Patent Publication Number: US-9421450-B2

Title: Mobile scoring system control

Description:
FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to mobile control of one or more systems in a bowling center. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Bowling centers may include automatic scoring systems to track and display bowling scores for one or more bowlers at a lane or a pair of lanes. The automatic bowling scoring systems may include an optical pin detector. After a ball is thrown, the optical pin detector generates a signal based on which pins remain standing on the pin deck. The signal indicates a pinfall, which is automatically added to the score for the bowler. The pinfall from each frame and the accumulated store may be displayed on a video screen. 
     The bowlers may operate and configure the automatic scoring system by accessing a console, which includes a keypad or a touchscreen. The bowlers may edit incorrect scores, enter bowler names, select display themes, or access other features of the automatic scoring system. The automatic scoring system may be integrated with pinsetters for resetting pins and integrated with a front desk for requesting assistance. 
     Access to operate and configure the automatic scoring system is given based on physical presence at the console. Any person can approach the console to control the automatic scoring system. Further, since the automatic scoring system is tied to the bowling center and not to the bowler, any preferences or customizations of a bowler are lost after each visit to the bowling center. Further, no statistics, preferences, or customizations can be shared across multiple bowling centers. The present disclosure describes an automatic scoring system that minimizes or eliminates one or more of these deficiencies. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a bowling center of an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the bowling center of  FIG. 1  and a communication network. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a mobile device of an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the server of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate an authentication code. 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate example displays of the mobile device of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an example embodiment of an automatic scoring system of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 8  illustrates another example embodiment of an automatic scoring system of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 9  illustrates another example embodiment of an automatic scoring system of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIGS. 10A and 10B  are an example flow chart for the operation of the server of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 11  is an example flow chart for the operation of the mobile device of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Overview 
     In general, the following embodiments integrate a mobile device with an automatic scoring system of a bowling center. A user can interact with the automatic system via a mobile application on the mobile device. A mobile application includes both software running on the mobile device and an application accessed through a browser on the mobile device. The mobile device is configured to send a lane control command to a server over cellular communication or a network, which may be wired or wireless. The server identifies a bowling lane associated with the mobile device. If the mobile device is authorized to operate or configure the automatic scoring system, the server sends a response including data indicative of the bowling lane and the lane control command to the automatic scoring system. 
     The lane control command may include data related to lane control, pinsetter control, front desk communication or other functions. Regarding lane control the mobile application may be configured to operate name entry, game statistics, themes, and display configuration in addition to or in lieu of a lane control console. Regarding pinsetter control, the mobile application may be configured to reset the pins of the bowling lane. Regarding front desk communication, the mobile application may be configured to request help or assistance from a bowling center employee, order food service, purchase additional bowling games, or make bowling reservations. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a bowling center. The bowling center includes several bowling lanes supported by control systems including lane control console systems  32 , overhead display systems  14 , pinsetter systems  15 , a front desk system  16 , and a food service system  17 , which may be referred to collectively or in any combination as an automatic scoring system. A mobile device  100  is configured to communicate with the automatic scoring system. The mobile device  100  may be a cellular phone (e.g., smartphone), a laptop, or another computing device. A bowler may use an input device, such as a keypad or touchscreen, included in the mobile device  100  to provide input to any of the lane control console systems  32 , the overhead display systems  14 , the pinsetter systems  15 , the front desk system  16 , and the food service system  17 . 
     For example, the mobile device  100  communicates with the lane control console system  32  to enter names onto the displayed score sheet or to manually correct a scoring error with a few keystrokes on the keypad or the touch screen. The mobile device  100  may communicate with the overhead display systems  14 , which may be combined with the lane control console system  32 , to display or specify entertainment features such as graphics or graphic animations in response to the occurrence of a particular bowling event, including but not limited to gutter balls, splits, strikes and spares. The mobile device  100  may communicate with the front desk system  16  to request help or purchase additional games. The mobile device  100  may also provide non-bowling related features, such as ordering food or drinks from a snack bar through communication with the food service system  17 . The mobile device  100  may be used by several bowlers at a lane or multiple mobile devices  100  may be tied to the same lane and operated by multiple bowlers. 
     In one alternative, the example embodiments below are combined with the embodiments described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/413,133 titled Distributed Scoring System, filed Mar. 6, 2012, by Brandon J. Meigs and Gary A. Brouwers, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     Example Embodiments 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a bowling center  101  and a communication network, including an internal network  115  and an external network  116 . The mobile device  100  is located, at least temporarily, within the bowling center  101 . The automatic scoring system  110  includes one or more of the lane control console systems  32 , the overhead display systems  14 , the pinsetter systems  15 , the front desk system  16 , and the food service system  17 . The internal network  115  and the external network  116  are in communication with a server  130  either directly or via the Internet  120 . The server  130  may be configured to host a cloud service accessible by the bowling center  101  in order to implement the present embodiments. 
     Several embodiments are discussed below with varying definitions of the automatic scoring system  110 . In a first embodiment, the mobile device  100  is generally complementary to the lane control console system  32 , acting as a remote control to the lane control console systems  32 . In the first embodiment, the lane control console system  32  is the automatic scoring system  110 . In a second embodiment, the lane control console system  32  is omitted, and commands originating with the mobile device  100  are sent to the overhead display systems  14 , the pinsetter systems  15 , the front desk system  16 , or the food service system  17 , any of which or combination thereof may be considered the automatic scoring system  110 . The following description applies to both the first embodiment and second embodiment except where otherwise noted. 
     The mobile device  100  may be a cellular telephone (smart phone), a personal digital assistant (“PDA”), a tablet computer, a laptop, a personal computer or any computing device configured for network communications. The mobile device  100  may be configured to send commands to the automatic scoring system  110  indirectly through the server  130 . The mobile device  100  is configured to communicate with the server  130  through the Internet  120 . The mobile device  100  may communicate with the Internet  120  through a cellular network (e.g., 2 G, 3 G, global system for mobile communication (GSM), long term evolution (LTE), or 4 G). Alternatively, the mobile device  100  may communicate with the Internet  120  through the communication network, which may include a wireless connection (e.g., 802.11 standard, Bluetooth standard, infrared) to the internal network  115 . The mobile device  100  may operate on any mobile operating system (OS), mobile software platform or a handheld OS. The mobile OS may be iOS from Apple, Windows Mobile from Microsoft, Android, Blackberry OS, WebOS, Symbian OS, or another OS. The functions of the mobile device  100  described herein may be directed by a mobile application (app) running on the mobile OS or through a web browser accessing a mobile application. 
     The mobile device  100  generates a lane control command. The lane control command may adjust information related to the bowling game such as the number of players, the names of players, or a player characteristic. The player characteristic may include data indicative of whether the bowler bowls with the bowler&#39;s right hand or left hand or data indicative of a handicap or average. The lane control command may configure how information is displayed such as the number of frames shown at a time. The lane control command may cause a pinsetter reset or a particular group of pins to be reset. The mobile device  100  sends the lane control command to the server  130 . 
     The server  130  determines which bowling lanes, if any, are associated with the mobile device  100 . In one example, the server  130  may determine that the mobile device  100  is associated with a particular lane because the lane control command purports to be associated with the particular lane. In other examples with additional security, the server  130  authenticates the mobile device  100  in order to associate the mobile device  100  with one or more lanes. The server  130  receives bowler authorization information from the mobile device  100 . The bowler authorization information may be generated in a variety of ways. The bowler authorization information may be created from a successful login to a reservation system, or the bowler authorization information may be created from a scan by the mobile  100  device of an authorization code, for example. As another example, the bowler authorization information may be created from a manual entry of an identification code or reservation confirmation code into the mobile device  100 . Each of these implementations is discussed in more detail below. 
