DESCRIPTION

ELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a recreational apparatus. In particular, the iparatus comprises a game intended for children and an appliance for taking lotographs and/or recording videos of the children while playing.

IOR ART

Recreation for young-age children exists in the form of various types of games. In irticular, recreational games such as "kiddie rides" are described in the prior art. More lecifically these consist of games involving toy cars, motorcycles, carts, horses, etc., lich in most cases perform movements simulating, albeit very approximately, the ovements performed in reality. Generally, operation of the kiddie rides is activated by joducing tokens or coins into the specific payment device.

Such games are widespread and can be found, for example, in recreational areas parks, shopping centres and lunar parks. Kiddies rides, therefore, provide recreation r the children present in public leisure facilities. Collective experience shows that lildren are particularly attracted by kiddies rides and that this type of recreation presents a source of diversion and amusement, in particular for very young infants, ecisely in this connection, kiddie rides at present have a number of limitations. In irticular, for a series of technical reasons, it is difficult for parents to photograph their lildren while playing on the kiddie rides. In fact, in view of their widespread diffusion in iblic leisure facilities, not always does the parent or the child minder have ready access a camera in order to capture a joyful (rather than amazed or fearful) expression of the lild. Moreover, it is not always possible to stand directly facing the child, nor is it easy to ke a good-quality photograph.

The object of the present invention is therefore to solve the abovementioned oblems, by proposing a recreational apparatus as defined in claim 1. Preferred laracteristic features of the present invention are contained in the respective dependent aims. The present invention results in numerous evident advantages.

In particular, as a result of the present invention, it is possible to obtain a creational apparatus which provides a game suitable for accommodating a person, such ; a kiddie ride, and devices for taking photographs. Moreover, in one embodiment, the notion associated with it consists in the possibility of processing the photos taken, suiting in the possibility of obtaining rapidly personalized photographs. IEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages, as well as the characteristic features and modes of use of the esent invention, will become clear from the following detailed description of preferred nbodiments thereof, provided by way of a non-limiting example, with reference to the lures of the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 1A shows examples of personalized photos according to the present /ention;

Figure 2A and 2B show two views of a second embodiment of the present i ention;

Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the invention described here;

Figures 4A and 4B show views of the apparatus according to Figure 1.

ETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to describe the present invention reference will be made below to the (ovementioned figures.

A recreational apparatus 1 according to the present invention is an apparatus imprising a game 2 and an appliance 3. In particular, "recreational apparatus" is iderstood as meaning an apparatus for diversion or amusement. The apparatus sscribed here is characterized by the function of providing, on the one hand, diversion id, on the other hand, the possibility of taking photographs and/or recording videos. The jparatus according to the present invention is to be understood in the sense of an jparatus of the self-service type, to be installed more or less extensively in an urban ivironment.

The game 2 is a game suitable for accommodating a person, for example, a child, a preferred embodiment of the present invention the game may be a kiddie ride. "Kiddie le" in the present invention is understood as meaning a game, for example in the form of machine, which, when operated by tokens, coins, etc., entertains the child, who is sat in e game machine, which simulates a movement depending on the particular form of ime.

The appliance 3 included within the apparatus 1 , allows the taking of photos and/or e recording of videos. Consequently, the appliance 3 is designed to provide a service for ;quiring and printing photos and/or videos and the like, comprising means suitable for is purpose. Therefore the apparatus 1 is designed to take pictures of a person when sat the game machine; in a first embodiment of the invention the apparatus 1 records :tures of a child while playing on traditional kiddie rides.

The means designed to take and develop photographs and/or videos comprises, in irticular, picture acquisition means 4, picture display means 5, picture processing means and printing means 7.

The acquisition means 4 comprises at least one photographic camera and/or video imera. According to the present invention said photographic camera and/or video imera is positioned in the appliance 3 at a height such as to allow the acquisition of :tures of the person sat in the machine of the game 2 itself. Even more preferably this lotographic camera and/or video camera is positioned in the appliance 3 at a height ich as to allow the acquisition of pictures of the face of the person sat in machine of the ime 2 itself. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the photographic cameras id/or video cameras are of the digital type.

further possibility according to the present invention consists in the fact that the :quisition means 4 comprises dedicated modules for receiving data from external orage media of various kinds. In particular, data may be transferred from and to: digital imeras, portable computers, palm-top computers (PDAs), memory cards, floppy disks, D ROMs or the like.

The display means 5 comprises at least two monitors. According to the present mention, the two monitors are designed to allow firstly viewing of the picture of the jrson involved in the game 2 by said person and by another person not involved in the ime.

In particular, a monitor will allow, for example, a child involved in the game 2 to see ctures of him/herself while playing the game, these pictures also being shown on lother monitor so as to allow viewing also, for example, by a parent.

