# US 11,112,220 B2 · Dart game apparatus

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- Number: US 11,112,220 B2
- Document ID: US11112220B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/631,108
- Filed: 2018-07-30
- Published: 2020-04-30
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-31
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Games; Dartslive Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha SEGA Games; Kabushiki Kaisha Dartslive
- Inventors: Hiroshi Takamura; Takayuki Ohnishi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11112220B2

## CPC

- F41J 3/02: Indicators or score boards for arrow or dart games {(F41J5/00 takes precedence; timetables, lists or forms for shooter enlistment B42D15/0066)}
- A63B 65/02: Spears or the like {; Javelins}
- F41J 3/0061: {Target faces}
- F41J 5/02: Photo-electric hit-detector systems {(comprising a light-emitting device for simulating the firing of a gun F41G3/2622; detecting by optical means G01V8/10)}
- F41J 3/0009: {Dartboards}
- F41J: TARGETS; TARGET RANGES; BULLET CATCHERS {(targets for shooting or hurling games A63F9/0204)}
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)

## Abstract

[The present invention is] a dart game apparatus that provides a dart game in which one player successively throws n number of (n=3 or 4) darts D at a dart board 12, having: light sources LS that are disposed around the dart board 12 and emit lights L along the board face of the dart board 12; a plurality of photo-sensors S that are disposed around the dart board 12 at approximately the same height from the dart board 12 in the board thickness direction, and detect the brightness of the lights L emitted from the light sources LS; and a processor that calculates a hit position of a dart D in the dart board 12 based on the brightness of each light. A number of photo-sensors S is n×2.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A dart game apparatus that provides a dart game in which one player successively throws n number of (n=3 or 4) darts at a dart board, the apparatus comprising:
light sources that are disposed around the dart board and emit lights along a board face of the dart board, wherein the dart board has a board thickness in a board thickness direction, and wherein the board thickness direction is perpendicular to the board face;
a plurality of photo-sensors that are disposed around the dart board at approximately the same height from the dart board in the board thickness direction, and detect brightness of lights emitted from the light sources;
a processor that calculates a hit position of a dart on the dart board based on the brightness of the lights detected by the plurality of photo-sensors; and
a retro-reflector disposed around the dart board, wherein the retro-reflector includes two reflectors, wherein the reflectors are parallel to each other, wherein the reflectors are spaced apart from each other in the board thickness direction, and wherein the reflectors extend in a circumferential direction of the dart board, and
wherein a number of photo-sensors is n×2,
wherein the photo-sensors detect the brightness of the lights along a plurality of optical axes which pass from the dart board at different heights in the board thickness direction, and the processor calculates the inclination of the dart with respect to the dart board based on the brightness of the lights along the plurality of optical axes respectively, and calculates the hit position of the dart based on the calculated inclination, and
wherein in the case where a new dart hits the dart board successively from a previous dart, and a photo-sensor detects a plurality of the brightnesses of lights based on the previous dart and the new dart in one optical axis, the processor specifies a brightness of a current light of the previous dart after the new dart hits the dart board from the plurality of the brightnesses of lights, based on a past brightness of the previous dart before the new dart hits the dart board, and calculates an inclination of the new dart based on a brightness of light other than the specified brightness of the current light of the previous dart.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The dart game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the case where a dart hits the dart board, the processor stores the brightness of lights detected by the photo-sensors, and in the case where the next dart hits the dart board, the processor calculates the difference between the brightness of light detected by the photo-sensor and the stored brightness of light, and calculates the hit position of the next dart based on the difference.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The dart game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein for the hit position of the dart, the processor calculates a position by subtracting a predetermined length from the position of an intersection between a virtual line based on the inclination and the dart board.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The dart game apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the processor determines the predetermined length based on characteristics of a tip portion.