Automated enhancements for billiards and the like
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A machine-implemented method, comprising:
- by apparatusgenerating position data describing real-time positions of each of one or more billiard balls moving on a playing surface of a billiard table,displaying on the playing surface imagery that dynamically responds to the position data as the one or more billiard balls move on the playing surface,capturing images comprising the playing surface, anddetermining whether a static arrangement of multiple of the billiard balls detected in one or more of the captured images matches a prescribed pattern, wherein the determining comprises determining whether the static arrangement of the billiard balls matches a prescribed pattern of racked balls, and wherein the displaying comprises displaying imagery on the billiard table in response to a determination that the static arrangement matches the prescribed pattern of racked balls.
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Abstract
Position data is generated. The position data describes real-time positions of each of one or more billiard balls moving on a playing surface of a billiard table. Imagery is displayed on the playing surface. The imagery dynamically responds to the position data as the one or more billiard balls move on the playing surface.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A machine-implemented method, comprising:
by apparatus generating position data describing real-time positions of each of one or more billiard balls moving on a playing surface of a billiard table, displaying on the playing surface imagery that dynamically responds to the position data as the one or more billiard balls move on the playing surface, capturing images comprising the playing surface, and determining whether a static arrangement of multiple of the billiard balls detected in one or more of the captured images matches a prescribed pattern, wherein the determining comprises determining whether the static arrangement of the billiard balls matches a prescribed pattern of racked balls, and wherein the displaying comprises displaying imagery on the billiard table in response to a determination that the static arrangement matches the prescribed pattern of racked balls. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A machine-implemented method, comprising:
by apparatus generating position data describing real-time positions of each of one or more billiard balls moving on a playing surface of a billiard table, displaying on the playing surface imagery that dynamically responds to the position data as the one or more billiard balls move on the playing surface, capturing images comprising the playing surface, and automatically ascertaining a type of a billiards game being played on the billiard table based on an evaluation of one or more of the captured images. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. A machine-implemented method, comprising:
by apparatus generating position data describing real-time positions of each of one or more billiard balls moving on a playing surface of a billiard table, determining whether one of the billiard balls has fallen into a pocket of the billiard table, and displaying on the playing surface imagery that dynamically responds to the position data as the one or more billiard balls move on the playing surface, wherein, in response to a determination that the billiard ball has fallen in the pocket, the displaying comprises selecting event-specific imagery associated with an event of a billiard ball falling into a pocket and displaying the selected event-specific imagery on the billiard table. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A machine-implemented method, comprising:
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by apparatus generating position data describing real-time positions of each of one or more billiard balls moving on a playing surface of a billiard table, displaying on the playing surface imagery that dynamically responds to the position data as the one or more billiard balls move on the playing surface, establishing a respective identity of each of one or more of the billiard balls, detecting an event involving the one or more of the billiard balls whose identities have been established, and in response to the detection of the events, producing near the billiard table a perceptible effect that depends on the established identity of each of the one or more billiard balls involved in the event; wherein the detecting comprises detecting a start-of-game event based on the established identities of the one or more billiard balls, and in response to a detection of the start-of-game event the producing comprises producing an event-specific perceptible effect associated with a start of a billiards game.
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42. A machine-implemented method, comprising:
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by apparatus generating position data describing real-time positions of each of one or more billiard balls moving on a playing surface of a billiard table, displaying on the playing surface imagery that dynamically responds to the position data as the one or more billiard balls move on the playing surface, establishing a respective identity of each of one or more of the billiard balls, detecting an event involving the one or more of the billiard balls whose identities have been established, and in response to the detection of the events, producing near the billiard table a perceptible effect that depends on the established identity of each of the one or more billiard balls involved in the event; wherein the detecting comprises detecting a scoring event based on the established identities of the one or more billiard balls, and in response to a detection of the scoring event the producing comprises producing an event-specific perceptible effect associated with a score of a billiards game.
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43. A machine-implemented method, comprising:
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by apparatus generating position data describing real-time positions of each of one or more billiard balls moving on a playing surface of a billiard table, displaying on the playing surface imagery that dynamically responds to the position data as the one or more billiard balls move on the playing surface, establishing a respective identity of each of one or more of the billiard balls, detecting an event involving the one or more of the billiard balls whose identities have been established, and in response to the detection of the events, producing near the billiard table a perceptible effect that depends on the established identity of each of the one or more billiard balls involved in the event; wherein the detecting comprises detecting a billiard game rules violation event based on the established identities of the one or more billiard balls, and in response to a detection of the rules violation event the producing comprises producing an event-specific perceptible effect associated with a billiards game rules violation.
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44. A machine-implemented method, comprising:
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by apparatus generating position data describing real-time positions of each of one or more billiard balls moving on a playing surface of a billiard table, displaying on the playing surface imagery that dynamically responds to the position data as the one or more billiard balls move on the playing surface, establishing a respective identity of each of one or more of the billiard balls, detecting an event involving the one or more of the billiard balls whose identities have been established, and in response to the detection of the events, producing near the billiard table a perceptible effect that depends on the established identity of each of the one or more billiard balls involved in the event; wherein the detecting comprises detecting an end-of-game event based on the established identities of the one or more billiard balls, and in response to a detection of the end-of-game event the producing comprises producing an event-specific perceptible effect associated with an end of a billiards game.
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Specification