EP0380449A1 - Table terminal for a bridge tournament - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to simplify and speed up the administrative phases of a bridge tournament, the terminal, intended to serve an individually referenced playing table in cooperation with a central computer managing the bridge tournament, comprises display fields for instructions (24-27), display means for circumstances (28-35) and means of entering table data comprising buttons (21, 22, 23) some of which are actually arranged according to the sequence (1-10, J, Q, K, A) and some others are arranged according to the assortment (NT, S, H, D, C, D/RD) of the colours of cards and of the contract options appropriate to bridge, completed by the location, (S W N E) of the four players and by the valorisation (=, +, -) of the result obtained for the contract played. Keys for confirming and cancelling data are also provided on the terminal which enters into dialogue with the central computer during the tournament, supplying to the table all the necessary instructions and enabling transmission of the results obtained directly from the table in a way which considerably simplifies the work of conventional messengers. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a table computer terminal for bridge tournament, intended to serve an individually referenced game table in cooperation with a central computer managing the bridge tournament, and provided with connecting means arranged to allow a two-way transmission link. directional information with the computer.

A bridge tournament, as it takes place at all scales (from the local group tournament to the international tournament), requires well-organized stewardship, both for its preparation and for its management throughout the tournament. The calculation of points is complex, especially since the bridge tournament is enhanced by the supply of a large number of statistical data (frequency, maximum and average on a deal, intermediate ranking, etc.).

The management of a bridge tournament tends more and more to call upon the assistance of a computer. There are suitable software programs which are typically introduced into a computer of the type called "personal computer" or "home computer".

The problem remains, however, the introduction of information that develops during the tournament itself. Beforehand, the computer may well establish various files in which the organizational information (places and compositions of the pairs, deals, etc.) are pre-established, but in which the information of interest, that is to say the information relating to games, are only introduced during the tournament (and with many precautions to ensure their accuracy, their incontestability).

During the tournament, commissaires therefore cross the hall to collect the results from each table, ensure that they are admitted by the four players of the table considered, introduce them (directly or remotely by conductive or wireless) in the computer, and make sure that the computer has interpreted them correctly. The job of the commissioners is delicate and arduous, moreover it involves wasting time between the end of a game and the moment when the computer is able to synthesize this game.

The object of the present invention is to provide equipment which considerably simplifies and accelerates (or even eliminates) the work of the commissioners, by proposing a table terminal equipping each game table and operating in connection with the computer.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the presence of the characters set out in the independent claim, No. 1, appended.

The dependent claims define embodiments which are advantageous because of their particular efficiency in achieving the above-mentioned performances or in achieving other desirable performances (small size, convenience of use, adaptability to different forms of tournament, reliability, etc. .).

On CH 227/89 founding priority, we cited DE-A-2 708 774 and FR-A-2 502 815 with prefix Y; however, despite these, the claim remains novel and inventive.

We will first state some general considerations relating to bridge game tournaments, and the advantageous features that the use of the computer terminal according to the invention can bring them.

In principle, during the games in bridge tournaments, each game table is equipped with a terminal of the type in question, capable of transmitting data to the central computer. The latter is in substantially permanent contact with these local terminals. The computer receives the results of each game played throughout the game, which are entered by the players themselves. At the end of the session, the computer can provide the general classification, the frequencies and several other results which can be calculated from the data collected during the game.

• 1) les terminaux informatiques de table, ser­vant à l'affichage et la saisie, par table, des paramètres et données pour la table référée;
• 2) des moyens de transmission pour assurer les communications voulues entre l'ordinateur central et les terminaux informatiques de table;
• 3) l'ordinateur central, muni d'un logiciel adéquatement et spécifiquement préparé pour la gestion du tournoi de bridge.

The entire installation established in the premises where the bridge tournament takes place includes:

• 1) table computer terminals, used for displaying and entering, by table, the parameters and data for the table referred;
• 2) transmission means for ensuring the desired communications between the central computer and the table computer terminals;
• 3) the central computer, provided with software suitably and specifically prepared for the management of the bridge tournament.

