Automated league and tournament system for electronic games
First Claim
1. A system for league and tournament play utilizing a plurality of electronically scored games, comprising:
- a microcomputer having memory for storing a computer program and a contest database, said microcomputer being operable under control of said program to access player names from the database;
a plurality of electronic dart machines, each of said dart machines having a monitor and including memory storage and a microprocessor operable under control of a game program to utilize data received from said microcomputer via a communication medium;
said dart machines being operable under control of said game program to display on said monitor a user interface that includes a plurality of user-selectable menu items; and
said dart machines further being operable under control of said game program to incorporate at least some of the player names received from said microcomputer into the user-selectable menu items displayed on said monitor.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A league and tournament system is disclosed which includes a centralized league machine that transmits data to one or more of a plurality of electronic dart games via modem or using a wireless portable data storage device. Transmission of information from the electronic dart machines can be via modem, facsimile transmission, or using the portable data storage device. The electronic dart machines are configured to receive and utilize league and tournament database information from the league machine for a variety of purposes, including automatic implementation of player handicaps, automatic control of match play, and team and player registration using the dart machine. The dart machine has a monitor that displays context sensitive menus using information obtained from the league or tournament database. The dart machine includes a barked card reader that permits identification of league and tournament participants using barcode cards. The dart machine can also respond to other types of barked cards for such purposes as crediting games and providing access to machine performance data and certain machine servicing functions. Intergame communication within an establishment is provided either by a hardwiring the dart machines or using infrared communication.
397 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for league and tournament play utilizing a plurality of electronically scored games, comprising:
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a microcomputer having memory for storing a computer program and a contest database, said microcomputer being operable under control of said program to access player names from the database; a plurality of electronic dart machines, each of said dart machines having a monitor and including memory storage and a microprocessor operable under control of a game program to utilize data received from said microcomputer via a communication medium; said dart machines being operable under control of said game program to display on said monitor a user interface that includes a plurality of user-selectable menu items; and said dart machines further being operable under control of said game program to incorporate at least some of the player names received from said microcomputer into the user-selectable menu items displayed on said monitor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for league and tournament play utilizing a plurality of electronically scored games comprising:
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a microcomputer having memory for storing a computer program and a contest database, said microcomputer being operable under control of said program to access contest data from the database, the contest data including player data, team data, and game match data; a plurality of electronic dart machines, each of said dart machines having a monitor and including memory storage and a microprocessor operable under control of a game program to utilize data received from said microcomputer via a communication medium; said dart machines being operable under control of said game program to display on said monitor a user interface that includes a plurality of menu items; and said dart machines further being operable under control of said game program to incorporate at least some of the contest data received from said microcomputer into the menu items displayed on said monitor; wherein said game program utilizes a hierarchial menu structure available through the user interface and wherein said dart machines are operable under control of said game program to display simultaneously a plurality of menu screens on said monitor as a part of said user interface, wherein each of said menu screens corresponds to a different level in said hierarchial menu structure; and wherein said dart machines are operable under control of said game program to display in one of said menu screens a second plurality of menu items associated with one level in said hierarchial menu structure and to associate each of said second plurality of menu items with one of a plurality of sets of other menu items that are associated with another level in said hierarchial menu structure, and wherein said dart machines are operable under control of said game program to indicate in said one menu screen the selection of one of said second plurality of menu items and to display in another of said menu screens the set of other menu items associated with said one of said menu items.
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14. A system for league and tournament play utilizing a plurality of electronically scored games comprising:
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a microcomputer having memory for storing a computer program and a contest database, said microcomputer being operable under control of said program to access contest data from the database, the contest data including player data, team data, and game match data; a plurality of electronic dart machines, each of said dart machines having a monitor and including memory storage and a microprocessor operable under control of a game program to utilize data received from said microcomputer via a communication medium; said dart machines being operable under control of said game program to display on said monitor a user interface that includes a plurality of menu items; and said dart machines further being operable under control of said game program to incorporate at least some of the contest data received from said microcomputer into the menu items displayed on said monitor; wherein said game program utilizes a hierarchial menu structure available through the user interface and wherein said dart machines are operable under control of said game program to display simultaneously a plurality of menu screens on said monitor as a part of said user interface, wherein each of said menu screens corresponds to a different level in said hierarchial menu structure; and wherein said dart machines are operable under control of said game program to display three menu screens, each of which is associated with a different level in said hierarchial menu structure, and wherein said dart machines are operable under control of said game program to display a fourth menu screen concurrently with said three menu screens, said fourth menu screen being used to display information associated with one or more menu items concurrently displayed in at least one of said three menu screens.
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15. A system for league play utilizing a plurality of electronically scored games, comprising:
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a microcomputer having memory for storing a computer program and a contest database, said microcomputer being operable under control of said program to access player names and team names from the database; a plurality of electronic dart machines, each of said dart machines having a monitor and including memory storage and a microprocessor operable under control of a game program to utilize data received from said microcomputer via a communication medium; said dart machines being operable under control of said game program to display on said monitor a user interface that includes a plurality of user-selectable menu items; and said dart machines further being operable under control of said game program to incorporate the player names and team names received from said microcomputer into the user-selectable menu items displayed on said monitor.
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16. A system for league play utilizing a plurality of electronically scored games, comprising:
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a microcomputer having memory for storing a computer program and a contest database, said microcomputer being operable under control of said program to access player names and league names from the database; a plurality of electronic dart machines, each of said dart machines having a monitor and including memory storage and a microprocessor operable under control of a game program to utilize data received from said microcomputer via a communication medium; said dart machines being operable under control of said game program to display on said monitor a user interface that includes a plurality of user-selectable menu items; and said dart machines further being operable under control of said game program to incorporate the player names and league names received from said microcomputer into the user-selectable menu items displayed on said monitor.
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17. A system for league play utilizing a plurality of electronically scored games, comprising:
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a microcomputer having memory for storing a computer program and a contest database, said microcomputer being operable under control of said program to access team names and league names from the database; a plurality of electronic dart machines, each of said dart machines having a monitor and including memory storage and a microprocessor operable under control of a game program to utilize data received from said microcomputer via a communication medium; said dart machines being operable under control of said game program to display on said monitor a user interface that includes a plurality of user-selectable menu items; and said dart machines further being operable under control of said game program to incorporate the team names and league names received from said microcomputer into the user-selectable menu items displayed on said monitor.
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Specification