Bowling center bumper lighting units and optical sensors

A bowling center, comprising:

• at least one bowling lane along which a ball is rolled and having a rolling surface at one end of which are positioned pins to be knocked down and at an opposite, longitudinal end of which is located a bowler's bay from where the ball is thrown, the at least one lane comprising a side bumper running along each side of the bowling lane and movable between a lowered position which allows the ball to roll freely off the bowling lane into a gutter which channels the ball out of the bowling lane, and a raised position for keeping the ball on the bowling lane;
• an electronic control system configured to manage the at least one bowling lane to implement a scoring program which calculates a score of a game played on the at least one bowling lane;
• a detection system connected to the electronic control system, the detection system comprising optical sensors along the bowling lane and which is configured to detect a position of the ball along the bowling lane at a location which passes the optical sensors by the ball breaking a respective light beam of the optical sensors and the optical sensors sending a signal to the electronic control system, which the electronic control system uses the signals to detect the position of the ball as it rolls down the bowling lane;
• and
• a lighting system comprising a plurality of lighting units mounted on each side bumper, the lighting system being connected to the electronic control system which is configured to individually control each lighting unit to light respective zones of each bumper in a differentiated manner based on the detected position of the ball.