GB2248403A - Entertainment machines - Google Patents

Abstract

A coin operated entertainment machine has a display screen and player controls which are used to attain a winning display on the screen. The winning display is in the form of a picture made up of individual elements (13) which fit together in the manner of a jigsaw. A joystick control may be used to move picture elements (13) on a VDU screen. <IMAGE>

Description

ENTERTAINMENT MACHINES This invention relates to a coin-operated entertainment machine of the kind having a display region and player controls whereby, after actuation of the machine for the playing of a game by insertion of one or more coins into a coin mechanism, a player can endeavour to attain a desired winning display at the display region, an award being made available to the player in the event that the winning display is in fact attained. The term coin is used herein for the sake of convenience and is intended to cover coins, tokens, notes, credit cards and any other suitable value-representing elements. The machine may be of the so called skill with prizes or amusement with prizes kind.

According to the present invention there is provided a coin-operated entertainment machine of the kind described characterised in that the said winning display comprises individual display elements located in predetermined dispositions relative to each other so as to define collectively the said display, and the player controls are operable to move said elements into said dispositions.

With this arrangement entertainment can be derived from trying to assemble the desired winning display by appropriate manipulation of the elements.

The elements may be assembled to form the picture in the manner of a jig-saw whereby a predetermined element has to be matched to a particular position in the display and such element has to be in a predetermined orientation.

A limit may be imposed on the use of the player controls in each game.

This may be a time limit andlor a limit on the number of movements or otherwise as desired. There may be a range of different limits which represent games of succesively greater difficulty (e.g. succesively shorter times limits or succesively fewer moves). Changes in limits may be made each game, or whenever a win has been attained, or at the option of the player.

A range of different displays may be made available and the arrangement may be such that the display is changed each game or whenever a win has been attained or at the option of the player. The displays may be of similar complexity, or of successively greater complexity in that for example there are more individual elements, or there are elements which are more difficult to match because of their general similarity to other elements.

The award made available to the player on winning may be coins or in the form of free games or otherwise as desired. The value of the award may be fixed or may be variable. In the latter respect, successively greater awards may be available for said limits of successively greater difficulty and/or for succesively more complex displays.

The player controls may take any suitable form and may be provided by a joy-stick or press buttons or a touch screen or the like.

The display may be produced on a visual display unit (crt or lcd) and may be pictorial or of any other suitable nature.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of the front of one form of machine according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a block circuit diagram of the machine; and Fig. 3 is a view to an enlarged scale of a screen of the machine.

The machine comprises a floor standing box structure 1 having a front wall 2 with an inset vdu screen 3. Above the screen 3 there is a coin slot 4.

Below the screen 3 there are player controls including press buttons 5 and a joy-stick 6.

Beneath the controls 5, 6 there is a payout aperture 7.

Within the box structure 1 there is a microprocessor-based control device 8 to which are connected, the player controls 5, 6 a coin mechanism 9 which receives coins from the coin slot, a pay out device 10 which feeds to the payout slot and the vdu 11.

When the machine is actuated by insertion of one or more coins through the coin slot, the vdu screen 3 displays a plurality of pictures (e.g. four pictures) and the player has the option of selecting one of the pictures by operation of one of the press buttons 5. As described hereinafter the player then has to assemble the selected picture from a number of separate jig-saw type display elements within a time limit.

The different pictures correspond to games of different levels of difficulty and correspondingly different award levels. Thus for example one picture may be assembled from 6 individual display elements with an associated time limit of 2 minutes and an award of say 20p, whereas another picture may be assembled from 18 elements with an associated time limit of 1 minute 45 seconds and an award of say 1, and so on.

After selection of a picture, as shown in Fig. 3 the screen then displays a small size representation 12 of the finished picture in one corner, and the individual elements 13 displayed in random positions and in random orientations on the screen. The game commences and the player has to select each element 13 and then move it into a desired position and a desired orientation within a marked out central region 14 on the screen. The joy-stick 6 is used to move and twist the elements 13.

If the player successfully manipulates all elements 13 into the correct positions before expiry of the time limit, the requisite award is made available to him. If not, the machine is re-set ready for play of the next game.

In this way entertainment can be derived by the player by exercising skill to solve the jig-saw type puzzle within the allowed time.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only.

Claims (10)

1. A coin-operated entertainment machine of the kind having a display region and player controls whereby, after actuation of the machine for the playing of a game by insertion of one or more coins into a coin mechanism, a player can endeavour to attain a desired winning display at the display region, an award being made available to the player in the event that the winning display is in fact attained characterised in that the said winning display comprises individual display elements located in predetermined dispositions relative to each other so as to define collectively the said display, and the player controls are operable to move said elements into said dispositions.

2. A machine according to claim 1 characterised in that the elements are assembled to form a picture in the manner of a jigsaw whereby a predetermined element has to be matched to a particular position in the display and such element has to be in a predetermined orientation.

3. A machine according to claim 1 or 2 characterised in that a time limit is imposed on the use of the player controls in each game.

4. A machine according to claim 1 or 2 characterised in that a limit on the number of movements is imposed in each game.

5. A machine according to claim 3 or 4 characterised in that there is a range of different limits representing games of successively greater difficulty.

6. A machine according to claim 5 characterised in that said limits are changeable by the player.

7. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6 characterised in that a range of different displays is made available.

8. A machine according to claim 7 characterised in that said displays are changeable by the player.

9. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8 characterised in that the display is provided on a VDU.

10. A machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.