Promotional Card Deck

Abstract

In one embodiment, a playing card deck includes a package constructed to resemble a book, and a plurality of playing cards retained by the package, each having a surface depicting first information related to second information in the book the package resembles.

Description

This is a continuation in part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/532,353, filed on 15 Sep. 2006 which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Playing cards have been in existence for some time and are generally sized to fit in a hand. A set of cards is usually referred to as a deck. Playing cards are used in magic tricks and are generally used to play games. Playing cards may be used to play, for example, Baccarat, Blackjack, Cribbage, Pinochle, Poker, Rummy, etc. It would be advantageous to provide a deck of cards that in addition to providing a gaming function also promotes or advertises products and services.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, a playing card deck includes a package constructed to resemble a book, and a plurality of playing cards retained by the package, each having a surface depicting first information related to second information in the book the package resembles.

The package may also include a front surface constructed to resemble a front cover of the book, a first side constructed to resemble a fore edge of the book, a top side constructed to resemble a top edge of the book, a bottom side constructed to resemble a tail edge of the book, a back surface constructed to resemble a back cover of the book, and a second side constructed to resemble a spine of the book.

The book may include one or more of a catalogue, encyclopedia, handbook, or other publication.

The first information depicted on the surface may include images of products described in the book.

The first information depicted on the surface may include images of pages of the book.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and other features of the present invention are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment including a portion of a deck of playing cards according to the disclosed embodiments;

FIGS. 2-9 show embodiments with suit indicators indicating an entity to be promoted and rankings indicating objects associated with the entity.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment where each card has a face with a ranking indicator, a suit indicator, and a representation of a product;

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment where the enterprise may be a provider of process measuring and controlling equipment;

FIG. 12 shows a portion of a card deck where the back of each card may include promotional indicia for a particular product line of the enterprise;

FIG. 13 shows an embodiment where the suits each designate an enterprise product line;

FIG. 14 shows an embodiment where the cards within each suit have representations of products and services within a designated product line;

FIG. 15 shows a single card embodiment;

FIGS. 16A through 16D shows exemplary embodiments where the a card package may be constructed to look like published material; and

FIG. 17 shows another exemplary card deck.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment including a portion of an exemplary deck of playing cards 100. Although the presently disclosed embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that they may be embodied in many alternate forms. It should also be understood that In addition, any suitable size, shape or type of elements or materials could be used.

It is a feature of the disclosed embodiments to provide a set or deck of playing cards that provide users with a game to play as well as providing an advertising, marketing, or promotional device.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the deck 100 may include, for example, a number of playing cards 110, 115. Each card 110, 115 may generally have a rectangular shape. Each card may also have a suit indicator 120 and a ranking 125. In this embodiment, the suit indicator may be any common marking for a group of cards and the ranking may be any hierarchical indication. Some embodiments may include more than one ranking indicator, for example, a numerical ranking indicator and a non-numerical ranking indicator. The non-numeric ranking indicator may be a symbol. As another example, a typical playing card ranking such as 2-10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace, along with a ranking specific to a suit indicator may be included on each card. As a more specific example, cards having a mountain as the suit indicator might display photographs of different mountains in order of their height with the lowest mountain displayed on the card showing a 2, each subsequently higher mountain displayed on cards showing 3-10, Jack, Queen, and King, respectively, with the highest mountain displayed on the card showing the Ace.

Individual cards or the deck of cards may be embodied in an electronic form, for example, in a video game. Other embodiments may include electronic wagering or gaming devices, such as or similar to video poker or video blackjack games. Electronic gaming devices are generally controlled by a computing device such as a microprocessor that may include a random number generator. The random number generator may be used to generate suit indicators and rankings within a set of suits indicators and rankings specific to one or more decks of cards. A user interface provides a visual and audio presentation to a player and receives input from the player related to playing the game. The computing device generates cards and computes outcomes based on the game being played, the cards, and player input.

Individual cards or the deck of cards may also be embodied in a tangible form and may be constructed of cardboard, linen, paper, plastic, or any other suitable material. The cards may each typically measure approximately 2½ inches in width by 3½ inches in height. Each card may typically range in thickness from 0.001 to 0.02 inches, but may have any thickness.

In this embodiment the suit indicators may be indicative of an entity to be promoted and the rankings may indicate objects within each entity. For example, the suit indicators may be indicative of a group to be promoted by distributing or displaying the cards and the rankings may indicate individuals or individual entities within each group. An entity may include an organization, group, enterprise, event, or any suitable grouping. An entity may also include an artistic, dramatic, literary, or musical work, for example, a work of art, a film, a show, a published work, etc. An object may include an individual, a unit, or a sub-entity associated with the entity.

FIG. 2 shows an example where, in a deck of cards 200, the entities shown by the suit indicators 210 may indicate sports, for example, football, baseball, basketball, soccer, etc. and the rankings 220 within each suit may show athletes that play that sport.

In FIG. 3, an exemplary card deck 300 where the suit indicators 310 may indicate an entertainment field, for example, movies, television, music, theater, etc. is depicted. The ranking indicators 315 may display celebrities within each of the fields of entertainment.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a portion of a card deck 400 where the suit indicators 410 may indicate a field of activity or employment, for example, science, medicine, law, business, etc. In this embodiment, the ranking indicators 415 may indicate various positions within each profession. For example, the ranking indicators in the law profession may range from a clerk position to a seat on the Supreme Court.

FIG. 5 illustrates a card deck example 500 where the suit indicators 510 may indicate political parties such as Democratic, Republican, Independent, Libertarian, and the ranking indicators 515 may display candidates for office within each particular party.

An exemplary embodiment 600 is represented in FIG. 6 where the suit 610 indicators may indicate different categories of tools such as power tools, hand tools, landscaping tools, automotive tools, etc. In this embodiment, the ranking indicators 615 may indicate various types of tools within each category, such as types of saws, shovels, wrenches, etc.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 7 depicts a card deck 700 with suit indicators 710 that may include indications of branches of military service, i.e. Army, Navy, Marines, Air force, Coast Guard, etc. The ranking indicators 715 may indicate the various ranks within each service branch. One example may include a Five-Star General as the top rank and a Private as the lowest rank.

FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of a card deck 800 for promoting a food service or supermarket, where the suit indicators 810 may depict different types of food or departments. For example, suit indicators may include produce, meats, health and beauty, dry goods, canned goods, etc. The rank indicators 815 may then include representations of products within a type of food or within a particular department.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a deck of cards 900 for promoting a department store, where the suit indicators 910 may indicate different departments, such as women's clothing, men's clothing, boys' clothing, girls' clothing, housewares, shoes, bedding, furniture, etc. The ranking indicators may include various items within each department. As mentioned above, each card may have more than one ranking indicator including a numerical indicator 915 and a symbol 920 indicating an item.

Using shoes as a suit indicator example, the 2 card may display slippers, the 3 card, sandals, the 4 card, athletic wear, the 5 card, flats, and continuing in like manner through the 6-9 cards, with the 10, pumps, the Jack, oxfords, the Queen, evening wear, the King, wingtips, and boots may be displayed on the Ace.

It is another feature of the disclosed embodiments to provide a playing card for promotional purposes that has a face with a ranking indicator, a suit indicator, and a representation of a product. The playing card has a back with promotional indicia for the enterprise that provides the product.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of a deck of cards having this feature. The deck 1000 of FIG. 10 may include, for example, fifty-two playing cards similar to those used in playing card games such as Poker and Blackjack. Each card 1010 may generally have a rectangular shape. Each card has a front and a back. In this embodiment, the deck of playing cards may include four suits, that is, clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades. Each suit may include cards with values of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, face cards Jack, Queen and King, as well as an Ace. Designations of the suits 1015 and values 1020 or face cards 1025 may be placed on opposing diagonal corners 1030, 1035 on the front 1040 of each card.

The back 1045 of each card in the deck may be imprinted with the same design which may include a logo, trademark, trade name, service mark, slogan, product, service or any other promotional indicia 1050 of an enterprise. The promotional indicia 1050 may also include enterprise contact information, sales information, etc. The enterprise may include any business, group, association, individual, or any other entity for which promotion or marketing may be desired.

The front or face of each card may also include a representation 1055 of a product offered by the enterprise. In one embodiment, the front of each of the cards of the card deck 1000 may have a representation of a different product.

It should be understood that the representations 1055 may include a product, and for purposes of the disclosed embodiments, a product may include a device, a system, various components or equipment, a service, a number of services, or any combination of devices, systems, components, equipment, or services. The products may be represented by photographs, drawings, symbols or any representation for conveying product information. In addition, the deck 1000 is not limited to any number of cards or to having suits or any particular type or number of suits.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of a deck of cards 1100 where the enterprise may be a provider of process measuring and controlling equipment and services and the products may include process measurement devices, process control equipment, measurement and control systems, or measurement and control services. The process measurement and control products may include measurement and control devices and services related to temperature, force, flow, levels, pH, conductivity, and power. The process measurement and control products may also include process design and consultation services. The front or face 1110 of each card may include a representation 1115 of a product offered by the enterprise. Designations of the suits 1120 and values 11125 or face cards 1130 may be placed on opposing diagonal corners on the front 1110 of each card, similar to other embodiments.

The back 1135 of each card in the deck may be imprinted with the same design which may include a logo, trademark, trade name, service mark, slogan, product, service or any other promotional indicia 1140 of an enterprise.

FIG. 12 shows a portion of another embodiment of a card deck 1200. In this embodiment, the back 1210 of each card may include promotional indicia 1220 for a particular product line of the enterprise and the representations 1225 on the front 1230 of each card may include products of that particular product line. For example, the promotional indicia on the back 1210 of all cards in the deck 1200 may be related to a product line of temperature measurement and control equipment and services, and the representations on the front 1230 of each card could include a different temperature measurement and control device, for example, various types of thermocouples, infrared thermometers, and various temperature control devices.

FIG. 13 shows a card deck embodiment 1300 where the suits each designate an enterprise product line and the representations within each suit include products from the particular product line. As a further example of process control and measurement products, cards 1310 having the suit of clubs may include representations of temperature measurement products 1315 on their face 1320, cards 1325 having the suit of diamonds may include force measurement products 1330 on their face 1335, cards 1340 having the suit of hearts may include flow and level measurement products 1345 on their face 1350, and cards 1355 having the suit of spades may include pH and conductivity products 1360 on their face 1365. The back 1370 of all cards in the deck 1300 may include promotional indicia 1375 of the enterprise.

FIG. 14 shows an embodiment where the suits themselves may be symbols that designate a product line and the cards within each suit may have representations of products and services within the designated product line. For example, a portion of a deck of cards 1400 may represent a line of temperature measurement products and may be designated by a suit having a temperature symbol 1410 on their front 1415 and cards having the temperature symbol suit may each portray a temperature measurement product 1420 on their face 1425.

Other suits may include a force symbol 1430, where cards having the force symbol suit each portray a force measurement product 1435 on their face 1440, a flow symbol 1445, where cards having the flow symbol suit each portray a flow measuring product 1450 on their face 1455, and a pH symbol 1460, where cards having the pH symbol suit each portray a pH measuring product 1465 on their face 1470. The number of suits within the deck 1400 may be any suitable number as may be the number of cards within each suit.

The enterprise may utilize the card deck embodiments in promotional activities by assembling a quantity of cards into a deck. Each card may generally include a face including having a value indicator, a suit indicator, and a representation of a process measurement and control product. Each card may also include a back having promotional indicia for an enterprise that provides the process measurement and control product. The enterprise may then distribute the assembled card deck to potential clients, interested parties, or elsewhere.

