EP0366763A1 - Appareil de jeu electronique portatif - Google Patents

Appareil de jeu electronique portatif

Info

Publication number
EP0366763A1
EP0366763A1 EP19890905432 EP89905432A EP0366763A1 EP 0366763 A1 EP0366763 A1 EP 0366763A1 EP 19890905432 EP19890905432 EP 19890905432 EP 89905432 A EP89905432 A EP 89905432A EP 0366763 A1 EP0366763 A1 EP 0366763A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
key
game
display
cell
battery
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
EP19890905432
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
John Bentley
Gordon The Mcnally Design Group Ltd. Mcnally
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GB888809363A external-priority patent/GB8809363D0/en
Priority claimed from GB888827944A external-priority patent/GB8827944D0/en
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0366763A1 publication Critical patent/EP0366763A1/fr
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
    • G07F17/326—Game play aspects of gaming systems
    • G07F17/3262—Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
    • G07F17/3265—Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
    • G07F17/3202—Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
    • G07F17/3216—Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
    • G07F17/3218—Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects wherein at least part of the system is portable
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
    • G07F17/3241—Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
    • G07F17/34—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an electronic game device.
  • an electronic game device having:
  • operator controlled lock means for locking the device irrevocably against further plays and preserving a generated pattern.
  • the display is visual, being given by lights or a liquid crystal display arrangement, for example.
  • the display may be audible, being given by a transducer and taking the form, for example, of a sequence of notes which may make a tune.
  • the term "display" is to be interpreted accordingly.
  • a visual display may have associated with it an audible output if desired.
  • the electronic generator may be based on a random number generator and the display patterns may be given in a random manner.
  • the device is small and hand-held, being inexpensive and intended for mass production and individual use.
  • the electronic generator may comprise a random number generator but there is an alternative possibility: the patterns may be predetermined and programmed into the game. With such an arrangement, there will be, in a large number of game devices, different pattern sequences. A few of the game devices will include winning sequences and many will not. Randomness is achieved by the random distribution of the game devices to players.
  • the operator controlled play means may be a play button. Alternatively, there may be sound or light activated switches for this purpose.
  • the means for limiting the number of games may be resettable. Generally, resetting will not be possible by the operator but only on return to the manufacturer.
  • a feature of the invention provides an electric key as the reset means, and according to another aspect of the invention such a key comprises a casing including an electric cell or battery and a pair of contacts accessible from the exterior of the casing connected to the cell or battery, the key and device being such that the key can be connected via the contacts to the device and current drawn by the device from the cell or battery to operate the device, the arrangement being such that once current has been drawn, the key cannot be removed and re-used.
  • the cell or battery may comprise a single button cell of such characteristics that it is effectively discharged immediately it is connected to the device.
  • a fuse encapsulated in the casing and connected in series with the battery. The fuse blows as soon as current is drawn. It will be seen that the key of the present invention is not designed to provide power to drive the device but merely to trigger it.
  • Another kind of reset key envisaged is a specially programmed smart card.
  • the electronic generator and the means for limiting the number of games preferably form part of a pre-programmed microprocessor unit.
  • the lock means is preferably a switch, perhaps button operated, which freezes the pattern generated.
  • the pattern may remain displayed, in the case of a visual display, or may be locked into the micro-processor memory for reproduction, in the case of a visual or audible display.
  • the purpose of the game is to play until a predetermined winning pattern, or one of a number of predetermined winning patterns is generated and displayed. Thereafter the display is locked so that the win can be subsequently verified.
  • the game can be used for amusement or gaming. Achievement of a winning pattern will give entitlement to a prize. In the amusement use one of a party of players may be awarded a prize or achievement of a winning pattern. In the gaming use a game device may be purchased with a fixed number of games available and a monetary prize awarded for a winning pattern.
  • Different winning patterns may be entitled to different prizes. Some of the less valuable winning patterns may simply step up the limit of games available, thus giving a number of free plays. Such winning patterns would not be locked.
  • a preferred form of the display is a set of numbers or other symbols displayed in respective windows and independently changed to achieve different combinations after the manner of a fruit machine.
  • a system where the sequence of patterns is predetermined has the advantage that there is no problem in maintaining security against tampering and falsifying winning displays since winning devices can be identified by a secret code number.
  • any device may produce a winning pattern.
  • the device is physically sealed against tampering and preferably encapsulated in resin.
  • Power may be provided by batteries or solar cells. Incorporation of holograms and other anti-forgery devices is envisaged.
  • Figure 1 is a front elevation of a hand-held electronic game device according to the invention.
  • Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the disposition of. components in the device of Figure
  • Figure 3 is a view of the display of the device
  • Figure 4 is a schematic block circuit diagram of the device
  • FIG. 5 is a diagram of an electric key in accordance with an aspect of the invention.
  • FIG. 6 is a diagram of another electric key in accordance with said aspect of the invention.
  • the device comprises a housing 1 formed in two halves and welded about a set of components shown in Figure 2.
  • the case has a play push-button 2, a hold push-button 3 and a lock push- button 4 which is recessed to be difficult to push accidentally.
  • a display panel 5 shows a liquid crystal display (LCD) to be described more fully with reference to Figure 3.
  • Figure 2 shows components of the device. Apart from a piezoelectric buzzer 6 which is mounted in a recess in the rear housing moulding, the components are mounted on a printed circuit board 7.
  • Figure 2 shows one of two side-by-side batteries 8, push-button 3, and the LCD 9.
  • the device is controlled by a programmed microprocessor chip 10 encapsulated in resin.
  • Figure 3 shows the form of the display which is arranged as a group of five areas arranged in an 'X', hereinafter referred to as windows 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. Each window displays a number.
  • the numbers in the corner windows 11, 12, 14 and 15 have two digits each.
  • the number in the centre window 13 has an extra reading "half-digit" available: the first digit in the centre window may be a '1'.
  • reels are stored in a compacted form.
  • a list of 64 symbols is used as the first 64 symbols of ALL FIVE reels. This is followed by 3 different tables each of 16 symbols which hold the last 16 symbols of reels 1 & 4, 2 & 3 and 5 respectively. This gives the symbol distribution required without affecting the 'randomness' of the games.
  • the program enters 'TEST' mode and waits for the PLAY or LOCK buttons to be pressed.
  • the 'PLAY' button is pressed, all LCD segments are lit until the PLAY button is released.
  • the 'HOLD' button is pressed a 'lose' tune is played.
  • the LOCK button When the test sequences have been performed, the LOCK button must be pressed to lock the device. The device will play its 'win tune' to show that it has been locked. Note that it can be checked that the device has indeed been locked correctly by pressing the PLAY button and confirming that the LCD does not light with the test pattern.
  • Pressing the LOCK button sets the state of the device to 'SHIPPING', so that it can be stored and shipped to the customer. In this state the LCD display is turned off and the processor is Halted to conserve battery power. The device will remain 'asleep' until the 'LOCK' button is pressed again.
  • the display is blank. Instructions with the device tells him to press the LOCK button to start. When this is pressed, the 'win tune' will be played and the display will light showing '00' on all five reels. The device can then be played by the customer with the assurance that it is indeed 'new' and contains the stated number of games.
  • the device When each reel stops "spinning", the device will generate a new random number, which will be converted to the corresponding game symbol (numbers 00, 04, 22, etc) which will be displayed on the LCDs.
  • “Spinning" reels are shown by rapidly changing numbers being displayed. The generation of these numbers exercises the random number generator, as does the loop that waits for the play button to be pressed at the start of each game. Thus the whole device will not follow a predetermined sequence of wins or loses since the user affects the outcome of each game in a random manner.
  • the device will wait after the reels have stopped spinning (and lighting the win or hold lights if appropriate) until all buttons have been released
  • the program After each game, the program will test the resulting display to see if it is a winning combination.
  • the following 'credit wins' are programmed into the device and so these awards cannot be changed by altering the printing on the device.
  • the figures are the number of extra games awarded automatically by the device.
  • the device will also lock automatically when the player runs out of games.
  • the game flashes each of the reels in turn, for 2 seconds each.
  • the player can then press the 'HOLD' button to hold the reel that is flashing at that moment and the game will 'bleep' to confirm the hold.
  • the 'HOLD' segment will be cleared and the selected reel will not 'spin' during the next game.
  • the hold is cancelled and the HOLD segment blanked when HOLD or PLAY is pressed or after the hold cycle of flashing each of the 5 reels has occurred 3 times.
  • FIG. 4 there is shown a block circuit diagram of the device. It is to be understood that this is an equivalent circuit diagram since the functions described are in fact implemented by the programmed microprocessor.
  • the circuit diagram shows an electronic generator 21 comprising a timing circuit 22; random number generator 23; a hold circuit 24 a display driver 25; a game counter 26; a score analyser 27 and a reset circuit 28.
  • the display is shown at 29.
  • Play button 2 is connected to initiate the time 22. Under control of the timer, random numbers are issued from generator 23 for a certain time. The random number signals pass through a hold circuit which allows specific segments of the display to be held under control of the hold button 3. The random number signals are applied to the display device 25 and thence to the display 29.
  • the lock button 4 is effective to lock the display driver. Operation of the lock button irrevocably locks the game so that no further plays are possible and the display is preserved.
  • the game counter 26 counts the number of games played and when this reaches a predetermined total issues a disable signal over a line 30 to disable further operation of the random number generator.
  • the score analyser 27 determines whether the current display represents a minor win for adding credits. If so, the reset circuit 28 is activated accordingly for counting down the count in the counter 26 by the appropriate amount to give credit games.
  • the key is a flat plastic square casing 41 encapsulating a single button cell 42 connected to two metal studs 43 at the surface of the casing.
  • a square recess (not shown) in the game casing accepts the key and contact is made via the studs to the game circuit. Current is drawn from the cell and the characteristics of the cell and the game circuit are such that the cell is immediately drained. It can no longer be used.
  • Figure 6 shows a similar key. The difference is that this has an encapsulated fuse 44 in series with the cell, which is now no longer a special cell for rapid discharge.
  • the current drawn blows the fuse and thus renders the key unusable again. Nevertheless, the one current pulse is sufficient to activate the game device for the required number of plays.
  • an electric key or a suitably programmed smart card which may be used in an analogous manner, is possible if the device is a hand-held device as described or if the device is embodied in a fixed, for example wall-mounted, unit, The invention also envisages the use of the electric key for operating other games and devices such as toys.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Electric Clocks (AREA)
  • Coin-Freed Apparatuses For Hiring Articles (AREA)

