Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63D—BOWLING GAMES, e.g. SKITTLES, BOCCE OR BOWLS; INSTALLATIONS THEREFOR; BAGATELLE OR SIMILAR GAMES; BILLIARDS
  • A63D5/00—Accessories for bowling-alleys or table alleys
  • A63D5/04—Indicating devices
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63D—BOWLING GAMES, e.g. SKITTLES, BOCCE OR BOWLS; INSTALLATIONS THEREFOR; BAGATELLE OR SIMILAR GAMES; BILLIARDS
  • A63D5/00—Accessories for bowling-alleys or table alleys
  • A63D5/04—Indicating devices
  • A63D2005/048—Score sheets

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a bowling game and in particular to a bowling game that may be played by players in separate, remote locations.
• US patent 6,912,432 describes a bowling system and method for bowlers bowling at different locations in which scores are automatically generated for the bowlers bowling at each of the locations; the scores are communicated between the locations; and the scores are displayed at each location.
• Bowling systems typically include a plurality of pairs of bowling lanes, with each lane including an automatic pinsetter. These systems generally include automatic scoring systems which are coupled to both pinsetters in a lane pair for automatically processing pin fall information for the two lanes and displaying bowler's scores on scoring system monitors and on overhead scoring displays. It is a problem with typical bowling systems that there is a diversity in terms of both computer hardware and software used at different bowling centres, which poses significant technical barriers to communicating data directly between automatic scoring systems located at remote bowling centres. The economic cost of replacing a bowling system at a bowling centre is such that there is a very significant economic barrier to replacing the system with compatible technology.
• a bowling game including at least two spaced apart bowling lanes, the bowling lanes each including two cameras , a screen and a scoreboard such that a first bowling lane includes a first camera and a third camera, a first screen and a first scoreboard; and a bowling lane includes a second camera and a fourth camera, and a second screen and a second scoreboard, wherein the game further includes at least one controller which controls the images from the cameras such that the first screen is adapted to display images from the second camera and the fourth camera and the second screen is adapted to display images from the first camera and third camera, and wherein the first camera captures images of the play at the first lane, the second camera captures images of play at the second lane, the third camera captures images of the first scoreboard and the fourth camera captures images of the second scoreboard.
• the first screen is capable of displaying images of the play and scoreboard at the second lane and the second screen is capable of displaying images
• scoreboard means any display of scoring information, including, but not limited to, scoring system monitors and overhead scoring displays.
• a player at a bowling lane may view the play and the score at a second bowling lane at a remote location even when it is not possible to communicate scoring information directly between automatic scoring systems at the bowling lane and the remote location.
• the first bowling lane includes a first screen which is adapted to display images from the second camera and images of the first and second scoreboards as captured by respectively the third and fourth cameras
• the second bowling lane includes a second screen which is adapted to display images from the first camera and images of the first and second scoreboards as captured by respectively the third and fourth cameras.
• a game according to the invention can be played by a first and second player where the first and second players are spaced apart from each other, for example, they may be in different rooms, different buildings, different towns or cities, different counties or states, different countries or even different continents.
• the present invention relates to a game where one or more players undertakes a physical activity that is captured by a camera and relayed to one or more remote locations. Furthermore, the information generated by the play is information related to a physical activity by a respective player.
• first and second bowling lanes Reference to the game hereinafter will refer to first and second bowling lanes. However, the skilled person will appreciate that there may be more than two spaced apart, separate bowling lanes forming parts of the game.
• the first scoreboard is adapted to display scoring information generated by play at the first bowling lane; the second scoreboard is adapted to display scoring information generated by play at the second bowling lane.
• the scoring information will include a score for each play, calculated as the number of pins knocked down plus any bonus scores based on preceding plays.
• the controller may be part of a computer.
• the controller may display images from one or more remote cameras on the screen and/or it may display information regarding the game on the screen.
• the game may include one or more processors, optionally controlled by software, adapted to receive information generated by play at one or more of the bowling lanes, optionally convert the information according to a pre-determined algorithm, for example to determine a score, and to display the information.
• processors optionally controlled by software, adapted to receive information generated by play at one or more of the bowling lanes, optionally convert the information according to a pre-determined algorithm, for example to determine a score, and to display the information.
• the or each processor may form part of the controller.
• a computer may function as both the controller(s) and the processor(s).
• the first screen is connected to a first controller
• the second screen is connected to a second controller and the first and second controllers are connected to each other.
• the term "connected” includes a direct wired connection and a direct wireless connection (e.g. via radio, infra red or microwave signals). It also includes a connection via a network, such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) and/or the internet.
• LAN local area network
• WAN wide area network
• the connection of the first and second controllers enable a straightforward method for ensuring that the images from the second camera may be displayed on the first screen and the images from the first camera may be displayed on the second screen.
• the screens may show images from the remote cameras simultaneously, sequentially or as defined by a user or a controller.
• each of the bowling lanes includes three or more cameras, wherein each screen is adapted to show images from all of the remote cameras (i.e. the cameras located at the other bowling lane).
• the screens may show the images from the remote cameras simultaneously, sequentially, as defined by a user or as defined by a controller forming part of the screen and/or processor as appropriate.
• the presence of three cameras at each of the playing areas will allow the player(s) at the first bowling lane to see, for example, the play taking place at the second bowling lane, the players at the second bowling lane and the second scoreboard, and vice versa for the player(s) at the second bowling lane.
• the two bowling lanes each include a further camera such that the first bowling lane includes a first screen, a first camera a third camera and a fifth camera, and the second bowling lane includes a second screen, a second camera ,a fourth camera and a sixth camera, wherein the fifth camera captures images of the player(s) at the first bowling lane and the sixth camera captures images of the player(s) at the second bowling lane, and wherein the first screen is adapted to display images from the second ,fourth and sixth cameras and the second screen is adapted to display images from the first ,third and fifth cameras.
• the fifth and sixth cameras are configured to enable videoconferencing between players at the first and second bowling areas.
• the game of bowling is well suited to the apparatus defined herein, as each play is independent from a preceding play such that a preceding play has no bearing on a subsequent play.
• the pins are re-set after each player's turn, i.e. the playing area is re-set to a default position after each turn.
• the first bowling lane further includes a first microphone and a first speaker and the second bowling lane further includes a second microphone and a second speaker, wherein the first microphone is connected to the second speaker such that the second speaker is capable of emitting sounds captured by the first microphone and the second microphone is connected to the first speaker such that the first speaker is capable of emitting sounds captured by the second microphone.
• connection may be a wired connection, or, more commonly a wireless connection.
• the first bowling lane may include a first hub including the first microphone and the first speaker, wherein the first microphone and the first speaker may be connected to the hub via a wired connection or via a wireless connection;
• the second bowling lane may include a second hub including the second microphone and the second speaker, wherein the second microphone and the second speaker may be connected to the second hub via a wired connection or a wireless connection; and the first hub may be connected to the second hub via a wired or wireless connection.
• the first microphone and the first speaker may be connected to the first hub via a wireless (e.g. Bluetooth) connection;
• the second microphone and the second speaker may be connected to the second hub via a similar wireless connection and the first and second hubs may be connected via a wireless connection (e.g. via the internet).
• a bowling game as defined anywhere hereinabove, the method comprising:
• the score will comprise the number of pins knocked over in the given play, together with any bonus score based on preceding plays.
• the players may decide the order in which they will play or the order of play may be displayed on a screen.
• the game as defined anywhere herein, may include a controller adapted to generate an order of play for more than two players based on a predetermined algorithm, wherein the order of play is displayed on each of the screens.
• the end of the game may be determined by a pre-defined number of plays by each player, for example, ten plays per player, where the player with the highest score at the end of the game is the winner.
• the end of the game may be determined by the first player to achieve a predefined score.
• the score will comprise the number of pins knocked over in the given play, together with any bonus score based on preceding plays.
• Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a bowling lane including a screen, a scoreboard and two cameras;
• Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a bowling lane of a second embodiment including a screen, a scoreboard and three cameras;
• Figure 3 is a view of the screen from the embodiment shown in Figure 2.
• FIG. 1 Part of a first embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 1, which includes a first bowling lane 102, which in this embodiment is a bowling lane having a one end thereof a standard arrangement of ten pin 106.
• a first camera 104 is positioned to capture images of the bowling lane.
• the first bowling lane 102 also includes an electronic monitor 108, a control desk 112 mounted on a pedestal 114 and at least one chair 116, all of which are fairly standard equipment for a bowling game.
• a display screen 110 is also provided, which is carried by the control desk 112.
• a second camera 120 is located on an upper surface of the screen 110.
• the second camera 120 is arranged to capture images of the monitor 108.
• the monitor 108 is connected to the control desk 112 such that information input into the control desk 112 is displayed on the monitor 108.
• the monitor 108 is also connected to a pin sensor (not shown) which determines the number of pins that were knocked down in a given throw.
• a processor (not shown) located within the monitor 8 receives data from the pin sensor and calculates a player's score from the information.
• the arrangement of the control desk 112, the monitor 8 and the pin sensor is commonly found in modern bowling alleys and is well known to the skilled person. As such, it will not be discussed in more detail herein.
• a further part of the embodiment is a corresponding second bowling lane 102a located remotely from the first bowling lane 102.
• the arrangement of the second bowling lane 102a is substantially identical to the first bowling lane 102.
• the first bowling lane 102 will be described using the reference numerals as shown in Figure 1 and the second play area will use corresponding numerals, but with an "a" suffix
• the term “local” refers to elements present at the first bowling lane 102
• the term “remote” refers to elements present at the other bowling lane, i.e. the second bowling lane 102a.
• the local first camera 104, the local second camera 120 and the screen 110 are all connected to a first controller (not shown) which in turn is connected to a corresponding second controller at the remote bowling lane 102a.
• the connection between the controllers is via the internet.
• Each controller collects data from the respective first camera 104, 104a and the respective second camera 120, 120a, and transmits them to the other controller.
• Each controller also relays images from the respective first camera 104, 104a and respective second camera 120, 120a to the respective screen 110, 110a.
• images from the local cameras 104 and 120 are relayed from the remote controller to the remote screen 110a and images from the remote cameras 104a and 120a are relayed by the local controller to the local screen 110.
• the local screen 110 displays simultaneously images of both the play at the remote bowling lane 102a and of the remote monitor 108a which displays scoring information at the remote bowling lane 102a.
• the remote screen 110a displays simultaneously images of both the play at the local bowling lane 102 and of the local monitor 108 which displays scoring information at the local bowling lane 102.
• the monitors 108, 108a are not connected
• a first player at the first (local) bowling lane 102 bowls one or two balls at the pins 106 as normal in a bowling game.
• the local first camera 104 captures the or each throw and transmits the images in digital form to the local controller.
• the local controller receives the image data from the local first camera 104 and transmits it to the second, remote controller, which in turn relays the data to the remote screen 110a at the second bowling lane 102a, where the image is displayed.
• the player's score is calculated by the processor in the local monitor 108 based on data received from a pin setting apparatus located at the pin end of the lane 102.
• the processor displays the score on the local monitor 108.
• the local second camera 120 captures images of the monitor 108 and transmits the images in digital form to the local controller.
• the local controller receives the image data from the local second camera 120 and transmits it to the second, remote controller, which in turn relays the data to the remote screen 110a at the remote bowling lane 102a, where the image is displayed.
• the score is displayed on the remote monitor 108a, the remote second camera 120a captures images of the monitor 108a and relays the data to the local screen 110 as described above.
• a second embodiment is shown in Figure 2.
• the integers common to the first embodiment shown in Figure 1 are given corresponding reference numerals, with the integers of the third embodiment having a "2" prefix.
• integers 202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 214,216 and 220 correspond to the integers 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, and 120 shown in Figure 1 and described above.
• the difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is that the second camera 220 and a third camera 222 are provided in a common housing 224 located on an upper portion of the screen 210.
• the second camera 220 is arranged similarly to the camera 120 of the first embodiment in that it is arranged to capture images of the monitor 208.
• the third camera 222 is arranged to capture images of a player sitting in the chair 216.
• the first camera 204, second camera 220 and third camera 222 are all connected to the local controller in the same way as the first camera 104 and second camera 120 described above in connection with the first embodiment, such that images from all of the first, second and third cameras 204, 220, 222 are transmitted via the internet to the remote controller and then displayed on the remote screen 210a.
• the monitors 208, 208a are not connected.
• the local screen 210 of this embodiment is as shown in Figure 3.
• Figure 3 shows the screen display for this embodiment.
• a display area 230 is divided into four sections 231, 232, 234 and 236.
• the display area 231 displays the image from the remote first camera 204a located at the second bowling lane 202a, including the remote pins 206a.
• the display area 232 displays the image from the remote second camera 222a located at the second bowling lane 202a, namely the image of a player sitting in the remote chair 216a.
• the display area 234 displays images from the remote camera 220a, namely images of the remote monitor 208a.
• the display areas 236 contains advertisements or other fixed indicia.
• the control desk 212 includes a communication hub (not shown) to which is connected via a Bluetooth wireless link a headset (not shown) including a microphone and a speaker.
• the communication hub is connected via the internet to a corresponding communication hub forming part of the remote control desk 212a such that the local headset is connected to the remote headset and vice versa. In this way, players sitting in the chairs 216, 216a can communicate with each other.

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• 2010
  • 2010-02-08 GB GB201001997A patent/GB201001997D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2011
  • 2011-02-11 EP EP11705227A patent/EP2519330A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2011-02-11 WO PCT/GB2011/000213 patent/WO2011095789A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2011-02-11 US US13/577,847 patent/US20130012330A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2011-02-11 CN CN201180008669XA patent/CN102858412A/zh active Pending
• 2014
  • 2014-09-03 US US14/476,554 patent/US20140370997A1/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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