Patent Publication Number: US-11660524-B2

Title: Bowling enhancement system with mobile device pairing and related methods

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/866,239 filed Jun. 25, 2019, which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to the field of recreational gaming systems, and, more particularly, to a bowling enhancement system and related methods. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Bowling is a game with a long and storied history dating back to Ancient Egypt. The typical forum for the game is a bowling center, which is an indoor facility with a plurality of bowling lanes. Typically, the setting of the pins and ball return is fully automated along with scoring. In the late 20th century, the game of bowling underwent some modernization to improve popularity, i.e. bowling enhancement. For example, animations would be displayed on electronic scoreboard screens, and bowling centers installed live entertainment feeds into these same displays. Some bowling centers even installed lighting effects to enhance the game. 
     In recent years, this bowling enhancement has deepened with effects being displayed in real time based upon action within the game itself. In one advantageous approach by the present application&#39;s assignee, the bowling bowl would be tracked as it traveled down the bowling lane, and projectors would display effects on the bowling lane in real time. 
     SUMMARY 
     Generally, a bowling enhancement system is for at least one bowling lane, and may comprise a mobile wireless communications device, and at least one image sensor arranged over the at least one bowling lane and configured to generate image data of the at least one bowling lane. The bowling enhancement system may comprise a plurality of projectors arranged over the at least one bowling lane and configured to generate a set of projected images onto the at least one bowling lane, and a server coupled to the at least one image sensor and the plurality of projectors. The server may be configured to cause a given projector to project a pairing token onto the at least one bowling lane. The mobile wireless communications device may be configured to ingest the pairing token. The server may be configured to when receiving the pairing token from the mobile wireless communications device, establish a communication link with the mobile wireless communications device to receive a given game characteristic from the mobile wireless communications device, determine a tracking path of a bowling ball traveling on the at least one bowling lane based upon the image data of the at least one bowling lane, and selectively change the set of projected images based upon the tracking path of the bowling ball and the given game characteristic. 
     More specifically, the pairing token comprises at least one of a quick response (QR) code, a bar code, and an alphanumeric text string. The mobile wireless communications device may comprise an image sensor configured to ingest the pairing token. The bowling enhancement system may further comprise a plurality of light sources configured to irradiate the at least one bowling lane. 
     In some embodiments, each light source may comprise an infrared (IR) light source, and each image sensor may comprise an IR image sensor. The mobile wireless communications device may be configured to display a user interface menu for selecting a plurality of game characteristics, and receive a selected game characteristic, the selected game characteristic defining the given game characteristic. 
     The plurality of game characteristics may comprise a plurality of bowling bowl animations, and a plurality of bowling lane backgrounds, for example. The server may also comprise a local server, and a cloud platform cooperating with the local server and configured to authenticate the pairing token. 
     Moreover, the at least one bowling lane may comprise a plurality of bowling lanes, and the plurality of projectors may be arranged over the plurality of bowling lanes and configured to generate a plurality of sets of projected images onto the plurality of bowling lanes. The given projector may be adjacent a foul line of the at least one bowling lane. 
     Another aspect is directed to a method for operating a bowling enhancement system for at least one bowling lane. The method may include operating at least one image sensor arranged over the at least one bowling lane to generate image data of the at least one bowling lane, and operating a plurality of projectors arranged over the at least one bowling lane to generate a set of projected images onto the at least one bowling lane. The method may comprise operating a server coupled to the at least one image sensor and the plurality of projectors. The server may be for causing a given projector to project a pairing token onto the at least one bowling lane for ingestion by a mobile wireless communications device, and when receiving the pairing token from the mobile wireless communications device, establishing a communication link with the mobile wireless communications device to receive a given game characteristic from the mobile wireless communications device. The server also may be for determining a tracking path of a bowling ball traveling on the at least one bowling lane based upon the image data of the at least one bowling lane, and selectively changing the set of projected images based upon the tracking path of the bowling ball and the given game characteristic. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram of a bowling enhancement system, according to the present disclosure. 
         FIGS.  2 - 8    are diagrams of communication flow in an example embodiment of the bowling enhancement system, according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  9    is a schematic diagram of a communications stack in an example embodiment of the bowling enhancement system, according to the present disclosure. 
         FIGS.  10 - 13    are screenshots of a user interface menu for the mobile wireless communication in an example embodiment of the bowling enhancement system, according to the present disclosure. 
         FIGS.  14 - 18    are flowcharts of operation in an example embodiment of the bowling enhancement system, according to the present disclosure. 
         FIGS.  19 A- 19 C  are schematic diagrams of communications in an example embodiment of the bowling enhancement system, according to the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which several embodiments of the invention are shown. This present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and base  100  reference numerals are used to indicate similar elements in alternative embodiments. 
     Referring initially to  FIG.  1   , a bowling enhancement system  100  according to the present disclosure is now described. The bowling enhancement system  100  is illustratively for first and second bowling lanes  101   a - 101   b . Broadly, the bowling enhancement system  100  generates a plurality of bowling bowl animations, and a plurality of bowling lane backgrounds on the first and second bowling lanes  101   a - 101   b  based upon a movement of a bowling ball  111 . 
     The bowling enhancement system  100  illustratively includes a mobile wireless communications device  102  associated with a user  108 . The mobile wireless communications device  102  may comprise a handheld cellular device, a tablet computing device, or a laptop computing device, for example. 
     The mobile wireless communications device  102  illustratively comprises an image sensor  114 , and may also comprise, not shown, a display, a processor, a memory, and one or more wireless transceivers (e.g. cellular, IEEE 802.11 (WiFi), Bluetooth, and Near Field Communications (NFC)). As will be appreciated, the image sensor  114  is sensitive to at least the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum (i.e. wavelengths from about 380 to 740 nanometers). 
     The bowling enhancement system  100  illustratively comprises an image sensor  103  arranged over the first and second bowling lanes  101   a - 101   b  and configured to generate image data of the first and second bowling lanes. In some embodiments, the bowling enhancement system  100  may comprise a plurality of image sensors. Regardless of the number, the field of view for the image sensor  103  should include the entirety or at least greater than a threshold percentage of the first and second bowling lanes  101   a - 101   b . In particular, the image sensor  103  is configured to monitor the state of gameplay of the bowling game. 
     The bowling enhancement system  100  illustratively comprises a plurality of light sources  113   a - 113   d  configured to irradiate the first and second bowling lanes  101   a - 101   b . In some embodiments, each light source  113   a - 113   d  may comprise an IR light source, and the image sensor  103  may comprise an IR image sensor (i.e. sensitive to the IR range of the electromagnetic spectrum). 
     The bowling enhancement system  100  illustratively includes a plurality of projectors  104   a - 104   c  arranged over the first and second bowling lanes  101   a - 101   b  and configured to generate a set of projected images  112   a - 112   f  onto the first and second bowling lanes. The bowling enhancement system  100  illustratively comprises a plurality of speakers  116   a - 116   d  arranged adjacent a foul line of the first and second bowling lanes  101   a - 101   b , and a display  115  positioned at a back end of the first and second bowling lanes. 
     The bowling enhancement system  100  illustratively includes a server  105  coupled to the image sensor  103 , the plurality of projectors  104   a - 104   c , the plurality of light sources  113   a - 113   d , the plurality of speakers  116   a - 116   d , and the display  115 . In some embodiments, the server  105  may be coupled to each of these devices via a wired connection, but other embodiments may employ wireless connections partially or fully. 
     The server  105  is illustratively stored locally at the bowling center housing the first and second bowling lanes  101   a - 101   b . But in other embodiments, the server  105  may alternatively be provided solely or partially via a cloud computing platform. For example, in the embodiments of  FIGS.  2 - 8   , the server  105  differently comprises both a local computing element and a cloud computing element cooperating therewith. 
     The server  105  is configured to cause a given projector  104   a  to project a pairing token  106   a - 106   b  onto the first and second bowling lanes  101   a - 101   b  adjacent the foul line. For example, the pairing token  106   a - 106   b  comprises at least one of a QR code (See  FIGS.  2 - 8  &amp;  10 - 13   ), a bar code, and an alphanumeric text string. The pairing token need only uniquely identify a respective bowling lane, and could comprise other forms. 
     The mobile wireless communications device  102  is configured to ingest the pairing token  106   a - 106  via the image sensor  114 . The server  105  is configured to when receiving the pairing token  106   a - 106   b  from the mobile wireless communications device  102 , establish a communication link with the mobile wireless communications device. In some embodiments, the mobile wireless communications device  102  may communicate with the server  105  via the Internet (e.g. using the cellular network or a wireless local area network (WLAN)). In other embodiments, the mobile wireless communications device  102  may communicate with the server  105  via a direct local wireless connection. 
     As will be appreciated, the plurality of speakers  116   a - 116   d  is configured to present audio based prompts to the user  108  from the server  105 . Additionally, the display  115  is configured to present visual prompts to the user  108  from the server  105 . Positively, if there are any errors with the establishment of the communication link, the server  105  is configured to present corrective audio and/or visual prompts to the user  108 . 
     Once the connection is established, the server  105  is configured to receive a given game characteristic  107  from the mobile wireless communications device  102 . In particular, the given game characteristic  107  comprises one or more of a selected bowling bowl animation from the plurality of bowling bowl animations, and a selected bowling lane background from the plurality of bowling lane backgrounds on the first and second bowling lanes  101   a - 101   b . The plurality of bowling lane backgrounds may comprise live bowling lane backgrounds, static bowling lane backgrounds, and user-specific bowling lane backgrounds. 
     The server  105  is configured to determine a tracking path  110  of the bowling ball  111  traveling on one or both of the first and second bowling lanes  101   a - 101   b  (illustrated on the second bowling lane) based upon the image data of the first and second bowling lanes via the image sensor  103 . The tracking path includes a linear path of known past movement of the bowling ball  111 , and may also additionally include a substantially linear (e.g. linear project path with uncertainty, such a cone prediction path) projected path of future movement. The tracking path may also include a speed of the bowling ball  111 , an angular speed of the bowling ball, and an angular vector of the bowling ball. 
     As will be appreciated, the plurality of light sources  113   a - 113   d  is configured to aid/enhance tracking of the bowling ball  111 . In some embodiments, the plurality of light sources  113   a - 113   d  may be omitted. 
     The server  105  is configured to selectively change the set of projected images  112   a - 112   f  based upon the tracking path  110  of the bowling ball  111  and the given game characteristic. For example, if the selected bowling bowl animation comprises a fire trail animation, the tracking path  110  would include path of fire included in the set of projected images  112   a - 112   f . In some embodiments, the server  105  is also configured to additionally selectively change the audio output of the plurality of speakers  116   a - 116   d  and the visual output of the display  115  based upon the tracking path  110  of the bowling ball  111  and the given game characteristic. 
     Referring now briefly and additionally to  FIGS.  10 - 13   , an example embodiment of the user interface menu  320  is now described with reference to screenshots  60 - 63 . In this example embodiment, the mobile wireless communications device  102  illustratively comprises a touchscreen display interface. Of course, in other embodiments, other input interfaces could be used, such as a mechanical button interface. 
     In  FIG.  10   , the pairing token  306  comprises a QR code generated by the given projector  104   a  adjacent a foul line of the bowling lane  301 . The mobile wireless communications device  102  ingests the pairing token  306  via the onboard image sensor  114  and passes the pairing token to the server  105 . 
     In  FIG.  11   , once the communication link is established between the mobile wireless communications device  102  and the server  105 , the mobile wireless communications device is configured to display the user interface menu  320 , which includes first and second fly down menus  321 ,  322  for selecting a plurality of bowling bowl animations, and a plurality of bowling lane backgrounds. The mobile wireless communications device  102  is configured to receive a selected game characteristic via selection by the user  108  on the user interface menu  320 . The selected game characteristic defines the given game characteristic, which is transmitted to the server  105 . The user interface menu  320  illustratively comprises a fly down menu  323   a  for uploading user specific content. In other words, the user  108  may choose and upload content for inclusion in the set of projected images  112   a - 112   f . In  FIG.  12   , the user interface menu  320  illustratively comprises a menu  323   b  for uploading a custom text message for display in the set of projected images  112   a - 112   f , and a menu  323   c  for uploading a custom background image for inclusion in the set of projected images. 
     In  FIG.  13   , once the game characteristics have been selected and transmitted to the server  105 , the bowling game commences. At this point, the user interface menu  320  transitions to an in-progress state, showing the lane number, and time left value. In some embodiments, the user interface menu  320  may comprise a current score for the bowling game. 
     In some embodiments, the mobile wireless communications device  102  is configured to present the user interface menu  320  via a native software application. In other embodiments, the mobile wireless communications device  102  is configured to present the user interface menu  320  via a web browser interface, which could be provided by the server  105 . 
     Referring again to  FIG.  1   , the plurality of projectors  104   a - 104   c  are arranged over the first and second bowling lanes  101   a - 101   b  and configured to generate a plurality of sets  112   a - 112   c  &amp;  112   d - 112   f  of projected images onto the plurality of bowling lanes. In other words, a single projector from the plurality of projectors  104   a - 104   c  is configured to cover two bowling lanes illustratively. In other embodiments, the single projector from the plurality of projectors  104   a - 104   c  is configured to cover four of more bowling lanes with appropriate vertical placement and/or use of appropriate lens (e.g. a wide fixed focal length projector lens (i.e. a wide throw lens)). As will be appreciated, the server  105  is configured to segment the plurality of sets  112   a - 112   c  &amp;  112   d - 112   f  of projected images into the corresponding number of sets for the needed number of bowling lanes. Of course, the single projector from the plurality of projectors  104   a - 104   c  may also be configured to cover a single bowling lane in simpler applications. 
     Another aspect is directed to a method for operating a bowling enhancement system  100  for first and second bowling lanes  101   a - 101   b . The method includes operating at least one image sensor  103  arranged over the first and second bowling lanes  101   a - 101   b  to generate image data of the first and second bowling lanes, and operating a plurality of projectors  104   a - 104   c  arranged over the first and second bowling lanes to generate a set of projected images  112   a - 112   f  onto the first and second bowling lanes. The method comprises operating a server  105  coupled to the at least one image sensor  103  and the plurality of projectors  104   a - 104   c . The server  105  is for causing a given projector  104   a  to project a pairing token  103   a - 103   b  onto the first and second bowling lanes  101   a - 101   b  for ingestion by a mobile wireless communications device  102 , and when receiving the pairing token from the mobile wireless communications device, establishing a communication link with the mobile wireless communications device to receive a given game characteristic from the mobile wireless communications device. The server  105  is also for determining a tracking path  110  of a bowling ball  111  traveling on the first and second bowling lanes  101   a - 101   b  based upon the image data of the first and second bowling lanes, and selectively changing the set of projected images  112   a - 112   f  based upon the tracking path of the bowling ball and the given game characteristic. 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  2 - 8   , another embodiment of the bowling enhancement system  200  is now described. In this embodiment of the bowling enhancement system  200 , those elements already discussed above with respect to  FIG.  1    are incremented by 100 and most require no further discussion herein. This embodiment differs from the previous embodiment in that this bowling enhancement system  200  illustratively includes the server comprising a cloud platform  205   a , and a local server  205   b  cooperating with the cloud platform. The bowling enhancement system  200  also illustratively includes an administrative computing device  217  coupled to the local server  205   b.    
     In  FIG.  2   , the communications during an authentication process for the bowling enhancement system  200  are shown. In  FIG.  3   , the communications from the mobile wireless communications device  202  for initialization of the bowling game are shown. In  FIG.  4   , the communications from the server  205   a - 205   b  to the mobile wireless communications device  202  are shown. In  FIG.  5   , the administrative computing device  217  is revoking a bowling lane from the mobile wireless communications device  202  and associated user. In  FIG.  6   , the cloud platform  205   a  is revoking a bowling lane from the mobile wireless communications device  202  and associated user. In  FIG.  7   , the administrative computing device  217  is updating a bowling lane for the mobile wireless communications device  202  and associated user. In  FIG.  8   , the cloud platform  205   a  is updating a bowling lane for the mobile wireless communications device  202  and associated user. 
     Referring now to  FIG.  9   , a communications stack  50  for an example embodiment of the server with the cloud platform  205   a  and local server  205   b  is now described. The communications stack  50  illustratively comprises a presentation later  51 , a business layer  52  in communication with the presentation layer, a services layer  53  in communication with the business layer, and a data layer  54  in communication with the services layer and the business layer. The communications stack  50  illustratively includes a storage  55  coupled to the data layer  54 , and a conduit  56  coupled between the services layer  53  and the cloud platform  205   a.    
     Referring now to  FIGS.  14 - 18   , a flowchart  70  shows the process for when a gaming session between the server  205   a - 205   b  and the mobile wireless communications device  202  expires. A flowchart  71  shows a process of the mobile wireless communications device  202  selecting the bowling ball animation and the bowling lane background. 
     Another flowchart  72  shows the process for when a mobile application on the mobile wireless communications device  202  is first launched. In this embodiment, the mobile wireless communications device  202  is configured to execute a software application to present the user interface menu  320  ( FIGS.  10 - 13   ). Another flowchart  73  shows the process for when the user logs out of the mobile application on the mobile wireless communications device  202 , and yet another flowchart  74  shows the process at the mobile wireless communication device when the pairing token is ingested. 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  19 A- 19 C , a communication history  64 - 65  between the mobile wireless communications device  202 , the cloud platform  205   a , and the local server  205   b  is shown. Starting at the top of  FIG.  19 A , the administrator computing device  217  enables a bowling lane, and the pairing token (e.g. the QR code) is displayed on the bowling lane. Next, the user opens the software application on the mobile wireless communications device  202 , which commences communication with the cloud platform  205   a . The mobile wireless communications device  202  is configured to send over the pairing token, which is forwarded to the local server  205   b . Once the pairing token has been authenticated, the mobile wireless communications device  202  fetches the bowling lane data. 
     Moving to the top of  FIG.  19 B , the user of the mobile wireless communications device  202  updates the bowling lane to have the selected game characteristics. Once the gaming session is complete, the user of the mobile wireless communications device  202  logs out of the application. In  FIG.  19 C , the communication history  66  for when the administrative computing device  217  revokes a bowling lane from the mobile wireless communications device  202  and associated user. 
     Many modifications and other embodiments of the present disclosure will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is understood that the present disclosure is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.