Historical Document · 1973
Filed 1971-03-22, a continuation of a 1968-01-15 application. The Odyssey-era television game patent; Fig. 4 is the light-gun circuit.
United States Patent [191 [11] Baer [451 Apr. 17, 1973 [54] TELEVISION GAMING AND TRAINING APPARATUS [75] Inventor: Ralph H. Baer, Manchester, NH. [73] Assignee: Sanders Associates, Inc., Nashua, _ N.l~l. [22] Filed: FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS OTHER PUBLICATIONS Radio and Television News; August 1956, pp. 63. Radio Electronics, May 1956, pp. 38. ' Primary Examiner—Richard Murray Attomey-Louis Etlinger Mar. 22, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 126,966 [57] Related US. Application Data [63] 3,728,480 Continuation of Ser. No. 697,798, Jan. 15, 1968, abandoned. [52] US. Cl ................... ..l78/6.8, 178/6, l78/D1G. 1 [51] Int. Cl. ............................................. ..H04n 7/18 [58] Field of Search ...................... ..273/l0l.l, 101.2; 315/22, 26, 30, l0, l8; 178/D1G. 4, 7.83, DIG. 6 ABSTRACT The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method, in conjunction with standard monochrome and color television receivers, for the generation, dis play, manipulation, and use of symbols or geometric ?gures upon the screen of the television receivers for the purpose of training simulation, for playing games, and for engaging in other activities by one or more participants. The invention comprises in one embodi ment a control unit, connecting means and in some References Cited applications a television screen overlay mask'utilized in conjunction with a standard television receiver. The control unit includes the control means, switches and UNITED STATES PATENTS electronic circuitry for the generation, manipulation [56] 2,489,883 11/1949 2,552,022 and control of video signals which are to be displayed Hecht ........................... ..250/2 l 7 CR on the television screen. The connecting means cou 5/1951 Watson et a1 . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . ..3l5/26 ples the video signals to the receiver antenna terminals ....328/187 thereby using existing electronic circuits within the 2,595,646 6/1952 Doba, Jr. et a1. 2,648,724 8/1953 Enslein . . . . . . . . . . . ..178/6 Tl" 2,956,l 16 10/1960 Singleman . . . . . . . . . . ..l78/6 Tl‘ receiver to process and display the signals. An overlay mask which may be removably attached to the televi 3,014,724 12/1961 Crydcr et a1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..l78/7.83 sion screen may determine the nature of the game to 3,046,676 6/1962 Hermann et al.... .......... ..35/25 3,151,248 3,401,331 9/1964 9/1968 Glaser et a1. .................... ..273/l01.1 Mussulman ....................... .. 178/6 'IT be pla ed or the trainin simulated. Control units are provi ed for each of e participants. Alternatively, 2,621,246 12/1952 Clayden et a1 ................. ..178/D1G. 6 1,180,470 6/1959 France games, training simulations and other activities may be carried out in conjunction with background and other pictorial information originated in the television receiver by commercial TV, closed-circuit TV or a CATV station. 46 Claims, 26 Drawing Figures 10 ll“ ' 17 £26 3.728.480 PATENTED'APR I 7 I973 SHEET U1'UF11 , .1 ! ! 1" Hill‘vi FIGlA ~ FIG. I FIG. IE3 INVENTOR RALPH H. BAER "fwd J. 4770 RNEY PATENTEBAPRWW ' 3,728,480 mm 02 0F 11_ / / [ / c'Ro'waA R cmcun L24 Y ' ' . ' INVENTORY RALPH H. BAER ATTORNEY PATENTEI] APR 1 7 I973 3.728.480 ’ sum 03 or 11 __ 30 INVEIV TOR FIG. 2 ' RALPH H. BAER BYFWJ ATTORNEY PAIENTEDAPRI H918 . saw 7 3,728,480 us or 11 _ 89 INVEN 70!? RALPH H. BAER "M4. W 47 YORNEY PAIENIEDAPRHIHH ' 3.728.480 SHEET 08 HF 11 “45% _I ii} v {9% FIB INVENTOI? RALPH H. BAER FIG. 5E ' “(c/‘M AT TORNE Y PAIENIEMPRWIHH 3.728.480 SHEET ‘08 0F 11 1* / RALPH H. BA'ER _ "KM J/ézim ‘ nrromr PATENTEDAFRI'IW I sum nanny ‘ 3.728.480 ' I III lllllHLHlllllLi-ll ‘llll FIG. 6D FIG. 6F INVENT0!? RALPH’ H. BAIER A 7' TORNE Y 3.728.480 PATENTED APR 1 7 I973 ' SHEET, 10 0F 11 I VERT SYNC PULSES OUT I I28 | I m l l | I30 I HORIZ SYNC PULSES OUT l I23 I l I24 |______‘_____} I29 FIG? TO ANTENNA OR I32 I33 VIDEO FIG. 8 INVENTOR RALPH. H. BAER ‘Ml 417m-" _ A7 TORNE Y PATENIEUAPWIHH I 3.728.480 sum 11 or 11_ . THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WASt' -- I‘. . I I A 9 .' LINCOLN I'F'ML"2 . "H.’TRUMAN L. 6. WASHINGTON La_ . ' ' -—j\\|55 JOHNSON I-—\\|54 ass I‘ luvs/wok RALPH H. BAER ATTORNEY ' 3,728,480 1 2 TELEVISION GAMING AND TRAINING participants to use a standard television set while APPARATUS receiving background and other pertinent pictorial in This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 697,798 ?led Jan. 15, 1968 now abandoned. formation from a cooperative commercial TV, closed circuit TV, or CATV station, thus combining or alter nating studio and home-generated information on the BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION TV screen. The invention relates to an apparatus and