Electronic scorer for bowling games

Claim 2

In a bowling scoring device for computing scores for a plurality of lane pairs, the combination of: a single means for computing scores achieved on each of the lanes of said plurality of lane pairs, means for introducing pinfall values obtained on each of the lanes of said plurality of lane pairs; means for selectively and alternatively conditioning said computing means to accommodate (a) open bowling on each of said plurality of lane pairs, (b) league bowling on each of said plurality of lane pairs, and (c) open bowling on some of said plurality of lane pairs and league bowling on others of said plurality of lane pairs; and a plurality of printers, one for each lane of said lane pairs, responsive to said single computing means for providing a printed record of scores computed thereby.

Claim 3

The bowling scoring device of claim 1 wherein said single computing means comprises a single computing device for successively computing bowler''s scores on each of said plurality of lane pairs and which may be placed in an open bowling mode or a league bowling mode: and said conditioning means comprises a manually operable means corresponding to said plurality of lane pairs and which may be selectively set to a league bowling condition or an open bowling condition, and means for determining the condition of the manually operable means associated with the lane for which the bowler''s score is to be computed and for placing said single computing device in either said open bowling mode or said league bowling mode in accordance with the condition of manually operable means.

Claim 4

The bowling scoring device of claim 2 wherein there are a plurality of said manually operable means, one for each of said lane pairs.

Claim 5

In a bowling scoring device for computing scores for a plurality of lanes, the combination of: a single means for computing scores achieved on each of said plurality of lanes, means for introducing pinfall values obtained on each of said plurality of lanes; means for selectively and alternatively conditioning said computing means to accommodate (a) open bowling on each of said plurality lanes, (b) league bowling on each of said plurality of lanes, and (c) open bowling on some of said plurality of lanes and league bowling on others of said plurality of lanes; said means for introducing pinfall values comprising a plurality of pinfall information introducing means, one for each of the plurality of lanes; said computing means includes means for scanning each of said pinfall information introducing means, and means for computing information relative to the performance of a team when conditioned to accommodatE league bowling on any of said plurality of lanes; said conditioning means comprising a plurality of manually operable means corresponding to said plurality of lanes and which may be selectively set to a league bowling condition or an open bowling condition; said scanning means including means for scanning said manually operable means; and said conditioning means further comprises means responsive to the scanning of said manually operable means by said scanning means for determining the condition of the manually operable means corresponding to the lane being scanned for operating said means for computing information relative to the performance of a team in accordance with the condition of the manually operable means.

Claim 6

In a bowling scoring device for computing scores for a plurality of lanes, the combination of: a single means for computing scores achieved on each of said plurality of lanes, means for introducing pinfall values obtained on each of said plurality of lanes; means for selectively and alternatively conditioning said computing means to accommodate (a) open bowling on each of said plurality lanes, (b) league bowling on each of said plurality of lanes, and (c) open bowling on some of said plurality of lanes and league bowling on others of said plurality of lanes; said means for introducing pinfall values comprising a plurality of pinfall information introducing means, one for each of the plurality of lanes; said computing means includes means for scanning each of said pinfall information introducing means, and means for computing information relative to the performance of a team when conditioned to accommodatE league bowling on any of said plurality of lanes; said conditioning means comprising a plurality of manually operable means corresponding to said plurality of lanes and which may be selectively set to a league bowling condition or an open bowling condition; said scanning means including means for scanning said manually operable means; and said conditioning means further comprises means responsive to the scanning of said manually operable means by said scanning means for determining the condition of the manually operable means corresponding to the lane being scanned for operating said means for computing information relative to the performance of a team in accordance with the condition of the manually operable means.

Claim 7

In a bowling scoring apparatus, the combination of: a single means for computing the bowling scores of a plurality of bowlers bowling simultaneously on a plurality of lanes; means for each of said plurality of lanes for entering pinfall information for an individual bowler into said single computing means; a plurality of separate printing devices, one for each of said plurality of lanes, for printing individual bowler scores; means for alternatively associating said single computing means with any one of said printing devices; a plurality of individual bowler score storage means; and bowler identification means for each of said plurality of lanes for selectively associating said pinfall information entering means with a predetermined one of said score storage means; said single computing means further including means for scanning said pinfall information means, said bowler identification means and each of said printing devices and responsive to the presence of pinfall information on any one of said plurality of lanes, the operation of said bowler identification means by a bowler on said any one lane and the readiness of a printing device for said any one lane to print said bowler''s pinfall information to cause the computation of the bowling score for a bowler on said any one lane.

Claim 8

In a bowling scoring apparatus, the combination of: a single means for computing the bowling scores of a plurality of bowlers bowling simultaneously on a plurality of lanes; means for each of said plurality of lanes for entering pinfall information for an individual bowler into said single computing means; a plurality of separate printing devices, one for each of said plurality of lanes, for printing individual bowler scores; means for alternatively associating said single computing means with any one of said printing devices; a plurality of individual bowler score storage means; and bowler identification means for each of said plurality of lanes for selectively associating said pinfall information entering means with a predetermined one of said score storage means; said single computing means further including means for scanning said pinfall information means, said bowler identification means and each of said printing devices and responsive to the presence of pinfall information on any one of said plurality of lanes, the operation of said bowler identification means by a bowler on said any one lane and the readiness of a printing device for said any one lane to print said bowler''s pinfall information to cause the computation of the bowling score for a bowler on said any one lane.

Claim 9

The bowling scoring apparatus of claim 5 wherein said scanning means is further operative during the scanning of each said printing devices to determine whether the printing device associated with the bowler identification means and the pinfall information entering means being scanned is in readiness to print the bowling score for said bowler before computation is initiated; means for causing the printing device to be readied to print the bowling score for said bowler when the printing device is scanned and is not in readiness; and means for causing said scanning means to continue to scan without initiating computation until pinfall information is available, the bowler identification means have been operated, and the printing device is readied on any one of said bowling lanes.

Claim 10

In a bowling scoring system, the combination comprising: means defining a single computer for computing bowling score information; a plurality of means, one for each of a plurality of lanes, for providing said single computer with pinfall information relative to pinfall achieved on the associated lane; first means for causing said single computer to compute the bowling scores of individual bowlers based on said pinfall information; second means for causing said single computer to compute bowling score information of teams composed of individual bowlers based on said pinfall information; means for associating any one of said pinfall information providing means with said single computer to provide the same with pinfall information for that lane; means for indicating whether (a) open bowling is being played on all of said lanes or (b) team bowling is being played on all of said lanes or (c) open bowling is being played on pairs of some of said lanes and team bowling is being played on pairs of others of said lanes; means responsive to said associating means and to said indicating means for disabling said second means whenever said associating means associateS said single computer with a pinfall information providing means for a lane on which open bowling is being played; and a plurality of printers, one for each of said lanes, responsive to said single computer for providing a printed record of scores and score information computed thereby.

Claim 11

In a bowling scoring system, the combination comprising: means defining a single computer for computing bowling score information; a plurality of means, one for each of a plurality of lanes, for providing said single computer with pinfall information relative to pinfall achieved on the associated lane; first means for causing said single computer to compute the bowling scores of individual bowlers based on said pinfall information; second means for causing said single computer to compute bowling score information of teams composed of individual bowlers based on said pinfall information; means for associating any one of said pinfall information providing means with said single computer to provide the same with pinfall information for that lane; means for indicating whether (a) open bowling is being played on all of said lanes or (b) team bowling is being played on all of said lanes or (c) open bowling is being played on pairs of some of said lanes and team bowling is being played on pairs of others of said lanes; means responsive to said associating means and to said indicating means for disabling said second means whenever said associating means associateS said single computer with a pinfall information providing means for a lane on which open bowling is being played; and a plurality of printers, one for each of said lanes, responsive to said single computer for providing a printed record of scores and score information computed thereby.

Claim 12

The bowling scoring system of claim 7 wherein said associating means comprises: means for scanning each of said pinfall information providing means for the availability of pinfall information, and means for stopping said scanning means at a particular pinfall information providing means when pinfall information is available thereat and for initiating operation of said single computer; and said disabling means is responsive to both said indicating means and said stopping and initiating means.

Claim 13

The bowling scoring system of claim 8 wherein said indicating means comprise: a plurality of manually operable devices, one for each pair of lanes, and each operative to provide at least one of an open bowling output signal and a team bowling output signal indicative of the type of bowling being played on its associated lane pair; and said disabling means is responsive to said signal for a given lane pair when said stopping and initiating means has associated one of the pinfall information providing means for that lane pair with said single computer.

Claim 14

In a bowling scoring apparatus, the combination of: a single means for computing the bowling scores of a plurality of bowlers bowling simultaneously on a plurality of lanes; means for each of said plurality of lanes for entering pinfall information for an individual bowler into said single computing means; a plurality of separate printing devices, one for each said plurality of lanes, for printing individual bowlers scores; means for alternatively associating said single computing means with any one of said printing devices; a multiple player memory including a plurality of individual bowlers score storage means associated with said single computing means; bowler identification means for each of said plurality of lanes for associating said pinfall information entering means with a predetermined one of said score storage means; and means for connecting a given one of said pinfall information entering means to said single computing means responsive to the presence of pinfall information on the corresponding lane, the presence of bowler identification on the corresponding lane and the readiness of the printing device for the corresponding lane to print the bowlers pinfall information to cause the computation of the bowling score for a bowler on that particular lane.

Claim 15

In a bowling scoring apparatus, the combination of: a single means for computing the bowling scores of a plurality of bowlers bowling simultaneously on a plurality of lanes; means for each of said plurality of lanes for entering pinfall information for an individual bowler into said single computing means; a plurality of separate printing devices, one for each said plurality of lanes, for printing individual bowlers scores; means for alternatively associating said single computing means with any one of said printing devices; a multiple player memory including a plurality of individual bowlers score storage means associated with said single computing means; bowler identification means for each of said plurality of lanes for associating said pinfall information entering means with a predetermined one of said score storage means; and means for connecting a given one of said pinfall information entering means to said single computing means responsive to the presence of pinfall information on the corresponding lane, the presence of bowler identification on the corresponding lane and the readiness of the printing device for the corresponding lane to print the bowlers pinfall information to cause the computation of the bowling score for a bowler on that particular lane.