Board Game System With Integral Docking System

Abstract

A board game system including a game board that defines a playing surface, the playing surface being marked with indicia for directing placement of game pieces on the playing surface, and a support structure for supporting a mobile electronic device, the support structure being connected to the game board and rotatable relative to the game board about at least one axis of rotation.

Description

FIELD

This application relates to board games and, more particularly, to board games that integrate mobile electronic devices with physical game boards.

BACKGROUND

Board games traditionally include a physical game board upon which players move game pieces in accordance with a pre-defined set of rules. In some board games, such as CANDY LAND by Hasbro Games, the movement of the game pieces and the overall outcome of the board game is entirely dictated by chance. In other board games, such as the game of chess, the movement of the game pieces and the overall outcome of the board game is entirely dictated by the strategies employed by the players. In yet other board games, such as MONOPOLY by Hasbro Games, a combination of luck and strategy controls the overall outcome.

Thus, traditional board games have provided families and friends with a source of entertainment for many generations.

With the advent of modern electronics, many games traditionally played as board games are now played entirely electronically. For example, the game of MONOPOLY can be played entirely electronically using, for example, a computer, wherein the computer displays a virtual game board on the computer screen and directs movement of virtual game pieces on the virtual game board in response to inputs from the players. Inputs from the players are communicated to the computer by way of a user interface, such as a mouse, a joystick or the like.

Despite the technological advancements made in the field of electronic board games, there still exists a market for traditional board games. Indeed, some game enthusiasts believe that the hands-on, personal interaction experienced while playing a traditional board game cannot be replaced by electronic games.

Accordingly, those skilled in the art continue to seek new and exciting ways of enhancing the traditional board game experience.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the disclosed board game system may include a game board that defines a playing surface, the playing surface being marked with indicia for directing placement of game pieces on the playing surface, and a support structure for supporting a mobile electronic device, the support structure being connected to the game board and rotatable relative to the game board about at least one axis of rotation.

In another aspect, the disclosed board game system may include a game board that defines a playing surface and a channel, the playing surface being marked with indicia for directing placement of game pieces on the playing surface, the channel extending through the game board below the playing surface, a support structure connected to the game board, the support structure being configured to support a mobile electronic device, and an electrical conductor extending through the channel and the support structure to electrically couple the mobile electronic device to an electrical power source.

In yet another aspect, the disclosed board game system may include a game board that defines a playing surface and a channel, the playing surface being marked with indicia for directing placement of game pieces on the playing surface, the channel extending through the game board below the playing surface, a support structure connected to the game board and rotatable relative to the game board about at least one axis of rotation, a mobile electronic device mounted on the support structure and an electrical conductor extending through the channel, the electrical conductor including a first end electrically coupled to the mobile electronic device and a second end electrically coupled to an electrical power source.

Other aspects of the disclosed board game system will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of one particular aspect of the disclosed board game system; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, in section, of the board game system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, one particular aspect of the disclosed board game system, generally designated 10, may include a game board 12 and a support structure 14 connected to the game board 12 for integrating a mobile electronic device 16 into the board game system 10. An optional platform 18 may be positioned between the game board 12 and the support structure 14 to elevate the support structure 14 over the game board 12. An optional electrical conductor 20, such as a power cord, may be provided to electrically couple the mobile electronic device 16 to an electrical power source 22 such that the mobile electronic device 16 may be electrically powered and/or electrically charged during game play.

The mobile electronic device 16 may be a mobile telephone, such as the iPhone® available from Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., a digital music player, such as the iPod® or iTouch® available from Apple, Inc., a person digital assistant (“PDA”), such as the HP iPAQ® available from Hewlett-Packard Company of Palo Alto, Calif., a mobile computer, such as the iPad™ available from Apple, Inc., or a handheld game console, such as the Nintendo DS® available from Nintendo of America, Inc. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other mobile electronic devices, such as digital cameras, e-book readers and navigation devices, may also be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

In one particular implementation, the mobile electronic device 16 may include a display 44 and a user interface 46, and may be capable of sending and receiving data over a network 48, such as a wireless local area network, a mobile telecommunications network and/or the internet. Furthermore, the mobile electronic device 16 may include memory capabilities for storing game data. The game data may be stored directly in a memory device (not shown) on the mobile electronic device 16 or the mobile electronic device 16 may communicate the game data to an external memory device by way of the network 48.

The game board 12 may be any apparatus or thing that defines a playing surface 26 for playing a board game. The playing surface 26 may be marked with various indicia 24 for directing placement of game pieces 27 on the playing surface 26 in accordance with the pre-defined set of rules associated with one or more board games. The game board 12 may be formed in various sizes and shapes, and may be a generally two-dimensional game board or a generally three-dimensional game board. The indicia 24, as well as the arrangement of the indicia 24 on the playing surface 26, may facilitate playing a particular board game or multiple different board games using the same game board 12, but applying different rules of play. For example, the game board 12 may be a generally flat, rectangular game board having a length L, a width W and a generally uniform cross-sectional thickness T₁, and the indicia 24 may define a plurality of spaces on the playing surface 26, wherein at least some of the spaces define a continuous or semi-continuous path.

The game board 12 may define a channel 28 extending at least partially therethrough. The channel 28 may receive the electrical conductor 20 therein to electrically couple the mobile electronic device 16 with the electrical power source 22 when the mobile electronic device 16 is supported by the support structure 14. The channel 28 may include an open first end 30 that opens at the playing surface 26 of the game board 12 and an open second end 32 that opens at the side edge 34 of the game board 12. Therefore, the majority of the channel 28 may be hidden below the playing surface 26 of the game board 12 such that the electrical conductor 20 does not interfere with game play on the playing surface 26.

The platform 18 may include a generally rigid body 19 (e.g., a disc) having a second cross-sectional thickness T₂, and may be fixedly connected to the game board 12. While the platform 18 is shown connected to the game board 12 generally at the center of the game board 12, the platform 18 (and associated support structure 14) may be located at various locations on the game board 12 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

The platform 18 may define a vertical channel 36, which may be in communication with the channel 28 extending through the game board 12 by, for example, aligning the vertical channel 36 with the open first end 30 of the channel 28. Additionally, the platform 18 may include a circumferential male connection portion 38 extending upward from an upper surface 40 of the platform 18. The vertical channel 36 may be positioned within the male connection portion 38. An optional stop 42 may also extend upward from the upper surface 40 of the platform 18 outside of the male connection portion 38.

The support structure 14 may be a cradle, a docking station or the like connected to the platform 18 for supporting the mobile electronic device 16 in a desired position (or in various positions) relative to the game board 12. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the support structure 14 may support the mobile electronic device 16 such that the mobile electronic device 16 is at a non-zero angle (e.g., 20 to 45 degrees) relative to the game board 12 (or at least one plane defined by the game board 12). Alternatively, the support structure 14 may support the mobile electronic device 16 such that the mobile electronic device 16 is generally parallel with the game board 12 (or at least one plane defined by the game board 12).

In a first implementation, the support structure 14 may be connected to the platform 18 (or directly to the game board 12) such that the support structure 14 may rotate relative to the platform 18 and the game board 12 about an axis A of rotation. For example, the support structure 14 may rotate 360 degrees relative to the platform 18. In a second implementation, the support structure 14 may be fixedly connected to the platform 18 (or directly to the game board 12).

In one expression of the first implementation, the support structure 14 may include a body 50 having an upper support surface 52, a lower mating surface 54 and side surfaces 56, 58, 60. The support surface 52 may be recessed in the body 50 and may receive and support the mobile electronic device 16. As one example, the mobile electronic device 16 may be rested on the support surface 52. A non-skid material may be provided on the support surface 52 such that the mobile electronic device 16 does not slip off of the support surface 52, particularly when the support surface 52 is disposed at an angle relative to the game board 12. Side walls 62, 64 may extend upward from associated side surfaces 58 to encompass, at least partially, the support surface 52 and, when present, the mobile electronic device 16 supported on the support surface 52. As another example, the support surface 52 may include fasteners 53, such as clips, clamps or the like, that may releaseably engage the mobile electronic device 16 to secure the mobile electronic device 16 to the support structure 14.

