US4722526A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Game method and apparatus for use while viewing a sporting event
Assignee: TOVAR JOSEPH L
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Filing: 1987-01-20
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Granted: 1988-02-02
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Expires: 2007-01-20
Abstract
Abstract The objective of the present invention is for the players to correctly call as many penalties, or infractions of the rules, as possible while viewing a sporting event. Each player is provided with a signalling device which he either activates or throws when he sees what he believes to be an infraction of the rules. The first player to correctly signal the occurrence of the infraction is awarded multiple points and subsequently signalling players are awarded a lesser number of points or penalized for not signalling. A selected number of points are deducted from a player's score when he signals a penalty when none is called by the officials on the field or court and the players not signalling at those times are awarded a selected number of points for not signalling to minimize anticipation of penalties by players. At the end of the game, the player with the highest score is the winner. To keep the game as fair as possible, only penalties called by the officials on the field or court are to be counted as proper penalties in this game.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph L. Tovar
- 👤 Herbert J. Green
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 13:30
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F13/00; A63F13/45; A63F13/46; A63F13/80; A63F13/812; A63F13/60; A63F13/65; A63F13/69; A63F2300/00; A63F2300/60; A63F2300/609; A63F2300/61; A63F2300/69; A63F2300/80; A63F2300/8011
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of playing a game by one or more spectators of a sporting event during which an official is empowered to assess penalties for infractions of the rules of that sporting event, said method comprising, in the order given the steps of: (a) signalling by spectators of an observed infraction during said sporting event; (b) identifying the spectator who first signaled in step (a); (c) identifying each of the spectators who signaled within a selected time period of the spectator identified in step (b); (d) identifying each of the spectators not identified in step (b) and (c); (e) determining if the official at the sporting event called an infraction by one or more of the spectators viewing the sporting event action after the completion of step (a); and (f) advancing or decrementing a score for each spectator if the official called, or did not call, an infraction, respectively, as a function of which group of identified spectators each spectator is individually included with.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of playing a game by one or more spectators of a sporting event during which an official is empowered to assess penalties for infractions of the rules of that sporting event, said method comprising, in the order given the steps of: (a) signalling by spectators of an observed infraction during said sporting event; (b) identifying the spectator who first signaled in step (a); (c) identifying each of the spectators who signaled within a selected time period of the spectator identified in step (b); (d) identifying each of the spectators not identified in step (b) and (c); (e) determining if the official at the sporting event called an infraction by one or more of the spectators viewing the sporting event action after the completion of step (a); and (f) advancing or decrementing a score for each spectator if the official called, or did not call, an infraction, respectively, as a function of which group of identified spectators each spectator is individually included with.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 1 further including the step of: (g) displaying the accumulated score for each spectator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
144 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein step (f) includes the steps of: (h) visually observing the official at the sporting event to determine if an infraction is called; (i) if an infraction is called by the official, advancing the score of the spectator identified in step (b) by m points, advancing the individual score of each spectator identified in step (c) by no points, and decrementing the individual score of each spectator identified in step (d) by p points, where m is greater than n; (j) if an infraction is not called by the official, decrementing the score of the spectator identified in step (b) by q points, decrementing the individual score of each spectator identified in step (c) by r points, and advancing the individual score of each spectator identified in step (d) by s points, where q is greater than r.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as in claim 3 wherein m, n, p, q, r and s are integer values, and m is equal to q, n is equal to r, and p is equal to s.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as in claim 3 wherein m and q are each equal to 2, and n, p, r and s are each equal to 1.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the selected time period of step (c) is 1 second.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as in claim 1 further includes the step of: (k) repeating steps (a) through (f) throughout the duration of the sporting event.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as in claim 7 further including the step of: (l) declaring as the winner of the game the spectator having the highest accumulated score at the end of the sporting event.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
236 words
A game apparatus for use by one or more spectators at a sporting event during which an official is empowered to assess penalties for infractions of the rules of that sportig event, said apparatus comprising: one signalling means for each participating spectator for the spectator to signal his observation of what he believes to be an infraction during the sporting event; first identifying means coupled to each signalling means for identifying the spectator who first signaled his observation of what he believes to be an infraction; second identifying means coupled to each signalling means for identifying each of the spectators who signaled his observation of what he believes to be an infraction within a selected time period of the spectator identified by the first identifying means; third identifying means coupled to each of the signalling means for identifying each of the spectators not identified by the first and second identifying means; means for determining if the official at the sporting event called an infraction by one or more of the spectators viewing the sporting event action after the completion of the spectator signalling; and scoring means coupled to the determining means and each of the first, second and third identifying means for advancing or decrementing a score for each spectator if the official called, or did not call, an infraction, respectively, as a function of which group of identified spectators each spectator is individually included with.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
236 words
A game apparatus for use by one or more spectators at a sporting event during which an official is empowered to assess penalties for infractions of the rules of that sportig event, said apparatus comprising: one signalling means for each participating spectator for the spectator to signal his observation of what he believes to be an infraction during the sporting event; first identifying means coupled to each signalling means for identifying the spectator who first signaled his observation of what he believes to be an infraction; second identifying means coupled to each signalling means for identifying each of the spectators who signaled his observation of what he believes to be an infraction within a selected time period of the spectator identified by the first identifying means; third identifying means coupled to each of the signalling means for identifying each of the spectators not identified by the first and second identifying means; means for determining if the official at the sporting event called an infraction by one or more of the spectators viewing the sporting event action after the completion of the spectator signalling; and scoring means coupled to the determining means and each of the first, second and third identifying means for advancing or decrementing a score for each spectator if the official called, or did not call, an infraction, respectively, as a function of which group of identified spectators each spectator is individually included with.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A game apparatus as in claim 9 further including means coupled to the scoring means for displaying the accumulated score for each spectator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
191 words
A game apparatus as in claim 9 wherein: said determining means includes a pair of signalling means, one for inputting an indication of an infraction having been called by the official and the other for inputting an indication that an infraction was not called by the official; and said scoring means includes: official infraction called scoring means coupled to said one signalling means of the determining means for advancing the score of the spectator identified by the first identifying means by m points, advancing the individual score of each spectator identified by the second identifying means by n points, and decrementing the individual score of each spectator identified by the third identifying means by p points, where m is greater than n; no official infraction called scoring means coupled to said other signalling means of the determining means for decrementing the score of the spectator identified by the first identifying means by q points, decrementing the individual score of each spectator identified by the second identifying means by r points, and advancing the individual score of each spectator identified by the third by s points, where q is greater than r.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
A game apparatus as in claim 11 wherein m, n, p, q, r and s are integer values and m is equal to q, n is equal to r, and p is equal to s.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A game apparatus as in claim 11 wherein m and q are each equal to 2, and n, p, r and s are each equal to 1.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
A game apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the selected time period of said second identifying means is 1 second.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-02-01 | 1991-08-03 | 1992-02-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-02-01 | 1995-08-03 | 1996-02-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-02-01 | 1999-08-03 | 2000-02-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |