Pinball Tracking System

Abstract

An entertainment device typically described as a pinball machine, usually found in myriad places such as arcades, restaurants, private residences, etc. A conventional pinball machine allows one or more players to play a game in which points are accrued by physically striking one or more balls on an inclined play field within a cabinet having a transparent top surface. Interaction of the machine with the ball is typically limited to events when the ball strikes an object on the play field. To enable more machine-ball interaction and therefore increase entertainment value ball tracking is needed. A way to track the ball in a very fast manner to better enable open space interactivity while not having excessive cost and while not limiting the game designer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pinball tracking system as set forth herein utilizing optical sensors such as cameras under the devices glass covering. 
     
     
         2 . A pinball tracking system comprising:
 a first camera enabled to capture a first Infrared reflected view of a pinball, wherein said camera is further coupled with at least one first Infrared LED; a second camera enabled to capture a second Infrared reflected view of the pinball, wherein said second camera is further coupled with at least one second Infrared LED; and a computing system coupled to said first camera and said second camera enabled with a ball tracking algorithm to process the first Infrared reflected view and the second Infrared reflected view, wherein said algorithm is enabled with a pre-defined geometric relationship between the first camera, the second camera, and a playfield such that the pinball location can be computed with respect to the playfield.   
     
     
         3 . The pinball tracking system of  claim 2  wherein said computing system is further enabled to sequence repeatedly to process the first Infrared reflected view and the second Infrared reflected view such that the computing system can compute a path of said pinball. 
     
     
         4 . The pinball tracking system of  claim 3  wherein said computing system is pre-configured with information about stationary objects on the playfield used to continuously calibrate the system and reporting of the ball position. 
     
     
         5 . A pinball tracking system comprising:
 at least one camera each enabled to capture an Infrared reflected view of a pinball, wherein said each at least one camera is further coupled with at least two Infrared LEDs separated by a distance of at least one inch; and a computing system coupled to said at least one camera enabled with a ball tracking algorithm to process the Infrared reflected view from each at least one camera, wherein said algorithm is enabled with a pre-defined geometric relationship between the at least one camera and a playfield such that the pinball location can be computed with respect to the playfield.   
     
     
         6 . The pinball tracking system of  claim 5  wherein said computing system is further enabled to sequence repeatedly to process the Infrared reflected such that the computing system can compute a path of said pinball. 
     
     
         7 . The pinball tracking system of  claim 6  wherein said computing system is pre-configured with information about stationary objects on the playfield used to continuously calibrate the system and reporting of the ball position.