     After receiving the bowler authorization information, the server  130  queries a database with the bowler authorization information. The database may be internal or external to the server  130 . The database includes a look up table that associates the bowler authorization information with one or more lanes. In other words, the database authorizes the mobile device  100  to issue commands to control one or more lanes or commands associated with one or more lanes for other services. Specifically, the server  130  receives a lane identification value from the database. The lane identification value indicates a bowling lane is authorized to receive control from the mobile device  100 . 
     Once the mobile device  100  has been authorized, the server  130  receives data originating with the mobile device  100  and including instructions for any of the control systems discussed above. The server  130  processes the data included in the lane control command and generates a response including data indicative of the bowling lane and the lane control command. The response is sent back to the automatic scoring system  110 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a more detailed view of the mobile device  100  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  FIG. 4  illustrates a more detailed view of the server  130  of  FIG. 2 . The mobile device  100  includes a mobile device controller  200 , a memory  201 , an input device  203 , a communication interface  205 , a positioning system  207 , a camera  209 , and a display  211 . The server  130  includes a server controller  300 , a memory  301 , and a communication interface  305 . The server  130  may be coupled to a database  320  and a workstation  310 . The server  130  may be replaced with any type of network device including a personal computer or a general purpose computer. 
     The mobile device controller  200  is configured to generate a lane control command based on a user input received at the input device  203 . The lane control command may include instructions for the operation of the mechanical systems of a bowling lane, for the scoring and display systems of the bowling lane, or for another bowling center service. The communication interface  205  is configured to send the lane control command to the server  130 . 
     By way of the communication interface  305 , the sever controller  300  receives the lane control command originating with the mobile device  100 . Before forwarding the lane control command, the server controller  300  determines whether any bowling lanes are associated with the mobile device  100 . If the mobile device  100  is associated with a bowling lane, the server controller  300  sends a response including data indicative of the bowling lane and the lane control command to the automatic scoring system  110 . 
     The server controller  300  may also be configured to authenticate or authorize the mobile device  100 . The memory  301  stores a lookup table of bowler authorization values associated with lane identification values. The lane identification values can include, for example, data indicative of a lane number, a bowling center, and a duration. The duration may be measured in frames, in games, or in time, and the bowler authorization value may expire when the duration elapses. 
     The lookup table may be populated based on a reservation system or may be populated with predetermined values. In implementations in which the lookup table is populated with predetermined values, each lane in the bowling center  101  is associated with a key, which is a bowler authorization value. The key for each lane in the bowling center  101  is static. The reservation system releases the key to the mobile  100  device either directly or indirectly when the mobile device  100  should have access to the corresponding lane of the bowling center  101 . 
     In implementations in which the lookup table is populated based on the reservation system, each entry in the lookup table may be generated in one of several ways. A user may establish an account on the reservation system using the mobile device  100  via a website or another application running on the mobile device  100 . The reservation system  100  may be operated by the server  130  or hosted elsewhere on the Internet  120 . The user is assigned a login identification and password to access the account on the reservation system and make a reservation. Alternatively, the reservation could be made by any Internet enabled device. The reservation system generates a bowler authorization value associated with the reservation and sends the bowler authorization value to the mobile device  100 . The bowler authorization value may be referred to as a session identifier. The reservation system assigns one or more lane identification values and sends the bowler authorization value and the lane identification values to the database  320 . 
     In another implementation, the reservation system is maintained by the front desk control system  16 , which may include a point of sale system. The user requests a reservation at the front desk. The user could alternatively provide a name, email, or phone number to access a previously recorded reservation in the reservation system. The front desk control system  16  instructs a printer to print a receipt including an authorization code. The authorization code may be an alphanumeric value. The authorization code could alternatively be communicated audibly or via a display. The front desk control system  16  sends the authorization code as a bowler authorization value associated with at least one lane identification value to the database  320 . The user enters the authorization code into the mobile device  100 , which sends the authorization code to the server  130  to authenticate the mobile device  100 . 
