Amusement devices: games – Board games – pieces – or boards therefor – Lotto or bingo type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-24
2003-06-24
Pierce, William M. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Board games, pieces, or boards therefor
Lotto or bingo type
C463S019000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06581935
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to games playing on an electronic device having a display. More particularly it relates to electronic Bingo games and methods.
BACKGROUND
Bingo is a well known game. In its live, non-electronic, form, each player purchases a Bingo card which presents a column/row, five-by-five, matrix. Each column is identified by a letter; B-I-N-G-O and at each coordinate in the matrix a number is provided. Often the center coordinate is marked “Free” rather than having an assigned number. After each player or participant has purchased a card, means are provided to randomly select numbers identified by the column letter and a number, e.g. B
15
. If a player has, in column B number
15
, that coordinate is marked. Typically the universe of letters
umbers is provided on balls which are mixed and serially drawn from a cage or mixer. The selection of balls continues until a player has a card marked (corresponding numbers have been drawn) in a winning pattern. This pattern might be designated before the game as a row, column, corners, and X-pattern of a cover all (all the numbers on the winning card are covered. Thus, to play the game a number of players are required to provide a number of Bingo cards with different numbers so that a single (or few) winners can be declared.
For traditional Bingo, the requirement of having a number of players, perhaps hundreds of players, has frustrated attempts to configure Bingo as a video game which can be played by a single player. Further, Bingo prizes are fixed regardless of the number of players thus failing to provide large and/or progressive jackpots to the winners.
Since Bingo is a popular and well-known game, there is a need for an electronic game and method which permits a single player to play Bingo and which is configured to provide large and progressive jackpots.
Further there is a need for device and method which provides the player with a plurality of chances to win.
With respect to electronic games using a random number generator to select an outcome, these generators typically operate off of a clock to randomly select a number or groups of numbers to represent an outcome. If the clock is at the same time interval with respect to the random string of numbers, the same outcome will be selected. At least some persons who play gaming machines are aware of the operation of random number generators and, from time to time would like to change the clock so that the random number generator (RNG) is at another time thus affecting the outcome randomly selected. Heretofore there has been no means for a player of a game to alter the clock time to change the position of the RNG relative to the field of numbers to be selected from.
Still further there is a need for a device and method which permits the player to wager a desired amount between a pre-selected maximum and minimum amount for each game.
Still further there is a need for a device and method for playing Bingo which permits the player to select their numbers for the Bingo card.
Still further in relation to this game and other electronic games, these os a need to provide means for a player to change the RNG clock to randomly select at a different position in the random string of numbers.
SUMMARY
There is, therefore, set forth according to the present invention, an electronic device and method for playing a Bingo game which includes a data processor and a video display. Means are provided for a player to initiate play of a Bingo game such as by the player inputting a wager and prompting play. When the game is played, the processor controls the display to display a 5×5 matrix Bingo card and at each of the twenty-five coordinates of the card a discrete indicia selected from a universe of indica. Preferably, the matrix is represented as a well known Bingo card having the columns identified by the letters B-l-N-G-O and the indicia being numbers. Further, the center coordinate may be noted as “Free”.
A first data structure or memory stores data corresponding to winning patterns of identified coordinates on said card as well as a corresponding pay table should the player obtain a pattern. These patterns are preferably known BINGO patterns such as a column, row, diagonal or four corners.
The processor includes a random number generator driven selection means to select, from the universe of game indicia, a pre-selected number of indicia defining a first outcome set and an additional pre-selected number of indicia to represent a second outcome set. In the preferred embodiment, the first set is 25 number/letter indicia, e.g. B
12
, O
63
and the second set is ten additional indicia for a total of 35 indicia. As the indicia are selected, the processor compares each selected indicia to indicia on the card to determine if there is match or concordance. If so, the location of the concordance is indicated on the display much the same as marking a BINGO card. If the locations marked upon selection of the first outcome set match any pattern stored in the data structure, the player receives a first, corresponding pay table award. If all locations are indicated (a BINGO cover all) with both the first and second outcome sets, the player receives a second, cover all, award. Thus the player may win an award based upon obtaining one or more winning patterns from the first outcome set and another award based upon selection of the first and second outcome sets, if all the coordinates of the card are marked, e.g. a cover all.
In a further embodiment the player has the option of selecting the indicia for the BINGO card or having it done by the processor.
In still a further embodiment, the player my initiate a re-spin mode which alters the time of the RNG clock.
Also the device and method may provide for control of the display to display the selection of the outcome set indicia and to list the selections.
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Anderson Philip J.
Anderson & Morishita L.L.C.
Karaway Gaming, Inc.
Pierce William M.
LandOfFree
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