Games using tangible projectile – Billiards or pool – Table or gameboard
Patent
1996-01-16
1998-04-14
Harrison, Jessica
Games using tangible projectile
Billiards or pool
Table or gameboard
473 1, 473 23, A63D 1500, A63D 1520
Patent
active
057385912
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to game apparatus more particularly to a queuing system for use with a game apparatus.
BACKGROUND
In many establishments where gaming apparatus is installed, a queue may develop for priority of position in playing on a particular apparatus. For example, in a billiards salon, a chalk board may be provided for perspective players to enter their names in sequence. This system is not entirely reliable and it is difficult for the manager of the establishment in question to ensure that extra games are not being played at the expense of subsequent players or that where appropriate the establishment is being paid for all games that are played.
SUMMARY
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a queuing system for a game apparatus having a game ending condition, comprising: detection of the game ending condition; identifying each of a plurality of players and recording the player identification data in a sequence; player identification data indexing means operatively connected to the data entry and recording means, the display means and the game end sensor means for causing the display means to display the next player identification datum in said sequence in response to a game end signal.
The system may be coin operated so that a player's name can be entered in sequence on a list of names after currency in the appropriate amount has been entered into the apparatus.
For greater security, the queuing system may be arranged to disable the game apparatus at the end of a game until the next player in the sequence enters a security identifier, for example a ticket with a unique bar code printed on it. The tickets may be dispensed when names are entered.
To disable a game such as billiards, all of the balls may be captured in a locked ball collector that is unlocked when the next player up enters the security identifier that he received when entering his name.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided, in a game apparatus comprising a playing area, game pieces movable on the playing area, receptacle means for receiving game pieces from the playing area and game piece collecting means for collecting game pieces received by the receptacle, the improvement comprising: selected one of the game pieces; and response to the detection by the sensor means of the selected one of the game pieces.
According to this aspect of the invention, the game end condition is the collection of a particular game piece, which may be the last piece to be played, for example the black ball in a snooker game. The end of the game may be signaled by changing the names of the players on a display above the apparatus, for example a billiard table.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a game apparatus having a playing component with lock means for inhibiting play with the playing component, a control component remote from the playing component for controlling the lock means and communication means for communicating between the playing component and the control component, the communication means comprising radiation transmission means and radiation reception means associated with each unit for communicating between the units.
The communication between the playing component of the apparatus, e.g., a billiard table, and the control component, e.g., a consol where coins and the players names are entered, is by radiation such as infra red radiation rather than through wiring which may be difficult to locate without causing access problems. For example, running wires to a billiard table would require under floor wiring to avoid interfering with access to the table or with footing around the table. In respect of a billiard table, it is preferred that the radiation be directed upwardly from the table towards the ceiling, where it may be received directly by an appropriate receiver or reflected to a receiver. This yields minimum interference with the signal being transmitted. To ensure that a signal is received, the
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patent: 5026053 (1991-06-01), Paterson et al.
patent: 5066008 (1991-11-01), Rivera
patent: 5359510 (1994-10-01), Sabaliauskas
Battison Adrian D.
Harrison Jessica
Schaaf James
Thrift Murray E.
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