Virtual goal for a game table

• US 7,219,891 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2004
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Indian Industries Incorporated (Escalade Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: DMI Sports Incorporated (Escalade Incorporated)
• Inventors: Giegerich, Paul, Dougherty, Edmond J., Giegerich, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto; Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DAT
• Application Number:
  US11/001,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20050127601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 273/108.1, 273/108, 273/317.1, 27310851-10856, 273/379, 273/118.R, 273/119.R, 273/118.A, 273/126.R, 273/126.A, 273/237, 273/108.5, 273/371, 273/378, 273/317, 473/29, 473/115, 473/476, 473/478, 473/480
• US Class Current: 273/108
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/245 visual
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2454 with LED
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/247 audible, e.g. using a loudspeaker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/06 Games simulating outdoor ball games, e.g. hockey or football if physically beneficial for the human body A63B67/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/3065 Electric

Abstract

A game table for playing a game with a gamepiece includes a playing surface and the gamepiece is movable along the playing surface through the application of gaming forces. A first endwall extends generally perpendicularly from the playing surface and has a first wall length. A second endwall extends generally perpendicularly from the playing surface and is located on an opposite side of the playing surface from the first endwall. A first goal, comprised of at least one proximity sensor, is located along the first endwall and has a first goal length. The first goal length is adjustable.

Claims

1. A method of playing a table game on a game table having a gamepiece, the game table including a first endwall, a second endwall, a first sidewall, a second sidewall and a playing surface, a first plurality of sensors mounted proximate to the first endwall and a second plurality of sensors mounted proximate to the second endwall, the first and second plurality of sensors each being actuable between an on condition and an off condition, a control circuit being in communication with the first and second plurality of sensors, the method comprising the steps of:

a) activating at least one of the first plurality of sensors to the on condition defining a first goal having a first goal length comprised of a width of a sensing area of the at least one of the first plurality of sensors in the on condition;

b) actuating a remainder of the first plurality of sensors to the off condition;

c) applying a force to the gamepiece propelling the gamepiece toward the first endwall;

d) transmitting a signal to the control circuit when the gamepiece enters a sensing area of the first goal such that the control circuit records a goal; and

e) disallowing the goal if the control circuit one of receives signals from a series of successive sensors of the first goal in a short period of time and detects that the gamepiece lingered in the first goal for longer than a predetermined amount of time, indicating that the gamepiece has traveled along a length of the first endwall.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the first plurality of sensors in the on condition of step (a) comprises a first sensor and a second sensor, the first sensor being positioned adjacent the second sensor along the first endwall, the first sensor transmitting a first signal and the second sensor transmitting a second signal to the control circuit in step (d) in a short period of time, the control circuit recording two goals in step (d) and the control circuit disallowing the two goals in step (e).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the first plurality of sensors in the on condition of step (a) comprises a first sensor and a second sensor, the first sensor being positioned adjacent the second sensor along the first endwall, the first sensor transmitting a first signal and the second sensor transmitting a second signal to the control circuit in step (d) in a short period of time, the control circuit recording two goals in step (d) and the control circuit disallowing one of the two goals in step (e).