Patents by Inventor Mark Christopher Zatopek

Mark Christopher Zatopek has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6659464
    Abstract: A GridBloc strategy game. The present invention employs a runner and a blocker within any number of various GridBloc boards. The runner is operable to move throughout the GridBloc board, and the blocker who tries to oppose the movement of the runner throughout the GridBloc board. The GridBloc structure is a three dimensional 3D volume in various embodiments of the invention. The GridBloc game is operable to be performed in the volumetric portion of the GridBloc structure. If desired, the GridBloc game is performed along the surfaces of a 3D GridBloc structure. The runners and blockers have various traits in some embodiments, including special traits that allow them to perform actions beyond a basic functionality of a runner and a blocker. The special traits are used to perform running and blocking operations a fixed number of times during the course of a game, or indefinitely throughout the game in various embodiments of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Team Smartypants!, Inc.
    Inventors: Mario M. Champion, Mark Christopher Zatopek
  • Publication number: 20030193142
    Abstract: Provided is a game with moveable play space that allows a player to modify the play space. Spaces within the play space may be wildcard spaces that initiate modification. Game play space modifications include manipulations such as column shuffling, rotating, and flip-flopping. The selection of which portion of the game play space to modify may be made by the players of the game, by the space on which a game piece resides, or by the particular type of game piece that is moved or used. In some embodiments, different types of players govern modification to the game play space. In volumetric games, certain volumetric portions are exchanged with one another during the modification. Modification of the game play space is performed along various surfaces within the volumetric game play space, or within certain individual game sub-volumes that together integrate to form the entire volumetric game play space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Applicant: Team Smartypants!, Inc.
    Inventors: Mario M. Champion, Mark Christopher Zatopek, Frank Matthew Champion
  • Patent number: 6578848
    Abstract: A game with moveable play space. The invention allows any user playing the game to modify the play space at any number of given times and in response to any number of different conditions. Certain spaces (tiles or blocks) within the play space are wildcard spaces that independently initiates modification of the game play space. Any game play space can benefit from the invention, including conventional game boards including chess and checker boards. The modifications of the game play space include any number of manipulations including column shuffling, rotating, flip-flopping, and other types of manipulation. The selection of which portion of the game play space is made by the players of the game. If desired, the selection of which portion of the game play space is governed by the space on which a game piece resides, or the particular type of game piece that is being moved or used in that game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Team Smartypants!, Inc.
    Inventors: Mario M. Champion, Mark Christopher Zatopek, Frank Matthew Champion