Bowling center system

• US 6,430,453 B1
• Filed: 11/04/1998
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael J Shea
• Original Assignee: Michael J Shea
• Inventors: Shea, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADAMS, CHANDA L
• Application Number:
  US09/185,743
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 700/91, 473/70, 340/323.B, 463/42
• US Class Current: 700/91
• CPC Class Codes: A63D 5/04 Indicating devices

Abstract

A system adapted for use in permitting a bowling game between bowlers at remotely located bowling centers includes pin fall sensors at each bowling center for sensing pin falls caused by balls bowled to knock down pins. Communication circuitry at each bowling center is configured to send locally generated scoring data based on the pin falls to a remotely located bowling center and to receive remotely generated scoring data from the remotely located bowling center. Display devices at each bowling center display the locally generated scoring data and the remotely generated scoring data.

Claims

1. A system adapted for use in permitting a bowling game between bowlers at remotely located bowling centers, comprising:

pin fall sensors at each bowling center for sensing pin falls caused by balls bowled to knock down pins;

communication circuitry at each bowling center configured to send locally generated data based on the pin falls to a remotely located bowling center and to receive remotely generated data based on pin falls from the remotely located bowling center; and

display devices at each bowling center for displaying scoring data based on the locally generated data and scoring data based on the remotely generated data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said communication circuitry at each bowling center is further configured to send locally generated video data to the remotely located bowling center and to receive remotely generated video data from the remotely located bowling center.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said communication circuitry at each bowling center is further configured to send locally generated audio data to the remotely located bowling center and to receive remotely generated audio data from the remotely located bowling center.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the data based on pin falls includes pin configuration data.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said communication circuitry at each bowling center comprises modems.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said communication circuitry at each bowling center is configured for internet communication.

7. A method for permitting a bowling game between bowlers at remotely located bowling centers, the method comprising the steps of:

sensing pin falls caused by caused by balls bowled to knock down pins;

sending locally generated data based on the pin falls to a remotely located bowling center and receiving remotely generated data based on pin falls from the remotely located bowling center; and

displaying scoring data based on the locally generated data and scoring data based on the remotely generated data.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

sending locally generated video data to the remotely located bowling center and receiving remotely generated video data from the remotely located bowling center.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

sending locally generated audio data to the remotely located bowling center and receiving remotely generated audio data from the remotely located bowling center.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the data based on pin falls includes pin configuration data.

11. A bowling center system for use with a remotely located computer configured to send scores for one or more remote bowlers bowling at a remote bowling center over a communications network, the bowling center system comprising:

a scoring system for generating scores for one or more local bowlers;

communication circuitry connected to the communications network for receiving the scores for the one or more remote bowlers sent over the communications network by said remotely located computer and for transmitting the scores for the one or more local bowlers over the communications network to said remotely located computer;

one or more displays for displaying the scores for the one or more remote bowlers along with the scores for the one or more local bowlers; and

a camera positioned to capture images of the one or more local bowlers, wherein

the communication circuitry transmits the images captured by the camera over the communications network to the remotely located computer.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the communications network is the Internet.

13. A bowling center system for use with a remotely located computer configured to send scores for one or more remote bowlers bowling at a remote bowling center over a communications network, the bowling center system comprising:

a scoring system for generating scores for one or more local bowlers;

communication circuitry connected to the communications network for receiving the scores for the one or more remote bowlers sent over the communications network by said remotely located computer and for transmitting the scores for the one or more local bowlers over the communications network to said remotely located computer;

one or more displays for displaying the scores for the one or more remote bowlers along with the scores for the one or more local bowlers; and

a microphone positioned to capture sounds of the one or more local bowlers, wherein

the communication circuitry transmits the sounds captured by the microphone over the communications network to the remotely located computer.

14. A bowling center system for use with a remotely located computer configured to send scores for one or more remote bowlers bowling at a remote bowling center over a communications network, the bowling center system comprising:

a scoring system for generating scores for one or more local bowlers;

communication circuitry connected to the communications network for receiving the scores for the one or more remote bowlers sent over the communications network by said remotely located computer and for transmitting the scores for the one or more local bowlers over the communications network to said remotely located computer; and

one or more displays for displaying the scores for the one or more remote bowlers along with the scores for the one or more local bowlers,

wherein the scoring system generates pin configuration data for the local bowlers, and

wherein the communication circuitry transmits the pin configuration data over the communications network to the remotely located computer.

15. A bowling center system for use with a remotely located computer configured to send scores for one or more remote bowlers bowling at a remote bowling center over a communications network, the bowling center system comprising:

a scoring system for generating scores for one or more local bowlers;

communication circuitry connected to the communications network for receiving the scores for the one or more remote bowlers sent over the communications network by said remotely located computer and for transmitting the scores for the one or more local bowlers over the communications network to said remotely located computer; and

one or more displays for displaying the scores for the one or more remote bowlers along with the scores for the one or more local bowlers,

wherein the communication circuitry receives images of the remote bowlers, and the bowling center system further comprises;

one or more displays for displaying the received images of the remote bowlers.

16. A bowling center system for use with a remotely located computer configured to send scores for one or more remote bowlers bowling at a remote bowling center over a communications network, the bowling center system comprising:

a scoring system for generating scores for one or more local bowlers;

communication circuitry connected to the communications network for receiving the scores for the one or more remote bowlers sent over the communications network by said remotely located computer and for transmitting the scores for the one or more local bowlers over the communications network to said remotely located computer; and

one or more displays for displaying the scores for the one or more remote bowlers along with the scores for the one or more local bowlers,

wherein the communication circuitry receives sounds of the remote bowlers, and the bowling center system further comprises;

one or more speakers for outputting the received sounds of the remote bowlers.

17. A bowling center system for use with a remotely located computer configured to send scores for one or more remote bowlers bowling at a remote bowling center over a communications network, the bowling center system comprising:

a scoring system for generating scores for one or more local bowlers;

communication circuitry connected to the communications network for receiving the scores for the one or more remote bowlers sent over the communications network by said remotely located computer and for transmitting the scores for the one or more local bowlers over the communications network to said remotely located computer; and

one or more displays for displaying the scores for the one or more remote bowlers along with the scores for the one or more local bowlers,

wherein the communication circuitry receives pin configuration data corresponding to pin configurations for the remote bowlers, and the bowling center system further comprises;

one or more displays for displaying the pin configurations for the remote bowlers based on the received pin configuration data.