method by means of which standard television receivers can be It is still another object of the present invention to allow the use of a standard TV set for gaming or other utilized as active rather than passive instruments. This activities without the need for any kind of internal elec is accomplished by certain embodiments having par trical connection to the TV set for the introduction of ticipants manipulate controls of a control unit con video and/or chroma signals, connections being required to be made only to the externally accessible nected to the television receiver to cause a symbol, such as a rectangle, bar, “dot” or a pair of dots to be antenna terminals. displayed upon the television screen by means of which It is still another object of the present invention to the participants can play a variety of games, participate 15 provide for interrogating a standard TV receiver in simulated training programs, as well as carry out through an optical photosensor in a manner allowing other activities. By way of example, modi?ed versions the identification of a suitably time-or frequency-coded of the well-known game of checkers may be played by message, not interpretable by the unaided eye, such two participants by placing an appropriate mask 20 message having been originated in the TV viewers representing the checker board upon the screen of the equipment by a cooperative commercial TV, closed television receiver. For a simulated training program, “dots" displayed on the TV screen could represent circuit TV or CATV station. It is still a further object of the present invention to ships which would be maneuvered by operating provide apparatus for decoding messages on a TV manipulating controls. 25 screen.‘ l-leretofore, color and monochrome television receivers have been used by the home and other viewers only as passive devices; i.e., the television SUMMARY OF THE. INVENTION In accordance with one embodiment of the present receiver is used only as a display means for pro invention a television gaming apparatus is provided for gramming originating at a studio. The viewer is limited 30 generating video signals in accordance with the stan to selecting the presentations available for viewing and dardized television format, which signals may be con is not a participant to the extent that he can control or trolled by an individual operator by means of a joystick in?uence the nature of, or add to the presentation dis played on the receiver screen. A standard receiver is or other manually operative means. The television employed with auxiliary equipment to provide an ac 35 gaming apparatus comprises a control box having en closed therein all the necessary electronic circuits to tive form of home entertainment. Since most homes are produce video signals which are compatible with Stan—, dard television receivers, both monochrome and color. The control box has video signal control means equipped with television receivers, the only expense required to provide added family enjoyment is the ex pense of a control unit of one type or another. It is, therefore the primary object of the present in 40 mounted thereon for easy access and connecting means are provided for coupling the video signals generated vention to provide an apparatus and methods for dis playing video signals upon the screen of a television receiver, where some or all of the video signals are both within the control box to the television receiver. There is also provided suitable overlay masks which are adapted to be removably secured upon the television It is another object of the present invention to pro 45 screen. These masks permit playing of games and train ing simulation which are adaptable to display upon a vide an apparatus and method wherein a standard color generated and controlled by the viewer. television screen. or monochrome television receiver is utilized as an ac By way of illustration, the television gaming ap tive instrument for simulated training programs and to paratus can be used for electronic target shooting by 50 providing a gun having a photo-electric cell which is ac ticipants. tivated when a trigger is depressed. Thus, when the gun It is a further object of the present invention to pro is aimed'at a “dot” displayed on the television screen, vide a device whereby an individual may pit his alert which “dot" serves as the target, and the trigger is ness, skill, manual dexterity and visual acuity on auto depressed, a hit will be indicated directly on the televi matically controlled video displays. , lt is still another object of the present invention to 55 sion screen by a visual display when the photoelectric cell is in alignment with the “dot." The “dot" which provide an apparatus which will also provide visual in serves as the target may be either ?xed or moveable dication of the results of the games played and the play various types of games involving one or more par simulated training programs. ‘ and can be swept across the screen in a predetermined or random fashion, at either a ?xed or variable rate, ' _ It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which will generate “dots" or other geometric ?gures such as squares, rectangles, either manually or automatically. By way of further illustration, games may be played bars, stripes, etc. Which may be controlled by one or more participants for playing various types of games closed-circuit or CATV) provides background data and for training simulation by the display and utiliza tion of the “dots.” ' in which a cooperative TV station (commercial, 65 such as scenery for a simulated turkey-shoot game, or ' It is yet another object of the present invention to _ provide an apparatus which may allow one or more such as checkerboard game backgrounds, time-left-to play-clocks and innumerable others designed to enhance the appeal of the activity. A cooperative TV 3,728,480 3 4 station can also provide;targcts fora target shooting shielded twin lead and is ‘attached to the antenna ter game as well as messages to‘be decoded; For example, minals of receiver 10 in ‘conventional fashion (see FIG. tests questions could be displayed on the'TV screen with a multiple set of answers whereby. the correct IA). ' ' , ' . answer is coded in such a. manner that a photocell cir Control unit 14. generates video signals shown as “ dots" 20, and 20, which are positioned on the receiver cuit would detect the coding signifying selection of the screen 18 by knobs l6, l7, and 16,, 17,, respectively. correct answer. In this embodiment the “dots" 20 are‘ squares or I From the above illustrations it .will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that thepresent invention ex hibits a great latitude of versatility. rectangles. However, any geometric shape is applica ble. Knob 16 controls the vertical position of dot 201 while knob 17 controls the horizontal position thereof. Thus, it can be seen that the dot 201, may be positioned BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS at any point on the screen by the proper manipulation The aforementioned and other objects, features and of knobs 16 and 17. Dot 202 is positioned in like manner by knob 16,, 17,. A reset switch 26 is shown on the control unit 14 and is used to reset the picture on the television screen. For example, a game may be played in which one dot is to be positioned over the other and when this is accomplished one dot will disap advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description thereof when considered in conjunction with the drawings wherein: ' > FIG. 1 is a pictorial view illustrating the principal components of one embodiment of the invention; 20 pear when a monochrome set is used, while in a color . FIG. 1A is a sketch illustrating the manner in which set, the dot will disappear and the background will the components of the embodiment of FIG. 1 are con change color. When games of this nature are played, a nected; reset means is required before play can be resumed. FIG. 1B is a pictorial view illustrating an alternate Reset switch 26 performs this function. embodiment for the control unit of FIG. 1; 25 A knob 15 controls background color for color TV FIG. 1C is a sketch showing a “light-gun” containing receiver applications. Alternatively, control unit 14 a photocell and electronic circuits. may be broken up into a master control unit containing FIGS. 1D and 1E are sketches illustrating the manner the electronic circuits and individual control units con in which the components of the embodiment of FIG. 1 taining control knobs 16, 17 and 16,, 17,, whereby may be connected when used with a cooperative TV. each participant may operate from a position not proxi station. mate the other and so not to interfere with other FIG. 2 is a sketch illustrating a TV screen and over players. This is illustrated in FIG. 18 wherein control unit 14 is broken up into a master control unit 21 and lay mask as employed in the embodiment of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the control unit of FIG. I; ' 35 FIG. 4 is a schematic illustrating the electronics for a target shooting game; individual control units 22 and 23. The master control unit 21 contains the electronic circuitry found in con trol unit 14 and controls 26 and 15. Knobs 16, 17 and 16,, 17, which position the dots 201 and 202 are situ FIGS. SA-SG are schematics of the blocks of FIG. 3; FIGS. 6A-6F are waveforms (not drawn to scale) il tracting horizontal and vertical synchronization pulses ated on individual control units 22 and 23 respectively. The knobs 16, 17 may be combined into a single joystick permitting control of the horizontal and verti cal dot positioning by a single control means. Rather than provide a separate control unit, the con from a TV receiver without making internal connec trol unit could be built into the television receiver as a lustrating operation of the schematics of FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a schematic illustrating the method of ex tions, when using a signal broadcast by a cooperative 45 constituent part thereof and the receiver sold as ‘both TV station; an active and passive home entertainment system. 7 FIG. 8 is a sketch illustrating apparatus for modulat A typical sequence of steps to play a game using the ing a received TV signal by a video and/or chroma present invention would be as follows: 1. Attach con signal generated by the control unit of FIG. 1; nection means 12 to TV set 10 at antenna terminals 19 FIG. 9 is a sketch illustrating the TV screen of a if not already attached; 2. turn TV set on; 3. select the proper channel on the set for the control unit being used; 4. apply power to the control unit; 5. attach a mask on the face of the TV screen, if required for the game to be played; 6. begin the game. receiver employed in a coded information mode; and FIG. 10 is a schematic of a decoder used to decode the information present on the TV screen of FIG. 9. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The principal components of one embodiment of a television gaming system con?gured according to the 55 Referring now to FIG. 2, a television screenl8 is il lustrated having two “dots" 201 and 202 displayed. An overlay mask 30 of some type of transparent material such as plastic or the like, having some type of pattern, picture or other illustration pertaining to the particular and means 12 for connecting control unit . 14 to 60 game to be played is shown in a lifted position. Prior to receiver 10. The television receiver 10 employed can engaging in a game, the overlay mask 30 would be tem be any of the standard commercially available models porarily attached ‘to television screen 18 and in such that are generally used forhome entertainment. Either close. proximity to it as not to create any distortion a monochrome or color television set may be used with when viewed with reference to the dots 20. One type of the present invention since the basic principles of the overlay mask could be a checkerboard pattern to be invention apply to both types. The connection means used for playing a‘ modi?ed game of checkers. Still 12 is in this embodiment a shielded cable, for example. another pattern could be a maze type, with the object invention are illustrated in FIG. 1 which is a pictorial view showing a television receiver 10, a control unit 14 5 3,728,480 of the game being to escape within a speci?ed time. These are but a few of the many games that can be adapted for use with the present invention. Alternatively, rather than employ overlay mask 30, the pattern to be provided could be displayed directly on the screen 18. The pattern could be broadcast by TV stations or alternatively could be sent to a non-used 6 at the antenna terminals is detected and processed by the television receiver in the standard manner and is ’ displayed upon the screen. The two controllable “dots” are the means by which games may be played. Alternatively the video signal could be applied inter‘ nally to the receiver without rf carrier modulation. The “dot" coincidence detector and crowbar circuit channel over closed-circuit or CATV lines. This em 40 receives an input from both the ?rst and second “ bodiment is described in greater detail hereinafter with dot” generators 34 and 35 taken at outputs 94 and 98 respect to FIGS. 7 and 8. The control unit 14 will now be described in detail by referring to the block diagram shown in FIG. 3. The thereof, respectively (see FIG. 5). When the “dots” 20, and 202 are coincident, the ?rst “dot" generator 34 is turned off by the “dot” coincidence detector and crow timing for the television gaming system is established bar circuit 40. Thus, when one “dot” is superimposed within the control unit by a horizontal sync generator upon the other, one of the “dots” will disappear. 31 and a vertical sync generator 32. A variety of games may be adapted to use this par The horizontal sync generator 31 employed in this ticular aspect of the television gaming system. For ex embodiment is a multivibrator whose output is a series ample, a game of fox and hounds may be played with of pulses rather than a square wave. The repetition rate one “dot" representing the fox and other the hounds. of these pulses is the standard horizontal scanning 20 When the hounds catch the fox, the fox’s “dot" disap frequency used in commercial television receivers. The pears indicating a catch. Any game requiring an indica positive sync pulse output 81 of the horizontal sync tion of when contact is made between two objects may generator 31 is simultaneously applied to a first “dot” be adapted to this concept. generator 34, a second “dot” generator 35 and a The chroma generator 33 is used when the control chroma generator 33 (in color TV applications). The 25 unit 14 is coupled to a color television receiver. negative sync pulse output 82 of the horizontal sync Chroma generator 33 may be omitted for monochrome generator 31 is applied directly to a summing ampli?er applications. The gaming system for color operation is modulator 37. The “dot” generators 34 and 35 when the same as that for monochrome sets with the excep triggered by horizontal sync generator 31 generate a tion that the background color in the color receivers pulse which is the horizontal video information portion of the television composite signal that forms the “dots" 20 on the television receiver screen 18. The manual may be controlled. A color control knob 15 (see FIG. 1) is provided on control unit 14 and is coppled to a potentiometer within the chroma generator 33 by control knobs 16, 17 and 16,, 171 on the control unit which means the background color may be varied are attached to the shafts of potentiometers 86, 92 and throughout its entire color spectrum. The horizontal 95, 99 in the dot generator circuits of the “dot" genera~ 35 sync generator 31 provides the trigger signal to the tors 34 and 35 respectively (see FIGS. 5C and 5D). Al ternatively, a single control such as a joystick could be coupled to knobs I6, 17 and a second joystick coupled to knobs 16,, 171. Adjustment of these potentiometers establishes the position of the “dots” on the television screen. The vertical sync generator 32 is coupled to the ?rst and second symbol or “dot" generators 34 and 35 and chroma generator 33 whose output is then summed in the summing network of the summing ampli?er~modu lator 37 with the other portions of video information. The resultant composite video information is then modulated with the carrier in the modulator and r-f oscillator 38. The RF signal is then coupled as before to the television receiver antenna terminals 19 and is de tected, processed and displayed in the standard triggers the “dot” generators to generate a pulse which 45 manner. is the vertical video information portion of the com One game which may be played employing the con posite television signal. The combination of the horizontal and vertical signals form a “dot" on the television receiver screen. There are two manual con trol knobs for each “dot". One of the knobs controls the horizontal pulse position while the other controls the vertical pulse position. The output of the “dot” generator which is the delayed horizontal pulses that are gated by the delayed vertical pulse, describes the cepts of this'invention is target shooting. A “toy” gun containing a photocell is electrically coupled to the control unit. When a game is played using the target gun, also called a “light-gun," hits are shown on the screen by having one of the “dots” disappear. Signals detected by a target gun circuit 36 are used to trigger the crowbar circuit portion of “dot" coincidence vdetector and location of the “dots" on the television screen. The 55 crowbar circuit 40, which turns off the ?rst dot genera horizontal and vertical video information from the ?rst and second "dot” generators 34 and 35 is summed tor 34. Thus, one of the dots will disappear indicating a hit. The operation of the target gun circuits will be together in the summing networkof summing ampli? described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 4. er-modulator 37. The summing network is a resistor The power source 41 is preferably a battern and pro matrix which sums all the signals presented to one 60 vides the necessary power to operate the various cir point. Thus the composite video information is formed. cuits. The composite video information is then coupled to the Referring now to FIG. 5, there is illustrated thereby modulator portion of summing ampli?er-modulator 37 schematics of the blocks of FIG. 3. The schematics are and to r-f oscillator 38 which modulates the video in described in conjunction with the waveforms of FIG. 6. formation with the carrier to generate the modulated Note that the circled capital letters A, B . . . designate RF signal. The RF signal is then coupled to the televi connection points, that is A is coupled to A, B to B, etc. sion antenna terminals 19. The RF signal that is present The horizontal oscillator 31 of FIG. 5A is an astable 7 3,728,480 8 multivibrator that operates at approximately 15.75 ses taken at point 89;‘ waveform 66 represents the out KHz and generates the horizontal sync and timing‘pul ses that are used within the" control unit and the televi sion’ receiver. One output signal taken at point is a positive sync pulse which in one embodiment is approx imately 8 volts in amplitude and has a pulsewidth of 4 microseconds. A second output signal taken at point 82 put from the delay and pulse-forming circuit takenat point 91; and waveform 67 represents the output from is a negative sync, pulse which also is approximately 8 volts in amplitude and has _a pulse width of 4 microseconds. The vertical oscillator '32 of FIG. 5B is an astable the pulse shaper taken at point 151. The video information that will be displayed on the television screen 18 as a “dot" 20 is the summation of the outputs of the horizontal and vertical delay and pulse-forming circuit. When the delayed vertical pulse is at point 151, the delayed horizontal pulses at point 10 150 will be gated through to the ?rst “dot” generator output 94. The waveforms of FIG. 6C illustrate the multivibrator that operates at 60 Hz and provides posi signals 63 and 67 taken at points 150 and 151 respec tive 89 and negative 90 vertical sync pulses of approxi mately 8 volts amplitude and 1 millisecond duration. tively in expanded form and the output signal from the ?rst “dot" generator 68 taken at 'point' 94. The signal The ?rst “dot” generator 34 is illustrated in FIG. 5C and is comprised of an “and” gate, and horizontal and 68 which is present at the ?rst “dot" generator output 94 contains the ‘horizontal and vertical data that will be processed by the television receiver'and displayed as a vertical delay and pulse-forming circuits. The delayed horizontal and vertical pulses (positive sync pulses) are AND-gated together to form the video information “dot" 20, on the screen. . which produces one “dot” on the television screen. The settings of potentiometers 86 and 92 control the horizontal and vertical position of the “dot” 201 on Both delay and pulse-forming circuits utilize the posi tive sync pulse transistor of their respective oscillators screen 18. The second “dot" generator 35 (see FIG. 5D) is con as its input transistor. The positive sync pulse from ?gured cxactly as the ?rst “dot” generator and point 81 of the horizontal oscillator is used to trigger 25 operates in the same manner to provide video informa the horizontal delay and pulse-forming circuits portion tion for the second “dot" 202. The input to the horizon of the ?rst dot generator. When the positive sync pulse, tal delay and pulse-forming circuit portion of the taken at point 81, is applied at point 84, the pulse that second “dot” generator is provided at a point 96. The appears at the output of the delay and pulse-forming input to the vertical delay and pulse-forming circuit circuit point 85 is delayed by the time constant portion of the “dot" generator is provided at a point established by the setting of potentiometer 86 and 97. The output of the second “dot” generator is taken capacitor 87. The delay and pulse-forming circuit out at a point 98. put passes through a pulse shaper having an RC time The “dot" coincidence and crowbar circuit 40 illus constant of very short duration relative to the horizon trated in F lg. SE is connected to the outputs of the first tal oscillator frequency. The output of the pulse shaper 35 and second “dot” generators. The cathode end of a is taken at a point 150. The time delay may be varied from 9 microseconds to 57 microseconds which is sub stantially the entire range of the horizontal sweep period. The pulses which are generated by the horizon tal oscillator, the horizontal delay and pulse~forming diode 101 is connected to the output 94 of the ?rst “ dot“ generator while the cathode end of a diode 102 is connected to the output 98 of the second “dot" genera tor. When the outputs of both “dot" generators coin cide, a positive signal will be applied to the gate 103 of circuit and the pulse shaper, are shown in FIG. 6A as waveforms 60, 61, 62 and 63. Waveform 60 represents a silicon controlled recti?er (SCR) 104. The cathode of SCR 104 is tied to ground, while the anode thereof is the negative horizontal sync pulses taken at point 82; connected at a point 106 to point 105 in the ?rst “dot" waveform 61 represents the positive horizontal sync 45 generator. The SCR 104 will turn on and clamp point pulses taken at point 81; waveform 62 represents the 105 of the ?rst “dot” generator to ground. Thus, the output from the delay and pulse-forming circuit taken output of the ?rst “dot" generator will become zero as at point 85 and waveform 63 represents the'output long as SCR 104 is conducting, causing the ?rst “dot” from the pulse shaper taken at point 150. on the television screen to disappear. After the “dots" The positive sync pulse taken at point 89 of vertical 50 are made non-coincident, the SCR 104 may be reset by oscillator 32 is used to trigger the vertical delay and momentarily depressing reset switch 26, which pulse-forming circuit portion of the ?rst dot generator. removes the ground from point 105 of the ?rst “dot" The output signal appears at point 91 after a time delay generator, allowing the ?rst “dot” to reappear on the which is determined by the setting of potentiometer 92 television screen. and capacitor 93. The delay and pulse-forming circuit 55 The modulator and r-f oscillator illustrated schemati output passes through a pulse shaper having an R-C cally in FIG. SP is coupled by a resistive network com time constant of very short duration relative to the ver prising resistive element 108~111 (see FIGS. 5A-5D) tical oscillator frequency. The output of the pulse to the negative sync pulses of the horizontal and