JPS62261381A - Balling count apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a bowling counting device that counts the number of fallen pins, and particularly relates to a bowling counting device that counts the number of fallen pins by conveying an image of the state of the pins. This invention relates to a counting device.

[Prior art] Conventional bowling counting devices of this type that count the number of pins that fall have utilized the white color of the pins and the black background, a barcode reader method that treats the pins as bars, and a barcode reader method that uses reflected waves of ultrasonic waves. There was a reflected wave method that used this method to detect the presence of a pin.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The above-mentioned barcode reader system has the problem of malfunction if the pin settings are deviated or the pins become dirty. Furthermore, in the reflected wave method, when high frequency noise occurs in the bearings of various machines in the bowling alley, it becomes difficult to distinguish it from the reflected waves, causing malfunctions.

In addition, in the above barcode reader method and reflected wave method,
It is difficult to adjust the setting position during installation work and 4th inspection.
This required the hands of an experienced person.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention aims to provide a bowling counting device that is less likely to malfunction when counting pins and is easy to monitor.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A bowling counting device according to the present invention includes: an imaging means such as a television camera that photographs pins; a video storage memory that binarizes and stores the output of the ms means; It consists of a determining means for determining whether the stored contents of the storage memory are substantially continuously at the same level for a predetermined number of bits or more, and a counting means for counting the output units of the determining means and calculating the number of overturned pins. .

[Operation 1] In the bowling counting device of the present invention, the pin is imaged by an imaging means such as a television camera, and the l1af
I! The output of the means is binarized, converted into a predetermined "H (high level)" or "L (low level)" signal, and stored in a video storage memory. The determining means determines whether the stored contents of the video storage memory are at the same level for a predetermined number of consecutive pits or more, excluding pits that are presumed to be noise. This is to count the output units and count the number of fallen pins.

[Practical Example] FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram showing a bowling counting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, the image carrying means 11 is an Ill picture tube or a MOS image sensor, which is scanned by a built-in drive circuit, or a CO
This is an imaging camera known as a television camera that converts an imaged object into, for example, an NTSC4JI quasi-video signal using a solid-state image sensing device such as a D image sensor. The output can be received as an image by a television receiver with a built-in ordinary synchronization circuit. There are indications etc.

The synchronization separation/video amplification circuit 12 is a circuit that separates a vertical synchronization signal or a vertical synchronization signal and a horizontal synchronization signal of the video signal sent from the imaging means 11, and also amplifies the video signal. The amplified video signal is input to a comparator COMP and compared with a threshold voltage VREF,
A binarized video signal is obtained as the output of the comparator COMP. And 21! of the comparator COMP!
The converted video signal output is input to the image memory 13.

Note that the vAWi voltage VREF is determined by the potentiometer V
Obtained by R.

The video address generation circuit 14 is the synchronization separation/video amplification circuit 1
Using the vertical synchronization signal or the vertical synchronization signal and the horizontal synchronization signal of the video signal sent out from the imaging means 11 separated by 2, the pulse of the clock pulse generation circuit 15 operates the video address counter. For example, the video address counter is cleared for each vertical synchronization signal, the vertical address is increased for each horizontal synchronization signal, and the horizontal address is moved within the horizontal synchronization signal.

The address switching circuit 16 switches between the output of the address counter built into the microcomputer CPU designated by the output port OP of the microcomputer CPU and the output of the video address generation port 14, based on the output of the output port P5 of the microcomputer CPU. The output is used as an address designation input for the image memory 13.

The microcomputer CPU is called a microprocessor or a microcomputer, and is applied with a direct current constant voltage output +Vcc from a constant voltage circuit (not shown), and is driven by the output of an oscillation circuit GE. The device used in this example is PC-9801.

The image memory 13 is a video memory for expansion of the microcomputer CPU, and has a resolution of 256 dots horizontally by 240 dots vertically, and has a storage capacity of 64 bats. Note that this image memory 13 receives binary input, that is,
It stores monochrome signal input, but when color signals are input, the storage capacity increases accordingly. This image memory 13 writes the "H" signal of the output port P3 of the microcomputer CPU and the binary video signal.1. Microcomputer CPU output port P
The stored video signal is read out with the "H" signal of 4.

Microphone [] Computer CPU output) - P4's "
H'' signal is controlled in accordance with the signal of the output boat P2 when the image memory 13 is not moving westward.

The data transfer gate 17 reads out the video signal stored in the image memory 13 in units of a predetermined number of bits (number of pixels) using the "H" signal of the output port P2 of the microcomputer CPU. H” of output port P1 of microcomputer CPU
Accordingly, the data is transferred to the data buffer 18 in predetermined bit units. The output of the data buffer 18 is input to the input port IP of the microcomputer CPU.

