Patent US3893671A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3893671A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fiber optic chessboard
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1974-09-03
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Granted: 1975-07-08
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Expires: 1994-09-03
Abstract
Abstract A chessboard includes sockets at each position which receive and supply electricity to playing pieces. Fiber optic tubes connect light transmitting stations at each position on the chessboard with light receiving stations at other positions. When a playing piece is plugged into a socket at one of the positions, a light bulb inside the playing piece directs light into a set of fiber optic tubes and this light is conducted to the positions on the chessboard over which the playing piece can exert control.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert C Gardner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 05:44
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F3/00; A63F3/00643; A63F3/00697; G; G09; G09B; G09B19/00; G09B19/22; A63F9/00; A63F9/06; A63F9/0613; A63F2009/0637
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
In a game having playing pieces and a playing board which indicates a plurality of positions to which a set of playing pieces can be moved, the improvement therein comprising: illuminator means mounted within each playing piece; light transmission stations formed on said playing board and located within indicated positions thereon to receive light from the illuminator means within a playing piece which is moved onto one of said indicated positions; light receiving stations formed on said playing board and located within said indicated positions; and light conducting means connecting each light transmission station with a selected set of light receiving stations, each of said sets of selected light receiving stations indicating the character of a playing piece positioned on its associated light transmitting station.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
In a game having playing pieces and a playing board which indicates a plurality of positions to which a set of playing pieces can be moved, the improvement therein comprising: illuminator means mounted within each playing piece; light transmission stations formed on said playing board and located within indicated positions thereon to receive light from the illuminator means within a playing piece which is moved onto one of said indicated positions; light receiving stations formed on said playing board and located within said indicated positions; and light conducting means connecting each light transmission station with a selected set of light receiving stations, each of said sets of selected light receiving stations indicating the character of a playing piece positioned on its associated light transmitting station.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The game as recited in claim 1 in which each of said sets of selected light receiving stations indicates the positions to which a playing piece positioned on its associated light transmitting station can be moved.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
104 words
The game as recited in claim 2 in which there are a plurality of additional sets of playing pieces each of which sets of playing pieces has a distinct set of moves which can be made from any indicated position on said playing board, and in which there are additional light transmitting stations formed on said playing board and located within the indicated positions to receive light from the illuminating means within a playing piece within one of said additional sets, and in which each additional light transmitting station is connected to a selected set of additional light receiving stations by light conducting means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The game as recited in claim 3 in which a socket is formed at each position on the playing board and each playing piece is keyed to plug into any one of said sockets such that the playing piece is directly over the light transmission stations on said one position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
The game as recited in claim 4 in which said illuminator means is a light bulb mounted within a cavity in each playing piece and the playing pieces in each of said sets is distinctly coded by a light opening in the bottom of the playing piece which is aligned over a selected light transmission station.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The game as recited in claim 1 in which the illuminator means is a light bulb, and in which sockets are provided at each position on the playing board to supply electricity to the light bulb in a playing piece which is moved onto any one of said positions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The game as recited in claim 1 in which said light conducting means is a bundle of fiber optic tubes and each light transmission station is defined by an opening in the playing board into which a bundle of fiber optic tubes is inserted.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
The game as recited in claim 7 in which one fiber optic tube in each bundle connects to one of said light receiving stations in said set associated with the light transmission station to which the bundle connects.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3579856A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-07-07 | 1979-01-06 | 1979-07-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-07 | 1983-01-06 | 1983-07-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-07 | 1987-01-06 | 1987-07-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |