Automatic propelling feature for pinball games

An automatic flipper feature for a pinball game having a playfield supporting a rolling ball and a target thereon, said flipper feature comprising:

• a flipper, to be mounted to said playfield, for propelling said ball toward said target;
• a ball guide for guiding said ball to said flipper;
• one or more sensors for detecting said ball along said ball guide;
• and
• processor means, responsive to said sensors, for recording initial timing samples in a memory in response to said ball passing through said ball guide and being accurately propelled by said flipper, operated by a player, toward said target;
• wherein in response to said timing samples being recorded in said memory for said target, said processor means operates said flipper based at least partially on said recorded timing samples and attempts to propel said ball toward said target in response to said ball passing through said ball guide.

An automatic propelling feature for a pinball game having a playfield supporting a rolling ball and a plurality of targets thereon, said propelling feature comprising:

• ball propelling means, to be mounted to said playfield, for propelling said ball toward said targets;
• guide means, to be mounted to said playfield, for guiding said ball to said ball propelling means;
• sensor means for detecting said ball along said guide means;
• and
• processor means, responsive to said sensor means, for selectively operating said ball propelling means determining which of said plurality of targets are qualifying targets selecting one of said qualifying targets and attempting to propel said ball toward said selected one of said qualifying targets in response to said ball passing through said guide means.

An automatic flipper feature for a pinball game having a playfield supporting a rolling ball and a plurality of targets thereon, said flipper feature comprising:

• a flipper, to be mounted to said playfield, for propelling said ball toward said targets;
• a ball guide, to be mounted to said playfield, for guiding said ball to said flipper;
• one or more sensors for detecting said ball along said ball guide;
• and
• processor means, responsive to said plurality of sensors, for selectively operating said flipper, determining which of said plurality of targets are qualifying targets, selecting one of said qualifying targets, and attempting to propel said ball toward said selected one of said qualifying targets in response to said ball passing through said ball guide.

A method for automatically operating a ball propelling member of a pinball game having a playfield supporting a rolling ball and a target thereon, said method comprising:

• guiding said ball to said ball propelling member;
• sensing said ball as said ball is guided to said ball propelling member;
• providing a processor including memory for controlling operation of the game;
• recording initial timing samples in said memory in response to said ball being guided to said ball propelling member, sensed as said ball is guided to said propelling member, and accurately propelled by said ball propelling member, operated by a player, toward said target;
• and
• permitting said processor to operate said ball propelling member based at least partially on said recorded timing samples and attempt to propel said ball toward said target in response to said timing samples being recorded in said memory for said target.

A method for automatically operating a ball propelling member of a pinball game having a playfield supporting a rolling ball and a plurality of targets thereon, said method comprising:

• guiding said ball to said ball propelling member;
• sensing said ball as said ball is guided to said ball propelling member;
• providing a processor including memory for controlling operation of the game;
• and
• in response to guiding said ball to said ball propelling member and sensing said ball as said ball is guided to said ball propelling member, using said processor to selectively operate said ball propelling member, determine which of said plurality of targets are qualifying targets select one of said qualifying targets, and attempt to propel said ball toward said selected one of said qualifying targets.

A method for automatically operating a ball propelling member of a pinball game having a playfield supporting a rolling ball and a plurality of targets thereon, said method comprising:

• guiding said ball to said ball propelling member;
• sensing said ball as said ball is guided to said ball propelling member;
• under the control of a game processor, recording for each of said targets a predetermined number of timing samples associated with said ball being guided to said ball propelling member and accurately propelled by said ball propelling member toward said targets;
• selecting one of said targets for which said predetermined number of timing samples have been recorded;
• and
• propelling said ball toward said selected one of said targets.