Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – In a chance application
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-30
2002-06-04
Sager, Mark (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
In a chance application
C463S040000, C273S15700R, C283S036000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06398643
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reusable gaming device, more particularly to a promotional gaming device which can be used in conjunction with various promotional media.
2. Description of Related Art
Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
Gaming is an entertainment activity with an increasingly widespread availability involving numerous applications. Presently, gaming is a diverse industry implementing a large variety of systems that enable players to participate in various forms of traditional games of chance such as instant ticket-type games, traditional lottery drawing games, and match games as well as more sophisticated electronic and video games.
One system of gaming is that of the instant ticket game. In the case of typical paper instant tickets, a computer generates a randomized prize data stream comprised of a finite series of win/lose outcomes. Each outcome is assigned to a lottery ticket, and each ticket contains one or more game chances which yield the assigned outcome. The player cannot change the ticket outcome; he or she merely scratches off an opaque covering on the ticket in accordance with the rules of the game to reveal win/lose results or prize status.
Remote gaming systems, and more particularly, off-line systems for playing games of chance including instant-type lottery games typically embody playing tickets on a game computer. These systems offer the same convenience as typical paper scratch-off tickets without the gaming computer ever having to be physically or electronically connected to a lottery system network during play.
In both types of instant win games, the primary benefit to the maker of the game is an incoming revenue stream. The advantage to players of instant-win tickets is the ability to obtain immediate gratification. Unlike holders of tickets for scheduled prize drawings, for example, who must await completion of the drawings to determine whether they have won any prize, purchasers of instant-win tickets are able to discern the extent of their successful play immediately after acquiring the tickets. However, empirical evidence suggests that some purchasers prefer greater involvement with the games presented on the tickets than many instant-win tickets typically provide. As a consequence, more recently created games have been extended to provide additional play tickets. These types of games are either multiple in number or are not limited to removing a single opaque covering.
Match games of chance such as Bingo and Keno are also becoming more popular world wide, particularly in the United States. Bingo parlors are proliferating, both as charity fund raisers and as legal for-profit ventures. Also, currently at least 30 state and provincial lotteries have adopted a bingo card format for their instant prize winner lottery cards. These cards are typically “Scratcher Bingo” games in which a caller's card and as many as four separate bingo squares are displayed. The player scratches off the play spaces which match numbers on the caller's card, attempting a traditional bingo match of vertical, horizontal or diagonal lines or four corners. The game cards can take a full 10 to 15 minutes to complete and are popular due to the hands-on participation required. Typically a player has a chance to win multiple prizes from a single card via the multiple bingo squares. Keno, although less well known, is proliferating as well with the expansion of legal gambling facilities.
Until recently, game creators were unaware of any effort (other than their own) to link games of chance with the personal computers of those who purchase the instant-type lottery tickets or play match games such as Bingo or Keno. However, a 1996 brochure of Gizmo Enterprises, Inc. entitled “Interactive Multimedia Lottery Ticket” touts a product called “WinWare.” According to the brochure, “WinWare” is “an improved lottery ticket that increases the excitement of lottery play.” Players purchase tickets from existing retailers, then use their home computer or a retail gaming system to play interactive lottery games. There is no skill involved because the outcome of the game is controlled by the ticket. When players win they simply bring their tickets back to the retailer and collect the prize.
It is apparent that with the recent widespread popularity of personal computers, the availability of on-line services, the increasing popularity of instant-type lottery and match games such as Bingo and Keno, and the increasing popularity of gaming in general, a faster and more convenient method of gaming entertainment could be developed using the Internet. Once proclaimed to be the “information superhighway,” the Internet has now become the “advertisement superhighway,” and, as such, is able to provide gaming opportunities directly to a person in the privacy of his own home through cyberspace while at the same time exposing the person to a manufacturer's line of product.
In addition to Internet gaming, regardless of whether it is provided to the consumer strictly for his own entertainment or to induce him to purchase consumer products, a more desirable and convenient method of promoting the sale of consumer products could be developed. Such a promotion method could limit, or even eliminate, the requirement for paper manufacturer's coupons and could allow manufacturers an opportunity to promote specific products without altering product containers or attaching special coupons to the products or store shelves. The method could also allow consumers to personally select product categories and products within the selected categories for refund or discount information in advance of their shopping trip, and, to be effective, the method could generate consumer interest and excitement by the use of a game format for the selected product categories. Finally, the method would save valuable natural resources by specifically targeting rebate and coupon offers only to those consumers who actively solicit such offers.
Because of the increased interest in instant-ticket type games, traditional lottery-drawing games, and match games such as Bingo and Keno, there is a need to provide people with an easily accessible forum to afford them the opportunity to participate in recreational gaming. Furthermore, because there is an ever-increasing need to conserve valuable natural resources, the linking of recreational gaming with the potential to reduce environmental waste may serve that end.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention contemplates a reusable promotional gaming device for determining whether a player has matched a predetermined winning sequence of characters or symbols. The invention consists of a substrate having at least two rows of location designating symbols so that a position may be designated by a combination of at least one of the symbols from each row. The invention also contemplates groups of sequence representing elements disposed on the substrate. These sequence representing elements have a corresponding position designated by the positional combination of at least one of the symbols from each row of location designating symbols. The invention furthermore contemplates a promotional product label having marks disposed on the label. Each of the marks are addressable by one of the sequence representing elements when the substrate is placed over the promotional product label. Each mark furthermore identifies a sequence representing element that in combination forms a gaming sequence which can be compared to the predetermined winning sequence.
The substrate of the gaming device may be either transparent or translucent. The location designating symbols are arranged in a row and in a column, and the sequence representing elements may be comprised of either integers or letters. These sequence representing elements may be predisposed on the substrate in either varying patterns or in a random fashion.
The invention also contemplates a method of playing a game using a gaming device. The first step in playing t
Goede Wouter
Knowles Allan G. S.
O'Neill Conor
Ashburn Steven
Handal & Morofsky
Sager Mark
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