Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – In a chance application
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-20
2002-06-04
O'Neill, Michael (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
In a chance application
C273S269000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06398645
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic video game device, specifically to an interactive system using a programmed digital computer for playing bingo with special game playing features.
2. Background of the Art
Bingo is a popular game enjoyed by many people of all ages throughout the world. It is a favorite pastime and one of the most commonly used games for raising funds by various organized groups such as schools, churches and other non-profit organizations. Bingo has also achieved a unique position in the gaming community as a game with a large participating player group. Bingo provides excitement and entertainment to players and enthusiasts, and it is a simple game to understand and play, with players understanding that in parlor or game room bingo, there must always be an eventual winner, which makes the game interesting and attractive to many people.
In the common or traditional version of playing bingo, one or more persons is required to provide the following functions: operate a ball drawing device, select a ball, read and announce the ball's number, show the ball or operate a display apparatus which displays the ball's number, record the selected number, validate a winning card, verify and check the numbers, and finally award a winner. These operator functions are discussed in greater detail below.
The basic elements of a more modernized bingo game may include the following:
(a) pseudo-random number generator or drawing device;
(b) bingo cards;
(c) display apparatus;
(d) audio system;
(e) card validation and verification device; and
(f) operator and caller.
The equipment still being used today by large bingo operators to draw numbers is a lot machine or blower unit (i.e., blowing air supporting and moving balls with numbers in a random manner within a selection tank). This blower unit is a large plastic or glass container with Ping-Pong type balls or light plastic balls placed inside the container. Each ball is marked with a number from 1 to 75 (or 1 to 90) and the corresponding bingo letter (e.g., B-1, I-17, etc.). Forced air (e.g., produced by an electric fan) blows the balls to mix them and an operator or an automated selection device draws a ball at random through an opening. The operator will then read the number on the ball and announce the number. The operator or caller has to shout out loudly and clearly so that the players can understand each call. In large bingo halls, an audio amplifier and loud speaker system are used to make this possible. Additionally, in larger bingo parlors, a board is provided on which the numbers drawn are displayed on a board for view by the entire playing audience.
In most homes the drawing device used is a small plastic container with an opening, similar to the one mentioned above. Small balls or chips, each marked with a number and the corresponding bingo letter, are put inside the container. The balls are mixed together manually by shaking or rotating the container. An operator provides a number by drawing out a ball through the opening, one at a time, using his hands. Similarly, the operator will read the number and announce the number to the players.
The use of such mechanical devices is awkward, inconvenient and cumbersome. Several patented devices, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,063 (1978) issued to Cooper, et. al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,395 (1993) issued to Lovell, still largely depend upon the conventional system of drawing numbers. Another serious disadvantage with these mechanical devices is that an operator can defeat the devices by easily manipulating or tampering with the balls or numbers. This could be performed collusively to some particular player's advantage, thus making the game unfair to other players. Since these mechanical devices depend largely on an individual to operate them, these are not reliable from security standpoint.
The standard bingo cards are made of sheets of paper or cardboard on which the numbers are pre-printed. Players use daubers, ink markers, chips or other things to mark or cover the numbers that are called. An example of this is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,146 (1992) by Greer; which is an improved multiple bingo game sheet. Most standard bingo cards are reusable while others are disposable. Several electronic bingo cards or hand held bingo calculators have been made, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,940 (1983) by Gluz; U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,157 (1984) by Bolan; U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,906 (1987) by Di Francesco et. al. and those patent issued to John Richardson: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,747,600 (1988); 4,798,387 (1989); and 5,072,381 (1992). These electronic aids allow a single player to manage and play more cards better than using the conventional bingo cards. However, these devices relate only to bingo cards and have no provision for pseudo-random selection of numbers for the game.
The purpose of a display apparatus is to display several items or individual images or pieces of numerical information to the players such as the game number, the last number called, a record of numbers drawn, and the count of numbers called. Other display apparatus also shows the winning game pattern to be formed for a particular game. The apparatus still commonly used today consists of a plurality of display boards all connected to a master controller board. A separate display board is used for each numerical information. One of this type of display apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,063 (1980) issued to Cooper et. al. The masterboard is a console which includes numbered apertures at the top where Ping-Pong balls are placed. Beneath each aperture is a ball-actuated electrical switch which is turned on whenever a ball is present. The switches operate a display board or flashboard consisting of a plurality of lights with each light illuminating a number. Lovell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,395 (1993), made an improvement to the masterboard using light beams with electronic encoding and an LED display board. Both of these references relate only to display apparatus and display only the numbers that are called. Moreover, these apparatus rely on a ball drawing device and depend on an operator to operate both. Such apparatus will be separate, thus, the game requires additional equipment.
Other display apparatus employs a combination of a video camera and a video monitor. The camera is focused on the last ball drawn and the image is displayed on the video monitor. This arrangement is expensive, and displays the last number drawn only.
Another device that is useful in a large bingo hall is audio equipment. The voice of an operator or caller over a loud speaker system is still commonly used today. The announcement by the operator is sometimes not clear enough to be understood by all the players. It should be noted here that the use of an audio synthesizer or electronic sound generator for this purpose is still not popular today.
When the word “bingo” is called by a player to declare a win, there is a need to validate the winning card and verify the numbers in the card in accordance with a predetermined winning pattern. This validation process checks a card if it is entered in a game or not. The most common procedure is to do the validation and checking manually by the operator or a third person. However, some electronic devices have been made to do the validation automatically. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,787 (1991) issued to Richardson. This validation system requires a plurality of electronic bingo cards, each in communication with a base station or master control board, to be entered manually by the operator before the game starts. Since homes are not so equipped, the practical use of this validation device is limited. This device is used only by large operators and casinos. It is not applicable for home or private use and most household consumers cannot afford it.
Several other electronic devices have been made to automate the playing of bingo games but each has one or more disadvantages; or its applicati
Mark A. Litman & Assoc. P.A.
O'Neill Michael
Shuffle Master, Inc.
LandOfFree
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