Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns an electronic timer for use in connection with games, plays, trivia or competitions, where the timer includes a power supply, preferably a battery supply, plurality of displays, an on-off button and a control unit.

The invention further concerns a method for using an electronic timer in connnection with play or games.

Background of the Invention

In connection with plays or games it is often desirable to use a timer. For example, in chess chess clocks are used to provide that the players do not use too much time for their draws.

In connection with quizzes or plays, trivia or competitions, hourglasses or egg-timers are often used to control that players respond within a certain time limit.

US 4 888 748 disclose a dual mode clock and timer unit includes housing and a plurality of displays mounted on the housing for facilitating the viewing of time-related data from different directions: The housing has top, bottom, and side surfaces defining the exterior of the housing in a generally truncated pyramidal shape. The displays are mounted on the housing side surfaces and angularly displaced from one another. Switches are mounted on the top and bottom housing surfaces and are actuable for selecting one or the other of dual clock and timer operating modes and, after one or the other of dual clock and timer modes have been selected, for causing different functions to occur in one of the modes than in the other of the modes. Also, a circuit, such as microcomputer based circuit, is provided in the housing electrically connected between the switches and each of the displays for currently carrying out operations in clock and timer modes and for causing indications of time-related data on the displays relating to one or the other, but not both concurrently, of clock and timer modes in response to selected actuation of the switches. Object of the Invention

It is the object of the invention to provide a timer and a method for using the timer in connection with a new type of play or game.

Description of the Invention

The object of the invention is achieved by an electronic timer of the kind mentioned in the introduction, which is peculiar in that that the timer includes a start/stop button for each display, where the start/stop button is arranged near the display, and where the timer at least includes a further function button for each display, where the function button is arranged near the display, where the timer includes a memory unit connected to the control unit, where the control unit further is connected to the displays, the start/stop buttons and the function buttons.

This is further achieved by a method for using of an electronic timer in connection with play, games, trivia or competitions, which is peculiar by the following method steps: a) providing an electronic timer with a plurality of displays, where each display is arranged near each start/stop button, where the timer includes a control unit connected to displays and start/stop buttons, and where the timer includes and on-off button;

b) that the timer is switched on by operating the on-off button;

c) that the displays are allocated each their playing time by the control unit; d) that a game is started by pressing one of the start/stop buttons after which the control unit initiates a countdown of a turn time;

e) that said countdown of the turn time stops when the countdown is finished or when the start/stop button is pressed again.

The electronic timer includes a plurality of displays, typically one display for each user. A user may consist of a single person or a group of persons. In order to discern between the displays, these can be marked with either numbers, colours or similar such that the users may readily identify which display is their own.

With each display is associated an on-off button and a function button. Displays and buttons are connected to a control unit. The control unit will typically be an integrated circuit such as a programmable microchip or similar. A memory is also connected to the control unit; the memory may either be a separate unit or an integrated unit of the control unit. A power supply is also connected to the control unit. The power supply will preferably be a battery supply but may also be in the form of an optional coupling to an electric power supply.

The timer also includes an on-off button capable of switching the timer on and off. The button will typically be in the form of a press button as this enables the control unit to switch the timer off automatically if it has not been used for some time. This will typically occur after 10-20 minutes of inactivity and provides the advantage that the timer saves power after ending the use.

The timer may be designed as a single unit upon which all buttons and displays are arranged; alternatively, the timer may consist of several part elements where e.g. each part element includes a display with associated on-off button and function button. These part elements can be interconnected by a wire or the like. Alternatively, each part element may include a battery supply and a control unit; thus an arbitrary number of elements can be used for attaining the desired number of displays. Moreover, the units may include wireless communication means such that the elements can communicate with each other. Hereby, a single element can be used with a control unit which then controls the remaining units wirelessly.

In its simplest form the timer can be used in connection with play or game, such as a quiz or a trivia game, by the above mentioned method. Firstly, the timer is switched on, after which the control unit shows a play time on each display. By start of the play, the play time will be the same for all displays, e.g. 5 minutes. After initialising the play time, the play time is now unique for each display. Each user will typically be allocated a display before play start, and a play is started by a user pressing his/her on-off button. Then the control unit initiates a countdown of a predefined turn time. The turn time will typically be about 10-30 seconds.

By countdown is meant counting from one number to another number. For practical reasons, counting from one number to another will be termed as countdown in the following. However, it is to be mentioned that the invention also can be used by counting up, and countdown is therefore not to be seen as a limitation of the direction of counting. The countdown of the turn time stops when the countdown is finished or when the user presses on-off button again. Countdown is finished when the predefined turn time has expired. When the turn time is expired, the user's turn is usually finished, and the turn will go on to another user who can start a turn by pressing the on-off button. In a further embodiment, a delay can be inserted between the pressing of the on-off button and the start of countdown of the turn time. During the delay, the display may possible flash to illustrate that the countdown will soon start. This may be an advantage in connection with quizzes or trivia games where a question then can be asked in the delay period before the turn time starts. The delay will typically be about 1-10 seconds.

In an extended variant, the method for using the electronic timer is peculiar in that the method further includes the step:

f) that said playing time counts down concurrently with the turn time on the display until the countdown of the turn time in step e) ceases.

