Patent US3659853A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3659853A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic dice game
Assignee: Avco Corp
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Filing: 1970-02-02
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Granted: 1972-05-02
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Expires: 1990-02-02
Abstract
Abstract A dice game simulated by means of two banks of seven electric lamps each will when activated, by means of a power switch, show present numbers. Four of the lamps are positioned in the corners of a square plus two in the middle of opposite sides and one in the center. The lamps are connected in logic circuitry which when operated ramdomly illuminates the lamps in such a manner as to simulate, with equal probability, the six sides of a die. The circuitry includes a free-running unijunction oscillator having an output coupled to a six-position ring counter.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald E Church
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 20:46
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F9/00; A63F9/04; A63F9/0468; G; G07; G07C; G07C15/00; G07C15/006; G07C15/008
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
413 words
In an electronic dice game having first and second banks of seven lamps, said lamps being positioned to simulate, when selectively illuminated, the six sides of a die, the combination comprising: a source of direct current; first and second ring counters, each having six interconnected stages, means for initially presetting any one of said stages in each of said ring counters to a conducting state while maintaining the remainder of said stages in a nonconducting state, each of said stages comprising a silicon controlled rectifier, one of said silicon controlled rectifiers being initially preset in a conducting state while the remainder of said silicon controlled rectifiers are maintained in a nonconducting state; means for sequentially shifting the conduction states of the silicon controlled rectifiers in said stages in each of said counters whereby only one of the silicon controlled rectifiers in each counter conducts while the remaining of said silicon controlled rectifiers are maintained in a nonconducting state, said means for sequentially shifting said conduction states comprising the pulse output of first and second free-running oscillators, said outputs being connected to said first and second ring counters, respectively, said free-running oscillators having different time constants so as to produce output pulses having different repetition frequencies; first and second diode matrices for selectively connecting predetermined combinations of said first and second banks of lamps, respectively, to said source through said sequentially conducting silicon controlled rectifiers in said first and second counters, respectively, each of said silicon controlled rectifiers having a cathode connected to one side of said source, an anode connected to the other side of said source through one of said diode matrices and through selected combinations of lamps in a respective bank, said combinations being selected by said diode matrix, and a gate electrode, said means for sequentially shifting the conduction states of said silicon controlled rectifiers including a connection of said pulse output from a respective oscillator to each of said gate electrodes, each of said connections including a first capacitor, and the anodes of adjacent silicon controlled rectifiers in said ring counter being connected by second capacitors; and manually operable switch means, said switch means connecting said source to said oscillators for simultaneously controlling the energization of said oscillators, the length of time of energization of said oscillators being random whereby at the end of such time the probabilities of any one of said stages remaining conductive is equal to the probability of any other of said stages remaining conductive.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
413 words
In an electronic dice game having first and second banks of seven lamps, said lamps being positioned to simulate, when selectively illuminated, the six sides of a die, the combination comprising: a source of direct current; first and second ring counters, each having six interconnected stages, means for initially presetting any one of said stages in each of said ring counters to a conducting state while maintaining the remainder of said stages in a nonconducting state, each of said stages comprising a silicon controlled rectifier, one of said silicon controlled rectifiers being initially preset in a conducting state while the remainder of said silicon controlled rectifiers are maintained in a nonconducting state; means for sequentially shifting the conduction states of the silicon controlled rectifiers in said stages in each of said counters whereby only one of the silicon controlled rectifiers in each counter conducts while the remaining of said silicon controlled rectifiers are maintained in a nonconducting state, said means for sequentially shifting said conduction states comprising the pulse output of first and second free-running oscillators, said outputs being connected to said first and second ring counters, respectively, said free-running oscillators having different time constants so as to produce output pulses having different repetition frequencies; first and second diode matrices for selectively connecting predetermined combinations of said first and second banks of lamps, respectively, to said source through said sequentially conducting silicon controlled rectifiers in said first and second counters, respectively, each of said silicon controlled rectifiers having a cathode connected to one side of said source, an anode connected to the other side of said source through one of said diode matrices and through selected combinations of lamps in a respective bank, said combinations being selected by said diode matrix, and a gate electrode, said means for sequentially shifting the conduction states of said silicon controlled rectifiers including a connection of said pulse output from a respective oscillator to each of said gate electrodes, each of said connections including a first capacitor, and the anodes of adjacent silicon controlled rectifiers in said ring counter being connected by second capacitors; and manually operable switch means, said switch means connecting said source to said oscillators for simultaneously controlling the energization of said oscillators, the length of time of energization of said oscillators being random whereby at the end of such time the probabilities of any one of said stages remaining conductive is equal to the probability of any other of said stages remaining conductive.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for initially presetting any one of said silicon controlled rectifiers includes a connection from said source to said one silicon controlled rectifier in each of said ring counters, said connection including a differentiating network connected across said source, the output of said differentiator being coupled to the gate electrode of said silicon controlled rectifiers through its associated first capacitor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
