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EP-4301480-B1 - SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FOOSBALL TABLE IMPLEMENTING PLAYING OBSTACLES

EP4301480B1EP 4301480 B1EP4301480 B1EP 4301480B1EP-4301480-B1

Inventors

  • PLUMER, Stephen
  • RUNECKLES, Nicholas
  • RAPP, Wayne

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20220302

Claims (13)

  1. A foosball table system (200) comprising: a playing surface (105); a plurality of walls extending upward relative to the playing surface including a first sidewall (103), a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall, a first end wall (104), a second wall opposite the first end wall, wherein a plurality of rods (106) extend through the first sidewall through the second sidewall; a first goal (110) on a first end wall; a second goal on a second end wall; a first set (106, 107) of user input controls; a second set of user input controls; a foosball (212) comprising one or more lights (214); circuitry (215) coupled to the one or more lights and configured to cause the one or more lights to emit light according to a predetermined color sequence; a processor (208); and a non-transitory, computer-readable medium communicatively coupled to the processor and having logic stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, causes performance of operations including: receiving user input from either of the first set of user input controls or the second set of user input controls, modifying gameplay of a foosball game currently being played using the foosball table system; and detecting the foosball was scored in the second goal, and detecting the color of the foosball that was scored; updating a score of a second team or player in dependence upon the detected color, and displaying the updated score on a display screen of the foosball table system.
  2. The foosball table system of claim 1, wherein modifying the gameplay includes automatically deploying the foosball (212) onto the playing surface (105).
  3. The foosball table system of claim 1, wherein modifying the gameplay includes automatically adjusting a slope of the playing surface (105).
  4. The foosball table system of claim 3, wherein automatically adjusting the slope of the playing surface includes transmitting a signal to an actuator within at least a first leg (604 1 ) of the foosball table system, wherein the signal causes actuation of the actuator, and wherein actuation of the actuator includes one of extending or retracting a portion of the first leg.
  5. The foosball table system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein modifying the gameplay includes automatically activating a barrier (402-404, 406, 502) of the foosball table system.
  6. The foosball table system of claim 5, wherein automatically activating the barrier of the foosball table system includes transmitting a signal to an actuation motor thereby causing actuation of the actuation motor to deploy a goal mouth barrier (502) in front of at least part of the first goal (110) or the second goal.
  7. The foosball table system of claim 5, wherein automatically activating the barrier of the foosball table system includes transmitting a signal to an actuation motor thereby causing actuation of the actuation motor to raise a playing surface barrier (402) on the playing surface (105).
  8. The foosball table system of claim 5, wherein automatically activating the barrier of the foosball table system includes transmitting a signal to an actuation motor thereby causing actuation of the actuation motor to deploy a sideline barrier (406) from at least one of the first sidewall (103) or the second sidewall.
  9. The foosball table system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein modifying the gameplay includes automatically activating one or more air vents (300), and wherein the one or more air vents are located within at least one of the first goal (110), the second goal, the first sidewall (103) or the second sidewall.
  10. The foosball table system of claim 9, wherein modifying the gameplay further includes automatically deactivating the one or more air vents (300) after expiration of a predetermined time period.
  11. The foosball table system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the playing surface (105) is comprised of a display screen (408), and wherein modifying the gameplay includes altering an image rendered on the display screen, and wherein altering the image rendered on the display screen includes a reversal of a goal at which a first team or player is to score in order to be awarded one or more points.
  12. The foosball table system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the logic, when executed by the processor (208), causes performance of further operations including: determining whether the user input corresponds to an allocated modification.
  13. The foosball table system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: one or more legs (604) extending downward relative to the playing surface.

Description

FIELD Embodiments of the disclosure relate to the field of foosball tables. More specifically, one embodiment of the disclosure relates to foosball table systems or apparatuses that include one or more playing obstacles configured to alter the playing experience during a foosball match. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the one or more playing obstacles are implemented through computerized methods. GENERAL BACKGROUND The exact origin of the game of foosball, also referred to as table soccer, is unknown with claims of inception stemming back to the 1880s. Since then, the concept of the foosball table and gameplay of a foosball match has gone relatively unchanged. Even as the game spread across the world, the original design of the foosball maintained its original design. During the 1960s and 1970s, the game of foosball grew in popularity in the United States and reached its peak of popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, coinciding with the rise in popularity of arcades and coin operated machines. However, in 2002, the International Table Soccer Federation (ITSF) was established to restore the popularity of foosball and also provide a governing body for specifying rules and organizing competitions, etc. Even in light of these swings in popularity, and relatively recent establishment of an international governing body for the sport, the original concept for the foosball table and foosball gameplay remains unchanged. As electronic devices have risen considering in popularity, with many versions of hand-held electronic devices now ubiquitous in society, changes are needed to the original concept of a foosball table and foosball gameplay in order to attract players and retain their interest. Especially in social settings, such as recreation rooms, bowling alleys, arcades, etc., alterations that attract attention and excitement to a foosball table are needed. United States Patent Application US 2020/016479 discloses a system for providing stadium type gameplay system enhanced with a multimedia subsystem for emulating a real-world stadium environment. The systems and methods disclosed herein provide unique and novel solutions to address shortcomings of conventional foosball tables with respect to the above. The concepts provided herein will become more apparent to those of skill in the art in view of the accompanying drawings and following description, which disclose particular embodiments of such concepts in greater detail. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a foosball table system according to claim 1. Additional features and embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the disclosure are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional foosball table in accordance with some embodiments;FIG. 2A illustrates a foosball table system configured to implement one or more playing obstacles in accordance with some embodiments;FIG. 2B illustrates an embodiment of an illuminated money ball in accordance with some embodiments.FIG. 3A illustrates an elevation view of a portion of the foosball table system of FIG. 2 implementing a plurality of goal air vents in accordance with some embodiments;FIG. 3B illustrates a top-down view of the foosball table system of FIG. 2 implementing a plurality of sideline air vents in accordance with some embodiments;FIG. 4A illustrates a perspective view of a playing surface of a foosball table system implementing a plurality of playing field barriers in accordance with some embodiments;FIG. 4B illustrates a perspective view of a playing surface of the foosball table system of FIG. 4A implementing a plurality of sideline barriers in accordance with some embodiments;FIGS. 5A-5B illustrate perspective views of a goal mouth of a foosball table system implementing a goal mouth barrier in accordance with some embodiments;FIGS. 6A-6B illustrate perspective views of the foosball table system of FIG. 2 implementing actuators in the legs of the foosball table system of FIG. 2 in order to alter the angle of the playing field in accordance with some embodiments; andFIG. 7 is an exemplary embodiment of a logical representation the foosball table system of FIG. 2 in accordance with some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Various embodiments of the disclosure relate to foosball table systems that include one or more obstacles or alterations to the playing environment. In some particular embodiments, a foosball table system includes activation buttons accessible to each player or team, which cause activation of one or more of the obstacles or alterations, which may include, air vents that produce an airstream directed at altering the advancement of a foosball (e.g., alter the advancement along the playing surface or alter the advancement into a goal). The air ve