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Amusement gaming machineRelated Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Games, Including Means For Processing Electronic Data (e.g., Computer/video Game, Etc.), In A Chance Application, Lot Match Or Lot Combination (e.g., Roulette, Lottery, Etc.), Plural Lots (e.g., Keno, Etc.), Plural Matches Create Pattern (e.g., Bingo, Etc.)Amusement gaming machine description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20050261050, Amusement gaming machine. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention is directed to an amusement gaming machine and more specifically a system for enhancing the play of bingo type games. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The game of bingo is well-known. Traditionally, this game is played with a bingo card having printed numbers in a five-by-five matrix with B I N G O printed across the top of each of the five columns. The center of the matrix may be considered a FREE space and does not require a number to be called to cross out, or daub, the FREE location. When numbers are called, such as B-13, the number 13 would be marked, or daubed, to show that the called number exists on that Bingo card. The selection of called numbers is traditionally provided in the form of a finite number of bingo balls that are shuffled and randomly selected from a box, cage, or mixer. Bingo balls are selected and numbers are called until a bingo player has his or her bingo card daubed in a winning pattern. A winning pattern, represented by declaring BINGO, can be a row, column, each corner, an X-pattern, black-out pattern, or any other pattern. A black-out pattern represents the condition where all of the numbers on the card have been called and are daubed. Typically, multiple players play the same game and a winner is declared when the first player realizes a winning pattern. [0003] With the advent of modern technology, particularly computers, bingo has matured into what has been referred to as a Class II game in the gaming field. With Class II games, prizes are generally rewarded from funds deposited by the bingo player to play the game. Further, it is advantageous that for each bingo game played, at least one prize winner should exist for each game. Further, it is advantageous to have intermediate prizes so that several prizes are awarded during play. Further, it is advantageous for a bingo game system to have a progressive prize system so that a winner can play an aggregated prize collection source. [0004] The introduction of Class II gaming has also resulted in bingo players being able to realize the benefits and enjoyment of playing computer enhanced bingo. Particularly the use of high definition graphics allows for a more exciting and enjoyable play. [0005] Accordingly, to provide the advantages described herein, it is an object of this invention to provide for a computer enhanced bingo game allowing multiple players to play against each other while insuring a winner. [0006] It is another object of this invention to provide a computer enhanced bingo game having intermediate prizes and progressive prizes. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The objectives of this invention are realized by providing a system for playing bingo comprising, a computer readable medium, a set of called numbers representing a finite number of possible card numbers in communication with the computer readable medium; and, a set of computer readable instructions embodied within the computer readable medium for providing at least one unique bingo card having a plurality of card numbers, generating an initial set of called numbers having a population of numbers less than those on the bingo card, comparing each called number of the initial set of called numbers with each card number, determining whether an intermediate prize should be awarded according to the initial set of called numbers and the bingo card, and, selecting additional called numbers from a set of remaining called numbers until a winning pattern is determined on the at least one unique bingo card. The winning pattern can be a black-out pattern. The set of computer readable instructions can providing the bingo card upon a determination that sufficient credits exist for play and can debit the player credits a predetermined amount to be credited to a wide area progressive prize. [0008] The system can include an actuator and the set of computer readable instructions include instructions for initiating a comparison of each called number of the initial set of called numbers with the card numbers upon a first actuation of the actuator, initiating the selection of additional called numbers until a winning pattern is determined upon a second actuation of the actuator, and awarding a prize to the player upon a third actuation of the actuator. [0009] The step of providing at least one unique bingo card can include the step of randomly generating a unique bingo card or selecting a unique bingo card from a pre-existing set of unique bingo cards. [0010] The system can include a video display having award indicators in communication with the computer readable medium and the set of computer readable instructions include instructions to activate the award indicators representing that the player has won a prize. The award indicators can be set of reels displayed on the video display that are spun and stopped so that they represent the determination that the player has won a prize. The computer readable instructions can include instructions for receiving award indicator modification information from a remote terminal and modifying the award indicators according to the modification information. The system can include a plurality of mechanical reels in communication with the computer readable medium and the set of computer readable instructions include instructions for spinning the mechanical reels and stopping the mechanical reels so that they represent the determination that the player has won a prize. The system can include instructions for determining whether multiple players are playing before allowing game play to continue and instructions for determining whether the intermediate prize is a wide area progressive prize. [0011] The system can also include a central computer readable medium, a plurality of game terminals having terminal computer readable medium in communications with the central computer readable medium, and a set of computer readable central instruction embodied in the central computer readable medium for receiving a request to play from at least one game terminal, providing at least one unique bingo card having a plurality of card numbers for each game terminal requesting play, generating an initial set of called numbers, comparing each called number with each bingo card associated with each of the game terminals, determining whether an intermediate prize should be awarded according to the bingo cards and the initial set of called numbers, transmitting an intermediate prize award notification to the game terminal having an associated bingo card resulting in an intermediate prize, selecting additional called numbers from a set of remaining called numbers until a winning pattern is determined on at least one of the bingo cards, and transmitting a winning pattern notification to the game terminal associated with the bingo card having a winning pattern. [0012] An actuator can be in communication with the game terminal and the computer readable medium so and the set of computer readable terminal instructions for transmitting a request to play to the central computer readable medium upon actuation of the actuator can be included. A terminal video display can be in communication with the terminal computer readable medium and the set of compute readable terminal instructions include instructions for receiving an intermediate prize award notification from the set of computer readable central instructions and informing the player that a prize has been awarded via the video display. [0013] The system can include a computer readable medium in communication with a server, a display device in communication with the computer readable medium, an actuator in communication with the computer readable medium, and a set of computer readable instructions embodied within the computer readable medium for providing a unique bingo card, receiving an initial set of called numbers from the server, displaying on the display device the bingo card with the card numbers daubed according to the initial set of called numbers upon a first actuation of the actuator, receiving an intermediate prize notification, and displaying intermediate prize information according to the intermediate prize notification, sending a select next called number request to the server upon a second actuation of the actuator, and awarding a prize upon the third actuation of the actuator. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] This invention is described with references to the following drawings: [0015] FIG. 1A is a flowchart of the invention; [0016] FIG. 1B is a continuation of FIG. 1A; [0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic of the player interface; and, [0018] FIG. 3 is a schematic of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0019] The detailed description that follows may be presented in terms of program procedures executed on a computer or network of computers. These procedural descriptions are representations used by those skilled in the art to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. These procedures herein described are generally a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. These steps require physical manipulations of physical quantities such as electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, or otherwise manipulated by a set of computer readable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium that is designed to perform a specific task or tasks. Actual computer or executable code or computer readable code may be contained within one file or one storage medium but may also span several computers or storage mediums. The term "host" and "server" may be hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software that provides the functionality described herein. Continue reading about Amusement gaming machine... Full patent description for Amusement gaming machine Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Amusement gaming machine patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Amusement gaming machine or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Methods for conducting and playing a lottery game Next Patent Application: Gaming device and method for providing a slot machine game incorporating images of currency Industry Class: Amusement devices: games ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Amusement gaming machine patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.12494 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Canon USA , Celera Genomics , Cephalon, Inc. , Cingular Wireless , Clorox , Colgate-Palmolive , Corning , Cymer , pbckp |
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