Wristwatch game calculator

• US 5,265,009 A
• Filed: 03/13/1986
• Issued: 11/23/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samuel E. Colavita
• Original Assignee: Samuel E. Colavita
• Inventors: Colavita, Samuel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Envall, Jr., Roy N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huntley, David
• Application Number:
  US06/840,473
• Time in Patent Office: 2,812 Days
• Field of Search: 273/148 R, 273/1 ES, 273/DIG. 28, 434/128, 364/410, 364/412
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/18 Score computers; Miscellaneous indicators time-testing devices G07C
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0021 Bracelets, worn on wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2011/0053 using a calculator

Abstract

A calculator, packaged in a wristwatch-style housing, with wrist strap, is usable by the player of a card game, such as blackjack, in obtaining a game strategy decision or prompt, and contains a keyboard on the wrist housing unit, by which the card game player enters card value and hand designation information. This keyboard drives a display on the wrist housing, and has a microprocessor powered calculator within the housing where the calculator performs the game decision calculations. The results of the calculations drive an output display prompter on the wrist housing to prompt the game player on blackjack decisions.

Claims

1. A wristwatch-sized blackjack game decision prompt calculator to provide a play instruction for a given draw which is calculated from a dealer show card value and the player card values entered for that draw, comprising:

a single keyboard for entry of all card values having one individual key for each card value 2 through 9, an "ace" key, a 10/face card key, a first and second player split hand selection keys and a calculator execute key for initiation of calculation of a play prompt;

a display connected to said keyboard to display card value entered as one of an ace, a 10/face card value, a 2 through 9 card value;

computational circuitry connected to said keyboard and to said display for receiving and operating upon each card value entered, said computational circuitry including a microprocessor having a memory containing a software program stored therein for calculating upon attenuation of said execute key based only on the card values entered, a player prompt being one of "hit", "stand", "double", and "split" instructions, wherein one of said instructions is displayed;

wherein said display includes a first character display element for displaying the dealer show card as one of an ace, a 10/face card value, a 2 through 9 card value, a second character display element for showing the card value of a player'"'"'s hand as one of an ace, a 10/face card value, a 2 through 9 card value, a third character display element for showing the card value of a player'"'"'s hand as one of an ace, a 10/face card value, a 2 through 9 card value, and a fourth and fifth character display elements for showing a prompt instruction; and

wherein each said display elements is connected to said microprocessor; and

wherein said computational circuitry further includes;

means for receiving player card values and dealer card values;

means for counting the number of cards entered;

means for determining if every card value entered is a dealer card;

means for displaying said determined value as a dealer card if a dealer card signal is present;

means for displaying a first card value as a player card if not determined as a dealer card;

means for displaying a second card value separately as a second player card if not determined as a dealer card;

means for setting an execute flag which initiates the calculation of a play prompt;

means for calculating a play prompt based on dealer card value and player card values displayed, said prompt being one of hit, stay, split and double;

means for displaying separately the prompt calculated; and

means for setting an individual flag representing said prompt calculated.

2. The calculator of claim 1 wherein said keyboard also includes:

a dealer card designation key;

a circuit clear/reset key;

wherein said dealer, player first hand, player second hand and clear/reset keys are connected to said microprocessor.

3. The calculator of claim 2 wherein said first display element includes a first display drive decoder connected to said first display element and being connected from a first output from said microprocessor;

wherein said second display element includes a second display drive decoder connected to said second display element and being connected from a second output from said microprocessor; and

wherein said third display element includes a third display drive decoder connected to said third display element and being connected from a third output from said microprocessor.

4. The calculator of claim 3 also including a dealer card value entry first signal light circuit connected to said first drive decoder, said dealer card signal light circuit being energized when said first drive decoder loads a value into said first display element.

5. The calculator of claim 4 also including a dual character display drive decoder connected to said fourth and fifth display elements, said dual character decoder being connected from a fourth output of said microprocessor.

6. The calculator of claim 5 wherein said keyboard dealer card designation key is also connected to enable said first display drive decoder.

7. The calculator of claim 6 also including a connection output from said microprocessor to reset said first, second, third and said dual display drive decoders.

8. The calculator of claim 7 also including a second signal light circuit connected to an output of said microprocessor, said second light circuit being energized from said microprocessor during said calculating operations thereof, said second signal light circuit being connected to said first signal light circuit to de-energize said first signal light circuit upon energization of said second signal light circuit.

9. The calculator of claim 8 wherein said first signal light circuit includes a pair of light emitting diodes connected in series to ground and a first flip-flop connected to a power source on its input and to said series connected light emitting diodes on its output, the set terminal of said flip-flop being connected to said first display drive decoder output.

10. The calculator of claim 9 wherein said second signal light circuit includes a third light emitting diode connected to ground and a second flip-flop connected to a power source on its input and to said third light emitting diode on its output, said second flip-flop output also being connected to the reset terminal of said first flip-flop;

and said calculator also including an OR gate circuit connected on its output to the reset terminal of said second flip-flop, a first input of said OR gate circuit being connected to an output of said dual display drive decoder and a second input of said OR gate circuit being connected to a drive decoder reset output from said microprocessor.

11. The calculator of claim 1 wherein said calculator calculates said prompt according to the following table wherein "SP" represents a "split" instruction answer, "H" represents a "hit" instruction answer, "S" represents a "stand" instruction answer, and "D" represents a "double bet" instruction answer:

##STR1## where the dealer show card row and player cards column entries represent card point count, and where a single entry in a player cards column block represents no ace or duplicate card value to the player.

12. A method carried out entirely by a calculator circuit of displaying black jack hands and calculating play prompts comprising the steps of:

entering player card values and dealer card values;

counting the number of cards entered;

determining if every card value entered is a dealer card;

displaying said determined value as a dealer card if a dealer card signal is present;

displaying a first card value as a player card if not determined as a dealer card;

displaying a second card value separately as a second player card if not determined as a dealer card;

setting an execute flag which initiates the calculation of a play prompt;

calculating a play prompt based on dealer card value and player card values displayed, said prompt being one of hit, stay, split or double;

displaying separately the prompt calculated; and

setting an individual flag representing said prompt calculated.

13. The method of claim 12 also including after said last mentioned flag setting step the steps of;

determining if the count of player cards entered is more than two;

determining if a split prompt flag has been set;

determining if a split signal was received;

resetting the card count if a split signal is received; and

adjusting said count of player cards until each of the split hands is completed if a split signal was received.

14. A method carried out entirely by a calculator circuit of displaying blackjack hands and calculating play prompts comprising the steps of:

entering player card values and dealer card values;

counting the number of cards entered;

determining if every card value is a dealer card;

displaying said determined value as a dealer card if a dealer card signal is present;

displaying a first card value as a player card if not determined as a dealer card;

displaying a second card value separately as a second player card if not determined as a dealer card;

calculating a play prompt based on dealer card value and player card value displayed, said prompt being one of hit, stay, split and double;

displaying separately the prompt calculated;

setting an individual flag representing said prompt calculated;

determining if the count of player cards entered is more than two;

determining if a split prompt flag has been set;

resetting of the card count if a split signal is received;

adjusting said count of player cards until each hand is completed if a split signal was received;

determining if a hit prompt flag has been set;

adding the entered player card values together to obtain a total being the sum of the values if a hit prompt flag has been set and displaying said total from said addition separately;

displaying the last of said entered card values separately;

calculating another play prompt based on said total from said addition and said last card value entered and displaying said prompt being one of hit, stay, or double instructions; and

setting an individual flag representing said hit, stay and double prompt.