TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to online games, and more particularly to an online beer pong game to permit players in different locations to play beer pong over the Internet. BACKGROUND ART

Beer-Pong, or Beirut, is a drinking game that is a popular party game, particularly among young people, such as college students. Although there are many local variations in the rules of the game, typically the game comprises two teams of two people each. The game is played on a conventional ping-pong table, or a table similar in dimensions to a ping-pong table, but without the net across the center of the table. The teams have a group of drinking cups, e.g., 16-ounce cups, arranged in a close fitting triangular pattern, similar to racked billiard balls, placed centrally at opposite ends of the table. The cups are filled, or half-filled, with a beverage, typically beer, although malt liquor or other alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverages may be substituted therefor.

The purpose of the game is for each team to take turns trying to eliminate the other team's cups by throwing or bouncing ping-pong balls into the cups. Any cup that a ping-pong ball falls into will be taken out of play, and a member of the team whose cup was eliminated must drink the beer or other beverage contained in the cup. Depending upon the number of cups remaining, the cups may be rearranged into a diamond configuration or other configuration as cups are eliminated. The objective is to eliminate the opposing team's cups first, and the victor is the team that does so.

Playing the game in certain settings may be ill advised due to the lack of availability of a designated driver to ferry the participants home. Consequently, there is a need for a system that enables the capability of playing a game of Beer-Pong or Beirut in one's domicile with other similarly situated participants throughout the world.

Thus, an online beer pong game solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The online beer pong game includes beer pong playing tables digitally connected to user computers connected to the Internet and mediated by a web server, thereby facilitating the playing of a beer pong game online. The tables are connected to the computers by digital cables. Each playing table has cup placement areas arranged in 4, 3, 2, 1 order on each longitudinal end beginning approximately one-half inch inside of a peripheral table edge. LED illuminated relay rings are concentrically arranged around the placement areas. The relay ring on a local table illuminates or flashes when a ball is successfully tossed into a corresponding cup on a remote player's table. Relay ring data is digitally transmitted from the remote table to the local table. Local and remote web cameras, in combination with wide screen monitors, allow both playing sides to see each other in real-time during the beer pong playing session.

These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1A is an environmental, perspective view of an apparatus for playing the online beer pong game according to the present invention.

Fig. I B is an environmental, perspective view of an alternative embodiment of an apparatus for playing the online beer pong game according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial perspective view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 , showing details of the LED ring lights.

Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 , showing details of the indicator and special beer mug.

Fig. 4 is block diagram of a network environment for playing the online beer pong game according to the present invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

As shown in Figs 1A, IB, and 4, the online beer pong game has playing stations 10 that include a beer pong playing table 13a having a variety of digital enhancements that facilitate online playing mediated by a web server 105. Each table 13a is supported by four legs 12. The tables 13a are connected by digital cables 22 to computers 120, which are linked to the Internet 102. The playing table 13a has cup placement areas 14 arranged in 4, 3, 2, 1 order on each longitudinal end beginning approximately one-half inch inside of a peripheral table edge. An initial game state comprises empty cups disposed on the cup placement areas at a table end distal from a user standing at a table edge away from the monitor 18 and camera 20, and liquid full cups disposed on the cup placement areas at a table end proximate the user.

LED, electroluminescent cable, lamps, or other type of electronically illuminated relay rings 225 are concentrically arranged around the cup placement areas 14. The illuminated relay rings 225 have mechanical or semiconductor "relay" switches that close to apply electrical power to the LEDs or other type of illumination means, thereby illuminating the ring 225 when a ball is tossed in an associated cup placement area 14. The relay ring 225 on a local table will also illuminate or flash when a ball is successfully tossed into a corresponding cup 16 on the table 13a of a remote player. The data from relay ring 225 is digitally transmitted from the remote table to the local table by computer connections 22 and Internet connectivity of local and remote computers 120.

Table size is approximately eight ft long, two ft wide, and twenty-seven inches tall, which is a preferred standard beer pong table size. A plurality of cup-receiving recesses 140 is disposed along each of a pair of opposing lateral sides of the playing table 13a. A pressure sensitive digital pad 13b is disposed on the top surface of table 13a and digitally transmits via cable 22 pressure data indicating when a ball has hit a cup, entered a cup, and related beer pong table parameters. The digital transmission cable 22 may extend from the beer pong table 13a and have a remote end compatible with a digital input receptacle of the computer 120 for transmitting local beer pong playing parameters and receiving remote beer pong playing parameters to and from computer 120 via Internet 102.

