With Functional Back Indicia Patents (Class 273/296)
  • Patent number: 11812180
    Abstract: Disclosed are an image processing method and apparatus, an electronic device, and a computer readable storage medium. The method comprises: obtaining a video acquired by a photographing element; superimposing a special-effects animation on the video for display, wherein in the special-effects animation, a first special-effects material is generated at a first position in the video and starts to move from the first position, and when a second position to which the first special-effects material moves in the video is located at a feature point obtained by image edge detection in the video, the first special-effects material stays at the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: BEIJING BYTEDANCE NETWORK TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Xiaoqi Li
  • Patent number: 10449460
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides embodiments of a virtual draft framework that can be used to provide a controlled randomized virtual draft process by using virtual profile groups to selectively control the amount of randomness during the virtual draft process. The virtual draft can include of a predetermined number of rounds. In each round one or more virtual players can be drafted to a virtual team. Each draft round can provide a player with the opportunity to select a virtual characters that will be used within the game application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: ELECTRONIC ARTS INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Edward Frank, Thomas Adam Parry, Jeffry Steven Younger
  • Patent number: 9878231
    Abstract: A deck of cards includes eighty four playing cards. Each playing card has a front surface and a back surface. The front surface of all of the playing cards has the same design. The eighty four playing cards include four sets of twenty one playing cards. Each of the four sets corresponds to a branch of military service and each playing card within each of the four sets of twenty one playing cards corresponding to a rank within a respective branch of the military service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Inventor: Harold L. Lunt
  • Patent number: 9666096
    Abstract: A spelling totem includes a generally rectangular box-shaped member having a plurality of side surfaces. Each of the side surfaces are directed towards a different letter of the alphabet and further include various implementations of the letter. The implementations can include any combination of an upper case letter, a lower case letter, a word that begins with the letter, an image of the word, the braille representation of the letter, the sign language representation of the letter, and a number showing where the particular letter falls in the alphabet. A set of individual spelling totems includes each letter of the alphabet, and each totem is designed to be aligned so as to spell various words.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Inventor: Laresa Tapia
  • Patent number: 9016691
    Abstract: One embodiment of a liquid splat game kit includes a plurality of squirt bottles for storing water, a plurality of water coloring tablets for transitioning the water into a colored liquid, a plurality of playing cards, and a game-play manual.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Inventor: Charles Donaldson
  • Publication number: 20150097337
    Abstract: One embodiment of a liquid splat game kit includes a plurality of squirt bottles for storing water, a plurality of water coloring tablets for transitioning the water into a colored liquid, a plurality of playing cards, and a game-play manual.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventor: CHARLES DONALDSON
  • Patent number: 8702102
    Abstract: Presented is a method for playing a social card game with a plurality of players and a dealer. The method includes providing at least two decks that each contain a plurality of social game playing cards that have indicia on a front surface of the card and on a back surface of the card. Each deck of playing cards is assigned a monetary value. The method also includes providing a playing surface having indicia indicating where players are to be positioned and markings including at least three frames indicating where playing cards are to be placed during play. The dealer sells at least one playing card to each of the players and then signals the start of a hand. The dealer selects a first player to begin and that player, in a non-verbal manner, offers at least one playing card to a second player who selects one of the at least three frames to place the offered playing card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Inventor: Thomas Christian Rohrmeister
  • Publication number: 20140008869
    Abstract: An educational card game comprises a set of cards and rules for playing card games using them to facilitate Game Based Teaching and Learning is presented. Each card represents a respective one of the chemical elements listed in the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements. The rules prescribe for cards to be distributed to the players who, in their turns in a particular round of the game, attempt to use the cards to win the round by creating meaningful patterns using the played card or by playing the highest value card in that round, or to spoil the round or to save a round from being spoiled by an opponent and optionally using the earned card to form chemical compounds or to form ironing equations, points being scored according the nature of the cards used or the nature of the compound formed, or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Ravindran Pulyassary, Ajitha T. Marath
  • Publication number: 20130234390
