This invention relates generally to a game-piece article. In one embodiment, a game-piece article includes, but is not limited to, a base structure comprised of a base and at least one pylon structure coupled to the base structure and projecting therefrom.

An identification apparatus includes: a sensor face in which a plurality of sensor electrodes and a ground portion are provided on one and the same plane; wherein: a conductive portion or conductive portions formed in an identification object are configured so that when the identification object is placed on the sensor face, the conductive portion or the conductive portions can electrically connect a corresponding one or corresponding ones of the sensor electrodes with the ground portion; and a change of electrostatic capacitance occurring when the corresponding sensor electrode or electrodes are electrically connected with the ground portion is detected so that an ID of the identification object can be identified. Thus, it is possible to provide an identification apparatus which can be manufactured inexpensively without using expensive devices such as RFIDs and which is improved in terms of the degree of freedom for design.

The present invention discloses a system and accompanying method for directing the movement of an object on an interactive surface through a defined path. The system includes an object embedded with a unique identification code (UID), a movement module, and a distinct pattern of capacitive tabs near the surface of the object that makes contact with the interactive surface, an interactive surface configured to recognize the UID, location and orientation information of an object placed on the interactive surface, and a processor operatively linked to the interactive surface and configured to direct, track and correct the movement of the object along a defined path on the interactive surface by tracking the UID, location and orientation of the object continuously and throughout the movement. A centralized control mode is applied in the present invention, which makes the structure of the electronic hardware within the moving object substantially simplified, which leads to a decreased manufacturing cost, and, from an aesthetic point of view, the logic clearer and easily understood.

An illuminated, three-dimensional tic-tac-toe game device is provided and includes a game board having nine posts arranged in a square. Each post includes three levels of play and a first switch and a second switch at each level. First and second game pieces are provided for use as X's and O's in the game. Each game piece includes translucent sides, a translucent top and an opaque bottom. First contacts are provided on each first game piece and are engageable with the first switches and second contacts are provided on each second game piece and are engageable with the second switches. An electronic circuit is provided for each possible combination of three of the same game pieces in a row either horizontally, vertically, transversely or diagonally. Lights are provided at each level within each post, either within each level of each post or inside a game piece arranged at the level. The electronic circuit activates the lights to illuminate through the translucent game pieces when one player establishes three of his game pieces in a row.

Method of control of a remote device by a logon device for at least one mobile device includes: identification, by the logon device, of at least one mobile device interacting with it via an interaction surface of the logon device, access to a lookup table associated with the at least one identified mobile device, the lookup table associating with at least one position on the interaction surface at least one command destined for the remote device, determination, by the logon device, of a current position of the at least one mobile device via at least one electrical signal induced by at least one inductor magnetic field in at least one electrical circuit of the logon device associated with the interaction surface, determination of a current command as a function of the current position and of the lookup table, and command of the remote device.

A spinning top scoring system with easy operation, which is characterized by a toy spinning top, which includes a toy main body that is able to rotate in response to a signal emitted by a supporting signal transmitter. The system also includes an RFID chip, which is used for identifying identity information of the toy spinning top and for storing scoring data. Further included in the system is a cell phone with an NFC function, wherein the cell phone comprises a spinning top scoring software system, which is used for reading and displaying the identity information stored in the RFID chip, writing a new identity information into the RFID chip, as well as for reading and displaying the scoring data stored in the RFID chip and outputting or inputting the scoring data to the RFID chip.

There is provided an interactive board for use with a plurality of game pieces and a user device having a touch screen. The interactive board has a space for placing one of the plurality of game pieces thereon. The space includes a rotation code sense pad array connected to a first plurality of conductive traces connectable to the touch screen of the user device for identifying one of a plurality of rotation positions of the one of the plurality of game pieces placed in the space, by the user device, a ground for grounding the one of the plurality of game pieces placed in the space, and an identification code sense pad array connected to a second plurality of conductive traces connectable to the touch screen of the user device for identifying the one of the plurality of game pieces placed in the space, by the user device.

An electronic game board wherein the board comprises a plurality of sensors and indicators such that two or more players may play the same game with each other using two or more different game boards that may communicate with each other either directly or through a server. The game board comprises a memory, antenna, and microprocessor associated with the sensors and indicators so that the game board may determine, store, and display a game state based-in-part on data obtained from the game board itself and either another game board or an artificially intelligent player operating in response the present game board.

The present invention proposes a dot pattern on which code information and x and y coordinate information can be defined even if the dot pattern is extremely small, and proposes an information reproducing method and an information reproducing device based on the dot pattern. More specifically, a medium such as a printed material on which is formed a dot pattern portion by arranging in accordance with a given rule dots generated by a dot code generating algorithm in order to recognize various kinds of multimedia information is scanned as image data by scanning means. Then, the image data is converted into code data. Multimedia information corresponding to the code data is read out of storing means to be reproduced.

An identification apparatus includes: a sensor face in which a plurality of sensor electrodes and a ground portion are provided on one and the same plane; wherein: a conductive portion or conductive portions formed in an identification object are configured so that when the identification object is placed on the sensor face, the conductive portion or the conductive portions can electrically connect a corresponding one or corresponding ones of the sensor electrodes with the ground portion; and a change of electrostatic capacitance occurring when the corresponding sensor electrode or electrodes are electrically connected with the ground portion is detected so that an ID of the identification object can be identified. Thus, it is possible to provide an identification apparatus which can be manufactured inexpensively without using expensive devices such as RFIDs and which is improved in terms of the degree of freedom for design.