Consoles for playing and/or scoring games, internet access, and communication

• US 20020147514A1
• Filed: 12/10/2001
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brunswick Bowling Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: Brunswick Bowling & Billiards Corporation (Brunswick Corporation)
• Inventors: Ryan, Timothy J., Bouchard, Roland C., Brouwers, Gary A., Apple, David L., Mowers, David L., Cutlip, Michael A., Prinz, Robert J., Recknagel, Troy A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,764,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/92
• CPC Class Codes: A63D 5/04 Indicating devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/90 Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet

Abstract

A bowling scoring console is disclosed having a housing and a video display monitor mounted in the housing. The console may have one or more of a video game processor, an Internet access device, and a television receiver mounted in the housing and coupled to the display monitor. Methods are also disclosed for using a video game device and an Internet access device in a bowler staging area of a bowling center.

Claims

1. A method of using a video game system comprising the steps of:

positioning a display monitor at a staging area of a bowling lane in a bowling center;

connecting a video game processor to said display monitor;

providing at least one game controller having a communication link to said video game processor at the staging area of the bowling lane; and

enabling playing of a video game at the staging area of the bowling lane using said game controllers while displaying the video game on said display monitor.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said display monitor is a display for a bowling scoring system on which bowling scores may be selectively displayed.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 and further including the steps of providing a bowling scoring console at the staging area of the bowling lane and providing said video game processor within said bowling scoring console.

4. The method as defined in claim 3 and further including the step of mounting said display monitor in said bowling scoring console.

5. A method of using an Internet access device comprising the steps of:

positioning a display monitor at a staging area of a bowling lane in a bowling center;

connecting an Internet access device to said display monitor;

providing a keypad having a communication link to said Internet access device at the staging area of the bowling lane; and

enabling Internet access at the staging area of the bowling lane using said keypad and said Internet access device while displaying accessed Internet websites on said display monitor.

6. The method as defined in claim 5 and further including the step of providing a television receiver coupled to the display monitor for selecting and viewing television broadcasts at the staging area.

7. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein said display monitor is a display for a bowling scoring system on which bowling scores may be selectively displayed.

8. The method as defined in claim 5 and further including the steps of providing a bowling scoring console at the staging area of the bowling lane and providing said video game processor within said bowling scoring console.

9. The method as defined in claim 8 and further including the step of mounting said display monitor in said bowling scoring console.

10. A bowling scoring system for a pair of bowling lanes, comprising:

a bowling scoring processor for tracking bowling scores on at least one of the pair of bowling lanes and for generating display signals for display of the bowling scores;

a first scoring console having a housing;

first user input means provided on said housing of said first scoring console and coupled to said bowling game scoring processor for receiving user input;

a first Internet access device adapted for connection to the Internet, said Internet access device generates display signals corresponding to a selected Internet website; and

a display monitor coupled to said bowling scoring processor and to said Internet access device for selectively receiving display signals and displaying at least bowling scores and Internet websites.

11. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 10, wherein said display monitor is provided in said housing of said first scoring console.

12. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 10, wherein said display monitor is mounted over the staging area of the pair of bowling lanes.

13. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 10, wherein said first Internet access device is disposed in said first scoring console.

14. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 10, wherein said Internet access device is in a web television unit adapted for connection to a source of television signals, and wherein said display monitor is coupled to said web television unit for display of a selected television broadcast signal.

15. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 14, wherein said web television unit is mounted in said housing of said first scoring console.

16. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 10, wherein said bowling scoring processor is mounted in said housing of said first scoring console.

17. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 10 and further including:

a second scoring console having a housing; and

second user input means mounted on said second scoring console.

18. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 17 and further including a second Internet access device in said housing of said second scoring console.

19. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 10, wherein said bowling scoring processor tracks and displays scores for both lanes of the pair of lanes.

20. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 10 and further including a switch coupled between outputs of said bowling scoring processor and said first Internet access device and an input of said display monitor for selection of a display signal for display on said display monitor.

21. A bowling scoring system for a pair of bowling lanes, comprising:

a bowling scoring processor for tracking bowling scores on at least one of the pair of bowling lanes and for generating display signals for display of the bowling scores;

a first scoring console having a housing;

first user input means provided on said housing of said first scoring console and coupled to said bowling game scoring processor for receiving user input;

a first video game processor for generating display signals in response to a video game program and control signals received from at least one game controller located external to said housing; and

a display monitor coupled to said bowling game scoring processor and to said video game processor for selectively receiving display signals and displaying at least video game displays and bowling scores.

22. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 21, wherein said display monitor is provided in said housing of said first scoring console.

23. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 21, wherein said display monitor is mounted over the staging area of the pair of bowling lanes.

24. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 21, wherein said first video game processor is disposed in said first scoring console.

25. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 21, wherein said bowling scoring processor is mounted in said housing of said first scoring console.

26. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 21 and further including:

a second scoring console having a housing; and

second user input means mounted on said second scoring console.

27. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 26 and further including a second video game processor in said housing of said second scoring console.

28. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 21, wherein said bowling scoring processor tracks and displays scores for both lanes of the pair of lanes.

29. The bowling scoring system as defined in claim 21 and further including a switch coupled between outputs of said bowling scoring processor and said first video game processor and an input of said display monitor for selection of a display signal for display on said display monitor.

30. A bowling scoring console comprising:

a housing;

a bowling game scoring processor disposed in said housing for tracking bowling scores on one or more associated bowling lanes and for generating display signals for display of the bowling scores;

user input means provided on said housing and coupled to said bowling game scoring processor for receiving user input;

a video game processor disposed in said housing for generating display signals in response to a video game program and control signals received from at least one game controller; and

a display monitor mounted to said housing and coupled to said bowling game scoring processor and to said video game processor for selectively receiving display signals and displaying at least video game displays and bowling scores.

31. The bowling scoring console as defined in claim 30, wherein said video game processor includes a port for receiving video game cartridges on which at least one video game program is stored.

32. The bowling scoring console as defined in claim 31, wherein said housing includes an opening through which said port is accessible.

33. The bowling scoring console as defined in claim 30, wherein said housing includes at least one input port coupled to said video game processor for receipt of control signals from the at least one external game controller.

34. The bowling scoring console as defined in claim 33, wherein said input port is an infrared receiver for receiving infrared signals from the at least one external game controller, the infrared signals including the control signals to which the video game processor is responsive.

35. The bowling scoring console as defined in claim 33, wherein said input port is a female jack for electrical connection to a coupling wire extending from one of the at least one game controllers.

36. The bowling scoring console as defined in claim 30, wherein said housing includes an access panel that may be moved to gain access to said video game processor.

37. The bowling scoring console as defined in claim 30 and further including means disposed in said housing for receiving credit/debit card information.

38. The bowling scoring console as defined in claim 37, wherein said means for receiving credit/debit card information includes a credit/debit card reader.

39. The bowling scoring console as defined in claim 30 and further including a web television unit disposed in said housing and adapted for connection to the Internet and to a source of television signals, said web television unit generates display signals corresponding to a selected television signal or to a selected Internet website, wherein said display monitor is further coupled to said web television unit for selectively receiving display signals and displaying at least bowling scores, video game displays, a television broadcast, and an Internet website.

40. The bowling scoring console as defined in claim 30, wherein said at least one game controller is located external to said housing.

41. A bowling scoring console comprising:

a housing;

a bowling game scoring processor disposed in said housing for tracking bowling scores on one or more associated bowling lanes and for generating display signals for display of the bowling scores;

user input means provided on said housing and coupled to said bowling game scoring processor for receiving user input;

an Internet access device disposed in said housing and adapted for connection to the Internet for generating display signals corresponding to a selected Internet website; and

a display monitor mounted to said housing and coupled to said bowling game scoring processor and to said web television unit for selectively receiving display signals and displaying at least bowling scores and Internet websites.

42. The bowling scoring console as defined in claim 41, wherein said Internet access device includes an input port adapted to receive control signals from an external keypad, said Internet access device being responsive to the control signals from the external keypad to select an Internet website for display on said display monitor.

43. A bowling scoring system comprising:

at least one display monitor provided for each bowling lane, said display monitor having an input port for receiving a video signal for display on said display monitor;

at least one bowling scoring console provided for each bowling lane or lane pair, said bowling scoring console including a housing having an externally accessible video input port mounted therein, said video input port being coupled to a switch that selectively couples said video input port to said input port of said display monitor such that an external source of video signals may be coupled to said display monitor; and

a bowling scoring processor coupled to said display monitor for tracking bowling scores on at least one bowling lane and for generating display signals for display of the bowling scores on a display monitor.

44. A kiosk console comprising:

a housing;

a display monitor provided in said housing;

at least one speaker provided in said housing;

an Internet access device provided in said housing and coupled to said display monitor and to said speakers, said Internet access device adapted for connection to the Internet for generating display and audio signals corresponding to a selected Internet website;

a television receiver provided in said housing and coupled to said display monitor and to said speakers, said television receiver adapted for connection to a source of television signals for generating display and audio signals corresponding to a selected television broadcast signal; and

a video game processor provided in said housing and coupled to said display monitor and to said speakers, said video game processor generates display and audio signals in response to a video game program and control signals received from at least one game controller,

wherein said display monitor selectively receives display signals and displays at least video game displays, television broadcasts, and Internet websites, and said speakers play audio signals received from said video game processor, said Internet access device, and said television receiver.