FR2640884A1 - Electronic marker for games with points especially billiards/snooker - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electronic marker for games with points especially billiards/snooker. According to the invention, such a marker for games with points is characterised principally in that it includes a display 3, 4 activated by a logic circuit 1, 2 which includes drive software and a keypad 7 for entering game data.

Description

Electronic mail. for notainnient points game for
billiards.

The present invention relates to an electronic marker for a game of points, in particular for billiards.

In the prior art. there are two distinct types of scoring devices depending on the type of game.

When the game is electric, that is to say it has a playing surface equipped with gaming event sensors using electricity or electronics, it is known to achieve electronic markers that have the inherent advantages of this game. kind of technique: speed, safety and automatic calculations, recording, etc.

When the game is entirely mechanical like the game of billiards, the marking of points is done using traditional devices, mechanical themselves. Abacuses and wheel systems are mainly known. Players register according to various conventions the points they scored during each replay. At the end of the game, the marks are raised and the winner is determined.

Note that in this form of play, if the two players are of equal strength, the result appears only after the end of the game. This is a cause of indecision that sometimes affects the interest of the game especially if This is a public competition.

On the other hand, if the two players are of unequal strengths, then the game loses much of its interest for the players themselves, the evolution of the marking clearly showing this disparity.

One purpose of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks of the prior art. It allows, by resorting to a marker of the electronic type, to make interest in the game by giving on the one hand, the instantaneous indication of the decision between the players and on the other hand by allowing a given player to follow the evolution of his occasions.

Another object of the invention is to facilitate the touch of the persons in charge of the marking of the points during the recoveries.

Indeed, the present invention relates to a marker for a set of points, characterized in that it comprises a display activated by a logic circuit which comprises a control software and a keyboard for entering game data.

Other advantages and features of the present invention will be better understood from the description and from the figures which are: FIG. 1: a diagram of an embodiment of an electronic circuit producing the marker of the invention FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a software for operating the circuit of FIG. 1 in the case of billiards; FIG. 3 is a view of a marker according to the invention installed near a billiard table; use during a game.

According to the invention, the marker comprises a microcontroller 1, which comprises in particular an addressable EPROM or permanent programmable read-only memory space, in which is written a program making it possible to control the marker of the invention.

In a preferred embodiment, the circuit is used
LS8748 of National Semicondutor which comprises in particular two ports of entry / exit.

The marker of the invention also comprises a circuit 2 for controlling the display. In a preferred embodiment, suitable for diode displays, the mu5431 circuit was chosen. Such a circuit has outputs that directly feed the 7-segment display inputs that are used to display the marker of the invention. It also has a shift register input for receiving the display data for the displays in a serial mode and addressing them sequentially.

Indeed, a marker display has at least two separate displays. In the "game" iodine, the first display 3 is reserved for a player A and the second is reserved for the player B. It is clear that for the parts providing for a greater number of players the invention adapts easily by increasing the number of displays.

In the preferred embodiment, driver 2 has a single data input 8a and a clock input 8b.

The raicrocontroller i must therefore send the data in serial form on the one hand and provide a timing output connected to the input of the driver 2.

In the preferred embodiment, the display collects 4 banks 10-13 each having four seven segment displays with a decimal point that can be wired with eight wires, seven for the segments and one for the decimal point. Finally, polarization is a ninth access.

The displays can be of any type with high brightness and low consumption. 7.62 mm displays are preferably used for reasons of remote readability in the case of billiards.

To reduce consumption and therefore avoid having to use a DC power too powerful, cycling is carried out at a rate avoiding flickering. To this end, four outputs of the driver 2 are each connected to a transistor such as the transistor 9 whose collector attacks the polarizations of the four displays of a bench as the bank 10. This form of multiplexing has the advantage of reducing the number of pilot circuits to manage at one and on the other hand reduces power consumption since, at a given moment, only four displays of a bank are polarized. The software implanted in the microcontroller takes into account this characteristic. Other displays being usable, the invention is not limited to this description.

