JPH0464717B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to an automatic bowling score device that automatically processes bowling scores.

(b) Background of the Invention Conventionally, bowling alleys have been installing automatic bowling score devices that automatically perform complicated processes such as counting scores and recording them on score sheets. This automatic bowling scoring device is generally
The number of pins remaining after pitching is detected by a residual pin detection means consisting of an imaging device and image processing, the score is counted by a score counting means based on this detection result, and the score is displayed on a display screen provided on the console. It is made to be. As a result, the player is freed from processing such as calculating the score and writing it on the score sheet, and can concentrate on pitching and playing the game, thereby improving the service to the customers.

However, as the installation of such automatic bowling score devices has become widespread, automatic score processing has become commonplace, and it is no longer an effective service for customers. It will no longer be possible to differentiate from the Therefore, there has been a desire for an automatic bowling scoring device that can provide more effective services to customers.

The purpose of this invention is to display images related to different games on the display screen according to the score, have the players play different games, memorize the results, and use these results to provide new services to customers. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic bowling score device that can be added.

(c) Means for Solving the Problems The automatic bowling score device of the present invention includes a console provided for each lane, a host computer connected to each console and transmitting data between each console, and a pitcher. residual pin detection means for detecting the residual state of subsequent pins; the console displays score counting means for counting scores from the detection results of the residual pin detection means; and displaying the counting results of the score counting means. a display device, a game display means for displaying another game on the display device for a predetermined period according to the detection result of the residual pin detection result, and a game result of the game displayed by the game display means is stored as premium data. and a premium data storage means for providing a premium service to the pitcher, the host computer reads and totals premium data for each console stored in the premium data storage means at a predetermined timing in order to provide a premium service to the pitcher. It is characterized by comprising means.

(d) Effect In the present invention, the results of plays in each lane are counted by the score counting means and then displayed on the display. When a strike or the like is detected by the remaining pin detection means as a result of play, a game such as a slot machine game is displayed on the display, and the game is played by the player. The results are temporarily stored as premium data on the console provided for each lane. At a predetermined timing, such as when the game ends,
The host computer reads and totals the premium data stored in the premium data storage means. Premium includes free services for one game, etc., which can be automatically settled at the time of payment.

(e) Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an automatic bowling score device that is an embodiment of the present invention.

A console 11 on which competitors wait is connected to host computers 20 and 21. A host computer 20 is provided at the front desk, and inputs the names and the like of customers who have completed the reception procedure. The data input in this host computer 20 is transferred to the console 11 of a predetermined lane.
will be forwarded to. A video camera 7 and a CRT 8 are provided at the top of the console 11. A video camera 7 photographs the pitching form of the athlete.
The CRT8 also displays scores and the like.

A small CRT is provided on the console 11 and displays the same content as the CRT 8. Further, the pin is imaged by a video camera 1. This video camera 1 serves as an imaging device and constitutes a part of an image processing device which is residual pin detection means. Furthermore, the host computer 21 is connected to the host computer 20 and manages various data related to the overall operation of the bowling alley.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the control section of the automatic bowling scoring device.

A plurality of consoles 11a, 11b, 11c, . . . provided corresponding to each lane constitute a LAN including a host computer 20.
Each console consists of a microcomputer, and includes a ROM that stores control programs, a RAM that is used as a working area for various flags and counters, a memory that stores display data, and input/output ports.

A keyboard 10 is provided on the console panel via a keyboard controller 12.
This keyboard controller 12 specifies the key operated by the contestant on the keyboard 10.
Further, the output signal of the video camera 1 is input to the console via the image processing device 13. The image processing device 13 performs image processing on the output signal of the video camera 1, and detects the presence or absence of a pin at each array position. The switch 15 receives a score information signal S1 and an instruction signal S2 from the console 11.
is input. The switch 15 normally supplies score information from the console 11 to the CRT 8.
Based on the instruction signal S2 from the console 11, the video signal of the video camera 7 is output to the CRT 8, and the pitching form of the athlete is displayed on it. In this way, the switch 15 selectively switches between the output signal of the video camera 7 and the output signal of the console 11.

Although Figure 3 shows only the equipment used for one lane on one console, in reality one console manages two lanes, and two sets of equipment are connected to it. ing.

FIG. 3 is a memory map of the main parts of the RAM included in the control section of the automatic bowling scoring device.

Memory area MA in the RAM of the microcomputer that constitutes the control unit of the console 11
Each of 1 to MA6 has a game number counter.
GC, free game number counter MC, frame counter FC, pitching counter SC, flag F, and timer T are respectively assigned. The game counter GC counts the number of games executed in the lane controlled by the console. Free games counter that is a premium data storage method
The MC counts the number of slot machine games that are free of charge as described below. The frame counter FC counts how many frames are being executed in one game. The pitch counter SC is the number of pitches (first pitch or second pitch) in each frame.
count). Further, the flag F stores whether or not the game being executed is free of charge by a slot machine game to be described later. Further, the timer T measures the rotation time of the slot in a slot machine game to be described later.

7 to 10 are display examples of the CRT8.

At the start of the game, the names of the players transferred from the front host computer 20 are displayed in Chinese characters as shown in FIG. 7, and the names of the players who are to pitch are instructed. Further, if there is a pin remaining after pitching, the position of the pin is displayed in a superimposed manner at the center of the score display as shown in FIG. The example in the figure is 2 of the first frame of the third contestant (Yamada).
This shows the state after the shot. Further, if there are no remaining pins in each of the first throw and the second throw, the displays shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 are displayed in the center of the score display.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a part of the processing procedure of the host computer 20, and shows the processing procedure for performing the superimposed display shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.