The ball passage detector 21 is a known optical sensor disposed near the pin deck, and when the ball rolls on the lane or garter, it detects the light from the optical transmitter and optical receiver disposed at both ends of the garter. The connection is cut off, thereby detecting the passing of the ball, and the microcomputer CPU
is input to the input port P1G. The strike display device 22 is composed of a lamp and a driver circuit for displaying on the display panel that a strike has occurred by the output port P11 of the microcomputer CPU. Similarly, the split display device 23 is made up of a lamp and a driver circuit for indicating on the display panel that a split has been generated by the output port P12 of the microcomputer CPU. The end display device 25 is composed of a lamp and a driver circuit for displaying on the display panel that the game is over by the output port 1-P13 of the microcomputer CPU. The score display device 24 is composed of a lamp, a driver circuit, a code conversion circuit, etc., which displays a score corresponding to the output of the output ports P2G to P27 on the display panel by the output ports P20 to P27 of the microcomputer CPU.

The printer 26 is a known printout device that prints out scores for each player using output ports P30 to P37 of the microcomputer CPU.

In this way, the bowling counting device according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured.

The television camera of the Il image means 11 is set as shown in the planar arrangement of the positioning pin and the television camera in FIG.

That is, the 1st to 10th pins are erected on the lane 30 between both garters 31 as shown in FIG.

When parallel light is applied from the pin deck side, the first pin overlaps the fifth pin, the second pin overlaps the eighth pin, and the third pin overlaps the ninth pin. However, as shown by the chain line in Figure 2, the first
If the center point A is placed closer to the pin deck than the pins, only the 1st, 5th and 5th pins can overlap.

In addition, the television camera of the imaging means 11 (with its center point placed at point B in FIG. 2 in a horizontal plane, and set at the position of point 0 or point D in FIG. 3 in three dimensions), all the pins are When capturing images, overlapping of all pins can be prevented.

Then, if the position of the television camera of the image carrier 11 is further lowered three-dimensionally from point D to image all the pins, an image of only the upper part of the pins can be obtained (see FIG. 9).

In this embodiment, the television camera of the imaging means 11 is arranged at a position below point B in FIG. 2 and point D in FIG. 3. Therefore, by connecting an ordinary television receiver as a monitor display, only the upper part of the pin can be displayed brightly.

Also, set the lighting so that only the top of the pin is illuminated,
Even if the television camera of the imaging means 11 is placed at point B in FIG. 2 and point 0 or D in FIG. 3, if a normal television receiver is connected as a monitor display, only the top of the pin will be Can be displayed brightly.

In this state, In 1 of comparator COMP? %i
If the voltage VREF is set to J by the potentiometer VR, only the upper part of the pin standing in the lane 30 between both garters 31 becomes a white level as an input to the image memory 13, and "H" is recorded in the image memory 13. Ru. Furthermore, when the pin falls over, the entire pin becomes a black level, and "shi" is recorded in the image memory 13. Therefore, the scanning line for detecting the state of the first pin, the second pin and the third
A scanning line that detects the state of the pin, a scanning line that detects the state of the 4th pin, the 5th pin, and the 6th pin, a scanning line that detects the state of the 7th pin, the 8th pin, and the 9th pin and the 10th pin. The state of each pin can be determined by determining the state of the four horizontal scanning lines.

FIG. 9 shows the image data of the image memory 13 of this embodiment, in which the television camera of the imaging means 11 is placed in front of the first pin 70 [a a little to the right of the center of the Al and at a height of 70 [aR] from the lane. This is an image with . FIG. 9(a) is an image with all the pins upright, and FIG. 9(b) is an image with only the first pin tipped over.

The scanning lines for detecting the states of the 7th pin, 8th pin, 9th pin, and 10th pin include detection bit memories M7, M8,
M9 and Mlo are assigned.

Further, detection bit memories M4, M5, M6 are stored in the scanning lines that detect the states of the 4th, 5th, and 6th pins, and detection bit memories M4, M5, and M6 are stored in the scanning lines that detect the states of the 2nd and 3rd pins. The detection bit memories M2 and M3 are further allocated to the scanning line for detecting the state of the first pin, and the detection bit memory M1 is allocated.

Therefore, in FIG. 9(b), only the first pin has fallen, and since there is no image output of the first pin in the detection bit memory M1, it is not possible to detect the fall of the first pin from the contents of the detection bit memory M1. can.

The bowling counting device is controlled by the microcomputer CPU as follows.

4 to 8 show a broach 1P which executes the main program of the bowling counting device of this embodiment.

Once the lanes to be used in the game are determined, the bowling counting device of this embodiment is powered on, each board of the microcomputer CPU and the memory used for this processing are initialized, and the main program starts processing. do.

