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BRIDGEPAD (BP) SYSTEM TRAINING

Adapted for ScoreBridge Users

By John de Ridder PSBC

Revised 2 November 2009

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Agenda

1. How it works

2. Before the Pads are circulated

3. The first round

4. During play

5. End game

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1a HOW IT WORKS

It uses radio frequency (RF) signals for 2-way communication between the computer and the BP units (Pads) at each table.

This link allows the BP software to send the movement information to ALL tables and to receive contract results from each table.

Maximum distance allowed for tables away from RF server/PC: 200 feet

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1b HOW IT WORKS

The Pads are also transmitters/receivers of data, as well as memory devices that STORE ALL SCORES at a given table, even if there is an RF or computer failure – which can be very useful (slide 19)!

Pads receive the movement information from the BP software, calculate contract results, send them to the PC after E/W approval by hitting NEXT (or their E/W approval code, if enabled as an option).

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1c HOW IT WORKS

The results from each board are displayed on the BP matrix on the PC. They can show round #, contract, NS-EW pair numbers, and final result, as selected in “Game options”.

At the end of the last round, all results are readily available, no need to wait. Directors can print the matrix from the PC for players analysis of the hands, if so desired.

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Agenda

1. How it works

2. Before the Pads are circulated

3. The first round

4. During play

5. End game

Note – to keep things simple, this pack does not describe using the ScoreBridge “Preferences” menu (rarely changed) and assumes onlyone section is played.

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2a BEFORE THE BPs ARE CIRCULATED

It is strongly recommended that Directors wait until the final movement is set before distributing Pads to the tables.

Hand out Pads only after BridgePad has been started from Scorebridge and you have gone back to Scorebridge screen and ticked Retrieving.

This approach also prevents players from fidgeting with the Pads.

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2b BEFORE THE BPs ARE CIRCULATED

Start by setting movement parameters, in ScoreBridge choosing “New Event” Make sure “Use BPs” box is ticked at bottom left

corner of “New Event Profile” screen “Movement” details are entered as normal Half table will not get a Pad Reply “NO” to “Use an existing .bws

database?”

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2c BEFORE THE BPs ARE CIRCULATED Make sure RF server is connected to computer’s

USB port. After few seconds the BP software icon will appear

at the bottom of the computer screen and the BP Matrix will show on the screen.

Make sure you have two green lights top right of BP screen. If first is not, check connections and/or tap “Communication” tab at top of BP screen and “Connect”

Go back to Scorebridge screen and tick “Retrieving”

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Agenda

1. How it works

2. Before the Pads are circulated

3. The first round

4. During play

5. End game

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3a THE FIRST ROUND The BP System is ready to start sending and

receiving information to and from the Pads. Distribute the Pads to players for Initialization (except any half table)

As players initialize each table, it shows on the BP matrix. Directors can monitor progress of game at this matrix, which includes all sections.

If “Name Entry Incomplete”, go to ScoreBridge, “Other Pages” then “Names” at any time including end of play to add names

Do not forget to tick “Retrieving” box on Scorebrdige screen or there will be no RF communication

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3b THE FIRST ROUND

If one of the tables enter wrong table # and that table is already taken, there will be a warning on his terminal.

There should also be a warning on BP screen. The table(s) should be “Reset” (under “File” at top left of BP screen) and the BP(s) should be restarted (XX + PWR)

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3c THE FIRST ROUND (Advanced) If the number of tables or the movement

needs to be changed during the first round, use “Other Pages” in Scorebridge to make desired changes, choosing “change movement parameters”

The new movement info will be sent to each BP unit after the next time it reports a board result.

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3d THE FIRST ROUND

If something goes really wrong at the beginning consider closing the BP software and start from scratch using the “Restart Wireless Program” command after the movement has been edited in ScoreBridge.

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Agenda

1. How it works

2. Before the Pads are circulated

3. The first round

4. During play

5. End game

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4a DURING PLAY Mistakes entering data at the BP units can be corrected

using the BACK key, while at the same screen, or the ERROR key before the beginning of the next round.

A board can be corrected for a previous round. BP will first say board must be in current round, but when the request is repeated it will ask for the Director's Password  before proceeding.

Wrong results sent to PC can also be corrected manually via ScoreBridge or in the BridgePad UI program matrix  - use Double click in relevant cell and follow the instructions

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4b DURING PLAY

If the hand is passed-in, the players enter PASS for contract on the Pad

If the Director imposes and average, the Director should using BACK key on the Pad and enter NP (No Play). The Director will have to enter the average manually in ScoreBridge (Never change results in BP matrix)

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4c DURING PLAY PC/Laptop Turned Off: All game parameters

will be recovered by simply turning it back on. ScoreBridge inadvertently closed: simply

restart it and “retrieve” the current event. BP inadvertently closed: “Restart” from

ScoreBridge BP Control screen RF Server disconnected/ Loss of RF

transmission: Turn off BP software only, then restart RF server from ScoreBridge

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4d DURING PLAY

After RF communication is restored, all previous scores are sent automatically to the computer.

If, for some reason, RF communication can not be restored, the director can see on the BP screen all scores from each BP unit by hitting PWR key 4 times at the end of the game.[ie record manually?]

The lost scores can also be sent to the computer electronically by hitting the NT key 4 times, one unit at a time, at the end of the game, if RF communication is restored

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4e DURING PLAY

Failed batteries on BP units: Simply replace batteries. No loss of data will occur. Press PWR key, followed by the number 3 key.

The first symptoms of weak battery is loss of communication with the server

Broken/ Failed BP unit: Replace it with a new unit by entering Back and Q K (to get to Director menu) then select option 4, enter table number and all previous scores will be sent to the new unit at the point in time the failure happened.

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4f DURING PLAY

If the RF server or the computer is down, no scores can be sent from BPs. In that situation there is a message on the BP screen to inform player of the situation – tell them to keep playing and recording

The BP units will work off line and save all the scores internally. When communication is reestablished, all the scores are transmitted automatically.

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4g DURING PLAY

If communication can not be restored during the game, the director should instruct players to continue entering scores in the BP units.

At the end of the session the RF server can be started and transmission from each unit can proceed using the proper procedure: for each Pad, press BACK and Q K (to get to the

Director’s menu) then select option 7

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Agenda

1. How it works

2. Before the Pads are circulated

3. The first round

4. During play

5. End game

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5a END GAME Make sure “Retrieving” box on ScoreBridge

BP Control screen remains ticked while final scores come in.

“Close” the BP matrix window Check “Score sheets” in Scorebridge and

make any Director adjustments or corrections (eg averages).

Print and then “send to another scorer” to see an email with attached file. Left-click “File” and “save attachment” to your USB memory device to take home and mail to our web-site.