To achieve the timing of the microcontroller, and therefore of the set of the marker according to the invention, there is a clock generator 6 with a quartz at 6 Mhz. All values between 5.5 and G Mhz were found to be suitable.

The marker of the invention also includes a keyboard 7 which allows the players or their assistants or referees to enter the game data to activate the software stored in the microcontroller i. Such a keyboard can be of the hexadecimal type. In the preferred embodiment, it is composed of 13 keys that attack push-type switches. In the preferred embodiment, it has 10 keys for entering the decimal digits O-9, two keys for indicating the player A or B and a reset key.

On the other hand, the marker of the invention comprises a circuit 5 which supplies the entire marker with direct current.

In a preferred embodiment, it comprises a step-down transformer AC distributed by the sector. Such a transformer must supply amps at 8 volts to fulfill its missions.

Then a diode bridge enables a rectification, and an integrated circuit such as a LM317 suitably attacked by capacitors and resistors not shown in the drawing can provide a suitable bias voltage.

In the preferred embodiment, the marker needs two bias voltages: the first Vcc of 5 volts capable of providing 150 sA and the second a lower voltage Vp of 3.4 volts at 600 mA for the supply of the displays "seven segments".

We will now describe the mode of operation in the case of a game of two-player billiards working times. The description follows the ordinograim of Figure 2.

We will notice the fundamental advantage for any player who insulates himself from having an instantaneous display of the average points scored. This characteristic allows to automatically give a novel interest to the solitary parts or the duels with opponents of force; different.

On powering the assembly, for example by switching a switch disposed on the primary of the transformer described above, one enters a first operating mode of the marker. said initialization mode. The electronic circuits of the marker are initialized to function as desired. A first initialization message is displayed.

In the preferred embodiment, this message is constituted by a "P" flashing on the display 11 and an "O" on the display 13. This message requires that the maximum number of points of the game is recorded. When the player is. the turn will exceed this score, the game will be over and he will be considered the winner. However, if Player A finishes his contract first, Player B still has one turn to close the match.

He can especially in this case equalize.

You can enter a number of a size limit, here to three decimal digits. We can
- confirm by pressing a validation key (here the key marked "A" or the key marked "B"),
- cancel the entry by pressing the correction key marked C in figure 3.

If the input is canceled, the operation is restarted, otherwise the marker enters a second mode of operation called "game" mode.

The scores of players A and B having been set to zero, these initial values are displayed. In other variants, it is expected that one of the players can take a handicap, and in this case, an additional step is provided that allows to enter the value of the handicap. In this case, the values displayed for A on the display area 3 and for B on the display area 4 are different.

A message is displayed to indicate the number of times.

At the beginning of the game this number takes an initial value.

Here she is "O". To display the message number of times, the display 12 is used.

When the game phase begins, Player X is Player A.

It executes its series according to the conventions passed between the players and during this time, the marker is in scan of the keyboard.

Player A or a helper then enters the score.

When the displayed value gathers the agreement of the players and / or referees, the value is validated by pressing a validation key of the keyboard 7.

The score is then calculated and assigned to the account of the player X (here the player A) and one tests the end-of-game condition, here said test of maxi. If the maximum is not reached. or if more generally the end of game condition is not reached, we return to the beginning of the loop and the turn passes to the next player (here player B). The following is exactly the same as above. It should be noted that the player whose turn it is has no operation to do if he does not make a point. Its average is calculated and displayed automatically by the mark of the recovery. This recovery value is incremented according to the variants or by pressing a special key or by detecting the entry of the mark of the player A who is the first to play in each recovery.

 When we return to the top of the loop of Figure 2, the E2] indicates that, if we are two players, we alternate between A and B. But, more players can be involved.

When the maximum number of players is reached, one changes of recovery and a register of the number of occasions is incremented.

