RU2118555C1 - Bingo game system used in wide geographical regions (versions) - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: games of "lucky" type. SUBSTANCE: playing fields used in game are bought at terminals of selling points (201-1 - 210-N). Players play from remote point 210 by means of transmission means 204 connected with system base station 202 and arbitrary symbol generator 203 to provide playing bingo or similar "lucky" type games in real time from regions geographically remote from place, where playing symbols are chosen. EFFECT: increased entertaining effect. 63 cl, 4 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to luck games, such as bingo and the like. More specifically, one aspect of the invention relates to methods and devices providing the ability to play bingo (and similar luck games, collectively referred to as "bingo") in real time from places that are removed (geographically separated in a physical mixer) from places where numbers (or, more generally, “characters”) are selected, used for bingo games. The ability to play bingo in real time from the aforementioned remote locations is defined herein as the ability to play bingo in a "vast geographic region." Another aspect of the invention relates to interactive systems that support bingo in a wide geographic area.

 In bingo and similar luck games, the main elements of the game are the game board (or card) and a device for generating an arbitrary number (or symbol). A game board can be a square field of symbols (the term "symbol" in this schedule includes numbers), usually a 5 x 5 digital field in which the central section is empty or is called "free space". Typically, 75 or 90 numbers are used for this game. Each column of the field is usually limited to only one fifth of the numbers, for example, the numbers of the first column are taken from the group from 1 to 15 if 75 numbers are used, or from 1 to 18 if 90 numbers are used; the numbers of the second column are selected from the group from 16 to 30 or from 19 to 36, etc. In addition, the numbers on the game board cannot be duplicated.

 During the game, the presenter determines the figure or image that should be formed on the game board from randomly called numbers (or other accepted characters), and then begins to call randomly issued characters (for example, numbers from 1 to 75 or from 1 to 90, and t .P.). If the named symbol coincides with one of the symbols on the player’s board, this player somehow marks this symbol on his board. The goal of the game is to become the first player in whom the set of randomly named characters matches the marked characters on the board, forming a given shape or image.

 The given figure or image can be X, T, I, diagonal, a series of five characters horizontally or vertically, etc. Several of these games, usually from 12 to 18, make up the program or bingo draw, which takes place over several hours during the evening. Games are played sequentially and essentially without significant interruptions, with the exception of possible pauses.

 Such games have traditionally been played in churches, schools, in bingo halls on Native American reservations and other central places to raise money for charity or to make a profit for bingo organizers if gambling is not prohibited by law.

 Participants, as a rule, go to the central point where the bingo is to be drawn, pay the entry fee and buy one or more game boards, each of which has at least one constant number field printed on it.

 In some cases, people who want to take part in a bingo game find it difficult or impossible to get to the central point where a bingo drawing is planned. For example, sometimes this is due to transport problems, or these people are not physically able to attend the bingo drawing, i.e. confined to a hospital bed. In other cases, it is not possible to leave the house due to illness or any duties, and although such people have a desire to participate in the bingo draw, support a charity event, take part in a game for entertainment, etc., they do not have the opportunity to do this. All these problems are due to the fact that up to now there are no known methods and devices (systems) that would support the holding of a bingo-type game in a vast geographical region.

 Therefore, it would be desirable to develop methods and devices to enable real-time bingo play from locations remote from the point where numbers (or other symbols) used to play a bingo type game are selected.

 Another issue concerns the type of bingo games held at central locations. These games are traditionally played using boards that have a printed constant number field. Players select boards from a large number of pre-prepared boards and, therefore, cannot create a field and play on it of their own choice and definition.

 Although some games are played with blank paper cards, which are filled with numbers (or other symbols) of the player’s choice, these cards are limited in size and can essentially be used only once since the player marks the numbers (or other symbols) with an ink marker or similar means. The result of such an arbitrary choice of the field is the inefficiency of consecutive games with minimal intervals.

 The mentioned inefficiency concerns not only the host of the game, which must find and check copies of labeled paper cards collected in order to exclude unauthorized changes in the numbers (or other symbols) when the game started, but also the player who must prepare a new card before each game . These actions take time and disrupt the desirable uniform and substantially continuous course of the bingo. Basically, for these reasons, the option to use a blank card was used only for identical games, and also mainly only for the first game in the bingo draw.

 Other important aspects of playing bingo either in a centralized club or from remote locations is the provision of a game card that cannot be changed without the knowledge of the host of the game, indicating that it was purchased for use in a specific scheduled draw, and which can be quickly checked if occurrence of a winning combination on it.

 In addition, during the usual bingo drawing, the figure of the winning field usually changes in each game and players who need to “mark” several cards may lose the course of the called numbers (or other symbols) or may not have time to mark the course of the game. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide the player with the ability to automatically indicate that one of the cards sold has a match with the winning combination.

 Recently, electronic game consoles have been developed that allow the player to choose the numbers and display the figure of the winning field. These remotes give the player a signal about the occurrence of the winning field. This type of electronic gaming console is described in more detail in US Pat. No. 4,365,810, issued to Richardson in 1982. Other electronic gaming systems and their components are described in US Pat. Nos. 4,848,771, 5,007,649 and 5,043,887, also issued to Richardson, as well as in U.S. Pat. author and others. All of these patents are referred to herein as sources of information.

 US Pat. No. 4,848,777 (Richardson) on "A gaming system with a base station and gaming consoles" of July 18, 89 describes an automatic gaming system for broadcast games that uses electronic gaming consoles in conjunction with a base station to download game cards of fields to electronic blocks of game consoles, as well as blocks of verification.

 Game card fields are loaded into electronic game consoles during the initialization process, during which the base station creates a game program including definitions of winning figures, payment levels, etc. The verification units are also initialized by the base station and are used to verify claims of winnings by physically connecting the verification unit to the electronic gaming console and verifying the authentication code originally loaded into both of these units by the base station.

 US Pat. No. 5,007,649 (Richardson) on "A gaming system with a base station and gaming consoles" of 04.16.91 describes an electronic gaming system that includes a base station configured to load playing card fields into an electronic gaming console. Game cards are stored in the base station as a library of game cards. 24 numbers (or characters) for each field, in the range from 1 to 75 (or from 1 to 90) are compressed into 12 bytes. On 600,000 bytes, 50,000 game cards are stored, 12 bytes each.

 U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,887 (Richardson) on "Automatic Download of Bingo Cards" dated 08/27/91 describes a game system that uses a base station that includes means for creating game card fields and many game pulses designed to exchange information with the base station of the system ( through a cable connection to a communication port, which physically forms part of the base station’s means), storing game card fields loaded from the base station, and means for actually holding the game when I am the choice of numbers.

 In US patent 5072381 (Richardson) et al. For "Automatic loading of bingo cards with an algorithm for generating them" dated 10.12.91, an electronic gaming system is described comprising a base station in which game card fields are stored as separate entries in the game card library, using an algorithm to generate cards, ensuring that the digital fields of consecutive adjacent playing fields in the library differ from each other by more than one field input.

 None of the aforementioned patents relates to methods and devices that would allow a bingo type game to be conducted in a wide geographic region; in fact, all of the aforementioned patents have the opposite purpose. It should be noted, for example, that the initialization and winning verification procedures described in these sources of information require that the electronic game consoles, verification units and means of the base station of the system (at different times) are physically connected to each other via detachable cable connections made on the central point where the bingo is held. This is necessary so that these units can work in accordance with the inventions described above.

 For example, a cable must be connected to each game console and connected to the system base station so that the electronic game console can receive game card fields and designs downloaded from the system base station; verification units must be physically connected via cable to each winning electronic gaming console (after receiving a signal about winning) to verify that the real winning field has been sold, etc.

 In addition, the electronic system for playing bingo according to the sources mentioned above requires the use of expensive components, such as electronic game consoles and test units, as such, which, due to their cost, make it impossible to reliably and safely remove them from a central point. Replacing such units if they are lost, stolen, or damaged is expensive.

 Also, the electronic components of bingo systems described in the above sources are expensive for the middle section of the game, so that he can buy them to play bingo, for example, from his home, assuming that it is possible to solve the communication and security problems inherent in the use of such equipment for playing bingo in a vast geographic region. Such problems include, for example, competition for communications while loading information into electronic game consoles, tracking input signals received from participants during a game by a centralized base station, detecting falsification of data or electronic means associated with this electronic game console, physical performing the functions of checking the winnings offered in the mentioned sources in a large geographical region, etc.

 For all of the above reasons, the systems described in the above sources, although they illustrate the state of the art in this field and suggest the use of electronic system components for playing bingo (including electronic game consoles, winning check units and centralized base station tools, capable of hold a bingo draw, generate and store playing card fields, load these fields in response to a request, etc.), however, they do not disclose methods and devices suitable for playing bingo in vast geographic region.

 The current state of the art regarding luck games that can be played from remote locations on an interactive basis can be illustrated by US Pat. Nos. 4,760,527 and 4,926,327 (Sidley) for "A System for Interactive Poker with a Large Number of Players" (issued July 26, 1988) and "Computer Game System" (issued May 15, 1990), respectively. But these patents, mentioned as a source of information, describe a poker card game that allows interactive betting to many players.

 The system proposed by Sidley serves as an example of an interactive network that allows multiple players to compete with each other. However, only a limited number of players can play at a time (52 in total) and Sidley’s invention requires all players to be interconnected through multiple consoles (one for each player) that are connected to the central computer. Communication problems characteristic of the physical connection of a large number of players (hundreds or even thousands of players) to compete in real time are quite serious: especially if all players compete for system resources within a short time interval, for example, the time between when the numbers (or other characters) are called during a bingo game.

 In addition, the interactive systems described in Sidley’s sources do not support bingo-type games per se.

 For these reasons, although Sidley offers an interactive gaming system, this system is not suitable for playing bingo in a large geographic region, either on a passive or interactive basis.

 And finally, it should be noted that there are currently standard points of sale of games for trading luck games from remote locations, in particular those produced by the Geheral instrument Corporation, which are suitable for on-line communication with the central computer system in which records of luck games, in particular lotteries.

 On-line sales point terminals typically sell lottery tickets for number games, such as selecting a number consisting of 3 numbers, out of 1000 possible combinations, choosing six out of 40 numbers, etc. Various combinations and permutations of the numbers chosen by players make up bets that provide either fixed or calculated payment levels, usually determined by the number of tickets sold.

 Although it is well known to use such remote terminals to sell lottery tickets and offer such tickets to lottery participants on the basis of either “express selection” (that is, when the computer connected to this terminal randomly generates a sequence of numbers that should be on the lottery ticket ), or “customer choice” (that is, when the customer determines the set of numbers with which he or she is interested to play); however, there is no evidence of the use of such a point of sale terminal for hosting bingo-type games in a vast geographical region.

 Therefore, in addition to other desirable aspects of the methods and devices for conducting a bingo-type game described above, it would be desirable to create a system (including methods and devices for carrying out the desired functions of such a system) that supports bingo-type games in a wide geographical region, combining the methods and devices for generating game card fields in response to a player’s request for one or more game card fields, with methods and devices used to generate game exit tickets at a variety of points.

 In addition, it would be desirable to create a system that combines the above methods and devices for generating game card fields in response to user requests with methods and devices for tracking all sold game fields; and also combine them in such a system, methods and devices for conducting a bingo drawing (organizing a bingo games session) and for transmitting the derived signals generated for each ongoing game to a vast geographical region. Such a combined system would allow people who are far from the place where the character generation is actually being played in bingo games.

 It would also be desirable to create at least one version of a system to support a bingo game in a large geographic region that is “interactive”. Such a system would implement user inputs during a bingo draw. In addition, an interactive system would increase the enjoyment of players from participating in the ongoing bingo game, especially compared to other passive luck games such as the lottery.

 Moreover, it would be desirable to create a system for playing bingo in a vast geographical region, which allows you to play by subscription, i.e. when pre-orders for playing card fields can be easily carried out along with trading from the above points of sale on-line. \\\ Another desirable aspect of a system that supports bingo in a vast geographic area would be a feature that allows for electronic play. Those. a system that uses the above-mentioned electronic gaming consoles, home computer terminals or cable television apparatuses, and the like. in order to be able to buy playing card fields from remote points and / or to play bingo from such points without using printed cards. Such a system, in combination with the mentioned interactive type of system, proposed by one of the variants of the invention, may be designed to facilitate the exchange of playing card fields during the game.

 The invention consists in the following.

 Therefore, the main objective of the present invention is to provide methods and devices for enabling real-time bingo play from points remote from the point at which numbers (or other symbols) used to play a bingo type game are selected (i.e., vast geographic region as defined in this application).

 Another object of the invention is to provide methods and devices for enabling real-time bingo play in a wide geographic region, which can optionally provide a long-distance player with automatic indication when the played image coincides with the image that has arisen on the actual playing card field.

 Another objective of the present invention is to provide methods and devices to enable real-time bingo play in a vast geographic region that optionally allows players to create and play fields of their choice and definition.

 A further object of the invention is to provide methods and devices for making real-time bingo games possible in a wide geographic region that combine methods and devices for generating bingo game card fields in response to a player’s request for one or more game card fields , with the methods and devices used to remotely generate game tickets at points of sale in real time.

 Another objective of the invention is the creation of a system that combines the above methods and devices for generating game card fields in response to a user’s request, with methods and devices for tracking all sold game fields and combine them in such a system, methods and devices for drawing bingo (holding a series of bingo games) and to transfer the progress of each played game to a vast geographic region.

 In addition, it is an object of the invention to provide at least one embodiment of a system designed to support bingo playing in a vast geographical region that is “interactive”, i.e. a system that implements and responds to user preselected inputs during a bingo game and / or before or after the termination of a game.

 Another objective of the invention is to create a system for playing bingo in a vast geographic region, which allows players to subscribe to a series of bingo draws through pre-purchase of playing card fields.

 And finally, the aim of the invention is to create a system for playing bingo in a wide geographical region using an "electronic" version of the game, defined as a system that uses the aforementioned electronic game consoles, home computer terminals or cable television devices, etc. .P. to purchase game card fields from remote locations and / or to play bingo from these points without the need to use printed game cards.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for playing bingo in a vast geographic region, which includes:
a) funds for the issuance of game card fields in response to purchase requests at the time of receipt of requests, the funds for issuing game card fields contain:
a1) means of the terminals of points of sale, including means for downloading requests for the purchase of game card fields to the system base station from a location other than the one where the system base station means are physically located, and
a2) means of a system base station, including means for issuing valid game card fields and unloading these valid game card fields into said means of sale point terminals in response to requests for the purchase of game fields,
a) means for tracking all playing card fields issued in response to purchase requests,
c) funds for each game in the scheduled bingo draw, and
c) means for transmitting to a vast geographic region a sequence of arbitrary characters generating during a particular bingo game to enable players in a vast geographic region to participate in a bingo draw.

In addition, in the indicated system: means of terminals at points of sale contain means for printing out valid playing card fields unloaded from the means of the system base station;
the means of the terminals of the points of sale contain means for storing valid game card fields loaded from the system base station means into an electronic gaming device;
the system base station means comprise means for creating a set of game card fields from which valid game card fields can be issued, and means for storing a set of game card fields created by means of the system base station;
the system base station means also comprise means for storing a predetermined library of game card fields from which valid game card fields can be issued;
means of the system base station also contain means for determining whether a given request to purchase a game card field is a request for a game field containing a set of characters selected by the buyer;
means of the system base station also contain means for determining whether a given request for the purchase of a game card field is a request for a game field automatically selected by the system;
means for tracking all issued game card fields also comprise memory devices associated with means for issuing valid game card fields and intended for storing each issued game card field relating to each game in a predetermined bingo drawing;
each game card field stored in the storage devices contains its authenticity information in order to allow checking the authenticity of the issued game card field, presented as a field on which the prize has fallen;
means for conducting each game in a scheduled bingo drawing contain means for registering each randomly generated symbol in a sequence of randomly generated symbols related to the game;
contains means for randomly generating symbols used for playing bingo;
means for conducting each game in a planned bingo drawing, includes means for identifying winning game card fields, including image recognition means connected to memory devices, and means for registering each randomly generated symbol to determine during the bingo game whether any valid playing card field stored in the storage device by the winner, and which one;
means of the system base station also contain means for issuing a win signal in the event of determining the presence of a valid winning field by means of pattern recognition, and means for terminating the game in case of determining the presence of a valid winning field;
means for transmission include a television broadcasting system;
transmission facilities include a cable television broadcasting system;
means for transmission include radio;
means for transmission include telephone communications;
contains means to enable the participant in the game to interact with the means of the base station during each bingo game;
means for enabling a game participant to interact with means of the base station during each bingo game, comprise a communication line between a person participating in the bingo game and means for conducting each game in a planned bingo drawing;
the communication line is configured to be used by a person taking part in a bingo game to input a win indication signal into the system after recognizing the winning image on the playing card field participating in the game;
the funds for each game in the planned bingo drawing are made with the possibility of triggering in response to the input of a win indication signal, checking this playing card field participating in the game for a winning image and stopping the game after confirming the presence of a winning playing card field.

 According to a particular illustrative embodiment of the invention, methods and apparatus for facilitating the purchase of bingo “cards” from at least one terminal of a point of sale on-line are provided. Such terminals can be installed in ordinary places, such as grocery stores, etc., to allow customers to easily receive game cards for the planned draw.

 In addition, according to this embodiment of the invention, each terminal of a point of sale is associated with a central gaming station (also referred to as the system base station hereinafter), which may be associated with a terminal of a point of sale, for example, a telephone line. The central gaming station, among other functions that will be described below, can be used to track the playing field that occurs on each card sold.

 The central game station, according to the aforementioned embodiment of the invention, also includes means for conducting a predetermined game program, means for holding each scheduled game, and means for stopping a specific game after it is detected that at least one playing card field from the set of all cards sold, is the winning field.

 Also, according to the first aspect of the invention, game participants who bought the desired number of game card fields can participate in each game, monitoring the development of the game from home or other remote locations (remote from the point of sale and physical location of the central gaming station), for example, tune in to a given standard television channel, cable television channel, radio station, or other means of transmitting the course of a game held within a vast geographic region.

 Any one or more of the aforementioned means of transmitting the game to a vast geographical region may be included in or connected to a central gaming station, depending on the particular design of the gaming system.

 Participants of this drawing, following the development of a specific game, mark their "cards" during each game, "closing" each generated symbol that is on this card. The winning card can be recognized by the participant if the specified image or figure, which is the goal of this game, is played on the card as a result of closing the symbols that were generated.

 As mentioned above, in one embodiment of the invention, the central game station monitors all playing card fields, identifies the first game card (or several such cards) on which this figure or image appeared, and gives a signal that the winning card (or cards) has been sold thus ending the game.

 According to this embodiment of the invention, the winner may not be required to participate in the game during the game to have a valid winning card, and in alternative embodiments of the invention, the winner may be required to register the winning card via an interactive data line (for example, a telephone line connected to a central computer system) and claim your winnings within a predetermined period (for example, before the start of generating the next number or other established symbol) or still somehow fix the win during the continuation of the game.

According to another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a system for enabling interactive bingo play in a vast geographical region, which comprises:
a) means for issuing game card fields in response to purchase requests at the time of receipt of the request, said funds for issuing game card fields include:
a1) means of the terminals of points of sale, including means for loading requests for the purchase of game card fields to the system base station from a location other than the one where the system base station means are physically located, and
a2) means of the system base station, including means for issuing valid game card fields and loading these valid game card fields into said means of sale point terminals in response to requests for the purchase of game card fields,
o) means for tracking all playing card fields issued in response to purchase requests;
c) funds for each game in the scheduled draw,
o) means for transmitting to a vast geographic region a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game to enable players in a vast geographic region to participate in a bingo draw,
e) a communication line allowing the player to interact with the system.

In the said system according to the second aspect of the invention, the line is connected with the means for each game in the planned bingo drawing and can be used by the participant in the game to enter the win indication signal into the system after recognizing the winning image on the playing card field participating in the game;
funds for each game in the planned bingo drawing are triggered in response to the input of a win indication signal, checking this playing card field participating in the game for a winning image and stopping the game after confirming the presence of a winning playing card field;
the communication line is connected with the aforementioned means for issuing game card fields, which, in response to purchase requests, can be used by a game participant to purchase game card fields.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a gaming system for playing a luck game in a wide geographic region, the game requiring a plurality of playing card fields, each of which is formed of a plurality of symbols located in predetermined symbol display areas, and the purpose of the game is to sequentially and random generation of characters from a predefined array of characters, matching generated characters with characters on the fields of game cards and declaring child, when a given image of the generated symbols is formed on at least one of the game card fields, and this system contains:
a) means for issuing game card fields in response to purchase requests at the time of receipt of the request, said funds for issuing game card fields include:
a1) means of terminals at points of sale, which include loading requests for the purchase of game card fields into the system base station from a location other than the one where the system base station means are physically located, and
a2) means of the system base station, including means for issuing valid game card fields to said means of terminals at points of sale in response to requests for the purchase of game card fields,
a) means for transmitting to a vast geographic region a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game to enable players in a vast geographic region to participate in a luck game.

In addition, to solve the above problems, a method is proposed for providing the opportunity to play bingo in a vast geographical region, which includes the following operations:
a) the issuance of game card fields in response to purchase requests at the time of receipt of the request, wherein said operation of issuing game card fields includes the following operations:
a1) loading requests for the purchase of game card fields into the system base station facilities from a location other than the one on which the system base station facilities are physically located, and
a2) loading valid game card fields into the terminals of point of sale in response to requests for the purchase of game card fields;
o) tracking of all playing card fields issued in response to purchase requests;
c) holding each game in a scheduled bingo draw, and
o) the transfer to a vast geographical region of a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game.

