Distributed scoring system
View Patent ↗In one embodiment, a distributed bowling center system includes two or more computing devices associated with respective bowling center peripherals. The bowling center peripherals are any electronic or mechanical device in a bowling center capable of detecting a bowling event or receiving input. Example bowling center peripherals include a pinsetter, a monitor, a bumper, a keypad, or a touchscreen. The bowling center peripherals are configured to perform at least one bowler center function. The computing devices are configured to execute at least one process related to a bowler center function of the associated peripheral. Each computing device is located physically closer to the peripheral than the other computer device. The computing devices are in communication via a network. The computing devices are configured to access a process map defining the communication, which is responsive to the at least one bowler center function.
1. A distributed bowling center system comprising:
a plurality of bowling center peripherals, including a first peripheral and a second peripheral, wherein each of the plurality of peripherals are configured to perform at least one bowler center function;
a first computing device located physically closer to the first peripheral than to the second peripheral and configured to execute at least one process related to the at least one bowler center function; and
a second computing device located physically closer to the second peripheral than to the first peripheral and configured to execute at least one process related to the at least one bowler center function, wherein the second computing device is in communication with the first computing device via a network,
wherein the first computing device is configured to access a process map defining communication between the first computing device and the second computing device and the communication is responsive to the at least one bowler center function.
2. The distributed bowling center system of claim 1 , wherein at least one process on the first computing device function can communicate with the second computing device without knowledge of the second computing device's location on the network.
3. The distributed bowling center system of claim 1 , wherein the first peripheral is a pinsetter and the second computing device is an overhead computing device.
4. The distributed bowling center system of claim 1 , wherein the first computing device is configured to generate a scoring system package that defines a bowling center process involving the first computing device and the second computing device.
5. The distributed bowling center system of claim 4 , wherein the process map is configured to resolve an identification value of the bowling center process to a network address of the second computing device, wherein the network address of the second computing device is internal to the network.
6. The distributed bowling center system of claim 1 , wherein the process map is configured to identify each of the plurality of peripherals according to a peripheral type and a lane value.
7. The distributed bowling center system of claim 4 , wherein the peripheral type is a pinsetter, a monitor, a bumper, a keypad, or a touchscreen.
8. The distributed bowling center system of claim 1 , wherein the process map is configured to identify the first computing device and the second computing device according to a location type and a lane value.
9. The distributed bowling center system of claim 6 , wherein the location type is an overhead location, a bowlers location, a curtain wall location, a back office location, a desk location, or a test location.
10. The distributed bowling center system of claim 1 , wherein the process map is configured to identify a bowling center process according to a process type and a lane value.
11. A distributed computing device for a bowling center comprising:
a controller configured to execute a bowling center process associated with a bowling center peripheral and a bowling event;
a communication interface configured to connect the computing device and the bowling center peripheral to a network; and
a memory configured to store a process map defining communication between the distributed computing device and a second distributed computing device by providing a network location of the second computing device to the bowling center process, wherein the communication is responsive to the bowling event.
12. The distributed computing device of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to generate a scoring system package that defines the bowling center process as between the distributed computing device and the second distributed computing device.
13. The distributed computing device of claim 11 , wherein the process map is configured to resolve an identification value the bowling center process to a network address of the second distributed computing device.
14. The distributed computing device of claim 11 , wherein the process map is configured to identify the bowling center peripheral according to a peripheral type and a lane value.
15. The distributed computing device of claim 14 , wherein the peripheral type is a pinsetter, a monitor, a bumper, a keypad, or a touchscreen.
16. The distributed computing device of claim 11 , wherein the process map is configured to identify the distributed computing device according to a location type and a lane value.
17. The distributed computing device of claim 14 , wherein the location type is an overhead location, a bowlers location, a curtain wall location, a back office location, a desk location, or a test location.
18. The distributed computing device of claim 11 , wherein the process map is configured to identify the bowling center process according to a process type and a lane value, wherein the process type is a scoring process, a display process, a pinsetter process, a keypad process, or a bumper process.
19. A method for distributed computing in a bowling center comprising:
receiving data indicative of a bowling center event detected at a peripheral;
executing a bowling center process at a first distributed computing device associated with the bowling center event;
accessing a process map configured to associate the bowling center process with a second distributed computing device and to define communication between the first distributed computing device and a second distributed computing device,
wherein the communication is responsive to the bowling event.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
generating a scoring system package that defines the bowling center process as between the network address of the first distributed computing device and a network address of the second distributed computing device.
21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
executing a second bowling center process at the second computing device in response to receipt of the scoring system package.
22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the process map is configured to identify at least one peripheral according to a peripheral type and a lane value, and the peripheral type is a pinsetter, a monitor, a bumper, a keypad, or a touchscreen.
23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the process map is configured to identify the computing device according to a location type and a lane value, and the location type is an overhead location, a bowlers location, a curtain wall location, a back office location, a desk location, or a test location.