Alternatively, the table 13a may have a wireless transceiver for transmitting and receiving the beer pong playing parameters to and from computer 120. The wide screen monitor 18 having built-in web camera 20 extends upward from one longitudinal end of table 13a. The local and remote web cameras 20 allow both playing sides to see each other in realtime during the beer pong playing session.

An illuminated motion indicator strip 33a is disposed laterally across the table 13a proximate the cup placement areas 14. When a ball is tossed, the motion indicator strip 33a senses motion of the ball and, by selective illumination, displays the ball approach angle to the region of cup placement areas 14. The digital sensor data from motion indicator strip 33a is sent via computer 120 over Internet 102 to remote computer 120 and corresponding remote motion indicator strip 33a on remote table 13a, which mirrors the illumination pattern on the local motion indicator strip, thereby giving a defensive player sufficient information to take appropriate defensive action. As shown in Fig. 2, left and right slap sticks 1 1 are removably attached to table 13a via slap stick holders or boom arms 82 proximate a longitudinal end of table 13a distal from the wide screen 18 end. A beer pong player uses the slap sticks 1 1 or otherwise gesticulates to deflect a ball that has crossed over the motion indicator strip 33a away from a cup the ball may be headed for as indicated by the motion indicator strip 33a. If the motion indicator strip 33a signals that the ball is heading to the right lateral side of the area of cup placement areas 14, then a defensive player must use the slap stick 1 1 that is attached to the right lateral side of table 13a.

If the motion indicator strip 33a signals that the ball is heading to the left lateral side of the area of cup placement areas 14, then a defensive player must use the slap stick 11 that is attached to the left lateral side of table 13a. If the motion indicator strip 33a signals that the ball is heading straight down the middle to the area of cup placement areas 14, then a defensive player may use either right or left side disposed slap stick 11 to attempt to deflect the ball from a cup 16. It should be understood that the deflection is a virtual deflection, as the actual ball is being tossed remotely by the defensive player's opponent on his/her remote beer pong table 13a. A slap stick motion sensor 33b is disposed within the widescreen monitor 18 and utilizes a software component in operable communication with local and remote computer systems 120 to determine whether the virtual ball deflection was successful or not. Whenever the software determines that a virtual ball deflection is successful, the software nullifies the effect of the related physical ball traveling into a cup 16 on the opponent's table. To assist in uninterrupted game play, flexible ball holders 999 may be attachable to sides of table 13a.

As shown in Fig. 3, an electronically equipped, wireless USB beer mug 360 is used in conjunction with a complementary illuminated ring 362 disposed on the side of the table 13a in concentric arrangement with one of the side placement areas 140. Side placement areas 140 and illuminated rings 362 have sound pick ups so that when the ball hits the middle of the table, the motion strip picks up which side of the table the ball is headed towards, thereby indicating which of the slap sticks should be actuated. The illuminated ring 362 lights up when the beer mug 360 is off the table 13a. Placement area 140 has green ring lights that flash on the opposite side of the table to aim the ball in the specific hole for a "straight win". The software is designed to light up a corner of the LCD screen 18 to inform the user that he/she can throw the ball for a "straight win". When indicated on wide screen display unit 18, the offensive player may throw the ball at the illuminated ring surrounding the side placement area 140. If the offensive player is successful in sinking the ball in the illuminated side placement area 140, the corresponding side placement area 140 illuminates on the defensive player's table 13a and the wireless beer mug 360 concurrently illuminates via wireless illumination module 361. Occurrence of this condition represents a "straight win" and the defensive player holding the illuminated beer mug 360 must consume the beer (or other hopefully potable liquid contents) in the mug 360. The "straight win" ends the game for the defensive player caught in the aforementioned predicament. The USB beer mug 360 rests on the table 13a. When the player removes the beer mug 360 from the table 13a, the software program triggers an indicator, which notifies the other player to wait for the LCD screen 18 to flash a light in the corner of the screen. Only then can the player aim the ball and throw it at the ring light on the other side of the table. If the ring light is struck dead center then the ring light will illuminate. At that time the beer mug 360 will also illuminate. Only two flashes per game will be shown unless a cup is returned to a ring light, which will restart the computer software when the mug 360 is again removed from the table. For other variants of the beer pong game, the server 105 can make the Beer Pong game Rules available for player review.

