EP0065862A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Simulation apparatus
Assignee: VIDEO COMPUTER SYSTEMS Ltd
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Filing: 1982-05-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-05-17
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for simulating a race, particularly a horse race, on a video display 10 stores data relating to simulated runners in a memory 36. A computing circuit 36 acts on the stored data in accordance with random numbers from a random number generator 38 to adjust their horizontal position on the display 10. The display background is scrolled by a circuit 27 to simulate movement. The apparatus includes means for generating betting odds from numerical factors stored at 18 for all runners, in dependence on the particular runners selected at random at 20 for a given race.
Inventors
- 👤 Damian Gerard Conleath Devaney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 11:40
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/32; A; A63; A63F; A63F13/00; G06; G06T; G06T15/00; G06T15/10; A63F9/00; A63F9/14; A63F2009/146
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
Simulation apparatus comprising: a video display unit (v.d.u.); means for generating a background picture on the v.d.u. and for scrolling the background across the v.d.u.; means for generating representations of a number of runners on the v.d.u.; random number generating means; a memory containing predetermined characteristics for each runner; speed determining means for producing a speed signal for each runner in dependence on said characteristics and the output of the random number generating means; and position adjustment means for altering the relevant position of each runner along the direction of scrolling movement in response to said speed signals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
Simulation apparatus comprising: a video display unit (v.d.u.); means for generating a background picture on the v.d.u. and for scrolling the background across the v.d.u.; means for generating representations of a number of runners on the v.d.u.; random number generating means; a memory containing predetermined characteristics for each runner; speed determining means for producing a speed signal for each runner in dependence on said characteristics and the output of the random number generating means; and position adjustment means for altering the relevant position of each runner along the direction of scrolling movement in response to said speed signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 1, in which the background picture generating means is operative to provide a background picture including obstacles to be jumped, and including vertical position adjusting means for altering the vertical position of a runner as it traverses an obstacle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 2, in which the vertical position adjusting means and the position adjusting means are responsive to the random number generating means to cause a runner to "fall" at an obstacle.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
85 words
The apparatus of any preceding claim, including means for computing betting odds, said means comprising: runner select means for selecting at random a given number of runners from a greater number whose characteristics are stored in the memory, a store for storing a numerical factor for each runner which is a function of that runner's characteristics, and computing means connected to the runner select means and the store to compute odds for each selected runner in dependence on said factors according to a predetermined formula.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 4, in which said formula is: where S.P. is the starting price odds for a given number TG is the total of said factors G is said factor for the given runner, and x is the desired profit to the apparatus.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of any preceding claim, in which the memorised characteristics for eachrunner include speed change points at predetermined locations on the background, and in which the speed determining means calculates a new speed signal for a runner at each of said locations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 6, in which the speed determining means computes a relatively small number of possible speed signals from a relatively large number of random numbers,, the relationship between these being weighted towards an average speed to avoid undue speed differences.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of any preceding claim, in which the random number generating means, the speed determining means, and the position adjustment means are comprised by a microprocessor; and the background picture generating means and representation generating means is comprised by a video display processor.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of simulating a race between a plurality of runners on a video display, the method comprising: generating video signals representing a background; generating video signals representing said runners; initially displaying the runners at fixed positions on the screen; scrolling the background across the screen to simulate movement of the runners; generating a sequence of random or pseudo-random numbers; generating, a speed signal for each runner at predetermined points in the race, which speed signal is a function of the next number of said sequence; and moving the position of each runner forward or back on the display in accordance with said speed signals.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of simulating a race between a plurality of runners on a video display, the method comprising: generating video signals representing a background; generating video signals representing said runners; initially displaying the runners at fixed positions on the screen; scrolling the background across the screen to simulate movement of the runners; generating a sequence of random or pseudo-random numbers; generating, a speed signal for each runner at predetermined points in the race, which speed signal is a function of the next number of said sequence; and moving the position of each runner forward or back on the display in accordance with said speed signals.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4045789A
Cited
US4126851A
Cited
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