Bowling scoring system with instant replay

An instant replay device for use in a bowling scoring system, said instant replay device comprising:

• a pin-fall area video camera directed toward a pin-fall area of a bowling lane so as to generate video signals representing a video clip of the pin-fall area as an actual bowling ball passes through the pin-fall area;
• storing means for receiving the video signals and storing the video clip;
• and
• a control circuit coupled to said storing means for transferring a video clip from said storing means to a display monitor of the bowling scoring system to playback the video clip in response to a user request signal received from an input terminal of the bowling scoring system.

An instant replay device for use in a bowling scoring system, said instant replay device comprising:

• a video camera for generating video signals representing a video clip of at least a portion of a path taken by an actual bowling ball rolled down a bowling lane;
• storing means for receiving the video signals and storing the video clip;
• and
• a controller coupled to a user input terminal of a bowling scoring system for receiving a user request signal to replay a video clip and for transferring the video clip from said storing means to playback the video clip in a selected manner on a display monitor of the bowline scoring system in response to the user request signal received from a user input terminal of the bowling scoring system.

An instant replay device for a bowling center, said instant replay device comprising:

• a video camera for generating video signals representing a plurality of video clips, each video clip including a video image of at least a portion of a path travelled by an actual bowling ball rolled down a lane;
• storing means for receiving the video signals and storing each of the video clips in separately addressable memory locations;
• a user input terminal for receiving a user request to playback a selected one of the stored video clips;
• a display monitor for displaying the selected video clip;
• and
• a controller coupled to said display monitor, to said storing means, and to said user input terminal for receiving a user request signal to replay the selected video clip, for identifying the addressable memory location in said storage means corresponding to the selected video clip, and for transferring the selected video clip from said storing means to said display monitor to playback the selected video clip on said display monitor in response to the user request signal.

An instant replay device for a bowling center, said instant replay device comprising:

• a video camera for generating video signals representing a video clip of at least a portion of a path travelled by an actual bowling ball rolled down a lane;
• storing means for receiving video signals and storing a video clip;
• an input terminal for receiving operator requests;
• transfer means for transferring a received video clip to a portable storage medium;
• and
• a control circuit coupled to said storing means, to said transfer means, and to said input terminal for transferring a video clip from said storing means to said transfer means for subsequent transfer to a portable storage medium in response to an operator request signal received from said input terminal.

An instant replay device for a bowling center, said instant replay system comprising:

• a video camera for generating video signals representing a video clip of at least a portion of a path traversed by an actual bowling ball rolled down a lane;
• storing means for receiving video signals and storing a video clip;
• an input terminal for receiving operator requests;
• a printer for printing a received video frame on paper;
• and
• a control circuit coupled to said storing means, to said printer, and to said input terminal for transferring a video frame of a stored video clip from said storing means to said printer for subsequent printing in response to an operator request signal.

An instant replay network for a bowling center having a plurality of bowling lanes, said instant replay network comprising:

• a network communication line;
• and
• a plurality of instant replay devices each associated with at least one bowling lane, each instant replay device including:
• a network interface coupled to said network communication line for transferring signals from the instant replay device over said network communication line;
• a video camera for generating video signals representing a video clip of at least a portion of a path taken by an actual bowling ball rolled down an associated bowling lane;
• a memory device coupled to said video camera for receiving the video signals therefrom and for storing the video clip;
• a display monitor for displaying the video clip;
• and
• a controller coupled to said memory device, to said display monitor, and to said network interface for transferring the video clip from said memory device to said display monitor for display on said display monitor.