GB2092342A - A computing device for giving an indication of the probable result of a football match - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises a case, a pre-programmed microprocessor in the case, a keyboard on the case and a display on the case for displaying such a result. There can be fed into the device, via the keyboard, data relating to past performances of a pair of teams, the device being programmed for using such data in predicting the probable result of a match between the teams and displaying on the display an indication of this result. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A computing device for giving an indication of the probable result of a football match The present invention relates to a computing device for giving an indication of the probable result of a football match.

The ability to forecast successfully the probable result of a future football match, for example for use in connection with the football pools, requires knowledge of the abilities of the competing teams and of the variables that can affect their current form coupled with an element of luck to cover unforeseen eventualities.

According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic computing device for giving an indication of the probable result of a football match comprising a case, a pre-programmed microprocessor in the case, a keyboard on the case and a display on the case for displaying such a result.

Preferably, there can be fed into the device, via the keyboard, data relating to past performances of a pair of teams, the microprocessor being programmed for using such data in predicting the probable result of a match between the said teams and displaying on the display an indication of the result.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a view of the front panel of an example of a device according to the present invention; and Figure 2 is a flow chart relating to the operation of the device's computer.

The device to be described comprises a case whose front panel is shown in Figure 1 and which houses a pre-programmed microprocessor and batteries for operating the device. On the front panel, there is a keyboard having keys as shown, a power switch, further keys as shown, function and other indicating lights (such as light-emissive diodes) as shown and an electronic display for displaying match number and other data. The device may be used for telling a user what the chances are of the result of a future football match.

The chances of a home win, away win or draw are shown as percentages, for example: home win 50%; away win 20%; and draw 30%. The chance of a score draw is also computed, thus a 30% draw could include 10% no score and 20% score draw. The 20% score draw would be displayed.

INFORMATION TO BE GIVEN TO THE DEVICE Results From football tables in newspapers or the user's own records, the device is informed of the previous results that the home team has achieved when playing at home and the away team results when playing away. When forecasting more than one match, each match must be given a number.

Level The device's computer will assume that both teams are from the same division and playing in a league match unless it is informed differently, for example "Home team two divisions higher".

Favour The device's computer will assume that both teams will play to their past forms unless it is informed that the user feels differently, for example "Favour away team".

Forecast choice The device's computer provides a choice of four forecasts for each match, namely: Score Ability Forecast compares the goal record of each team; Win Ability Forecast compares the wins, draws and losses of each team; Combined Forecast compares the score and win ability of both teams; and Pure Luck Forecast ignores all information on both teams and produces a random chance forecast. The user informs the device which forecast is preferred for each match. If it is left to the device, its computer will select a combined forecast.

Match forecast The device's computer is asked to show the forecast for one match, for example: Home win 50%, Away win 20%; Draw 30%; and Score Draw 20%.

Select best The device's computer is asked to show Score Draws and/or Draws and/or Home wins and/or Away wins with the matches selected in their best order, for example: Match 42 Score Draw 56%; Match 19 Score Draw 48%; Match 4 Score Draw 45%; and so on.

TO RECORD Information required from team records Unless using a pure luck forecast, all of the information for both teams' records is required. The record lights illuminate to indicate the next number required from the team information. If it is wished to change or correct a record number after it has been entered, the ENTER key must be pressed repeatedly until all the record lights are out. All the correct data for that match must be entered again.

Keyboard numbers Numbers are set in from the keyboard and appear on the right-hand side of the display. The numbers are not accepted by the device's computer until the ENTER key is pressed. If it is realised that a mistake has been made before the ENTER key has been pressed, the user just carries on by pressing the right numbers.

Foul entries The device's computer will not accept operations that will spoil the forecast for a match. If such an operation were tried, EEEEEE will be displayed and the user just carries on with the correct operation.

EXAMPLE For the purpose of example, the following fictitious league table shown will be used, in particular the match of Man Rovers versus Liverton.

League-Division 1 Home Goals Away Goals P W D L F A W D L F A Pts Oxbridge 42 19 2 o 51 4 11 6 6 4 34 12 68 Headford U 42 4 ..42 11 11 0 34 10 10 7 3 27 16 60 Man Rovers .........42 ...42 73 5 3 38 IS 11 6 4 34 20 59 Dartcaster ................ 42 12 7 2 32 97 5 10 6 20 23 51 Scunpool ....................... 42 11 4 4 6 41 25 7 10 4 29 27 50 Liverton 42 11 4 6 34 21 9 5 7 29 28 49 Portsfield 42 11 8 2 37 18 6 6 9. 24 30 Kullchester ..................................42 42 89 4 37 25 7 7 7 Peterthorpe 42 9 7 4 29 25 Swanham ....................................42 42 117 3.

Aston House 42 7 Emptyham ...................................

Step User Display No. Description Presses match data (Indicating next No. step) 1 Switch power ON Slide switch to ON 01 2 Match No. 00 3 Set match No. on keyboard 1 01 4 Set into mode for accepting data RECORD 01 00 home team home results, WON Use HOME TEAM HOME RESULTS in league tables 5 Set home games WON on keyboard 13 01 13 ,, ,, WON 6 ENTER 01 00 ,, ,, DRAWN 7 Set home games DRAWN on keyboard 5 01 05 ,, ,, DRAWN 8 ENTER 01 00 ,, ,, LOST 9 Set home games LOST on keyboard 3 01 03 ,, ,, LOST 10 ENTER 01 00 ,, ,, GOALS FOR 11 Set home GOALS FOR on keyboard 38 01 38 ,, ,, GOALS FOR 12 ENTER 01 00 " " GOALS AGAINST 13 Set home GOALS AGAINST on keyboard 15 01 15 " " GOALS AGAINST 14 ENTER 01 00 away team away results WON Use AWAY TEAM AWAY RESULTS in league tables 15 Set away games WON on keyboard 9 01 09 " " WON 16 ENTER 01 00 ,, ,, DRAWN 17 Set away games DRAWN on keyboard 5 01 05 ,, ,, DRAWN 18 ENTER 01 00 ,, LOST 19 Set away games LOST on keyboard 7 01 07 ,, LOST 20 ENTER 01 00 away team away results, GOALS FOR 21 Set away GOALS FOR on keyboard 29 01 29 ,, ,, GOALS FOR 22 ENTER 01 00 ,, ,, GOALS AGAINST 23 Set away GOALS AGAINST on keyboard 28 01 28 ,, ,, GOALS AGAINST 24 ENTER 01 00 If it is wished to use LEVEL, FAVOUR or FORECAST CHOICE read on from step 30 If not: 25 Calculate match MATCH percentages FORECAST 01 14 SCORE DRAW% At this stage, the user can go back to Step 2 for the next match (the last calculations having been remembered by the device's computer) but if the user wishes to look at the results for the last match in detail, then he carries on as follows: 26 MATCH 01 29 DRAW% FORECAST 27 MATCH 01 25 AWAYWIN% FORECAST 28 MATCH 01 46 HOME WIN% FORECAST Continued pressing of MATCH FORECAST will cycle through Steps 25-28.For the purpose of the calculations in Steps 25-28, the device's computer has assumed that the team records are from the same division, that is the user is using pure form, and that he required both scoring ability and match winning ability to be taken into account From the data in the example, it can be seen that the chances of a score draw have been calculated at 14%, a draw at all at 29%, an away win at 25% and a home win at 46%. From these figures, a home win is predicted.

To change a recorded and forecast match If a user wishes to change any detail of a match that has already been recorded and forecast, that match number is entered and all of the information is re-entered as in Steps 2-24. The old information will be over-written and a forecast made and recorded.

