Method and apparatus for facilitating playing an electronic game

Abstract

A method and apparatus facilitates playing an electronic game using a group of game devices. A sequence of musical melody notes are generated forming a melody after all players have previously received on their game devices a recognition sequence of certain musical notes which form a portion of the musical melody notes. Stop signals on one or more of the game devices are then generated. Incrementally quantifying reaction time signals are generated relative to the playing of the last musical note corresponding to the recognition sequence for each game device. A score for each game device may be generated for each round in response to the reaction time signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of facilitating the playing of an electronic musical game using a group of game devices, each being activated by a different player, comprising:
 generating non-synchronously a sequence of musical melody notes forming a melody on the game devices after all players have previously received on their game devices a recognition sequence of certain notes forming a portion of the musical melody notes;   generating STOP signals on one or more of the game devices;   generating on each game device incrementally quantifying reaction time signals during the playing of the musical melody notes to identify the recognition sequence;   generating a score for each game device for each round in response to the reaction time signal; and   downloading score information to each one of the game devices.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , further including generating a selection signal corresponding to either a single player game mode or a multiple player game made on one of the game devices. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , further including generating a selection signal corresponding to either a local game mode or a remote non-synchronous game mode. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein during a non-synchronous game mode, one of the game devices can generate a START signal, while at least one of the other game devices can generate non-synchronously preview signals for playing the recognition sequence. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4 , further including playing all notes from the game devices in stereo to provide a further cue for the user. 
     
     
         6 . In a method of facilitating the playing of a game, a computer program for being executed by computerized game devices, each being activated by a different player, comprising:
 generating non-synchronously a sequence of musical melody notes forming a melody on the game devices after all players have previously received on their game devices a recognition sequence of certain notes forming a portion of the musical melody notes;   generating STOP signals on one or more of the game devices;   generating on each game device incrementally quantifying reaction time signals during the playing of the last musical melody notes to identify the recognition sequence; and   generating a score for each game device for each round in response to the reaction time signal.   
     
     
         7 . In a method of facilitating the playing of a game, a computer program for being executed by a computerized game device, according to  claim 6 , further including generating a selection signal corresponding to either a single player game mode or a multiple player game mode on one of the game devices. 
     
     
         8 . In a method of facilitating the playing of a game, a computer program for being executed by a computerized game device, according to  claim 7 , further including generating a selection signal corresponding to either a local game mode or a remote non-synchronous game mode, or both. 
     
     
         9 . In a method of facilitating the playing of a game, a computer program for being executed by a computerized game device, according to  claim 8 , wherein during a non-synchronous game mode, one of the game devices can generate a START signal, while at least one of the other game devices can generate non-synchronously preview signals for playing the recognition sequence. 
     
     
         10 . In a method of facilitating the playing of a game, a computer program for being executed by a computerized game device, according to  claim 9 , further including playing all notes from the game devices in stereo to provide a further cue for the user. 
     
     
         11 . A method of facilitating the playing of an electronic musical game using a group of game devices, each being activated by a different player, comprising:
 generating non-synchronously a sequence of musical melody notes forming a melody on the game devices after all players have previously received on their game devices a recognition sequence of certain notes forming a portion of the musical melody notes;   generating STOP signals on one or more of the game devices;   generating an incrementally quantifying reaction time signal relative to the playing of the last musical note corresponding to the recognition sequence for each game device; and   generating a score for each game device for each round in response to the reaction time signal.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , further including a group of graphic signals displayed on the game devices to indicate PREVIEW and MELODY.