Manual-entry semi-automatic electronic bowling scorer

Claim 2

In a manual-entry electronic scoring system for bowling, including a video scoring display and a manual entry keyboard for entering scoring data to be processed and applied to the scoring display, the improvement comprising: a data processing unit for providing instruction signals in response to entries from said manual entry keyboard; a video instruction display for displaying sequential messages to instruct a scorekeeper as to entries to be made on the keyboard; video signal generating means coupled to drive said instruction display; memory means coupled to receive signals from said data processing unit, and coupled to said video signal generating means for providing data to define the content of instruction messages to be displayed on said introduction display; and display control means coupled to said memory for selecting memory data to be coupled to said video signal generating means.

Claim 3

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising another video signal generating means coupled to drive said scoring display, and another memory means coupled to said scoring display video generating means for providing the scoring information to be applied to said scoring display, wherein at least a major portion of both of said displays are divided into identical display matrixes defining character field areas in which characters can be displayed, and wherein said control means comprises a common display control accessing means coupled to both said memory means for causing both said memory means to supply refresh information to each said display.

Claim 4

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said scoring display memory means includes separate character and border memories and wherein said border memory is for storing data to be applied to said video signal generating means to present scoring format lines at the edges of each of said character fields of said scoring display to define any desired scoresheet format.

Claim 5

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said memories comprise two-port refresh memories, each of which is coupled to said control means and said data processing unit.

Claim 6

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said memories comprise two-port refresh memories, each of which is coupled to said control means and said data processing unit.

Claim 7

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the video signal generating means for said scoring display comprises a device for generating at least two different size characters, and for underlining such characters, and wherein the smaller of said different size characters correspond to pin-fall entries and the larger of said characters correspond to frame score entries.

Claim 8

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the smaller of said two different size characters correspond also to temporary frame score entries and the larger of said different size characters correspond to permanent frame score entries.

Claim 9

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the video signal generating means for said scoring display comprises a device for generating at least two different size characters, and for underlining such characters, and wherein the smaller of said two different size characters correspond to temporary frame score entries and the larger of said different characters correspond to permanent frame score entries.

Claim 10

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said instruction display is controlled by said memory means to display a plurality of possible selections to be made by the scorekeeper, for entry through said keyboard.

Claim 11

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 9, wherein said instruction display presents a cursor for alignment with a selected one of said possible data selections presented on the instruction display, and wherein said keyboard includes three selection keys, including first and second cursor, keys, for advancing the cursor in opposite directions, and an entry for entering a data selection corresponding to the selection indicated by the cursor.

Claim 12

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 9, said plurality of possible selections, in the case where an instruction is displayed related to entry of a bowlers second ball score, includes a limited number of selections corresponding to the possibilities remaining after the first ball score is entered.

Claim 13

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising another video signal generating means coupled to drive said scoring display, and another memory means coupled to said scoring display video generating means for defining the scoring information to be applied to said scoring display, wherein the video generation signal means for said scoring display comprises means for generating at least two different size characters, and for underlining such characters.

Claim 14

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising another video signal generating means coupled to drive said scoring display, and another memory means coupled to said scoring display video generating means for defining the scoring information to be applied to said scoring display, wherein the video generation signal means for said scoring display comprises means for generating at least two types of characters for differentiating between temporary and permanent frame scores to be presented on said scoring display.

Claim 15

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising another video signal generating means coupled to drive said scoring display, and another memory means coupled to said scoring display video generating means for defining the scoring information to be applied to said scoring display, wherein the video generation signal means for said scoring display comprises a device for generating at least two different size characters, and for underlining such characters, and wherein the smaller of said different size characters correspond to pin-fall entries and the larger of said characters correspond to frame score entries.

Claim 16

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising another video signal, generating means coupled to drive said scoring display, and another memory means coupled to said scoring display video generating means for defining the scoring information to be applied to said scoring display, wherein the video generation signal means for said scoring display comprises a device for generating a least two different size characters, and for underlining such characters, wherein the smaller of said different size characters correspond to pin-fall entries, and wherein the smaller of said two different size characters correspond also to temporary frame score entries and the larger of said different characters correspond to permanent frame score entries.

Claim 17

An improve manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising another video signal generating means coupled to drive said scoring display, and another memory means coupled to said scoring display video generating means for defining the scoring information to be applied to said scoring display, wherein at least a major portion of both of said displays are divided into identical display matrixes defining character field areas in which characters can be displayed, wherein said scoring display memory means includes separate character and border memories and wherein said border memory is for storing data to be applied to said video signal generating means to present scoring format lines at the edges of each of said character fields of said scoring display to define any desired scoresheet format.

Claim 18

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the video generation signal means for said scoring display comprises a device for generating at least two different size characters, and for underlining such characters.

Claim 19

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the video generation signal means for said scoring display comprises a device for generating at least two different size characters, and wherein the smaller of said different size characters correspond to pin-fall entries and the larger of said characters correspond to frame score entries.

Claim 20

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the video generation signal means for said scoring display comprises a device for generating at least two different size characters, and for underlining such characters, and wherein the smaller of said two different size characters correspond to temporary frame score entries and the larger of said different characters correspond to permanent frame score entries.

Claim 21

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the video generation signal means for said scoring display comprises a device for generating at least two different size characters, and for underlining such characters, and wherein the smaller of said different size characters correspond to pin-fall entries, and wherein the smaller of said two different size characters correspond to temporary frame score entries and the larger of said different characters correspond to permanent frame score entries, and wherein said data processing unit, said scoring memory, and said video signal generating means for the scoring display further comprise means for applying video signals to said scoring display to present total game scores and total series simultaneously with said scoresheet formats.

Claim 22

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the video generation signal means for said scoring display comprises a device for generating at least two different size characters, and for underlining such characters, and wherein the smaller of said different size characters correspond to pin-fall entries, and wherein the smaller of said two different size characters correspond to temporary frame score entries and the larger of said different characters correspond to permanent frame score entries, and wherein said data processing unit, said scoring memory, and said video signal generating means for the scoring display further comprise means for applying video signals to said scoring display to present comparison scores, simultaneously with said scoresheet formats, related to the total series, and total game scores for a group of bowlers, wherein the frame scores for such bowlers are presented on the scoring display, as compared to the total series scores of a different selected group of bowlers.

Claim 23

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the video generation signal means for said scoring display comprises a device for generating at least two different size characters, and for underlining such characters, and wherein the smaller of said different size characters correspond to pin-fall entries, and wherein the smaller of said two different size characters correspond to temporary frame score entries and the larger of said different characters correspond to permanent frame score entries, and wherein said data processing unit, said scoring memory, and said video signal generating means for the scoring display further comprise means for applying video signals to said scoring display to present total game and series scores after each pin-fall entry is made on the keyboard, said total scores being presented simultaneously with said scoresheet formats.

Claim 24

An improved-manual entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a library memory embodying means for storing a plurality of different routines including instruction messages corresponding to the scoring of different bowling games, such as for open bowling, tournament, and league play, for application to said control means to provide different sequential instruction messages on said instruction display.

Claim 25

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said instruction messages display a plurality of possible selections to be made by the scorekeeper, for entry through said keyboard, and further comprising a library memory embodying means for storing a plurality of different routines including instruction messages corresponding to the scoring of different bowling games, for application to said control means to provide different sequential instruction messages on said instruction display.

Claim 26

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said instruction messages display a plurality of possible selections to be made by the scorekeeper, for entry through said keyboard; said display presents a cursor for alignment with a selected one of the possible data entries presented on the instruction display; said keyboard includes three selection keys, including first and second cursor control keys, for advancing the cursor in opposite directions, and an entry key for entering a data selection corresponding to the selection indicated by the cursor; and, further comprising a library memory embodying means for storing a plurality of different routines including messages corresponding to the scoring of different bowling games, for application to said control means to provide different sequential instruction messages on said instruction display.

Claim 27

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a central data bank memory for storing league bowling data including players' names and averages, for later access by said data processing unit.

Claim 28

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a library memory embodying means for storing a plurality of different routines including messages corresponding to the scoring of different bowling games, such as open bowling, tournament and league play, and further comprising a central data bank memory for storing league bowling data, including player names and averages, for later access by said data processing unit, for application to said control means to provide different messages to said instruction displaying.

Claim 29

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the elements defined therein are associated with one bowling lane, and further comprising a second set of elements including a second scoring display, a second manual entry key-board for entering scoring data to be processed and applied to the second scoring display, a second video instruction display for displaying sequential messages to instruct a scorekeeper as to entries to be made on the second keyboard, a second video signal generating means to drive said second instructions display, and a second memory means coupled to receive signals from said data processing unit, and coupled to said second video signal generating means for providing data to define the content of instruction messages to be displayed on said second instruction display, wherein the data processing unit and control means are connected in common to said two sets of elements, and wherein said scoring system is operable with respect to two adjacent bowling lanes.

Claim 30

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 28, wherein said data processing unit, said scoring memories, and said video signal generating means for the scoring display further comprise means for indicating which of said scoring data corresponds to games which were won by the bowlers whose scores are presented on the respective scoring displays.

Claim 31

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 28, wherein said data processing unit, said scoring memories, and said video signal generating means for the scoring displays further comprise means for applying video signals to said scoring displays to present comparison scores related to the total series and total game scores for a group of bowlers, wherein the frame scores for such bowlers are presented on one scoring display, as compared to total series scores presented on the second said scoring display.

Claim 32

An improved manual-entry electronic scoring system, as set forth in claim 28, wherein said data processing unit, said scoring memories, and said video signal generating means for the scoring displays further comprise means for applying video signals to said scoring displays to present total game and series scores after each pin-fall entry is made on the keyboards.

Claim 33

An improved electronic scoring system for bowling, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a central data bank memory for storing league bowling data, including players' names and averages, for later access by said data processing unit.

Claim 34

An improved electronic scoring system for bowling, as set forth in claim 32, wherein said data processing unit includes means for generating game and calculation information, and further comprising a non-volatile memory for storing said game and calculation information from said data processing unit during the exercise of scoring procedures, wherein the loss of data resulting from power failures or equipment failures is precluded, and data recovery from said central data bank is permitted.