Game system and method

• US 20050266935A1
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Frank Mabry, Neal Mabry
• Original Assignee: Frank Mabry, Neal Mabry
• Inventors: Mabry, Neal, Mabry, Frank
• Application Number:
  US10/858,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20050266935A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/409
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 47/025 Installations continuously collecting balls from the playing areas, e.g. by gravity, with conveyor belts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3691 Golf courses; Golf practising terrains having a plurality of driving areas, fairways, greens special golf games, e.g. miniature golf, A63B67/02; mats for simulating golf greens A63B69/3661
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3697 with putting taking place on a green other than the target green
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities

Abstract

A game system and method of playing a game is disclosed. A game system includes a plurality of bases and a plurality of targets. Each base is configured to host a player sending a projectile. Each target is configured to receive and identify the projectile. The game system further includes a computer system having at least one local station at each of the bases, and which is connected to a central computer. Each local station is configured to a receive player information and wherein the central computer is configured to process scoring information based on the player information. The game system further includes a projectile identifying mechanism coupled to each target, each base, and to the computer system, and configured to associate each projectile with a player and track a game performance of the projectile for input as the scoring information.

Claims

1. A method of playing a game, comprising:

electronically associating a projectile with a player;

electronically associating the projectile with a target to which the projectile is sent by the player;

forming an association between the player and the target; and

generating a score for the game based on the association between the player and the target.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the projectile includes a unique identifier.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein electronically associating the projectile with the player includes reading the identifier.

4. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein electronically associating the projectile with the target includes reading the identifier.

5. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the identifier is one of a group of identifiers that consists of:

a bar code, a color code, a pattern code or a radio-frequency identifier (RFID) tag.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising displaying the score on a display.

7. A game system, comprising:

a plurality of bases, wherein each base is configured to host a player sending a projectile;

a plurality of targets, arranged in a target area, wherein each target is configured to receive and identify the projectile;

a computer system, having at least one local station at each of the bases, and connected to a central computer, wherein each local station is configured to a receive player information and wherein the central computer is configured to process scoring information based on the player information; and

a projectile identifying mechanism coupled to each target, each base, and to the computer system, and being configured to associate each projectile with a player and track a game performance of the projectile for input as the scoring information.

8. A game system in accordance with claim 7, wherein the plurality of bases includes a first group of bases and a second group of bases.

9. A game system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the first group of bases are configured for sending a projectile toward a group of the plurality of targets.

10. A game system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the second group of bases are configured for sending a projectile toward one of the plurality of targets.

11. A game system in accordance with claim 7, further comprising an enclosure for enclosing at least the plurality of targets.

12. A game system in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a mechanism coupled to the enclosure for providing a regulated air flow.

13. A game system in accordance with claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of targets includes a visual component.

14. A game system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the visual element is a light that is activated upon detection of a projectile making contact with the target.

15. A game system in accordance with claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of targets includes an audio component.

16. A game system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the audio component is a speaker that generates a sound upon detection of a projectile making contact with the target.

17. A game system, comprising:

a base area having a number of bases and configured to host a number of players;

a target area having a number of targets;

a number of projectiles; and

a computer system for identifying and tracking a player of the game system by associating the player to each of the number of projectiles, each of the number of bases, and each of the number of targets accessed by the player.

18. A game system in accordance with claim 17, wherein the projectiles include a number of golfing-type balls encoded with an identifier.

19. A game system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the player includes a number of golfing-type clubs, each club being encoded with an identifier.

20. A game system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the computer system includes a detector associated with each of the number of bases, the detector being configured to detect the identifier of each ball and the identifier of each club.