Mario M Champion

US Patent:

6659464, Dec 9, 2003

Filed:

Oct 25, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/696327

Inventors:

Mario M. Champion - Austin TX
Mark Christopher Zatopek - Austin TX

Assignee:

Team Smartypants!;, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

A63F 100

US Classification:

273292, 273236, 273258, 273260, 273261, 463 14, 463 15

Abstract:

A GridBloc strategy game. The present invention employs a runner and a blocker within any number of various GridBloc boards. The runner is operable to move throughout the GridBloc board, and the blocker who tries to oppose the movement of the runner throughout the GridBloc board. The GridBloc structure is a three dimensional 3D volume in various embodiments of the invention. The GridBloc game is operable to be performed in the volumetric portion of the GridBloc structure. If desired, the GridBloc game is performed along the surfaces of a 3D GridBloc structure. The runners and blockers have various traits in some embodiments, including special traits that allow them to perform actions beyond a basic functionality of a runner and a blocker. The special traits are used to perform running and blocking operations a fixed number of times during the course of a game, or indefinitely throughout the game in various embodiments of the invention. Moreover, the tiles of the GridBloc structure also have variable characteristics including their respective point values in certain embodiments of the invention.

US Patent:

20030193142, Oct 16, 2003

Filed:

Apr 23, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/421964

Inventors:

Mario Champion - Austin TX, US
Mark Zatopek - Austin TX, US
Frank Champion - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

Team Smartypants!, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

A63F001/00

US Classification:

273/292000, 273/243000, 273/258000, 273/283000

Abstract:

Provided is a game with moveable play space that allows a player to modify the play space. Spaces within the play space may be wildcard spaces that initiate modification. Game play space modifications include manipulations such as column shuffling, rotating, and flip-flopping. The selection of which portion of the game play space to modify may be made by the players of the game, by the space on which a game piece resides, or by the particular type of game piece that is moved or used. In some embodiments, different types of players govern modification to the game play space. In volumetric games, certain volumetric portions are exchanged with one another during the modification. Modification of the game play space is performed along various surfaces within the volumetric game play space, or within certain individual game sub-volumes that together integrate to form the entire volumetric game play space.

US Patent:

6578848, Jun 17, 2003

Filed:

Nov 22, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/721308

Inventors:

Mario M. Champion - Austin TX
Mark Christopher Zatopek - Austin TX
Frank Matthew Champion - Austin TX

Assignee:

Team Smartypants!;, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

A63F 100

US Classification:

273292, 273134, 273236, 273242, 273243, 273249, 273260, 273261, 273258, 273282, 273284, 273281, 273283

Abstract:

A game with moveable play space. The invention allows any user playing the game to modify the play space at any number of given times and in response to any number of different conditions. Certain spaces (tiles or blocks) within the play space are wildcard spaces that independently initiates modification of the game play space. Any game play space can benefit from the invention, including conventional game boards including chess and checker boards. The modifications of the game play space include any number of manipulations including column shuffling, rotating, flip-flopping, and other types of manipulation. The selection of which portion of the game play space is made by the players of the game. If desired, the selection of which portion of the game play space is governed by the space on which a game piece resides, or the particular type of game piece that is being moved or used in that game. Some games have different types of players; in some embodiments of the inventions, these types of players govern how modification to the game play space is made.