While the monitor 18 is available with built-in web camera 20, in order to keep costs down, a vertically extending pole 27 is provided upon which only the webcam 20 is attached without the big screen monitor 18, as shown in Fig. IB (remote and local participants can view each other on their respective laptop computer screens). Pressure pad 13b is on the table 13a to detect when a certain portion of the table 13a is hit by a ball. The system 10 provides the capability of worldwide beer pong.

In use, the local user stands near the longitudinal end of the beer pong table 10 retaining the slap sticks 1 1. The digital pressure pad 13b is disposed on the table 10. The longitudinal end distal from the local user has ten cups disposed on cup placement areas 14 of pad 13b, as does the longitudinal end proximal to the local user. The beer pong rules are typical and may or may not include rearrangement of the cups during play. The ring lights 225 disposed around the 10 cups across from the local user signal corresponding ring lights 225 proximate a remote user on a remote table 10. The local user's proximal ten cups are Filled with beer. The distal cups are empty. There is a webcam and/or a display screen across from the local user. When the local user throws the pong ball on the table 10 and it lands in one of the ten empty cups, the LED ring 225 around it lights up and sends a digital trigger through the Internet and lights up the corresponding LED ring 225 (which is proximal to the remote user) on the remote table and the remote user will have to drink from the cup in the placement area 14 that the corresponding LED ring 225 surrounds. The local and remote players may be next door neighbors or across the country, or in different countries. The screens 18 or webcam 20 allow local and remote users to watch each other throw the ball as if they were in the same room. Local and remote users can watch each other's reactions while playing, i.e., when the remote user throws his beer pong ball, the local user can watch the activity through the Internet connection, and local user's proximal LED ring 225 lights up if the remote user's toss was successful. When this occurs the local user has to drink from the corresponding cup.

The operational software is packaged with the pressure pad 13b when the system 10 is purchased. Alternatively, the software may be made available to authorized users as a download from server 105. Once loaded into the computer 120, the software provides required system functionality that allows worldwide online beer pong play. The operational software directs users to a website maintained and delivered via server 105. The server 105 has sufficient mass storage 1 10 for detailed game record keeping. The server 105 records every time a user plays the online beer pong game and also records game statistics, such as who won, time of game, number of wins for each player, and the like. The website can establish rules whereby if a beer pong challenge is won by a player/team more than five times, it will allow that player/team to advance to a different state, city, or college campus to play other beer pong player/teams. The website managed by web server 105 can charge a user's fee whenever users of the system 10 access the Internet 102 to play the online beer pong game. Alternatively, the server 105 can charge a one-time or periodic member's fee to users of the system 10.

The website managed by server 105 provides a chatroom, which allows users around the world to discuss online beer pong game information, events, shows, or discuss past, present, or future online beer pong challenges. The server 105 provides an interface that allows users to create a beer pong challenge, which includes a play appointment time. Such features as the aforementioned online beer pong challenge appointment setup require valid and verified user logon with a valid membership ID in order to reserve an online room for mutual webcam activation'of the opposing teams at the designated start time of the scheduled online beer pong game. The server 105 maintains records of scheduled online beer pong games and whoever wins such a game is recorded in the database 1 10 along with the winning score information. In the challenge room, i.e., the chatroom managed by the web site server 105, game participants are encouraged to engage in discussions about the game, e.g., who the best teams are, who the worst teams are, and the like. Other records that may be kept in the database 1 10 by the server 105 are records concerning the quantity of beers drank by the participants at the end of the online beer pong game, and the like. The website, managed and made available via server 105, will also have T-shirts, stickers, hats, hoodies, and other miscellaneous promotional items available for online purchase. Details of an exemplary gaming website method that could be used for implementation of the inventive online beer pong system 10 are included in U.S. Patent Publication 20070123347, published on May 31, 2007, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.

As stated above, exemplary applications include score keeping, web services, chatroom, game room, and account management for registered users of the system 10. The exemplary applications may run on a single computer, or in a distributed processing environment, or the like.

The software of the online beer pong system 10 may be programmed using any of a plurality of web programming languages, including, but not limited to, Java®, JavaScript®, C++, Perl, or the like.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.