It is then necessary to start from Step 2 for the next match, TO SET LEVEL Step Description User Display Lights No. Presses match data (Indicating No. next step) To Set LEVEL Perform steps 1-24 01 00 30 LEVEL 01 Al LEVEL LEVEL 01 bl LEVEL LEVEL 01 C1 LEVEL LEVEL 01 dl LEVEL LEVEL 01 Al LEVEL That is, repeated pressing of LEVEL cycles the letters so that the letter desired may be selected. The letter on the display refers to the letters pertaining to LEVEL, namely: "A" = Same Div.; "b" = Home Hi-Div.; "C" = Home Lo-Div.; and "d" = Cup. "A" is the normal level which is automatically used if Step 30 is not used.

"b" and "C" are to be used when the form relates to different divisions. The number appearing after the letters refers to the difference in levels in the cases of "b" and "C" or the emphasis put on "d", which can be also used for a local Derby. The number can be changed from the keyboard.

If the user wishes to use FAVOUR or FORECAST CHOICE, he carries on from Step 40, if not going to Step 25.

TO SET FAVOUR Step Description User Display Lights No. Presses match data (Indicating No. next step) To Set FA VOUR Perform steps 1-24 (plus step 30 if LEVEL used) 01 00 40 FAVOUR 01 Al FAVOUR FAVOUR 01 bl FAVOUR FAVOUR 01 C1 FAVOUR FAVOUR 01 dl FAVOUR FAVOUR 01 Al FAVOUR That is, repeated pressing of FAVOUR cycles the letters so the letter wanted may be selected. The letter on the display refers to the letters pertaining to FAVOUR, namely: "A" = Pure Form; "b" = Home; "C" = Away; and "d" = draw. "A" is the normal favour which is automatically used if step 40 is not used. "b", "C" or "d" is the result that is favoured by the user. The number appearing after the letter on the display refers to the emphasis that the user wishes to put on the result by favour. The number can be changed from the keyboard.

If the user wishes to use FORECAST CHOICE he carries on from Step 50, if not going to Step 25.

TO SET FORECAST CHOICE Step Description User Display Lights No. Presses match data (Indicating No. next step) To set FORECAST CHOICE Perform steps 1-24 (plus step 30 if LEVEL used) (plus 40 if FAVOUR used) 01 00 50 FORECAST 01 A FORECAST CHOICE CHOICE FORECAST 01 b FORECAST CHOICE CHOICE FORECAST 01 C FORECAST CHOICE CHOICE FORECAST 01 d FORECAST CHOICE CHOICE FORECAST 01 A FORECAST CHOICE CHOICE That is, repeated pressing of FORECAST CHOICE cycles the letters so that the desired letter may be selected.

The letter on the display refers to the letters pertaining to FORECAST CHOICE, namely: "A" = Full Record; "b" = Score Ability; "C" = Win Ability; and "d" = Pure Luck. "A" uses the combined scoring and match winning abilities of the teams. This is the normal choice that is automatically used if Step 50 is not used. "b" uses only the scoring performance of the teams. "C" uses only the match result of the teams. "d" generates random numbers for the percentage chances and this selection can be used without Steps 1-24. The user, after Step 50, goes to Step 25.

TO SELECT BEST FORECAST Step Description User Display Lights No. Presses match data (Indicating next No. step) To SELECTBESTFORECAST Perform steps 1-24 (plus steps 30,40 & BR< 50 as required) for all matches to be considered e.g. 55 55 32 SCORE DRAW % Score Draws 60 Finds best score draw % SCORE 27 52 SCORE DRAW % DRAWS 61 Finds next best score SCORE 38 51 SCORE DRAW % draw%. DRAWS 62 Finds third best score SCORE 07 49 SCORE DRAW % draw % DRAWS and so on through all the matches Draws 70 Finds best draw % DRAWS 27 56 DRAW% 71 Finds next best DRAWS 07 55 DRAW % draw% and so on through all the matches Away Wins 80 Finds best away AWAY 29 61 AWAY WIN % win % WINS 81 Finds next best AWAY 11 57 AWAY WIN % awaywin% WINS and so on through all the matches...