It is therefore clear that the two monitors will be positioned in the apparatus 1 at )int suitable for viewing of the pictures by persons both involved and not involved in the >me 2. Figures 1 , 2A, 2b, 3, 4A and 4B show preferred embodiments in which the >ssible positions of the monitor as explained above are shown. In a preferred nbodiment at least one monitor is a touch-screen monitor.

ie processing means 6 comprises a computer and software. In particular, the software is jsigned to modify images. In particular, the pictures of the child involved in the game, -rich are taken by the appliance, chosen by the user, for example a parent, and stored in e computer, may be elaborated, for example, by means of incorporation of images of irtoon characters (e.g. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, etc.) and/or particular background enery (e.g. countryside scenes) and/or personal images introduced into the system :ternally.

I way of a non-limiting example the insert 1 a shows a possible elaboration of photos ken by the apparatus 1 where the picture of the child playing on a kiddie ride is aborated with the introduction of a background scene in the form of a farm and a person taring a hat. It is evident that, in view of the large variety of backgrounds, characters, )jects, etc., which can be used to elaborate the pictures, without the need for further planations here, the invention described here may be designed so as to allow ocessing of the pictures according to different requirements. Of particular interest is the issibility of creating caricatures from the recording of a digital image of the user's face, le apparatus 1 described here allows control by the user/parent such that the latter is ile to control and/or choose the pictures and the incorporated elements which can be isociated with them as explained above.

In one embodiment of the invention, the processing means 6 may further •mprises interface means which allow, for example, selection of the type of picture id/or processing mode and/or printing medium. These interface means comprises, for :ample, a dedicated alphanumeric keyboard which may be realized via the touch-screen onitor.

The printing means 7 comprises at least one printer and at least one printing edium. The printing unit may comprise different printing devices, each suitable for !rforming printing on a specific medium. In one particular embodiment, the printer is of e thermal sublimation type. The specific printing medium may comprise photographic iper and/or plain paper and/or adhesive die-cut articles. The person skilled in the art will s familiar with the possible printing devices and media associated with them and, erefore, without the need for any inventive step, will be able to define the printing means lich are most suited for realization of the present invention on the basis of the particular quirements.

a further embodiment, the apparatus 1 comprises means for performing recording on ita media. The data media may comprise, but without being limited thereto, CD ROMs id/or floppy disks and/or USB memories.

ivantageously the apparatus 1 according to the present invention comprises further put devices which are able to receive commands for supplying the processing and/or loto-printing and/or video service,

particular, direct-connection modules and wireless connection modules (infrared, uetooth, Wi-Fi or the like) intended for electronic appliances of various kinds, for :ample mobile phones, are provided.

le users, in particular the children and children's parents, who wish to use the creational and photographic and/or video service offered by the apparatus 1 , must icess the apparatus itself and, after payment of a corresponding sum, request and )tain the service for activation of the game 2 and/or the photographic and/or video !rvice. For this reason, the apparatus 1 comprises payment means which in turn imprises systems for accepting coins, tokens, banknotes or credit cards. In particular, e apparatus 1 according to the present invention comprises a unit for accepting lyments, suitable for different forms of payment: cash, credit card, ATM card, mobile lone, bank debit.

In a first embodiment of the invention, shown in Figure 1 , the game 2 is physically iparate from the appliance 3. In order to form an apparatus according to the present i ention, the appliance 3 is positioned with respect to the game 2 so that the acquisition eans 4 may take pictures of the user sat in the game machine 2. This embodiment fers the advantage that an appliance 3 may be positioned opposite any kiddie ride, even ready present in a given recreational area. In other words, it is possible to use kiddie le appliance which have already been acquired. Moreover this embodiment allows the jpliance 3 to be adapted to a particular theme by means of an advertising placard and ws purchase of the appliance 3 individually, without being tied to the specific subject presented by the game 2.

In a second embodiment, shown in Figures 2A, 2B and 3, the appliance 3 is ructurally incorporated in the game 2. This second embodiment essentially allows the ime 2 to be converted into a multimedia experience, whilst guaranteeing compactness id savings in terms of space.

order to illustrate more clearly the apparatus 1 , a description is provided below of the >erating steps which are required for the user to be able to obtain one or more services insisting in the recreational and/or photographic and/or video service described above. particular, the following main steps may be envisaged:

- positioning of the person on the game machine 2;

- activating the game 2 by means of payment;

- activation of the appliance 3 by means of payment;

- viewing the picture of the person on display means;

- selecting/taking one or more suitable pictures for obtaining a photo and/or video; - selecting the type of processing to be carried out on the selected pictures;

selecting the printing medium;

- printing the photos and/or storing the video;

removing the photos and/or the video obtained.

le present invention has been described hitherto with reference to preferred nbodiments thereof, provided by way of a non-limiting example,

is understood that other forms may be envisaged, all to be regarded as falling within the ;ope of protection of said invention, as defined in the accompanying claims.