Digital Playing Piece with Pictogram Recognition and Motion Tracking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current board games lack digital playing pieces that incorporate technology to recognize game squares, measure movements, and display position on a screen interface, limiting interactive and data-tracking capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A digital playing piece using a latest generation mobile phone with a built-in motion sensor, touchscreen interface, and game representation software that recognizes squares via pictograms, calculates movement, and displays game data, enabling online and offline multiplayer and advanced game tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional inert playing pieces are used, then the device complexity is low, but the interactive and data-tracking capabilities are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by using a smartphone as the playing piece, which integrates camera, motion sensors, touchscreen display, and processing capabilities into a single device. This allows the playing piece to perform multiple functions: recognizing board squares via camera, tracking movement through sensors, displaying game information on screen, and communicating with the server, thereby resolving the contradiction between versatility and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a server as an intermediary between the playing pieces and the game board system. The server coordinates communication, stores game data, and manages multiple players, allowing complex data-tracking and interactive capabilities without requiring each playing piece to independently handle all computational tasks, thus managing system complexity while enhancing adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If digital technology is incorporated into playing pieces, then interactive capabilities improve, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages the universal nature of smartphones as playing pieces. Since smartphones are mass-produced consumer electronics with standardized components and interfaces, they benefit from existing manufacturing ecosystems. This approach avoids the need to manufacture specialized digital playing pieces from scratch, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving advanced interactive capabilities.
3Measurement precision
If motion sensors and recognition means are added to playing pieces, then movement tracking accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs the smartphone's operating system and game software as intermediaries that manage the complex sensor data processing. The motion sensors and camera provide raw data, but the software layer coordinates this information, performs calculations to determine position and movement, and presents simplified information to the user, thereby achieving high measurement precision without exposing the full complexity to the end user.
4Ease of operation
If screen interface and touchscreen are incorporated into playing pieces, then user interaction capability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the smartphone's existing touchscreen interface and display capabilities as the playing piece interface. These components are part of standard smartphone design and benefit from mature manufacturing processes and user familiarity. The touchscreen provides intuitive user interaction for confirming moves and viewing game state, while the complexity is managed through standard smartphone architecture rather than custom interface design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables players to interactively track game progress, confirm positions, and access game data on a screen interface, enhancing gameplay experience with advanced features like remote data storage and 3D board compatibility.
Implementation Method 1
A digital playing piece using a latest generation mobile phone with a built-in motion sensor, touchscreen interface, and game representation software that recognizes squares via pictograms, calculates movement
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention therefore relates to a games board assembly comprising a series of squares, the squares representing the locations on which the individualised playing pieces of each player are restricted in terms of movement by the rules of the game, characterised in that each square on the games board comprises a digital recognition pictogram, the playing piece is a digital playing piece which incorporates a calculator, a screen interface, game software, pictogram recognition means on the board, playing piece movement calculation means on the board, a touchscreen which represents, according to the position of the digital playing piece on the games board, the characteristics of the square and/or of the updated game data field on which the digital playing piece is physically positioned.