The method also includes
printing operations of valid playing card fields downloaded from the system base station;
the operation of storing valid game card fields downloaded from the system base station to an electronic gaming device;
an operation of storing a predetermined library of game card fields on which valid game card fields can be issued;
an operation of determining whether a given request to purchase a game card field is a request for a game field containing a set of characters selected by the buyer;
an operation of determining whether a given request to purchase a game card field is a request for a game field automatically selected by the system.

 In this case, the operation of tracking all issued game card fields also includes the operation of storing in the memory of each issued game card field related to each game in a predetermined bingo drawing.

 Furthermore, said method also includes an operation of storing authenticity information for each game card field relating to each game in a predetermined bingo drawing in a memory device to enable authentication of the issued game card field presented as a winning field, wherein the operation of each game in the planned bingo drawing also includes the operation of registering each randomly generated character in a sequence of randomly generated characters related to this game.

 The method also includes the operation of randomly generating characters used to play a bingo type game.

the operation of each game in the planned bingo drawing includes the operation of determining during the game whether any valid playing card field stored in the storage device really won and which one,
moreover, the operation of each game in the planned bingo drawing includes the following operations:
a) issuing a win signal in the event that a fact of the presence of a winning field is determined, and
n) the termination of the ongoing game in the event that the fact of having a winning field is determined.

In the specified method also:
the operation of transmitting to a vast geographic region includes the operation of transmitting a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game to a given region using a broadcasting system;
the operation of transmitting to a vast geographic region includes the operation of transmitting a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game to a given region using a cable broadcasting system;
the operation of transmitting to a vast geographical region includes the operation of transmitting a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game to a given region using radio;
the operation of transferring to a vast geographic region includes the operation of transmitting a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game to a given region using a telephone network.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for implementing a gaming system for playing a luck game in a wide geographic region, the game requiring a plurality of playing card fields, each of which is formed of a plurality of symbols located in predetermined symbol display areas, and the purpose of the game is sequential and random generation of symbols from a predetermined array of symbols, matching of generated symbols with symbols on playing cards fields and declaring a winner when a given image of the generated symbols is formed on at least one of the game card fields, this method also includes the following operations:
a) the issuance of game card fields in response to purchase requests at the time of receipt of the request, and this operation of issuing game card fields includes the following operations:
A1) downloading requests for the purchase of game card fields to the system base station facilities from a location other than the one on which the system base station facilities are physically located, and
a2) loading valid game card fields into the facilities of the terminals of points of sale in response to requests for the purchase of game card fields, and
o) transferring to a vast geographic region a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game so as to enable players in a vast geographic region to participate in a luck game.

In addition, to solve the above problems, a system is proposed to provide the opportunity to play bingo in a vast geographical region, which contains:
a) means for issuing game card fields in response to purchase requests at the time of receipt of the request, said funds for issuing game card fields include:
a1) means of the terminals of points of sale, including means for loading requests for the purchase of game card fields to the system base station from a location other than the one where the system base station means are physically located, and
a2) means of the system base station, including means for issuing valid playing card fields and loading these valid playing card fields into said points of sale point terminals in response to requests for the purchase of playing card fields;
n) means for tracking all playing card fields issued in response to purchase requests,
c) funds for each game in the scheduled bingo draw, and
n) means enabling each potential bingo drawer to take part in a game without having to physically be present in a predetermined game room,
moreover, the means that give each participant the opportunity to participate in the game without being present in the game room also allow each participant in the bingo drawing to independently determine in which of the many potential places of participation in the game, in addition to pre-established game rooms, he will play,
and the means that give each participant the opportunity to participate in the game without being present in the game room also include means for transmitting to a vast geographic region a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game using a communication channel available for many potential venues in a game located in this geographical region, in addition, the house of the game participants is included in the aforementioned potential places of participation in the game.

In this system, also means for issuing game card fields in response to a purchase request are physically located separately and at a distance from at least one of the many potential places of participation in the game,
and system base station tools include:
a) means for creating a set of game card fields from which valid game card fields can be issued, and
n) means for storing a set of game card fields created by means of a system base station.

In addition, in said system, means of the system base station include means for storing a predetermined library of game card fields from which valid game card fields can be issued, wherein
means of the system base station include means for determining whether a given request to purchase a game card field is a request for a game field containing a set of characters selected by the buyer,
means of the system base station also contain means for determining whether a given request to purchase a game card field is a request for a game field automatically selected by the system,
means for conducting each game in a planned bingo drawing include means for identifying winning game card fields, including image recognition means,
means for transmission include a television broadcasting system,
transmission facilities include a cable broadcasting system,
means for transmission include radio communication and
transmission facilities include telephone communications.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a gaming system for playing a luck game in a wide geographic region, the game requiring a plurality of playing card fields, each of which is formed of a plurality of symbols located in predetermined symbol display areas, and the purpose of the game is to sequentially and random generation of symbols from a predetermined array of symbols, matching of generated symbols with symbols on playing card fields and declaring ix winner when a predetermined image of generated symbols is formed on at least one of the gaming card fields, with this game system comprises:
a) means for issuing game card fields in response to purchase requests at the time of receipt of the request, said funds for issuing game card fields include:
a1) means of the terminals of points of sale, including means for downloading requests for the purchase of game card fields to the system base station from a location other than the one where the system base station means are physically located, and
a2) means of a system base station, including means for issuing valid game card fields and loading these valid game card fields into said facilities of point of sale terminals in response to requests for the purchase of game card fields, and
n) means to ensure that each potential participant in the game independently chooses from among the many potential places of participation in the game in a given region the place from which he will take part in the game of luck.

According to the last aspect of the invention, to solve the tasks, a method is provided for providing the opportunity to play bingo in a vast geographical region, which includes the following operations:
a) the issuance of game card fields in response to purchase requests at the time of receipt of the request, wherein said operation of issuing game card fields includes the following operations:
A1) downloading requests for the purchase of game card fields and system base station facilities from a location other than the one on which the system base station facilities are physically located, and
a2) loading valid game card fields into the terminals of points of sale in response to requests for the purchase of game card fields,
n) tracking of all playing card fields issued in response to purchase requests,
c) holding each game in a scheduled bingo draw, and
n) ensuring the possibility of each potential bingo participant to take part in the game without the need to physically be present in a predetermined gaming room.

In addition, the operation of providing the mentioned opportunity also includes providing the opportunity for each participant of the bingo drawing to independently determine in which of the many potential places of participation in the game, in addition to pre-established gaming halls, he will play,
the operation of providing this opportunity also includes the operation of transmitting to a vast geographic region a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game using a communication channel available for a variety of potential game locations located in a given geographic region.

 The specified method also includes the operation of using the house of the game participants as a place of participation in the game, and the operation of issuing game card fields, a response to a purchase request is carried out using means for issuing game card fields located physically separately and at a distance from at least one of the many potential venues in the game.

 The present invention provides methods and devices for enabling real-time bingo play from locations remote from a physical location where numbers (or other symbols) used for bingo type games are selected.

 In addition, the invention relates to systems that allow you to play bingo on a passive or intractive basis in a wide geographic region.

 The invention also provides methods and devices that allow playing real-time bingo in a vast geographic region and optionally allows players to create and play playing fields of their choice and definition.

 These and other objectives, options and features of the present invention, as well as methods for their achievement will be obvious to specialists in this field, and the invention itself will become clearer from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings
FIG. 1 is a flowchart of one method that, according to the present invention, provides for the use of a bingo system in a wide geographic region.

 FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of one system, which according to the present invention for playing bingo in a wide geographical region.

 FIG. 3 is a more detailed possible embodiment of the system base station of FIG. 2.

 FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram representing an example of an interactive system according to the present invention for playing bingo in a wide geographic region.

 Detailed description.

 Reference is made to FIG. 1, which depicts, in block diagram form, one method that, according to the present invention, enables the use of a bingo system in a wide geographical region.

The operations of an example method are depicted in the form of blocks 101-10 "in Fig. 1 as follows:
a) the issuance of playing card fields in response to purchase requests, shown in block 101,
b) tracking of all issued playing card fields (in response to purchase requests), shown by block 102,
c) holding each bingo game in a scheduled bingo draw shown in block 103, and
d) transmitting to a vast geographic region (in real time) a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular game (shown in block 104), so that players in a large geographic region can thus participate in a bingo drawing.

 As already mentioned above, according to one embodiment of the invention, it is contemplated to issue (sell) game bingo card fields (sometimes referred to as “cards” in this description) in response to receiving a purchase request using standard on-line point of sale terminals. Such terminals, similar to those currently used for the sale and printing of lottery tickets, described above, can be installed in ordinary places, for example, in grocery stores and the like. to allow the buyer to easily purchase game cards for a scheduled draw.

 The only significant modification that needs to be made to existing equipment for the sale of lottery tickets (in order to print bingo cards instead of them) will be to print out the issued game card fields in the form of a bingo card matrix. This is quite feasible for specialists in this field, since the aforementioned standard devices for the sale and printing of lottery tickets currently has the ability to print enough characters on one ticket (including authenticity information in the form of a serial number and other characters) to effectively issue (print) matrix of a bingo game card.

 In addition, it is now well known to connect each of the terminals of the points of sale mentioned above (which are now used to sell lottery tickets) to the central gaming station (means of the system base station), which tracks all issued lottery tickets. The same kind of standard central processing equipment (usually a digital computer system) with which such terminals are connected can be used to track all issued game card fields, in particular in light of the ideas proposed in Richardson’s patent, which aim at storing and tracking such game fields.

 It should be noted that using the technology embodied in the well-known on-line point of sale terminals described above (for selling lottery tickets) and the technology used in the point of sale terminals constituting part of the base station facilities described in Richardson's patents (for generating and unloading bingo game card fields as such), specialists in this field can easily provide bingo game participants with the opportunity to choose numbers at their own discretion, or resort to funds base station to select bingo cards that are either randomly generated or stored in the system library.

In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, each terminal of a point of sale can be connected to a central gaming station via telephone lines and standard modems, forming two types of terminals of points of sale available to prospective participants in a bingo game, namely:
1) point of sale terminals that are remotely connected to a central gaming station that is not physically located (in a geographical sense) in the same place as the point of sale terminal (using, for example, as mentioned above, telephone lines for communication between the terminal and the station ), and
2) terminals of points of sale of the "Richardson type" (described in the above-mentioned sources), which form part of the central gaming station itself (means of the Richardson system base station).

 According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, which will be described below, the central game station (system base station means) also includes means for conducting (and organizing) each game in a predetermined game schedule. Methods and devices for performing this function are also known to those skilled in the art and are exemplified by the aforementioned Richardson patents with reference to the Richardson system base station means (microprocessor-controlled system) and its verification units.

 Also, according to this invention, the participants of the game, having bought the desired number of playing card fields, participate in each game, following the development of the game from home or other remote locations (remote from the point of sale and the physical location of the central gaming station), for example, tuning in to a selected standard television channel, cable television channel, radio station or other means of transmitting the course of a game played in a vast geographical region.

 This aspect of the invention is based on the use of well-known methods of transferring to a wide geographic region, however new is the use of these methods as part of a combined system of elements (and / or operations) for playing bingo in a wide geographic region, i.e. transmitting a sequence of characters that are generated or determined in some other way during a real-time bingo game to places that are widely scattered and / or physically removed from the point at which the given sequence of characters is generated.

 As mentioned above, any one or more of the aforementioned means of transmitting the game to a vast geographical region can be included in or connected to a central gaming station, depending on the particular design of a given gaming system.

 Participants can play bingo during this rally, conducted on a system in which the above operations of the method described as an example are carried out, simply monitoring the development of this game, marking their "cards" during each game and "closing" each generated symbol , which is available on this card.

 You can also use electronic tools (although this is not necessary) to track the progress of games in a scheduled draw. If such devices are used (for example, electronic game consoles described by Richardson in the aforementioned patents, game consoles stored in personal computers, etc.), the invention provides for the sale (issuance) of game card fields via communication lines connecting the place where there is a player (for example, his or her home), with the means of a system base station (using, for example, a telephone line, cellular communication, cable communication and an associated apparatus for cable communication, etc.), and / or issuing game cards floor to her at the point of sale of playing card fields using the "charging" of an electronic device, very similar to the procedure for initializing the mail counter; those. by delivering an electronic gaming console (or associated storage medium) to an on-line point of sale terminal (for example, any of the two types of terminals mentioned above, since they have corresponding interfaces, such as those described in Richardson's patents, for downloads of acquired playing fields).

 The participant can recognize the winning card (for example, visually or tactilely, if the playing fields contain Braille characters, etc.) when a pre-installed image or figure, which is the goal of the game, is reproduced on the card as a result of “closing” the characters that were generated. In such cases, the player can provide the winning bingo card field for payment in the same way as the winning bingo card field for payment is presented in the same way as the winning lottery tickets are presented for payment. In this case, an authenticity check is usually carried out to verify that the sold card field is an authentic and registered (i.e. tracked) system, checking that this card field is indeed the winner, and then the winnings are paid out.

 According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the participant may also receive a message about the winning field from electronic means, such as an electronic gaming console of the type described by Richardson.

 Even the system itself, according to another embodiment of the invention, can be used to signal the presence of a winning card by carefully checking all issued playing card fields in order to detect winning fields (using, for example, image recognition methods described in the aforementioned Richardson patents, or other similar methods), during the period between the generation and transmission of successive randomly generated symbols.

 As noted above, in one embodiment of the invention, the central game station monitors all playing fields, identifies (checks) the first game card (or several game cards) on which the image (figure) is the target of the game, and gives a signal that the winning card is identified (or cards), thereby ending the game. Suitable examples of methods and devices for tracking generated symbols, identifying (checking) fields containing winning images based on a game program, and signaling the presence of a winning playing field are discussed in the aforementioned Richardson patents and are therefore not described in detail here.

 According to embodiments of the invention in which the system determines the playing card field on which the win has fallen, the player does not have to take part in the game during its draw in order to win. Such a game in this description is defined as a game played on a "passive" system. An example of a passive system according to this invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 2-3.

 In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the winning player may be required to register the winning card via an interactive data line (for example, a telephone line connected to a central computer system) and claim a win for a certain period of time (for example, until the next number or other received symbol is generated, or to fix winnings in any way during the continuation of the game, such a system (referred to in this description as an "interactive" system for playing bingo in a vast eograficheskom region) will be described below with reference to FIG. 4.

 In such a system (interactive), figure recognition (visual, electronic, etc.) can be carried out at the place where participants take part in the game. After a win is discovered, it may be necessary to enter into the system base station means only a series number (for example) or other information identifying a specific field sold (via one of a number of communication lines, such as a telephone line, etc.); after this, the means of the system base station will only have to verify (confirm) that the winning figure really exists on a specific identified playing field, instead of checking each playing field monitored by the system to evaluate whether or not there is a winning field after generating and reporting a specific arbitrary character.

 In addition, if electronic means are used to track the progress of the game, verification blocks, such as those described in the aforementioned Richardson patents, can be used to verify the winner and download the corresponding information to the system base station means to stop the game.

 Next, reference is made to FIG. 2, which, as already mentioned above, depicts in a functional block diagram one system (referred to in this description as a passive system), which according to the present invention is suitable for playing bingo in a large geographical region, and also in FIG. 3, which shows a more detailed illustrative embodiment m of the system base station shown in FIG. 2.

 In FIG. 2 depicts a preferred embodiment of the invention in which the point of sale terminal and system base station means are separate nodes, shown for example by blocks 201-1 and 202, respectively. As mentioned above, these two nodes can be combined in the form of a node point of sale of the system base station described in the aforementioned Richardson patents. Separate nodes are preferable since allow you to locate points of sale of playing fields in the vast geographical region in which the draw, bingo is held, and make the purchase more convenient for prospective participants. In particular, in FIG. 2 shows other terminals of points of sale of playing card fields (for example, terminal 201-n and other terminals denoted by three dots), which are preferably spaced across a wide geographic region, optionally associated with the system base station 202.

 A preferred embodiment of the invention is also an option that does not require (but does not necessarily exclude) the use of electronic equipment located at the place from which the player takes part in the game. This preferred embodiment of the invention involves attracting people who do not want to buy or rent expensive equipment to participate in the game, and avoids the use of communication tools and resources or connecting to them (for example, via telephone lines), which would be necessary for the exchange of information between remotely connected electronic units and a central gaming station.

In addition to the terminal of the point of sale of game card fields 201 and means of the system base station 202, in FIG. 2 depicts an arbitrary signal generator 203 interconnected with means of a system base station 202 and / or means 204 for transmitting to a wide geographic region via transmission lines 275 and 276 shown by broken lines. An intermittent transmission line is used because it is possible in alternative embodiments of the system of this invention that
1) means 202 of the system base station contain their own generator of arbitrary characters,
2) the characters generated by the arbitrary character generator 203 can simply be input (from an external source) into the system base station means 202 (for example, via an intermittent data line 275), or
3) the characters generated by the arbitrary character generator 203 can, in addition to inputting funds to the system base station 202, be directly connected (via an intermittent data line 276) and transmission equipment 204. All of these system configuration options described above are encompassed by this invention.

 In FIG. 2 also depicts transmission equipment 204 that is designed to inform (in real time) players located in remote locations (for example, the location of player 1, indicated by flare 210-1 in FIG. 2) about a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during each game. According to the present invention, players can be in a variety of places (designated as locations 210-2 and 210-M in FIG. 2) and all simultaneously receive information about the progress of each game.

 It should be noted that a standard television system, cable television system, satellite system, radio channel, telephone and other standard means of transmitting the course of the game to a wide geographical region can be used to implement the means of transmission depicted by block 204 in FIG. 2.

 The passive system shown in FIG. 2, does not require the player any feedback from the system base station during a particular bingo game. This is due to the fact that the means of the system base station simply stop every game when it is discovered that the winning piece exists on the sold playing card field.

 The list of winning series numbers may, for example, be reported on broadcast systems or published in local newspapers, etc. any time after the termination of this game. Players who have won playing card fields (in the form of paper tickets, fields in the memory of electronic game consoles, etc.) can then simply present their winning card (s) for authentication and payment, as is used for payments by lottery tickets, or as described in Richardson's patents if electronic gaming consoles are used.

 Reference is then made to FIG. 3, which, as noted above, presents a more detailed view of an illustrative embodiment of the system base station shown in FIG. 2.

 In particular, in FIG. 3 shows a base station 300 (which can be used as base station 202 in FIG. 2) comprising a storage device for sold game card fields (block 301), a library of game card fields (block 302), a working storage device (block 303), and a central a processor unit (CPU) (and associated software memory), shown in block 304, for processing requests for the purchase of game card fields, loading purchased game fields, tracking all sold game card fields, and conducting each scheduled games.

 The arbitrary symbol generator is depicted as an optional element of the system base station 300. If there are no such means (as described above), the symbols generated by the external arbitrary symbol generator will need to be entered into the system base station at some point to check and / or identify winning playing fields. Such an input is shown by data line 360 in FIG. 3.

 In addition, in FIG. 3 shows a data line 350 designed to provide two-way data transfer necessary to receive requests for the purchase and loading of game fields issued by means of the base station 300.

 The data line 370 shown in FIG. 3 is intended to provide means for transmitting to a large geographic region a sequence of randomly generated symbols when the generator is part of the means of the base station.

 And finally, in FIG. 3 shows a CPU 304 (and related programs) connected to memory devices 301 to 303 described above to allow the CPU to optionally perform at least the game and calculation functions described in the above patents.

 As mentioned above, the CPU 304 can, for example, be programmed (using technologies known to specialists) to easily view the tables of the numbers of the series of game fields (input following a specific game) in order to find and check the game field stored (for example) in the memory 301 as a winning field, alternatively, the CPU 304 can be programmed to perform, for example, an exhaustive search for the winning field after each generation of a new symbol during the game, etc., the configuration shown in FIG. 3, powerful enough to implement any of the mentioned game scenarios on either a passive or interactive basis using technologies, programming, which are either explicitly described in the mentioned Richardson patents and their variants, or other technologies (such as simple table scans, etc. .p.), well-known specialists in the field of programming digital computers.

 An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 4 and illustrates, as noted above, in the form of a functional block diagram, an example of an interactive system that according to the present invention is suitable for playing bingo in a wide geographical region.

 In FIG. 4 shows the same system components as shown in FIG. 2, namely: several terminals of points of sale of playing fields (401 - I - 401 - II), means of a system base station 402, a derivative signal generator 403, means of transmission to an extensive geographical region 404 and several points of location of players (410 - I - 410 - II), they are all interconnected in the same way as described with reference to FIG. 2 (for example, using discontinuous data lines 475 and 476 corresponding to discontinuous data lines 275 and 276 in FIG. 2, etc.). However, here, on communication lines between system base station 402 and communication equipment 303 in a large geographic region, and on communication lines between at least some (but not necessarily all) remote locations of players (such as points 410 - 1 and 410 - M) and means of transmission 404 to a vast geographical region there are bidirectional arrows.

 These bi-directional (or alternative, parallel, but separate) lines are intended to facilitate two-way communication between the system base station 402 and the specific location of the player. For example, means 404 for transmitting to a wide geographic region may include a standard television rotation system and a public telephone network, so that a player reports his winnings to the system base station 402 via a telephone line, and means of the base station 402 recognize the winnings using a broadcast system, etc. d.

 The system shown in FIG. 4 is also configured to allow a player to purchase game cards from his home, for example, by transmitting requests for the purchase of game card fields to the system base station. This purchase can be credited to the credit card account to an account supported by the player, etc.

 The system shown in FIG. 4 also allows the system base station to download the issued field directly to a player in a remote location.

 To facilitate said operations using the system depicted in FIG. 4, it is only necessary to include, for example, bi-directional telephone communication in the means 404 for transmission to a wide geographic region, and the user must have an appropriate modem (s) to facilitate communication with the system base station 402 via telephone lines. Loaded game card fields can, for example, be printed out at remote locations of players, game fields can be ordered from these remote places and sent to the player by mail, game card fields can be downloaded to electronic game consoles, etc.

