Numerous automatic scoring systems exist for dart games. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,148 for "Rotatable Dart Board, Magnetic Darts and Magnetic Scoring Switches" discloses an automatic scoring dart board apparatus utilizing magnetic darts. A rotatably mounted dart board rotates to bring the magnetic darts embedded in the dart board into alignment with a plurality of magnetic actuatable switches located behind the dart board. U.S. Pat. No. 3,790,173 for "Coin Operated Dart Game" discloses a dart game which automatically and electrically accumulates the score of a thrown dart. A special surface for the dart board is required to electrically register the position at which the dart strikes the target. U.S. Pat. No. 3,454,276 for "Self Scoring Dart Game" discloses impact actuated electrical switches which activate relays to total the score of the thrown darts. Other automatically scored dart games are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,523,773; in U.S. Pat. No. 2,506,475; and in U.S. Pat. No. 2,165,147. The automatically scoring dart games disclosed in the prior art utilize either special darts or a special dart board surface. The present invention, on the other hand, provides a fast and accurate automatic system to calculate the position of an ordinary dart embedded within an ordinary dart board. A special dart board and/or special darts are not needed.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds