A server may obtain operation information from each of one or more devices that are arranged in a target area in accordance with a first layout; store the operation information in a storage device; generate a predicted value for a future operation state of a target device by using stored operation information, the target device being arranged at a first position in the target area in accordance with the first layout; obtain changed layout information related to a second layout being different from the first layout, the target device being arranged at a second position in the target area in the second layout, the second position being different from the first position; and generate a predicted value for a future operation state of the target device arranged at the second position in the target area by using the changed layout information and the stored operation information.

The invention comprises a game with a playing surface containing cups for receiving balls thrown by a player. In the skill portion of the game, a player scores points by accurately throwing the balls into the cups. If the player misses any of the cups, in a chance portion of the game, the playing surface is sloped to direct the ball to fall into compartments which provide additional benefits or to incur penalties. When playing the game with the baseball theme, a player may score runs by successfully throwing the ball into cups on the playing surface positioned at the first base, second base, third base, or home plate positions. Runners advancing past home plate score runs. Outs may be recorded for missing the cups. If the ball misses the cups, but falls into randomized compartments, the player may receive additional benefits or incur additional penalties.

The invention comprises a game with a playing surface containing cups for receiving balls thrown by a player. In the skill portion of the game, a player scores points by accurately throwing the balls into the cups. If the player misses any of the cups, in a chance portion of the game, the playing surface is sloped to direct the ball to fall into compartments which provide additional benefits or to incur penalties. When playing the game with the baseball theme, a player may score runs by successfully throwing the ball into cups on the playing surface positioned at the first base, second base, third base, or home plate positions. Runners advancing past home plate score runs. Outs may be recorded for missing the cups. If the ball misses the cups, but falls into randomized compartments, the player may receive additional benefits or incur additional penalties.

A display is disclosed that may include: a light guide plate having an incident surface; and light sources arranged opposed to the incident surface. The light guide plate may include a plurality of prisms arranged in a pattern on a surface on one side and may have a reflective surface configured to reflect light from any of the plurality of light sources incident into the light guide plate from the incident surface, to be emitted from an outgoing surface on another side of the light guide plate. A curvature of the surface on one side of the reflective surface and of a first prism arranged in a first sub-pattern included in the pattern among the plurality of prisms is different from a curvature of the surface on one side and of a second prism arranged in a second sub-pattern.

A display is disclosed that may include: a light guide plate having an incident surface; and light sources arranged opposed to the incident surface. The light guide plate may include a plurality of prisms arranged in a pattern on a surface on one side and may have a reflective surface configured to reflect light from any of the plurality of light sources incident into the light guide plate from the incident surface, to be emitted from an outgoing surface on another side of the light guide plate. A curvature of the surface on one side of the reflective surface and of a first prism arranged in a first sub-pattern included in the pattern among the plurality of prisms is different from a curvature of the surface on one side and of a second prism arranged in a second sub-pattern.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for playing game. The apparatus includes a game board member, at least one circular ball member, and at least one biasing arrangement. The game board member includes a top portion, a bottom portion and opposite sides, and a game board body extending between the top portion, the bottom portion, and the opposite sides. The game board body includes a pattern configuration. The at least one circular ball member is adapted to move within the game board body along the pattern configuration. The at least one biasing arrangement is configured along at least one of the opposite sides of the game board member. The at least one biasing arrangement is adapted to be pulled to generate a biasing force to hit the at least one circular ball member to be moved within the game board body along the pattern configuration.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for playing game. The apparatus includes a game board member, at least one circular ball member, and at least one biasing arrangement. The game board member includes a top portion, a bottom portion and opposite sides, and a game board body extending between the top portion, the bottom portion, and the opposite sides. The game board body includes a pattern configuration. The at least one circular ball member is adapted to move within the game board body along the pattern configuration. The at least one biasing arrangement is configured along at least one of the opposite sides of the game board member. The at least one biasing arrangement is adapted to be pulled to generate a biasing force to hit the at least one circular ball member to be moved within the game board body along the pattern configuration.

A software type pinball game enable players to change the background picture of the playfield and also to configure the game functional components via a drawn picture. Players can draw the picture on a paper, captures into any electronic image device, or using an electronic drawing device or application software to draw that picture into an electronic format and send to the game for conversion of game components.

A modifiable pinball machine includes a processing device, a memory storing instructions executable by the processing device, a communications interface coupled to the processing device for receiving new music data from a source external to the pinball machine for storage in the memory, and a speaker coupled to the processing device for playing music retrieved from the memory. The new music data is provided with data useable by the instructions to cause the processing device to automatically retrieve from the memory the new music data in lieu of originally provisioned music data, for playing via use of the speaker, when the pinball machine is caused to operate in a predetermined operating state.

To achieve more natural image expression. A display device (1) is provided with a light guide plate (4) which displays a predetermined image having a tone caused by changing the amount of light emitted from each of pixel regions including one or more light exit structures (43), and the amount of light emitted from the pixel regions displaying the tone in a predetermined range is randomly set so as to be a first light amount value or a second light amount value greater than the first light amount value.