Hereby is achieved that the used turn time is subtracted from the play time, and meanwhile the user can see the countdown of the play time on the display. In that way the user can always see how much playing time is remaining. For example, a display can have a play time of 3 minutes after which the on-off button is pressed. If the turn time is defined to 20 seconds, the display will thus count down to 2 minutes and 40 seconds, unless the on-off button is pressed again in the meantime and the countdown is stopped thereby. In an alternative variant, the display can be shifted by pressing the on-off button into showing the turn time after which the countdown commences. When countdown of the turn time is finished, or the on-off button is pressed again, the turn time will be subtracted from the play time, and the display will shift back to the new remaining play time. The user may hereby easily overview how long time is left of the turn. The play will typically end when only one user has play time left as shown on the display; this user will typically be the winner, and a new game can be started thereafter.

Alternatively, the play stop may occur when the first user reaches zero. In this variant, a possible winner will often be the one with most playing time left on the display.

Alternatively, the displays can be set to zero when the play starts, after which is counted up until the play time is reached. By this variant, the play will typically end when only one user has not used up all the play time.

In an extended variant, the method for using the electronic timer is peculiar in that method step a) is extended by step:

al) where providing an electronic timer further includes a function button per display arranged near the display;

and said method further includes the additional step:

g) by pressing the function button, additional time is added to the play time belonging to the display.

Hereby is achieved that a user can be allotted extra time in the form of added time by pressing the function button. The user determines by himself when the added time is to be allotted; this will e.g. typically be after correctly finishing a task or the like, or for allotting handicap to one or more users. The added time will often be about half a turn time. In a variant where counting is upwards, the added time is typically subtracted from the actual time on the display.

According to a further embodiment, the electronic timer is peculiar in that the timer further includes a set-timer button.

The set-timer button will typically be provided in connection with the control unit. The set-timer button will typically be in the form of a press button.

In a preferred embodiment, the timer is peculiar in that the timer includes four displays. This is an advantage as the timer thus easily can be disposed at the centre of a table and used by four users. This makes the timer suited for e.g. family games or other social games. Furthermore, a timer with four displays can be used by only two or three users as there is no requirement to all displays being in use at the same time. Four displays therefore provide good flexibility in that if more than four persons want to use the timer, it may be advantageous to be divided into teams such that each team has a display. This is an advantage as the timer thus can be used both for family games as well as for social games and trivia games for teams. The timer is therefor well suited for use together with existing games and plays as the timer may provide an additional element in the games in the form of a time pressure.

According to a further embodiment, the electronic timer is peculiar in that the timer includes a sound reproducer where the sound reproducer is connected to the control unit.

By including a sound reproducer, e.g. a so-called buzzer, the control unit can notify the user about an event by means of sound. In an extended variant, the method for using the electronic timer is peculiar in that method step a) is extended by step:

a2) where providing an electronic timer further includes a sound reproducer connected to the control unit;

and said method further includes the following step:

h) that when the play time on a display reaches 0, the users of the timer are notified, e.g. by flashing of the display and/or by activating the sound reproducer;

that step e) is extended by the step:

el) that if said countdown is stopped, the sound reproducer is activated.

Hereby is achieved that if a user's turn time or play time expires, the sound reproducer is activated whereby the user is notified. If the turn time is finished by pressing the on- off button, the sound reproducer will typically not be activated. Different sounds may furthermore be used for notification about various events. These events may further include play or turn initiation, registration of added time, warnings by inadvertent events or button pressings, etc. The sound reproducer may also provide a warning if the control unit detects low battery on the power supply. Moreover, the sound reproducer may also be used in a variant where counting up to a certain play time is performed, instead of down to zero. By such a variant the sound reproducer will typically be activated when a display shows that the determined play time has been reached/is expired.

In an extended variant, the method for using the electronic timer is peculiar in that method step a) is extended by step:

a3) where providing an electronic timer further includes a set-timer button; and said method further includes the step:

i) that the play time for all displays can be changed by operating the set- timer button, several operations may e.g. alternate between a series of predefined play times.

Hereby is achieved that the play time can be varied depending on the wishes of the user. The play times may e.g. jump by steps of every 2 minutes, e.g. 2-10 minutes. Thereby, one press on the set-timer button will thereby provide 2 minutes of play time, two pressings will provide 4 minutes of play time etc.

Alternatively, the set-timer button may be held down after which the function button can be used for setting the desired play time.

In an extended variant, the method for using the electronic timer is peculiar in that method step a) is extended by step:

a4) where providing an electronic timer (1) further includes a memory connected to the control unit;

and that said method further includes the step:

j) that when the timer is switched off, e.g. by pressing the on-off button, the play times belonging to the various displays are stored in the memory; and that method step c) is extended by step: cl) if play times are stored in the memory, the respective displays are set to these play times.

Hereby is achieved that the timer can be used for storing plays in progress in the memory. A play is stored in the memory when the user switches off the timer. If switching off occurs automatically, the play will also be stored. Furthermore, the timer may store the play in progress if too low battery capacity is detected in the battery supply. When the timer is switched on again, the control unit checks whether a play is stored in the memory. If this is not the case, respective displays will be set to the stored play times. If the user does not wish to continue the play, a new play can be initialised by pressing the set-timer button.

Description of the Drawing

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing, where:

Fig. 1 shows the timer as seen from above, and Fig. 2 shows the timer as seen from below.

In the explanation of the Figures, identical or corresponding elements will be provided with the same designations in different Figures. Therefore, no explanation of all details will be given in connection with each single Figure/embodiment. Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention

Figure 1 shows the timer 1 as seen from above. The timer 1 in the shown embodiment includes four displays 2 where each display 2 is provided an associated on-off button 3 and a function button 4.

Figure 2 shows the timer 1 as seen from below. Here, the on-off button 5 and the set- timer button 6 are shown. In addition, a battery supply 7 in which batteries (not shown) can be provided and a loudspeaker 8 are seen.