Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – In a chance application
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-24
2004-08-24
Gimie, Mahmoud (Department: 3747)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
In a chance application
C283S077000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06780106
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to gaming machines. More particularly, the invention relates to a system, method, and apparatus by which a souvenir that memorializes that which a player was able to accomplish from using a gaming machine can be easily and efficiently produced.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A variety of machines are known that allow individuals to play a game for money and that, depending on the result, may provide the player with a valuable return, such as money. These gaming machines include those known as slot machines, in which a player enters a wager, such as putting money into the machine or have an account debited in order to play each game, and that shows the result of the game after its conclusion, as on a display or other visualization. Depending on the type of machine, the displays may inform the player of the result of the game through images shown on a video monitor, such as “video slot reels,” or through a combination produced as a result of the mechanical operation of spinning reels, or other mechanical devices.
Players who play gaming machines largely do so with the hope of receiving something of value, and in particular winning what is perceived to be a big prize whether it be money, a prize such as a car, and so on. Players refer to winning a big prize as “hitting the jackpot.” Because of the relative infrequency at which the event occurs, hitting a jackpot often produces a major positive memory for a gaming machine player. The event also is an occasion that the operator, or the manufacturer of the gaming equipment, or others, may wish to publicize and/or use for promotional purposes. When the jackpot is large (such as over $10,000 in value), the establishment or equipment manufacturer may wish to take additional steps to memorialize the event, such as by taking a photo of the player standing alongside the machine that produced the winning game while being handed an oversized check showing the amount won.
Gaming machines also typically permit players to win smaller jackpots with greater frequency than the larger jackpots, such as what is known as a “4000 coin Royal Flush” on a video poker machine or the top award on a slot machine that is not connected to a progressive network. Because of the relative infrequency at which they occur, even hitting a smaller jackpot may produce a major positive memory for a gaming machine player. While the winning of a smaller jackpot may not draw the same attention of the operator (or others) that the winning of a larger jackpot does, either event may be perceived as once in a lifetime events for the player. Players may wish to have some record that memorializes such an event. The operator or the manufacturer of the machine on which the game was won, or other interested parties, may wish to permit the production of such a record that memorializes the event, termed a “souvenir” for purposes of this application, even for the winning of the smaller jackpots.
The gaming machine industry is highly competitive and there is a continuing need for gaming machines with enhancements that may attract players by enhancing the entertainment value and excitement associated with the game. It would therefore be desirable to have a way to provide a souvenir that memorializes the occurrence of a significant event, such as the winning of a jackpot on a gaming machine. The present invention satisfies this demand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a system, method, and apparatus by which a souvenir is produced of what a player was able to accomplish as the result of playing a gaming machine, such as the player's winnings on the machine.
In a preferred embodiment, the invention permits the substance of the souvenir to be selected, the form or forms in which the souvenir is provided to be selected, and the manner in which the souvenir is distributed to be selected. With respect to this preferred embodiment, and in particular the substance of the souvenir to be selected, the program permits the system to be configured such that the operator of the machine can pre-select the event for which the player can receive a souvenir. The event may be defined, for example, in terms of the player's accomplishments—such as the size of the jackpot won by the player—and in terms that may be important to the operator—such as the number of games played on the certain machine (for example, the millionth game played on a certain machine), or the number of players that have visited and played a game at the establishment (the millionth game played on the establishment's machines), just to name a few such memorable events. The event may also be defined as a “result” type, such as “Royal Flush” or “Four Deuces” on a video poker machine. For purposes of this application, the term “operator” is meant to refer to that individual or entity that has the right to control the settings of the gaming machine and may be, for example, the one who collects the revenue from or has an interest in the operation of the machine, such as the establishment where the machine is located, e.g., a casino. The term “event” is meant to include an occurrence that the operator may wish to recognize and/or the player may wish to memorialize, such as the winning of a jackpot; and the term “jackpot” is meant to include anything of value that may be won through the playing of a game on a gaming machine.
Certain embodiments of the invention permit the operator to pre-select the history of the event to be recorded upon the happening of an event threshold. With respect to the production of this historical record of the event, the operator may choose to record, for example, the size of the jackpot, the machine on which the jackpot had been won, the location of the machine, the size of the jackpot, the date and time on which the jackpot had been won, but, as a minimum, preferably includes a reproduction or recreation of the gaming machine display by which the player was informed that he or she had won.
A preferred embodiment permits the operator to select the substance of the historical record as well as whether all or a subset of the historical record is made available for purposes of producing the souvenir. Whether the operator permits the entire or just a subset of the historical record to be accessed for purposes of producing the souvenir, this operator-selected record is termed the “publishable record”, and includes the reproduction or recreation of the winning display, but possibly additional elements from the historical record such as, but not limited to, the name of the establishment where the machine was located and the manufacturer of the gaming machine. Information from the historical record that the operator may wish to withhold for purposes of publication may include, for instance, information that is necessary for accounting or tax purposes.
Additionally, embodiments can be configurable such that the operator may add to or permit the player to add to the publishable record to produce a “refined” publishable record. To illustrate, while the operator may have chosen that the publishable record includes only the reproduction or recreation of the game winning display, the operator may wish to allow the player to add information to further personalize and increase the memorial value of the souvenir. Such personalization information may include, but is not limited to, the name of the person as entered by the player, or imagery such as a photograph of the player showing the player's reaction after being informed that he or she had just won, or stock imagery elements such as a printed frame surrounding the game winning display reproduction/recreation, or a picture of the establishment where the game was won. The photograph of the player may be obtained through the use of a camera forming a part of the system that is synchronized to take a photograph of the player, such as when the player is standing in front of the machine. Similarly, the player may opt to remove elements from the operator's specifi
Brown Duncan F.
DeMar Lawrence E.
Slomiany Scott D.
Baniak Pine & Gannon
Case Venture Management LLC
Castro Arnold
Gimie Mahmoud
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