David W Macpherson

US Patent:

58429298, Dec 1, 1998

Filed:

Aug 30, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/697870

Inventors:

Erick R. Moody - Grandville MI
William Sias - Muskegon MI
David MacPherson - Muskegon MI
Thomas G. Phee - Muskegon MI

Assignee:

Brunswick Bowling & Billiards Corporation - Muskegon MI

International Classification:

A63F 922

US Classification:

473 70

Abstract:

An instant replay system for a bowling scoring system is disclosed in which a video clip of a bowler's approach and deliver of a bowling ball and a video clip of the bowling ball subsequently entering a pin-fall area are filmed, compressed, and stored in a memory device, such as a hard drive. The instant replay system includes a controller for receiving user requests from a user input terminal of the bowling scoring system and for responding to such user requests by selecting a stored video clip and controlling playback of the selected video clip on a display monitor of the bowling scoring system. In this manner, a user may request that the replay video clip be played in at any selected rate, that the controller freeze the display on a specific video frame, and that the controller fast-forward or rewind the video clip. Further, the user may request the replay of any previously stored video clip by specifying the bowler, game, frame and ball of which the video clip is taken. The instant replay system may be networked to similar systems associated with other lanes of the bowling center and networked to a shared video server.