US-12624829-B2 - Interactive LED system for enhancing billiard gameplay

Abstract

A system for use with a billiards table may include addressable multi-color LED strips, a controller and a user device. The controller may be configured to send signals through the LED strips to control which one or more pixels are activated and one or more colors of light to be produced by corresponding one or more LEDs for the one or more activated pixels. The user device may communicate with the controller and may implement a program configured to enable a user of the user device to send lighting commands to the controller during gameplay. The lighting commands may indicate user-desired changes to lighting provided by the addressable multi-color LED strips. The controller may send corresponding signals to the addressable multi-color LED light strips to implement the changes to the lighting.

Inventors

• Blake Robert Martin

Assignees

• Blake Robert Martin

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20250528

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A system for use with a billiards table having rails, comprising: addressable LEDs positioned on or in the rails of the billiards table, wherein the LEDs are configured to emit light along portions of the rails; a controller configured to send signals to the addressable LEDs to control which one or more LEDs are activated; and a user device configured to communicate with the controller and to implement a program configured to enable a user of the user device to send lighting commands to the controller during gameplay, wherein the lighting commands are indicative of user-desired changes to lighting provided by the addressable LEDs, and the controller is configured to implement the commands by sending corresponding signals to the addressable LEDs to implement the changes to the lighting.
2. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are positioned within at least one cavity formed in the rails of the billiards table.
3. 3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one cavity includes at least one groove.
4. 4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising diffusers positioned over the LEDs.
5. 5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are electrically connected in series.
6. 6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs include at least one LED positioned on each side of a pocket of the billiards table, the LEDs being configured to emit light to visually identify the pocket during gameplay.
7. 7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are arranged in strips, each strip comprising a plurality of LEDs.
8. 8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein each strip of LEDs provides a linear arrangement of LEDS with a length corresponding to a length of a bumper of the billiards table.
9. 9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to send signals to the LEDs to produce a lighting pattern that dynamically changes during gameplay.
10. 10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the user device includes a phone or tablet configured to wirelessly communicate with the controller; or the user device includes a touchscreen monitor on or near the table, wherein the touchscreen monitor is configured communicate with the controller.
11. 11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are configured to emit light in response to a detected event, the detected event being a ball entering a pocket of the billiards table.
12. 12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are configured to emit light in different sections of the rails to indicate scores or gameplay status.
13. 13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are configured to emit light in response to a timer command, the timer command being indicative of an allotted time to play a shot.
14. 14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are configured to emit light in a pattern that corresponds to a selected gameplay mode, the gameplay mode being selected via the user device.
15. 15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are configured to emit light in a pattern that highlights a selected pocket during a “call-your-shot” gameplay mode.
16. 16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are configured to emit light in response to signals from sensors positioned on or near the billiards table, the sensors being configured to detect gameplay events.
17. 17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are configured to emit light in a pattern that corresponds to a scoring system, the scoring system being displayed on the rails of the billiards table.
18. 18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are provided as addressable multi-color LED strips.
19. 19 . A system for use with a billiards table having rails, comprising: addressable multi-color strips of LEDs positioned within grooves formed in the rails of the billiards table, wherein the strips of LEDs are configured to emit light along portions of the rails; the strips of LEDs being electrically connected in series; diffusers positioned over the strips of LEDs, wherein the diffusers are configured to diffuse light emitted by the LEDs to provide uniform illumination along the rails; a controller configured to send signals to the addressable multi-color strips of LEDs to control which one or more LEDs are activated and one or more colors of light to be produced by the activated LEDs; and a user device configured to communicate with the controller and to implement a program configured to enable a user of the user device to send lighting commands to the controller during gameplay, wherein the lighting commands are indicative of user-desired changes to lighting provided by the addressable multi-color strips of LEDs, and the controller is configured to implement the commands by sending corresponding signals to the addressable multi-color strips of LEDs to implement the changes to the lighting.
