US4367876A — Score display apparatus for pinball game machines…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 178 words

A pinball game machine comprising a casing containing a playing field providing circuitous paths for a ball rolling on the playing field a micro-computer for controlling various mechanisms and elements of the apparatus and computing scores, a memory means for memorizing data from said micro-computer at the locations corresponding to the positions on the screen of a CRT visual display unit at which the indications representing said data are displayed, a read-out means to address and sequentially access said locations of said memory means for reading out said data at said locations, a video signal generating means which forms video signals based on said data which have been read out by said read-out means, a CRT visual display unit displaying scores on the screen when said video signals from said video signal generating means have been transferred into said CRT visual display unit, with the score of the player who is up being displayed in large-size digits and the other scores in small-size digits, and means connected to said score-displaying unit for providing said large- and small-size digits.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 178 words

A pinball game machine comprising a casing containing a playing field providing circuitous paths for a ball rolling on the playing field a micro-computer for controlling various mechanisms and elements of the apparatus and computing scores, a memory means for memorizing data from said micro-computer at the locations corresponding to the positions on the screen of a CRT visual display unit at which the indications representing said data are displayed, a read-out means to address and sequentially access said locations of said memory means for reading out said data at said locations, a video signal generating means which forms video signals based on said data which have been read out by said read-out means, a CRT visual display unit displaying scores on the screen when said video signals from said video signal generating means have been transferred into said CRT visual display unit, with the score of the player who is up being displayed in large-size digits and the other scores in small-size digits, and means connected to said score-displaying unit for providing said large- and small-size digits.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 14 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said read-out means being a timing generator circuit.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 50 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said memory means including a data selector means disposed in its address bus line, said data selector means alternately interconnecting said memory means with said micro-computer and said timing generator circuit through said address line depending on read/write signals from said timing generator circuit.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 90 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said video signal generator means comprising a pattern ROM which generates character signals, the locations of said pattern ROM in which said character signals are stored being addressed in response to the data from said memory means, a parallel-serial converter circuit converting the pattern data from said pattern ROM into series signals, the conversion being controlled by the output signals from said timing generator circuit, and a mixer mixing input signals comprising horizontal synchronizing signals and vertical synchronizing signals from said timing generator circuit.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 130 words

A method for operating pinball machines having the steps of including a casing containing a playing field providing circuitous paths for a ball rolling on the playing field, providing a micro-computer for computing the scores of a plurality of players and providing a CRT visual display unit on which the scores computed by the micro-computer are displayed, said steps further comprising computing in said micro-computer the score of the player who is up according to the circuitous path followed by a ball about said playing field as directed by the player who is up, and simultaneously displaying the scores of a plurality of players by said CRT visual display unit with the score of the player who is up displayed in large-size digits and the other scores in small-size digits.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 130 words

A method for operating pinball machines having the steps of including a casing containing a playing field providing circuitous paths for a ball rolling on the playing field, providing a micro-computer for computing the scores of a plurality of players and providing a CRT visual display unit on which the scores computed by the micro-computer are displayed, said steps further comprising computing in said micro-computer the score of the player who is up according to the circuitous path followed by a ball about said playing field as directed by the player who is up, and simultaneously displaying the scores of a plurality of players by said CRT visual display unit with the score of the player who is up displayed in large-size digits and the other scores in small-size digits.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 56 words

A score display method as claimed in claim 5, and shifting the position of the score indication in order every time a subsequent player takes the place of the previous player so as to position the score of the player who is up at a predetermined position on the screen of said CRT visual display unit.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 32 words

A score display method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the score of the player who is up is on the upper portion of the screen of said CRT visual display unit.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 140 words

In a pinball machine including a casing containing a playing field providing circuitous paths for a ball rolling on the playing field and a micro-computer for computing the scores of a plurality of players and a CRT visual display unit on which the scores computed by the micro-computer are displayed; the improvement comprising means for computing in said micro-computer the score of the player who is up according to the circuitous path followed by a ball about said playing field as directed by the player who is up, means for simultaneously displaying the scores of a plurality of players by said CRT visual display unit with the score of the player who is up displayed in large-size digits and the other scores in small-size digits and means connected to said score displaying means for providing said large- and small-size digits.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 140 words

In a pinball machine including a casing containing a playing field providing circuitous paths for a ball rolling on the playing field and a micro-computer for computing the scores of a plurality of players and a CRT visual display unit on which the scores computed by the micro-computer are displayed; the improvement comprising means for computing in said micro-computer the score of the player who is up according to the circuitous path followed by a ball about said playing field as directed by the player who is up, means for simultaneously displaying the scores of a plurality of players by said CRT visual display unit with the score of the player who is up displayed in large-size digits and the other scores in small-size digits and means connected to said score displaying means for providing said large- and small-size digits.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1986-01-10	1986-07-12	1987-01-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1990-01-10	1990-07-12	1991-01-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1994-01-10	1994-07-12	1995-01-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Score display apparatus for pinball game machines and display method therefor

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