verti shaper is taken at point_l51.'The time delay may be ‘ cal oscillators and the output signals of the ?rst and varied from 1.5 milliseconds to "l 5.5 milliseconds which 60 second “dot" generators. The r-f oscillator which is substantially the entire range of the vertical sweep operates at the selected television channel carrier period. The pulses which are generated by the vertical frequency is collector-modulated by the output of the oscillator, the vertical-delay and pulse-forming circuit, summing ampli?er taken at point 112. The composite and the pulse shaper are shown in FIG. 68 as video signal which is inductively coupled to pickup coil waveforms 64, 65, 66, and 67. Waveform 64 represents 65 113 is‘ coupled to the television receiver antenna ter the negative vertical sync pulses taken at point 90; minals 19. The composite video signal is shown in FIG. waveform 65 represents the positive vertical sync pul 6D. I i 3,728,480 9 The chroma generator 33 illustrated in FIG. 56 is used only when the control unit 14 is coupled to a color television receiver and is comprised of a crystal-con trolled oscillator, a variable phase shifter and an OR gate. The output of the crystal-controlled oscillator which operates at 3.579545 MHz is taken at point 115. The phase shifter is variable over the approximate range of 0°— 180° by a potentiometer 116. The reference phase signal (0°) 70 is coupled to point 117. The variable phase signal 71 is coupled to point 118. These signals are shown in FIG. 6E and are displaced with respect to one another by the amount set in the phase shifter by potentiometer 116. The output signal of the chroma generator developed at point 119 is com prised of a chroma sync burst and the chroma signal. The composite chroma signal 72 which is the output of the chroma generator is shown in FIG. 6F. The chroma ' sync burst is the 0° phase reference signal. The chroma is to be displayed on the screen as a target, the ?rst “ dot” would be used. A reset button 26 is provided to make the target reappear after a hit has been scored. The portion of the circuit appearing within the dashed lines 56 is part of the “dot” coincidence and crowbar circuit 40. An adjustment is provided by means of potentiome ter 57 whereby the threshold level of photo cell 50 may be adjusted such that only when the gun is properly aligned with the target will the “dot” disappear. This procedure assures that false hits due to stray or scat tered light from the room will not be scored. The setting should be made so that SCR .104 will now be triggered by the brightness of the room but only the in tensity of the displayed “dot." As previously mentioned, this invention may be em ployed in conjunction with information originating from a cooperative station such as a commercial TV, a signal is the variable phase signal whose phase is com 20 closed-circuit TV or a CATV station. In these embodi pared by the television receiver against the chroma ments means are necessary for extracting the horizon sync burst. The phase difference between the two tal and vertical synchronization pulses from the TV signals determines the color to be displayed on the receiver which is receiving a signal from a cooperative screen. The positive sync pulse from point 81 of the station. The horizontal and vertical synchronization horizontal oscillator is used to gate 0° phase reference 25 pulses could be obtained from within the TV receiver signal to point 119. The trailing edge of the positive going pulse at point 120 gates approximately 3-5 microseconds of the 0° phase referenced to point 119 to become the chroma sync burst. The composite color information is summed to the modulator input ll4_by capacitor 121. The total composite video signal includ ing the color information is then modulated, as ex plained before for the monochrome signal, with the carrier and coupled to the television antenna terminals 19. ' Alternately the video and/or chroma signals may be applied to the crowbar modulator 126 of FIG. 8. (This will be described hereinafter). When the gaming system is being used in either the target gun or “dot" coincident mode with a color TV directly. However, this necessitates making electrical connections to the internal circuitry of the TV receiver. Preferably, the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 7 is used to derive the synchronization pulses. A device 129 is positioned in front of the receiver and attached to it by, for example, a suction cup at ap proximately the center bottom edge of the CRT glass face (see FIG. 1D). Device 129 contains both _a 35 photocell 128 and a pickup coil 123 responding broadly to 15,570 Hz. These devices pick up a 60 cycle signal component provided by a white stripe at the bot tom of the CRT, (generated by the cooperative station) and a radiated l5,570 horizontal scan signal, respec tively. These signals are applied via a cable 130 to a pair of ampli?ers 127 (vertical) and 124 (horizontal) receiver, the