    Abstract: A game set and method for playing a strategy game on a playing surface by one or more persons including a plurality of playing pieces, each playing piece having a predetermined number of edges, wherein each edge is at least one of an exterior edge and a connecting edge; a plurality of playing cards, each playing card containing an indicia corresponding to the shape of one of the plurality of playing pieces; and a playing surface. Each player randomly selects a plurality of playing cards; exchanges each of the playing cards for a corresponding one of a plurality of playing pieces, and places each playing piece obtained by the exchange on a playing surface by (i) orienting an exterior edge according to a perimeter of the playing surface and (ii) orienting a connecting edge according to a corresponding connecting edge of an adjacent playing piece. The strategy game may be played in various configurations, including without playing cards, without playing pieces, without a game board, or with a timer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: Tructo LLC
    Inventor: Javier Pabon
  • Patent number: 8454021
    Abstract: A strategy game is disclosed herein. The game comprises a plurality of playing pieces, a plurality of stopper tiles, and a rule set. The rule set includes a plurality of rules, where a first rule provides that a stopper tile is an edge of a game playing area when placed on a playing pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian M. Yu
  • Publication number: 20120280451
    Abstract: A method of educating includes providing a collectible trading card game with a plurality of trading cards. Each card may contain educational information including a consonant, vowel, number or mathematical operator and the cards are used to form a properly spelled word or to form a mathematically correct equation. In some forms, the method includes providing a game with a playing field and a set of game components with game component types having a predetermined power for affecting play of the game by affecting a power, effect, or value of the game component. The level of skill necessary to play the game may be varied by selectively implementing or disregarding the predetermined power of the game components. An educational game includes first and second game components with different expressions, powers, point values, and identifiers for distinguishing game components and facilitating game play.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventors: Todd B. Ferguson, Richard Goodman
  • Publication number: 20120043720
    Abstract: Playing cards of comparison between alcoholic beverages containing information about its features, manufacturing qualities and consumption” are disclosed. Playing cards, boards or plates containing information, quantitative and qualitative features as well as geographic indications of alcoholic beverages generally, and may be divided in groups or sets used as a manner of entertainment or also as a means to diffuse specific information about said alcoholic products, and the conception of each game will be constituted by a set of cards (1), boards or plates, referred to as “decks”. The game will dispute beverages belonging to a same type (beers, wines, whiskeys among other alcoholic beverages) and the number of cards (1) having in each “deck” will vary in function of the quantity of beverages belonging to that type, certain geographic location, or own rules defining the set to the disputed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Inventors: Rodrigo Loeschke Perez ANDREIUK, Guilherme Goncalves Souza CRUZ
  • Publication number: 20110068536
    Abstract: A Blackjack-type card game that permits players to wager that an individual hand or any hand will achieve a hand value of 21 with exactly 5 cards which will be paid either a multiple of the initial wager or a percentage of a progressive jackpot according to whether the 5 cards are of a same color, same suit or a specific suit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Inventor: ADAM S. MALAMUT
  • Patent number: 7845643
    Abstract: Each of fifty-two playing cards has upper and lower portions when the card is in a selected orientation. Each card has a first face side with two numbers visible on its upper portion and the same two numbers visible on its lower portion. The two numbers are vertically oriented with respect to one another, are arranged in an identical order on the card's upper and lower portions, and are right side up on the card's upper portion and upside down on the card's lower portion. Each the two numbers is between 1 and 13, and is red or black.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Cydewl, LLC
    Inventor: Reed K. Gram, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20100301562
    Abstract: The present invention is a card game that utilizes lottery tickets that can be used in a first card game and a second card game in a one day time period for a plurality of participants. The card games includes a standard playing card deck with individual standard playing cards, a playing card shuffling machine, a playing card shoe and a plurality of playing rules for the card games that dictate prizes, profits, winning criteria and winning odds associated with the games that also determine how the playing card deck, the shuffling machine and the lottery tickets are used in the games.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Inventor: Viorel-ioan Nedelcu
  • Publication number: 20100270742
