Videogame with mechanically disjoint target detector

• US 4,210,329 A
• Filed: 11/23/1977
• Issued: 07/01/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Loewe OPTA GmbH (Loewe Technologies GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Loewe OPTA GmbH (Loewe Technologies GmbH)
• Inventors: Wahl, Peter, Steiger, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Hum, Vance Y.
• Application Number:
  US05/854,229
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 35/9 C, 35/48 R, 273/85 G, 273/101.1, 273/101.2, 273/DIG. 28, 340/323 R, 340/324 AD, 358/142, 358/93
• US Class Current: 463/5
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/2638 giving hit coordinates by means of raster control signals, e.g. standard light pen
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/02 Photo-electric hit-detector systems comprising a light-emitting device for simulating the firing of a gun F41G3/2622; detecting by optical means G01V8/10

Abstract

A target videogame employing a screen with a moving light spot symbol and a mechanically disjoint target detector. Signals generated by light received in the target detector and by discharging a trigger attached to the target detector are transmitted by wireless communication to the circuits providing for the screen display.

Claims

1. A videogame comprising:

a television receiver

a circuit for generating one or more movable light spot symbols on a line scanned screen of the television receiver;

an oscillator for generating horizontal synchronizing signals;

an oscillator for generating vertical synchronizing signals;

switching means for bright illumination and scanning of a predetermined intersection of horizontal and vertical sawtooth waveforms and the intersection being synchronized for generating a time proportional pulse;

a target detector directable to the moving light spot symbol;

an optical sensor incorporated in the target detector for receiving light energy emitted from the light spot on the screen;

a trigger arm attached to the target detector for controlling an electrical switch;

an output stage comprising an emitter attached to the target detector and connected to the electrical switch and to the optical sensor for emitting unmodulated signals for a direction missing shot and modulated signals for a hit and a wireless transmission means for sending the signals from the emitter;

an input stage for receiving signals sent by the output stage;

an amplification stage for amplifying the signals coming from the input stage;

a pulse converter stage connected to the amplification stage for generating a pulse of a first duration for an incoming modulated signal and of a second duration different from the first duration for an incoming unmodulated signal;

a coincidence gate for receiving the pulses;

a summation circuit receiving the output signals of the coincidence gate and synchronizing them with the synchronizing and output signals of additional coincidence gates; and

a counting and display stage connected to the television receiver for counting the shots when the trigger arm is actuated and for counting the hits when there is a coincidence in time between the actuation of the trigger arm and the entering of light energy on the optical sensor coming from the light spot on the screen and for displaying the results thereof on said television receiver.

2. The videogame according to claim 1, comprising:

a first emitting stage for sending signals for counting to the counting stage when the trigger is actuated and the switch turned; and

a second emitting stage for sending signals for counting to the counting stage fed from the coincidence circuit for coinciding of trigger switch generated pulses and of photoelectrical pulses generated when the target detector is directed toward the moving light spot symbol on the screen.

3. The videogame according to claim 1, wherein the moving light spot symbol is modulated depending on the scanning line and scanning frame frequency comprising a switching circuit for frequency selection of electrical signals generated by the photosensor of the target detector when the target detector is directed toward the moving light spot symbol on the screen with the switching circuit having an output connected to the counting stage and providing a signal only if the electrical signals have the frequency of the scanning line.

4. The videogame according to claim 3, comprising:

a demodulator fed with scanning line frequency selected light signals;

a switching stage controlled by the demodulator and generating pulses with scanning frame frequency;

a coincidence stage for comparing the signal from the switching stage with the pulse resulting from the actuation of the trigger arm and the turning of the switch and providing signals to be emitted by a transmitting stage.

5. The videogame according to claim 3, comprising:

a demodulator fed with scanning line frequency selected light signals;

a switching stage controlled by the demodulator and generating pulses with scanning frame frequency; and

a modulator connected to the trigger arm switch which modulator provides either scanning line frequency or scanning frame modulated signals depending on the time of triggering or which provides a continuous signal during the time of actuation of the trigger if a selected signal is not present from the photosensor.

6. The videogame according to claim 3, comprising integration stages with different time constants to which the pulses from the pulse converters are fed and providing a control signal when the pulses surpass a defined threshold feeding the control signal to the counting and display stages for counting and displaying.

7. The videogame according to claim 6, wherein the integration stage for storing the pulse corresponding to the modulated signal comprises an input monoflop circuit with such a small time element suitable for preventing the pulse derived from the unmodulated signal from being stored in the integrator.

8. The videogame according to claim 1, wherein for simultaneous counting of coincidence signals corresponding to hits and of signals corresponding to direction missing shots a transmitted signal is modulated or unmodulated, respectively, and the counter for the shots is also selectively actuated when a hit is counted.

9. The videogame according to claim 1, wherein the optical sensor is a photodiode.

10. The videogame according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication means is provided by infrared emitters and infrared detectors.

11. The videogame according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication means is provided by ultrasonic transmitters and by ultrasonic receivers.

12. The videogame according to claim 1, wherein the target detector is shaped like a gun.

13. The videogame according to claim 1, wherein the target detector is shaped like a rifle.