GB2192342A - Games machine - Google Patents

Abstract

Each electronic games machine comprises means (18) for receiving payment from a player, a visual display unit having a screen (10) visible by the player, a manual input device, such as keys and/or a joystick (12, 14), a data processor for processing signals received from the input device and from the payment receiving means and for sending signals to provide a display on the screen of the visual display unit, and a communications link for permitting the data processor to transmit data to, and receive data and/or programs from, a remote computer. It is preferred that the machine be fitted with a device for both reading data from and writing data onto magnetic player identification cards. The invention provides games machines that permit competitive games of skill to be played between players in different locations and games machines that can record football pool entries. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Games machine The present invention relates to an electronic games machine.

According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic games machine comprising means for receiving payment from a player, a visual display unit having a screen visible by the player, a manual input device, such as keys and/or a joystick, a data processor for processing signals received from the input device and from the payment receiving means and for sending signals to provide a display on the screen of the visual display unit, and a communications link for permitting the data processor to transmit data to, and receive data and/ or programs from, a remote computer.

There are currently available various coin operated computer games machines to be found, for example, in public houses. In existing machines, the player's knowledge or skill is tested only by reference to the computer program and the only element of competition between players is derived from the fact that machines may on occasions indicate the highest scores previously obtained on that machine. There is however no interaction with other machines and players on different machines cannot compete against each other.

The games which can be played on such computer games machines test the player's reactions or knowledge but there is usually no facility for payment of prizes. The machine may grant a free turn if a high score is exceeded but money as such is not paid out. Even if there were facility for paying out, the prizes cannot be large, since the money staked by all the players using a single machine is not sufficiently great to enable significant prize money to be paid out.

One aspect of a machine of the present invention is that it can allow the playing of competitive games over an extended number of machines making it possible for substantial prizes to be paid out. For exmaple, the data interchanged through the communication link to the remote computer may comprise the scores achieved on that machine by identified players. The remote computer, having access to the scores of all players regardless of the location of the machine can now assess the relative performance of all the players and transmit data back to the machine.

There are numerous possibilities for employing such a communication facility between games machines. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, games of skill and/or knowledge are played in rounds with the remote computer indicating those players which are eliminated and inviting the better players to compete in the next round. After a number of rounds has been played the total stake money can be significant and is used to pay out the outright winner.

The final round of a game in which the outright winner is decided may be played out in real life by the competitors being invited to attend the final of the competition.

The advantage of the machine of the invention in the context of such a game is first that the players can compete for a large prize and thereby derive greater enjoyment. From a publican's point of view, the machine promotes trade by encouraging players to return for further rounds. The large prizes which can be paid out at the end of such a national competition and the final round can also attract considerable publicity which again promotes trade.

It is preferred that each player be issued with a magnetic card, such as currently used as credit cards, and that the games machine be fitted with a device for both reading data from and writing data onto the card.

The purpose of the data which is pre-written on the card is primarily for user identification, as with credit cards. The magnetic strip may carry an encoded number identifying the user uniquely.

When using a machine, a user-is asked to enter a number associated with the number on the card and access refused in the event of correct identification. However, this use of the recorded data does not require the entire length of the magnetic strip. Typically, of the order of eighty seven alphanumeric characters may be recorded on the magnetic strip and only eight are required for user identification. By providing each games machine with a writing as well as a reading facility, the remainder of the magnetic strip can be put to several useful purposes.

It is for example convenient to use one character to permit identification of a card being used for the first time. The games machine may then be programmed to ask the user for his name and address so that this information may be relayed automatically to a central computer without manual input from the publican orthe machine owner. This makes for user friendliness and simplifies operation for both the player and the operator.

As mentioned earlier, each game may require several rounds to be played. It is advantageous in this case to record the player's best performance in any round on the player's card so that the player may play on different machines if so required without the need for each machine to be permanently connected on line to a central computer.

The recording facility can also be used to avoid the need for a mechanism for dispensing change. In place of giving change upon overpayment, a player's card may be credited with the change, this being deducted from the cost of the next game played. If the card provides access to machines run by different operators or owners, the change owed by different machines may be recorded separately with an identification of the machine so that no one operator gives change for another. The amount of change is however likely to be small and on average it is not expected that any operator would be a nett winner or loser from giving change.

When a game is formed of several rounds, it is possible that several weeks may lapse before a winner is found. In this context, it is foreseen that each round may last for typically one week and a game may take a month. If each player in the second week needs to have qualified in the first, the numbers of potential players is reduced siSnifi?ntlr T!h!?WfFrB it fizz PT & eTElle w permit different rounds of different games to be played at the same time. Such operation is possible if the machine has a writing facility, since each user may have recorded on his magnetic card the round that has been reached in different games. This feature can also allow late entry into any one game since a player may wish to qualify for the first and second rounds of a game already on its third round.

The collection of data by the communications link permits the scores of all the players to be assessed to permit the levels for qualifying in the different rounds to be assessed in such a manner as to gradually eliminate the weaker players. Several attempts may be made to qualify in any round since the scores are not cumulative but it is the highest score achieved in a single attempt at any one round that is counted.

The machine of the invention has a further aspect in permitting collation of data and stake money from users of the machine in a particularly simple and effective manner. To enlarge on this aspect of the invention, it is usual for coupons to be used when entering a football pools competition. Alternatively, the pools organisers pay collectors to carry out rounds to collect pools coupons and stake money.

Both these functions can readily be carried out by a machine of the invention. This has resultant advantages for both the player and the pools organisers. The player can make his selection without the problems of fiiling in a coupon and there is no need to rely upon the post for timely delivery of the coupon and the stake money. As for the pools organiser, the cost of collectors is eliminated and further savings can be made in that the different entires can now be readily verified by computer saving considerable effort in checking the entries.

It will be appreciated that the playing of the pools is just a further example of a game where players on different machines are testing their skills against one another, the skill in this case being the ability to predict the scores of football matches.

The machine of the invention preferably comprises a coin operated mechanism for receiving stake money and means for enabling a user to enter a personal identification. The personal identification is preferably entered by means of a card carrying a unique magnetic code or optical bar code and if necessary a personal identification number may additionally be required from the player. Such a combination can readily prevent fraud by players.

The games machine is preferably provided additionally with means for producing a hard copy print out of any transaction entered by a player. This can act as proof entry into the competition. As the data printed out is under the control of the computer, this also ensures that no mistake is made by the player in entering the pools selections.

Fraud can be significantly reduced by computerisation of the data collection, especially if each machine includes a real time clock and time information is recorded in relation to each game played. Any attempt at fraud can readily be detected in this matter. A software time lock can also be incorporated into the receiving computer of the poolG organiWNrG tO prevent lale fraudulent entries into any competition.

In order to safeguard against the possibility of loss of data entered into the machine by players, it is preferred to include in the machine a recording device to provide a non-volatile record of each transaction. Such a recording device may comprise a printer or a magnetic recording device such as a tape recorder or magnetic disk drive.

The applications discussed above invoive the transmission of data through the communication link with the remote computer. It is however also desirable on occasions to employ the communications link to monitor the performance of the games machine itself, testing the extent of its usage and the popularity of the games options.

The games machine may include conventional games of skill and/or knowledge which do not rely upon a link to a remote computer. In conventional machines, the software in any machine is fixed and cannot be changed at all or else requires replacement of a programming device such as a programmable read only memory chip. In the present invention, if the popularity of a game wains it is possible to monitor this fact remotely and replace the program and the program selection menu to change the games options through the remote communications link and without physical tampering with the machine. In this case it is programs that are transmitted from the remote computer via the communications link rather than data being transmitted to the remote computer.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the front plate of a games machine of the invention, and Figure 2 is a block schematic diagram of a communications network using the machines of the invention.

The machine of the invention comprises a self contained housing which may be a floor standing console of table height and table size or preferably an upright floor mounted or possibly wall mounted unit. The housing contains a computer processor with access to read only and random access memory. The display for the games computer is a colour VDU screen 10 and data is entered into the computer from a keyboard 12 and joysticks 14.

The machine has a slot 16 for receiving a personal identification card as well as a coin slot 18. Lastly, an output slot 20 provides a printed listout under certain conditions under program control.

Built into the machine and not illustrated is a communications modem with access to a telephone line by means of which the machine may communicate with a remote computer.

Numerous machines may be networked in the manner illustrated schematically in Figure 2. Here the individual machines used by players are designated 50 and they form the base of a pyramid structure comprising regional computers 60 each communicating with several local computers 50 and a national computer 70 communicating with the regional computers 60.

Operation of the machine will depend upon the game the competitor wishes to play and these can be divided into three distinct types, namely site restricted games, monitored games and pools.

Site restricted games will be played much in the same manner as conventional computer games.

After selection of the game, the player enters the appropriate coins in the coin slot and at the end of the game, a free turn or a return of the inserted coins may be given as a reward for a high score. In such games, there is no element of inter-player competition and play is purely for entertainment with no chance of major prizes.

With site restricted games, the invention offers the advantage that the usage of any particular game can be monitored and, if unpopular, a game can be replaced by writing a new program into the memory of the local computer from a bank of games stored in the remote computer.

Monitored games may consist of a national competition testing certain skills and knowledge.

The games may for example be tests of general knowledge and may be with or without a time element for answering the questions.

To play such a game, the player must first provide personal identification. This is important because of the need for security and to safeguard against fraud since there is now a possibility of large prizes.

Personal identification is effected by inserting a personal card into the specially provided slot 16 and if necessary the player may additionally be asked to enter through the keyboard a unique identification number correlating with the data on the card.

After correct personal identification, the player is asked to answer questions on the screen by using the keyboard or if the game is one of testing reactions by using the joysticks. At the end of the game the score achieved by the player under the rules of the game is stored on a magnetic disk drive, not shown, for later transmission to the remote computer and may optionaily also be stored in specially designated slots of the magnetic strip of the identification card.

When all the scores have been gathered, then some of the entries are eliminated and the identity of successful players is relayed back to the site computer. Alternatively, the pass markforthe preceding round is relayed to the computer. When next the player enters his card into the machine, he is informed of his success in the preceding round and invited to compete in the next round.

In the case of preliminary rounds, it is possible for the player's score to be compared with a reference pass score stored in the computer and for him to be informed immediately if he has passed on to the following round.

Each round of the game will require the player to enter the appropriate amount into the coin slot of the machine and in this case a proportion of the money collected in the machine is passed on to the national organiser so that the eventual winner of the competition can be paid out.

As several rounds may need to be played, it is possible for several games to run simultaneously so that a player need not wait for a long period before being able to join in the competition. The level achieved by any player in a given round can be recorded on the magnetic strip of the identification card.

The procedure for playing the pools requires the player to log on in the same manner as for a monitored game. After suitable identification, the player is presented with the different matches playing during that week, in the same manner as a pools coupon and given an opportunity to select the score draws either by movement of a cursor using the joysticks or by selecting the numbers of the matches using the keyboard. The precise method of selection can vary and depends upon the operating program.

After selection, the stake is calculated and the player requested to insert the correct value of coins in the coin slot. Subsequently, the machine first produces a written confirmation of the entry so that the player may check it in the usual manner when the matches are played and records the entry upon a local storage medium such as a floppy disk or a hard disk. At regular intervals, the local games machine communicates withthe regional computer to transmit details of the entries made and similarly the regional computer transmits the entries to the national computer which in this case may belong to the pools promoters.

In all cases where money is inserted in the slot 18, it may be required for change to be given. A.

mechanism for dispensing change, however, adds to the cost of the machine and it is preferred that a credit be recorded on the player's identification card, accompanied, if required, by an indication of the machine by which change is owed.

Claims (10)

1. An electronic games machine comprising means for receiving payment from a player, a visual display unit having a screen visible by the player, a manual input device, such as keys and/or a joystick, a data processor for processing signals received from the input device and from the payment receiving means and for sending signals to provide a display on the screen of the visual display unit, and a communications link for permitting the data processor to transmit data to, and receive data andl or programs from, a remote computer.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the machine is fitted with a device for both reading data from and writing data onto magnetic player identification cards.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein each player identification card includes data to indicate if the card has been used previously, the machine being operative to run an initialization routine for each first time user.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the magnetic writing device serves to record a player's best performance in any round on the players's card.

5. A machine as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the writing device is operative to record on a player's identification card the amount of any change owing to the player.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the writing device serves further to record on the player's identification card a code indicating the machine or group of machines by which the change is owed.

7. A machine as claimed in any preceding claim, further provided with means for producing a hard copy print out of any transaction entered by a player.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 7, further including a real time clock a real time clock and time information is recorded in relation to each game played.

9. A games machine constructed and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

10. A method of testing the relative skill of several players remotely located from one another, which comprises providing a plurality of machines as set forth in any preceding claim for use by the players, programming each machine to permit the playing of a game testing the skill of the players, and relaying scores achieved by different players in the same game to a central location by means of the communications links to permit the scores to be a compared so as to enable a winner or winners to be determined.