieces, but is not limited thereto.
The plurality of figurines 130 may have any shape and/or design. For example, each of the plurality of figurines 130 may be a stethoscope, a passport, a trophy, a laptop computer, a cell phone, a coin, a hashtag and/or any other object. Also, each of the plurality of figurines 130 may identify a position of the at least one player on the game board 110. The plurality of spaces 111 may reveal the at least one event in response to receiving at least one of the plurality of figurines 130 thereon.
The plurality of currency 140 may include bills, coins, and/or tokens, but is not limited thereto.
The plurality of currency 140 may be used during play to purchase at least one of the plurality of spaces 111 and/or real estate based on the at least one event.
Each of the plurality of cards 150 may include a shape and/or a number disposed thereon. The number on each of the plurality of cards 150 may identify a number of times the at least one player must use the fortune teller 120. Moreover, the shape on each of the plurality of cards 150 may identify the shape the at least one player must touch on the fortune teller 120.
In order to play, the at least one player pulls at least one of the plurality of cards 150 out of a deck that contains a number (e.g., one through eight) and/or a shape (e.g., heart, cross, triangle, diamond, etc.). The number determines the number of times the at least one player works with the fortune teller 120 before stopping. As the at least one player is working with the fortune teller 120, a shape appears on each of four corners and shapes change each time the at least one player engages the fortune teller 120. After the player stops, the shapes will remain stationary to permit the at least one player to select the shape by touching it on the fortune teller 120, in order for a message to appear communicating how many of the plurality of spaces 111 to move forward and/or backward on the game board 110. The at least one player must be careful not to land on a space that causes death. Whichever player wins a lottery or invents a light bulb wins. If no player gets to that point, then the last surviving player wins.
Therefore, the life-based board game 100 may improve a board game experience by offering randomized events that change during play. Also, the life-based board game 100 prevents familiarity by altering the experience even during a current game.
The present general inventive concept may include a life-based board game 100, including a game board 110, including a plurality of spaces 111, each of the plurality of spaces 111 comprising a space display unit to display at least one event based on a game objective thereon, and a board controller 112 disposed within at least a portion of the game board 110 to randomly generate the at least one event for at least one of the plurality of spaces 111 in response to at least one of the plurality of spaces 111 detecting at least one player has landed thereon, a fortune teller 120 connected to the game board 110 to display at least one shape thereon and reveal a message in response to the at least one shape being touched, and a plurality of figurines 130 to identify a position of the at least one player on at least one of the plurality of spaces 111.
The board controller 112 may generate the at least one event based on a number of moves at least one of the plurality of figurines 130 has made upon reaching at least one of the plurality of spaces 111.
The fortune teller 120 may include a body 121, a plurality of display units 122 disposed on at least a portion of the body 121 to display at least one shape thereon, and a control unit 123 disposed within at least a portion of the body 121.
The control unit 123 may randomly generate the at least one shape displayed on each of the plurality of display units 122.
The control unit 123 may command each of the plurality of display units 122 to change the at least one shape each time the body 121 is moved.
The control unit 123 may update at least one of the plurality of display units 122 to display a message in response to the at least one of the plurality of display units 122 with the at least one shape being touched.
Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A life-based board game, comprising:

a game board, comprising:

a plurality of spaces, each of the plurality of spaces comprising a space display unit to display at least one event based on a game objective thereon, and

a board controller disposed within at least a portion of the game board to randomly generate the at least one event for at least one of the plurality of spaces in response to at least one of the plurality of spaces detecting at least one player has landed thereon;

a fortune teller connected to the game board to display at least one shape thereon and reveal a message in response to the at least one shape being touched; and

a plurality of figurines to identify a position of the at least one player on at least one of the plurality of spaces.

2. The life-based board game of claim 1, wherein the board controller generates the at least one event based on a number of moves at least one of the plurality of figurines has made upon reaching at least one of the plurality of spaces.

3. The life-based board game of claim 1, wherein the fortune teller comprises:

a body;

a plurality of display units disposed on at least a portion of the body to display at least one shape thereon; and

a control unit disposed within at least a portion of the body.

4. The life-based board game of claim 3, wherein the control unit randomly generates the at least one shape displayed on each of the plurality of display units.

5. The life-based board game of claim 3, wherein the control unit commands each of the plurality of display units to change the at least one shape each time the body is moved.

6. The life-based board game of claim 3, wherein the control unit updates at least one of the plurality of display units to display a message in response to the at least one of the plurality of display units with the at least one shape being touched.