    Abstract: A deck of playing cards comprises a plurality of individual playing cards, each of the individual playing cards having a front side and a back side, the front side having displayed thereon a card identifier for identifying an individual playing card, wherein at least two of the individual playing cards display on the front side a selected text portion, wherein the selected text portion of each of the least two cards comprises a different portion of a selected text taken from a literary work. The literary work may comprise lyrics of a song, and the selected text comprises at least one line from the lyrics of the song.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventor: Joane Andre Sidler
  • Patent number: 7793936
    Abstract: The present invention, referred to as DRAW FOR BATTLE, is a strategic dueling card game, combining an art instructional component as part of interactive card game play. Players must first draw the characters chosen from the PRIMARY DECK during game play before placing them onto the battlefield for combat through assigned numerical STRENGTH levels and SMARTS levels. The game includes a PRIMARY DECK, which itself includes ADD cards, DRAW cards, MORPH cards, and WILD cards, and the THINK DECK, which describes an intellectual way of defeating the brute through various THINK cards, and if it was successful or not. The BATTLE CARD TABLET is a set of preprinted oversized cards, with a grid pattern for guidance during drawing, in tablet form to create battle cards. The MASTER DECK is a series of oversized cards that provide the basic instructions for illustrating the characters and their back-story.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Inventor: Anthony Carmine Caputo
  • Publication number: 20100213673
    Abstract: A uniquely identifiable playing card includes: a flat material having a first surface and a second, opposite, parallel surface; the first surface having a card designator; and the second surface having a deck identifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventor: Frank Coronado Garcia
  • Patent number: 7749066
    Abstract: Novel enhanced gaming systems employ unique, specialized, for example, FIRESTAR ™ type of indicia disposed upon at least one location of a plurality of pre-mapped locations housed on, for example, a multiplicity of bingo-type of cards. Percentages of indicia arrayed on, for example, card sets are controlled by a gaming proprietor's or operator's configuration settings as are the respective locations of the subject indicia, for example, by using a random number generator to induce players to participate in multiple opportunities to garner prizes, for example, for achieving a bingo-type of victory concomittant with pre-established winning requirements and a pre-selected occurrence of a unique specialized indicum. Progressive reports serve to keep players, proprietors/operators and gaming authorities apprised of earnings both in terms of amounts, odds and related data on occurrence of the same indicia in real time providing unique inducement and tracking value in both hard copy and electronic form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Gametech International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Hartman, Calvin Nicholson, Joseph Kisenwether
  • Patent number: 7717785
    Abstract: A Bingo game and method are set forth wherein a player inputs a wager and at least one Bingo card is generated. A first outcome set is selected and compared to the indicia on the Bingo card. If a predetermined winning pattern(s) is obtained, the player receives a first reward. A second outcome set is selected. If the player obtains a predetermined winning pattern(s) on the Bingo card from the combination of the first and second outcome sets, the player receives a second award. Optionally, the player may select the numbers for his Bingo card or may regenerate his Bingo card at the beginning of a game. In an optional embodiment, the player may place a second wager prior to selection of the second outcome set. In an optional Class II version of the game, the player competes with a plurality of live player or virtual Bingo cards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Karaway Gaming, Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne Odom
  • Publication number: 20100109247
    Abstract: A game set that includes a plurality of tiles. Each tile has at least one indicia and at least one attachment feature that allows the tiles to be attached to each other in a three-dimensional manner. The tiles can be attached to create at least one visual image. For example, the indicia may be letters and the tiles can be attached in either horizontal or vertical directions to create words. A player may be provided a score that corresponds to the number of tiles attached by that player. The attachment of tiles allows the three-dimensional game to be played without a game board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Joseph Cernansky, Ian Osborne, Elliot Rudell, Julio Sandoval, George Foster
  • Publication number: 20090295092
    Abstract: The game is a trading card game involving 2D attack graphic arts displayed in one or a plurality of cards which incorporate with a particular illustrated character. Attack graphic arts can be selected by the player, and used to “attack” the other player's character.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventor: Michel Mblong Kuneman
  • Patent number: 7604236
    Abstract: An educational board game that may be played in several ways by either a single player or two or more players in competition with each other is disclosed. Each player plays the game with a game board in conjunction with one or more sets of game cards. The game boards have on one or both surfaces vocabulary elements that may be one or more words or phrases in a first language or that may be an image representing one or more words or phrases. The game boards also may have on one of its surfaces a reference number. A set of game cards may be one-sided, in which case each card may have on a surface one or more words or phrases in a first language. A set of game cards also may be double-sided, in which case the cards may have on a first surface one or more words or phrases in a first language and on a second surface a translation of the words or phrases on the first surface. The double-sided game card also may have on a surface a pronunciation key, a reference number, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Inventor: Sholeen Lou-Hsiao
