Wireless programmable digital chess clock

Abstract

A wireless programmable digital chess clock having to a housing, a display mounted in the housing and operatively arranged to display time associated with a first player's clock and operatively arranged to display time associated with a second player's clock, a first switch mounted in the housing and operatively arranged to stop the first player's clock and start the second player's clock when activated; a second switch mounted in the housing and operatively arranged to stop the second player's clock and start the first player's clock when activated, a microcontroller operatively arranged to set and control the first and second players' clocks, and, a near field communication module, in communication with microcontroller, and operatively arranged to receive signals from an external transmitting device, where the signals are used to set the time on the first and second players' clocks.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wireless programmable digital chess clock, comprising:
 a housing;   a display mounted in said housing and operatively arranged to display time associated with a first player's clock and operatively arranged to display time associated with a second player's clock;   a first switch mounted in said housing and operatively arranged to stop said first player's clock and start said second player's clock when activated;   a second switch mounted in said housing and operatively arranged to stop said second player's clock and start said first player's clock when activated;   a microcontroller operatively arranged to set and control said first and second players' clocks; and,   a near field communication module, in communication with said microcontroller, and operatively arranged to receive signals from an external transmitting device, where said signals are used to set the time on said first and second players' clocks.   
     
     
         2 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 1  wherein said external transmitting device is a mobile device operatively arranged to transmit said signals when instructed to do so by a software application running on said mobile device. 
     
     
         3 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 1  wherein said signals include a time delay setting for each clock to be used in the playing of a chess game. 
     
     
         4 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 3  wherein the time delay is selected from the group consisting of Simple, Fischer, and Bronstein. 
     
     
         5 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 1  wherein said signals include a time increment setting for each clock to be used in the playing of a chess game. 
     
     
         6 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 1  wherein said first switch is a push button. 
     
     
         7 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 1  wherein said second switch is a push button. 
     
     
         8 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 1  wherein said first switch is a touch sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 1  wherein said second switch is a touch sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a memory chip in communication with said microcontroller, said memory chip operatively arranged to save the amount of time used by each player for each move in a chess game. 
     
     
         11 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 10 , wherein said microcontroller is operatively arranged to transmit in real time, the time remaining on each player's clock to an external device. 
     
     
         12 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 10  wherein said microcontroller is operatively arranged to transmit both the number of moves made by each player, and the time for each move, to an external device. 
     
     
         13 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 11 , wherein said external device is a computer. 
     
     
         14 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 12 , wherein said external device is a computer. 
     
     
         15 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 11 , wherein said transmission of time is done wirelessly. 
     
     
         16 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 11 , wherein said transmission of of time is done via a cable. 
     
     
         17 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 12 , wherein said transmission of time and moves is done wirelessly. 
     
     
         18 . The wireless programmable digital chess clock recited in  claim 12 , wherein said transmission of time and moves is done via a cable. 
     
     
         19 . A wireless programmable digital chess clock assembly, comprising:
 a programmable digital chess clock; and,   a mobile device operatively arranged to communicate wirelessly with said chess clock to program and set the clock.