First, in step S1, a pitch counter L counts the number of pitches.
Set "0" to "0". In step S2, the output of the ball passing detector 21 is checked, and if it is detected that the ball has passed through the pin deck, this is a pitch after the first ball, and is used for various displays.

If there is a force, the various display outputs that have been displayed up to that point are cleared in step S3, and the state is set to [5]. Then, in step S4, the process waits for one second to stabilize when the swinging, rolling, etc. of the pins become stable.

After 1 second has elapsed, in step S5, the output of the imaging means 11 is synchronously separated/video amplified by the path 12 and the comparator COMP.
The image reliability is written into the image memory 13 via the . When it is determined in step S6 that the damage to the video signal has been completed, confirmation is performed starting from the pin position at a point close to the starting position of horizontal scanning. First, in step S7, the address designation counter M is set to m7, and the address of the seventh pin is designated. By the value m7 of the address designation counter M specified in step S8, the pixel of the horizontal line becomes "H".
Count the number n7. In step S9, the number of HIIs of the pixels on the horizontal line is set to nl, and the seventh pin is compared with a predetermined value N7 that can be determined to be a standing pin, and when n7≧N7, in step $10, the seventh pin is a standing pin. In order to remember that, the 7th pin flag is set to “H”.n1≧N
7, the seventh pin flag is set to L'' in step 811 to remember that the seventh pin is a falling pin.

Similarly, in step 812, m8 is set in the address designation color M to designate the address of the eighth pin. Addressing counter M specified in step 813
According to the value m8, the number n of pixels in the horizontal and horizontal lines is
Count 8. In step S14, the number of "T1" pixels of the horizontal line is compared with a predetermined value N8, which can be determined as the 8th pin, which is set as n8, and when n8≧N8,
In step 815, the eighth pin flag is set to "H" to remember that the eighth pin is a standing pin. Or n8
If not ≧N8, the eighth pin flag is set to "YES" in step 816 to remember that the eighth pin is a falling pin.

Similarly, from step S17 to step S21, the ninth
The state of the pin, the first one in steps S22 to S26.
The state of the 0 pin is determined from step 827 to step S31, the state of the fifth pin is determined from step S32 to step S36, the state of the sixth pin is determined from step 837 to step 841, and the state of the second pin is determined from step 842 to step 846. The state of the pin, steps 847 to 851 and the state of the third pin, steps 35.2 to 856
The state of the first pin is stored in each flag.

Then, in step 857, the number of "HII" on the flag is counted to determine whether the flag is set.In step 858, the number of fallen pins is counted from the number of "H" on the flag.
In step 859, the count value is stored in a predetermined memory.

In step S60, it is determined whether all the pins are in an overturned state, and when all the pins are in an overturned state, it is further determined in step 868 whether it is the first throw. At the time of the first pitch, a strike indication is output in step 370, and in step 371, the count value predetermined memory stores the fact that a strike has occurred, and is used for the next count.

At step 872, "1" is added to the pitching counter. Then, in step S73, the value of the pitch counter L is "11".
If the value of the pitch counter L is not determined to be "11", the routine returns to step S2. When it is determined in step 368 that the first degree throw is not 0, in step 869 it is a spare, so the fact that the spare has been taken is stored in the count value predetermined memory and used for the next count.

Then, in step 872, "1" is added to the pitching counter. Then, in step 873, it is determined whether the value of the pitch counter L is "11", and if the value of the pitch counter L is not determined to be "11", the process returns to the routine from step S2.

In step 860, it is determined whether all the pins are in an overturned state, and if all the pins are not in an overturned state, a score display is output in step S61. In step 862, it is determined whether it is the first pitch, and if it is not determined that it is the first pitch, "1" is added to the pitch counter L in step 867.

Then, in step S66, the value of the pitch counter L becomes "10".
”, and if the value of the pitch counter L is not determined to be “10”, the process returns to the routine from step S2.

When it is determined in step S62 that it is the first pitch, it is determined in step 863 whether the first pin flag is "H", and if the first pin flag is not "to 1", that is, the first pin has fallen, and step 364 to determine whether two or more pins are standing apart, and when two or more pins are standing apart,
In step S65, output is performed for split display.

Then, the process returns to the routine from step S2.

In step S66 or step S73, it is determined whether the value of the pitching counter L is "10", and the value of the pitching counter L is "10".
0", or when it is determined whether the value of the pitch counter L is "11" and the value of the pitch counter L is determined to be "11", the total score is counted in step S74, and the total score is counted in step S75. It is printed out from the link 26. At step 876, the end display device 25 is driven to output a game end display. Then, one game ends.

In this manner, the bowling counting device of this embodiment can operate.

In this embodiment, since the state of the pin is detected using lighting that illuminates only the upper part of the pin as the illumination means that illuminates the pin with a predetermined brightness, the malfunction of counting fallen pins is less likely to occur, and Since standing pins can be determined without performing complicated image WA recognition processing, the processing speed of the microcomputer CPU can be increased. However, when implementing the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and it is also possible to determine whether the pin is standing pinned by image recognition.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a 64-kbit image memory is used as a video storage memory for binarizing and storing the output of the imaging means. Using a video address generation circuit that extracts only the information of the corresponding pin of the scanning line,
When only necessary addresses are selected, a memory corresponding to a predetermined number of scanning lines may be used.

In the above embodiment, as a determining means for determining whether the stored contents of the video storage memory are at the same level continuously for a predetermined number of bits or more, the output units of the determining means are counted and the number of fallen pins is calculated. However, when implementing the present invention, the video address generation circuit is configured to extract only the information of the corresponding pin of a predetermined scanning line. If you select only the necessary addresses in the video address generation circuit,
The number of pixels in a predetermined scanning line may be counted by a counter.

Furthermore, as the 1lia9 means for imaging the pin in the above embodiment, a black and white TV camera is used to binarize the video output between the white signal level and the black signal level, but the black and white signal is converted into a binary signal between the white signal level and the black signal level. Binarization may be performed using a level or a specific color level as a threshold.

In any case, if only one type of color signal is binarized and used, the capacity of the image memory can be reduced.

Note that the video signal amplified by the synchronization separation/video amplification circuit 12 of the above embodiment is input to the comparator COMP,
A binarized video signal is obtained as the output. At this time, the threshold voltage Vr ([F is obtained by the potentiometer, -ta VR. However, the output of the microcomputer CPU may be D-A converted and the output may be used as the threshold. In this case, it can be handled by software. When using a potentiometer VR, the advantage is that it can handle various illuminances by adjusting only the potentiometer VR on-site, but if it is supported by software, a software change is required. However, in steady-state operating conditions, it is better to deal with it using software because external influences such as vibration can be removed.

Further, the data transfer gate 17 of the above embodiment receives the "H" signal of the output port P2 of the 71' black computer CPU.
Image memory 13. The video signal stored in the image signal is read out in units of a predetermined number of bits (number of pixels), but it is also possible to read out in series, but reading out in units of a predetermined number of bits (number of pixels) allows for faster processing. Become.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the bowling counting device of the present invention illuminates the pins with a predetermined brightness using the illumination means, images the pins with the imaging means, and binarizes the output of the imaging means. a video storage memory to be stored, a determining means for determining whether the stored contents of the video storage memory are substantially continuously at the same level for a predetermined number of bits or more, and counting the output units of the determining means to calculate the number of fallen pins. Since the device is equipped with a counting means for counting, noise resistance is high and W2B operations for counting pins are small.

Additionally, installation and maintenance of this type of device can be confirmed on a monitor display, making it easy to monitor the device.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block circuit diagram showing a bowling counting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the planar arrangement of the position pins and the television camera, and Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the elevation arrangement of the position pins and the television camera. , FIG. 4 to FIG. 8 are flowcharts of the main program of the bowling counting device of this embodiment, and FIG. 9 is an image data figure showing image data in the image memory of this embodiment. In the figure, 11: imaging means, 12: synchronous separation/video amplification circuit, 13: image memory, 14: video address generation circuit, 15: output pulse generation circuit, 16: address switching circuit, 17: data transfer gate, 18 GOMP: Comparator; cpu: Microcomputer. In addition, in the figures, the same reference numerals and the same symbols indicate the same or equivalent parts.

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) An illumination means for illuminating the pin with a predetermined brightness, an imaging means for taking an image of the pin, a video storage memory that binarizes and stores the output of the imaging means, and the storage content of the video storage memory is predetermined. A bowling counting device comprising: a determining means for determining whether or not the number of bits is substantially the same or more consecutively; and a counting means for counting the output unit of the determining means and calculating the number of overturned pins. . (2) The bowling count according to claim 1, wherein the determining means for determining whether or not the predetermined number of bits or more are substantially continuously at the same level is performed at predetermined horizontal scanning line intervals. Device. (3) The determining means for determining whether the predetermined number of bits or more are substantially continuously at the same level makes the determination based on the number of bits at the predetermined level for one horizontal scan. The bowling counting device according to item 1 or 2. (4) The bowling counting device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging means is arranged at a position where the imaging means can take an image without overlapping the upper part of the pin when the pin is set. . (5) The bowling counting device according to claim 1, wherein the illumination means illuminates only the upper part of the pin when the pin is set.