The operation of the entire installation first includes a preparation phase during which the central computer records the names of the players, the number of rooms, the number of tables, per room, the placement of pairs, the choice the organization of the game (Mitchell, Howell etc.), deals, if known in advance, etc. During this preparation phase, the table computer terminals intervene above all to supply their identification and location to the central computer, from same as to check that the entire installation is in good working order.

It is immediately noted that connections between computer terminals and the computer can be made by cables or over the air, or even other means of telecommunication (ultra-sound, infrared, etc.).

In the preparation phase, the computer, on the basis of the data it has received, establishes various files in its memory, which files will allow it to control the progress of the tournament and calculate the results. For the control of the tournament, the main tool will be the control file which will allow the computer to know, during the session (or sessions) of the tournament, the order in which the deals must be played on each table. game, and the pairs that should play this deal. To facilitate, when the time comes, the calculation of the results, the computer already defines in the preparation phase a certain number of matrices which will be filled as the bridge game tournament develops.

During the tournament phase, the computer terminals play their full role on each table, that is to say in particular that they display:
- the room number (if there are several rooms)
- table number
- the team number "NS" (north-south)
- the team number "EW" (east-west)
- and the number of the game on this table.

This display guides participants and helps reduce errors in game organization.

The room and table number is preferred rence permanently marked directly on each terminal using an appropriate label. Coding, accessible only to the service specialist, establishes the correspondence between the label and the electronics for the identification of the terminal.

When the players have finished playing the given deal, they enter on the keyboard of their device:
- the contract played
- the declarant
- the start card
- and the result obtained in number of tricks compared to the contract played.

The introduction is made by player "E" and confirmed by the opposing player "N". After the input of the data by the player "E" and confirmation by the player "N", the central computer displays, on this same table terminal, the result in points, which allows the participants to check once again the result, so as to avoid a certain number of brand mistakes. If the players agree on the points communicated by the computer, they confirm it and the computer permanently saves this result in the appropriate files. Otherwise, the players cancel the entered data and start the introduction again.

If, as is the case in certain types of bridge tournament, the deal is not known in advance, provided that this option was chosen on the computer in the preparation phase, the computer, after having saved the result, consult his files to establish if he already knows this deal. If the deal has just been played for the first time during the session, the computer prompts participants to introduce their "hand". In this case, we first introduce the 13 cards of player "N", then those of "E", and those of "S". The introduction of the last 13 cards, that is to say those of the "W" player, is not necessary, except as a check, this question being left to the discretion of the software. The computer is in any case able to detect obvious errors of introduction; if this happens, the computer orders a new entry.

When the result is recorded and the deal entered or already known, the computer causes the display, again on the table computer terminal, of the pairs which must play the next game on this table, as well as the deal which will be played . Throughout the session, the computer maintains a dialogue of this nature, through each table computer terminal, with the players at each game table.

When the last game of the session is recorded, the computer, in a third phase, calculates the results of the session. First of all, it calculates the general classification and the frequencies of the results by deal. As the data is saved on a suitable medium, the results can always be calculated and compiled later.

Ultimately, one could, using suitably prepared software, use "commercial" computer keyboards as table computer terminals. However, such an embodiment would lack an important advantage, in the absence of which such an installation would hardly be appreciated, that is to say the advantage of a presentation of the various keys to be manipulated which is correlated with the arrangement and gradation of the card values "1, 2, 3 ... 9, 10, J, Q, K, A ", and also in correlation with the uses and the hierarchy of information concerning the bridge contract, namely" NT "(no asset)," P "(spades)," C "( heart), "K" (square), "T"(clover); and "D" (counter, English "doubled"), and "RD" (overturned, English "re-doubled").

Only an adequate material layout of the key fields and display fields will make the computer terminal really useful during bridge tournaments.

We note that the computer terminal, which is "questioned" repeatedly by the computer (for example once per second) itself includes a "certain intelligence", that is to say that it understands the material means and electronics required to establish certain roadblocks which facilitate the manipulation of the keys by the players (for example empowerment of the key "D / RD" ("countered", "overtrapped") only when a contract basis (card value, suit) has just been registered.

• la fig. 1 est une vue d'ensemble schématique d'une installation comprenant un ordinateur et plu­sieurs terminaux informatiques du type conforme à l'invention, et
• la fig. 2 est une vue schématique de la face frontale (d'affichage et de manipulation) d'un terminal informatique du type proposé par l'invention, dont un exemplaire est utilisé sur chaque table de jeu de l'installation de la fig. 1.

The accompanying drawing illustrates, by way of example, an embodiment of the subject of the invention; in this drawing:

• fig. 1 is a schematic overview of an installation comprising a computer and several computer terminals of the type in accordance with the invention, and
• fig. 2 is a schematic view of the front face (display and manipulation) of a computer terminal of the type proposed by the invention, a copy of which is used on each game table of the installation in FIG. 1.

The installation shown in fig. 1 is established in one or more game rooms or takes place bridge tournament; in this figure, nine game tables TA1 ... TA9 have been represented. A central computer 15 manages the bridge tournament; any type of properly programmed computer can do the trick; in this case, we will admit that it is a computer of the "personal computer" type (for example of the IBM PS / 2 Mod 60 type). Each table TA ... carries a table terminal, respectively TT1, TT2, TT3 ... TT9 (more precisely up to TTn). A transmission network provides a bi-directional link between the central computer 15 and each table terminal TT. In fig. 1, there is shown mainly a cable transmission network 16, the most economical, if not the least bulky. In fig. 1, we have also shown, in dotted lines, at the location of the terminals TT3, TT4, and TT8, as well as at the location of the central computer 15, the possibility of using a radio transmission network, using small terminal antennas 17 and a central computer antenna 18, which can be larger if necessary.

It should be noted that the central computer 15 is advantageously connected by a printer 19, by means of a cable 19a, so that all of the confirmed elements which have passed through the computer are printed, for example for the purpose of subsequent checks.

The complete installation being thus defined in conjunction with FIG. 1, we will now consider the table terminal TT itself, which terminal is the object of the invention, one of its possible embodiments being shown frontally in FIG. 2.

The terminal TT1 ... n in fig. 1 includes a keyboard 21 provided with thirty keys. The reference signs used below to designate these keys are for convenience the very signs which appear materially on these keys, which appear in three lines.

The seven keys on the left of the first two lines reproduce the fourteen designations of the card game grouped logically in the upper left corner. It is noted that, in the drawing of FIG. 2, we have, as usual in the context of the game of bridge, the abbreviations in English (J for valet, Q for lady, K for king, A for ace). The eighth and ninth positions of the first two lines correspond to the four colors of the game: spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs, the last key to the right of the upper line marked NT which means "no trump". The two rightmost keys of lines 2 and 3 are the classic launch keys, namely "CANCEL" and "ENTER", which we have become familiar with under different names, for example "ERROR" and "OK" or else "CANCEL" and "SEND", etc.

Finally, the nine remaining keys of the third line are intended for the typical indications of the game of bridge, namely "PASS" (pass), "D / RD" (counter / overtone), "N", "S", "E "," W "(for the four player positions" north "," south "," east "," west ") and finally the keys" - "," = "and" + ", which distinguish the results compared to the auction ("-" meaning less levees carried out than planned, "=" meaning levees carried out as planned and "+" meaning more levees carried out than planned). The keys are therefore grouped ergonomically, while being gathered on a minimal surface.

The upper part of the front face of the terminal includes display fields, which may for example be liquid crystal, 7 segments, or LED diode, or another suitable type. These display means are divided into two levels, the upper level used for displaying instructions from the computer, while the lower level is used for displaying circumstances from the players. During the tournament (without prejudice to the preparation process), the upper display fields 26 and 27 produce a display which depends only on the central computer 15 and not on the players. On the contrary, the display fields of the lower level, 28 - 35, provide a display which depends on the operation of the keys of the keyboard 21 by the players. It has already been indicated that the display field 25 was occupied by a label always remaining on the terminal, of course as a variant, it could be a display field with several times seven segments which, under the control of the central computer, would show the room and table number. However, it is easier to leave each terminal always assigned to the same table.

Below the fields where the indications entered by the players appear, there are indicator lights 35 to 38 which light up to indicate to the players what information they have to enter. This information is four in number called "CONTRACT" (display 28, 29, 30, invitation lights 35), "DECLARANT" (NSWE display 31, invitation lights 36), "ENTAME" (in English "LEAD" , first card thrown) (display all card values 32, four colors 33, invitation light 37), and the results "UP" (in English "TRICKS") (display of a possible sign and d '' a number in 34, invitation light 38).

In a bridge tournament, we have a certain set number of deals which must each be played once by each pair of players. The number of the game to play, different for each table, at a given time, is information of great importance, which has its place, at the top right of the front of the terminal. A tournament often involves more than 10 deals; it is hardly conceivable that it contains more than 99. The data display field (BOARD) 24 is therefore of two elements. Note that the data number displayed in field 24 changes depending on the successive games of the tournament.

The display 26 provides, in a two-digit number, the "team" number of the pair playing N-S.

The directive display 27 designates the pair of players to play E-W on the referenced table. In general, E-W pairs scroll along the tables in ascending order, while the deals scroll on the tables in descending order. This is how each N-S pair played against each E-W pair at the end of the tournament. There are relatively detailed explanations on this subject in the Quillet encyclopedic dictionary, 1975 edition, under the term "bridge".

In a normal tournament, the directions of directives are obvious for the players and fields 24, 26 and 27 are used more for verification than for information. However, this verification is very important. In a special tournament, for example of the championship type, each team playing against each team, the pairs should change the table in a more complicated way. Verification using the displays in fields 26 and 27 would then be essential.

The lower level display fields receive the displays controlled by the handling of the keys of the keyboard 21. The first three display fields 28, 29, 30 are used to introduce the contract concluded by one of the players, during the auction by which a game of bridge begins. Field 28 shows the number of the contract, that is to say the number of tricks above 7 pledged by the contractor; a single element is therefore sufficient for field 28. Field 29 (made up of five small LEDs) indicates the color of the asset with which the contract is made, the color of the asset also includes, in bridge, the notion SA ( NT), that is to say "without asset".

As for field 30, it is intended to display, if necessary, the fact that the contract has been countered (D), or even overturned (RD), this requiring two elements for field 30.

Field 31 indicates the location (N, E, S, W) of the player called "declarer". Fields 32 and 33 are intended to provide the indication of the start (LEAD), an indication that the computer uses for the purpose of calculating points. The card value is indicated by a special indicator for the five cards 10 J (valet) Q (lady) K (king) A (as), it is however marked by a number in display with seven segments for the card values from 2 to 9. The four possible colors are marked, in display field 33, by the illumination of one of four small indicator lights.

The result is displayed using the field 34. When the other data have been entered, the computer causes the indicator light 38 (TRICKS) to come on, and the player "E" enters the result in the field 34 using the "-", "=", "+" keys and the numeric keys. Player "N" must confirm the accuracy of this indication by pressing the confirmation key 40 (on the side of the device), and the computer then causes, in the display fields 26 and 27 which temporarily change assignment, the display of the number of points corresponding to the result thus introduced; if the points are earned by the "EW" team in display area 24, a "-" sign appears. At the same time, the indicator light (CONFIRM) lights up inviting the players to check this information. A second action on the confirmation button 40 has the effect that the result is then definitively recorded in the central computer 15. There are different systems for valuing the results in a bridge tournament and their display will be determined by the software introduced in the central computer. In any case, fields 34, 26 and 27 will allow these results to be adequately displayed.

The "CANCEL" 22 key is used when, after either a player or the computer has entered an indication in a display field, players contest this introduction. This is then canceled to be replaced by a new one, resulting from a new introduction by the players, if necessary from a correction of the data in the computer, and, if necessary, as a last resort, the intervention of the arbitrator. In the event of an error, the indicator light 42 flashes this fact and the indicator lights 35-38 indicate the probable nature of the error.

The arrangement of the keys of the keyboard 21, which is in direct correspondence with the rules of the game of bridge and the order of the cards in the game of bridge, makes the TT terminal very effective for mastering a bridge tournament, with total security and the total absence of confusion, essential to the game of bridge.

Note that the PASS key is used for the introduction of the fact that no player takes the risk of a contract, even at the lowest.

When information has been entered, but not yet confirmed, this information is stored at the terminal, but not yet sent to the computer. The central computer tests the various terminals every 4 seconds, to apprehend the information given manually on the terminal. Once the information is apprehended in the computer, the computer, after displaying the points, requests a second confirmation from the players, via the table terminal. It is only on this second confirmation that the information is definitively recorded.

The keys 22 and 23 have in principle no effect on the displays 24, 26, 27 of the upper line. In any case, key 22 cannot, on the part of a player, cancel a central decision. However, the 23 key can be used to confirm that the EW pair currently at the table is the one required by field 27. The 22 key could not be used to cancel this information, but to index it, assuming that, during the tournament, one of the players of this pair had to be suddenly replaced, which will require the arrival of the referee, himself alerted by a special manipulation.

In an assortment comprising several terminals, for example around fifty, each terminal must have, introduced into it prior to its assembly in the game room, using a DIP switch, a particular code, playing the role of a key. The terminals being removed from their storage cabinet are distributed over the gaming tables. With software concerning the computer, the latter will make the necessary cross-checks to ensure the accuracy of the identifications of the terminals placed on each table. This leads to consider the preparation phase, in which an installer, preferably an experienced computer specialist, will put the computer into service first, then the terminals one after the other.

It is assumed that electrical energy is connected to each device, that the computer is operating, and that the links, for example radio, are being established. The computer knows the individual codes of each terminal, of which for example only 24 were taken for the tournament.

From this moment, the connection is well established between the computer and the terminal, with satisfactory identification of the terminal. In this situation, computer and terminal, that is to say computer and computer scientist putting the terminal into service, will have a conversation planned in advance, so as to test the different possibilities of operation. Once this test is finished (which is left to the discretion of the computer programmer), everything is in order, from the point of view of this terminal; the tournament can begin. The same sequence is represented for each of the 24 other terminals which must be put into service. As this commissioning is progressive over time, the computer, which knows how many terminals it must manage, continues to scan the fifty key codes that it knows, until it has the desired number (in Example 24) of terminals in service.

If, during the test, a function or valuation error occurs, the installer is informed by the central computer.

The indicator light 39 (Deal; DUPLICATION) intervenes either during the tournament, or more often during preparation, to ensure the entry of data on the computer. The deal being identified in the display field 24 of a terminal, each table enters its deal using the keys of the keyboard 21. The 13 cards of the fourth player may be required, for verification, by demanding software . Less severe software can be satisfied with establishing the fourth hand by deduction from the other three.

Then, if it is a question of entering the data during preparation, the number of the data in field 24 is incremented, and a new data is entered, the process repeating itself until the computer has all the deal, this in preparation, and under the supervision of the referee.

Certain types of tournament do not know the prior preparation of the deals, and the deals are created in the tournament itself. In this case, as we have seen, it is the players themselves who, after playing a deal, introduce their hand to make the deal known to the computer, advantageously the latter then indicating its ignorance of this deal by an illumination of the indicator light 39 (if the indicator 39 does not light up, this is because the computer already knew this situation).

It should be noted that the organization of a bridge tournament is relatively simple, as for the displacement of the pairs EW and as for the displacement of the deals, only if the number of the tables corresponding to that of the pairs of each kind is an odd number , and if we plan to play the EW pairs only against each of the NS pairs, without a match between two pairs nominally EW or nominally NS (one of which, of course, would derogate from its nominal position this time). If the number of tables is even, the tournament is possible, but the circulation of data, or of players, becomes more complicated.

Thus, the organization of a tournament must be carefully studied, then, once its outline established, this organization should not be questioned any more. Last minute changes, for example two pairs more or less, or even changes within the tournament, for example play of a false hand on two of the tables, cause serious disturbances and jeopardize the regularity of the tournament. These risks are all the greater as the organization of the tournament becomes more complex.

With the advent of the computer, these risks can however be reduced, because the computer is able to instantly recalculate a new structure, if the structure initially planned turns out to be impracticable for different reasons. However, it is one thing to find a new structure on a computer and another is to make the details of this new structure adequately known to all participants when the time comes. It is in particular to this problem that the terminal proposed by the invention provides a solution; in other words, this terminal provides an adequate means of communication with the tables thanks to which the computer can find its true value in the management of a bridge tournament.

Claims (7)

1. Table computer terminal for bridge tournament, intended to serve an individually referred game table in cooperation with a central computer managing the bridge tournament, and provided with connection head means arranged to allow a bidirectional transmission link of information with the computer, characterized in that it comprises:
means for displaying directives, capable of displaying certain directive parameters for the game table referred, during the tournament, under the control of the central computer,
means for introducing table information arranged to allow, during or after each game of a deal, the introduction of the circumstantial parameters relating to the game of this deal,
these means of introduction comprising keyboard keys materially arranged and identified in relation to the gradation (1-10, J, Q, K, A) of the card values, with the assortment (NT, P, C, K, T, D, RD) card colors and contract options specific to bridge, with the location (S, W, N, E) of the four players, and with the valuation (=, +, -) of the result obtained on the contract played, these means of introduction also comprising bodies for sending and canceling the information entered,
- and means for displaying circumstances and results, arranged to display, on actuation of said means of introduction, the conditions under which the game took place and the result obtained on the contract played, as well as, under the ordered of the computer, the number of points resulting, established by compilation, in the computer, of the circumstances and the result of the game,
- security means being arranged to ensure that the computer definitively records the number of points resulting, the circumstances and the results, only after, following their display, their accuracy has been positively confirmed by action on a suitable organ. 2. desktop computer terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that said keyboard keys are arranged in several lines, a compact group of these keys comprising said card gradation (1-10, J, Q, R, A ). 3. desktop computer terminal according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises autonomous logic means able to intervene as soon as the terminal is supplied with energy. 4. desktop computer terminal according to claim 3, characterized in that, below said circumstances and result display means, which are digital electro-optical fields, there are indicators (35-38) which are 'light up when it is these circumstances or result there (28-30; 31; 32, 33; 34) which must be entered by means of the keyboard. 5. desktop computer terminal according to claim 3, comprising means for enabling and facilitating the commissioning of the terminal in the installation before a bridge tournament, characterized in that that said autonomous logical means comprise means for establishing and sending to the computer an identification code specific to the terminal, and test means capable of understanding information coming from the central computer and capable of '' send back adequate information to test the proper functioning of the terminal and its connection to the computer. 6. table computer terminal according to claim 3, characterized in that said autonomous logical means comprise "a certain intelligence" which, depending on the stage of the exchange of information during the bridge tournament, applies to various keys of the keypad an enable / inhibit command, so that only the keys which, at this stage, can be significant are effective. 7. Assortment of terminals for bridge tournament, comprising a plurality of table computer terminals for bridge tournament according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, the assortment including n terminals, each terminal contains an identification code which is unique to it and is only found once in the assortment, the computer knowing the n different identification codes and being able to converse individually with each terminal in service.

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