If the max or end of play test is positive, the game phase ends. As soon as the first score reaches the value of the maximums decreased by 5 points, the score displays go into flashing mode to indicate the proximity of the end of the game.

As soon as the score reaches or exceeds the value of the contract, ie the maximum value entered in the marker during the initialization phase, the marker is blocked. However, pressing and holding on the validation keys of either player will display the best series of each player, the final score being redisplayed when releasing the pressure. This data of the best series classically allows to decide the ex aequo of a part and it was the source of conflicts between players who did not have the permanent marking and evolution of this data automatically.

 To resume a new game, it is necessary to turn off the marker and put it back in circuit, which has the effect of taking over the software in its initialization phase.

 In Figure 3, there is shown a view of a marker according to the invention disposed on a wall 26 in a billiard room and therefore accessible and observable by the players and their viewers at each moment. The wall-mounted arrangement allows a power supply without flying wires but a fixed installation such as a surface-mounted luminaire.

The marker 20 therefore has a front face visible in FIG. 3 which includes a display area 21 reserved in the game phase for the player A and a zone 22 reserved for the player
B. Each has a validation button marked A or B, an instant score display and a current instantaneous average display.

In the center of the marker 20, there is a display 23 indicating the number of the current mark. The brand button
C allows to cancel an erroneous entry before it is valid by the player concerned in his zone 21 or 22.

At the bottom of the marker, there is a power button marked D which makes it possible to turn on the marker 20 and to bring the software that is implanted in the initialization phase as already described.

Finally, a keypad 24 with numerical values from 0 to 9 makes it possible to introduce the marked points at each stroke during a recovery for each of the players in the game phase.

The housing 20 is installed in a marquetry
In a variant not shown in the drawing, the marker serves as a remote terminal to a computer processing system. Such a system is connected by a circuit such as a RS232C or the switched telephone network, so as to allow the holding of parties whose partners are distant from each other.

Such a system also allows to hold rankings between players affiliated with the host. it is thus possible to gather many players and to play by "correspondence". A player isolates in such a situation is connected to a central by the switched telephone network.

His partner or whatever is in the same situation. By the markings arranged on the playing surface, each shot is played by the player on the network and the arrival configuration of the balls is reproduced by hand by the partner.

In a second step, the player who has just completed the series, indicates his score which is displayed on the terminal of his remote partner who then works in copy mode.

The centralizer keeps the memory of the shots and allows at the end of the game to keep an exact account of the performances.

Then the line passes to the other player who executes his series and as for his partner previously, sends first the position of arrival of the balls, then the score.

In the initial phase of the game, the players were able to agree on the characteristics of this game by any means of communication at a suitable distance.

Other adaptations of the present invention may be made by a person skilled in the art of the present disclosure. This is the case for other point games such as bowling or bowling games, or for golf.

In one embodiment, the marker management software for working in a pair of players on a single game surface is implanted in the read-only memory of a NS 8748 controller driven by a 5.91 MHz clock.

Beginning of the partial listing and commented.

