Baseball simulation game
First Claim
1. A baseball game simulator comprising:
- a ball;
a support physically attached to said ball at a known initial position;
a detector to detect a final position of said ball after said ball has been hit by a bat;
means for measuring a period of time said ball took to travel between said initial position and said final position, wherein said timer is coupled to said support such that said timer is activated by movement of said support when said ball is hit by said bat;
means for calculating velocity from said initial position, said final position and said period of time; and
means for providing user feedback of a user'"'"'s progress in a simulated game, said feedback being derived at least in part from said calculated velocity of said ball.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An arcade game simulating a baseball game. A player hits a ball suspended in front of him or her at a known initial position towards a detector assembly, such as an x-y grid of light beams. The initial velocity of the ball is accurately determined by calculating the speed of the ball by measuring the time it took the ball to travel between its initial and final positions, and by calculating the direction of the ball from the known initial and final positions of the ball. Audio and visual feedback may be provided to the player of the game unit based upon the results of the hit ball and based upon a baseball game environment. Awards can also be dispensed to the player by the game unit based upon a score accumulated during the game.
66 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A baseball game simulator comprising:
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a ball; a support physically attached to said ball at a known initial position; a detector to detect a final position of said ball after said ball has been hit by a bat; means for measuring a period of time said ball took to travel between said initial position and said final position, wherein said timer is coupled to said support such that said timer is activated by movement of said support when said ball is hit by said bat; means for calculating velocity from said initial position, said final position and said period of time; and means for providing user feedback of a user'"'"'s progress in a simulated game, said feedback being derived at least in part from said calculated velocity of said ball. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for simulating a baseball game comprising:
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(a) supporting a ball at a known initial position; (b) hitting said ball; (c) detecting a final position of said ball; (d) measuring a period of time said ball took to travel between said initial position and said final position; (e) calculating a velocity from said initial position, said final position, and said period of time; (f) calculating an indication of a current state of a simulated game based upon said calculated velocity; (g) providing user feedback of progress in said simulated game, said user feedback being derived at least in part from said calculated velocity of said ball, said user feedback including said indication of said current state of said game in relation to a condition for ending said simulated game; and (h) repeating steps (a) through (g) until said user accomplishes said condition for ending said simulated game. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27)
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19. A baseball game simulator comprising:
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a ball; a support attached to said ball to position said ball in a known initial position, wherein a sensor is coupled to said ball by said support to provide an output when said ball moves from said initial position; means for determining a simulated flight of said ball after said ball has been struck by a bat, wherein said means for determining a simulated flight utilizes said output of said sensor, in part, to determine said flight; means for calculating a simulated result of said simulated flight and updating the status of a simulated baseball game; and feedback means providing a player with information concerning said updated status of said simulated baseball game. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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28. A method for simulating a baseball game comprising:
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(a) supporting a ball at a known initial position; (b) striking said ball with a bat; (c) detecting said ball at a final position after said bail has been struck by a bat, wherein a number of outs is increased if said ball is not detected at said final position within a predetermined period of time; (d) determining a simulated flight of said ball; (e) calculating a simulated play result of said simulated flight and updating the status of a simulated baseball game, including increasing said number of outs when said play result is calculated to be an out according to predetermined rules; (f) providing a player with information concerning said simulated play result and said updated status of said simulated baseball game including displaying an updated score based on said updated status; and (g) repeating steps (a) through (f) until said number of outs is equal to a predetermined number. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A baseball game simulator comprising:
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a ball means; cord means for suspending said ball means at a known initial position above a playing surface, wherein said cord means includes a sensing means coupled to said cord means; means for detecting a final position of said ball means after said ball means has been hit by a bat means; means for measuring a period of time said ball means took to travel between said initial position and said final position, wherein said sensing means is operative to trigger said means for measuring a period of time; means for calculating velocity from said initial position, said final position and said period of time; and means for providing user feedback derived at least in part from said velocity.
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37. A baseball game simulator comprising:
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a ball means; means for supporting said ball means at a known initial position; means for detecting a final position of said ball means after said ball means has been hit by a bat means; means for measuring a period of time said ball means took to travel between said initial position and said final position, wherein said means for measuring a period of time includes means for sensing when said ball means has been hit by said bat means at said known initial position, said means for sensing being attached to said ball means by a flexible cord means; means for calculating velocity from said initial position, said final position and said period of time; and means for providing user feedback derived at least in part from said calculated velocity of said ball means.
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Specification