Jon Bradley Freeman

US Patent:

58878734, Mar 30, 1999

Filed:

Aug 21, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/915822

Inventors:

Jon Freeman - Los Altos CA

International Classification:

A63F 100

US Classification:

273303

Abstract:

A deck of cards, tiles, or similar playing pieces, real or simulated on a computer or other device, chiefly characterized by a trilateral organization comprising three independent aspects: suit, value, and color or color group. The plurality of cards representing each element of each aspect comprise approximately equal pluralities of each element of each of the other aspects. Except for auxiliary cards, each card in a single deck represents a unique combination of a single suit, a single color group, and a single value or rank. The preferred form of the invention is a series of related triadic decks of playing cards comprising three suits and three color groups (20R, 20G, 20B), nonsexist or gender-neutral picture cards (22, 24), an improved layout, and indicative card backs (32). The layout improvement typically involves additional set designation markers (16) in the two commonly vacant corners of a card face (FIG. 2A). Backs (32) are uniform for all cards in a deck but different from deck to deck; the use of the elements of the back (26, 28, 30) is sufficient to remind a player of the general configuration of the deck being used (FIGS.

US Patent:

53965051, Mar 7, 1995

Filed:

Jul 6, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/087545

Inventors:

Jon C. Freeman - Sunnyvale CA
Cheng-Gang Kong - Saratoga CA

Assignee:

Tandem Computers Incorporated - Cupertino CA

International Classification:

G06F 1100

US Classification:

371 571

Abstract:

A programmable system for checking for protocol errors in a communication system includes a matrix for generating error checking signals selected by data fields utilized to implement a communication. If the configuration or protocol is changed the system facilitates reprogramming to compensate for the change.