Abstract

Un appareil de jeu, de préférence portatif, comprend un générateur électronique (21) de combinaisons d'affichage, un affichage (5,9, 29, fig. 3) un bouton de jeu (2) servant à donner le départ d'un jeu affichant des ensembles de symboles qui "tournent" à la manière d'une machine affichant des fruits et que l'on peut empêcher de "tourner" au moyen d'un bouton d'arrêt (3). Il comprend également un moyen (26) limitant le nombre de fois que l'on peut jouer. Un bouton de verrouillage (4) permet de conserver, sans possibilité de changement, un affichage gagnant, donnant ainsi la preuve que l'on a gagné.
EP19890905432 1988-04-20 1989-04-20 Appareil de jeu electronique portatif Ceased EP0366763A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8809363 1988-04-20
GB888809363A GB8809363D0 (en) 1988-04-20 1988-04-20 Hand-held electronic game device
GB888827944A GB8827944D0 (en) 1988-11-30 1988-11-30 Electric key
GB8827944 1988-11-30

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0366763A1 true EP0366763A1 (fr) 1990-05-09

Family

ID=26293796

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19890905432 Ceased EP0366763A1 (fr) 1988-04-20 1989-04-20 Appareil de jeu electronique portatif

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0366763A1 (fr)
AU (1) AU3551289A (fr)
WO (1) WO1989010171A2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
RU2100840C1 (ru) * 1996-10-30 1997-12-27 Анисимов Сергей Николаевич Способ проведения игры с использованием кредитной карточки
US7445551B1 (en) 2000-05-24 2008-11-04 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Memory for video game system and emulator using the memory
US8267780B2 (en) 2004-03-31 2012-09-18 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game console and memory card
US11278793B2 (en) 2004-03-31 2022-03-22 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game console

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0070613A3 (en) * 1981-05-08 1984-05-09 Ace Coin Equipment Limited Video gaming or amusement machine
US4593376A (en) * 1983-04-21 1986-06-03 Volk Larry N System for vending program cartridges which have circuitry for inhibiting program usage after preset time interval expires
AU3018784A (en) * 1983-05-31 1984-12-18 Sega Electronics, Inc. Transportable read/write storage system for home video game computer
US4712799A (en) * 1984-09-27 1987-12-15 Edwards Manufacturing, Inc. Multi-screen video gaming device and method

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO8910171A2 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1989010171A3 (fr) 1989-12-28
WO1989010171A2 (fr) 1989-11-02
AU3551289A (en) 1989-11-24

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