  • Publication number: 20090108529
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for vertically playing a matching figures game comprising a carrying box and cards having a front side and a back side, wherein the matching figures are displayed at the front side and the back side of the card may be used to display advertising matter. The carrying box (2) is used as a playing field and has a rectangular shape dimensions big enough to fit at least two parallel groups of cards and all the cards stacked-up.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventor: Luis Santini
  • Publication number: 20090093324
    Abstract: A croquet modifying game includes at least one indicator such as a playing card. The playing card includes player instructions, wherein the player instructions modify standard play of a game of croquet. A corresponding method of playing croquet is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventor: Christopher M. Payer
  • Publication number: 20090066026
    Abstract: A card game is provided with play cards containing indicia symbolic of nine different known human sexual orientations. A preferred embodiment includes a plurality of change cards to be applied in conjunction with the play cards. An ideal card set includes a total of 67 cards that includes 61 play cards and 6 chance cards. The game is played by drawing from the deck or by picking from another players' play cards with the aim of acquiring winning points by pairing compatible play card. A primary goal of the game is to find a soul mate match. A secondary goal is to collect the most play cards. The card set of the invention lends itself to the playing also traditional card games.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventor: Lionel Pasicaran Castro
  • Publication number: 20090061397
    Abstract: A method for playing a game, involving the steps of determining a combination number; dealing to at least one player at least three cards from a deck to make a hand, the deck having at least one group of cards sequentially numbered from one to thirteen; and providing a reward to the player for each combination the player makes of the cards equaling the combination number. A typical combination number is 10, or multiples of 10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventor: Blanche Treloar
  • Publication number: 20090058006
    Abstract: This invention relates to a predetermined bonus feature for use in conjunction with a designated underlying game of chance, wherein the individual game card and master game card or master bonus game card include symbols that predetermine and identify which player(s) is eligible to win the bonus prize upon the occurrence of another event. A predetermined winning bonus symbol on a master game card or master bonus game card made known prior to or after conclusion of play of the designated underlying game. Players who have a symbol on their individual game card that matches the predetermined winning bonus symbol know, in advance, that they are eligible to participate to win the bonus prize. The winner(s) of the designated underlying game will win the bonus prize if s/he is able to match a symbol on the individual game card with the winning bonus symbol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventor: Larry S. Segebarth
  • Publication number: 20090014959
    Abstract: A deck of playing cards having front sides with face depiction spots arranged on two halves. The appearance of the rear sides of the cards is preferably coordinated with the face depiction spots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventor: Valentin Gracia
  • Publication number: 20080277873
    Abstract: A system and method to enhance an intimate relationship over a period of time. The system may include communication elements and associated physical elements. A communication element may suggest an activity for participation by intimate relationship partners. The communication element may be delivered by the first partner to the second partner, and may be associated with a physical element to be used in conjunction with the activity. Another communication element and associated physical element may be presented to the second partner following the activity, such that a second activity may follow the first activity. In this manner, the present invention facilitates fun and romantic encounters over a period of time to cultivate strong, committed relationships.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: April Sorbonne, Julie Orr
  • Publication number: 20080265509
    Abstract: A game system is presented. The system includes a plurality of cards, each card being associated a game feature, and a scanner configured to scan information from the cards. The processor is operable to associate a first card with a first player upon the first player causing the first card to be scanned, associate the first card with a first game feature, display a representation of the first game feature on a first display area associated with the first player, enable the first player to access the first game feature, reassociate the first card with a second player upon the second player causing the first card to be scanned, display the representation of the first game feature on a second display area associated with the second player and enable the second player to access the first game feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: Spin Master Ltd.
