Background of the Invention

This invention relates to an audio quiz game, and more specifically to a game which provides a series of written questions which correspond to different audio clips contained on a compact disc. One of the most popular games on the market today is the game "Trivial Pursuit." In that game the players move their playing pieces around a board and try to collect six different colored pie-shaped segments by correctly answering questions in six different subject matter areas. The questions and answers are provided on a plurality of cards, with six questions, one from each of the subject matter areas, and their answers on each card. When a player lands on an appropriate board space by roll of the die, a card from the top of the deck is taken and the player selects the subject matter of the question to be answered from that card. Thus, the different directions on the different board spaces and the randomness by which cards are drawn from the stack, generate the random manner in which the questions are asked.

I

In order to keep the game "fresh," a number of different card stacks may be purchased with questions directed to different subject matters which are of interest to different target audiences. However, a basic limitation of the game is that the subject matter of the given question must be presented as a printed question on a card.

It would be desirable to provide a quiz game wherein the questions correspond to information presented in a non-print format.

Summary of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a quiz game wherein the players interact with audio clips. Another object is to provide such a game which provides a series of written questions which correspond to audio clips.

Yet another object is to provide such a game where the questions and audio clips may be randomly accessed and played.

A further object is to provide such a game wherein the series of questions and corresponding audio clips are broken down into specific subject areas.

A still further object is to provide such a game wherein questions with different levels of difficulty are provided for each audio clip.

Another object is to provide a source of written questions and answers wherein the answer to a single question may be displayed without gaining access to any other answers.

The invention concerns an audio quiz game wherein a player provides an answer to a preselected question after listening to a preselected audio clip. The game includes a digital storage device, such as a compact disc, having a plurality of tracks for storing digital information. The tracks contain different audio clips disposed at predetermined locations and separated by audio cues, wherein each clip may be selectively accessed and played in conjunction with a preselected question.

The game also includes a source of written questions and answers which relate to the audio clip. In the preferred embodiment, a book of questions and answers is provided which includes means for identifying the number of the audio clip to which a given question and answer relates, and means for selectively accessing the answer to one question at a time.

In a preferred embodiment the game further includes means for randomly selecting the next clip to be played, which may constitute a spinner or a random shuffle feature of a compact disc player. A game board is provided with spaces on which playing pieces are advanced. The questions may be classified by number as to the degree of difficulty and a correct answer to a given question enables the player to advance a number of spaces on the playing board equal to the number degree of difficulty. Other features include a matrix form for keeping track of questions previously asked in a game so that no question is repeated. Wild cards for introducting an additional element of chance into - the game. Additional features of more advanced CD players may also be utilized to further enhance the speed or diversity of the game. Still further, the game may be provided with an additional visual aspect by also providing display information on the compact disc for viewing on a video display screen and as a further alternative the written questions, answers, and game board may be provided in computer memory.

Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of a compact disc to be used in the game of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of one track from the compact disc.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a book containing written questions and answers to be used in the game of this invention.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a selected page in the book which corresponds to Track 11, Clip A.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the selected page of Fig. 4, but wherein segment 3 of the page has been turned over.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the game board.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the playing pieces. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the spinner.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the wild cards.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the level pad for keeping a record of the questions previously asked.

Fig. 11 is a front perspective view of a compact disc player and related amplifier and speakers.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

The preferred embodiment of the invention set forth in the drawings constitutes an audio quiz game wherein the players are asked questions about short audio clips randomly accessed and played on a compact disc player. The game may be played by one or more players who randomly access the questions provided by a source of written questions and answers.

The game includes an optical disc, such as compact disc 20, on which-digital information is stored in a plurality of circumferentially arranged tracks 36 (Fig. 1). For example, compact discs having 99 tracks and compact disc players (see Fig. 11) for playing all tracks of such discs are widely available on the market.

However, in the game of this invention, the compact disc 20 contains a series of short audio clips specially arranged on the tracks to permit random and immediate access thereto. In the preferred embodiment each track 36 has three or four brief audio clips, ranging from one second to twenty seconds. Thus, there are about 400 short clips on the disc. At the end of every clip, and at the end and beginning of every track, there is an audio tone or cue which, as described hereinafter, signifies

that the user should pause. Also, at the beginning of every clip there is a narrated voice which reads an identifying clip letter number, e.g., "A" (then the clip), tone; "B" (then the clip), tone; and so on. Furthermore, at the end of each track a narrated voice states "End of Track No. ," before the last tone. Still further, all of the clips on a given track relate to one subject matter, such that there are 99 subject matters on 99 different tracks. As shown schematically in Fig. 2, track 21 on disc 20 consists of four sequentially arranged audio clips 23, 25, 27, 29, identified as Clips A, B, C and D, that are separated by audio cues 22, 24, 26, 28, 30. The narrated identification of the ^" clip letter is included at the beginning of each of the respective clips 23, 25, 27, 29 and the narrated

"End of Track No. " identification is included at the end of clip 29.

The subject areas for the various audio clips may include, for example, cartoons and comic strips, classic flicks, comedians, speeches, land animals, birds, insects, musical instruments, and radio programs. A further alternative is to provide a category of tongue twisters wherein the object is to repeat the tongue twister correctly.

The compact disc 20 is played on compact disc player 50 which includes a front control panel

51 with a slot 65 for inserting and removing disc 20 via open/close button 66 (Fig. 11). Panel 51 includes a "track skip forward" button 53 and a "track skip reverse" button 52 for skipping sequentially forward and backward between tracks. A "search" button 56 is used in combination with a numeric keyboard (not shown) , for skipping directly to the track having the number entered on the keyboard. A "play/pause" button 54 and a "stop" button 55 are used for selectively playing, pausing and stopping. A "Track No./Index No." display 63 is provided which indicates the track number or, when used, the index number. The other buttons 58-60 are used for playing alternative embodiments of the game as described hereinafter. The player 50 contains a laser beam head assembly for reading the information on tracks 36 of disc 20 and the player is connected to amplifier 70 and speakers 71 for converting this information into audible form. As shown in Figs. 3-5, a book 80 is provided containing written questions and the correct answers. The book includes a front cover sheet 81, a plurality of rectangular sheets of equal size constituting pages 82, and a plurality of rectangular sheet dividers 84 before and after each page which are of the same size as the pages 82, but which have tabs 100 extending outwardly from the right margin (as viewed from the front). The pages

82 and dividers 84 are bound at their left-hand margin by metal spiral binding 83 which enables each of the pages and dividers to be turned separately in the book. The tabs 100 provided on the right margin of the dividers (left margins as seen from the rear) each identify one of the 99 tracks on the compact disc 20 and the subject matter of that track. The tabs facilitate quick access to selected pages in the book, adjacent to the specific tab, which pages bear the questions relating to the track identified on the tab. For example, as shown in Fig. 4, by selecting the tab 102 for Track 11 the user gains immediate access to the questions and answers for Track 11 which immediately follow the divider 101 with tab 102. Four pages, one for each of Clips A, B, C, D, of Track 11, are provided directly behind tab 102 in the letter order designated, with a divider between each page. One page 82 is provided for each clip on disc 20 and contains five questions concerning that clip. Furthermore, each of the questions are provided on separate segments of the page. For example, as shown in Fig. 4, page 85 has five vertically-spaced segments 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, each containing a separate question identified by a level number as shown in column 98. All of the questions

relate to Track 11, Clip A, as designated by the heading 88 on the top segment 89. The question appears on the front side of the segment and the corresponding answer on the back side of the segment. Thus, for example, segment 91 has question 96 on its front surface 94 and answer 97 on its back surface 95. The random accessibility to any question, and limited accessibility to a single answer as provided by book 80, will be further described hereinafter with regard to operation of the game.

The other components of the game include: game board 130 (Fig. 6), playing pieces or tokens 140 (Fig. 7), spinner 120 (Fig. 8), wild cards 170 (Fig. 9), and level pad 150 (Fig. 10). These components will be described more fully hereinafter in regard to operation of the game.

Operation of the game by teams A and B, for example, will now be described. Each team selects one of-the red, blue, green or yellow playing pieces 140 (Fig. 7). The object of the game is to advance your team's playing piece 140 around the sequential spaces 133 of spiral track 132, on the top surface 131 of game board 130, from the starting space 134 to the finishing space 135, by correctly answering a series of questions relating to the audio clips on the compact disc.

Assu e team A has the first turn. Team A spins the needle 121 which rotates about pin 122 of spinner 120 (Fig. 8). The needle will stop on one of the pie-shaped segments 124 marked on the top surface 123 of spinner 120. Each segment bears one number 125 from the set of numbers 1-99, or a question mark (?) 126. Each of the numbers 125 corresponds to one of the 99 track numbers on compact disc 20. The question marks 126 correspond to wild cards 170 shown in Fig. 9, and described hereinafter.

For example, if team A spins to the segment bearing the number "11" on spinner 120, any one player who has been designated the "CD jockey" inserts compact disc 20 into slot 65 of compact disc player 50 (Fig. 11) and advances the player head to Track No. 11 by pushing down the "track skip forward" button 53. Alternatively, if the CD player has a searching feature as shown schematically in Fig. 11 by "search" button 56, Track No. 11 can be searched for directly (as opposed to sequentially), by entering the track number in a numeric keyboard provided with the CD player (not shown). Track No. 11 will appear in the "Track No./Index No." display screen 63 on the front panel 51 of CD player 50.

A member of team B now turns to the section of book 80 relating to Track 11, which follows the divider 101 with tab 102, labeled "Track 11, Horror

Movies." Thus, all of the four clips on Track 11 relate to horror movies. The first page following the divider is page 85 identified by heading 88, and bearing the five questions for Track 11, Clip A. There are five levels of questions for Clip A as designated in the level column 98. Level 1 is the easiest, and level 5 is the hardest. If the question is answered correctly, the question level equals the number of spaces moved by the player (e.g., level 1 if answered correctly entitles the player to move one space) . Suppose level 3 was chosen by team A. The question for level 3 is asked by team B: "Name the movie." The CD jockey then pushes the play/pause button 54 and plays Clip A of Track 11 on the CD player. At the beginning of Clip A a narrated voice identifies the clip as "A." A short audio segment from a horror movie is then played and when the audio cue at the end of Clip A is heard, the CD jockey again hits the play/pause button 54 to pause the player 50 at the end of Clip A. Team A then attempts to answer the question "Name the movie" as it relates to the audio clip just heard. The correct answer is provided (to team B only) by turning over segment 91 in the book to reveal the answer on the back surface: "A. Frank¬ enstein." Because each of the segments on page 85 are separate, team B gains access only to the answer

to the level 3 question, and not access to the answers to the questions for levels 1, 2, 4 and 5. If team A has correctly answered the question, team A advances its playing piece 140 three spaces on the game board 130. The question played is recorded on the level pad 150 as described hereinafter so that a question is only played once in each game. Team A then continues onto the next clip, Clip B of Track 11, and as long as team A continues to provide the correct answer, it progresses serially through each of the clips of Track 11. If all of the clips in the track are answered correctly, team A spins again for another track. Team A continues until it does not answer a question correctly. Because the clips within one track can be serially accessed by simply pushing the "play/pause" button 54, and because the questions for all clips of a given track are serially arranged in book 80, the speed of play is increased. Suppose team A has correctly answered the question for Clip A, Track 11. Team B then turns over divider 103 behind page 85, on which each of segments 89, 90, 92 and 93 is resting, to gain access to the following page for Clip B, Track 11. By thus flipping divider 103, team B does not gain access to any of the answers on segments 89, 90, 92, 93. Team A then selects one of the five levels for

Clip B, Track 11, team B reads the question, and the disc jockey hits the "play/pause" button 54 and plays clip B. At the end of the clip the CD jockey hits the "piay/pause" button 54 to pause at the end of clip B. Again, if team A answers correctly, it moves its playing piece 140 the number of spaces designated by the level of the guestion on the playing board 130. Otherwise, team A loses its turn, When a team spins to a question mark (?) segment on spinner 120, it selects one of wild cards 170 provided in a stack of such cards. It then follows the direction on the back side of the wild card. Good luck wild cards are provided, such as card 171 bearing the directions "Move ahead two spaces!" Bad luck cards are also provided, such as card 172 bearing the directions "Lose your turn!"

Level pad 150, shown in Fig. 10, is provided for making a record of the questions previously played in a game so that no question is asked twice in one game. Thus, after each attempt to answer a question, one player marks off with a pencil or pen a space in pad 150 relating to that question. Pad 150 includes a left-hand column designation 153 for each of tracks 1-99 and an upper row designation 152 for each of Clips A-F. The rows and the columns provide a rectangular matrix and within each matrix position there are five ovals

corresponding to the five levels for each clip of a given track. Thus, following team A's first turn, the oval marked "3" in column 11, clip A is checked off. Alternative versions of the game may be obtained by utilizing additional features of higher- priced compact disc players, such as indexing, random shuffle, and programability.

As a first alternative, the use of one or more program buttons 58 (shown schematically in Fig. 11) may be used to selectively play a predetermined sequence of tracks.- The track sequence may be programmed ahead of the game to speed up the pace of the game and would eliminate the need for spinner 120.

As a second alternative, a random shuffle feature provided by one or more buttons 59 (shown schematically in Fig. 11) creates a random sequence of tracks to be played. This would also eliminate the need for spinner 120.

As a third alternative, an indexing feature provided by one or more buttons 60 (shown schematically in Fig. 11) enables specific clips within a given track to be accessed immediately. With this feature each clip is given an absolute address, or index number, and by use of a numeric keyboard (not shown) a specific Index No. (clip) can

be immediately accessed. This also allows clip repeatability, for example, if a player wishes to hear a given audio clip repeated before providing an answe . As a still further alternative, the game may incorporate a video display along with the audio clips. Thus, the information stored on the compact disc might include video as well as audio information and by hooking the CD player up to a video display screen, both the audio and video information may be played simultaneously. For example, both video and audio portions of a horror movie may be provided on a specific clip.

A still further alternative is to provide the questions and answers and the game board on a display screen and store the same in computer memory. Thus, for example, a CD ROM drive may be attached to a Macintosh personal computer wherein the drive accepts audio compact discs. The written questions and answers and game board may be stored in the computer and displayed on the computer screen while the audio clips on the disc are read by the computer and sent to an amplifier and speakers for broadcasting. Yet another alternative is to store the audio clips on digital audio tape (DAT) and play the same on a digital audio tape player. Generally, any digital storage medium can be used on which short

audio clips can be stored at predetermined locations for selective access. Preferably, a given clip can be accessed in no more than about 15-20 seconds, which corresponds to the time it takes to access the corresponding question in the book.

In yet another alternative embodiment, the game is adapted for use by blind persons wherein the question, audio clip, and answer are all provided on the compact disc for audible playing. For example, a given track number may contain an audio tone, a narrated question, another audio tone, the audio clip, another audio tone, a narrated answer, and another audio tone.

Although certain preferred embodiments of this invention have hereinbefore been described, it will be appreciated that variations of this invention will be perceived by those skilled in the art, which variations are nevertheless within the scope of this invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.