Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Player-actuated control structure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-12
2001-04-24
Martin-Wallace, Valencia (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Player-actuated control structure
C273S14800B, C463S002000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220963
ABSTRACT:
SPECIFICATION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer pool games and in particular, to a computerized pool cue and controller to simulate the action and feel of using a pool cue.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices and systems are known to simulate leisure activities such as golf, pool or billiards and fishing. For example,
U.S. Pat. No.
Inventor (s)
3,091,466
Speiser
3,508,440
Murphy
3,633,007
Sanders
3,633,008
Sanders
4,086,630
Speiser, et al.
5,066,008
Rivera
U.S. Patent No. 3,091,466 to Speiser discloses a computer-type golf game which consists of an impact screen element and photocell units. Upon impact of a golf ball upon the screen, the screen is distorted from its normally planar condition to permit at least one of the photocell units to generate a signal which will indicate the completion of flight of the golf ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,440 to Murphy discloses a golf game consisting of a detecting means for when the ball has been hit from a tee and a location means for determining when the ball has reached a predetermined locale, and a computing means for providing information relative to the trajectory of the flight of the ball hit from the tee.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,007 to Sanders discloses a golf game computer having an improved drag circuit to provide a representation of the instantaneous velocity of the golf ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,008 to Sanders discloses a golf game computer having a bounce and roll generator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,630 to Speiser et al. discloses a computer type golf game having a visible fairway display, whereby attained yardage as indicated by the computer activates the progression of slides to a projection position to simulate a different area on the fairway.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,008 to Rivera discloses an electronic voice and control system for billiards which keeps score and is connected to audio and visual input/output elements. The system includes sensors at each of the pockets of the billiard table and open switches designed to close when a ball enters a particular pocket so that various aspects, players scores, “scratch”, etc., can be indicated. In a preferred embodiment, each one of the object balls is coated with a magnetic material so that a magnetic sensing means can sense when the particular ball has entered a pocket.
In addition, a fishing rod and reel electronic game controller is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,672 which issued Aug. 6, 1996.
Among the known devices and systems, there is no disclosure of a pool cue in combination with a joy stick and mouse to provide a user with the “feel” of the resistance encountered when using a pool cue.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a computerized pool cue and controller for a user to play a game of pool or billiards (hereinafter referred to as “pool”) and experience the feel of actually using the pool stick through software simulation. The actual motion of the pool stick provides the simulation of playing a game of pool and signals the results of a cue stroke by software simulation.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device which permits the user to move the pool cue and select different forms of “English” to be applied to a pool ball.
It is another object of the present invention to provide the controller as a modification of a computer mouse.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a computerized pool cue and controller which uses standard mouse and keyboard commands to control the software for the system.
A preferred embodiment of the invention includes a housing adapted to move over a flat surface, the housing including a stalk extending upwardly from the housing and supporting a tapered tubular or ring-like member adapted to receive a pool cue, sensing means in the housing, the stalk and the tubular member to sense the position and movement of the pool cue and send this information to circuitry which processes the information for input into a computer, which in turn uses appropriate compatible software to display the effects of the pool cue activity.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 300235 (1989-03-01), Nicotra
patent: D. 312290 (1990-11-01), Rodriguez
patent: D. 354106 (1995-01-01), Thompson
patent: 2931649 (1960-04-01), Furda
patent: 3091466 (1963-05-01), Speiser
patent: 3508440 (1970-04-01), Murphy
patent: 3633007 (1972-01-01), Sanders
patent: 3633008 (1972-01-01), Sanders
patent: 4053153 (1977-10-01), Josenhans
patent: 4086630 (1978-04-01), Speiser et al.
patent: 4954817 (1990-09-01), Levine
patent: 5066008 (1991-11-01), Rivera
patent: 5175534 (1992-12-01), Thatcher
patent: 5181718 (1993-01-01), Valentine
patent: 5195744 (1993-03-01), Kapp et al.
patent: 5203563 (1993-04-01), Loper, III
patent: 5232223 (1993-08-01), Dornbusch
patent: 5238457 (1993-08-01), Triplett
patent: 5295682 (1994-03-01), Leonard
patent: 5317336 (1994-05-01), Hall
patent: 5362069 (1994-11-01), Hall-Tipping
patent: 5368484 (1994-11-01), Copperman et al.
patent: 5474502 (1995-12-01), Brown
patent: 5542672 (1996-08-01), Meredith
patent: 5782693 (1998-07-01), Jordon et al.
patent: 5841426 (1998-11-01), Dodson et al.
patent: 5846137 (1998-12-01), Tremblay
patent: 5853333 (1998-12-01), Patterson
Kasick Julie
Martin-Wallace Valencia
Weingram & Associates P.C.
LandOfFree
Computerized pool cue and controller does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Computerized pool cue and controller, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Computerized pool cue and controller will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2500603