GB2356079A

GB2356079A - An entertainment machine

Info

Publication number: GB2356079A
Application number: GB9926205A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Neville Dale Chadwick
Original assignee: GAMES NETWORK Ltd
Current assignee: GAMES NETWORK Ltd
Priority date: 1999-11-06
Filing date: 1999-11-06
Publication date: 2001-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 2019-11-06
Also published as: EP1098272A3; GB9926205D0; GB2356079B; EP1098272A2

Abstract

An entertainment machine having associated therewith an input means adapted to allow a first identity, associated with a winning machine result, and a second identity to be input, a control means adapted to control the apparatus, a memory means adapted to store the identities and a pay-out apparatus the control means being adapted to cause the apparatus to require the second identity to be input on a subsequent occasion allowing the identity of the player who entered the first identity to be confirmed and when said first identity has been confirmed said machine being adapted to enter a pay out mode wherein the pay out apparatus is adapted to make an award from the machine. The machine is particularly suitable for playing tournament games in which a prize is paid out a time period after a player has performed his/her prize winning performance.

Description

2356079 AN ENTERTAINMENT MACHINE This invention relates to entertainment

machines and in particular, but not exclusively to entertainment machines which are coin, token, credit, etc. 5 freed for play.

The field of coin, token, or credit operated entertainment machines which are released for play by the introduction of one or more credits is well developed. The outcome of a game can typically result in a win awarding a prize of greater value than the initial credit staked by the player.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an entertainment machine having associated therewith an input means adapted to allow a first identity, associated with a winning machine result, and a second identity to be input, a control means adapted to control the apparatus, a memory means adapted to store the identities and a pay-out apparatus the control means being adapted to cause the apparatus to require the second identity to be input at a predetermined time allowing the identity of the player who entered the first identity to be confirmed and when said first identity has been confirmed said machine being adapted to enter a pay out mode wherein the pay out apparatus is adapted to make an award from the machine.

An advantage of such a machine is that it allows the pay outs to be made at any time and not necessarily at the time the award winning game was played, and the winning machine result achieved.

It is known in machines that make awards at times other than when the machine winning performance is achieved to display a message that a certain player had won an award. Previously that player has then needed 2 to seek a person managing the machine in order to claim their award.

Involving the manager in such a manner increased the running overheads.

In general, the manager would make a payment to the player and then claim that payment from the owner's of the machine, again increasing administration costs.

The pay out mode may be adapted to display information on a display means of the machine. For instance, a message may be displayed on a screen and provide information and/or instructions for the player and/or manager of the machine.

The skilled person will appreciate that the award paid out by the machine may take a number of different formats. For example the machine may pay out coins, tokens, bank notes, credit an account, make a payment to a credit card, provide voucher, or provide any other form of creditlaward.

The machine may be adapted to require a player to enter the first identity when a game is played on the machine. That is, when a player plays a game on the machine they may be required to enter the first identity at some point of the game. The apparatus may be adapted to require a player to enter the first identity at any one of the following times: before the machine commences the game; after the machine/player has finished the game; during the game; when the player achieves a predetermined score or level of performance. If the player achieves a winning machine result, the first identity is associated with that result.

A hi-score table may be associated with the machine adapted to maintain a list of the highest scores achieved by players on the machine. The predetermined score may be based upon scores held within the hi-score table. For example the apparatus may be require a player to enter the 3 if the player's score is entered above a certain level of the high score table, or perhaps if the player's score is equal or above the highest score held on the high score table.

The first identity may comprise two or more portions. For example the first identity may comprise a public portion and a secret portion. The apparatus may be adapted to display the public portion (perhaps on the high score table) but may be adapted to maintain the secrecy of the secret portion. This is advantageous since it may allow a player to confirm their identity to the machine (perhaps by confirming the secret portion).

The secret portion may comprise any number of pieces of information which uniquely identify the player. For instance the secret portion may comprise a finger print, a password (perhaps chosen by the player), a retinal scan, a voice print, an identification card or any other such piece of information. Such information is advantageous since it allows the player to securely identify themselves to the machine.

Conveniently the machine is adapted to require the second identity to be input when the predetermined time occurs. The predetermined time may occur at a time when an award (or prize) is to be paid. It is advantageous to require the second identity to be input at this time since it allows the identity of a player to be confirmed before the award is paid.

The machine may be networked to another machine. Indeed, there may be any number of machines that are networked together. An advantage of such an arrangement is that it allows games to be played across the network allowing players playing at different machines to play one another in competition. Such an arrangement may increase the appeal of the machine.

4 Alternatively, or additionally, the machine may be connected to a central computing means adapted to control the machine. The computing means may be any type of computing device. Such an arrangement is advantageous because it allows the machine to be managed by the computing device. For instance information can be taken from the machine which allows the performance of the machine to be analysed. Connecting the machine to a computing device may also allow new software to be downloaded on the machine, making the machine easier to maintain.

The skilled person will appreciate that the network connection can compromise any one of a number of different technologies. For instance the network connection may be a telephone link, a satellite link, a microwave link, a radio link, an infra-red link, a hardwired network connection, etc.

Preferably the control means is provided by a processing means providing a convenient way of providing the control means. The processing means may also run the game playing on the machine. The input means may allow a player to make inputs to the processing means allowing the game to be played. Further, the display means may allow the game to be displayed.

In perhaps the preferred embodiment the input means comprises a touch sensitive element of the display means and the display means may comprise a visual display unit (VDU). The VDU may conveniently be a cathode ray tube, or an LCD (but the skilled person will appreciate that any other suitable type of display could be used.) A storage means may be associated with the machine which is used to store data. The data may comprise software to provide games run on the machine, or the data may comprise the first and second identities. This is advantageous because it allows a permanent (or semi-permanent) record to 5 be maintained of such data.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of controlling the pay-out from an entertainment machine, the method comprising requiring a player to enter a first identity associated with a winning machine result, which is stored, requiring the player to enter a second identity and the machine entering a pay-out mode only if the first and second identities are the same, wherein the pay-out mode causes the machine to pay an award.

Such a method may allow the machine to make a pay-out to a player at a time other than when the player plays the machine, or indeed, allows the machine to decide who has won at a time when that player is not playing the machine.

The method may require the machine to enter an identity verification mode before the second identity is input. The identity verification mode may be triggered by a manager of the machine, and may require the manager to enter a password or the like. This is advantageous since it ensures that the second identity can only be entered at the correct time and will help to prevent people fraudulently trying to enter the second identity (since the manager of the machine can arrange to be present).

The first identity may be entered at a time when a player plays the game. For instance the first identity may be entered before the player plays the game, may be during the game, or may be after the player has finished 6 playing the game. This is advantageous as it allows the identity of a player that has played a particular game to be associated with that particular game. Clearly, if an award is being made for the achievement of a particular score (a winning machine result), etc. it is desirable that 5 the prize is paid to the correct person.

Preferably, the first identity comprises a public portion and a secret portion. The method may comprise using the public portion for display purposes. For example the public portion may be displayed on a high score table, etc. The secret portion may be a password, etc. which has the advantage of increasing the security of the method. Clearly, if any person can enter the second identity after reading the first identity on a high score table (should the first identity be used in this manner) then any person could cause the machine to enter the pay out mode by entering the second identity.

Conveniently, the first identity may comprise a number of characters which a player would generally use to enter his/her name, initials, nickname, etc.

The method may comprise causing the machine to run a game over a time period for which an award is made for players achieving a target once the time period is over. The time period, may be hours, days, weeks and the skilled person will appreciate that the time period could be any length of time. Such a method ensures that awards can be made to the correct player once the game has completed. Previously, if games had been run over a long time period (perhaps over a week or more) it has been necessary to make the award due from a central source, or locally from the premises in which the machine was situated. It is disadvantageous to have the award paid out from a central source or from the premises 7 because it increases the administration overheads involved in paying out the award, and can also add delay to the player receiving the award.

As will be appreciated the target which must be achieved by a player could be any target, but would generally be the highest score of any of the players competing on the game. Of course, awards could also be awarded for players achieving more than a certain level of points, there could be more than one award awarded.

The method may comprise networking two or more machines together and allowing a game to be played across the machines. Playing a game across a number of machines includes allowing players to compete against one another in real time and also includes providing a central high score table between the machines so that players can play at different machines but try to beat scores achieved on other machines. Such an arrangement is advantageous because it can increase the appeal of the machine, perhaps adding an extra degree of competitiveness to the game.

Machines that are networked together may be separated from one another by any distance. Perhaps the machines may be separated by on the order of any of the following distances: a few meters, tens of meters, hundreds of meters, kilometres, tens of kilometres, hundreds of kilometres or further. Such a method is advantageous because it allows games to held between geographically remote sites, even on an international basis.

Conveniently the method includes providing a number of awards or prizes for any one game. These awards may be based upon a geographical basis. For instance an award may be awarded for a player achieving a target set on any of the machines playing that particular game. An award may be awarded for a player achieving the target in a particular geographical 8 area. Such an arrangement may allow an award to be awarded for the highest score achieved nationally (a national award), with may be a subsequent award awarded for the highest score achieved in each of a number of regions (a regional award) and may be an award for the highest score achieved on each machine playing that particular game (commonly referred to as a house award).

Preferably, the method allows a house award to be paid out on a particular machine. Additionally, the method may allow regional and may be national awards to be paid out of a machine running the game.

However, it may be preferred to allow the national awards and may be the regional award to be paid out from a central source. This may be the case since it is likely that the regional and national awards are of a higher value than the house award and if the award is a cash award a particular machine may not contain enough cash or tokens to pay a large award.

The skilled person will appreciate that award paid out by the machine may take a number of different formats. For example the machine may pay out coins, tokens, bank notes, credit an account, make a payment to a 20 credit card, provide voucher, or provide any other form of credit/award.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a network of two or more machines according to the first aspect of the invention.

The machines may be adapted to allow a player achieving a winning machine result on a first machine to enter the second identity on a second machine, different from the first, and cause the second machine to enter the pay-out mode. Such an arrangement is advantageous because it allows a player to achieve the winning machine result on one machine and yet 30 collect his/her award from another machine.

9 Preferably the machines of the network have associated therewith a network memory adapted to maintain a high score table. The network memory may be provided within one of the machines in the network or may be provided by a computing means to which the machines are connected.

The winning machine result may be based upon the scores held in the high score table held in the network memory. This is advantageous because it allows games to be played across the network and awards to be made based upon performances across the whole network rather than on a single machine.

Additionally, or alternatively, each machine in the network may be adapted to maintain in the memory means a high score table of performances achieved on that particular machine.

There now follows by way of example only a detailed description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of an entertainment machine according to the present invention; and Figure 2 is a schematic view of a network of entertainment machines according to the present invention.

The entertainment machine 2 shown in Figure 1 comprises a housing 4, a display means 6 (in this case a cathode ray tube display), and a pay-out slot 8, connected to a pay out apparatus. Within the housing 4 there is provided a computer having the architecture known as a PC. The skilled person will however, appreciate that any type of computer could be provided.

The computer has a processing means which is used to provide, in use, the game on the display means 6. The display means 6 is touch sensitive so that a player makes inputs to the processing means when touching the screen thus providing an input means. The display means 6 also allows inputs to be made to the game. Further, the computer has a memory means, comprising a permanent memory in the form of a hard disc drive, and a volatile memory which is used by the processor to run the game. The computer provides a control means which controls the machine.

A player can play a game on the machine 2 in the usual manner, e.g. by entering sufficient credit into the machine 2 they will be allowed a predetermined level of play. If the player achieves a predetermined level of success during their game they will prompted to enter a first identity. The predetermined level of success in this embodiment is a score that places them onto the high score table held on the machine 2. This functionality will be well known to the skilled person.

However, unlike most prior art machines the player is required to enter the first identity as two portions. The first (public) portion is a simple identifier. The identifier may be a name, or initials, etc. and is similar to the name entered on prior art machines and displayed on high score tables. The public portion is used to display the players achieved level of performance on the machine.

The player must also enter a second (secret) portion which is not revealed by the machine. In this embodiment the secret portion comprises a password which the player keeps to themselves. However, the secret portion could comprise any piece of information which could be used to identify the player (such as a finger print, retinal scan, etc.).

It is also known for prior art machines to make pay-outs at the time the player achieves a certain level of performance on the game (a winning machine result). In such circumstances it is generally the case that cash or tokens are paid out of the pay out slot 8. This is not the case in the embodiment described. The game running on the machine 2 occurs over a predetermined time period, perhaps a week or so, and awards are paid out at the end of the predetermined period. Therefore, the award is paid out at a time other than when the player is playing the machine. Such games are known and are generally referred to as tournament games, but previously awards have been paid out from a central area (perhaps from the company running the machines, or by the establishment in which the machine is provided).

In the present embodiment the machine 2 is capable of paying out a prize to a player who has won. To achieve this the player must revisit the machine which has been caused to enter an identity verification mode (by a manager, etc.) and the player will be prompted to enter a second identity. This second identity will confirm the identity of the player to the machine 2 and will generally comprise asking the player to re-enter the secret portion of the first identity (enter a second identity). If the player correctly enters the second identity their identity has been confirmed and the machine can enter a pay-out mode wherein an award is paid out by the machine. The skilled person will appreciate that the award paid out by the machine may take a number of different formats. For example the machine may pay out coins, tokens, bank notes, credit an account, make a payment to a credit card, provide voucher, or provide any other form of credit/award.

12 Further, as shown in Figure 2 it is possible to network a number of machines 10, 12, 14, 16 together. This networking may be to a central computing means 18 as shown in Figure 2 or may connect machines directly together (not shown).

The networking may be by any known networking technique but in this embodiment is via a telephone connection (which of course may be permanently enabled or the computer may dial a connection as and when required. In the preferred embodiment the machine dials a connection at night, when charges are likely to be lower, and exchanges necessary data.). Connecting the machines 10, 12, 14, 16 in this manner allows players on different machines to compete against one another. Thus, in effect the central computing device may hold a central high score table which is used to determine which players have won a prize.

Again, a game may last a predetermined period, which may be a week or so. The central computing means 18 will maintain the centralised high score table (on a network memory) which comprises a list of a score from any of the machines 10, 12, 14, 16 which are connected which make the high score table.

As with any game there may be prizes awarded for performances in the game. Generally, the prizes will be awarded on the basis of the centralised high score table and these may be decided by the centralised computing means 18. Once the game is over (i.e. the predetermined time has terminated), awards can be paid out by the machines 10,12,14,16. A player having achieved a machine winning result can visit any one of the machines 10,12,14,16 in the network. The player then enters the second identify (perhaps after the machine has been caused to enter a verification 13 mode). The machine on which the player enters the second identity then pays out the due award. The machine 10,12,14,16 need not be the machine on which the machine winning result was achieved.

In a network of machines as described in association with Figure 2 it is possible to make awards on a geographical basis. For instance an award may be made for the best performance in a game on all of the machines connected to the network playing that game (i.e. a national award). Further, the machines connected to the network may be divided into regions and an award may be made for the best performance in each of the regions (a regional award). Awards may also be awarded for the best performance on each particular machine 10, 12, 14, 16 (a house award).

Although it is possible for a machine 10, 12, 14, 16 to pay out any prize (national, regional, house) the machines may be adapted to pay out the house award only. Generally, the national prize will be of greater magnitude than the regional award, which will be of greater magnitude that the house award. The national award and the regional award may drain the credit reserves of the machines 10, 12, 14, 16 to too greater an extent and thus it may be undesirable to pay these awards directly from the machines 10, 12, 14, 16 (although of course using the method described it is possible to do so).

Rather than paying awards directly from the machine 2 the pay out mode may simply display a message on the screen 2 that the identity of the player has been confirmed. Once the identity of the player has been confirmed in this manner a manager of that particular machine may pay the award directly to the player.

Claims

1. An entertainment machine having associated therewith an input means adapted to allow a first identity, associated with a winning machine result, and a second identity to be input, a control means adapted to control the apparatus, a memory means adapted to store the identities and a pay-out apparatus the control means being adapted to cause the apparatus to require the second identity to be input on a subsequent occasion allowing the identity of the player who entered the first identity to be confirmed and when said first identity has been confirmed said machine being adapted to enter a pay out mode wherein the pay out apparatus is adapted to make an award from the machine.

2. A machine according to claim 1 wherein the pay out mode is arranged to display information on a display means of the machine

3. A machine according to claim 2 wherein the pay out mode is arranged to display instructions on the display means.

4. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the machine is arranged to require a player to enter the first identity in association with a game being played on the machine.

5. A machine according to claim 4 wherein the machine is arranged to require a player to enter the first identity at any one of the following times: before the machine commences the game; after the machine/player has finished the game; during the game; when the player achieves a predetermined score or level of performance.

6. A machine according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the machine is arranged to maintain a hi-score table containing a list of the highest scores achieved by players on the machine and the machine is arranged to require the first identity to be entered in any one or more of the following situations: if a player's score is entered on to the high score table, if a player's score is entered above a certain position of the high score table, if a player's score is equal or above the highest score held on the high score table.

7. A machine according to any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein the machine is arranged to associate the first identity with a game result if that result is a winning machine result.

8. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first identity comprises two or more portions.

9. A machine according to claim 8 wherein the first identity comprises a public portion and a secret portion.

10. A machine according to claim 9 wherein the machine is arranged to display the public portion and to maintain the secrecy of the secret portion.

11. A machine according to claims 9 or 10 wherein the secret portion comprises any one of the following pieces of information: a finger print, a password, a retinal scan, a voice print, an identification card or any other such piece of information.

12. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the subsequent occasion occurs at a time when an award is to be made.

13. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims that is networked to another machine.

14. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims which is arranged to be connected to a central computing means adapted to control the machine.

15. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the input means comprises a touch sensitive element of a display means.

16. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a storage means is associated with the machine which is used to store the first and/or second identities.

17. A method of controlling the pay-out from an entertainment machine, the method comprising requiring a player to enter a first identity associated with a winning machine result, which is stored, requiring the player to enter a second identity and the machine entering a pay-out mode only if the first and second identities are associated with a common player, wherein the pay-out mode causes the machine to pay an award.

18. A method according to claim 17 requiring the machine to enter an identity verification mode before the second identity is input.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein the identity verification mode is triggered by a manager of the machine.

20. A method according to clairn 19 wherein the manager is required to enter a password or the like in order to trigger the identity verification mode.

21. A method according to any one of claims 17 to 20 wherein the first identity is entered at a time when a player plays a game at the machine at any of the following times: before the player plays the game, during the game, after the player has finished playing the game.

22. A method according to any one of claims 17 to 21 comprising providing the first identity as two portions: a public portion and a secret 10 portion.

23. A method according to claim 22 wherein the public portion is used for display purposes.

24. A method according to any one of claims 17 to 23 comprising causing the machine to run a game over a period of time for which an award is made for players achieving a target once the time period is over.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein the time period is roughly 20 on the order of any one of the following: hours, days, weeks, months.

26. A method according to claim 24 comprising making an award to a player achieving the highest score of any of the players competing in the game.

27. A method according to any one of claims 17 to 26 comprising networking two or more machines together and allowing a game to be played across the machines of the network.

28. A method according to claim 27 comprising playing games across the network in, or substantially in, real time.

29. A method according to claim 27 comprising playing games across the network by providing a central high score table between the machines 5 and allowing players to try and beat scores achieved on other machines.

30. A method according to any one of claims 27 to 29 wherein machines that are networked together are separated from one another by on the order of roughly any of the following distances: a few meters, tens of meters, hundreds of meters, kilometres, tens of kilometres, hundreds of kilometres, or further.

31. A method according to any one of claims 17 to 30 comprising providing a number of awards or prizes for any one game.

32. A method according to claim 31 wherein the awards are made based upon a geographical basis.

33. A method according to claim 32 wherein an award is made for one of more of the following geographical basis: a player achieving a target set on any one of the machines playing that particular game (a national award); a player achieving a target on any one of the machines within a subset of the machines playing the game (a regional award); an award for each machine playing a particular game (a house award).

34. A network of two or more machines according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

35. A network according to claim 34 wherein the machines are arranged to allow a player achieving a winning machine result on a first machine to enter the second identity on a second machine, different from the first, and cause the second machine to enter the pay-out mode.

36. A network according to claim 34 or 35 wherein the machines of the network have associated therewith a network memory adapted to maintain a high score table.

37. A network according to claim 36 wherein the network memory is 10 provided within one of the machines in the network.

38. A network according to claim 36 wherein the network memory provided by a computing means to which the machines of the network are connected. 15

39. A network according to any one of claims 36 to 38 wherein the winning machine result is based upon the scores held in the high score table held in the network memory. 20

40. A network according to any one of claims 34 to 39 wherein each machine in the network is adapted to maintain in the memory means a high score table of performances achieved on that particular machine.

41. A network according to any one of claims 34 to 40 allowing 25 players playing at different machines to play one another in competition.

42. An entertainment machine substantially as described and as illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. 30

43. A method of controlling the pay-out from an entertainment machine 2 IC substantially as described and as illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

44. A network of entertainment machines substantially as described and as illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.