     The authentication code may be temporary and generated for each specific reservation. The authentication code may be the concatenation of a bowling center identification value and a lane number. In addition, the authentication code may include a date, a time, or a number of games. The authentication code may be printed or displayed as an optical machine readable representation of data. Examples of optical machine readable representations of data include a bar code or a quick response (OR) code, which is a two-dimensional barcode.  FIG. 5A  illustrates an example receipt  50  generated at the front desk including a QR code  51 , which could be any optical machine readable representation of data. The receipt  50  and/or QR code  51  may be included in an email received at the mobile device  100  from the reservation system or printed and scanned by the camera  209  of the mobile device  100 . 
       FIG. 5B  illustrates an implementation in which the QR code  51  or any optical machine representation of data may be displayed by the lane control console system  32 . In this implementation the reservation system may be omitted. Instead, the lane control console system  32  generates the bowler authorization value. The mobile device  100  is authorized because the mobile device  100  is physically located close enough to the console to scan an image of the QR code  51 . Alternatively, the bowler authorization value could be a code read from the console and typed into the mobile device  100 . 
     In another example, the mobile device  100  may be authorized because the mobile device  100  is located within the bowling center  101 . For example, communication received at the server  130  from the mobile device  100  that has been routed through the internal network  115  may be considered authorization information. Further, the server  130  may deem the mobile device  100  authorized if the mobile device  100  has been assigned an internet protocol (IP) address associated with the internal network  115 . 
     Another example of when the mobile device  100  may be authorized because the mobile device  100  is located within the bowling center  101  occurs based on the detected position of the mobile device  100 . The positioning system  207  may determine a geographical location of the mobile device  100 . The positioning system  207  may interact with one or more of a global navigation satellite system based on a satellite signal (such as Global Positioning System (GPS), the Russian GLONASS or European Galileo). In addition or the alternative, the positioning system  207  may include a triangulation system that utilizes one or more terrestrial communication signals (e.g., cellular signals) or a inertial position system based on relative position sensors such as gyroscopes, accelerometers, and altimeters, and/or a dead reckoning system based on a previously known position. 
     The server controller  300  may be configured to match the geographical location of the mobile device  100  with a geographical location of the bowling center  101 . In this example, the data indicative of the geographical location of the mobile device  100  is considered authorization information. In this example, the lane identification value may include all available lanes or the lane identification value may be selected by the mobile device  100 . 
     As discussed above, there are several possible paths for the authorization information to be entered into the mobile device  100  and sent to the server  130 . First, the mobile device  100  may access a website or a mobile application to retrieve the authorization information. Second, the authorization information may be entered into or scanned into the mobile device  100  from a printer email or receipt. Third, the authorization information may be provided to the mobile device  100  from the lane control console system  32 . 
     The server controller  300  is configured to query the lookup table with the bowler authorization value received from the mobile device  100 . In response to the query, the server controller  300  receives the lane identification value from the lookup table in the database  320 . The lane identification value indicates a bowling lane authorized to receive control from the mobile device  100 . 
     The communication interface  305  receives a lane control command from the mobile device  100  and sends a response based on the lane control command to the automatic scoring system  110 . The response may be further transmitted to the lane control console system  32 , the overhead display systems  14 , the pinsetter systems  15 , the front desk system  16 , or the food service system  17 . 
     The display  211  may be combined with the input device  203  as a touch screen, which may capacitive or resistive. In addition, the input device  203  may include one or more buttons, keypad, keyboard, mouse, stylist pen, trackball, rocker switch, touch pad, voice recognition circuit, or other device or component for inputting data to the mobile device  100 . The display  211  may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, light emitting diode (LED) screen, thin film transistor screen, or another type of display. The input device  203  may include a camera  209  configured to capture images such as optically machine readable data or QR codes. 
