System allowing a player to operate several darts machines set up remotely from each other

The invention relates to a system for playing at multiple, Removed from each other, in particular coin-operated Throwing darts with at least two at two different Places placed on a bidirectional game Connection cable between the game devices, one each Slit, which is subdivided into segments, for receiving the dice, A device for detecting and displaying the hit position On the disk and a computer for processing, Evaluation and transmission of the data.

In the case of throwing arrows, it is important, preferably certain Segments of a target disk, ie a disk for accommodating the Throwing arrows. The determination of hits is done Conventionally simple by viewing this disc.

With the increasing possibilities of data communication lose Spatial distances are becoming increasingly important. The Users of the communication system may, Site data, etc., with each other, The corresponding devices and connection lines are available. In this way it has also become possible, on several, Entertainment devices. According to a proposal of the earlier patent application DE-A-4314 145, which shows a system for playing according to the preamble of claim 1, can be connected by means of a bidirectional connecting line between Two entertainment devices Played as if only played in one place. The device or player dialog takes place via the bidirectional Connection line. Here are the entertainment devices Is expediently provided with a display which identifies the game-relevant Data of the other devices directly. In this way The game on the other device can be tracked immediately will. In particular the result of the opponent is respectively On the other entertainment device. It can also be used on a Common playing field and the result of each other Player flashing or otherwise. The spatial Distance is hardly noticeable.

As entertainment devices, the proposed system Also throwing darts are used.

To play against two or more darts To play, which stand spatially separated, At least the affected segments of the disk (Target disk) by means of data transmission to the other device Should be communicated. The recording and transmission of hit data Concerning subdivisions of the segments on the For technical reasons, Hitfeld is very high So that such a system concept with a simple, Score between the inner and the outer Ring. This is not satisfactory for players, Because they can each the game strength of the opponent And do not adjust their tactics accordingly. However, this is precisely one of the most important Characteristics of the game, including its special Appeal.

A solution approach could now be to change the target field, Ie, the disk, by means of a camera and practically As a still image over the connection line to the Other dart game. However, this means Again, a very high technical effort, because it Be at least two cameras, data compressors, a powerful Data line, such as an ISDN line, data processing Etc. is required. On the other hand, there is a right Low effect.

DE-A-42 07 497 discloses a device for determining The impact point of dice on a target disc Described. This comprises one or two carriers each Opposing, parallel support bars, The edge bridges of which exceed the plane of the target disc and On each side a transmitter and this one diametrically To carry a receiver. For recording the Position of a dart on the target disc The transmitter / receiver pairs are moved along with the carrier webs Of the target, moving a sticking dart An interruption of the beam between transmitter and receiver And this triggers a processing signal. In the Movement of the strap-like carrier with the transmitter / receiver pair There may be occasional jamming and further An on-line detection of the arrow position is not possible, But this is temporally dependent on the driving processes Dependent.

The object of the invention is to provide a system for the Playing at several, spaced apart, In particular coin-operated darts, Which is a very accurate, current display of hit position Is possible.

This object is achieved according to the invention in a system with the Features of claim 1. Advantageous further training Of the system according to the invention are the subject matter of the subclaims.

A system according to the invention for playing at several, removed In particular coin-operated Darts are thus at least two to two Different places, a bidirectional Connection line between the game devices, respectively A disc which is subdivided into segments for accommodating the Throwing arrows, a device for the detection and display of the Hit position on the disc and a calculator for the Processing, evaluation and transmission of the data. At the same time Is a number of transmitter and receiver elements outside the disk , The connecting sections thereof Forming a grid above the pane and passing through a window on the Disk impacting dart. The grid Are assigned coordinates whose values ​​correspond to The crossing points for a data transmission to a Other game device for a hit position capture and Display are provided.

The dart game system according to the invention allows Playing the darts game at different locations High playfulness. This is ensured, in particular, That a very accurate hit display of the respective Hit field. It is self-evident The accuracy of the mesh of the grid of the transmitter / element links certainly. However, it is Then only required the position coordinate values Of this grid to represent the hit position. Thus the amount of data to be transferred is compared To that of a digitized image low. Due to the stationary arrangement of the transmitters And receiver there is no overrun due to a cyclic Movement to scan the field, but rather Can be on-line the position of just on the disk Plugged darts. Furthermore It is also possible to detect not only the position with respect to one The whole meeting segment, but rather Also differed between the inner and outer rings It may be necessary. A more precise indication.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, A frame is arranged outside the pane, in To which the transmitter and receiver elements are arranged. This Thus providing an easily assembled structural unit, wherein the Frame preferably consists of strip-like elements. These are expediently arranged at right angles to one another, Approximately at a distance of about 50 cm. This is the result Parallel beams which extend at an angle of 90 °, resulting in an XY coordinate grid.

The frame is advantageous for avoiding impact damage Made of shock-resistant material.

To reduce the dimensions and thus the sensor effort The frame is arranged adjacent to the disk. Diodes, in particular, are preferred as transmitter elements Laser diodes are provided. The transmitter and receiver elements Can be arranged in the frame or a frame element in each case Alternately, ie there is a sequence Transmitter, receiver, transmitter, receiver, ... Alternatively, The transmitter and receiver elements also face each other Or at least in some cases.

