DE29521194U1 - Device for playing darts - Google Patents

Description

Chun-Mu Huang

lG-76 277

July 31, 1996

Device for playing the dart game

The invention relates to a device for playing a game of darts according to the cricket rules, according to which after reaching a predetermined number of hits in certain target fields of the dartboard, further hits in such target fields can lead to countable points, with

- a sensing matrix circuit behind the dartboard to detect hits, and

- a microprocessor for evaluating the hits determined and for controlling a multi-digit digital display for showing game results.

Such a device is known, for example, from US-A-5,318,319 and also from US-A-4,567,461.

The cricket dart game is a special type of dart game. In comparison to other types of dart game, when playing darts according to the cricket rules (i.e. the cricket dart game) there is an interaction between the players, i.e. the players adjust their game tactics according to the behavior and current success of the other player. Essentially, the cricket rules of the dart game mean that certain selected target fields on the dartboard must first be hit several times (three times) by a player before any points are counted. For example, if such a target field has been hit three times,

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it is "closed". This means that the player who has previously hit it three times, for example, can collect points by hitting it again in this target field. The other player can prevent this collection of points by hitting the target field three times as well. On the other hand, the other player can also "close" his own target fields for himself, i.e. hit it three times, so that he can then collect points himself in this other target field by hitting it again. The cricket rules of the game of darts therefore involve an interaction between the players in terms of their game tactics and a kind of "attack" and "defense".

The above highly simplified representation of the cricket darts rules are internationally established, especially for tournaments. The rules can be found, for example, in publications of the ADO (American Darts Organisation).

According to the cricket rules of darts outlined above, there are two types of display of hits: Firstly, the number of times the target fields selected for the cricket darts game (e.g. target fields 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and B = middle field) have already been hit must be displayed in order to determine whether they are closed or still open, and secondly, the points scored by the player through further hits in such closed target fields must be displayed.

A traditional dart game includes a wooden board divided into various target areas and a center area. The player throws darts with metal tips at the board and scores points according to the areas hit. However, since the dart device is made of wood and has no electronic device, manual scoring becomes inconvenient and/or boring over time.

Another dart game was constructed to avoid the inconvenience of manual scoring. This

Dart device includes a target board with target fields and four 7-part digital display fields. A set of electronic circuits is attached to the back of the board and has the function of immediately displaying the game result on the 7-part digital display set according to the programmed scoring rule.

A third popular dart game includes a target board divided into many target fields programmed to different scores, four 7-part digital display fields at the bottom of the target board, and many display diodes. The 7-part digital displays show the score of the target fields hit, with the display diodes showing the score the player achieves during the game.

The rules of cricket are now illustrated using a third known dart device as an example. Who wins or loses a game depends on who is the first to hit the target areas as many times as required. This variant of the cricket dart game has particularly simple rules, as it is only about closing a target area, but not about subsequently "scoring" with further hits. The target comprises four concentric ring-shaped areas and a central area, with the four ring-shaped areas also being radially divided into many sub-areas. Accordingly, each of the sub-areas has four radially aligned sub-areas. Let us take one of the areas as an example. When the second or fourth sub-area (the first sub-area being defined as the outermost of the sub-areas) is hit, one of the three corresponding light emitting diodes (LEDs) is activated to indicate that the particular sub-area has been hit once; when the third sub-area is hit, all three corresponding LEDs are activated simultaneously to indicate that the particular area is considered to have been hit three times; and when the first subfield is hit, two of the three corresponding LEDs are activated to

to indicate that the field has been hit twice. The winner is the first to hit all the fields and the middle three times.

Compared with the first and second prior art dart devices, the third prior art dart device explained above provides a facility for automatically recording the results of the cricket game as well. To perform this function, the dart device must be equipped with 21 LEDs for indicating how many times each field has been hit and a driving circuit for driving these LEDs. Accordingly, the third prior art electronic dart device, although it can provide a function for automatically recording the result of the cricket game, is more expensive. An electronic dart device similar to the third prior art example can be seen in U.S. Patent No. 4,567,461.

In order to reduce the cost while retaining the function of automatically recording the result of the cricket game, US Patent 5,318,319 provides a fourth known electronic dart device. The fourth electronic dart device comprises a target board, two 7-segment digital display panels and LED sets for recording the game result, each of the LED sets consisting of two LEDs of different colors. Let us take a certain sub-target panel as an example. When the sub-panel is hit once, the corresponding LED set of the first color is actuated; when the sub-panel is hit a second time, only the second color of the LED set is actuated; and when the sub-panel is hit a third time, both LEDs of the LED set are actuated.

Whichever of the known dart devices is used, the dart device must include LEDs and an LED driver circuit to record the result of a cricket match,

which not only take up part of the target’s surface area, but also increase the manufacturing costs of the dart device.

The object of the invention is to provide an electronic dart device for playing the game of cricket and displaying a game result, in which the area of the target is reduced and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in a device for playing the game of darts according to the cricket rules of the type mentioned above in that

individual elements of the digital display are assigned to specific playing fields and

the microprocessor controls the digital display so that

a symbol in the element of the digital display shows how many of the specified number of hits have been achieved in the target field assigned to this element of the digital display, and

- a number is used to indicate how many points the subsequent hits have resulted in.

According to the invention, an electronic dart device for playing a cricket game and displaying a game result comprises a target having a plurality of target areas or a plurality of target fields received in the plurality of target areas, a sensing matrix circuit which comes into contact with one of the target fields when the target field is hit, a digital display mounted on the target for displaying a symbol indicating how many times a hit field has been hit according to a first example (a first type (category) of hits) and a number indicating the programmed score of the hit field according to a second example (a second type (category) of hit), and a control circuit electrically connected to the matrix circuit and the digital display for controlling

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connected to the digital display to show a symbol or number when a target field is hit.

According to the invention, the digital display is a 7-part digital display.

According to the invention, the control circuit comprises a microprocessor which is electrically connected to the sensing matrix circuit having an output signal and generates a control signal for controlling the 7-part digital display in response to the output signal of the sensing matrix circuit, wherein a driver circuit is electrically connected to the microprocessor and the 7-part digital display and drives the 7-part digital display in accordance with the control signal to display the result.

According to the invention, the driver circuit comprises a source current transistor arrangement and a segment driver.

According to the invention, the symbol can be expressed by an Arabic number.

According to the invention, the symbol can be expressed by an illuminated part of the digital display.

The invention is explained in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view showing a preferred embodiment of an electronic dart device according to the present invention for playing a cricket game and displaying a game result;

Figures 2(a) - 2(d) are schematic views of the 7-part digital displays showing some exemplary recording examples according to the invention; and

Figure 3 shows a schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the control circuit according to the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, a dart device according to the invention comprises a target 5 which is divided axially and radially into different target areas 501 - 504, each containing a plurality of target fields 505 - 508, the 7-part digital displays 51 - 64 and the buttons 65, 66 and 67.

Button 65 is a MODE select button for selecting the desired game or scoring type, such as successive addition scoring, successive subtraction scoring (e.g. 301 or 501) or cricket, etc. Button 67 is an OPTION select button for selecting the desired game. Button 66 is a PLAYER CHANGE operation button for selecting the turn of any of players 1, 2, 3 and 4 to score. In the preferred embodiment in Figure 1, when the result of the game is to be displayed, the 7-segment digital display panels 51-54, 55-57, 58-60 and 61-64 are used to record the scores of players 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. When the game of cricket is desired, the 7-part digital displays 51 - 57 show the number of times Player 1 has hit squares 20-15 and mid-field respectively, with the 7-part digital displays 58 - 64 showing the scores achieved by Player 2.

More detailed exemplary display examples are referred to in Figures 2(a) - 2(d). In Figure 2(a), the digits shown in the 7-part digital displays 51 - 57 indicate how often the center field and the fields marked 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 2 0 were hit. In Figure 2(b), the number of the three non-successively lit parts of each 7-part digital display 51 - 57 indicates how often a

particular field has been hit. In Figure 2(c), the number of the three lower parts of each 7-part digital display 51 - 57 indicates how many times a particular field has been hit. In Figure 2(d), the letters (e.g. "d" (double) indicates twice hit, "c" (close) indicates three times hit... etc.) of each 7-part digital display 51 - 57 indicate how many times a particular field has been hit. Of course, Figures 2(a) - 2(d) only represent some preferred embodiments, but do not exclude other 7-part digital display arrangements having similar features to those discussed.

Figure 3 shows a sense matrix circuit 71, a microprocessor 72, a driver circuit 73 and buttons 65 and 67, the driver circuit 73 comprising a source current transistor arrangement 731 and a segment driver 732.

The sensing matrix circuit 71 is in contact with the target 5 to sense the areas of the target that are hit. The microprocessor 72 is electrically connected to the sensing matrix circuit 71 and receives output signals therefrom and generates control signals for the control circuit to control the 7-segment digital displays 51-64 to display the results of each game.

Claims (3)

1. Electronic dart game designed for play under the rules of cricket, - a dartboard (5) having a plurality of target areas (501-504) and a plurality of target fields (505-508) each recorded in the target areas, - a sensing matrix circuit (71) on the dartboard (5) for detecting hits in a target field and - a control circuit (72) connected to the sensing matrix circuit (71) for evaluating the detected hits and for controlling a multi-digit digital display (51-57) attached to the dartboard (5),
characterized in that - the control circuit (72) controls the digital display (51-57) so that - - is indicated with a symbol when the target field is hit in a first type of hit, - - a number is used to indicate a point result when the target field is hit in a second type of hit. 2. Electronic dart game according to claim 1, characterized in that the digital display (51-57) has 7 digits. 3. Electronic dart game according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the symbol is shown in the form of an illuminated segment of the digital display (51-57). 2053