     The mobile device  100  is configured to initiate commands that are forwarded by the server  103  to one or more of the lane control console system  32 , the overhead display system  14 , the pinsetter systems  15 , the front desk system  16 , and the food service system  17 .  FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate example displays or menus for entering commands to the mobile device  100 . 
     The display  602  shown in  FIG. 6A  includes a list of bowler names  603 , and additional bowler characteristics including a list of bowler handicaps  604   a  and a list of bowler handedness indicators  604   b . The commands sent to the lane control console system  32 , which may be referred to as lane operation commands may add bowler names to the list of bowler names  603 , enter or change the list of bowler handicaps  604   a , or enter or change the list of bowler handedness indicators  604   b  between right-handed and left-handed. In addition, the lane operation commands may include a scoring change, a selection of the number of frames to display at once (e.g., 5 or 10) or a selection of bowling display themes (e.g., kid&#39;s theme, cartoon theme, league specialized theme, etc.). The lane operation commands may also impact the rules of the game. For example, the lane operation command may toggle a no-tap mode in which nine pins count as a strike, a league mode in which consecutive frames are bowled in adjacent lanes, or a practice skills mode where difficult pin combinations are set up. 
     Any commands sent to the overhead display system  14  may be referred to as display commands. The overhead display system  14  may be integrated with the lane control console system  32 . The display commands may specify a selection of bowling display themes or a selection of the number of frames to display at once, as discussed above. In addition, the display commands may select a television program to be displayed on the overhead display system  14 , toggle sending the display of the mobile device  100  to the overhead display system  14 , or activate or deactivate a league display. 
     Any commands sent to the pinsetter systems  15  may be referred to as pinsetter commands. The pinsetter commands may include resetting the full rack when a pin is missing or out of place, setting a partial pint set when a pin has fallen late (the specific pins may be specified by the mobile device  100 ), a ball return request when a ball has not been returned properly, or an activation or deactivation of gutter bumpers.  FIG. 6B  illustrates an example menu for the mobile device  100  including pinsetter commands to reset the pin set  611  and to set a partial pin set  614 . 
     Any commands sent to the front desk system  16  may be referred to as front desk commands. The front desk commands may include purchasing additional games, requesting service for the bowling lane, or requesting technical assistance with the console or with the mobile device.  FIG. 6B  illustrates an example menu for the mobile device  100  including a selection to add games  613  or buzz the front desk  610 . For purchases, the server  130  may generate a bowling center purchase code according to communication with the mobile device  100 , which is sent to the front desk system  16  after the user makes a purchase through the mobile device  100 . In one embodiment, front desk clerks may be omitted. That is, a bowler may enter the bowling center  101 , walk down to an empty bowling lane, and purchase bowling without ever interacting with a front desk clerk. 
     Any commands sent to the food service system  17  may be referred to as food service commands. The food service commands may include ordering a beverage or food item, requesting a server visit the lane, or a request for a menu. The server  130  may be configured to send a menu associated with the bowling center  101  to the mobile device  100  based on the food service command. The server  130  may generate a bowling center purchase code according to the food service command when the mobile device  100  makes a purchase.  FIG. 6B  illustrates an example menu for the mobile device  100  including a food service option  612 . Additional options  615 , which include but at not limited to access to premium scoring system features and games, may be provided by the mobile device  100 . 
     The server  130  may be configured to implement an incentive program. The server  130  maintains a user incentive record in database  320  for the incentive program. For each purchase, which includes bowling, food services, reservations, or any other item authorized through the mobile device  100 , the user of the mobile device  100  receive a credit in the user incentive record in database  320 . The user is credited or awarded discounts, cash, or prizes based on the amount of purchases. 
     The server  130  may be configured to implement revenue sharing. The server  130  maintains a revenue sharing record in the database  320  across multiple bowling centers. The revenue sharing record reflects purchases, which includes bowling, food services, reservations, or any other item authorized through the mobile device  100 . The revenue sharing record is used to attribute revenue to the administrator of the server  130 , the administrator of the reservation system, and/or the vendor of a mobile application running on the mobile device  100  facilitating the disclosed embodiments. 
     The mobile device  100  may be configured to record bowling scores and statistics in the memory  201 . The bowling scores are collected at multiple bowling centers. Therefore, the mobile device  100  is configured to calculate bowling average across multiple bowling centers. In addition, the server  130  may collect bowling scores across multiple bowling centers and store statistics in memory  301  or database  320 . 
     The mobile device  100  may be configured to generate a social media posting based on a bowling score. For example, when the mobile device  100  is logged into a social media service (e.g., Facebook, Twitter), the mobile device  100  automatically generates data indicative of a current bowling score and sends the data to the social media service. The mobile device  100  may generate a status message stating that the user is bowling or has checked into a particular bowling center. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an example embodiment of the automatic scoring system  110  of  FIG. 2 . The automatic scoring system  110  includes a center management controller  111  that manages a plurality of bowling lanes. For every N lanes, the automatic scoring system  110  includes a pinsetter controller  112 , an overhead controller  113 , and a console controller  114 . A first mobile device  100   a  may be configured to control a first pinsetter controller  112   a , a first overhead controller  113   a , and a first console controller  114   a . A second mobile device  100   a  may be configured to control a second pinsetter controller  112   a , a second overhead controller  113   a , and a second console controller  114   a . N may be any integer. 
     The mobile device  100  runs a mobile application that generates bowler authorization information in response to interaction with the reservation system or with the center management controller  111  through the internal network  115 . The mobile device  100  is authorized to send commands to a subset of the control systems based on the bowler authorization information, which is associated with a lane identification value that specifies the subset of control systems. The commands may include lane operation commands for the console controller  114 , display commands for the overhead controller  113 , or pinsetter commands for the pinsetter controller  112 . 
     The commands may be routed through server  130  as discussed above. Alternatively, the mobile device  100  may be in direct communication with the center management controller  111  through the internal network  115  or in direct communication with the any of the control systems through an ad-hoc network (e.g., Bluetooth ad-hoc network). In this implementation the center management controller includes a database including all aspects of the database  320  described herein. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates another example embodiment of the automatic scoring system  110  of  FIG. 2 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 8 , the console controller is omitted. The lane control console kiosks may be removed altogether, which provides a substantial cost savings for the bowling center  101 . Functions normally associated with the console control system are performed by a combination of the mobile device  100  and the center management controller  111 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates another example embodiment of the automatic scoring system  110  of  FIG. 2 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 9 , the console controller and the overhead controller are omitted. Again, lane control console kiosks may be removed altogether, which provides a substantial cost savings for the bowling center  101 . Bowlers may rely exclusively on the mobile device  100  for the function of the console and for the display of the overhead. The mobile device  100  may issue commands directly to the center management controller  111  or through the Internet and/or cellular network to the server  130 , which forwards the commands to the center management controller  111 . The bowling center  101  may be provided with a pedestal or stand to support the mobile device  100  as a replacement for the console. 
       FIGS. 10A and 10B  are an example flow chart for the operation of the server  130 , when the mobile device  100  communicates with the server  130  through the internet, or the automatic scoring system  110 , when the mobile device  100  communicates directly with the bowling center. The term controller refers to the server controller  300  or a controller of the automatic scoring system  110  in the alternative. 
     At S 101 , the controller receives a lane control command that originated with the mobile device. The lane control command may be include any combination of a pinsetter reset, a scoring change, a lineup change, a player identification, a player characteristic, a display preference, a partial rack placement of pins, a help request, or a food service request. Alternatively, the lane control command may include only a request to control the lane. The lane control command may be generated when the mobile application has been launched but before the user has actually made any lane control selections. 
     At S 103 , the controller determined which, if any, bowling lanes are associated with the mobile device  100 . The mobile device  100  may be deemed associated with a particular bowling lane if the lane control command requests to be associated with the particular bowling lane. However, a more secure algorithm may be used to associate the mobile device  100  with the particular bowling lane, which is discussed in more detail below. 
     At S 105 , the controller sends a response to the automatic scoring system  110 . The response includes data indicative of the bowling lane and the lane control system. The automatic scoring system  110  follows the lane control command as requested by the mobile device  100 . 
       FIG. 10B  illustrates a secure algorithm for determining which bowling lane is associated with the mobile device  100 , which is an expansion of S 103 . 
     At S 107 , the controller receives bowler authorization information from the mobile device  100 . The bowler authorization information may be created from a successful login to a reservation system. The bowler authorization information may be created from a scan by the mobile  100  device of an authorization code. The bowler authorization information may be created from a manual entry of an identification code or reservation confirmation code into the mobile device  100 . 
     At S 109 , the controller queries a database with the bowler authorization information. The database includes a look up table that associates the bowler authorization information with one or more lanes at the bowling center  101 . The database includes entries pairing bowler authorization information with lane identification values. 
     At S 111 , the controller receives the lane identification value from the database. The lane identification values instruct the controller that the mobile device  100  is authorized to issue commands to control the one or more lanes. In addition, the lane identification values may authorize the mobile device  100  to issue commands for other services such as purchasing bowling or food service. The lane identification value may expire. In addition to specifying the bowling center and the one or more lanes, the lane identification value may include a duration value. The duration value may bet set according to a number of games (e.g., 1, 2, or 10 games, etc.) or an amount of time (e.g., 30 minutes, 1 hour, etc.). In one format, the lane identification value may include {bowling center ID}:{lane ID}:{number of games}. When the duration expires, the mobile device  100  is no longer authorized to issue commands. 
     The controller may also be configured to send advertisements to the mobile device  100 . The advertisements may be related to additional games of bowling or seasonal specials at the bowling center. In addition, the controller may be configured to analyze the bowling games associated with the mobile device  100 . For example, novice bowlers may be presented with advertising for lessons or equipment. Further, bowlers may be presented with hints or tips based on the bowling games. For example, if the bowler consistently missed the pocket by the same amount, the controller may suggest a correction. 
       FIG. 11  is an example flow chart for the operation of the mobile device  100 . At S 201 , the display  211  displays a menu of options available to a user to operate the automatic scoring system. The menu of options may include but is not limited to a front desk help request, add bowlers, change score, add games, reset pins, and a food service request. At S 203 , the input device  203  receives a user input from the menu of options. The input device  203  may be a touchscreen. 
     At S 205 , the controller generates a lane control command according to the user input. The lane control command is sent either directly to the automatic scoring system  110  or indirectly through the server  130 . The lane control command allows the mobile device  100  to control any of the control systems discussed above. 
     The lane control command may include bowling authorization information. The bowling authorization information may be a manually entered code. The manually entered code may be received from a reservation system in an email or received from a front desk. The bowling authorization information may be a QR code printed from an email or a receipt and scanned by the camera  209  of the mobile device  100 . The bowling authorization information may be assumed based on the connectivity of the mobile device (e.g., when the mobile device  100  is connected to the bowling center internal network or when the mobile device  100  is connected to the console system  32 , or the automatic scoring system  110  via an ad-hoc network). 
     At S 207 , the communication interface  205  sends the lane control command to the server  130 . As discussed above, the server  130  determines whether the mobile device  100  is associated with any bowling lanes. For example, the server  130  may respond to the mobile device  100  with a lane identification value. The lane identification value specifies which lane or lanes in the bowling center  101  that the mobile device  100  can control and serves as a confirmation to the mobile device  100  that the mobile device  100  is authorized to initiate commands. The mobile device  100  may display a confirmation message such as “connected to lane 1.” The lane identification value may originate in the bowling authorization information or the lane identification value may be paired with the bowling authorization information in the database  320 . 
     The database  320  may also include a look up table that associates the bowler authorization information with one or more other lanes or mobile devices belong to a group or a league. The database authorizes communication between the mobile devices in the group or league. The mobile device  100  may be configured to generate a message that appears at the mobile devices or console systems of other bowlers in the group or league. The messages may be routed through the server  130  and the automatic scoring system  110 . 
     The present embodiments may be applied to systems not related to bowling using the same principles. For example, the present embodiments may be applied to any purchase-per-use activity such as billiards, darts, air hockey, shuffleboard, or batting cages. In each example, the mobile device  100  is authorized to communicate with the server  320 , which issues commands to a controller associated with any of the purchase-per-use activities. The present embodiment may also be applied to other activities besides purchase-per-use activities such as any activities with an electronic scoring system or an electronic scoreboard. Activities with an electronic scoring system or an electronic scoreboard may include basketball, baseball, hockey, football, and others. The mobile device  100  may be configured to adjust or control the electronic scoring system or the electronic scoreboard and configured to accumulate and store statistics. 
     The memory  211  and/or memory  301  may store computer executable instructions for filtering and routing communication session requests. The server controller  300  may execute computer executable instructions stored in the memory  301 . The mobile device controller  200  may execute computer executable instructions stored in the memory  211 . The computer executable instructions may be included in computer code. The computer code may be written in any computer language, such as C, C++, C#, Java, Pascal, Visual Basic, Perl, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), JavaScript, assembly language, extensible markup language (XML) and any combination thereof. 
     The computer code may be stored in one or more tangible media or one or more non-transitory computer readable media for execution by the mobile device controller  200  or the server controller  300 . A computer readable medium may include, but is not limited to, a floppy disk, a hard disk, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a compact disk CD, other optical medium, a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a memory chip or card, a memory stick, and other media from which a computer, a processor or other electronic device can read. 
     The mobile device controller  200  and/or the server controller  300  may include a general processor, digital signal processor, application specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, analog circuit, digital circuit, server processor, combinations thereof, or other now known or later developed processor. The mobile device controller  200  or the server controller  300  may be a single device or combinations of devices, such as associated with a network or distributed processing. Any of various processing strategies may be used, such as multi-processing, multi-tasking, parallel processing, remote processing, centralized processing or the like. The mobile device controller  200  or the server controller  300  may be responsive to or operable to execute instructions stored as part of software, hardware, integrated circuits, firmware, micro-code or the like. 
     The communication interfaces  205  and  305  may include any operable connection. An operable connection may be one in which signals, physical communications, and/or logical communications may be sent and/or received. An operable connection may include a physical interface, an electrical interface, and/or a data interface. An operable connection may include differing combinations of interfaces and/or connections sufficient to allow operable control. For example, two entities can be operably connected to communicate signals to each other or through one or more intermediate entities (e.g., processor, operating system, logic, software). Logical and/or physical communication channels may be used to create an operable connection. As used herein, the phrases “in communication” and “coupled” are defined to mean directly connected to or indirectly connected through one or more intermediate components. Such intermediate components may include both hardware and software based components. 
     The memory  211  and/or memory  301  may be any known type of volatile memory or a non-volatile memory. The memory  211  and/or memory  301  may include one or more of a read only memory (ROM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a programmable random access memory (PROM), a flash memory, an electronic erasable program read only memory (EEPROM), static random access memory (RAM), or other type of memory. The memory  211  and/or memory  301  may include an optical, magnetic (hard drive) or any other form of data storage device. The memory  211  may be located in a remote device or removable, such as a secure digital (SD) memory card. 
     Various embodiments described herein can be used alone or in combination with one another. The foregoing detailed description has described only a few of the many possible implementations of the present embodiments. For this reason, this detailed description is intended by way of illustration, and not by way of limitation.