US5080369A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Home construction board game
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1990-07-02
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Granted: 1992-01-14
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Expires: 2010-07-02
Abstract
Abstract A board gam simulating the construction of a dwelling is disclosed. The game has a board with a sequence of spaces including free spaces, builder/banker spaces, inspection sticker spaces, chance spaces, question spaces, penalty spaces, and a closing space. Players move three-dimensional game tokens representing homes of different styles around the board. Players take turns moving, their movement being governed by the roll of dice. Players receive money from the bank and make payments to the builder by landing on builder/banker spaces. Additional money can be earned by correctly answering questions relating to dwelling construction when a player lands on a question space. Financial gains and losses are incurred by landing on chance and penalty spaces. Players' progress through the construction process is tracked on a rotary card holder of plot plan cards, a card representing a stage of construction when the previous stage has been completed. The first player to complete all stages and land on the closing space wins the game.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven R. Mongno
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 01:53
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F3/00; A63F3/04; A63F3/0457; A63F1/00; A63F1/06; A63F1/10; A63F3/00003; A63F3/00006; A63F2003/00018; A63F3/00063; A63F2003/00066
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
221 words
A game representing the construction of a dwelling, said game comprising: a. a game board having a plurality of playing spaces, said playing spaces including one or more spaces labeled as building/banker spaces and one or more spaces labeled as inspection sticker spaces, each of said inspection sticker spaces indicating one of a plurality of stages in the process of constructing a dwelling, each of said construction process stages having an associated cost as indicated by the game indicia, a plurality of said construction process stages having an indicated inspection requirement; b. means for generating random numbers; c. a plurality of visually distinguishable game tokens, one for each player, said tokens marking the location of a player on said game board; d. simulated currency; e. a plurality of sets of plot plan cards, each of said sets of plot plan cards corresponding to one of said game tokens and comprising a plurality of plot plan cards, each of said plot plan cards indicating one of said construction process stages, said plot plan cards being arranged within said set of plot plan cards in the order in which said construction stages occur in the construction of a dwelling; and f. means for holding each of said sets of plot plan cards for selective display of a single plot plan in each set.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
221 words
A game representing the construction of a dwelling, said game comprising: a. a game board having a plurality of playing spaces, said playing spaces including one or more spaces labeled as building/banker spaces and one or more spaces labeled as inspection sticker spaces, each of said inspection sticker spaces indicating one of a plurality of stages in the process of constructing a dwelling, each of said construction process stages having an associated cost as indicated by the game indicia, a plurality of said construction process stages having an indicated inspection requirement; b. means for generating random numbers; c. a plurality of visually distinguishable game tokens, one for each player, said tokens marking the location of a player on said game board; d. simulated currency; e. a plurality of sets of plot plan cards, each of said sets of plot plan cards corresponding to one of said game tokens and comprising a plurality of plot plan cards, each of said plot plan cards indicating one of said construction process stages, said plot plan cards being arranged within said set of plot plan cards in the order in which said construction stages occur in the construction of a dwelling; and f. means for holding each of said sets of plot plan cards for selective display of a single plot plan in each set.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The game of claim 1 wherein said playing spaces include one or more spaces labeled as question spaces and further comprising a plurality of questions cards, each of said question cards containing questions relating to the construction of a dwelling.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The game of claim 2 wherein said playing spaces include one or more spaces labeled as chance spaces and further comprising a plurality of chance cards providing selected rewards and penalties.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The game of claim 3 wherein said playing spaces are arranged in an order generally corresponding to the chronological order in which a dwelling is constructed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The game of claim 4 wherein said playing spaces are contiguously arranged in a geometry representing a floor plan of a house.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The game of claim 4 wherein said playing spaces are contiguously arranged in a hollow square.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The game of claim 6 wherein said game tokens are representations of houses, each of said game tokens representing a different style of house.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The game of claim 7 wherein the number of said tokens is four and a first of said tokens represents a Cape Cod-style house, a second of said tokens represents a Victorian-style house, a third of said tokens represents a Ranch-style house, and a fourth of said tokens represents a Colonial-style house.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The game of claim 6 wherein said plot plan card set holding means is a rotary card holder.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The game of claim 9 wherein said radome number generating means is a pair of dice.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
349 words
A method for playing a game representing the construction of a dwelling, said method comprising the steps of: a. a plurality of players moving a plurality of visually distinguishable game tokens, one for each player, around a game board having a plurality of playing spaces including one or more spaces labeled as building/banker spaces and one or more spaces labeled as inspection sticker spaces, each player moving one of said game tokens according to numbers generated by a random-number generator; b. each player making payments with simulated currency for each of a plurality of stages of the process of constructing a dwelling, as indicated by the game indicia, each of said construction process stages having an indicated cost and a plurality of said construction process stages having an indicated cost and a plurality of said construction process stages having an indicated inspection requirement, each player selectively making a payment upon moving the game token moved by said player to a spaced labelled as a builder/banking space; c. each player receiving payments of simulated currently for each of said construction process stages, each player selectively receiving a payment upon moving the game token moved by said player to a spaced labelled as a builder/banker space; d. each player satisfying each of said inspection requirements associated with a plurality of said construction process stages by moving the player's game token to one of said spaces labeled as inspection sticker spaces; e. each player selectively displaying one of a plurality of plot plan cards, each of said plot plan cards indicating one of said construction process stages, said plot plan cards being arranged in an order corresponding to the order in which said construction process stages occur in the construction of a dwelling, each player displaying a plot plan card when said player has paid the construction cost indicating by the next preceding plot plan card and, where applicable, landed on the inspection sticker space corresponding to the inspection requirement for the next preceding plot plan card; and f. one of said players first displaying the last of said plot plan cards.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
349 words
A method for playing a game representing the construction of a dwelling, said method comprising the steps of: a. a plurality of players moving a plurality of visually distinguishable game tokens, one for each player, around a game board having a plurality of playing spaces including one or more spaces labeled as building/banker spaces and one or more spaces labeled as inspection sticker spaces, each player moving one of said game tokens according to numbers generated by a random-number generator; b. each player making payments with simulated currency for each of a plurality of stages of the process of constructing a dwelling, as indicated by the game indicia, each of said construction process stages having an indicated cost and a plurality of said construction process stages having an indicated cost and a plurality of said construction process stages having an indicated inspection requirement, each player selectively making a payment upon moving the game token moved by said player to a spaced labelled as a builder/banking space; c. each player receiving payments of simulated currently for each of said construction process stages, each player selectively receiving a payment upon moving the game token moved by said player to a spaced labelled as a builder/banker space; d. each player satisfying each of said inspection requirements associated with a plurality of said construction process stages by moving the player's game token to one of said spaces labeled as inspection sticker spaces; e. each player selectively displaying one of a plurality of plot plan cards, each of said plot plan cards indicating one of said construction process stages, said plot plan cards being arranged in an order corresponding to the order in which said construction process stages occur in the construction of a dwelling, each player displaying a plot plan card when said player has paid the construction cost indicating by the next preceding plot plan card and, where applicable, landed on the inspection sticker space corresponding to the inspection requirement for the next preceding plot plan card; and f. one of said players first displaying the last of said plot plan cards.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
76 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said playing spaces include one or more spaces labeled as question spaces and further comprising the step of each player who moves the player's token to one of said question spaces drawing one of a plurality of question cards and responding to each of a plurality of questions relating to construction of a dwelling and receiving a predetermined quantity of said simulated currency for correctly answering each of said questions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said playing spaces include one or more spaces labeled as chance spaces and further comprising the step of each player who moves the player's token to one of said chance spaces drawing one of a plurality of chance cards and receiving or paying a predetermined quantity of simulated currency according to instructions on said chance card.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-01-13 | 1995-07-15 | 1996-01-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-01-13 | 1999-07-15 | 2000-01-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-01-13 | 2003-07-15 | 2004-01-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |