US20120315819A1

US20120315819A1 - Flashlight activity game

Info

Publication number: US20120315819A1
Application number: US13/482,051
Authority: US
Inventors: Kathleen GANDY
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-06-09
Filing date: 2012-05-29
Publication date: 2012-12-13

Abstract

A flashlight activity game is disclosed that is played with a common or custom flashlight. The flashlight activity game allows a first player to hide a detector that a second player must find with a flashlight. The flashlight may also have a focusable or diffuser lens to allow younger children to have a broader beam of light and older children to have a narrower beam to equalize the challenge for all players. The detector emits a flashing light and/or sounds when the detector is located with light from a flashlight. Multiple people can also play where the detector is placed by one person and two or more people compete to find the detector first. The detector is self-powered to allow for hours of play without charging or replacement of batteries.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/495,169 filed Jun. 9, 2011 the entire contents of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in playing a flashlight game. More particularly, the present method playing a flashlight game involves hiding an object that has a light sensor whereby when the object is illuminated with the beam of the flashlight the device emits an alarm.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.
Hiding an object that must be located by another has taken many forms over the years. Before the availability of electrically powered devices a first child would hide an object and then one or more other children would try to locate the object. This would either be performed without assistance from the first child or the first child would provide feedback such as warmer or colder to indicate the proximity to the hidden object. More modern versions of the game use a variety of transmitter and receivers to determine proximity to the object and the ultimate location of the object. The use of light sensing in toys has been used for a variety of purposes including waking a doll and detection of motion or an intruder that breaks a beam of light.
A number of patents have been issued that provide game playing. Exemplary examples of patents that have been issued that address game playing and toys with light sensors are identified and discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,982 issued to Steven Lebensfeld et al discloses a hide and find toy game that uses an electronic radio frequency to determine and signal the distance between a game player and the object that is being located. While this patent discloses a hide and seek type game the game uses radio waves and can only be played by one person that is seeking.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,575 issued Oct. 9, 1990 to Stephen J. Perry and U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,457 issued Dec. 17, 2002 to Shelly Conte et al., disclose a hide and seek game that uses a plurality of portable electronic units that identify the proximity to a person that is hiding. This patent requires the use of radio waves and does not rely upon the use of common flashlights as locating devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,919 that issued on Apr. 21, 1987 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,519 that issued on Jun. 23, 1987 both to William E. Price disclose toys with optically activated sound generators. The patents use a light sensor that is located in the eyes of the doll to generate sounds based upon the presence or absence of light in one or both eyes.
What is needed is a hide and seek game that uses a detection device that houses a light sensor along with the use of commonly available flashlights or custom flashlights that trigger a detection device to emit a flashing light and/or emit a sound. The proposed disclosure provides a solution for playing this activity game with flashlights.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the flashlight activity game to be played using a common flashlight. This enables play using an item that is readily available in most households. The flashlight could have replaceable batteries or rechargeable batteries. The flashlight may also be customized to have a focusable or diffused lens to allow younger children to have a broader beam of light and older children a narrower beam of light to equalize the challenge for all players.
It is an object of the flashlight activity game to allow a first player to hide a detector. The detector can be hidden in an obvious location or in such a way that the beam from the flashlight must be channeled between objects, vertically or horizontally to activate the sensor.
It is another object the flashlight activity game to emit a flashing light and/or sound when the detector is located with a flashlight. In some cases the flashing light is preferred, particularly when the game is being played outside at night or in a darkened room. In other cases a sound may be preferred, particularly when the game is being played by visually impaired children or when light or obstruction(s) may affect the visibility of the detector's flashing light.
It is still another object of the flashlight activity game to be played with two or more people, depending on the number of flashlights available. With two players, one would hide the detector and the other would search for the detector. With three or more players, one person would hide the detector and two or more people can compete to find the detector first.
It is still another object of the flashlight activity game to be played where the detector(s) have a filtered light that actives with compatible filtered flashlights. This prevents accidental activation if light from an incompatible light source were to shine upon the detector.
Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the detector.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the components in the detector.

FIG. 3 shows the detector with a flashlight.

FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of playing the flashlight activity game.

FIG. 5 shows the flashlight activity game being played.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the detector 10. The detector 10 is shown with the housing 40 as partially transparent to view some of the internal components. The flattened rectangular shape is one contemplated housing configuration, but other shapes are contemplated based upon the battery (ies) 28 used and the configuration of the circuit board and other internal components. The housing is preferably made from a plastic material that is fabricated from a molding process but other materials and manufacturing processes are contemplated. In this embodiment, two common and replaceable batteries 28 provide power to the detector 10.
An on and off switch 27 protrudes through the housing 40 to make the switch 27 accessible without requiring the housing to be opened. A light sensor 20 is visible through one of the walls of the housing 40. The light sensor 20 received light from a flashlight to indicate that the detector 10 has been located. The light sensor 20 is located in a recessed hole 41. The recessed hole 41 creates a channel that reduces light that is shined off axis from activating the light sensor 20. A visible light indicator 24 also is visible though the housing 40. This indicator light 24 flashes when the detector 20 has been tripped to identify that the player with the flashlight has found the detector 10. The light sensor could also be made to accept fluctuating or encoded light flashes to allow the sensor 20 to be used in areas where there is constant ambient light. The sensor 20 may also be made to operate with UV or IR light that is not visible to human eyes. A more complete identification of the internal components of the detector 10 is shown and described with FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the components in the detector. This schematic represents the components that have been used in working prototypes, but the addition, subtraction, combination or integration of some of these components does not significantly change or alter the operation or method of playing the game. A battery or batteries 28 provide power to the circuit. A power switch 27 connects the battery or batteries 28 to the electronic components. When the power switch connects the circuit, power will flow from the batteries 28 through a power limiting resistor 21 and into a sensor or cadmium cell 20 and back to the batteries 28. An optional variable resistor 30 is also contemplated that will allow for adjustment of the light threshold that will trigger the circuit. Using an adjustable 30 resistor 21 can also reduce the sensitivity of the sensor to accommodate for ambient light and also change the distance between a flashlight and the sensor 20 because the spread of the light beam will alter the light intensity based upon the distance to the light producing source.
Once sufficient light is detected the voltage will trigger the base of the transistor 22 to allow voltage to flow through the transistor 22 and into latching diode 26 that will allow power to flow from the battery 28 through resistor 23 and light or light emitting diode 24. Once power flows through the LED 24 the removal of light from the sensor 20 will not stop the flow of power though the LED 24. The illumination of the LED 24 can be stopped by opening switch 25 thereby breaking the latching circuit.
In an alternate embodiment a sound producing device 31 can be incorporate to provide an audible signal instead of or in addition to the LED indicator 24. In the preferred embodiment the LED 24 is a flashing LED 24 to better indicate that the detector has been located. The audible signal can be a single tone or a melody.
FIG. 3 shows the detector with a flashlight, FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of playing the flashlight activity game and FIG. 5 shows the flashlight activity game being played. The flashlight 50 can be a common flashlight that produces visible light, but it is also contemplated that the light can produce an adjustable beam of light or light of a narrow frequency of light. In addition the flashlight can include an infrared light source that is modulated to eliminate false readings from ambient light. Using light with a specific frequency of light could be red or blue whereby allowing multiple people to play where a receiver is only responsive to a light from a complementary light frequency. When the flashlight 50 is turned on with switch 51 and the ray or beam of light 52 shines onto the light sensor 20 the detector will signal that the detector 10 has been located.
The flashlight activity game is played by having a first player 60 hide the detector 10. After the detector is hidden, a second player 61 begins to look for the detector 10. Optionally a timer 63 can be started to determine how long it takes to find the detector. The second person 61 shines the flashlight 50 at various locations until the light from the flashlight enters the light sensor 20 to locate the detector 62 that signals the indicator of a flashing light 24 or other signaling means. The time keeping 63 can end at this point as the game ends 64. The time keeping mechanism 63 is useful to aid in locating a lost detector or to notify a user that may become distracted or has forgotten that a game was being played.
Thus, specific embodiments of a flashlight activity game have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of playing a flashlight activity game comprising the steps of:

allowing a first player to hide a light detector;

said light detector having a threshold for light intensity;

said light detector being self-powered and having a visible or audible indicator that said threshold has been exceeded;

a flashlight, and

allowing at least a second player to shine light from said flashlight onto said light detector such that said light exceeds said threshold and activates said visible or audible indicator.

2. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 1 wherein said light detector further includes an on and off power switch.

3. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 1 wherein said threshold for light intensity is adjustable.

4. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 1 wherein said light detector has rechargeable batteries.

5. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 1 wherein said flashlight uses a visible light.

6. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 1 wherein said flashlight also includes an infrared light.

7. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 6 wherein said infrared light is modulated.

8. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 1 wherein said light detector further includes a timing mechanism.

9. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 8 wherein said timing mechanism is adjustable.

10. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 1 wherein light from said flashlight has an adjustable beam.

11. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 1 wherein audible indictor plays a melody.

12. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 1 wherein said timing mechanism provides an audible and or visual indicator when a time set in said timing mechanism has been exceeded.

13. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 1 wherein said light detector is located in a recessed cavity.

14. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 13 wherein said recessed cavity provides a channel for light shined onto said light detector.

15. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 1 that further includes a latching circuit that latches said visible or audible indicator that said threshold has been exceeded.

16. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 15 that further includes a switch to release said latching circuit.

17. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 1 wherein said light detector is a cadmium cell.

18. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 6 wherein said detector detects infrared light.

19. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 1 wherein said flashlight activity game is played by more than at least a second player.

20. The method of playing a flashlight activity according to claim 1 wherein said light detector must be hidden in a visible location.