Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C15/00—Generating random numbers; Lottery apparatus
  • G07C15/006—Generating random numbers; Lottery apparatus electronically
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
  • A63F3/06—Lottos or bingo games; Systems, apparatus or devices for checking such games
  • A63F3/0645—Electric lottos or bingo games

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for playing a game in which the purpose of the game is to obtain one or more winning characters.
• characters includes numbers, letters, illustrations or symbols.
• a "winning" character is a character corresponding to a character which has been preselected by an organiser of the game.
• a "winning" character is a character corresponding to a character pre-selected by the player.
• a device for playing a game comprising a first window group for displaying characters selected by the player and recorded by a game machine, a second window group corresponding to the first window group, a lock control operable to allow or prevent a game being played, and a play control operable to start the game causing characters to come to rest in the windows of the second group .
• the characters are caused to come to rest in sequence in the windows of said second window group.
• the device may include a hold control to retain those characters in the said second window group which correspond with characters in said first window group.
• Said first and second window groups may each comprise a plurality of windows spaced along the device with each window of one group corresponding to an associated window of the other group .
• a device for playing a game comprising a window group for displaying characters, a lock control operable to allow or prevent a game being played, and a play control operable to start the game causing characters to come to rest in the windows of said window group.
• the characters may be caused to come to rest in sequence in the windows of said window group.
• the device may include a hold control to retain selected characters in said window group.
• the windows of said group are spaced along the device in a straight line.
• the above-mentioned devices may be intended to be hand held, and may be in card form and powered by batteries or s ' olar calls located in the device together with appropriate software.
• the play control may be a button or at least one sound or light activated switch, and the device may be made ready for play by a suitable security tool.
• Figure 1 is a front elevation of one hand-held device of the invention
• Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device of Figure 1
• Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the device of Figures 1 and 2
• Figure 4 is a front elevation of another hand-held device of the invention.
• Figure 5 is a side elevation of the device of Figure 4, and
• Figure 6 is a rear elevation of the device of Figures 4 and 5.
• a rectangular card-like game device 2 is formed in two halves which are fused together to have the approximate thickness of a credit card as shown in Figure 2.
• the device includes a play-push button 4, a hold push-button 6, and a lock push-button 8 which is recessed to reduce the risk of it being pushed accidentally.
• a window 16 displays relevant information such as "number of games yet to play”, “win”, “credit”, “locked”, “game” , “game over” and hold” .
• rules 18 of the game to be played are written on the rear face of the device 2.
• the player chooses five numbers between 0 and 99 which may be selected by a keyboard of a game dispenser vending machine. Alternatively the numbers may be ticked off by a player on a pre-printed ticket which is then inserted into the game dispenser vending machine (not shown) .
• the device is unlocked by pressing the lock button 8, and the play button 4 is then pressed to re-start the game.
• This causes all the display windows 10 to go blank. Numbers then move across the first window of the display windows 10 until a number comes to rest in the first window. After a small delay numbers move across the second window of the display windows 10 until a number comes to rest in that second window. This process is repeated until all the windows 10 display a number. If any of the numbers in the display windows 10 match a number in the corresponding window of the display windows 12 this will be classed as a win. The extent of the win can depend on the location of the matching numbers in the windows 10 and 12 and on the number of matching numbers in the windows 10 and 12.
• FIG. 4 another rectangular card-like game device 20 is formed in two halves which are fused together to have the approximate thickness of a credit card as shown in Figure 5.
• the device includes a play push-button 22, a hold push button 24, and a lock push-button 26 which is recessed to avoid the risk of it being pushed accidentally.
• Three display windows 28 are spaced along the width of the central part of the device 20 in a straight line, and at the start of the game all of the display windows are blank.
• the device is powered by batteries or solar cells 29 in the device 20 together with appropriate software.
• a window 30 displays relevant information such as "number of games yet to play” , “win”, “credit”, “locked”, “game”, “game over” and “hold”.
• the rules 32 of the game to be played are written on the rear face of the device 20.
• the second and third prizes may be awarded only to cards that produce winning numbers in selected ones or one of the windows 28.
• the device 20 is unlocked by pressing the lock button 26, and the play button 22 is then pressed to start the game.
• This causes all the display windows 28 to go blank.
• the numbers then start moving across the first of the display windows 28 until a number comes to rest in that first window.
• numbers start moving across the second window of the display windows 28 until a number comes to rest in the second window.
• the process is continued until a third window 28 displays a number. If any of the numbers in the displays windows 28 correspond to the preselected winning numbers then this will be classed as a win. As previously mentioned, the extent of the win can depend upon the number and location of the winning numbers in the windows 28.
• the software of the game devices is specifically designed to drive the basic functions of the game control. Other levels of the software are particularly designed to enable a specific game to be played within the game device. This can vary according to the design of the game itself.
• Various electronic components are also specifically designed to work within the thin card of the game devices.
• the described invention and its variations can also be displayed and played as a video game with the same or similar graphics on a video screen or television set as a stand alone coin operated amusement machine.
• the size or area of the screens 10, 12 and 28 is considerably smaller than that of previous game devices in order to accommodate the type of games to be played on these devices .
• the shape and size of these windows are selected in accordance with the way the characters move within the windows to make the games attractive to the players .
• the device illustrated in Figures 4 to 6 has three small rectangular or oval windows 28, and the device illustrated in
• Figures 1 to 3 has circular windows 10 and rectangular windows 12.
• the game devices 2 and 20 are manufactured using thin film technology in order to reduce the thickness of the various components, in particular the microchip components which govern the working features of the game.
• This technology enables the overall thickness of the devices to be approximately 2 millimetres as compared with 6 millimetres in previously known game devices . Because these devices are thin they can be described as a gamecard or ticket which assists their sales, and renders them suitable for promotions and lotteries.
• the devices 2 and 20 include lock buttons 8 and 26 which can be pressed to ensure that no further games can accidentally be played to erase the winning numbers or number.
• these game devices 2 and 20 can have an automatic lock feature activation built in to their programme. This automatic lock feature activation ensures that a winning number obtained while playing the game is automatically locked into the window display thereby preventing the player from losing a winning number obtained while playing the game. The operator can chose whether to use the manual or the automatic locking system.
• card-like game devices 2 and 20 can be powered by a standard watch battery there is obviously a severe limit on the size of the watch battery in order to retain the card-like appearance of the devices .
• An alternative battery system which may be used consists of electrolytic negative and positive pastes which are installed into the thickness of the card of the game devices 2 and 20. This installation is carried out during the manufacture of the game device by cutting two holes through the thickness of the card-like device and installing the electrolytic paste into the device. This paste is then held in place by a plastic foil located on both sides of the device, and contact points protrude from the paste to make electrical contact with the software of the game device.
• the device software presents a security code which will automatically display itself in these windows either alternatively to or in addition to the winning numbers.
• This security code consists of a different type of graphic to the numbers. If the game card is tampered with this security code is not displayed, thereby warning the game organisers not to pay out a prize.
• a range of ink jet or holographic markings can also be encripted onto the exterior surface of the card device as an additional precaution to control the use of the device from manufacture through to return to the game organisers for verification and payment of a prize.
• This display can be shown in the corners of one or more of the windows 10 and 28, or on a separate strip on the card device.
• This display can be operated automatically by a pull- tag on the device battery to assure the player that the card device has not been tampered with.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Coin-Freed Apparatuses For Hiring Articles (AREA)
• Control Of Vending Devices And Auxiliary Devices For Vending Devices (AREA)
• Pinball Game Machines (AREA)
• Adornments (AREA)
• Electrochromic Elements, Electrophoresis, Or Variable Reflection Or Absorption Elements (AREA)
• Holo Graphy (AREA)
• Massaging Devices (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

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Related Child Applications (1)

Publications (1)

Family

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Cited By (7)

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Citations (5)

• 2001
  • 2001-07-20 GB GBGB0117756.7A patent/GB0117756D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2002
  • 2002-07-03 WO PCT/GB2002/003053 patent/WO2003008057A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2002-07-03 PT PT02745568T patent/PT1409094E/pt unknown
  • 2002-07-03 AT AT02745568T patent/ATE392932T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2002-07-03 ES ES02745568T patent/ES2305259T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-07-03 DK DK02745568T patent/DK1409094T3/da active
  • 2002-07-03 JP JP2003513658A patent/JP4087789B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2002-07-03 EP EP02745568A patent/EP1409094B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-07-03 DE DE60226241T patent/DE60226241T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2004
  • 2004-10-18 HK HK04108105A patent/HK1065268A1/xx not_active IP Right Cessation

Patent Citations (5)

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