Handheld roster device and method

• US 20060079973A1
• Filed: 10/05/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mel L. Bacharach
• Original Assignee: Mel L. Bacharach
• Inventors: Bacharach, Mel L.
• Application Number:
  US11/244,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20060079973A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/91
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0616 Means for conducting or scheduling competition, league, tournaments or rankings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/025 adapted to a specific application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0283 for data storage and retrieval

Abstract

An electronic display device and corresponding method for providing a user with roster data. The roster data preferably pertains to participants in a plurality of groups, such as sporting teams. The device includes a memory, an input unit having a plurality of keys, a multi-line display, and a processing unit. The team name is selected preferably by initially selecting a home team and visitor team. The processing unit is operative to receive an identifier, e.g., a participant'"'"'s jersey number, and preferably also the designation of a corresponding team via the input unit, and for retrieving the selected participant'"'"'s corresponding roster data in response thereto. A multi-line display is adapted for simultaneously displaying the selected participant'"'"'s identifier and at least a substantial portion of the participant'"'"'s corresponding roster data. Alternatively, access to the team'"'"'s schedule information is provided.

Claims

1. An electronic handheld device for providing a user with roster data, comprising:

a memory for storing a plurality of identifiers and for storing corresponding roster data for each identifier,

an input unit for enabling selection by said user of one of said identifiers;

a processing unit operative for receiving said selected identifier from said input unit and for retrieving said corresponding roster data in response thereto; and

a multi-line display adapted for simultaneously displaying said selected identifier and at least a substantial portion of said corresponding roster data.

2. An electronic handheld device for providing a user with roster data, comprising:

a memory for storing a plurality of group names, for storing a plurality of identifiers associated with each of said group names, for storing a link for linking between said each of said group names and said associated identifiers, and for storing corresponding roster data for each of said identifiers associated with each of said group names,

an input unit for enabling selection by said user of one of said identifiers and for enabling selection by said user of one of said group names;

a processing unit operative for receiving both said selected identifier and said selected group name from said input unit and for retrieving said corresponding roster data in response thereto, and

a multi-line display adapted for simultaneously displaying said selected identifier, said selected group name, and at least a substantial portion of said corresponding roster data.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said identifier is a numerical identifier.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein said input unit includes a mode selector for enabling the selection of a plurality of distinct device modes of operation, including a setup mode for enabling said user to select at least one of said group names from said plurality of group names and a data accessing mode wherein said roster data access is enabled.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said setup mode enables selection of two group names and said data accessing mode enables selection of one of said identifiers and one of said selected group names.

6. The device of claim 4, further comprising memory logic for selectively disabling access to a predefined portion of said roster data stored in said memory.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said mode selector includes an unlock mode for enabling input of a predetermined unlock code to enable access to said predefined portion of said roster data stored in said memory.

8. The device of claim 2, wherein said input unit includes scroll keys operable for scrolling said corresponding roster data for viewing additional roster data on said multi-line display.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein said input unit includes scroll keys operable in said setup mode for scrolling said plurality of group names for viewing said group names and for enabling selection of one of said group names and operable in said data accessing mode for scrolling said corresponding roster data for viewing additional roster data on said multi-line display.

10. The device of claim 4, wherein each said group is a sports team and each said identifier is a numerical identifier of a member of a sports team, said input unit includes one or more keys for designating one said sports team name as a home team and designating one said sports team name as a visitor team and includes a plurality of numeric keys for selecting a numerical identifier.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said setup mode enables selection of one said sports team name as a home team and enables selection of another said sports team name as a visitor team, and said data accessing mode enables selection of one said numerical identifiers from the selected said home team or said visitor team.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein each said numerical identifier is a sports team member'"'"'s jersey number.

13. The device in claim 2, wherein each said identifier identifies a participant in a sporting event and said roster data comprises at least two categories selected from a group consisting of:

participant'"'"'s name, participant'"'"'s height, participant'"'"'s weight, participant'"'"'s hometown, participant'"'"'s age, participant'"'"'s postion, and the participant'"'"'s years of experience.

14. The device in claim 2, wherein one or more event schedules associated with each of said plurality of group names is stored in said memory, and wherein access to each said schedule is enabled by said device.

15. A method for providing a user with roster data via a handheld device, comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of identifiers and corresponding roster data for each identifier in said handheld device,

receiving selection by said user of one of said identifiers via said handheld device;

retrieving said corresponding roster data in response to said identifier selection; and

simultaneously displaying said selected identifier and at least a substantial portion of said corresponding roster data.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of group names;

wherein said storing of said plurality of identifiers comprises storing said identifiers associated with each of said group names;

storing a link for linking between each of said group names and said associated identifiers, wherein said stored corresponding roster data is for each of said identifiers associated with each of said group names, and

receiving selection by said user of one said group name, and wherein said corresponding roster data is retrieved in response to selection of both said identifier and said group name.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said handheld device includes a mode selector for enabling the selection of a plurality of distinct device modes of operation, including a setup mode for enabling said user to select at least one of said group names from said plurality of group names and a data accessing mode wherein said roster data access is enabled.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said setup mode enables selection of two group names and said data accessing mode enables selection of one of said identifiers and one of said selected group names.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of selectively disabling access to a predefined portion of said roster data and storing a predetermined unlock code in said device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said device includes a mode selector including an unlock mode for enabling input of said predetermined unlock code, wherein access to said predefined portion of said roster data is enabled in response thereto.