The transmitter elements send continuous or pulsed or intermittent Beams from the corresponding Receiving elements. A sticking dart Interrupts the beam path of two in particular Perpendicular to each other. In this There is no case with the corresponding receiver elements Light energy, which makes it possible again in a subsequent Evaluation circuit (comparator or AD-converter) Throw arrow position. In this way the XY coordinates. It can be so not only a hit segment, But rather a hit point, at least in any case A small hit area can be specified. Of the Opponents can recognize as closely as the other Player has missed his goal.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention Is a field for the display of the hit position, in particular Grid provided corresponding to the disk, and A marking system indicates the arrow position.

This representation practically replaces the observation Of a physically existing target field at the same location.

It may alternatively or additionally be a screen, in particular Large screen, for the hit position display be provided. On the screen can be the display Can still be set. In case of a large screen Several people can simultaneously play the game to track. In this way, not only do the directly active Players on the game part, but it can be a bigger one People circle, thereby causing the playfulness And also the immediacy of the game happening very much Is much larger. By means of such a large screen display Eg team points, tables, scores, rankings The player, etc. are displayed.

For the communication link between the game devices, Ie bidirectional connection line, can be a modem data transmission line be provided.

The computer is in an advantageous embodiment Of the system according to the invention is a personal computer. This Can be at the location of one of the playing devices, possibly also as a terminal In each case at the location of the playing devices. Alternatively, Also a central computer is possible, the whole event Controls and processes. For example, the calculator is on Via a data transmission line of personal computers Of the set-up. Furthermore the computer can Specially developed controller.

The invention is further described in the following by preferred embodiments And the drawing. In the Show drawing:<dl tsize="6"><dt>FIG. 1</dt><dd>5 shows a schematic representation of a device according to the invention Systems with two locations Throwing darts, </dd><dt>FIG. 2</dt><dd>A hit display on a screen only With hit segment capture, but without position representation,</dd><dt>FIG. 3</dt><dd>A hit representation similar to FIG. 2 A screen, but with additional Position representation, and</dd><dt>FIG. 4</dt><dd>A schematic representation of a disk for the Recording of the dice with a surrounding Frame with transmitter and receiver elements.</dd></dl>

In the following, reference is made to FIG. 1, in which the Construction of an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention With two locations. FIG. 1 (a) The first location A, eg a local play center. FIG. 1 (B) shows a location B, eg a second, spatially separated Play area. These are the locations Eg for playing halls. At location A there is a dart game 2A, which is basically a conventional one Structure and function. The game machine 2A is over A line 4A is connected to a computer 6A, to which a Data transmission device 8A, such as a telephone with Modem is connected. The computer 6A is shown in FIG An exemplary embodiment of a personal computer. To him is over A further line 10A is a large screen 12A for the hit display Connected.

The device configuration at location B is essentially similar, The corresponding devices instead of the letter "A" are designated by the letter "B" and therefore Can not be explained again in detail.

The two data transmission devices 8A, 8B are Via a data transmission line 14. The data transmission line can be implemented, for example, by the Telephone network, but also one ISDN line, a network, etc.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 (a) and (b) Are equipped with an additional position evaluation unit according to the invention Is provided. This includes a target field representation With position indication as shown in FIG. 3 Is.

First, however, a hit display for a screen Only with segment hit display. Corresponding to the throwing arrow toy Disc includes the hit field into segments 22, 24, 26, 28, etc. Subdivided circular field 20. The segments 22, 24, 26, 28, etc. are externally in each case by circular ring sections 32, 34, 36, 38, etc., to the field limitation. Furthermore, they are provided by further circular ring sections 42, 44, 46, 48, etc. into partial segments 22_a, 22_b, 24_a, 24_bEtc.. For a hit display without additional Position detection and display as shown in FIG. 2 illustrates , The hit position is merely segment-wise Discrimination. In the illustrated example, The segment 24 the hit segment, taking the opponent But can not recognize whether the segment portion 24a or 24b.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 illustrative example, used in the dart game 2A, 2B of FIG. 1 is realized The advantage of an additional position detection and display Of a throwing arrow hit. The structure of the target disc Is corresponding to that of FIG. 2, so that these Is not described again. It is used for equal parts Same reference numerals. In this example The throwing arrow on the disc Segment segment 24a of the segment 24 A marking arrow 50 is used for the target position Even the arrow position within the segment section 24a. In this way the opponent sees that the previous one Player has hit, but just on the edge Of the playing field. On this occasion, Set the game. The game is so much more realistic, Ie more similar to the case of personal presence, And in this way the game incentive is essential elevated.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a throwing-arrow disk With these bordering frame strips. The disc 62 is circular. The four frame strips 64, 66, 68, 70 are respectively At a right angle and close to the disc 62 , Whereby approximately a strip spacing of 50 cm results. Transmitter and receiver elements are in the strips 64 to 70 In the form of light-emitting diodes and sensors, Wherein the transmitter and the receiver each face each other Are located. Thus, the frame strips 64 and 70 comprise transmitter elements And the frame strips 66 and 68 receive receiving elements. It This results in intersecting light beams. A sticking arrow interrupts the beam path Beam pairs. In the exemplary embodiment shown, this is represented by The light beams 72, 74, the positions Of the corresponding transmitter and receiver elements are the XY coordinates Of the hit position.

Various modifications of the present invention are, of course, intended System over the system variants described above Out. These are therefore to be regarded as not The scope of the invention may be considered as limiting Is only determined by the claims.