Handheld electronic bubble game

Abstract

A handheld electronic game includes a housing assembly; resilient domes protruding from the housing assembly; and a programmable, interactive system and at least one light emitting diode mounted within the housing, electrically connected to the programmable, interactive system. The housing assembly has a front housing portion and a rear housing portion. Each of the domes has a first surface and a second surface. The domes can transition from a first position where the first surface is convex to a second position where the second surface is convex. The programmable, interactive system includes a microprocessor and a sensor. The sensor is electrically connected to the microprocessor and senses when one or more of the domes transitions from the first position to the second position or from the second position to the first position. The domes can be returned to their first position with a reset mechanism or manually.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A handheld electronic game comprising:
 a housing assembly having a front housing portion and a rear housing portion;   resilient domes protruding from the housing assembly, each of the resilient domes having a first surface and a second surface transitionable from a first position wherein the first surface is a convex surface of the resilient dome to a second position wherein the second surface is the convex surface of the resilient dome;   a programmable, interactive system including a microprocessor and a sensor mounted within the housing assembly, wherein the sensor is electrically connected to the microprocessor and is operative to sense when one or more of the elastomeric domes transitions from the first position to the second position or from the second position to the first position; and   at least one light emitting diode mounted within the housing, electrically connected to the programmable, interactive system.   
     
     
         2 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 1 , wherein the programmable, interactive system further comprises electronic components, electrically connected to the microprocessor, selected from the group consisting of a battery compartment, batteries, a speaker, a printed circuit board assembly, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient domes are integrally formed in an elastomeric panel mounted within an aperture in the front housing portion. 
     
     
         4 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 1 , wherein the light emitting diode is one of a plurality of light emitting diodes located directly behind each of the resilient domes that are each operative to individually illuminate the respective one of the resilient domes. 
     
     
         5 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is one of a plurality of proximity sensors located proximal to each of the resilient domes, such that the sensor is directly behind one of the resilient domes or is adjacent to a perimeter of the one of the resilient domes. 
     
     
         6 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is operative to track a player's success in transitioning the first position to the second position of a series of the resilient domes according to a predetermined sequential pattern. 
     
     
         7 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 1 , wherein each of the resilient domes has indicia for a discrete letter of the English alphabet. 
     
     
         8 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 1 , wherein an aperture is formed between edges of the front and rear housing portions that accommodates a speaker; and wherein the speaker electrically communicates with the microprocessor. 
     
     
         9 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 1 , wherein the programmable, interactive system activates the light emitting diode when any of the resilient domes transitions from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         10 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 1 , wherein the housing assembly further comprises a handle, a front portion of which is integrally formed in the front housing portion, and a rear portion of which is integrally formed in the rear housing portion. 
     
     
         11 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 1 , wherein the light emitting diode is operative to emit multiple colors in a pattern determined by the programmable, interactive system. 
     
     
         12 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 1 , wherein the housing assembly has a lobed circumference, with an aperture formed through each lobe to form a circular frame; and one of the resilient domes is mounted in each aperture; and wherein each of the resilient domes has discrete indicia on each of the first surface and the second surface. 
     
     
         13 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 1 , wherein a control panel is formed in the front housing portion, having game operation switches laterally slidable therein, wherein the game operation switches electronically communicate with the microprocessor. 
     
     
         14 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 1 , wherein the front housing portion and the rear housing portion have a centrally located window with the light emitting diode mounted therebetween. 
     
     
         15 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 1 , wherein each of the resilient domes has a protrusion extending from its second surface operative to activate the sensor when the respective resilient dome transitions from the first position to the second position or from the second position to the first position. 
     
     
         16 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 1 , further comprising an orientation sensor mounted within the housing assembly operative to detect inversion of the housing assembly and electrically connected to the microprocessor. 
     
     
         17 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 1 , further comprising a spring biased reset mechanism having integrally formed pins slidably mounted within an aperture in the rear housing portion and slidably accommodated by an element of the programmable, interactive system, wherein the spring biased reset mechanism is operative to urge the resilient domes into the first position when the spring biased reset mechanism is urged into the housing assembly, and wherein the first position is a default position in which the resilient domes protrude convexly from the housing assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 17 , wherein programmable, interactive system further comprises electronic switches operative to send a signal to the microprocessor indicating reset of the resilient domes to the first position upon activation by the spring biased reset mechanism. 
     
     
         19 . The handheld electronic game of  claim 17 , wherein the spring biased reset mechanism has a battery compartment formed therein with a cover screwably secured to the spring biased reset mechanism; and where the battery compartment electrically communicates with the programmable, interactive system.