FIG. 15 shows a single card embodiment of the concepts described herein. The card 1500 has a face 1510 with a value indicator 1515, a suit indicator 1520, and a representation 1525 of a process measurement and control product. The card has a back 1530 with promotional indicia 1540 for the enterprise that provides the process measurement and control product.

The enterprise may use the single card embodiment for promotional activities. This may be accomplished, for example, by applying a value indicator, a suit indicator, and a representation of a process measurement and control product on the face of a playing card; and applying promotional indicia for an enterprise that provides the process measurement and control product on a back of the playing card. The single playing card may then be distributed. Promotional activities may include encouraging potential clients to collect all variations of the playing cards in order to assemble them into a deck.

Other embodiments may include packaging for the card deck. The packaging may include a wrapper, box, enclosure, or any other suitable package for the card deck. The packaging may be used to promote any combination of an entity, or products or services offered by the entity. For example, a card deck may be enclosed in a package with a logo or other indicator associated with a provider of process measuring and controlling equipment and services. The indicator may signify the provider of process measuring and controlling equipment and services itself or may include representations or images of products offered by the provider including, without limitation, process measurement devices, process control equipment, measurement and control systems, or measurement and control services. As an example, the process measurement and control products may include measurement and control devices and services related to temperature, force, flow, levels, pH, conductivity, and power. As a further example, the process measurement and control products may also include process design and consultation services.

FIGS. 16A through 16D shows exemplary embodiments where the a card package 1600 may be constructed to look like a book, catalogue, encyclopedia or handbook, or other publication or published material, also referred to herein as a book. Turning to FIG. 16A, the front 1605 of the exemplary package 1600 may be constructed to have the same appearance as an actual front cover of a book. FIG. 16B shows a side view of package 1600 illustrating a first side 1610 of package 1600 constructed to look like a fore edge of a book, a top side 1615 of package 1600 constructed to look like a top edge of a book, and a bottom side 1620 constructed to look like a tail edge of a book. FIG. 16C shows a back surface 1625 of package 1600 that is constructed to look like a back cover of a book. FIG. 16D shows a second side 1630 of package 1600 constructed to look like a book spine.

In some embodiments, the package 1600 may have sides that look like a front cover, fore edge, top edge, a tail edge, back cover and spine of one or more of a Temperature Handbook, a Temperature Encyclopedia, a Temperature Handbook and Encyclopedia, a Pressure Handbook, a Pressure Encyclopedia, a Pressure Handbook and Encyclopedia, a Flow, Level and Environmental Handbook, a Flow, Level and Environmental Encyclopedia, a Flow, Level and Environmental Handbook and Encyclopedia, a Data Acquisition Systems Handbook, a Data Acquisition Systems Encyclopedia, a Data Acquisition Systems Handbook and Encyclopedia, an Omegamation Complete Automation Handbook, an Omegamation Complete Automation Encyclopedia, an Omegamation Complete Automation Handbook and Encyclopedia, an Electric Heaters Handbook, an Electric Heaters Encyclopedia, an Electric Heaters Handbook and Encyclopedia, a pH and Conductivity Handbook, a pH and Conductivity Encyclopedia, a pH and Conductivity Handbook and Encyclopedia, an Omega Handbook, an Omega Encyclopedia, an Omega Handbook and Encyclopedia, a Made in the USA Handbook, a Made in the USA Encyclopedia, a Made in the USA Handbook and Encyclopedia, an Omegadyne Handbook, an Omegadyne Encyclopedia, an Omegadyne Handbook and Encyclopedia, a Measurement and Control Handbook, a Measurement and Control Encyclopedia, a Measurement and Control Handbook and Encyclopedia, and a Bluecat Buyers' Guide.