 Many options for passive and interactive systems described above will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, you can develop interactive systems that are not designed to play with electronic devices, while others allow you to play using home personal computers, game consoles, such as those described in Richardson's patents, etc. Systems can be developed that allow players to subscribe to several bingo draws by mail and take part in the game at home. Systems can also be developed that, although they detect a winning playing card field, nevertheless continue the game until the player reports a win, thus requesting the right to participate in each game, etc.

 Above have been described in detail methods and devices that meet all of the above objectives. As indicated previously, those skilled in the art will understand that the foregoing description is provided only to illustrate and disclose the invention. It does not purport to be exhaustive or with a restrictive specifically disclosed form, and, obviously, many modifications and variations are possible in light of the foregoing concept of the invention.

 The foregoing options and examples are presented in order to better explain the principles of this invention and its practical application, so that specialists in this field can optimally use it in different ways and with different changes that are most suitable for specific applications.

 Therefore, it should be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and variations that fall within the scope and concept of the present invention.

Claims (63)

 1. A system for playing bingo in a vast geographical region, characterized in that it includes a) means for issuing game card fields in response to purchase requests at the time of receipt of the request, said means for issuing game card fields contain a1) means point-of-sale terminals, including means for downloading requests for the purchase of game card fields to the system base station’s means from a different place than the one on which the system base station’s facilities are physically located, a2) system a dark base station, which includes means for issuing valid game card fields and unloading these valid game card fields into said facilities of point-of-sale terminals in response to requests for the purchase of game card fields, b) means for tracking all game card fields issued in response for purchase requests, c) funds for each game in the planned bingo drawing, d) funds for transferring a sequence of arbitrary characters to a vast geographic region, generator Rui during a particular bingo game to allow players in the wide geographic area to participate in the draw of bingo.  2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the means of the terminals of the points of sale contain means for printing valid game card fields unloaded from the system base station.  3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the means of the terminals of the points of sale contain means for storing valid playing card fields loaded from the means of the system base station into an electronic gaming device.  4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the means of the system base station comprise means for creating a set of game card fields from which valid game card fields can be issued, and means for storing a set of game card fields created by means of the system base station.  5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the means of the system base station also comprise means for storing a predetermined library of game card fields from which valid game card fields can be issued.  6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the means of the system base station also contain means for determining whether a given request to purchase a game card field is a request for a game field containing a set of characters selected by the buyer.  7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the means of the system base station also contain means for determining whether a given request for the purchase of a game card field is a request for a game field automatically selected by the system.  8. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for tracking all issued game card fields also contain memory devices associated with means for issuing valid game card fields and designed to store each issued game card field relating to each game in advance a specific bingo draw.  9. The system of claim 8, wherein each playing card field stored in the storage device contains its authenticity information to enable verification of the issued game card field presented as a winning field.  10. The system according to claim 9, characterized in that the means for conducting each game in a planned bingo drawing contain means for registering each randomly generated symbol in a sequence of randomly generated symbols related to this game.  11. The system of claim 10, characterized in that it contains means for randomly generating the characters used to play bingo.  12. The system according to p. 10, characterized in that the means for conducting each game in the planned bingo draw contain means for identifying winning game card fields, including image recognition means connected to storage devices, and means for registering each randomly generated symbol in order to determine during the bingo game whether any valid playing card field stored in the storage device is the winner and which one.  13. The system of claim 12, wherein the means of the system base station also comprise means for issuing a win signal in case of determining the presence of a valid winning field by means of pattern recognition and means for terminating the game in case of determining the presence of a valid winning field.  14. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for transmission include a television broadcasting system.  15. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for transmission include a cable television system.  16. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for transmission include radio communications.  17. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for transmission include telephone communications.  18. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that it contains means for enabling a game participant to interact with the means of the base station during each bingo game.  19. The system according to p. 18, characterized in that the means for enabling a game participant to interact with the means of the base station during each bingo game contain a communication line between the person participating in the bingo game and the means for holding each game in the scheduled draw bingo.  20. The system according to claim 19, characterized in that the communication line is adapted to be used by a person participating in a bingo game to input a win indication signal into the system after recognizing the winning image on the playing card field participating in the game.  21. The system according to claim 20, characterized in that the means for each game in the planned bingo drawing is made with the possibility of triggering in response to the input of a win indication signal, checking this playing card field participating in the game for a winning image and stopping the game after confirmation the presence of a winning playing card field.  22. A system for enabling interactive bingo play in a wide geographic region, characterized in that it comprises a) means for issuing game card fields in response to purchase requests at the time of receipt of the request, said means for issuing game card fields a1) means of terminals at points of sale, including means for loading requests for the purchase of game card fields into the system base station’s funds from a location other than the one where the funds are physically located a system base station, and a2) means of a system base station, including means for issuing valid game card fields and loading these valid game card fields into said point of sale terminal means in response to requests for purchase of game card fields, b) means for tracking all playing card fields issued in response to purchase requests, c) funds for each game in the planned bingo drawing, d) funds for transferring to a vast geographic region afterwards the number of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game to enable players in a wide geographic region to participate in the bingo game; e) a communication line allowing the player to interact with the system.  23. The system according to p. 22, characterized in that the communication line is associated with the means for each game in the planned bingo drawing and can be used by the participant in the game to enter the signal indicating the win after recognizing the winning image on the playing card field participating in the game.  24. The system according to claim 23, characterized in that the funds for each game in the scheduled bingo draw are triggered in response to the input of a win indication signal, checking this playing card field participating in the game for a winning image and stopping the game after confirming the presence of a winning game card field.  25. The system of claim 22, wherein the communication line is associated with said means for issuing game card fields that, in response to purchase requests, can be used by a game participant to purchase game card fields.  26. A game system for carrying out a luck game in a wide geographic region, the game requiring a plurality of game card fields, each of which is formed of a plurality of symbols located in predetermined symbol display areas, the game aiming at sequential and random generation of symbols from a predetermined array of characters, matching generated characters with characters on the fields of game cards and declaring a winner when a given image of generated x symbols are generated on at least one of the game card fields, characterized in that it comprises a) means for issuing game card fields in response to purchase requests at the time of receipt of the request, said means for issuing game card fields include a1) means of the terminals of points of sale, including means for loading requests for the purchase of game card fields to the system base station from a different place than the one where the system base station means are physically located, a2) means of the system base station, including means for issuing valid game card fields and unloading these valid game card fields into said points of sale point terminals in response to requests for the purchase of game card fields, b) means for transmitting a sequence to an extensive geographical region arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game to enable players in a wide geographic region to participate in a luck game.  27. A method of making it possible to play bingo in a vast geographical region, characterized in that it includes the following operations: a) issuing game card fields in response to purchase requests at the time of receipt of the request, said operation for issuing game card fields includes the following operations: a1) loading requests for the purchase of game card fields in the system base station facility from a location other than the one on which the system base station means are physically located, a2) loading valid games straight card fields to the funds of the point of sale terminals in response to requests for the purchase of game card fields, b) tracking of all game card fields issued in response to purchase requests, c) holding each game in the planned bingo drawing, d) transfer to an extensive geographical region of a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game.  28. The method according to p. 27, characterized in that it includes the operation of printing valid game card fields loaded from the system base station.  29. The method according to p. 27, characterized in that it also includes the operation of storing valid game card fields, downloaded from the system base station to an electronic gaming device.  30. The method according to p. 27, characterized in that it also includes the operation of storing a predetermined library of game card fields, from which valid game card fields can be issued.  31. The method according to p. 27, characterized in that it also includes the operation of determining whether a given request for the purchase of a game card field is a request for a game field containing a set of characters selected by the buyer.  32. The method according to p. 27, characterized in that it also includes the operation of determining whether a given request for the purchase of a game card field is a request for a game field automatically selected by the system.  33. The method according to p. 27, characterized in that the operation of tracking all issued game card fields also includes the operation of storing in the storage device of each issued game card field related to each game in a predetermined bingo drawing.  34. The method according to p. 33, characterized in that it also includes the operation of storing in the memory device information about the authenticity for each game card field related to each game in a predetermined bingo drawing to enable authentication of the issued game card field, submitted as the winning field.  35. The method according to clause 34, wherein the operation of holding each pair in a planned bingo drawing also includes the operation of registering each randomly generated character in a sequence of randomly generated characters related to this game.  36. The method according to p, characterized in that it includes the operation of randomly generating characters used to play a bingo type game.  37. The method according to p. 35, characterized in that the operation of each game in the planned bingo drawing includes an operation of determining during the game whether any valid playing card field stored in the storage device really won, and which one .  38. The method according to clause 37, wherein the operation of each game in the planned bingo drawing includes the following operations; a) issuing a win signal in the event that the fact of the presence of a winning field is determined; b) termination of the ongoing game in the event of determining the fact of the presence of a winning field.  39. The method according to item 27, wherein the operation of transferring to a wide geographic region includes the operation of transmitting a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular game of bingo, in this region using a broadcasting system.  40. The method according to item 27, wherein the operation of transmitting to a wide geographic region includes the operation of transmitting a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game, to this region using a cable broadcasting system.  41. The method according to item 27, wherein the operation of transmitting to a vast geographic region includes the operation of transmitting a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular game of bingo, in the region using radio.  42. The method according to item 27, wherein the operation of transferring to a wide geographic region includes the operation of transmitting a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game, to this region using the telephone network.  43. A method of implementing a gaming system for playing a luck game in a vast geographical region, the game requiring a plurality of playing card fields, each of which is formed of a plurality of symbols located in predetermined symbol display areas, wherein the game aims to generate sequentially and randomly characters from a predetermined array of characters, matching the generated characters with the characters on the playing card fields and declaring the winner when the specified pattern The alphabet of generated symbols is generated on at least one of the game card fields, characterized in that it includes the following operations: a) issuing game card fields in response to purchase requests at the time of receipt of the request, and this operation of issuing game card fields includes the following operations: a1) loading requests for the purchase of game card fields to the system base station from a different place than the one where the system base station means are physically located, a2) loading is valid playing card fields to the funds of point of sale terminals in response to requests to buy playing card fields, b) transmitting to a vast geographic region a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game so as to enable players in a vast geographic region to participate in the game for luck.  44. A system for making it possible to play bingo in a wide geographical region, characterized in that it comprises a) means for issuing game card fields in response to purchase requests at the time of receipt of the request, said means for issuing game card fields include a1 ) means of terminals at points of sale, including means for downloading requests for the purchase of game card fields to the system base station from a different place than the one where the system ba means are physically located a new station, a2) means of the system base station, including means for issuing valid game card fields and loading these valid game card fields into said points of sale point terminals in response to requests for the purchase of game card fields, b) means for tracking all game cards card fields issued in response to purchase requests, c) funds for each game in the planned bingo draw, d) funds that give each potential bingo drawer an opportunity to take part in a game without having to physically be present in a predetermined game room.  45. The system according to claim 44, characterized in that the means enabling each participant to participate in the game without being present in the playing field also allow each participant in the bingo drawing to independently determine in which of the many potential places of participation in the game, except for those predefined game rooms, he will play.  46. The system according to item 45, wherein the means that give each participant the opportunity to participate in the game without being present in the playing field also include means for transmitting to a vast geographical region a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game, using a communications channel available to many potential game locations located in this geographic region.  47. The system according to item 45, wherein the house of participants in the game is included in the aforementioned potential places of participation in the game.  48. The system according to item 44, wherein the means for issuing fields of game cards in response to a purchase request are physically separate and at a distance from at least one of the many potential places of participation in the game.  49. The system of claim 44, wherein the means of the system base station include a) means for creating a set of game card fields from which valid game card fields can be issued, and b) means for storing a set of game card fields created means of the system base station.  50. The system of claim 44, wherein the means of the system base station include means for storing a predetermined library of game card fields from which valid game card fields can be issued.  51. The system of claim 44, wherein the means of the system base station include means for determining whether a given request to purchase a game card field is a request for a game field containing a set of characters selected by a customer.  52. The system of claim 44, wherein the means of the system base station also comprise means for determining whether a given request to purchase a game card field is a request for a game field automatically selected by the system.  53. The system of claim 44, wherein the means for conducting each game in a scheduled bingo drawing include means for identifying winning game card fields, including image recognition means.  54. The system of claim 46, wherein the transmission means includes a television broadcasting system.  55. The system according to item 46, wherein the means for transmission include a cable television system.  56. The system according to item 46, wherein the means for transmission include radio communications.  57. The system according to item 46, wherein the means for transmission include telephone communications.  58. A game system for carrying out a luck game in a vast geographical region, the game requiring a plurality of game card fields, each of which is formed of a plurality of symbols located in predetermined symbol display areas, wherein the purpose of the game is to sequentially and randomly generate symbols from a predetermined array of characters, matching the generated characters with the characters on the playing card fields and declaring the winner when the specified image from the generated characters is generated on at least one of the game card fields, characterized in that it comprises a) means for issuing game card fields in response to purchase requests at the time of receipt of the request, said means for issuing game card fields include a1) means of terminals at points of sale, including means for loading requests for the purchase of game card fields into the system base station’s resources from a location other than the one on which the system base station’s facilities are physically located , a2) means of the system base station, including means for issuing valid game card fields and loading these valid game card fields into the said funds of point of sale terminals in response to requests for the purchase of game card fields, b) means for enabling each potential participant the games to choose from among the many potential places of participation in the game in this region, the place from which he will take part in the game of luck.  59. A method of making it possible to play bingo in a wide geographic region, characterized in that it includes the following operations: a) issuing game card fields in response to purchase requests at the time of receipt of the request, said operation of issuing game card fields includes the following operations: a1) loading requests for the purchase of game card fields into the system base station’s funds from a location other than the one on which the system base station’s physically located resources, a2) downloading valid games straight card fields to the means of the terminals of points of sale in response to requests for the purchase of game card fields, b) tracking of all game card fields issued in response to requests for purchase, c) conducting each game in the planned bingo drawing, d) providing opportunities for every potential a bingo draw participant to participate in a game without having to physically be present in a predetermined game room.  60. The method according to p. 59, characterized in that the operation of providing the said opportunity also includes providing each bingo participant with the opportunity to independently determine which of the many potential places of participation in the game, in addition to pre-installed gaming halls, he will play.  61. The method according to p. 60, characterized in that the operation of providing the said opportunity also includes the operation of transmitting to a vast geographic region a sequence of arbitrary characters generated during a particular bingo game using a communication channel available for a variety of potential locations in a game located in a given geographic region.  62. The method according to p, characterized in that it includes the operation of using the house of the participants in the game as a place of participation in the game.  63. The method according to p. 59, characterized in that the operation of issuing game card fields in response to a purchase request is carried out using means for issuing game card fields located physically separately and at a distance from at least one of the many potential places of participation in the game.

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