The mating surface 54 of the body 50 of the support structure 14 may define a circumferential female connection portion 66 sized and shaped to receive the male connection portion 38 of the platform 18 therein, thereby releaseably and rotatably coupling the support structure 14 with the platform 18. Optionally, a protrusion 68 may extend radially outward from the female connection portion 66 to engage the stop 42 of the platform 18, thereby limiting rotation of the support structure 14 relative to the platform 18 about the axis A of rotation beyond the location of the stop 42. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that wear on the electrical conductor 20 as a result of rotation of the support structure 14 relative to the game board 12 may be reduced by limiting the extent of such rotation using, for example, the stop 42 and the protrusion 68.

Furthermore, the body 50 of the support structure 14 may define a channel 70 extending at least partially therethrough. The channel 70 may include an open first end 72 that opens at the mating surface 54 of the body 50 within the female connection portion 66 and an open second end 74 that opens at the side surface 60 of the body 50. The open first end 72 of the channel 70 may be aligned with the vertical channel 36 of the platform 18 such that the channel 70 of the body 50 is in communication with the channel 28 extending through the game board 12.

Thus, the electrical conductor 20 may extend through the channel 28 in the game board 12, through the vertical channel 36 in the platform 18 and through the channel 70 in the support structure 14 such that a first end 76 of the electrical conductor 20 may be electrically coupled to the mobile electronic device 16 and a second end 78 of the electrical conductor 20 may be electrically coupled to the electrical power source 22 without interfering with the ability of the support structure 14 to rotate relative to the platform 18 and the game board 12 about the axis A of rotation.

In a first optional expression, the first end 76 of the electrical conductor 20 may be directly electrically coupled to the mobile electronic device 16. In a second optional expression, the support structure 14 may be a docking station having an integral electrical connection (not shown), wherein the first end 76 of the electrical conductor 20 may be directly electrically coupled to the integral electrical connection of the support structure 14 and the mobile electronic device 16 may be directly electrically connected to the integral electrical connection of the support structure 14. Other techniques for supplying electrical power to the mobile electronic device 16 by way of the disclosed board game system 10 (e.g., wirelessly) may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

While rotation of the support structure 14 relative to the game board 12 is discussed above as being achieved by engaging a circumferential female connection portion 66 with a circumferential male connection portion 38 in a ball-and-socket fashion, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various techniques, apparatus and systems may be employed to facilitate rotation of the support structure 14 relative to the game board 12 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, a lazy Susan-type assembly may be disposed between the support structure 14 and the game board 12 to facilitate relative rotation therebetween.

Accordingly, the disclosed board game system 10 integrates a mobile electronic device 16 with a physical game board 12, thereby allowing players to incorporate the mobile electronic device 16 into game play on the game board 12 and, optionally, to supply electrical power to the mobile electronic device 16 during game play. Furthermore, the optional rotation of the support structure relative to the game board 12 may provide all (or several) players sitting around the game board 12 with the opportunity to view the mobile electronic device 16 during game play to, for example, read instructions from the display 44 of the mobile electronic device 16.

At this point, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the integration of a mobile electronic device 16 with a physical game board 12 may allow players to perform certain game activities, such as receiving instructions and random number generation, on the mobile electronic device 16, while moving physical game pieces 27 over the physical game board 12. Furthermore, game play may be stopped and saved by the mobile electronic device 16, as discussed above, thereby allowing the players to stow the game board 12 and associated game pieces 27. Then, at a later time, the mobile electronic device 16 may provide the players with instructions for re-assembling the game board 12 and associated game pieces 27 to resume play. Still furthermore, game play statistics may be saved in memory by the mobile electronic device 16.

