GB2437138A

GB2437138A - Game apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2437138A
Application number: GB0606818A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wayne Greenhalgh; Cavan Shepherd
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-04-05
Filing date: 2006-04-05
Publication date: 2007-10-17
Also published as: GB0606818D0

Abstract

A game apparatus 10 comprises an image 19 displayed by the apparatus in a pixelated format, a recorder 12 operable to record the selection of a pixel by the player and the identity of the player where at least one of the pixels is allocated to be a prize winner. The game apparatus 10 may comprise an internet link 16 between a game host web site and a player's computer 17 or WAP-enabled telephone 18. Alternatively the link may be a telephone link 15 between a game host broadcaster and a player's television receiver 14. In every case, a panel may be transmitted from the player's equipment to the game host including identification and payment information. The pixels may change colour or be overlaid by a symbol when selected by the players and further selection of that pixel is prevented. The image 19 may be of a sporting event with the players having to guess the location of a removed ball, a spot-the-ball game. There may be subsidiary prize winning pixels. The displayed image 19 may be a primary image and when a pixel is selected, a secondary image may be displayed. The secondary image represents an enlarged portion of the primary image, the apparatus recording the selection of a pixel on the secondary image.

Description

1 2437138

MEANS FOR PLAYING A GAME

This invention relates to means for playing a game, and in particular a game that is played by members of the public for a chance to win a prize.

There are many games played by members of the public in an attempt to win a prize. Some such games, e.g. those played in a casino or games hall, require the player to be present in the premises in which the game is played. The winning of many of such games is dependent to a large extent on chance according to the turn of cards or rolling of a dice or ball. Other games are played by members of the public whilst at home or at some other location remote from that hosting the game. For example, to a question posed on television, a player can telephone the game host to convey an answer to the question. Alternatively, the player can send to the game host by telephone a text message incorporating the answer. In most of these cases, there is only one correct answer or winning solution, often resulting in one winner, who may be the first person to submit the correct answer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative game that can be played by a very large number of persons at locations remote from the game host, and one that can deliver a number of prizes of differing values. It is a further object of the invention to provide a game that can indicate to a potential player those choices that are still available and those that have already been taken by other players.

The invention provides means for playing a game, comprising means adapted to display an image, the image being displayed in a pixelated format, programmable means operable to record the selection of a pixel by a player and the identity of that player, and to allocate at least one of the pixels as a prizewinner.

The game means may comprise an internet link between a game host website and a player's computer. In this case, the image may be displayed on a monitor connected to the player's computer. The selection of a pixel may be effected by the placing of a computer cursor on the selected pixel and operating "enter" on the computer. The operation may be by pressing an enter key on a keyboard or operating a mouse button. The image may include a panel adapted for the insertion of identification of the player. Alternatively, the programmable means may be operable to record by means of the internet link the internet address of the player. The image may also include a panel adapted for the insertion of means of payment in respect of the or each pixel chosen by the player.

The game means may comprise an internet link between a game host website and a player's telephone adapted to access WAP sites. In this case, the image may be displayed on a screen of the player's telephone. The selection of a pixel may be effected by operation of direction arrow buttons on the telephone to navigate on the screen to the selected pixel and then operation of a select button. The programmable means may be operable, on the selection of a pixel by a player to transmit a panel adapted for the insertion of identification of the player using the telephone. Alternatively, the programmable means may be operable to record by means of the internet link the internet address or telephone number of the player. The transmitted panel may be adapted for the insertion of means of payment in respect of the or each pixel chosen by the player.

The game means may comprise a telephone link between a game host broadcaster and a player's television receiver. In this case, the image may be displayed on a screen of a player's television receiver. The selection of a pixel may be effected by operation of a remote control device adapted to control the television receiver. The selection of a pixel may be by operation of direction arrow buttons on the remote control to navigate on the screen to the selected pixel and then operation of a select button. The programmable means may be operable, on the selection of a pixel by a player to transmit a panel adapted for the insertion of identification of the player using the remote control device. Alternatively, the programmable means may be operable to record by means of the telephone link the telephone number of the player. The transmitted panel may be adapted for the insertion of means of payment in respect of the or each pixel chosen by the player.

The programmable means may be operable to change the appearance of a pixel when selected by a player, and to prevent any subsequent selection of that pixel. The change of appearance may be a change of colour or the imposition of a symbol thereon.

The image may be an image of a sporting event, and may be an image of a sporting event that is played with a ball. The programmable means may be operable to display the image with the ball removed therefrom In this case, the programmable means may be operable to allocate as a prizewinner a pixel located at the centre of the ball before removal from the image. The programmable means may be operable to allocate other pixels as subsidiary prizewinners.

The image may be displayed by means of 2000 pixels.

The programmable means may be operable, on selection of a pixel in a primary image, to display a subsidiary image of the area of the primary image to an enlarged scale, the subsidiary image being displayed in a pixelated format. In this case, the programmable means may be operable to record the selection of a pixel on the subsidiary image by a player and the identity of that player, and to allocate at least one of the pixels on the subsidiary image as a prizewinner. The primary image may be displayed by means of 2000 pixels. The subsidiary image may be displayed by means of 10,000 pixels.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which the single Figure shows various embodiments of the invention.

Referring now to the Figure, there is shown a game host premises 10, which may be a television studio having a transmitting aerial 11 thereon, or an internet provider. Within the game host premises 10 is a programmable means 12. In the case of a television studio 10, a television signal 13 is transmitted to be received by a television receiver 14. There is also a telephone connection 15 between the television studio 10 and the television receiver 14.

Alternatively, an independent telephone connection may be made between the television studio and a land or mobile telephone in the house in which the television receiver 14 is located. In the case of an internet provider 10, an internet connection 16 is made between the internet provider 10 and a computer 17 or a player's telephone 18 adapted to access WAP sites.

By means of the television signal 13 or internet connection 16, an image 19 is displayed on the television screen 20, the computer monitor screen 21 or telephone screen 22 The image 19 is in pixelated format, and may be an image of a sporting event, preferably an image of a sporting event that is played with a ball. However, the programmable means 12 is operable to remove the ball from the image 19 before transmission to the television receiver 14, computer 17 or telephone 18. The programmable means 12 is also operable to allocate the pixel at the centre of the ball as a prizewinner. Other pixels in a random distribution around the image 19 may also be allocated by the programmable means 12 as subsidiary prizewinners at the discretion of the game hosts. The image may be displayed by means of between 2000 and 10,000 pixels.

To increase the number of pixels available for selection, the programmable means 12 may be operable, on selection of a pixel in a primary image 19, to display a respective subsidiary image of the area of the primary image 19 to an enlarged scale, each subsidiary image being displayed in a pixelated format. The primary image 19 may have 2000 pixels and each subsidiary image may have 10,000 pixels, thereby providing 20,000,000 pixels in total The player studies the image 19 and selects a pixel that is believed to be at the centre of the missing ball. By operation of a remote control device 23 adapted to control the television receiver 14, the selection of a pixel is effected. The selection of a pixel is by operation of direction arrow buttons 24 on the remote control device 23 to navigate on the screen 20 to the selected pixel, and then operation of a select button 25. By the placing of a computer cursor on the selected pixel on the computer monitor screen 21 and operating an enter key 26 on a keyboard 27 or operating a mouse button 28 the selection of a pixel is effected. The selection of a pixel on telephone 18 is by operation of direction arrow buttons 29 to navigate on the screen 22 to the selected pixel, and then operation of a select button 30.

On selection of a pixel, the programmable means 12 is operable to alter the appearance of the selected pixel, e.g. the colour thereof or the imposition of a symbol thereon, and to prevent any subsequent selection of that pixel. By this means, the image 19 displays to subsequent players those pixels that have been selected and those that are still available for selection. This ensures only one winner of the principal prize. In the case of a primary image 19 and respective secondary images for each pixel of the primary image 19, when all of the pixels of a secondary image have been selected, the programmable means 12 is operable to alter the appearance of the respective pixel in the primary image 19.

The programmable means 12 is operable, on the selection of a pixel by a player, to transmit a panel in the image 19 adapted for the insertion of identification of the player using the remote control device 23, the computer keyboard 27 or the telephone keypad 31. Alternatively, the programmable means 12 may be operable to record by means of the telephone link 15 the telephone number of the player or by the internet connection 16 the e-mail address of the player. By insertion in the transmitted panel, or by communication through the telephone connection 15 or internet connection 16 of the relevant details, payment in respect of the or each pixel chosen by the player may be made. Such information will enable the game host to communicate with the winner or winners and distribute the winnings.

Other embodiments of game means in accordance with the invention will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art. For example, other images not involving a ball may be used. The image may be one incorporating some other movable item, e.g. a kite in the sky, or may be of a scene depicting the site of a buried treasure or other hidden article.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. Means for playing a game, comprising means adapted to display an image, the image being displayed in a pixelated format, programmable means operable to record the selection of a pixel by a player and the identity of that player, and to allocate at least one of the pixels as a prizewinner.

2. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 1, comprising an internet link between a game host website and a player's computer 3. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 2, wherein the image is displayed on a monitor connected to the player's computer.

4. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 3, wherein the selection of a pixel is effected by the placing of a computer cursor on the selected pixel and operating "enter" on the computer.

5. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 4, wherein the operation is by pressing an enter key on a keyboard or operating a mouse button.

6. Means for playing a game as claimed in any one of claims I to 5, wherein the image includes a panel adapted for the insertion of identification of the player.

7. Means for playing a game as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the programmable means is operable to record by means of the internet link the internet address of the player.

8 Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 6, wherein the image includes a panel adapted for the insertion of means of payment in respect of the or each pixel chosen by the player.

9 Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 1, comprising an internet link between a game host website and a player's telephone adapted to access WAP sites.

10. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 9, wherein the image is displayed on a screen of the player's telephone.

II. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 10, wherein the selection of a pixel is effected by operation of direction arrow buttons on the telephone to navigate on the screen to the selected pixel and then operation of a select button.

12. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 11, wherein the programmable means is operable, on the selection of a pixel by a player, to transmit a panel adapted for the insertion of identification of the player using the telephone.

13. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 11, wherein the programmable means is operable to record by means of the internet link the internet address or telephone number of the player.

14 Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 12, wherein the transmitted panel is adapted for the insertion of means of payment in respect of the or each pixel chosen by the player.

15. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 1, comprising a telephone link between a game host broadcaster and a player's television receiver.

16. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 15, wherein the image is displayed on a screen of a player's television receiver.

17. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 16, wherein the selection of a pixel is effected by operation of a remote control device adapted to control the television receiver.

18. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 17, wherein the selection of a pixel is by operation of direction arrow buttons on the remote control to navigate on the screen to the selected pixel and then operation of a select button.

19. Means for playing a game as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the programmable means is operable, on the selection of a pixel by a player, to transmit a panel adapted for the insertion of identification of the player using the remote control device 20. Means for playing a game as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the programmable means is operable to record by means of the telephone link the telephone number of the player 21. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 19, wherein the transmitted panel is adapted for the insertion of means of payment in respect of the or each pixel chosen by the player.

22. Means for playing a game as claimed in any one of claims I to 21, wherein the programmable means is operable to change the appearance of a pixel when selected by a player, and to prevent any subsequent selection of that pixel.

23. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 22, wherein the change of appearance is a change of colour or the imposition of a symbol thereon.

24. Means for playing a game as claimed in any one of claims I to 23, wherein the image is an image of a sporting event.

25. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 24, wherein the image is an image of a sporting event that is played with a ball.

26. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 25, wherein the programmable means is operable to display the image with the ball removed therefrom.

27. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 26, wherein the programmable means is operable to allocate as a prizewinner a pixel located at the centre of the ball before removal from the image.

28. Means for playing a game as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 27, wherein the programmable means is operable to allocate other pixels as subsidiary prizewinners.

29. Means for playing a game as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 28, wherein the image is displayed by means of 2000 pixels.

30. Means for playing a game as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 29, wherein the programmable means is operable, on selection of a pixel in a primary image, to display a subsidiary image of the area of the primary image to an enlarged scale, the subsidiary image being displayed in a pixelated format.

31. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 30, wherein the programmable means is operable to record the selection of a pixel on the subsidiary image by a player and the identity of that player, and to allocate at least one of the pixels on the subsidiary image as a prizewinner.

32. Means for playing a game as claimed in claim 30 or claim 31, wherein the primary image is displayed by means of 2000 pixels.

33. Means for playing a game as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 32, wherein the subsidiary image is displayed by means of 10,000 pixels.

34. Means for playing a game substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.