Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Perceptible output or display
Patent
1997-02-24
1998-11-24
O'Neill, Michael
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Perceptible output or display
463 11, 463 47, 273148R, A63F 922
Patent
active
058399585
ABSTRACT:
Each of the four players of a game of contract bridge are provided with an identical battery operated module containing switches which a player uses to enter bids of from 1 to 7 in "Spades", "Hearts", "Diamonds", "Clubs" or "No-Trump", according to the rules of the game. Additionally there are switches for signalling, "Pass", "Double", and "Re-Double". After entering a bid via the switches of a player's module, an internal microcontroller decodes the switch values and generates the bid's digital representation which is stored in RAM, and is also input to an internal voice synthesizer. The voice synthesizer drives a small loudspeaker mounted in the module which outputs a verbal message audible to all the players which is the linguistic expression of the selected bid. The verbal message's expression is free of all oral mannerisms, and is determined solely by the electromechanical characteristics of the voice synthesizer. The bidding is then continued by the other players using their modules in a similar manner until a contract is reached. Each bidding sequence is stored in the microcontroller of each individual module allowing a review of the bidding at the conclusion of a hand. A "Clear" control erases the bidding data from the microcontroller memory prior to the dealing of a new hand. A "Cancel" button allows the erasure of an incorrect bid from RAM.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3420526 (1969-01-01), Berger
patent: 4030764 (1977-06-01), Mattos
patent: 4092026 (1978-05-01), Barbier
patent: 4093215 (1978-06-01), Ballard
patent: 4373719 (1983-02-01), Nelson et al.
patent: 5200890 (1993-04-01), Pionchon
patent: 5240249 (1993-08-01), Czarnecki
patent: 5397133 (1995-03-01), Penzias
patent: 5482275 (1996-01-01), Grinoch et al
patent: 5743797 (1998-04-01), Jannersten
O'Neill Michael
Robbins Daniel
LandOfFree
Voice synthesized bridge bidding module and method of using same does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Voice synthesized bridge bidding module and method of using same, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Voice synthesized bridge bidding module and method of using same will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1697196