The integration of a mobile electronic device 16 with a physical game board 12 may also allow players to update an existing game or to play a new game using the same game board 12. For example, the pre-determined rules of a given game may be stored in the mobile electronic device 16. The mobile electronic device 16 may provide instructions for placing and moving game pieces 27 over the game board 12 based on the stored rules in response to inputs provided to the mobile electronic device 16 by the players. Therefore, an existing game may be updated (or a new game may be added) simply by updating the pre-determined rules stored in the mobile electronic device 16 (or adding new pre-determined rules to the mobile electronic device 16), without the need for changing the game board 12. The updated/new rules may be communicated to the mobile electronic device 16 from an application store (e.g., iTunes® by Apple, Inc.) or the like by way of the network 48.

Although various aspects of the disclosed board game system have been shown and described, modifications may occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification. The present application includes such modifications and is limited only by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A board game system comprising:

a game board that defines a playing surface, said playing surface being marked with indicia for directing placement of game pieces on said playing surface; and

a support structure for supporting a mobile electronic device, said support structure being connected to said game board and rotatable relative to said game board about at least one axis of rotation.

2. The board game system of claim 1 further comprising said mobile electronic device.

3. The board game system of claim 2 wherein said support structure includes a docking station and said mobile electronic device is dockable on said docking station.

4. The board game system of claim 1 wherein said mobile electronic device includes at least one of a mobile telephone, a digital music player, a personal digital assistant, a mobile computer and a handheld game console.

5. The board game system of claim 1 wherein said game board defines a channel extending at least partially therethrough.

6. The board game system of claim 5 wherein said channel extends below said playing surface.

7. The board game system of claim 5 further comprising an electrical conductor extending through said channel.

8. The board game system of claim 7 further comprising an electrical power source, wherein said electrically conductor is electrically coupled to said electrical power source.

9. The board game system of claim 1 wherein said support structure includes at least one fastener configured to releasably engage said mobile electronic device.

10. The board game system of claim 1 wherein said support structure includes a body that defines a recess and a support surface in said recess, wherein said recess is sized and shaped to closely receive said mobile electronic device.

11. The board game system of claim 1 further comprising a platform fixedly connected to said game board, said platform including a connection portion, wherein said support structure is rotatably connected to said connection portion.

12. A board game system comprising:

a game board that defines a playing surface and a channel, said playing surface being marked with indicia for directing placement of game pieces on said playing surface, said channel extending through said game board below said playing surface;

a support structure connected to said game board, said support structure being configured to support a mobile electronic device; and

an electrical conductor extending through said channel and said support structure to electrically couple said mobile electronic device to an electrical power source.

13. The board game system of claim 12 further comprising said mobile electronic device.

14. The board game system of claim 13 wherein said mobile electronic device includes at least one of a mobile telephone, a digital music player, a personal digital assistant, a mobile computer and a handheld game console.

15. The board game system of claim 13 wherein said support structure includes a docking station electrically coupled to said electrical conductor and said mobile electronic device is dockable on said docking station.

16. The board game system of claim 12 wherein said support structure includes at least one fastener configured to releasably engage said mobile electronic device.

17. The board game system of claim 12 wherein said support structure includes a body that defines a recess and a support surface in said recess, wherein said recess is sized and shaped to closely receive said mobile electronic device.

18. The board game system of claim 12 wherein said support structure is rotatable relative to said game board about at least one axis of rotation.

19. The board game system of claim 12 further comprising a platform fixedly connected to said game board, said platform including a connection portion, wherein said support structure is rotatably connected to said connection portion.

20. A board game system comprising:

a game board that defines a playing surface and a channel, said playing surface being marked with indicia for directing placement of game pieces on said playing surface, said channel extending through said game board below said playing surface;

a support structure connected to said game board and rotatable relative to said game board about at least one axis of rotation;

a mobile electronic device mounted on said support structure; and

an electrical conductor extending through said channel, said electrical conductor including a first end electrically coupled to said mobile electronic device and a second end electrically coupled to an electrical power source.