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Cumulative seal card game system and methodRelated Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Games, Chance DevicesCumulative seal card game system and method description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070252326, Cumulative seal card game system and method. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates generally to gaming systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a seal card game system that provides a cumulative winner. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Games of chance continue to be popular. Certain games of chance, such as instant ticket games or pull tab tickets games, have gained popularity with social, fraternal, or church organizations and state or provincial lotteries seeking to raise funds. Commercial bingo halls also feature similar games of chance. Game operators in these facilities have a multitude of game systems from which to choose. Some new game systems enjoy success, while others fail to be commercially viable. The ability of a game system to generate player excitement and prolonged interest determines commercial success of the game system. [0003] Some known games feature a deal set of pull tab play tickets, for example, one hundred (100) individual tickets that include a deal set, that are individually sold to players for a fee. Each player breaks open one or more pull tabs of the ticket to reveal game symbols imprinted on the ticket. Some game systems feature instant winnings based on the imprinted game symbol or symbols while others feature qualifying symbols, identifying eligibility to compete in an award level associated with a particular deal set. After all tickets in the deal set are sold, players holding a ticket eligible for the deal set award are recorded on a deal seal card. A game operator opens a pull tab on the deal seal card to reveal a deal set winner. A deal set winner may receive cash, prizes, or additional tickets. [0004] Some known game systems feature a case award in addition to a deal award. In this type of game system, a case set of tickets are sold by an operator. The case set includes a plurality of deal sets of tickets, for example, ten (10) deal sets in one case with each deal set having a predetermined number of tickets, for example, one hundred (100) tickets. After all tickets in the case are sold and each of the deal set winners is determined, some or all of the deal winners further compete for higher level awards, for example, a case award. This is commonly referred to as a progressive scheme or progressive game system. That is, tickets qualifying for a case award must first have been deal set award winners. Progressive game systems of this type typically retain the interest of individual deal set winners but often at the expense of players not holding deal set winning tickets. [0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,916 to Brown discloses a seal card game system providing multiple levels of non-progressive play. The game system awards a master case award to a winning ticket not among the population of individual deal winning tickets. A winning ticket of each deal set does not qualify for the master case award level. The game features segregated deal sets, each set containing pull tab tickets. Each deal set is segregated by deal identifier indicia. A deal identifier indicia may be a selected color that is imprinted on each of the playing tickets comprising a deal set. The play tickets may be serialized by deal or by case for security. A seal card may include a serialization of each ticket associated with the case. The non-progression scheme benefits a game operator by retaining interest and participation of a higher population of players throughout the multiple deal play. [0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,737 to Fienberg discloses a game system with multi-level playing. One embodiment of the game features play tickets representing a first level of play. Play tickets with numbers ending in "13" represent a second level of play. A winning ticket from the second level of play is eligible to play in a third level for additional winnings in a "Bonus Section." A second embodiment features a fourth playing level called a "Jackpot Section." [0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,524 to Nannicola discloses an instant ticket game system utilizing a master game seal card. Players with hold tickets ending in "13" qualify for play in a three-level modified progression scheme. To initiate play at an advanced level, a seal window is opened to reveal a winner. A winning player competes to reach a concluding "Mountain Climber" level of the game. When a winning participant fails, a second hold card player becomes eligible to compete. [0008] These and other known game systems have various drawbacks. For example, none of the above game systems or other known game systems dedicate a predetermined prize amount to a cumulative prize pool board from a plurality of deals wherein a cumulative award is awarded from the cumulative prize pool board. Some winners of known game systems are eliminated from further awards. This causes players to lose interest after a particular point in a game or in the game entirely. [0009] These and other drawbacks exist. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] According to one embodiment of the invention, a seal card game system and method are provided that enable cumulative winners. The seal card game system provides at least one cumulative winner because the game system is played with a plurality of deals and each of the plurality of deals contributes a predetermined prize amount to a cumulative prize pool board. Cumulative awards are awarded from the cumulative prize pool board. The game system increases player interest and enthusiasm by providing tickets that may contain multiple cumulative winners. [0011] The game system includes a case set of play tickets having a plurality of deal sets of play tickets. Each of the plurality of deal sets of tickets includes a plurality of play tickets. According to one embodiment of the invention, the case set of tickets includes three (3) deal sets of tickets and each deal set of tickets includes one-thousand-eight-hundred-forty (1840) play tickets, although it is to be understood that any number of deal sets of tickets and play tickets may be used. Each play ticket includes deal identifier indicia imprinted on the play ticket to identify a deal set of which the play ticket is a member. Each play ticket is a member of only one deal set. The play tickets may also include case identifier indicia that identifies a case set of which the play ticket is a member. Each play ticket also includes at least one concealed game symbol imprinted on the play ticket. A predetermined number of play tickets in each of the deal sets of tickets has at least one concealed winning game symbol that earns at least one of an instant award, a first award, and a cumulative award. The cumulative award is awarded from the predetermined cumulative prize pool board. First award and cumulative award identifiers may be provided on at least one first award identifying mechanism and a master cumulative award identifying mechanism, respectively. Preferably, each deal set of tickets includes a first award identifying mechanism and each case set of tickets includes a master cumulative award identifying mechanism. [0012] For each deal set, at least one concealed first award identifier identifies the winning game symbol that may win a first award and at least one concealed cumulative award identifier identifies the winning game symbol that wins a cumulative award. Play tickets having a winning game symbol may earn one or more of an instant award, a first award, and a cumulative award. A plurality of play tickets from a plurality of deals may win a cumulative award. Thus, there may be multiple cumulative winners. [0013] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. [0014] In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. [0015] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a play ticket according to one embodiment of the invention. [0017] FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of the play ticket shown in FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. [0018] FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of a second play ticket according to one embodiment of the invention. [0019] FIG. 4 is a rear elevation view of a second play ticket according to one embodiment of the invention. [0020] FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of a master cumulative award identifying mechanism according to one embodiment of the invention. Continue reading about Cumulative seal card game system and method... Full patent description for Cumulative seal card game system and method Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Cumulative seal card game system and method 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 Cumulative seal card game system and method or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Reconfigurable golf game Next Patent Application: Stepped position specifying apparatus, stepping type exercise apparatus, stepped position specifying method and exercising support method Industry Class: Amusement devices: games ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Cumulative seal card game system and method patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.2187 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Daimler Chrysler , DirecTV , Exxonmobil Chemical Company , Goodyear , Intel , Kyocera Wireless , 174 |
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