    Inventor: Peter Gatzios
  • Publication number: 20080203668
    Abstract: A trivia game has cards upon which are imprinted: A) the standard designation indicia of standard playing cards; and, B) trivia questions and answers. Players compete to achieve the best Poker hands. During a player's turn a card's question is read to the player. If the player correctly answers the question he/she: A) may discard the card or keep the card and discard any other single card in his/her hand; or, B) may keep the card without discarding any card; and, D) is awarded another consecutive turn, unless the kept card is the player's fifth card. If the player fails to correctly answer the question he/she must add the card to his/her hand and his/her turn is over. When a player has five cards he/she has no further turns in the round. The first player to win a certain number of rounds wins the game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventor: Andre Philippe Laisney
  • Publication number: 20080176617
    Abstract: Variations of a playing card wagering game are provided in which the outcome of the game and/or the payoff scale for the game are determined based on the front sides of the playing cards and at least one distinguishable card back design. The game deck may comprise one or more standard or modified standard 52-card decks of playing cards with multiple different designs, for example, different colors, on the backs of the different cards. The wagering game may comprise, for example, a standard casino game with a tiebreaker that depends on the backs of the cards in the players' and dealer's hands, or a side bet or payoff multiplier based on the card backs in the players' hands. Multiple different card back designs and configurations are provided, along with multiple different techniques for incorporating card back determinations into the outcome and payoff scale of the wagering card game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Inventors: Larry Emmanuel Kekempanos, James Thomas Kenny
  • Patent number: 7354043
    Abstract: A new gaming tool and method of game play including an unconventional deck of playing-cards not employing symbolic relations, but rather employing actual relations between rectilinear geometric regions. The playing-cards preferably employ geometric interactions of reflection, complementarity, contrariety, and identity. Geometric card properties that further enhance game play include figure-ground reversibility, handedness, rotational transformation, and perpendicular association. Indexing indicia are optionally provided so that the user can easily visualize the rectilinear geometric regions on a playing card by looking at only the corner of the card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Inventor: Peter J. McGinniss
  • Patent number: 7341254
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to play poker or blackjack games that include novel playing cards that do not have non-descriptive backs and novel card arrangements with multiple hands sharing a common card. When the novel cards are initially dealt, either the suit or rank of the cards, but not both, is displayed. If the player selects the card, both the suit and rank are displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Inventors: David Loewenstein, Martin Joel Wolff
  • Publication number: 20080054566
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a game for stimulating imagination and creativity in a plurality of players by story telling. The game involves each player which can be an individual or team of players selecting a given number of photo cards depicting a discrete scene place or object and using one or more of the selected cards to tell a story. A score is developed based on pre-determined characteristics including composition of the story; having a beginning, middle and end; as well as time to tell the story. The winner of the game is determined by the player with the highest score.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventor: Brenda Marik Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20080054569
    Abstract: A novel method of game play and circular game components that in one embodiment are in the form of trading poker-style game chips. Wherein some of the game chips utilize both circular sides with different non-matching game effecting indicia allowing for two-sides of play, and combined with the associated rules of play being determinative of how the two-sided game chips attack, defend, are flipped, linked, moved, placed, stacked, and stunned, on a playing surface designed for the game. In one form, the circular game components comprise of life, enhancement, action, and super chips, with each player utilizing the variety of chips to build playing stacks, which involves purchase, trading, collecting and careful examination of the chips to create winning strategy combinations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventor: Rick C. Medina
  • Publication number: 20080012230