222 words
The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said diode matrix includes a first diode interconnecting a first lamp and a first silicon controlled rectifier, a second diode interconnecting parallel connected second and third lamps and a second silicon controlled rectifier; third and fourth diodes, said third diode interconnecting said first lamp and a third silicon controlled rectifier, said fourth diode interconnecting parallel connecting fourth and fifth lamps and said third silicon controlled rectifier; a fifth and sixth diode, said fifth diode interconnecting said parallel connected second and third lamps and a fourth silicon controlled rectifier, said sixth diode interconnecting said fourth and fifth parallel connected lamps and said fourth silicon controlled rectifier; seventh, eighth and ninth diodes, said seventh diode interconnecting said first lamp and a fifth silicon controlled rectifier, said eighth diode interconnecting said second and third parallel connected lamps and said fifth silicon controlled rectifier, said ninth diode interconnecting said fourth and fifth parallel connected lamps and said fifth silicon controlled rectifier; and tenth, eleventh and twelfth diodes, said tenth diode interconnecting said second and third parallel connected lamps and a sixth silicon controlled rectifier, said eleventh diode interconnecting said fourth and fifth parallel connected lamps and said sixth silicon controlled rectifier, and said twelth diode interconnecting sixth and seventh parallel connected lamps and said sixth silicon controlled rectifier.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
388 words
In an electronic dice game having first and second banks of seven lamps, said lamps being positioned to simulate, when selectively illuminated, the six sides of a die, the combination comprising: a source of direct current; first and second ring counters, each having six interconnected stages, means for initially presetting any one of said stages in each of said ring counters to a conducting state while maintaining the remainder of said stages in a nonconducting state, each of said stages comprising a silicon controlled rectifier, one of said silicon controlled rectifiers being initially preset in a conducting state while the remainder of said silicon controlled rectifiers are maintained in a nonconducting state; means for sequentially shifting the conduction states of the silicon controlled rectifiers in said stages in each of said counters whereby only one of the silicon controlled rectifiers in each counter conducts while the remaining of said silicon controlled rectifiers are maintained in a nonconducting state, said means for sequentially shifting said conduction states comprising the pulse output of first and second free-running oscillators, said outputs being connected to said first and second ring counters, respectively, said free-running oscillators having different time constants so as to produce output pulses having different repetition frequencies; first and second diode matrices for selectively connecting predetermined combinations of said first and second banks of lamps, respectively, to said source through said sequentially conducting silicon controlled rectifiers in said first and second counters, respectively, each of said silicon controlled rectifiers having a cathode connected to one side of said source, an anode connected to the other side of said source through one of said diode matrices and through selected combinations of lamps in a respective bank, said combinations being selected by said diode matrix, and a gate electrode, said means for sequentially shifting the conduction states of said silicon controlled rectifiers including a connection of said pulse output from a respective oscillator to each of said gate electrodes; and manually operable switch means, said switch means connecting said source to said oscillators for simultaneously controlling the energization of said oscillators, the length of time of energization of said oscillators being random whereby at the end of such time the probabilities of any one of said stages remaining conductive is equal to the probability of any other of said stages remaining conductive.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
388 words
In an electronic dice game having first and second banks of seven lamps, said lamps being positioned to simulate, when selectively illuminated, the six sides of a die, the combination comprising: a source of direct current; first and second ring counters, each having six interconnected stages, means for initially presetting any one of said stages in each of said ring counters to a conducting state while maintaining the remainder of said stages in a nonconducting state, each of said stages comprising a silicon controlled rectifier, one of said silicon controlled rectifiers being initially preset in a conducting state while the remainder of said silicon controlled rectifiers are maintained in a nonconducting state; means for sequentially shifting the conduction states of the silicon controlled rectifiers in said stages in each of said counters whereby only one of the silicon controlled rectifiers in each counter conducts while the remaining of said silicon controlled rectifiers are maintained in a nonconducting state, said means for sequentially shifting said conduction states comprising the pulse output of first and second free-running oscillators, said outputs being connected to said first and second ring counters, respectively, said free-running oscillators having different time constants so as to produce output pulses having different repetition frequencies; first and second diode matrices for selectively connecting predetermined combinations of said first and second banks of lamps, respectively, to said source through said sequentially conducting silicon controlled rectifiers in said first and second counters, respectively, each of said silicon controlled rectifiers having a cathode connected to one side of said source, an anode connected to the other side of said source through one of said diode matrices and through selected combinations of lamps in a respective bank, said combinations being selected by said diode matrix, and a gate electrode, said means for sequentially shifting the conduction states of said silicon controlled rectifiers including a connection of said pulse output from a respective oscillator to each of said gate electrodes; and manually operable switch means, said switch means connecting said source to said oscillators for simultaneously controlling the energization of said oscillators, the length of time of energization of said oscillators being random whereby at the end of such time the probabilities of any one of said stages remaining conductive is equal to the probability of any other of said stages remaining conductive.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB1107552A
Cited
US3592473A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-02 | 1975-11-01 | 1976-05-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-02 | 1979-11-01 | 1980-05-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-02 | 1983-11-01 | 1984-05-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |