Games using tangible projectile – Playing field or court game; game element or accessory... – Practice or training device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-10
2001-08-07
Chapman, Jeanette (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Playing field or court game; game element or accessory...
Practice or training device
C473S475000, C340S32300R, C377S005000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06270431
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to scorekeeping devices, and more particularly is a control grid for a “talking scorekeeper” specifically adapted for table tennis, or ping pong.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Racket and paddle sports have huge numbers of recreational participants. Some of the more popular racket and paddle sports include tennis, racquetball, badminton, ping pong, etc.
A common problem encountered by recreational players is losing track of the score. Since there is generally no non-participating scorekeeper, the players themselves have to also track the score. This can lead to many problems, given that the players chief focal point is on the playing of the points themselves. Although players are generally required to announce the score before each serve, confusion can be generated by long rallies, when changing servers, or simply in the course of the game itself In addition to honest mistakes in the actual score of a game, a less than sportsmanlike player may intentionally misstate the score.
Disagreements in the score are a common cause of discord in recreational paddle and racket games, and can easily lead to arguments and decreased enjoyment of the game. In the worst case, games may be cancelled because of these disagreements.
Because of the expense of having an impartial scorekeeper, that solution is rarely, if ever, available to the recreational player. Inexpensive score displays are available, but the same problems with confusion of score can arise with these manual devices. It is simply too inconvenient for a player to periodically interrupt the game to update a scoreboard. Similarly, to date there has been no available automated device that has a selling price low enough to make it readily available to the pickup player.
The problem of tracking the score has been addressed by the inventor relative to other sports, e.g. volleyball, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,422, the “Multi-Functional Volleyball Talking Scorekeeper”, issued Nov. 12, 1996. The present invention addresses specifically the grid used to control the talking scorekeeper adapted specifically for table tennis or ping pong. There are currently no easily activated means of operating a scorekeeping device for ping pong.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a means for automatically keeping score of recreational ping pong games.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device that is activated by the players' paddles.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device that allows play to be continuous.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a device that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a control grid for an automated scorekeeping device for table tennis or ping pong. The scorekeeping device includes a voice recorder that is used to announce the score before each serve of the game. The scorekeeping device further includes optional visual displays. The scorekeeping device is actuated by means of a grid system attached to the ends of the table. The grid is activated by the players' touching the grid with a conductive strip affixed to the end of their paddles. The scorekeeper can be adjusted manually to correct mistakes, and can be used in multiple modes.
An advantage of the present invention is that, prior to each serve, the score is audibly announced so that all players can track the score without visual monitoring. This provides a means to assure accurate and honest control of the score, even when the players themselves are responsible for the scorekeeping.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the score of the game can be kept accurately without interrupting the flow of the game.
A further advantage of the present invention is that the scorekeeper is small, lightweight, and easily installed in existing equipment.
A still further advantage of the present invention is that it is inexpensive to manufacture.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the description of the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention as described herein and as illustrated in the drawings.
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Aryanpour Mitra
Chapman Jeanette
The Kline Law Firm
LandOfFree
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