Initialization phase:
BLINKCTE EQU 25D
TIMER EQU 223D
CLEAR EQU OOCH
KEYA EQU OOAH
KEYB EQU OOBH
BITMAP EQU 30H
BANK1 EQU BITMAP
BANK2 EQU BANKi + 4D
BANK3 EQU BANK2 + 4D
BANK4 EQU BANK3 + 4D
DSCA1 EQU BANKI
DSCA2 EQU BANK1 + lD
DSCA3 EQU BANKI + 2D
DSCB1 EQU BANK2
DSCB2 EQU BANK2 + iD
DSCB3 EQU BANK2 + 2D
REPI EQU BANKI + 3D
REP2 EQU BANK2 + 3D
BLI12 EQU 1FH
BLI34 EQU 1EH
KBD1 EQU 6H
KBD2 EQU 7H
SCA EQU 2FH
SCB EQU 2DH
REPRI EQU 2BH
MAXA EQU 23H
MAXB EQU 22H
MAX EQU 21H
CENT EQU 42H
ORG 000H
INIT DIS TCNTI
JMP INITA
ORG 003H
DIS TCTNI
RETR
ORG 007H
TIMER
INITA: DIS I; Interdiction of interruptions
STOP TCNT; Stop the clock
CLR A
MOV PSW, A
CPL A
OUTL P1, A; OFFH driver port 2 for keyboard input
MOV A, #OFCH; Driver port 1 for input
keyboard and driver output
OUTL P1, A
MOVX A, R0; Bue in high impedance
SALT MBO; initializing the display
CALL SEQO
CALL SEQO
MOV R0, # 20H
MOV R5, # 32H
CLR A
SEQO: Sub routine for sending a sequence of O to the
MM5451 for switching off all the display elements and blocking the transistors which polarize them (like transistor 9 in FIG. 1).

INIT0;
MOV @ R0, A; Set to 32 bytes since 20H
INC RO
DJNZ R5, INIT0
SEL RB1; Initialization of the counters
MOV R6, A
MOV R7 A
MOV R4, # 80H
MOV R3, #BLINKCTE; Number of cycles of execution MOV A, # TIMER you; nitialization of
MOV T, A
IN TCTNI
STRT T
RBO SALT
MOV R0, # KBD1
IN A, P1
CPL A
ANL A, OFCH
MOV & R0, A
JMP MAXGET
SUBBCD: 8-bit BCD subtraction routine (2 digits per byte) This routine calculates A = R2-R3
SUB8: 8-bit integer division routine to perform: R4 = R2 DIV R3
A = R2 MOD R3, division routine between 16 bits of ^ Ri by
R3 for ^ R1 <10 * R3: R1 points to the high byte,
A contains the low byte.

This routine performs: A = ^ R1 DIV R3,
R2 = R1 MOD R3.

The end of the routine sets Rf as a pointer to MMES.

CALP
MOV A, R1
ADD A, SRO
DA A
MOV & R0, A
INC RO
CLR A ADDC A, SRO
DA A
MOV & R0, A
RET
ORG 100H
Maxget: Initialization message ("P" flashing)
mov R0, &num; BLI12
mov &commat; R0, &num; 20H
mov RO, &num; DSCA3
mov &commat; R0, &num; 0ECH
Maxcle: Set i 0 of the maximum score of the game and display Ioi, one can enter handicaps.

XLR A
MOV & R0, A
DEC A
MOV RO, A
CALL DISPM
MaxlpO: Contract entry or maximum score to be achieved with display of the control. Not described here because it is within the reach of the skilled person. It is recalled that 1) the zero at the beginning of the number is not taken into account, 2) the keyboard is interrogated until nothing has been entered, 3) the input that is displayed, is authorized if the key  or the B key are pressed, but it starts again if the correction key C is depressed.

Main Loop of the program.

LOOP
CALL GET
MOV A, R2
ADD A, &num; (100H-KEYA)
JZ AMK; A marcue his points
MOV R0, SCB-1, calculation of the score of B
CALL CALP
MOV R0, MAXB
CALL MAXP
CALL DISPB; B Score Display
MOV R1, SCB-1
CALL REACH
JFO BREACH B to reach the BREACO Council
CLR Fi
CPL Fi
CALL MOYB
MOV R0, SCB-1
CALL WIN
CPL F0
JFO LOOP
JMP GOVER
BREACH:
MOV R0, &num; BLI12
MOV A, &num; OEH
ENT A, & R0
JMP BREAC0
AMK
MOV R0, SCA-1
CALL CALP
MOV A, MAX
CALL MAXP
MOV R1, SCA-1
CALL REACH
JFO AREACH; Detection of the approach of 5 points the the contract
AREAC0:
CLR F1
MOV R1, REPRI
MOV A, &num; Right to additional recovery
ADD A, & RI
DA A
JC OVRFL; overflow (99
times!)
MOV & R1, A
CALL MOYA
CALL MOYB
'3FO AWIN
JMP LOOP
AREACH:
MOV R0, SCA-1
MOV R0, &num; 0E0H
ORL A1 & RO
MOV & R0, A
X AREACO
OVRFL: Overflow. We are in error condition. The KEYBOA routine must be used to reset the game by pressing keys A and B.

AWIN
CALL GET; A has won
MOV A, R2
ADD A, &num; (100H-KEYA)
JZ GOVER
MOV R0, SCB-1
CALL CALP; Calculation of B score
CALL MAXP
CALL DISPB
CALL MOYB
GOVER:
CALL DISPR
MOV R0, &num; BLI12
MOV & R0, &num; 0H
WIN
MOV R1, MAX-1
GET
MOV R0, &num; BLI12
ANL ACdRO
MOV & R0, A
CALL DISPR
CLR A
MOV R1, A
MOYA
MOV R0, SCA
CALL DIVBCD, calculates the average of A
MOV R0, &num; BANK3
JMP AFFMOY; Poster on Bench 3 MOYB
MOV R0, SCB
CALL DIVBCD calculates the average of B
MOV RO, &num; BANK4
JMP AFFMOY; poster on Ban @ 4
AFFMOY:; show averages
MOV R2, &num;1D; sets the number of digits after the decimal point
MOV R1, &num; get back the chlfre of the hundreds
MOV A, & R1
CALL SP3; block 1 display the number of decimals
INC R2; next decimal
CALL SP3
INC R2
CALL SP2
ENT A, &num;1D; dace the decimal part separator
CALL SP5
CALL SP1
CALL SP4
DJNZ R2, CTMES
RET
CTMES
CALL SP2
CALL SP5
DJNZ R2, MIMES
RET MIMES
CALL SPI
JMP SP4
DISPA
MOV R0, &num; DSCA1
MOV R1, SCA
JMP DISP3
DISPB
MOV R0, &num; DSCB1
MOV R1, SCB
JMP DISP3
DISP3: Sub-routine display within the reach of the skilled person
SP3
JZ BACK
DEC R2
SP4:
MOVP3 A, &commat; A
MOV & R0, A
INC RO
BACK
RET
SPI
DEC R1
MOV A, & R1
SWAP A
ANL A, OFH
RET
SP2:
MOV A, & R1
ANL A, OFH
MOVP3 A, &commat; A
RET
END 000H.

Claims (9)

Claim. 1. Marker for a set of points, especially for billiards, characterized in that it comprises a display (3, 4) activated by a logic circuit (1, 2) which comprises a control software and a keyboard (7) for game data entry. 2. Marker according to claim 1 for a set of points made by successive occasions, characterized in that it comprises means for calculating the average reached by each player during the current recovery. 3. Marker according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for memorizing the best series of each player and means for exploiting this data as its display for each player at least at the end of the game. 4. Marker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the display comprises at least two sections (3, 4) which are multiplexed so as to reduce the electrical consumption of the marker. 5. Marker according to claim 4, characterized in that each section of the display is reserved for a display step in a first initialization mode and a player in a second game mode so as to reduce the number of display elements. 6. Marker according to claim 5, characterized in that each display area is constituted by a set of separate displays as displays "seven segments" high brightness and low consumption and of sufficient size to allow reading " from afar". 7. Marker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a validation means (A. B) the input of a data entry on the keypad (24) in the game phase QU in initialization phase 8. Marker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it also comprises a means of electronic communication to a data processing system as a central computer whose marker is then a terminal. 9. Marker according to claim 8, characterized in that it cooperates with means for recording the position of the balls on a first playing surface at each game position change, the resulting game position being transmitted to the partner. on a second remote gaming surface.