background color will change when the “ and fed to a pair of pulse shapers 125 (vertical) and dot" disappears from the television screen. The anode 125,v (horizontal). This yields synchronization pulses of SCR 104 of the coincidence detector and crowbar circuit 40 which is connected to point 105 of the ?rst “ 45 which duplicate in rate and phase those transmitted. Applying these pulses to points 82 and 90 in FIGS. 5A dot" generator to make the “dot” disappear is also con and 58 allows locking the horizontal and vertical os_cil~ nected to point 122 of the chroma generator. When the lators into sync with the transmitted signals. Con chroma generator is adjusted for a red background, the background will change to blue when point 122 is sequently, all of the functions previously described, clamped to ground by SCR 104. The SCR 104 will be 50 such as the generation of “dots” for checker type ?red either by coincidence of the “dots” or by align games, target shooting, chase games and all other func ment of the photo cell in the target gun with the target “dot”. Turning now to FIG. 4, the target gun circuits 36 are tions available to control by the “viewer,” may now be overlaid the transmitted TV picture. Modulation in this mode of operation is accomplished by the “crowbar” shown schematically. When thetarget gun is pointed at 55 modulation circuit 126 of FIG. 8. the target “dot" on the television screen, a photocell 50 mounted at the end of the target gun barrel will detect In this Figure, use is made of an attenuator consisting of two series resistors 132 and 133 and a transistor 134 acting as a variable shunt resistor. Biasing this the intensity modulated “dot." The detected signal is amplified by transistors 51 and 52. When the gun transistor suf?ciently into conduction by applying trigger switch 53 is closed, the ampli?ed detected 60 modulation to its base, saturates the transistor, momen signal is applied to the gate electrode of a silicon con tarily reducing the RF signal going from the antenna to trolled recti?er (SCR) 104, which will ?le SCR 104. the TV receiver antenna terminals 19. This cor The SCR 104 now clamps ‘the output of the “dot" responds to carrier reduction, which is negative modu generator 34 to ground and the “dot" 201 will disap-. lation and is equivalent to generating a video signal pear. Whether the first or the second “dot” is used as a going from black to white and back to the black level. target does not matter, since a hit will be indicated by Chroma signals can also be applied to the crowbar the disappearance of the ?rst “dot“. If only one “dot” transistor modulator in the same fashion. 3,728,480 11 12 Note that the combination of apparatus described in FIGS. 7 and 8 describe a mode of interacting with a transmitted TV signal without requiring therattachment of connections to the ‘internal circuitry of the TV receiver. , p _ . As mentioned above, the invention may be employed in conjunction with a cooperative TV station such as commercial TV, closed-circuit TV and CATV (com munity antenna television). In this mode the invention may be employed for target shooting or for decoding messages on a TV screen, such messages being the result of transmission from the cooperative station, as for example testing with coded answer supplied. Other transmissions can be transmissions from organizations offering services to the equipped viewer where the ser supply background scenery for asthetic purposes. When the “'gun" 27 (FIG. 1C) is aimed at the target 148 and the trigger (switch 144 FIG. 10) is depressed, photocell 136 will supply an output via buffer ampli?er 137 and buffer‘ampli?er and pulse shaper 138 to the gate electrode of a silicon controlled recti?er 149 which causes SCR 149 to ?re and light lamp 140. Switch 142 also resets SCR 149 turning off lamp 140. FIG. 1E illustrates an alternate embodiment to that described above. The output from the target shooter is applied to a crowbar circuit 24 the output of which is applied to antenna terminals 19 such that the screen 18 will also ?ash white when a ‘.‘hit” is made. The principles hereinabove set forth apply with equal strength to both monochrome and color applications. vices offered may be typically Consumer Products Buy While the system that has been described has been ing Recommendations, Stock “Buy-Sell-Hold" recom basically for monochrome television sets, the provi mendations and others involving the presentation of sions for color operation have been described and may valuable information available to the viewer equipped 20 be applied to games utilizing the aspects of the ability in accordance with this invention. to adjust or change the background color. Thus, it can In FIG. 10 there is illustrated a combination target be seen that a game such as roulette may be played hav shooting and decoding apparatus. The decoding por ing for its object the guessing of the color that will ap pear when the wheel stops spinning. Very r