ARRANGEMENT ADAPTED TO BE USED WITH CONVENTIONAL BILLIARD TABLES FOR GREATER UTILISATION, VERSATILITY AND/OR APPLICATION OF SAID TABLES

• US 20110294585A1
• Filed: 12/16/2009
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stephen John Grant, Thomas David Penna
• Original Assignee: Stephen John Grant, Thomas David Penna
• Inventors: Penna, Thomas David, Grant, Stephen John
• Granted Patent: US 9,861,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63D 15/00 Billiards, e.g. carom billiards or pocket billiards; Billiard tables bagatelle A63D13/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63D 15/003 Pockets for pocket billiard tables
• CPC Class Codes: A63D 15/20 Scoring or registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/22 in connection with sports or games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/38 Ball games; Shooting apparatus

Abstract

An arrangement adapted to be used with conventional billiard tables for greater utilisation, versatility and/or application of said tables, said arrangement including, a multiplicity of billiard tables located at a variety of separate locations, a means to register and allow for communication between a plurality of players, such that said players need not necessarily play upon the same table nor be located at the one location, said players intended to compete against other registered players, or approve upon personal individual skill level, a timer such that competition between players or improvement of personal standings of an individual is based upon timing of pocketing a set of balls or part thereof upon the respective billiard table by said, timer, a means for having time results of the or each player transferred to a central database wherein individual player'"'"'s times and standings may then be acknowledged.

Claims

1. An arrangement adapted to be used with conventional billiard tables for greater utilisation, versatility and/or application of said tables, said arrangement including,

a multiplicity of billiard tables located at a variety of separate locations,

a means to register and allow for communication between a plurality of players, such that said players need not necessarily play upon the same table nor be located at the one location,

said players intended to compete against other registered players or improve upon personal individual skill level,

a timer such that competition between players or improvement of personal standings of an individual is based upon timing of pocketing a set of balls or part thereof upon the respective billiard table by said timer,

a means for having time results of the or each player transferred to a central database wherein individual player'"'"'s times and standings may then be acknowledged.

4. The arrangement of claim 1 further including a camera arrangement such that each playing surface of each of the respective tables is under visual observation during competition so that players may not artificially or even unintentionally pocket balls or throw balls into pockets that are not in the spirit of the overall requirements of the game competition.

5. The arrangement of claim 4 wherein there are at least two cameras, such that at least one camera watches the game being played on the surface of the table and the other camera views the surroundings including the players and/or audience.

6. The arrangement of claim 5 wherein the cameras capturing images can be streamed in real time to other locations for viewing, stored at a later date on a server for reviewing and/or viewed independently on the worldwide web by an independent party.

7. The arrangement of claim 6 wherein the timer displays time not necessarily only as a clock being run down or run up but through music and words to a particular song selected by a player.

8. The arrangement of claim 7 wherein a player can select their own music to inspire their performances such that individual song choices are coded or uploaded onto registration cards and can be activated when players play registered games.

9. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the billiard table communicates with a touch or push button activatable screen or projected display.

10. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein the projected display is from an overhead control unit above the billiard table that projects icons onto the top of the table to which a player can then select a particular options from.

11. The arrangement of claim 1 including an administration point which is in communication electronically with each of the locations to which the respective billiard tables are located.

12. The arrangement of claim 11 wherein access to the central administration location can be made on the internet by logging on to a provided website.

13. The arrangement of claim 12 wherein a player would register online at the provided website and pay fee which will then give access to them to a members card allowing them to play at any registered location to which the billiard tables have been located.

14. The arrangement of claim 13 wherein players not only pay a fee in order to become registered players they also pay for each game they wish to compete or the payment paid by the respective player to compete sees part of the paid amount being transferred to a pool which would then form part of a prize pool for a championship.

15. The arrangement of claim 14, wherein, when payment is made by a player part of that payment, instead of going to a prize pool which would be then distributed to various winners in championships and titles, is transferred to a general lottery which would then regularly be drawn randomly to any particular registered player.

16. The arrangement of claim 15 wherein the central administration body responsible for communicating with each of the locations and the registered players also provides periodic newsletters and the like in order to keep each respective player aware of their standings, games and features available through the arrangement.

17. The arrangement of claim 12 including a management control unit which would establish a web interface and interaction for telecommunication between respective venue locations installable above the billiard table and interactable by a player at each venue to which players are located.

18. The arrangement of claim 17 wherein the game played involves the playing or potting of balls on a billiard table as quickly as possible and players can compete to get the lowest time against opponents from all over the world which is made possible by the linking together of the various locations where games are being played through the established electronic link of the internet by the control unit.

2. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein the timer includes a series of senses located at each of the respective pockets that have been included on the billiard table or central over head camera or sensor above the table that is adapted to time how long it takes to pocket balls from the table.

3. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein said series of senses not only are able to time the interval or period of time it takes for a player to pot a set or part thereof of the balls on a table, it can also do so cumulatively for each ball that is being pocketed.

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