Display apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus ( 1 ) for entering and displaying data relating to a participatory event and for use by one or more participants. The apparatus ( 1 ) includes electronic data entry means ( 3 ) for use by each participant to enter data at a time when each participant is to participate in the event and electronic processing means for receiving and processing the data entered by each participant. There is also included display means ( 5 ) for displaying the data processed by the electronic processing means.

1 . Apparatus for entering and displaying data relating to a participatory event and for use by one or more participants, said apparatus comprising:
 electronic data entry means for use by each said participant in said one or more participants to enter data at a time when each said participant is to participate in said event;   electronic processing means for receiving and processing said data entered by said each participant;   display means for displaying the data processed by said electronic processing means; and   wherein the participatory event is a card game which requires one or more of the participants to make a bid, and the electronic data entry means enables a participant to enter one or more bids which are processed by the processing means and displayed on the display means.   
   
   
       2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said data entry means comprises separate data entry devices, one for each participant in said participatory event. 
   
   
       3 . Apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein said data entry means is selected from the group comprising a keypad and a keyboard. 
   
   
       4 . Apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein said keypad or keyboard has a plurality of keys, and wherein each key of said plurality of keys is associated with individual data. 
   
   
       5 . Apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said individual data represents at least one of a character, letter, symbol or numeral. 
   
   
       6 . Apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein said display means is integrally formed with one of said separate data entry devices. 
   
   
       7 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said display means is physically separate from said data entry means. 
   
   
       8 . Apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein said display means is in the form of a screen for displaying to an audience information about each said participant relevant to said event. 
   
   
       9 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the data processed by said electronic processing means is transmitted wirelessly to said display means. 
   
   
       10 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the data processed by said electronic processing means is transmitted to said display means by a communications network. 
   
   
       11 . Apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein said communications network is the Internet. 
   
   
       12 . Apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein said data entered by said each participant is transmitted over the Internet to said electronic processing means and thereafter transmitted to said display means over the Internet. 
   
   
       13 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said data entry means contains said electronic processing means for processing entered data and transmitting the processed data to said display means. 
   
   
       14 . Apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein said plurality of keys of said key pad or keyboard are touch sensitive. 
   
   
       15 . Apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein said plurality of keys of said key pad or keyboard are sensitive to activation stimuli. 
   
   
       16 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said data entry means is a voice activation means wherein voice commands are used to represent data entered for a certain action to be performed on behalf of at least one of said at least one participant. 
   
   
       17 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein some of the keys of said plurality of keys identify numbers or symbols used to represent individual cards within each card suit. 
   
   
       18 . Apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the activation stimuli comprises temperature. 
   
   
       19 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , where the card game is selected from the group consisting of bridge and 500. 
   
   
       20 . Apparatus for entering and displaying data relating to a participatory event and for use by one or more participants, said apparatus comprising:
 electronic data entry means for use by each said participant in said one or more participants to enter data at a time when each said participant is to participate in said event;   electronic processing means for receiving and processing said data entered by said each participant;   display means for displaying the data processed by said electronic processing means; and   wherein the participatory event is a card game which requires one or more of the participants to make a bid and   wherein the processing means is adapted to calculate scores that are dependent upon the bid or bids made, and the display means is arranged to display the scores calculated by the processing means.