GB2067080A - Electronic bridge game - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronically controlled game of contact bridge comprises a programmed microprocessor, a display device controlled by the microprocessor for displaying at discrete display areas the contract to be played, the dummy hand, one of the other hands, and the cards played from each hand in a current round. A keyboard is provided for keying in a card to be played from each of the displayed hands. After a card has been played from a displayed hand in a current round, the microprocessor calculates the card to be played from the next, undisplayed hand and causes this card to be displayed, and deletes cards from the displayed hands after they have been played. The displays may be on a cathode-ray tube. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Simulated bridge game This invention relates to electronically controlled visual display devices to enable a person to simulate the card play in a game of contact bridge, e.g. as declarer playing his own hand and dummy, the remaining two hands remaining hidden (unless revealed at the selection of the player).

With the compact microprocessors available today it is possible to provide such a device as a table top unit and to program it on the basis of conventional rules of play so that it will, so to speak, deal an infi nite number of different hands and decide the contract to be played. Having done this it will then decide the cards to be played from the hidden hand or hands, the cards from the displayed hands being played by the player.

However, the problem still exists of how to display the card play visually in a convenient manner and it is the object of this invention to provide a solution to this problem.

According to the present invention an electronically controlled device to enable a person to simulate the card play in a game of contract bridge, comprises: a) a programmed microprocessor b) a display device controlled by the microproces- sor for displaying at discrete display areas, (i) the contact to be played (ii) the dummy hand and one of the other hands (iii) the cards played from each hand in a current round c) a keyboard for keying in a card to be played from each of the displayed hands, and the programmed microprocessor is programmed so that it, after a card has been played from a displayed hand in a current round, calculates the card to be played from the next, undisplayed hand and causes this card to be displayed, and deletes cards from the displayed hand after they have been played.

Said display area for the hands and for the cards played from each hand may be arranged relatively to each other over said display device to simulate the play at a card table.

Advantageously display areas for all four hands are allocated in said display device so that the hand to be played by the player and so displayed can be selected from any one of three hands.

The display device may have indicating means controlled by said microprocessor for indicating when it is the turn of a displayed hand to play.

Advantageously said microprocessor is programmed to receive from said keyboard the card to be played as a coded signal in accordance with a predetermined numbered code, and said display device has a discrete area for displaying the code of the card keyed in. Thus the cards are represented by a code number so that if the player decides to play a particular card he keys in the corresponding code number. Advantageously the device may also have an error warning light to indicate that he has keyed in a wrong code number.

One example of a device according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figures 1 to 5 show the displays of the device at successive rounds of play, and Figure 6 shows one form of code used to represent the cards.

The device comprises for example a board with cut-outs to display windows as will be described.

The display windows themselves may be individual electronic display units such as are used in pocket electronic calculators. Alternatively they may form discrete areas of a single display device such as the screen of a cathode ray tube, controlled from a microprocessor. Four groups of windows are provided to display the hands dealt to North, South, East and West and each group has four windows to display the cards of each suit in each hand. Alongside each group is a small window to display the card played from each hand. Further windows are provided to display the contract, the round of play, the trick score and the code number of the card played by declarer from his own hand or dummy. Atable of code numbers for the cards is displayed in the lower left hand corner, this table being shown in full in Figure 6.

These code numbers are keyed-in on the key-board in the lower right hand corner of the device. The table also includes a number of signal codes, namely "Score", "Reveal" (for East and West hands) "Replay" and "New Play". Along the lower centre of the device are four indicator lights, the first a red light to indicate an operator error, the next two, green lights indicating to the player when lit to key in the appropriate signal.

Consider for example the simulation of declarer's play in the hand shown in Figure 1. The declarer is South.

When the ON button is switched on, the program in the microporcessor, in effect, makes a series of deals and selects a suitable deal.

The initial display (see Figure 1) shows the following: The North and South hands only of the selected deal are displayed in the North and South windows.

At the same time, the opening lead from the hidden West hand is displayed in the small window marked W.

The contract to be made is displayed at the top left hand corner of the display together with the round number. At the bottom of the display the initial Trick Score is shown as 0:0. The green light 'NORTH TO PLAY' is on.

The player now selects the card he wishes to play from the North hand and keys-in the code number of the card. This code number is displayed.

The player now presses the INPUT key.

The card code number is automatically cleared when the INPUT key is pressed. The initial display of the North and South hands disappears and is instantly replaced by a new display of these hands (see Figure 2).

The small window marked N shows the card selected by the player from the North hand and this card has now been removed from the North hand display.

The small window marked E also shows on this display the subsequent card played by East from the hidden East hand. The South hand in this display remains unchanged. The green light showing 'SOUTH TO PLAY' is on. The player now selects the card he wishes to play from the South hand and keys in the code number of this card. This code number is displayed.

The player now presses the INPUT key.

The display disappears to be replaced immediately by a new display (see Figure 3) showing, in addition to the current state of the North and South hands, a display of the four cards played in round 1 in the four small windows marked W, N, E and S.

