GB2166961A

GB2166961A - Apparatus for playing a game of chance e.g. bingo

Info

Publication number: GB2166961A
Application number: GB08524987A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Barry Martin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-10-12
Filing date: 1985-10-10
Publication date: 1986-05-21
Also published as: GB8425815D0; GB8524987D0; GB2166961B

Abstract

Apparatus comprises a means for selecting from a plurality of regions within a pre-defined area a set of regions, a random generator for defining a further set of regions, and means for indicating the said set and the said further set, a win being achieved when some selected regions or all regions of the first set are matched by defined regions of the second set. Preferably the pre-defined area is a cathode-ray tube, and the other means is a mask member having one or more viewing apertures at predetermined locations. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An apparatus and method for playing a game of chance This invention concerns an apparatus and method for playing a game of chance, especially but not exclusively bingo.

The present invention provides apparatus for playing a game of chance comprising a means for selecting from a plurality of regions within a predefined area a set of regions, a random generator for defining a further set of regions, and means for indicating the said set and the said further set, a win being achieved when some selected regions or all regions of the first set are matched by defined regions of the second set.

Preferably the pre-defined area is a cathode ray tube or any other suitable display device and means are provided for indicating on the viewing screen of the tube the selected areas. Said means may be a numerical selection device operable manually by the user and coupled to circuitry which causes the selected regions to be shown on the screen.

Alternatively the means may be a mask member having the selected regions marked thereon adapted for fixing in front of the screen and capable of showing the said randomly defined regions through said selected regions.

Further according to the present invention there is provided apparatus for playing a game of chance comprising a mask member having one or more viewing apertures therein at predetermined locations and an indicator member having one or more indicating regions located at randomly selected locations thereon whereby on placing the mask member over the indicator member a winning selection is indicated by the mask member when the indicating regions on the indicator member correspond with the apertures on the masking member.

Preferably the mask member is a card having a plurality of apertures formed therein. Alternatively it may be a transparent or translucent sheet having apertures designated thereon by way, for example, of rings.

Preferably the indicator member is a television screen and the indicating regions thereon are randomly selected by a computer, the regions being formed by areas or points on the television screen having a colour illumination different from the remainder of the screen.

Alternatively the indicator member may be a printed sheet having certain areas thereon marked to provide the indicating regions, these regions having been randomly selected by a computer or by some other random selection means, for example a bingo ball machine, prior to printing.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a method of playing a game of chance comprising manufacturing a mask member by providing at a predetermined number of locations thereon viewing apertures, marking an indicator member at a plurality of randomly selected regions and presenting the mask member to the indicator member so that the pre-selected regions on the indicator member may show through the viewing apertures, a win being indicated when all ofthe viewing apertures show a selected region on the indicator member or all of certain pre-selected viewing apertures show a region on the indicator member.

Preferably there are 90 possible locations for viewing apertures on the mask member and 90 possible regions on the indicator member.

Preferably the areas are arranged in nine rows of ten. The apertures may be numbered consecutively or at random.

A player of the game may be provided with a masking member on which the viewing apertures have been preformed or alternatively may select for himself the location of the viewing apertures on his masking member.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows diagrammatically a game of chance adapted for playing with the aid of a television set or monitor.

A mask member 10 comprises a sheet of selfadhesive transparent plastics film the size of which corresponds approximately to the size of the screen 12 of a television set or monitor 14 to which it is to be fitted. It has printed thereon a number of rings 16, say fifteen in number, the location of each of which lies within a grid of ninety areas made up from nine horizontal rows of ten discreet areas. The grid 18 need not be shown on the member 10 and in the drawing is only partially shown. The location of the rings 16 is selected by the player and this selection together with the player's personal details, for example name and address, are recorded by the game operator when he issues the player with a mask member bearing his selection of rings.

The player temporarily affixes his mask member lotto his television screen 12 and it may remain in position on the screen whether the game is being played or not as the rings only minimally interrupt normal viewing.

When a bingo game is played the game operator, by means of a suitably programmed computer, at random causes regions 20 of the television screen to be differentiated by different colour or brightness, in the first instance by a flashing point or block, the flashing point or block subsequently changing to a constantly "illuminated" block after a predetermined interval of time determined by the computer programme. The said regions or indicators are arranged on a grid of nine horizontal lines of ten discreet areas similar to that on the member 10. Conveniently there is indicated also on the screen 12 location marks 22 whereby the positioning of the mask member with respect to the indicator member can be co-ordinated by means of location marks 24 on the member 10.

The player then needs only to watch his screen and when a region or indicator 20 appears within each of his rings 16 he has a winning combination and can make a claim for a prize by contacting the game operator, for example, by telephone.

Various modifications can be made to the game without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example a mask member can be purchased with rings thereon which have been previously randomly selected by the game operator.

Alternatively the mask member can be opaque, the viewing apertures formed by holes cut therein. For a more complicated game certain rings may be coloured differently from other rings so that various "levels" of prizes may be determined. For example, rather than or as well as giving a prize to the person who has fifteen rings occupied, certain rings of a different colour may be used for a smaller game, or, as in a conventional bingo game, a win can be obtained by completing a horizontal or vertical row.

For ease of identification the rings may be numbered in horizontal rows from top left to bottom right from one to ninety.

It will be realised thatwith this television game a game can be played while other programmes are being watched, as only small regions of the screen need to be "illuminated".

Other modifications ofthe game do not involve the use of a television screen. For example, the indicator member can be a sheet of printed material carrying on it printed regions whose locations are selected by some random means. This embodiment of the invention can be used, for example, in a newspaper competition where at the beginning of a game extending over a number of days the player purchases or is given a mask member and each day a replica of an indicator member is published in the newspaper, the reproduction carrying a progressively increasing number of printed regions or indicators. In this instance the player simply places his mask member over the replica indicator member in the newspaper and the winner of the game is the first person to have a printed area appearing under all or some selected number of the viewing apertures in the mask member.

In'a further embodiment of the game utilised, for example, as a publicity promotion, mask members and indicator members are distributed separately, a winner being obtained if the apertures in a mask member match with the indicators on an indicator member. The most readily acceptable form of this game would probably be to provide separate mask and indicator members in sealed opaque envelopes, so that it would be impossible for a player to select a matching pair of cards. In a further adaption of this game a player could be given simultaneously a mask and indicator member or the indicator member could be provided with a scrape off security covering so that selected areas could not be viewed without removing the covering.The game could be made more skilfull by causing the player to select what area he wishes to remove the security covering from, in other words he has a certain influence on the selection of the randomly located indicators.

A further modification of the game is suitable for use in an arcade or in a bingo hall. This modificatian again uses a television screen which is associated with a numerical keyboard on which the player can select a plurality of numbers, for example fifteen. On selecting a number, a ring or square is displayed on the television screen in a position corresponding to that particular number. This screen, as before, is divided into a grid having ten vertically arranged rows of nine numbers.

The programming of the electronic processor associated with the television screen allows the player a predetermined time to make the selection after he has inserted the correct money into the coin mechanism of the machine. If the player does not make a full selection within the appropriate time a random selection is made for him by the machine.

Alternatively the player can elect for the machine to select his fifteen numbers at random for him. In the arcade version of the modification, after the fifteen selected rings have been displayed on the screen the processor commences to select numbers at random, the numbers selected being indicated on the screen by, for example, illuminating an appropriate number or device at the area of the grid corresponding to this number, or alternatively extinguishing an already illuminated number. A win is achieved if the randomly defined regions correspond with the manually pre-selected regions.

The random definition of regions terminates after a predetermined number of regions has been defined and this may constitute the end of the game. Thus if all the pre-selected regions are not duplicated the game will be lost. In a modification, on insertion of a further fee the random definition of regions may continue for, for example, a further ten numbers.

Again there may be a win or loss and again thereafter it may be possible to have further numbers defined at random in the hope that a win can be achieved.

A similar system is employed when the game is played in a Bingo Hall. Each player has a television screen and a manual region selection panel and the game commences when all players have selected their fifteen numbers or alternatively have had these numbers selected for them bya random generator of the processor.

After the pre-selection stage all television screens in use are linked to a central random generator which continues to function until the first player achieves a match of his fifteen pre-selected regions with the randomly defined regions.

Claims

1. Apparatus for playing a game of chance comprising a means for selecting from a plurality of regions within a pre-defined area a set of regions, a random generator for defining a further set of regions, and means for indicating the said set and the said further set, a win being achieved when some selected regions or all regions of the first set are matched by defined regions of the second set.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the pre-defined area is a cathode ray tube and means are provided for indicating on the viewing screen of the tube the selected areas.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which said means is a numerical selection device operable manually by the user and coupled to circuitry which causes the selected regions to be shown on the screen.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the means is a mask member having the selected regions marked thereon adapted for fixing in front of the screen and capable of showing the said randomly defined regions through said selected regions.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the mask is opaque and has viewing apertures formed therein.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the mask is non-opaque and defines the said set of regions by rings printed thereon.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the rings are arranged in coloured sets.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the regions are numbered.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the pre-defined area is a sheet of material and said predefined regions are marked thereon.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, in which the regions are marked progressively.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or 10, in which the mask is opaque and has viewing apertures formed therein.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the means for selecting the said set of regions is a random generator.

13. Apparatus for playing a game of chance comprising a mask member having one or more viewing apertures therein at predetermined locations and an indicator member having one or more indicating regions located at randomly selected locations thereon whereby on placing the mask member over the indicator member a winning selection is indicated by the mask member when the indicating regions on the indicator member correspond with the apertures on the masking member.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, in which the mask member is a card having a plurality of apertures formed therein.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, in which the mask member is a transparent or translucent sheet having apertures designated thereon by way of rings.

16. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15, in which the indicator member is a television screen and the indicating regions thereon are randomly selected by a computer, the regions being formed by areas or points on the television screen having a colour or illumination different from the remainder of the screen.

17. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15, in which the indicator member is a printed sheet having certain areas thereon marked to provide the indicating regions, these regions having been randomly selected by a computer prior to printing.

18. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15, in which the indicator member is a printed sheet having certain areas thereon marked to provide the indicating regions, these regions having been randomly selected by a bingo ball machine prior to printing.

19. A method of playing a game of chance comprising manufacturing a mask member by providing at a predetermined number of locations thereon viewing apertures, marking an indicator member at a plurality of randomly selected regions and presenting the mask member to the indicator member so that the pre-selected regions on the indicator member may show through the viewing apertures, a win being indicated when all of the viewing apertures show a selected region on the indicator member or all of certain pre-selected viewing apertures show a region on the indicator member.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, in which there are 90 possible locations for viewing apertures on the mask member and 90 possible regions on the indicator member.

21. A method as claimed in claim 19 or 20, in which the areas are arranged in nine rows of ten.

22. A method as claimed in any one of claims 19 to 21, in which the apertures are numbered consecutively.

23. Apparatus for playing a game of chance, substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

24. Methods for playing a game of chance substantially as hereinbefore described.

25. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.