    Abstract: Students are rewarded on a regular basis with collectible cards or other collectible items for satisfactory school attendance. In addition to the characteristics that make the items collectible, they can bear additional information for entertaining and educating students, such as motivational messages and puzzle clues.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Inventors: William Richard SMITH, Michael David Dobra
  • Patent number: 7273213
    Abstract: A customer information card game is disclosed. A set of game cards is provided, each game card having a face and a reverse side, each game card having printed thereon a plurality of types of customer information indicators and a customer loyalty indicator. Methods are provided for playing a game using the game cards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Walker Information, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick J. Gibbons, Marc J. Drizin, Elizabeth Kyzr-Sheeley, Bradley D. Linville, Sonya McAllister
  • Patent number: 7219896
    Abstract: Games for at least one player may include at least one game card, each game card including a plurality of letter indicators each indicating a letter and arranged to spell a word, a plurality of letter tokens, each letter token including a letter indicator, a selection device operable to randomly indicate one of a plurality of groups of two or more letter indicators, and a set of rules to play the game. Methods of playing the game may include spelling a word on a selected game card by matching letter tokens to the letter indicators on the game card. Each game card may include a first side and a second side, each side including a word, such that the word on the first side is more difficult to spell than the word on the second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter MacIver, Arron Mack
  • Patent number: 6971649
    Abstract: A zero-sum tiling game. A plurality of “domino-like” game pieces include indicia viewable on the top surfaces of the game pieces that correspond to one, or the other, or both of two halves of the game pieces. The indicia forms a binary set. The indicia associated with one half of the game piece may be summed to indicate the value for that type of indicia for that one half of the game piece, while the indicia may more generally be “added” or “summed” overall to obtain an overall value for any desired number of halves. Particularly, it is an object of the game to lay down game pieces in such a way that each piece that is laid down completes a square that consists of four halves, wherein the sum of the indicia for the four halves is zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Inventors: Jeff Richardson, Jon A. Petty, E. Tal Ehlers
  • Publication number: 20040232613
    Abstract: Disclosed is a game for teaching dating skills that includes a first deck containing a plurality of cards, the cards in the first deck having a face containing information representing a character trait which may be valuable when dating, and a second deck containing a plurality of card, the cards in the second deck having a face containing information representing a dating challenge and information representing at least one resolution to the dating challenge. The decks of cards are used in combination with a playing surface displaying at least one track, containing spaces corresponding to both decks of cards.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventor: Michael Matthews
  • Publication number: 20040188937
    Abstract: Herein is disclosed an originally designed card game in which letters in combination with negative and positive numbers create variables which allows a player to create games from edge linking puzzles, to board play games to creating games in similarity to the standard American 52 card poker deck. Other-play enhancing features such as deck series shaded box identification and custom design features allows expanded and universal recognition and understanding of the game by players and onlookers from any nationality or language comprehension capacity. This card game invention is able to exist in a physical hand played medium and in a digital video game played medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: Corbin Leroy Young
    Inventor: Corbin Leroy Young
  • Patent number: 6702291
    Abstract: A stacking block game kit includes a set of game cards, a number of stackable game pieces, and a set of rules for discarding the game cards and for manipulating the game pieces. Each game card has a card point value and depicts a card indicia thereon. The game pieces are stackable in layers having a fixed maximum number of the game pieces. Game piece indicia are applied to the game pieces, with a portion of the game piece indicia being associated with the card indicia. The method of playing the stacking block game involves distributing game cards from the stacking block game kit into card hands amongst players of the game, and constructing a structure from the stackable game pieces. Game cards are then discarded from the card hands in accordance with the set of rules and an associated one of the game pieces, with the discarding step being repeated amongst the players until a predetermined terminating step is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Pokonobe Associates
    Inventors: Robert Grebler, Paul Eveloff
  • Patent number: 6702581
    Abstract: A vocabulary teaching system for helping a student to learn vocabulary words. The vocabulary teaching system includes a plurality of subsets each being designed for being used to help teach successive levels of vocabulary to the student. Each of the subsets comprises a plurality of vocabulary sheets and a plurality of worksheets. Each of the vocabulary sheets comprises a plurality of vocabulary indicia. Each of the vocabulary indicia of each of the vocabulary sheets is designed for representing a unique vocabulary word. Each of the worksheets comprises a plurality of sentence indicia. Each of the sentence indicia is designed for representing a sentence with one of the vocabulary indicia from one of the vocabulary sheets missing from the sentence whereby the associated one of the vocabulary indicia is related to one of the sentence indicia to facilitate teaching the usage of the associated one of the vocabulary indicia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Inventor: Winona P. Walker
  • Publication number: 20040017042
    Abstract: Apparatus and system for playing the childs game ANIMOES™, wherein after an initial drawing procedure to determine the first-player position, a matching-play procedure commences by the players in turn, to if possible matchingly arrange their tile/card-pieces in variously abutted relationship relative to a previously emplaced pictographic animal-caricature of tile/card-piece exhibiting a like symbol; -thus, the first player to expend their alloted tile/card-pieces wins the desired position of “Spinmaster”. The Spinmaster is thereby freed to merely activate a random-selection spinner-device (whereupon is exhibited each of the preferred eight animal-caricatures), to see by chance which one of the other player's aminal-pictographs is selected, that player being required to emulate the sound or action known to characterize that of the particular selected animal, -making for amusing interaction of the players.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Inventor: Ondre L. Piernas
  • Publication number: 20030234493
    Abstract: A playing card that is suitable for use in a deck of playing cards to teach young children (i.e., ages 3 to 6 years) an alphabet or other basic skill has a playing face and a rear face where (a) the playing face bears an (1) indicia, (2) a first smaller version of the same indicia in the upper left hand corner, and (3) a second smaller version of the same indicia in the upper right hand corner, and where all versions of the indicia on the playing face are in an upright position and the upper left and upper right hand corners of the playing face are at the top of the playing card; and (b) the rear face bears a design that indicates the top of the playing card. Preferably, the playing face is devoid of any other graphics other than the indicia. A deck comprises one or more sets of the forgoing playing card can be used to play concentration, rummy, war, old maid, go fish, and many other card games.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Inventor: Shlomo Ruvane Frieman
  • Patent number: 6659869
    Abstract: A card vending machine for vending a card, responsive to the taste of a user, such as a playing card, a karuta or a tarot card employed for a game synthesizes an image (300) obtained by photographing an object (particularly the user) and an image (100a to 100d) such as a mark of a playing card or a numeral and vends the same as a card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Make Software Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihiro Akamatsu
  • Patent number: 6659863
    Abstract: The method of the present invention is directed to a poker card game, preferably a video card game such as played on a computer screen or in a video poker machine such as found at a casino, wherein on a single wager the poker player plays a face down hand, called a card back hand, and a face up poker hand. The card back hand, played either prior to or after playing the face up hand, is a random dealt hand and, if winning criteria are met, establishes a payout greater than the normal payout on preselected winning face up poker hands. This increases the potential payout on a given poker wager, while using a standard poker deal and playing method for the face up poker hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Card Back Gaming Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Eugene Ashley, Kristine Marie Ashley
  • Publication number: 20030160389
    Abstract: This patent relates to novel playing cards and games that can be played with those cards. The novel cards have the suit on one side and the card's value on the other. Thus, when they are dealt, the player will know the suit of some or all cards in his hand, but will not know the value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Inventor: David Allen Loewenstein