Automatic bowling center system

• US 5,450,318 A
• Filed: 11/23/1992
• Issued: 09/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brunswick Bowling & Billiards Corporation (Brunswick Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Brunswick Bowling & Billiards Corporation (Brunswick Corporation)
• Inventors: Alleshouse, Bruce N., Wyland, David C., Mowers, David L., LaMantia, Santo A., Pierce, Gerald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Gail O.
• Application Number:
  US07/962,492
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 364/410, 273/54
• US Class Current: 700/92
• CPC Class Codes: A63D 1/00 Installations for bowling games, e.g. bowling-alleys or bocce courts bowling greens A63C19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63D 2005/042 for indicating the ball path
• CPC Class Codes: A63D 5/04 Indicating devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63D 5/08 Arrangements for setting-up or taking away pins
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/04 Display device controller operating with a plurality of display units

Abstract

A bowling center system includes a plurality of bowling lanes and a plurality of bowling scoring systems each connected to a manager'"'"'s control system. A video distribution system includes a memory device for storing data representing a plurality of video segments and generating video signals. A plurality of video display terminals are remotely located from the manager'"'"'s control system and are operable to display video information responsive to a received video signal. A video communication network connects to the memory device and the display terminals. The manager'"'"'s control system responds to a selection for a particular video segment to transmit a video signal to convey video segment information responsive to data read from the memory device to a selected one of the video display terminals.

Claims

1. In a bowling center system including a plurality of bowling lanes, and a plurality of bowling scoring systems each connected to a manager'"'"'s control system, a video distribution system comprising:

memory means for storing data representing a plurality of video segments, each said video segment comprising dynamic video display information consisting of a series of still pictures displayed in rapid succession to provide an illusion of motion;

commandable reading means for reading data from said memory means;

means coupled to said reading means for transmitting a video signal to convey video segment information responsive to data read from said memory means;

a plurality of video display terminals remotely located from said manager'"'"'s control system and operable to display video information responsive to a received video signal;

means in communication with said manager'"'"'s control system for selecting one of said video segments to be displayed on one of said display terminals;

a video communication network connected to said transmitting means and said display terminals;

a manager'"'"'s communication network connecting said manager'"'"'s control system to said reading means, said manager'"'"'s control system including means responsive to said selecting means for commanding said reading means to read stored data associated with the selected video segment so that said transmitting means transmits over said video communication network a video signal relative thereto; and

switching means operatively associated with said selecting means and coupled in said video communication network for selectively coupling said transmitting means to the selected one of said display terminals, to receive the video signal associated with the selected video segment.

2. The video distribution system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of remote terminals each said remote terminal including one of said display terminals and a user input device comprising said selecting means.

3. In a bowling center system including a plurality of bowling lanes, and a plurality of bowling scoring systems each connected to a manager'"'"'s control system, a video distribution system comprising:

memory means for storing data representing a plurality of video segments;

commandable reading means for reading data from said memory means;

means coupled to said reading means for transmitting a video signal to convey video segment information responsive to data read from said memory means;

a plurality of video display terminals remotely located from said manager'"'"'s control system and operable to display video information responsive to a received video signal;

a plurality of remote terminals, each said remote terminal including one of said display terminals and a user input device comprising said selecting means;

means in communication with said manager'"'"'s control system for selecting one of said video segments to be displayed on one of said display terminals;

a video communication network connected to said transmitting means and said display terminals;

a manager'"'"'s communication network connecting said manager'"'"'s control system to said reading means, said manager'"'"'s control system including means responsive to said selecting means for commanding said reading means to read stored data associated with the selected video segment so that said transmitting means transmits over said video communication network a video signal relative thereto; and

switching means operatively associated with said selecting means and coupled in said video communication network for selectively coupling said transmitting means to the selected one of said display terminals, to receive the video signal associated with the selected video segment, wherein said switching means comprises a plurality of such switching means each electrically connected to one of said bowling scoring systems and wherein each said scoring system operates the switching means connected thereto in accordance with a command received from said manager'"'"'s control system responsive to a request entered at said input device.

4. In a bowling center system including a plurality of bowling lanes, a video distribution system comprising:

a scoring controller device for each lane having a score display device;

a manager'"'"'s control system operatively connected to each said scoring controller device;

memory means for storing data representing a plurality of video segments, each said video segment comprising dynamic video display information consisting of a series of still pictures displayed in rapid succession to provide an illusion of motion;

commandable reading means for reading data from said memory means;

means coupled to said reading means for transmitting a video signal to convey video segment information responsive to data rad from said memory means;

a plurality of video display terminals, one for each said scoring controller device, remotely located from said manager'"'"'s control system and operable to display video information responsive to a received video signal;

means in communication with said manager'"'"'s control system for selecting one of said video segments to be displayed on one of said display terminals;

a video communication network connected to said transmitting means and said display terminals;

a manager'"'"'s communication network connecting said manager'"'"'s control system to said reading means, said manager'"'"'s control system including means responsive to said selecting means for commanding said reading means to read stored data associated with the selected video segment so that said transmitting means transmits over said video communication network a video signal relative thereto; and

switching means operatively associated with said selecting means and coupled in said video communication network for selectively coupling said transmitting means to the selected one of said display terminals, to receive the video signal associated with the selected video segment.

5. The video distribution system of claim 4 further comprising a plurality of remote terminals, each said remote terminal including one of said display terminals and a user input device comprising said selecting means.

6. In a bowling center system including a plurality of bowling lanes, a video distribution system comprising:

a scoring controller device for each lane having a score display device;

a manager'"'"'s control system operatively connected to each said scoring controller device;

memory means for storing data representing a plurality of video segments;

commandable reading means for reading data from said memory means;

means coupled to said reading means for transmitting a video signal to convey video segment information responsive to data read from said memory means;

a plurality of video display terminals, one for each said scoring controller device, remotely located from said manager'"'"'s control system and operable to display video information responsive to a received video signal;

means in communication with said manager'"'"'s control system for selecting one of said video segments to be displayed on one of said display terminals;

a plurality of remote terminals, each said remote terminal including one of said display terminals and a user input device comprising said selecting means;

a video communication network connected to said transmitting means and said display terminals;

a manager'"'"'s communication network connecting said manager'"'"'s control system to said reading means, said manager'"'"'s control system including means responsive to said selecting means for commanding said reading means to read stored data associated with the selected video segment so that said transmitting means transmits over said video communication network a video signal relative thereto; and

switching means operatively associated with said selecting means and coupled in said video communication network for selectively coupling said transmitting means to the selected one of said display terminals, to receive the video signal associated with the selected video segment,.wherein said switching means comprises a plurality of such switching means each electrically connected to one of said bowling scoring systems and wherein each said scoring system operates the switching means connected thereto in accordance with a command received from said manager'"'"'s control system responsive to a request entered at said input device.

7. In a bowling center system including a plurality of bowling lane pairs, a video distribution system comprising:

a scoring controller device for each lane pair having a score display device;

a manager'"'"'s control system operatively connected to each said scoring controller device;

memory means for storing data representing a plurality of video segments;

commandable reading means for reading data from said memory means;

means coupled to said reading means for transmitting a video signal to convey video segment information responsive to data read from said memory means;

a plurality of video display terminals, one for each said scoring controller device, remotely located from said manager'"'"'s control system and operable to display video information responsive to a received video signal;

means in communication with said manager'"'"'s control system for selecting one of said video segments to be displayed on one of said display terminals;

a video communication network connected to said transmitting means and said display terminals;

a manager'"'"'s communication network connecting said manager'"'"'s control system to said reading means, said manager'"'"'s control system including means responsive to said selecting means for commanding said reading means to read stored data associated with the selected video segment so that said transmitting means transmits over said video communication network a video signal relative thereto; and

switching means operatively associated with said selecting means and coupled in said video communication network for selectively coupling said transmitting means to the selected one of said display terminals, to receive the video signal associated with the selected video segment.

8. The video distribution system of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of remote terminals, each said remote terminal including one of said display terminals and a user input device comprising said selecting means.

9. In a bowling center system including a plurality of bowling lane pairs, a video distribution system comprising:

a scoring controller device for each lane pair having a score display device;

a manager'"'"'s control system operatively connected to each said scoring controller device;

memory means for storing data representing a plurality of video segments;

commandable reading means for reading data from said memory means;

means coupled to said reading means for transmitting a video signal to convey video segment information responsive to data read from said memory means;

a plurality of video display terminals, one for each said scoring controller device, remotely located from said manager'"'"'s control system and operable to display video information responsive to a received video signal;

means in communication with said manager'"'"'s control system for selecting one of said video segments to be displayed on one of said display terminals;

a plurality of remote terminals, each said remote terminal including one of said display terminals and a user input device comprising said selecting means;

a video communication network connected to said transmitting means and said display terminals;

a manager'"'"'s communication network connecting said manager'"'"'s control system to said reading means, said manager'"'"'s control system including means responsive to said selecting means for commanding said reading means to read stored data associated with the selected video segment so that said transmitting means transmits over said video communication network a video signal relative thereto; and

switching means operatively associated with said selecting means and coupled in said video communication network for selectively coupling said transmitting means to the selected one of said display terminals, to receive the video signal associated with the selected video segment, wherein said switching means comprises a plurality of such switching means each electrically connected to one of said bowling scoring systems and wherein each said scoring system operates the switching means connected thereto in accordance with a command received from said manager'"'"'s control system responsive to a request entered at said input device.