Game method and apparatus for use while viewing a sporting event

• US 4,722,526 A
• Filed: 01/20/1987
• Issued: 02/02/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph L. Tovar
• Original Assignee: Joseph L. Tovar
• Inventors: Green, Herbert J., Tovar, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/004,876
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• Field of Search: 273/1 E, 273/1 GE, 273/1 GC, 273/85 G, 273/88, 273/94, 273/138 A, 273/DIG. 28
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/609 for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball

Abstract

The objective of the present invention is for the players to correctly call as many penalties, or infractions of the rules, as possible while viewing a sporting event. Each player is provided with a signalling device which he either activates or throws when he sees what he believes to be an infraction of the rules. The first player to correctly signal the occurrence of the infraction is awarded multiple points and subsequently signalling players are awarded a lesser number of points or penalized for not signalling. A selected number of points are deducted from a player'"'"'s score when he signals a penalty when none is called by the officials on the field or court and the players not signalling at those times are awarded a selected number of points for not signalling to minimize anticipation of penalties by players. At the end of the game, the player with the highest score is the winner. To keep the game as fair as possible, only penalties called by the officials on the field or court are to be counted as proper penalties in this game.

Claims

1. A method of playing a game by one or more spectators of a sporting event during which an official is empowered to assess penalties for infractions of the rules of that sporting event, said method comprising, in the order given the steps of:

(a) signalling by spectators of an observed infraction during said sporting event;

(b) identifying the spectator who first signaled in step (a);

(c) identifying each of the spectators who signaled within a selected time period of the spectator identified in step (b);

(d) identifying each of the spectators not identified in step (b) and (c);

(e) determining if the official at the sporting event called an infraction by one or more of the spectators viewing the sporting event action after the completion of step (a); and

(f) advancing or decrementing a score for each spectator if the official called, or did not call, an infraction, respectively, as a function of which group of identified spectators each spectator is individually included with.

2. A method as in claim 1 further including the step of:

(g) displaying the accumulated score for each spectator.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein step (f) includes the steps of:

(h) visually observing the official at the sporting event to determine if an infraction is called;

(i) if an infraction is called by the official, advancing the score of the spectator identified in step (b) by m points, advancing the individual score of each spectator identified in step (c) by no points, and decrementing the individual score of each spectator identified in step (d) by p points, where m is greater than n;

(j) if an infraction is not called by the official, decrementing the score of the spectator identified in step (b) by q points, decrementing the individual score of each spectator identified in step (c) by r points, and advancing the individual score of each spectator identified in step (d) by s points, where q is greater than r.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein m, n, p, q, r and s are integer values, and m is equal to q, n is equal to r, and p is equal to s.

5. A method as in claim 3 wherein m and q are each equal to 2, and n, p, r and s are each equal to 1.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein the selected time period of step (c) is 1 second.

7. A method as in claim 1 further includes the step of:

(k) repeating steps (a) through (f) throughout the duration of the sporting event.

8. A method as in claim 7 further including the step of:

(l) declaring as the winner of the game the spectator having the highest accumulated score at the end of the sporting event.

9. A game apparatus for use by one or more spectators at a sporting event during which an official is empowered to assess penalties for infractions of the rules of that sportig event, said apparatus comprising:

one signalling means for each participating spectator for the spectator to signal his observation of what he believes to be an infraction during the sporting event;

first identifying means coupled to each signalling means for identifying the spectator who first signaled his observation of what he believes to be an infraction;

second identifying means coupled to each signalling means for identifying each of the spectators who signaled his observation of what he believes to be an infraction within a selected time period of the spectator identified by the first identifying means;

third identifying means coupled to each of the signalling means for identifying each of the spectators not identified by the first and second identifying means;

means for determining if the official at the sporting event called an infraction by one or more of the spectators viewing the sporting event action after the completion of the spectator signalling; and

scoring means coupled to the determining means and each of the first, second and third identifying means for advancing or decrementing a score for each spectator if the official called, or did not call, an infraction, respectively, as a function of which group of identified spectators each spectator is individually included with.

10. A game apparatus as in claim 9 further including means coupled to the scoring means for displaying the accumulated score for each spectator.

11. A game apparatus as in claim 9 wherein:

said determining means includes a pair of signalling means, one for inputting an indication of an infraction having been called by the official and the other for inputting an indication that an infraction was not called by the official; and

said scoring means includes;

official infraction called scoring means coupled to said one signalling means of the determining means for advancing the score of the spectator identified by the first identifying means by m points, advancing the individual score of each spectator identified by the second identifying means by n points, and decrementing the individual score of each spectator identified by the third identifying means by p points, where m is greater than n;

no official infraction called scoring means coupled to said other signalling means of the determining means for decrementing the score of the spectator identified by the first identifying means by q points, decrementing the individual score of each spectator identified by the second identifying means by r points, and advancing the individual score of each spectator identified by the third by s points, where q is greater than r.

12. A game apparatus as in claim 11 wherein m, n, p, q, r and s are integer values and m is equal to q, n is equal to r, and p is equal to s.

13. A game apparatus as in claim 11 wherein m and q are each equal to 2, and n, p, r and s are each equal to 1.

14. A game apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the selected time period of said second identifying means is 1 second.