US20070184908A1

Movatterモバイル変換

Info

Publication number: US20070184908A1
Application number: US11/636,410
Authority: US
Inventors: Jan Hansen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-06-18
Filing date: 2006-12-08
Publication date: 2007-08-09
Also published as: WO2007066217A2; WO2007066217A3

Abstract

A bowling ball tagged with a radio-frequency identification (“RFID”) tag is used to provide information about the bowling ball to a computer. The computer can use this information to generate a more accurate calculation of the onward travel of the ball toward the pins and to present a more accurate image of the bowling ball on the screen in a virtual bowling game.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/748,976, filed Dec. 9, 2005, and is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/487,056, filed Jun. 18, 2002, which is a U.S. national phase application based on International Application No. PCT/SE02/01171, filed Jun. 18, 2002. Each of those documents is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an arrangement for a bowling simulator comprising a bowling lane, a lane approach, a ball stop system, a pin pit, a lateral gutter and a ball return system.

BACKGROUND

Bowling lanes in accordance with the regulations require a lot of space because the length dimension for a lane is ca. 5 metres for a lane approach, ca. 20 metres for the bowling lane itself with the pin table, plus a couple of metres for the pin pit at the far end of the lane. The width of the lane including gutters is ca 1.5 metres. Thus, if it is wished to arrange several lanes next to one another, a large hall will be required for this. Premises in densely built-up areas and in commercial and office areas command a high property value with resulting high rents. It is not possible for this reason to establish bowling lanes in all areas, and it is necessary to consider remote areas if it is not possible to expect to achieve a very good turnover in order to meet the rental costs and, of course, other costs incurred in conjunction with bowling, so that the bowling alley at least breaks even financially and preferably makes a profit.

TV and computer games are available for various sports such as golf, tennis, football, ice hockey, etc., in which it is possible to play the game in front of a computer screen or with other apparatuses which have buttons or levers. However, such console games do not give a realistic sensation of and for the branch of sport in question. It is more like sitting and typing, except in the case of motor sport where a steering wheel and pedals can be used to control the car.

There are also other larger arrangements, in which it is possible to simulate the sensation of engaging in the sport, such as skiing booths, punch-balls and a football that is attached to a cord to allow the ball to be kicked towards a goal. This “involvement in the sport” does not provide a realistic sensation, either, although it resembles reality more closely.

Although a miniature form of bowling exists, this does not give a realistic sensation of the sport and attracts no more than a few new participants to the established bowling alleys.

JP 11114221A (Abstract and Figures) shows a bowling facility which shares certain common features with the invention in accordance with the present application, although the differences are still considerable. The largest and most significant difference is the actual lane approach.

The illustrated previously disclosed bowling facility is of the kind that is suitable for use at Tivoli and similar amusement parks. There is, in fact, no lane approach in this previously disclosed bowling facility, and the player is expected to stand still and make sure that the ball (1) is deposited on the bowling lane (2) that is raised to the height of to the bowler's knees, which lane is inclined upwards at its far end. After impact, the ball (1) is returned in a channel that is situated under the actual bowling lane (2). The previously disclosed lane thus precludes the possibility of missing, as the lateral edges of the surrounding lane box keep the ball on the lane at all times, provided that the ball does not find its way into the pit (8) that is present in front of the bowling lane (2).

The present bowling simulator is described below as a preferred illustrative embodiment, in conjunction with which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates schematically an arrangement for a bowling game viewed from the side;

FIG. 2 shows a view of the arrangement from above;

FIG. 3 shows a view from above in the area of a pin table and a pin pit viewed from above;

FIG. 4 shows a profile of the so-called oil graph for a bowling lane;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a bowling ball of an embodiment with a radio-frequency identification (“RFID”) tag;

FIG. 6 is an illustration of a bowling ball mold of an embodiment for inserting an RFID tag during the bowling ball molding process;

FIG. 7 is an illustration block diagram of a system of an embodiment that uses an RFID tag in a bowling ball;

FIG. 8 is an illustration of an embodiment showing grooving for an embedded RFID antenna under a top surface of a lane panel of a bowling lane; and

FIG. 9 is an illustration of an embodiment showing the lane panel ofFIG. 8 with a top lane surface installed over the embedded RFID antenna.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The underlying idea of the embodiments in parent U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/487,056 is to be able to engage in real bowling including in premises with limited dimensions, i.e. real bowling balls and real lane approaches of ca. 5 metres in length are used, although the actual bowling lanes are of restricted length and no difference must be perceived from the familiar “long bowling” game. It is, in fact, important to be able to visit a bowling alley in accordance with those embodiments and for the player to use the right lane approach with the right number of steps and the right bowling balls in accordance with the regulations.

Those embodiments thus are not intended to be a toy bowling lane, as is the case with the previously disclosed lane referred to here, and the principal object of those embodiments is that a player must be able to play his/her customary game with a lane approach of three to four steps and executing a full swing with the bowling arm, that a physical effort must be exerted in playing the game, and that it must also be possible to bowl and stand as usual. There must accordingly be a realistic transition from this to the realistic impact of the ball and the result of the onward travel of the ball along the lane, for example a displayed strike, spare or even a total miss after the ball ends up in the gutter. An entire library of conceivable bowling events is thus contained in the computer program, for example in the same way as in TV and computer games.

The embodiments, thus, enable the sensation of the game of bowling to be replicated, although with a lane that does not require to be constructed in accordance with the regulations. It is also necessary to be able to play as in conventional lane bowling with real balls, shoes and lane approach, and even with a ball return channel.

This is achieved by means of an arrangement, which is characterized essentially in that the effective length of the bowling lane constitutes only a proportion of the length of a bowling lane of normal length, in that the lane approach and the ball are the same as in conventional lane bowling, in that the bowling lane constitutes an extension of the lane approach and in that they are situated at a common level, in that a projection screen is arranged in the area in front of the pin pit, in that a projector or some other similar image display apparatus is so arranged as to display intended images on the aforementioned projection screen, in that the projector is in the form of a film projector that is so arranged as to display moving images of pins and balls on the projection screen, in that sensors are provided along the bowling lane and are so arranged as to sense the direction of impact, speed and force of the bowling ball, and in that a computer unit is connected to the aforementioned projector and sensors for the purpose of calculating the onward travel of the ball towards the pins and of projecting onto the projection screen a realistic image of the pins as they are knocked over by the ball.

Turning now toFIG. 1, anarrangement1 for abowling simulator2 comprising abowling lane3, alane approach4, apin pit9, aball stop system5, alane gutter6 and aball return system7 has aprojection screen8 erected in thearea10 in front of thepin pit9. Aprojector11 or some other similar image display apparatus is so arranged as to display intendedimages12 on theaforementioned projection screen8.

Also arranged along thebowling lane3 are

sensors

13,14,15, which are so arranged as to sense the direction of impact of abowling ball16 in question, the speed of the ball and the force of the ball. Acomputer unit17 is connected to theaforementioned projector11 and sensors13-15 for the purpose of calculating the onward travel of the ball towards thepins18 and of projecting onto the screen8 arealistic image12 of the pins as they are knocked over, etc., by theball16.

The effective length L of the bowling lane in this case is only a proportion of the length of a bowling lane of normal length. Astop cushion19 for theball16 is arranged beyond theprojection screen8 to stop the ball from continuing to roll behind theprojection screen8 and to reduce the force of impact of the ball against thecushion19.

Several sensors

13 are situated in the longitudinal extent of the aforementioned bowling lane and in front of theprojection screen8. Theaforementioned sensors13 are so arranged as to determine the direction of the ball and its speed.

The aforementioned sensors13-15 can be in the form of either mechanical sensors, laser sensors, ultrasound sensors or ultralight sensors.

Theactual bowling lane3, on which thebowl16 is intended to roll, is situated at the same level as thelane approach4, i.e. as in a normal bowling lane, although the length B of thelane3 is significantly shorter than in a normal bowling lane.

Theaforementioned projector11 is in the form of a film projector that is so arranged as to display movingimages12 ofpins18 and balls, so that a realistic film clip, which has been calculated in thecomputer17 after gathering and processing all the information from the sensors13-15 relating to the impact of the ball so that, when theball16 disappears under thescreen8, images are displayed of what happens to thepins18, which, until that point, had been displayed on thescreen8, when theball16 hits or misses thepins18, which are displayed on the screen set up ready to be hit.

It is thus necessary to provide a realistic transition from this point until the realistic impact and the result of the onward travel of the ball on thelane3, for example a displayed strike, spare or even a total miss after the ball ends up in thegutter6. An entire library of conceivable bowling events is thus contained in the computer program, for example in the same way as in TV and computer games.

Theaforementioned projection screen8 is situated at a height above thelane3, such that the distance H between thelane3 and thebottom edge21 of the screen permits theball16 to pass thescreen8 on its underside31 rolling on thebowling lane3.

The readings from theposition sensors13 and thespeed indicators15 are thus so arranged, together with theforce sensor14, as to provide the input to thecomputer17, which is so arranged as to calculate the onward travel of theball16 along thelane3 and to calculate the impact force of theball16 against thepins18.

Loudspeakers20 can also be provided on theaforementioned bowling simulator2, which are so arranged inter alia as to be capable of broadcasting realistic sound effects deriving from a bowling environment and which thus harmonize with the images that are displayed at the same time, for instance a delightful clatter of the pins when theball16 is estimated to have struck thepins18.

Theaforementioned computer unit17 is appropriately so arranged as to be capable of being reset in accordance with special circumstances, for instance for adaptation to the premises and/or to the size of the ball. It is possible in this way to select a shorter and/ornarrower lane approach4 and/orbowling lane3 and also to use different sizes ofballs16, etc., i.e. the concept is miniaturized.

Automatic counting of points can be so arranged as to take place via previously disclosed result indication systems, either integrated in the projectedimage12 on thescreen8 or displayed on a separate monitor in thepremises23 where the lane is situated.

Theaforementioned pin pit9 can comprise aninclined bottom part9A, with the help of which theball16 is caused to roll out to the correct side of thelane3 to arrive in theball return channel24 after theball16 has first hit thestop cushion19, which completely arrests the ball from rolling onwards in the direction of bowling28, and where theforce sensor14 senses the force with which theball16 hits thestop cushion19.

The invention thus permits “real” bowling to be played in a realistic fashion on a small lane, so that there is space for the lane in question in small premises and so that there is accordingly space for several small lanes in the space previously occupied by an actual lane. It is also possible to simulate the type of lanes, impacts and other parameters that it is wished to be able to vary in order to be able to train real bowling on a mini-format lane.

With the help of advanced software, the intention is for the active player to be able to indicate and determine for himself/herself the type of surface on which he/she wishes to play, the type of ball that it is proposed to use, and the hook that it is proposed to impart to the ball on the actual lane.

The nature of the ball is critical for the extent to which the ball will hook, i.e. the number of boards, the hook and its characteristics are determined by a number of parameters, such as friction, top weight, side weight, finger/thumb weight, size and total weight.

The nature of the surface, i.e. the lane, is directly dependent on how much oil is applied to the lane and where the oil is applied to the lane. This can be established from graphs of the kind illustrated inFIG. 4, where the oil is shown to have been applied in a larger quantity in the central area of the lane than at the lateral edges of the lane. It is possible to see the true nature of the lane from graphs of this kind, or it is possible to select the type of lane on which it is wished to play and train with reference to a number of graphs with varying oil profiles.

The variations in the nature of an oil profile are countless, although they are always constructed according to the same principle, i.e. the Y-axis denotes the quantity of oil applied to the lane, and the X-axis denotes the board on which the oil is present.

Competition organizers measure the quantity of oil (units/sq inch) with a so-called spectrometer, with which readings are taken on a strip of tape that is attached across the entire width of the lane.

The advanced version of the present invention is intended to offer players the opportunity to select between a number of pre-programmed oil profiles, for example 6-10 different profiles, as well as the opportunity to design their own oil profile.

The majority of active players have access to two or more different balls depending on the surface, whereas elite players are able to choose between up to ten different balls ahead of tournaments, etc.

The player must accordingly be able to utilize the arrangement as a training tool by simulating different lane surfaces (oil profiles) and simulating the behaviour of different balls on the surface. The aforementioned values can be real or imaginary.

The equivalent is also true of where on the lane the ball must be played in order to obtain the desired direction of impact, including any hook, i.e. a number of markings and boards on the lane from the right or from the left viewed from the point of deflection and where the lane approach begins, as well as markings on the lane itself after the foul line.

With the data entered correctly in the computer, it is thus possible to simulate the game on the displayed lane.

To generate a more accurate calculation of the onward travel of the ball toward the pins and to present a more accurate image of the bowling ball on thescreen8, a bowling ball can be tagged with a radio-frequency identification (“RFID”) tag that provides information about the bowling ball to thecomputer17. In one embodiment, the RFID tag contained in the bowling ball has a unique identifier within it, and thecomputer17 receives the unique identifier as the bowling ball is rolled down thebowling lane3. For purposes of illustration, the following discussion assumes that the unique identifier identifies the bowling ball's color and weight. It should be noted that instead of identifying both color and weight, ball color but not weight can be identified, and vice versa. Further, the unique identifier can identify other information about the ball.

A bowling ball can be tagged with an RFID tag in any suitable way. For example, an opening can be created in an off-the-shelf bowling ball by plunging the tip of a chainsaw (or other tool) into the ball, thereby creating a grove to the center. With reference toFIG. 5, an RFID tag100 (e.g., a nominal 3″×4″ tag) can be placed and glued in the opening in thebowling ball105.Filler material110 can then be placed in the opening, followed byresin115, which is allowed to cure so that is conforms to the surface of theball105. (Section120 of theball105 is the ball core.) Alternatively, an RFID tag can be inserted during the ball molding process. For example, as shown inFIG. 6, anRFID tag125 can be placed inside aball mold130 so that it is encased withresin135 as the bowling ball is being manufactured. Other ways of tagging a bowling ball with an RFID tag can be used.

Turning again to the drawings,FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a system of this embodiment. This system comprises anantenna200 embedded in thebowling lane3, anantenna tuning module210 coupled with theantenna200, and anRFID reader220 coupled with theantenna tuning module210 and thecomputer17. (Like components fromFIG. 2 are not described. It should be noted that the additional components used for this RFID embodiment can be used separately from the components shown inFIG. 2.) It should be noted that, instead of being two separate components, the antenna tuning module and the RFID reader can be part of the same component.

Theantenna200 can be embedded in thebowling lane3 in any suitable way. For example,FIG. 8 shows grooving300 for the embeddedRFID antenna200 under a top surface of alane panel310 of the bowling lane3 (atop surface315 of anotherlane panel320 is shown installed), andFIG. 9 shows thelane panel310 ofFIG. 8 with atop lane surface330 installed over the embeddedRFID antenna200.

During operation, theantenna tuning module210 powers theantenna200 embedded in thebowling lane3 to generate a field at a preset frequency. As the bowling ball is rolled down thelane3, the RFID tag in the bowling ball responds to the field generated by the energizedantenna coil200 by producing a coded signal representing its unique identifier. That coded signal is sent to theRFID reader220 which decodes the signal, and it, in turn, sends that unique identifier to thecomputer17. Thecomputer17 uses the unique identifier to look-up characteristics about the ball (in this example, ball weight and color) that are stored in a database in thecomputer17. (It should be noted that the RFID information can be sent to a separate computer that communicates with computer17).

Thecomputer17 uses the unique identifier along with the information about the ball speed, direction of travel, and location (from sensors13-15) to simulate the ball going down thelane3. The ball weight that was looked-up in the database can be used to generate the proper ball path and speed. The weight can also be used to very accurately determine the bowling pin action resulting from the impact of the ball with the pins. The weight of the ball is desired in the simulation since the ball energy and momentum directly affect the amount of energy imparted into the pins and their resultant actions. In addition, the more energy that a ball carries into the pins, the less its velocity and path will be affected by its contact with each of the pins. As the ball weight can vary from six pounds up to 16 pounds and each of the ten pins weighs up to three pounds ten ounces, accurate determination of ball weight is a desired element of accurately simulating the resultant pin action. The display is preferably presented in 1280×1024 resolution to accurately show the ball and pin action.

Once pin action has been accurately determined, the system can project the results of that simulation on theprojection screen8. That display includes the accurate presentation of the ball rolling down thelane3, in the proper color as determined from looking-up its unique identifier in the database. It then proceeds to accurately display the reaction of each individual pin resulting from the ball impact.

The invention is naturally not restricted to the embodiment described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Modifications are possible, especially with regard to the nature of the different component parts, or by the use of equivalent technology, without departing from the area of protection afforded to the invention as defined in the Patent Claims.

Claims

1. A virtual bowling system comprising:

a bowling lane;

a display device;

at least one sensor operative to sense movement of a bowling ball on the bowling lane;

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader operative to read an identifier transmitted by an RFID device in the bowling ball, the identifier identifying information about the bowling ball; and

at least one computer operative to generate a display, on the display device, of a virtual bowling ball traveling down a virtual portion of the bowling lane and interacting with virtual bowling pins based on data from the at least one sensor and based on the information about the bowling ball identified by the identifier transmitted by the RFID device.

2. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one computer is operative to query a database with the identifier to determine the information about the bowling ball.

3. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 1, wherein the information about the bowling ball comprises one or both of bowling ball weight and bowling ball color.

4. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is operative to sense one or more of the following: direction of the bowling ball, speed of the bowling ball, and force of the bowling ball.

5. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 1 further comprising:

an antenna; and

an antenna tuning module operative to power the antenna to generate a field at a frequency operative to cause the RFID device in the bowling ball to transmit the identifier.

6. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 5, wherein the antenna is embedded in the bowling lane.

7. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 1 further comprising a lane approach, wherein the lane approach comprises an extension of the bowling lane such that the lane approach and the bowling lane are on a common level.

8. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 1, wherein the bowling lane is less than 20 metres in length.

9. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 1 further comprising a lane gutter on either side of the bowling lane.

10. A virtual bowling system comprising:

a bowling lane;

a display device;

circuitry operative to generate a display, on the display device, of a virtual bowling ball traveling down a virtual portion of the bowling lane and interacting with virtual bowling pins based on data from the at least one sensor and based on the information about the bowling ball identified by the identifier transmitted by the RFID device.

11. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 10, wherein the circuitry is operative to query a database with the identifier to determine the information about the bowling ball.

12. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 10, wherein the information about the bowling ball comprises one or both of bowling ball weight and bowling ball color.

13. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 10, wherein the at least one sensor is operative to sense one or more of the following: direction of the bowling ball, speed of the bowling ball, and force of the bowling ball.

14. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 10 further comprising:

an antenna; and

15. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 14, wherein the antenna is embedded in the bowling lane.

16. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 10 further comprising a lane approach, wherein the lane approach comprises an extension of the bowling lane such that the lane approach and the bowling lane are on a common level.

17. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 10, wherein the bowling lane is less than 20 metres in length.

18. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 10 further comprising a lane gutter on either side of the bowling lane.

19. The virtual bowling system ofclaim 10, wherein the circuitry comprises at least one computer.

20. A method for virtual bowling, the method comprising:

receiving movement information of a bowling ball on a bowling lane;

receiving an identifier transmitted by a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device in the bowling ball, the identifier identifying information about the bowling ball; and

displaying a virtual bowling ball traveling down a virtual portion of the bowling lane and interacting with virtual bowling pins based on the movement information of the bowling ball on the bowling lane and based on the information about the bowling ball identified by the identifier transmitted by the RFID device.

21. The method ofclaim 20 further comprising querying a database with the identifier to determine the information about the bowling ball.

22. The method ofclaim 20, wherein the information about the bowling ball comprises one or both of bowling ball weight and bowling ball color.

23. The method ofclaim 20, wherein the movement information of the bowling ball comprises one or more of the following: direction of the bowling ball, speed of the bowling ball, and force of the bowling ball.

24. The method ofclaim 20 further comprising generating a field at a frequency operative to cause the RFID device in the bowling ball to transmit the identifier.

25. The method ofclaim 20, wherein the bowling lane extends onto a lane approach such that the lane approach and the bowling lane are on a common level.

26. The method ofclaim 20, wherein the bowling lane is less than 20 metres in length.

27. The method ofclaim 20, wherein there is a lane gutter on either side of the bowling lane.