Home Wins 90 Finds best home win % HOME 19 87 HOME WIN % WINS 91 Finds next best home HOME 47 80 HOME WIN % win % WINS and so on through all the matches....

TO COMPUTE A PURE LUCK FORECAST FOR ALL MATCHES Step Description User Display Lights No. Presses match data (Indicating No. next step) To compute a PURE LUCK forecast for all matches 100 Switch power ON Slide switch toON 101 MATCH 00 No.

102 Set MATCH No. 1 01 on keyboard 103 FORECAST 01 d FORECAST CHOICE CHOICE 104 MATCH 01 27 SCORE DRAW % FORECAST (e.g.) Repeat steps 101 104 for each match 110 Select best results as detailed in steps 60-91 Figure 2 is a flow chart showing the sequence of operations that may be carried out by the device's computer under the control of its programs. The statistical data gates are operated on by a program in the computer which is based on statistical data over five years' records regarding goal scoring ability to operate on K depending on its value, as shown, to give a particular value of L, and in dependence on the value of L there are given particular values of the percentage probability of a home win, an away win and a draw. If desired, these may be fed as values M, N and P respectively directly for further processing via the form gates.

However, if desired, another progam is available for use whereby the arithmetic mean of past match results passes via the match winning ability gate to give the values for M, N and P or, under the control of yet another program which is available, corresponding outputs of the match winning ability gate and the goal scoring ability gate are averaged to give respective values of M, N and P.

Via the form gates, if only pure form is being used or the teams are in the same division, then values M, N and P are passed on unaltered whereas, otherwise, these values are weighted as shown in dependence on the indicated preferences or relevant facts as indicated. The values M, N, and P, either unaltered or weighted, are then further processed as indicated for feeding into memory the percentage probabilities of a draw, a score draw, an away win and a home win.

Finally, the lowest blocks in the flow chart refer to operations which are carried out when the device's computer is operated to give a pure luck forecast.

To summarise, in the FORECAST mode the computer is pre-programmed to produce from the inputs when in the RECORD mode the percentge chance of a home win, away win, draw, score draw, no score draw and most likely result. One program calculates the chance based on match winning records, another program calculates the chance based on goal scoring records and the results of the two programs by another program can be combined to calculate the chance based on all form information. The chance thus calculated may be varied at will by input of the standard of the league in which the individual teams play, by assessment of current form or favour for either team or personal assessment of the likely result. A further option produces a forecast based on pure luck using a random number generator.

In the SELECT mode, all computed probablities are withdrawn from memory for display in ranked order of probability as home win, away win, draw or score draw.

Claims (9)

1. An electronic computing device for giving an indication of the probable result of a football match, comprising a case, a pre-programmed microprocessor in the case, a keyboard on the case and a display on the case for displaying such a result.

2. A device according to claim 1 into which can be fed, via the keyboard, data relating to past performances of a pair of teams, the microprocessor being programmed for using such data in predicting the probable result of a match between the said teams and displaying on the display an indication of this result.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to operate on the basis of statistical data of past goal scoring records of teams for predicting the probability of future results and differentiating between no goal and score draws.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to operate on the basis of statistical data of past match results of teams for predicting the probability of future results.

5. A device according to claim 2, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to operate on the basis of statistical data of past goal scoring and match results of teams for predicting the probability of future results.

6. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the predicted probability of a future result can be adjusted to any degree by the inclusion of data relating to a personal preference for a given team or result.

7. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the predicted probability of a future result can be selected at random using basic statistical information unrelated to specific teams.

8. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein predicted results can be stored in a memory for recall and display by type in racked order.

9. An electronic computing device for giving an indication of the probable result of a football match, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.