Automatic bowling scoring system

• US 5,241,379 A
• Filed: 04/09/1992
• Issued: 08/31/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telesystems Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Telesystems Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tsujita, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Application Number:
  US07/866,137
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 358/93, 358/108, 340/323 B, 434/249, 434/252, 273/54 C, 364/410, 364/411
• US Class Current: 348/157
• CPC Class Codes: A63D 5/04 Indicating devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An automatic bowling scoring system comprises the first video camera for taking an image of player'"'"'s throwing form, the second video camera for taking an image of pins, display means for displaying at least the image of the player'"'"'s throwing form, the image of the pins and a picture for a game, and game advancing device for advancing the game according to state of a fallen down pin. The picture is a red pin one, a slot machine one, a parcheesi one or the like. With the red pin picture, when a pin corresponding to the red pin picture is fallen down a premium is given to a player. With the slot machine picture, when specified pins are fallen down a slot machine game is started to give a premium to the player. With the parcheesi picture, the parcheesi game is performed for each throwing.

Claims

1. An automatic bowling scoring system comprising:

a first video camera for taking an image of player'"'"'s throwing form;

a second video camera for taking an image of pins;

display means for displaying at least the image of the player'"'"'s throwing form, the image of the pins and a specified color pin picture which is included in a ten-pin picture; and

premium giving means for giving said player a predetermined premium when the specified color pin is knocked down by the player.

2. An automatic bowling scoring system according to claim 1, wherein said specified color is red.

3. An automatic bowling scoring system according to claim 1, wherein said display means includes small display means for displaying a score.

4. An automatic bowling scoring system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of consoles, one of which is provided for each lane, for processing data inputted from said first and second video cameras and outputted to said display means.

5. An automatic bowling scoring system according to claim 4, further comprising a host computer, which is connected to said plurality of consoles through lines, for processing data inputted from and outputted to the consoles.

6. An automatic bowling scoring system according to claim 1, further comprising spot light means for lighting a pin with a specified color light to cause display of said specified color pin picture on said display means.

7. An automatic bowling scoring system according to claim 6, wherein said pin is a first pin in the ten-pin group.

8. An automatic bowling scoring system according to claim 6, further comprising a random value generating means for generating a random value for each frame, wherein said spot light means lighting said pin with the specified color light when the random value becomes a specified one.

9. An automatic bowling scoring system comprising:

a first video camera for taking an image of player'"'"'s throwing form;

a second video camera for taking an image of pins;

display means for displaying at least the image of the player'"'"'s throwing form, the image of the pins and a board game picture including a game board picture and a piece for said player; and

premium giving means for giving said player piece advancing according to the number of the knocked down pins.

10. An automatic bowling scoring system according to claim 9 wherein the board game is parcheesi.

11. An automatic bowling scoring system according to claim 9, further comprising display control means for displaying a map, animations according to a location of said piece and said piece on said display means.

12. An automatic bowling scoring system according to claim 11, further comprising voice message generating means for generating voice messages according to an advance of said piece.