Bowling scorer

Claim 2

Means for calculating and displaying bowling scores, comprising: input means for recording ball by ball pinfall, strikes and spares for at least one bowler in the course of a bowling game; computing means selectively energized to calculate a running score for a said bowler through the last bowling frame completed in said game; actuating means selectively energizing said computing means; and display means controlled by said computing means for displaying the individual results of each ball rolled by a said bowler in the course of said game through the last completed frame, updated substantially concurrently with each selective energization of said computing means; said computing means including means constraining said computing means to scan said input means and calculate and constrain said display means to display anew each and every factor of said bowlers score from the first ball rolled in said game for each and every selective energization of said computing meamns through the last frame completed by said bowler.

Claim 3

A semiautomatic scoring system for a plurality of bowlers on a pair of bowling lanes comprising a player console including: input means having a discrete data position for each possible ball to be rolled by each bowler in the course of a bowling game for storing at corresponding ones of said data positions, ball-by-ball pinfall, strikes and spares for each said bowler, a display system comprising an electronically controlled video display device, a printer, and character generator means for defining the output of said video display device and said printer, a general-purpose mini-computer processor connected with said input means so that said input means serves as a main memory for said processor, and a read-only memory containing a computer program for controlling the operation of the processor in the computing and display of scores on said bowling lanes, said input means in each player console being connected to supply player and pinfall information in the form of digital signals to said generalpurpose processor in the player console, said character generator in each said player console display system being constructed to translate data stored in the input means into video signals and printer control signals to supply the video display device and the printer, respectively, said actuating means responsive to said input means for actuating said processor to process the data in said input means, whereby any change in the data stored in said input means is reflected in the outputs of both said video display device and said printer.

Claim 4

A semiautomatic scoring system for a plurality of bowlers on a pair of bowling lanes comprising a player console including: input means having a discrete data position for each possible ball to be rolled by each bowler in the course of a bowling game for storing at corresponding ones of said data positions, ball-by-ball pinfall, strikes and spares for each said bowler, a display system comprising an electronically controlled video display device, a printer, and character generator means for defining the output of said video display device and said printer, a general-purpose mini-computer processor connected with said input means so that said input means serves as a main memory for said processor, and a read-only memory containing a computer program for controlling the operation of the processor in the computing and display of scores on said bowling lanes, said input means in each player console being connected to supply player and pinfall information in the form of digital signals to said generalpurpose processor in the player console, said character generator in each said player console display system being constructed to translate data stored in the input means into video signals and printer control signals to supply the video display device and the printer, respectively, said actuating means responsive to said input means for actuating said processor to process the data in said input means, whereby any change in the data stored in said input means is reflected in the outputs of both said video display device and said printer.

Claim 5

A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said input means includes a random access memory which cooperates with said display system to provide signals indicating players' initials to said print means.

Claim 6

A system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said input means includes a random access memory portion for storing players' initials for the duration of said game, and for storing ball, frame and game score data for supply to said printer means.

Claim 7

A system as claimed in claim 4 in which said input means includes a plurality of discrete data positions assigned to left and right teams bowling on said pair of lanes, and including means for selecting the data stored for the left or the right team for printing, and means for transmitting synchronizing signals from said printer to said processor to synchronize the transfer of the left or right team data from the input means to the printer with the operation of the printer.

Claim 8

A system as claimed in claim 5 including means responsive to the data stored in the random access memory for generating a bit pattern for concurrently controlling a plurality of print heads included in said printr and located in parallel alignment across said paper tape and wherein said printer prints on a paper tape movable with respect to print heads, and including means for transmitting a signal from said printer to said processor to advance said paper tape.

Claim 9

Scorekeeping means for calculating and displaying bowling scores, comprising: input means having a discrete data position for each possible ball to be rolled by at least one bowler in the course of a bowling game for receiving and recording, at corresponding ones of said data positions, ball by ball pinfall, strikes and spares for said bowler; computing means selectively energized to calculate a running score for a said bowler through the last bowling frame completed in said game; actuating means selectively energizing said computing means, display means controlled by said computing means for displaying the individual results of each ball rolled by a said bowler in the course of said game through the last completed frame, updated substantially concurrently with each selective energization of said computing means; means responsive to said actuating means to scan said discrete data positions of said input means in sequence from the first ball rolled by said bowler to the last ball rolled thereby, and transmit said data from said input means to said computing means for calculaion of the frame scores of said bowler; said computing means including calculating means receiving said data to calculate the frame score for each and every completed frame in said bowler's game and interconnected with said display means to transmit said encoded data and said frame scores to said display means and said display means displaying anew each and every factor of said bowler's score from the first ball rolled in said game through the last frame completed by said bowler for each and every selective energization of said computing means by said actuating means.

Claim 10

Scorekeeping means for calculating and displaying bowling scores, comprising: input means having a discrete data position for each possible ball to be rolled by at least one bowler in the course of a bowling game for receiving and recording, at corresponding ones of said data positions, ball by ball pinfall, strikes and spares for said bowler; computing means selectively energized to calculate a running score for a said bowler through the last bowling frame completed in said game; actuating means selectively energizing said computing means, display means controlled by said computing means for displaying the individual results of each ball rolled by a said bowler in the course of said game through the last completed frame, updated substantially concurrently with each selective energization of said computing means; means responsive to said actuating means to scan said discrete data positions of said input means in sequence from the first ball rolled by said bowler to the last ball rolled thereby, and transmit said data from said input means to said computing means for calculaion of the frame scores of said bowler; said computing means including calculating means receiving said data to calculate the frame score for each and every completed frame in said bowler's game and interconnected with said display means to transmit said encoded data and said frame scores to said display means and said display means displaying anew each and every factor of said bowler's score from the first ball rolled in said game through the last frame completed by said bowler for each and every selective energization of said computing means by said actuating means.

Claim 11

The invention defined in claim 7 wherein said input means further comprises a like plurality of said discrete data positions for each of a plurality of bowlers.

Claim 12

The invention defined in claim 8 including printing means controlled by said computing means upon the completion of a given bowling game to print out the ball-by-ball, mark, discrete frame score history and game total of said bowler.

Claim 13

The invention defined in claim 7 wherein said computing means further include superstition means responsive to the output of said scan means to detect a string of consecutive strikes rolled by a said bowler and preclude display by said display of a score including pinfall earned during said string and upon discontinuance of said string permitting display by said display means of said of each and every frame subtotal of said bowler's score through the last completed frame of said bowler upon the next occurring energization of said computing means by said actuating means; and printing means controlled by said computing means upon the completion of a given bowling game to print out the ball-by-ball, mark, discrete frame score history and game total of said bowler.

Claim 14

The invention defined in claim 10, wherein said input means further comprises a like plurality of said discrete data positions for each of a plurality of bowlers.

Claim 15

The invention defined in claim 7 wherein said input mans further includes means establishing a handicap value for said bowler and at least one discrete data position for same; and said computing means and display means further include, respectively, means calculating and indicating a running handicap score for said bowler through the last frame completed by said bowler.

Claim 16

The invention defined in claim 12 wherein said input means further comprises a like plurality of said discrete data positions for each of a plurality of bowlers.

Claim 17

The invention defined in claim 11, wherein said input means further includes means establishing a handicap value for each said bowler and at least one discrete data position for same; and said computing means and said display means further include, respectively, means calculating and indicating a running handicap score for each said bowler through the last frame completed by said bowler.

Claim 18

The invention defined in claim 8 wherein said computing means further includes superstition means responsive to the output of said scan means to detect a string of consecutive strikes rolled by one of said bowlers and precluding display by said display means of said running score including pinfall earned during said string and upon discontinuance of said string permitting calculation by said computing means of the individual score of said one bowler through the last completed frame of said bowler upon the next occurring selective energization of said computing means by said actuating means.

Claim 19

The invention defined in claim 15 wherein said input means further includes means establishing a handicap value and at least one discrete data position for same for each said player; and said computing means and said display means further include, respectively, means calculating and indicating running scratch and handicap scores for each said player and a said team through the last completed frame of each player on said team.

Claim 20

The invention defined in claim 12 wherein said input means further includes means establishing a handicap value and at least one discrete data position for same for each said bowler; and said computing means and said display means further include, respectively, means calculating and indicating running scratch and handicap scores for each said bowler and a team comprising a plurality of said bowlers through the last completed frame of each said bowler on said team.

Claim 21

The invention defined in claim 17 further comprising printing means controlled by said computing means upon the completion of a bowling game to print out the ball-by-ball, mark, discrete frame scoring history and game total of each said bowler on said team together with the total game score of said team.