Radio frequency identification (RFID) pin detection system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system comprising:
- a reader antenna configured to generate a reader field; and
a bowling pin comprising;
a body having a base, a neck and a head portion; and
a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag having a pin antenna, said pin antenna being associated with said body and configured to generate a power signal in response to said reader field, said RFID tag further including a processor responsive to said power signal for activation thereof wherein said RFID tag is configured to produce an identification signal for identifying said pin;
wherein said pin antenna and said reader antenna having a first level of inductive coupling through said reader field therebetween when said pin is in a pin-up position, said pin antenna and said reader antenna having a second level of inductive coupling therebetween when said pin is in a pin-down position, said pin antenna and said reader antenna being arranged with respect to each other such that said first level is discriminatable from said second level for determining the position of the bowling pin.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An RFID pin detection system includes bowling pins incorporating RFID tags and a pin deck incorporating reader antennas located in positions corresponding to the placement of the bowling pins. A controller energizes the reader antennas to activate RFID tags in those bowling pins that are in the pin-up position. The pin-up information is used in automatic scoring.
59 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a reader antenna configured to generate a reader field; and a bowling pin comprising; a body having a base, a neck and a head portion; and a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag having a pin antenna, said pin antenna being associated with said body and configured to generate a power signal in response to said reader field, said RFID tag further including a processor responsive to said power signal for activation thereof wherein said RFID tag is configured to produce an identification signal for identifying said pin; wherein said pin antenna and said reader antenna having a first level of inductive coupling through said reader field therebetween when said pin is in a pin-up position, said pin antenna and said reader antenna having a second level of inductive coupling therebetween when said pin is in a pin-down position, said pin antenna and said reader antenna being arranged with respect to each other such that said first level is discriminatable from said second level for determining the position of the bowling pin. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A pin deck at a first end of a bowling lane opposite a second, approach end, said pin deck comprising:
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a base layer; an upper layer having a top surface configured for placement of a plurality of bowling pins in a predetermined arrangement; and a reader antenna intermediate said base layer and said upper layer, said reader antenna being configured to radiate a reader field to a corresponding position in said predetermined arrangement, said reader antenna being further configured to sense modulations in said reader field when one of said bowling pins, which includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag having a pin antenna, is within a range of said position; wherein said pin antenna of said one of said bowling pins and said reader antenna having a first level of inductive coupling through said reader field therebetween when said one of said bowling pins is in a pin-up position, said pin antenna and said reader antenna having a second level of inductive coupling therebetween when said one of said bowling pins is in a pin-down position, said pin antenna and said reader antenna being arranged with respect to each other such that said first level is discriminatable from said second level for determining the position of said one of said bowling pins. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An automatic bowling pinsetter comprising:
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a pin elevator configured to receive bowling pins from a pit conveyor and elevate said pins to an orienting and delivery mechanism, said mechanism being configured to orient said bowling pins in a desired fashion and to deliver said oriented pins to a plurality of pin stations; a setting table disposed proximate said pin stations for receiving bowling pins for setting on a pin deck in a predetermined arrangement, said table having a plurality, of tipping baskets corresponding to said predetermined pin arrangement, said baskets being configured to selectively engage, hold and release said bowling pins, said setting table being movable between upper and lower positions; a rake for removing pins from said pin deck; and a plurality of reader antennas proximate said setting table configured to radiate a reader field to a corresponding position in said predetermined arrangement, each reader antenna being further configured to sense modulations in a respective reader field when a bowling pin including a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag having a pin antenna is within a respective range of said radiated position; wherein a reader antenna and pin antenna having a first level of inductive coupling through said respective reader field therebetween when a pin associated with the pin antenna is in a pin-up position, said reader antenna and said pin antenna having a second level of inductive coupling therebetween when said pin is in a pin-down position, said reader antenna and said pin antenna being arranged with respect to each other such that said first level is discriminatable from said second level for determining the position of the pin associated with the pin antenna. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. A bowling pin fall detection system for use with bowling pins placed in a predetermined arrangement on a pin deck wherein each pin includes a respective radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag having a pin antenna and configured to identify said respective pin, said system comprising:
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a pin detect controller responsive to a pin fall signal to generate a reader antenna activation signal; a monitor block including an antenna drive circuit responsive to said activation signal configured to energize said reader antennas; a plurality of reader antennas configured to radiate a respective reader field to a corresponding position in said predetermined arrangement, said reader antennas being further configured to sense modulations in respective reader fields when one of said bowling pins is within a respective range of said radiated positions;
wherein a reader antenna and pin antenna having a first level of inductive coupling through said respective reader field therebetween when a pin associated with the pin antenna is in a pin-up position, said reader antenna and said pin antenna having a second level of inductive coupling therebetween when said pin is in a pin-down position, said reader antenna and said pin antenna being arranged with respect to each other such that said first level is discriminatable from said second level for determining the position of the pin associated with the pin antenna;said monitor block further including a filter and amplifier circuit configured to process said sensed modulations from each reader antenna for detecting said bowling pins in a pin-up position and for generating an output signal; said pin detect controller being responsive to said output signal from said monitor block to generate a pin detection signal indicative of at least one of (i) a number of bowling pins in said pin-up position; and
(ii) a number of pins in a pin-down position. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method of bowling comprising the steps of
(A) spotting a plurality of bowling pins on a pin deck in a predetermined arrangement wherein each bowling pin includes a respective RFID tag having a pin antenna configured to produce an identification signal responsive to a reader field; -
(B) in response to a pin fall signal indicative of a time to perform a pin count, determining the number of pins in a pin-up position using the RFID tags; and (C) providing the determined number to a bowling scoring unit; wherein the method further comprises generating said reader field with a reader antenna, wherein a pin antenna of a pin and said reader antenna having a first level of inductive coupling through said reader field therebetween when said pin is in the pin-up position, said pin antenna and said reader antenna having a second level of inductive coupling therebetween when said pin is in a pin-down position, said pin antenna and said reader antenna being arranged with respect to each other such that said first level is discriminatable from said second level for determining the position of said pin. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification