AU2007203121A1 - Bowling Illumination System - Google Patents

Description

CC)

Australia Patents Act 1990 Complete Specification Standard patent Bowling Illumination System The following statement is a full description of this Invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: Field of the Invention S The present invention relates to a system for illuminating bowling pins and surrounding area on a tenpin bowling lane. The present invention also relates to the apparatus supporting the system, including an array of light sources for illuminating said pins, a light source controller and a master controller.

S Background of the Invention C1 In recent years, tenpin bowling has undergone significant evolution. In a quest to increase business, proprietors and managers have introduced a format of bowling known as "moonlight bowling" or "cosmic bowling" and other similar names. The concept involves dimming the ambient light level in the bowling centre, introducing various kinds of coloured and/or moving lights, music and other decorative objects that may be highlighted by or emit light to create interesting and appealing effects.

It is common for objects within a tenpin bowling centre, including the bowling lanes and pins themselves to be coated in a fluorescent or phosphorescent material that will reflect brightly when illuminated by ultraviolet (UV) light. The traditional method of illuminating the bowling pins and surrounding area has been by the use of a single white fluorescent tube light mounted on or near the front of the pin spotting machine. In recent years, it has been common to add a second fluorescent tube which emits UV light, also known as "black-light" for the purpose of making the coating of the bowling pins fluoresce. Generally, only one or the other of the fluorescent tubes are switched on at any time.

The aforementioned traditional system of illumination of bowling pins is only marginally effective in creating the sought-after "glowing" effect on the bowling pins.

The traditional system of illumination of bowling pins is also limited to particular variations of the colour white. In the context of the modern forms of the game, such as the aforementioned "moonlight bowling" or "cosmic bowling", illuminating the pins with colours of light such as red, blue or green would be desirable. Enabling the staff of the bowling centre to have control over the colour and brightness of the bowling pin illumination would also be desirable.

The traditional system of illumination of bowling pins and the surrounding area does not allow control over the colour or brightness of the said illumination.

The traditional system of illumination of bowling pins does not allow the colour or brightness of the pins of any bowling lane or group of bowling lanes to change according to a predetermined pattern or program.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to overcome or ameliorate one or more of the above mentioned difficulties, or at least provide a useful alternative.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for illuminating pins and surrounding area on a tenpin bowling lane, including an array of light sources for illuminating said pins and a light source controller, where the light source controller is adapted to illuminate respective ones of the light sources to illuminate the pins in predetermined colours of light.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for illuminating pins and surrounding area on a tenpin bowling C lane, namely an array of light sources.

C_)

S In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for controlling the light sources within the said array of light sources, namely a light source controller.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for controlling one or more of the said light source controllers, namely a master controller.

Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred embodiments of the present invention are hereafter described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing how the apparatus combine to create the system of illumination.

Figure 2 is a view of a pair of bowling lanes as seen from behind and with the pin spotting machines removed for clarity.

Figure 3 is a detailed diagram of the light source arrays and the light source controller apparatus.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention The system for illumination shown in Figure 1 is for use in tenpin bowling, in particular for illumination of the bowling pins and surrounding area.

The figure is a schematic diagram of the system, showing the three main pieces of apparatus that make up the said system. Shown is an example embodiment of the system in a bowling centre consisting of six lanes. The number of six lanes is an example only, and is not meant to limit the system to any particular number of bowling lanes.

-2- Figure 1 also shows how, in the preferred embodiment, a light source controller controls two arrays of light sources one per bowling lane. This is an example and is not meant to limit the number of arrays of light sources that can be controlled by a light source controller.

The master controller accepts commands from a human operator or from a computer and then processes and transmits those commands to the light source controllers. Thus, the master controller will ultimately have control, through the light source controllers, over the average colour and brightness of the light emitted from each of the arrays of light sources. The master controller may also, depending on the input it has received, coordinate, through the light source controllers, a group of arrays of light sources to periodically change their emitted light colour or brightness in some predetermined pattern or sequence.

A light source controller can control and operate its dependent light source arrays independently from, or under the control of, a master controller. A light source controller can be configured to operate in either of the C 1 aforementioned ways as selected by a human operator or computer.

The system for illumination shown in Figure 2 describes in more detail, one part of the system shown in Figure 1. Bowling pins stand on the pin deck at the end of a bowling lane The bowling pins and surrounding area are illuminated by an array of light sources affixed either to the pin spotting machine (not shown) or the mask unit in a manner that allows the emitted light to focus upon the bowling pins. In this embodiment of the system, a single light source controller is shown controlling a pair of arrays of light sources, one per bowling lane.

Figure 2 also shows the cables that enable the light source controller to supply power to the light sources within the array. The cables also supply the control signal to each light source, or to groups of light sources within the array, therefore controlling which ones of the light sources are illuminated and the brightness of those light sources.

The embodiment of the system shown in Figure 2 is capable of operating independently from a master controller or other light source controllers.

The light source controller is capable, by way of its internal circuitry, of causing the average colour and brightness of its arrays of light sources to change by accepting input directly from a human operator.

The system for illumination shown in Figure 3 shows in even greater detail the apparatus of the embodiment of the system shown in Figure 2. The array of light sources is integrated into a housing constructed of sheet metal. Other embodiments of the apparatus could be constructed of other materials such as plastic. The number of individual light sources shown in this embodiment of the apparatus is an example only. Other embodiments, which may be preferred from time to time, may employ more or less individual light sources.

The individual light sources are each capable of emitting a particular wavelength of light, corresponding to but not limited to, colours such as red, green, blue or white. The array of light sources may contain an arrangement of any one or more of these different coloured light sources.

The light source controller, through its internal circuitry and under direct input by a human or as a result of receiving communication from a master controller, will cause one or any number of the light sources to illuminate in a manner so as to create the required colour and brightness of illumination. An example of this would be causing a group of red light sources and a group of blue light sources to be illuminated together in order to create a purple light.

-3- S Figure 3 also shows that the light source controller has an input panel and a display (11) as a means for a human to exercise control over the K colour and brightness of the light sources within the arrays. The light source controller can also connect to other light source controllers by way of cables (11) as a part of a "daisy chain". In another embodiment of the S system, the light source controllers may be connected together and to the master controller by wireless means.

CC)

Claims (21)

1. A system for illuminating bowling pins and surrounding area on a tenpin bowling lane, including: an array of light sources for illuminating said pins and a light source controller, where the light source controller is adapted to illuminate respective ones of the light sources with the effect of illuminating the pins in predetermined colours of light.

2. The system claimed in Claim 1, wherein the system includes a plurality of arrays of light sources and a plurality of light source rcontrollers.

3. The system claimed in Claims 1 and 2, wherein the light source controller is adapted to selectively illuminate each light source independently.

4. The system claimed in Claims 1 and 2, wherein the light source (N controller is adapted to selectively illuminate the said light sources in predetermined groups.

The system claimed in Claims 1 and 2, wherein the light source controller is adapted to allow control over the brightness of the said light sources.

6. The system claimed in Claims 1 and 2, wherein a master controller is adapted to control a plurality of light source controllers.

7. An apparatus for illuminating pins and surrounding area on a tenpin bowling lane, namely an array of light sources.

8. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, being an array of light sources capable of emitting light of varying colours including, but not limited to, red, blue, green and white.

9. The light sources contained in the array of light sources as claimed in Claims 7 and 8 can include, but are not limited to, light emitting diodes (LEDs), incandescent lamps and cold cathode fluorescent tubes.

The apparatus as claimed in Claims 7 and 8, enclosed in a housing constructed of a material such as, but not limited to, sheet metal.

11 An apparatus for controlling the light sources within the said array of light sources claimed in Claims 7 and 8, namely a light source controller.

12. The light source controller as claimed in Claim 11, adapted to control the light sources within a plurality of arrays of light sources.

13. The light source controller as claimed in Claims 11 and 12, adapted to selectively illuminate any number of the individual light sources within the said arrays.

14. The light source controller as claimed in Claims 11 and 12, adapted to selectively control the brightness of any number of the illuminated light sources within the said arrays.

The light source controller as claimed in Claims 11 and 12, adapted to illuminate groups of the light sources within the said arrays.

16. The light source controller as claimed in Claims 11, and 12, adapted to control light sources other than those contained in an array of )light sources.

17. An apparatus for controlling a light source controller, namely a Smaster controller.

18. The master controller claimed in Claim 17, being an apparatus adapted 1 to receive instructions from a human operator and to transmit those instructions, relating to the required colour and brightness of the light sources, to the light source controllers controlled by it.

19. The master controller claimed in Claim 17, being an apparatus adapted to receive instructions from a computer and to transmit those instructions, relating to the required colour and brightness of the light sources, to the light source controllers controlled by it.

The master controller claimed in Claims 17, 18 and 19, adapted to Scontrol a light source controller.

21. The master controller claimed in Claims 17, 18, and 19, adapted to control a plurality of light source controllers. Cybernetic Solutions Pty Ltd Raymond A. Jordan Graeme A. Rose June 2006