In some embodiments, the card deck package 1600 may be constructed as a different size or similar size version of one or more of a book, catalogue, encyclopedia or handbook. In some embodiments, the card deck package 1600 may be constructed as a miniature version of one or more of a book, catalogue, encyclopedia or handbook. In addition, some embodiments may be constructed as a miniature version of one or more of the particular Handbooks, Encyclopedias, and Handbook and Encyclopedias mentioned above, with the front cover 1605, fore edge 1610, top edge 1615, tail edge 1620, back cover 1625, and spine 1630 constructed to look like corresponding components of the corresponding Handbook, Encyclopedia, or Handbook and Encyclopedia.

FIG. 17 shows an exemplary card deck 1700 for use with package 1600. In at least one exemplary embodiment, at least a portion of a surface 1710 of one or more cards 1705 of the deck 1700 may be used to illustrate products related to a topic discussed, a technology area, or a service offered in the book, catalogue, encyclopedia, handbook, or published document the package resembles. At least a portion of a surface 1710 of one or more cards 1705 of the deck 1700 may be used to illustrate products portrayed in the book, catalogue, encyclopedia, handbook, or published document the package resembles. In at least one embodiment one or more cards of the deck 1700 depict a corresponding page of the book, catalogue, encyclopedia, handbook, or published document the package resembles.

Thus, the disclosed embodiments provide a card or deck of cards that promote various products including devices, systems, components, equipment, and services of an enterprise and in addition, provide a game for potential clients. The disclosed embodiments also include packaging for the promotional card deck that may resemble a published document offered by an enterprise utilizing the card deck.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the present embodiments. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the embodiments disclosed herein. Accordingly, the embodiments are intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A playing card deck comprising:

a package constructed to resemble a book; and

a plurality of playing cards retained by the package, each having a surface depicting first information related to second information in the book the package resembles.

2. The playing card deck of claim 1, the package further comprising:

a front surface constructed to resemble a front cover of the book;

a first side constructed to resemble a fore edge of the book;

a top side constructed to resemble a top edge of the book;

a bottom side constructed to resemble a tail edge of the book;

a back surface constructed to resemble a back cover of the book; and

a second side constructed to resemble a spine of the book.

3. The playing card deck of claim 1, wherein the book includes one or more of a catalogue, encyclopedia, handbook, or other publication.

4. The playing card deck of claim 1, wherein the book includes one or more of:

a Temperature Handbook, a Temperature Encyclopedia, a Temperature Handbook and Encyclopedia, a Pressure Handbook, a Pressure Encyclopedia, a Pressure Handbook and Encyclopedia, a Flow, Level and Environmental Handbook, a Flow, Level and Environmental Encyclopedia, a Flow, Level and Environmental Handbook and Encyclopedia, a Data Acquisition Systems Handbook, a Data Acquisition Systems Encyclopedia, a Data Acquisition Systems Handbook and Encyclopedia, an Omegamation Complete Automation Handbook, an Omegamation Complete Automation Encyclopedia, an Omegamation Complete Automation Handbook and Encyclopedia, an Electric Heaters Handbook, an Electric Heaters Encyclopedia, an Electric Heaters Handbook and Encyclopedia, a pH and Conductivity Handbook, a pH and Conductivity Encyclopedia, a pH and Conductivity Handbook and Encyclopedia, an Omega Handbook, an Omega Encyclopedia, an Omega Handbook and Encyclopedia, a Made in the USA Handbook, a Made in the USA Encyclopedia, a Made in the USA Handbook and Encyclopedia, an Omegadyne Handbook, an Omegadyne Encyclopedia, an Omegadyne Handbook and Encyclopedia, a Measurement and Control Handbook, a Measurement and Control Encyclopedia, a Measurement and Control Handbook and Encyclopedia, and a Bluecat Buyers' Guide.

5. The playing card deck of claim 1, wherein the first information depicted on the surface includes images of products described in the book.

6. The playing card deck of claim 1, wherein the first information depicted on the surface includes images of pages of the book.