20. 20 . A system, comprising: a billiards table including a playing surface and rails positioned along a perimeter of the playing surface; addressable LEDs positioned on or in the rails of the billiards table, wherein the LEDs are configured to emit light along portions of the rails; a controller configured to send signals to the addressable LEDs to control which one or more LEDs are activated; and a user device configured to communicate with the controller and to implement a program configured to enable a user of the user device to send lighting commands to the controller during gameplay, wherein the lighting commands are indicative of user-desired changes to lighting provided by the addressable LEDs, and the controller is configured to implement the commands by sending corresponding signals to the addressable LEDs to implement the changes to the lighting.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priority of U.S. application Ser. No. 18/833,139, filed Jul. 25, 2024, which is a U.S. National Stage Filing under 35 U.S.C. § 371 from International Application No. PCT/US2023/061847, filed on Feb. 2, 2023, and published as WO2023/154654 on Aug. 17, 2023, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/267,765 filed on Feb. 9, 2022; the benefit of priority of each of which is hereby claimed herein, and which applications and publication are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. TECHNICAL FIELD This document relates generally to billiard table accessories, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to systems, devices, and methods for interacting with a user to enhance the gameplay experience using light emitting diodes (LEDs). BACKGROUND The game of billiards has been around for over six hundred years without much change in the game's appearance or play. The game of billiards is losing popularity as a pastime with the introduction of gaming systems, or other technology such as computers and phones. For example, in a typical public setting, one is likely to see more people attracted to their own phones than the standard pool table. Additionally, many families may purchase a pool table for their homes, but they often quickly bore of the new purchase and fail to use it. There is a need for an attraction to enhance the game of billiards for players of all abilities through user-interaction. SUMMARY An example (e.g., “Example 1”) of a system for use with a billiards table may include addressable multi-color LED strips, a controller and a user device. Each of the LED strips may have a length corresponding to a length of a bumper of the billiards table. Each bumper of the billiards table corresponds to one of the addressable multi-color LED strips (e.g., the LED strip substantially spans a length of the bumper). Each the LED strips may be electrically connected in series, and include a plurality of LEDs and a plurality of addressable pixels. Each of the addressable pixels may include one or more of the plurality of LEDs. The controller may be connected to an end of the series-connected LED strips, and may be configured to send signals through the LED strips to control which one or more pixels are activated and one or more colors of light to be produced by corresponding one or more LEDs for the one or more activated pixels. The user device may be configured to communicate with the controller and to implement a program configured to enable a user of the user device to send lighting commands to the controller during gameplay. The lighting commands may be indicative of user-desired changes to lighting provided by the addressable multi-color LED strips. The controller may be configured to implement the commands by sending corresponding signals to the addressable multi-color LED light strips to implement the changes to the lighting. In Example 2, the subject matter of Example 1 may optionally be configured such that the lighting commands include a call-your-shot command that is indicative of a selection of a pocket. The controller may be configured to implement the call-your-shot command by sending corresponding signals to the addressable multi-color light strips to identify the selection of the pocket using an identifiable color for one or more pixels proximate to the pocket. In Example 3, the subject matter of Example 2 may optionally be configured such that the selection of the pocket may be identified by lighting at least one pixel on each side of the pocket using the identifiable color. Alternatively, the pocket may be identified using pixel(s) on only one side of the pocket. Additionally, or alternatively, pocket LEDs positioned at the pocket may be used to identify the pocket. In Example 4, the subject matter of any one or more of Examples 2-3 may optionally be configured such that a remainder of the pixels around the table correspond to another color different from the identifiable color. In Example 5, the subject matter of any one or more of Examples 2-4 may optionally be configured such that the selection of the pocket is identified using a static light pattern by providing, until another command is received or a timer expires, constant red, green and blue values to the same one or more pixels proximate to the pocket. In Example 6, the subject matter of any one or more of Examples 2-5 may optionally be configured such that the selection of the pocket is identified using an animated light pattern by performing, until another command is received or a timer expires, a process that includes: varying at least one of a red value, a green value or a blue value to the one or more pixels, or providing light to different ones of the one or more pixels proximate to the pocket. In Example 7, the subject matter of any one or more of Examples 1-6 may optionally be configured such that the light