Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – In a chance application
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-07
2003-12-02
Hughes, S. Thomas (Department: 3714)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
In a chance application
C463S016000, C463S017000, C463S035000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06656046
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to video gaming, visual aspects of video game displays, formatting of video games, new methods and apparatus for providing interchangeable formatting for different games, methods and apparatus for providing ease of reconfiguring thematic changes in a video game with reduced reprogramming needs, and novel sensory features associated with video games and video game apparatus.
2. Background of the Art
Video gaming is a form of entertainment involving the display of the format of a game on a video screen (presently on a cathode ray tube or monitor, liquid crystal display screen or any other visually observable image presenting system) and the interaction of a player(s) with data flow displayed on a screen. The player(s) may place wagers on the outcome of various statistically driven games which are displayed on the screen. Originally, the mechanical forerunners of video games were primarily limited to games having symbols displayed on reels, each symbol occupying a frame on the wheel, and the wheels being spun and then stopped to display a line of symbols (usually three symbols in a single row). Payouts were provided for certain specific symbol combinations on the payout line. Certain symbols became traditional on mechanical gaming machines (e.g., slot machines) such as the number “7,” cherries, bells, oranges, lemons, plums, etc. Over time, less traditional symbols were added to give the game a different visual appearance, but the play of the reel oriented slot machine game remained essentially the same.
When video gaming was first introduced to the gaming world, the first video games were electronic imitations of the traditional slot machines, even using the same symbols, and the same physical formats (e.g., a handle to initiate play), assuring that the transition from mechanical to electronic formats would meet the least resistance. As electronic gaming became more accepted, both the formats (e.g., buttons versus handles) and the game content (e.g., poker games, dominoes, keno, blackjack, Bingo, Pai Gow poker, etc.) were changed and expanded. The format of play within the electronic or virtual reel games has also progressed from the early duplications of the mechanical reels on a visual screen. The flexibility afforded the games by the use of computers, printed circuit boards, virtual images, and the high information density and volumes that can be used with electronic media, has enabled essentially unlimited formatting and image capability in the equipment. However, even with this potential, very little has been done with virtual reel games. The most notable product introductions in the virtual reel industry have included multiple payout lines on the displayed reels (e.g., payouts allowed on three rows when three tokens are played), multiple payout formats (e.g., payouts in rows, columns, diagonals, and/or patterns), and the imagery of the frames (e.g., different symbols, different themes for the symbols, and even animated movement within the frames of the symbols).
The various changes that have been and may be made in the virtual reel video systems may be characterized within three types of change classes: 1) changes that affect the probability of the awards; 2) changes that affect the fundamental nature of the game; and 3) changes that provide an entertainment or aesthetic variation to the game. Examples of changes that would affect the probability of awards would include, for example, selecting the total number of symbols within any reel or reels, selecting the number of any specific symbol within a reel or reels, selecting the number of lines or patterns for which there will be payouts, and the like. Examples of changes that would affect the fundamental nature of the game include, for example, the ability to retain a symbol on one or more reels from a first play and then re-spin remaining reel(s), the ability of a machine or player to ‘nudge’ a frame within one reel to a more favorable position, and the like. Examples of changes that would provide an entertainment or aesthetic variation to the game would include, for example, variations in artwork in the frames, variations in themes in the frames or in the background of the frames, and the like. Some of the more striking artwork renditions now include, for example, animation, such as faces on the symbols which alter their orientation (e.g., turn within the frame and look at another character), alter their expression (e.g., smile or frown or laugh), or otherwise provide a different image within the frame.
In a majority of video gaming devices, however, the imagery generally is still provided by reels (virtual or actual) that give the appearance of rotating in place, with the reels providing for entire columns, entire rows, or individual frames. It is always desirable within an entertainment field, such as video gaming, to be able to provide variations in the play and appearance of games to attract and maintain players.
The apparatus used for video gaming normally comprises:
a reel mounted for rotation about an axis through a predetermined number of radial positions;
a motivation system to start rotation of said reel about said axis;
indicia fixed to the reel to indicate the angular rotational position of the reel;
various angular rotational positions of said reel having assigned thereto symbols, characters, or alphanumerics. There is usually a plurality of such said plurality of symbols exceeding said predetermined number of radial positions such that some rotational positions are represented by a plurality of symbols, characters, or alphanumerics assigned to each reel and even to each position on a virtual reel of the apparatus;
the apparatus randomly selects one of the plurality of assigned symbols, characters, or alphanumerics; and
the apparatus stops the reel at the angular position represented by a selected symbol(s), character(s), or alphanumeric(s).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,681 describes a slot machine is provided which has a winning probability table for storing a relation between a group of symbols and random numbers, the group being one of a plurality of groups made up by classifying prize-winning symbols. The range of random numbers is properly fixed so that the winning probability is determined. Prior to the start of a game, one of the random numbers is sampled from a plurality of random numbers. The decisions on whether there is a win or not, and on which group the sampled random number belongs to if there is a win, are made with reference to the winning probability table. A hit request signal is generated for the latter decision. The hits are of different sizes, that is to say that different hits pay different numbers of wins. The larger the hit, the fewer random numbers correspond to it. The stopping series of symbols is controlled in accordance with the hit request signal. The patent also describes the use of “A sound generator
55
drives a loudspeaker
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to generate a sound therefrom after a suitable time lapse from the start of a game, so that playing the game becomes more interesting.” There is no specific disclosure of any relevance of the sound to functions of the apparatus.
There is also a desire in the industry to enable usage of gaming apparatus by all portions of society, including the visually impaired, while providing significant entertainment for all players in what is clearly a highly visual format.
A number of factors have contributed to the popularity of video wagering games. Gaming establishments have expanded the variety of games offered on video platforms beyond what was once limited to video poker, video keno and video reel slot machines. Many casino table games such as blackjack, draw poker, stud poker, Let It Ride® stud poker and Caribbean Stud Poker® are available on video. These games can be learned on video machines before advancing to the more intimidating live table game environment. With video wagering, novice players can enjoy playing a wide variety of casino games without having to play at a table
Dunn Russell Brooke
Yoseloff Mark L.
Hughes S. Thomas
Mark A. Litman & Assoc. P.A.
Shuffle Master, Inc.
White Carmen D.
LandOfFree
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