The green light 'ENTER SIGNAL' is on.

The first round is completed and scored by the player keying in the code number for SCORE i.e. 60.

He now presses the INPUT key.

The current display disappears and is immediately replaced by a new display (see Figure 4).

The Round number now indicates 2 for the second round; the TRICK SCORE is shown and the remaining 12 cards in each of the North and South hands are displayed.

Since South won the trick on the previous round the green light 'SOUTH TO PLAY' is on. The player selects a card from the South hand and the play proceeds.

Had North won the previous round the green light 'NORTH TO PLAY' would be on.

If West had won the previous round the display would be similar to the initial display (see Figure 1) with the green light 'NORTH TO PLAY' on.

If East had won the previous round the display would show the card to this round from the hidden East hand in the small window marked E and the green light 'SOUTH TO PLAY' would be on.

If the player, inadvertently keys-in the code number of a card which is, for example, not in the South hand, the red light 'OPERATOR ERROR' goes on while the green light 'SOUTH TO PLAY' remains on. The error is simply corrected by keying in the correct code number of the card required from the South hand and pressing the INPUT key.

Similarly if the player keys-in the incorrect code signal e.g. 75 instead of70 the red light 'OPERATOR ERROR' goes on, the green light 'ENTER SIGNAL' temaining on. Again the error is simply corrected by keying-in the correct signal code number and pressing the INPUT key.

Further, if the player keys in an incorrect code number and realisesthis, before he presses the INPUT key, he may clear the code number display with the CLEAR key and key-in the correct code number followed by pressing the INPUT key.

At any time during the course of the game, when the green light 'ENTER SIGNAL' is displayed, the player has several options apart from keying-in the SCORE signal code number 60.

He may key-in code number 70 to REVEAL all four hands (see FigureS). He may key in Code number 80 which will return him to the beginning of Round 1 for a REPLAY of the same hands or he may key-in code number 90 for a complete redeal and a NEW GAME.

At the end of the game when the 13th. round has been completed the green light'ENTER SIGNAL' is on and the final trick score is shown, the options mentioned above are then available to the player.

To simplify the explanation of the operation of the invention it has been assumed that a declarer's play is being simulated.

It can be seen, however, that the same form of display can be used to simulate a defender's play.

In this case for example only the cards in the hands of East and North (the dummy again) would be revealed, the latter only after the opening lead from the East hand by the player.

The programmed microprocessor would then determine the play of the three hands North, East and West and the player would play the East cards only.

The display would then continue as described. A different program for the microprocessor would, of course, be required.

This suggests that the display could be supported by a whole series of interchangeable microporcessor units catering for a variety of contact bridge play sitatuions e.g.

Declarer's play in NT contracts, or major suit contracts, Defensive play by East in NS contract.

Defensive play by West in major suit contracts etc.

Simple adjustments to the program can be made to increase the difficulty of making the contracts and hence to guide the play.

The display with its supporting microprocessor circuitry is intended to be operated by battery or mains charge.

The device of the invention is intended to be portable and suitably enclosed in a case with a handle.

It is envisaged that the device could measure 25cm by 20cm and have a depth of 3cm to 5cm, depending on the microprocessor, components and circuitry employed.

Claims (11)

1. An electronically controlled device to enable a person to simulate the card play in a game of contract bridge, comprising: a) a programmed microprocessor b) a display device controlled by the microprocessor for displaying at discrete display areas, (i) the contract to be played (ii) the dummy hanEand one of the other hands (iii) the cards playedfrom each hand in a current round (c) a keyboard for keying in a card to be played from each of the displayed hands, wherein the prog rammed microporcessor is programmed so that it, after a card has been played from a displayed hand in a current round, calculates the card to be played from the next, undisplayed hand and causes this card to be displayed, and deletes cards from the dis played hand after they have been played.

2. An electronically controlled device according to claim 1, wherein said display areas for the hands and for the cards played from each hand are arranged relatively to each other over said display device to simulate the play at a card table.

3. An electronically controlled device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein display areas for all four hands are allocated in said display device so that the hand to be played by the player and so displayed can bb selected from any one of three hands.

4. An electronically controlled device according to any preceding claim, wherein said display device has a discrete area for displaying the number of the current round.

5. An electronically controlled device according to any preceding claim and having indicating means controlled by said microprocessor for indicating when it is the turn of a displayed hand to play.

6. An electronically controlled device according to any preceding claim, wherein said microprocessor is programmed to receive from said keyboard the card to be played as a coded signal in accordance with a predetermined numbered code, and said display device has a discrete area for displaying the code of the card keyed in.

7. An electronically controlled device according to claim 6, and having a table of code numbers for the cards.

8. An electronically controlled device according to any preceding claim wherein provision is made for revealing the whole of each undisplayed hand.

9. An electronically controlled device according to claim 8, wherein said undisplayed hand can be revealed by coded signals keyed in on said keyboard.

10. An electronically controlled device according to any preceding claim, wherein said display device has discrete areas for displaying the trick score.

11. An electronically controlled device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.