First, a specific area of the display memory where the score is displayed is saved (n41). Next, data representing the status of the remaining pins and data for displaying marks such as spares and strikes are written into the display memory (n
42). As a result, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the remaining pin information is displayed in a superimposed manner within the score display. This display is continued for a certain period of time, and when it is time to restore the display, the display memory of the evacuated specific area is restored and the original score is displayed (n43,
n44).

FIGS. 5A and 5B are flowcharts showing the processing procedure of the console of the automatic bowling scoring device, with FIG. 5A showing score processing and FIG.
shows the procedure for slot machine game processing.

When the data is transferred from the front host computer at the start of the game, the display shown in Figure 7 is displayed, then the frame counter FC and pitch counter SC are initialized and the system waits for the player to pitch (n1 to n3). . When a photoelectric switch (not shown) detects that the ball has been pitched, the number of remaining pins is counted by image processing by the video camera 1 and the image processing device 13 (n4). pitching counter
If the content of SC is 1, that is, if there are remaining pins in the first pitch, score processing is performed based on the number of fallen pins, and the pitch counter SC is incremented (n5, n6, n8, n9). Furthermore, if the score of the previous frame is determined by the current pitch, the score of that frame is calculated (n16).

If the content of frame counter SC is 2,
In other words, if there are no remaining pins in the second throw, spare processing is performed (n10, n11), and if there are remaining pins, score processing is performed based on the number of fallen pins (n10, n11).
12). After that, set the pitch counter SC to 1 and increment the frame counter FC (n14,
15). If the score of the previous frame is determined by this pitch, the score of that frame is calculated (n
16).

If the content of the pitch counter SC is 1, that is, if there are no remaining pins in the first pitch, a strike process is performed (n5 to n7). As a result of this strike processing, the display shown in FIG. 9 is displayed on the CRT 8. After this, it is determined whether flag F assigned to memory area MA5 is set (n
13), if flag F is in the reset state, the fifth
The slot machine game process shown in Figure B is executed. That is, the slot machine shown in FIG. 6A is superimposed on the central part of the CRT 8 where the score is displayed (n51), and the timer T assigned to the memory area MA6 is activated to rotate the slot for a certain period of time (n52~ 55). If the symbols in all three slots match while each slot is stopped, flag F is set and the free game counter MC is incremented (n
57, n58). Furthermore, one free game is displayed in the center of the CRT8 (n59), and the process proceeds to n14. Through the above processes n51 to n59, a slot machine game process, which is another game, is performed every time a scratch process is performed during the game, and a service is provided in which one game is given free if the symbols match. Note that if the flag F is set at n13, the slot machine game processing from n51 to n59 is not performed. Therefore, the maximum number of free games in one game is one.

When the above slot machine game processing is completed, the content of the pitch counter SC is set to 1, and
The frame counter FC is incremented and score processing is executed (n14, n15), and if the score of the previous frame is determined by the current pitch, the score of that frame is calculated (n16).

When the competition ends through the above-described processing, the data in the console is transmitted to the front host computer 20 by the player's operation of the end key. At the front desk, you will be charged a fee for the number of games after subtracting the contents of the free game counter MC from the contents of the game counter GC, and the customer will be charged a fee for the number of games that is calculated by subtracting the contents of the free game counter MC from the contents of the game counter GC. can give.

FIG. 5C shows the operation of the host computer 20 described above.

In this embodiment, the slot is rotated for a certain period of time and then stopped, but the slot may be stopped by the player's key operation.
In addition, other services such as discounts on bowling game fees may be provided depending on the results of the slot machine game processing (combination of symbols, etc.), and the timing of executing the slot machine game processing is limited to only when there is a strike. It's not a thing. Furthermore, other games of the present invention are not limited to slot machine games.

(f) Effects of the invention According to this invention, it is no longer just a game between players added to a bowling game, but each player can now expect premium services from the bowling alley, etc. based on the bowling game results and play results. Moreover, since the results of the game are loaded into the host computer, there is no possibility of fraud, and the host side can easily collect data for all lanes at any time. be. Furthermore, the display on which the game results are displayed is also used to display scores that are automatically calculated, and the display time is also a predetermined time, so there is no need to provide multiple displays, and the score display It has the effect of not causing problems that make it look wet. Therefore, customers can be attracted extremely effectively, each lane of the bowling game and other games attached thereto can be managed accurately and easily, and furthermore, it can be constructed in a small size at low cost.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an automatic bowling score device that is an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the control section of the automatic bowling score device, and FIG.
The figure is a memory map of the RAM of the console that constitutes a part of the control unit of the device, Figures 4 and 5 A and B are flowcharts showing the processing procedure of the console, and Figure 5 C is the time of charge settlement. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the host computer. Furthermore, FIGS. 6A and 6B show examples of CRT display screens in the slot machine game process shown in FIG. 5B, and FIGS. It is a figure showing an example of a display. 1... Video camera (residual pin detection means), 8
...CRT (display screen), 13...image processing device (residual pin detection means).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A console provided for each lane, a host computer connected to each console and transmitting data between each console, and a remaining pin detection device that detects the remaining state of pins after pitching. means, the console comprises score counting means for counting a score from the detection result of the residual pin detecting means;
a display for displaying the counting results of the score counting means; a game display means for displaying another game for a predetermined period on the display according to the detection result of the remaining pin detection result; premium data storage means for storing game results of games played as premium data; the host computer stores premium data for each console stored in the premium data storage means in order to provide premium services to pitchers characterized by comprising means for reading and aggregating data at a predetermined timing;
Automatic bowling score device.