U.S. patent application number 10/156381 was filed with the patent office on 2003-12-04 for card game with moving cards.
Invention is credited to Loewenstein, David.
Application Number | 20030224844 10/156381 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29582244 |
Filed Date | 2003-12-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030224844 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Loewenstein, David |
December 4, 2003 |
Card game with moving cards
Abstract
A card game where cards are arranged in columns, rows or circles
that move in random or pseudo-random fashion. The player uses a
point device to cause a line to intersect the cards. The cards that
are intersected form the player's hand.
Inventors: |
Loewenstein, David; (Rye
Brook, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
David A. Loewenstein
802 King Street
Rye Brook
NY
10573
US
|
Family ID: |
29582244 |
Appl. No.: |
10/156381 |
Filed: |
May 28, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 2001/008 20130101;
A63F 1/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/11 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Claims
What I claim is the following:
1. A method of playing a card game with two or more columns of
cards moving up and down on a screen; (a) a pointing device that
displays a line across the screen that intersects cards; (b) at the
player's command, cards that the line intersects are selected to
form the player's hand; (c) the intersected cards are displayed;
(d) the player can hold certain intersected cards; (e) non-held
cards are replaced; and (f) the resulting hand is compared to a
payoff table and the player is paid according to the payoff
table.
2. The method of 1 claim where elements (d) and (e) are excluded so
that the player is paid directly based on the intersected
cards.
3. The method of claim 1 where the player controls the movement of
the pointing device.
4. The method of claim 1 where some of the cards are face down.
5. The method of claim 1 where there is more than one pointing
device.
6. The mthod of claim 1 where the cards move in a random or
pseudo-random fashion.
7. A method of playing a card game that has two or more concentric
circles; (a) each circle displays playing cards; (b) some or all of
the circles rotate; (c) one or more lines radiate from the center
and intersect a card in each circle; (d) at the player's command,
the intersected cards are selected to form the player's hand; (e)
the player can hold or discard the intersected cards; (f) non-held
cards are replaced; and (g) the resulting hand is compared to a
payoff table and the player is paid according to the payoff
table.
8. The method according to claim 7 where elements (d) and (e) are
excluded so that the player is paid directly based on the
intersected cards.
9. The method of claim 7 where the player controls the movement of
the line.
10. The method of claim 7 where the line is stationary.
11. The method of claim 7 where some of the cards are face
down.
12. The method of claim 7 where some or all of the cards are split
representation.
13. The method of claim 7 where there is more than one line that
radiates from the center.
14. The method of claim 1 where some or all of the cards are split
representation.
15. A method of playing a card game with two or more rows of cards
moving from side to side on the screen; (a) a pointing device that
displays a line across the screen that intersects cards; (b) at the
player's command, cards the line intersects are selected to form
the player's hand; (c) the intersected cards are displayed; (d) the
player can hold certain intersected cards; (e) non-held cards are
replaced; and (f) the resulting hand is compared to a payoff table
and player is paid according to payoff table.
16. The method of 15 claim where elements (d) and (e) are excluded
so that the player is paid directly based on the intersected
cards.
17. The method of claim 15 where the player controls the movement
of the pointing device.
18. The method of claim 15 where the pointing device does not
move.
19. The method of claim 15 where some of the cards are face
down.
20. The method of claim 15 where there is more than one pointing
device.
21. The method of claim 15 where the cards move in a random or
pseudo-random fashion.
22. The method of claim 15 where some or all of the cards are split
representation.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] This invention is for a video card game that involves having
cards move in various directions and allows the player to use a
pointing device to select cards to play.
[0002] Video gambling games such as poker, slot machines and
blackjack are all well known, as are techniques to award prizes
based on payoff tables. This invention transforms these existing
games and makes them more eye-catching, challenging and interesting
to play.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In one embodiment of the game, five columns of cards are
displayed face-up on a video screen. Each column moves up and down
randomly or pseudo-randomly (obviously rows can also be used). Each
column can have any number of cards from one or more decks. On the
screen there is one or more pointing device that is fixed in place
or is controlled by the player using a joystick, buttons, voice
command or some other control technique. This pointing device
displays a line, or some other visual indication, across the screen
that intersects one card in each column. I shall use the term
"line," in this patent, but it should be clear that any visual
indication that identifies cards to the player would accomplish the
same purpose.
[0004] When the player believes the line is intersecting the best
hand of cards, as the cards move on the screen, he selects those
cards using a button, joystick, voice command, or some other
control technique, and the cards that the line intersects become
the player's hand.
[0005] Once the hand is selected, the player can then play the
cards in a conventional way. For example, to play poker the player
can select certain cards to hold, and get new cards to replace the
other cards.
[0006] In another embodiment, the player does not have an
opportunity to hold or discard cards. Instead, the intersected
cards that form the player's hand are compared to a payoff table
and the player is paid according to the table.
[0007] Similar games could be played for blackjack or other games.
To play blackjack, for example, two rows or columns could move in
random or pseudo-random motion. The pointing device would display a
line across the screen, and, at the player's command, certain cards
would be selected. Once the initial hand of two cards is obtained,
the player could get additional cards or stick with the ones he
received.
[0008] In another embodiment, there are five concentric circles of
cards. The circles move in opposite directions. So, for example,
the inner-most circle could move clockwise and the adjacent circle
could move counter-clockwise (or vice-versa). The circles could
also all move in the same direction, at the same or different
speeds. The cards could all be face up, or certain circles could be
face down.
[0009] The number of circles could be larger or smaller depending
on the game being played. If, for example, blackjack were being
played, there could be two concentric circles.
[0010] There is one or more line that could be stationary or fixed.
The line radiates out from the center of the circles and intersects
the moving cards. When the line intersects the cards the player
wants, he issues a command with either a button or voice command or
some other technique, to select the cards that had been intersected
by the line.
[0011] If the line is stationary, it could be represented by a
horizontally or vertically, and the cards would rotate, but the
line would remain fixed. Alternatively, the line could be
controlled by the player with a rotating knob, joystick, buttons,
voice commands or some other technique to allow player to control
the orientation of the line, and thus the cards that were
intersected.
[0012] In another embodiment, the number of lines available to the
player would depend on the amount of money the player wagered. For
example, one quarter would get one line, two quarters would get two
lines, etc.
[0013] Once the cards are selected, the games continues in the
normal fashion. For poker, the five cards selected would be
displayed and the player would decide which cards he wanted to keep
and which ones he wanted to discard.
[0014] The player in all these embodiments would be awarded a prize
according to a payoff table, as in known in the art.
[0015] Another possibility is to this invention in conjunction with
the invention set forth in applicant's co-pending application Ser.
No. 10/081,095 for cards that have the suit displayed on one side
and the value displayed on the other side. In this invention, a six
of hearts card would be displayed as a heart in the first instance,
but the numerical value of the card would be hidden. If the player
selected that card, the value and suit would be displayed together.
These cards are called "split representation." For example, some or
all of the cards displayed in either the columns or circles
embodiments could be split representation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment where there are five columns of
cards that move up and down in random or pseudo-random fashion. In
FIG. 1 six cards are shown in each column, but any number of cards
could be used. Pointing device 10 is shown on the left margin of
the Figure, but it could also be in the middle or on the right. In
this embodiment, the pointing device moves vertically under the
player's control and projects a line across the screen that
intersects with cards 50, 120, 180, 240 and 300. In other
embodiments the pointing device could be stationary. In FIG. 1A
there are three point devices 2, 4 and 10 that allow the player to
play three games simultaneously. In this embodiment, the player
might be required to pay for each pointing device, and each time
another coin is inserted, another pointing device would appear.
[0017] Returning to FIG. 1, after the player triggers the pointing
device (and appropriate sounds and visual effects could be used to
enhance the player's enjoyment) the intersected cards would be
displayed in a group. This group could be on the same screen at the
top or bottom, for example; or a separate screen, like FIG. 2,
could be displayed to the player. Once the cards were displayed as
shown in FIG. 2, the player would be given the option, as in
ordinary video poker, to select certain cards to hold. The non-held
cards would be replaced with new cards, and the player would be
paid according to a standard pay-off table.
[0018] The multiple games shown in FIG. 1A would be played
similarly. The pointing devices could all move together, so if the
player moved his control device (a joystick for example) upward all
three pointing devices would move in unison. Alternatively, the
three pointing device could be stationary, or they could each be
controlled individually. For individual control, it probably would
be easier for the player to use them serially, one after the next.
In this embodiment, the player would "fire" the top pointing device
4 and select the cards. He would then control and fire the center
pointing device 10 and so on.
[0019] Three pointing devices are only shown as illustrations, and
any number of them could be used. They could be in the center of
the screen or on any margin.
[0020] Also, this game could be played with cards arranged in rows.
If rows were used the pointing device(s) would be at the bottom or
top of the screen.
[0021] Returning to FIG. 2, after the pointing devices are "fired,"
the intersected cards would be displayed in group on either the
same screen or on a different one such shown in FIG. 3. The player
would then decide which cards to hold and which to discard.
Additional bets could be made at this stage. And the player could
also decide to discard a bad hand altogether.
[0022] Alternatively, the player would not be given an opportunity
to hold or discard his cards and would be paid directly based on
the cards that intersected the line.
[0023] FIG. 4 shows five concentric circles, each adjacent circle
rotates in a different direction. However, all circles could rotate
in the same direction at the same or different speeds. And, as with
the column version of the game, some circles could have their cards
face down, or some could use split representation cards described
in applicant's co-pending application Ser. No. 10/081,095.
[0024] However the cards are displayed, face up or down, the
pointing device would send a line emanating from the center of the
circles to the outer-most circle that intersects a card in each
circle. The cards that were intersected by the line would form the
player's hand. In this example, line 560 intersects cards 500, 510,
520, 530 and 540. Those cards would then be displayed in a group as
shown in FIG. 5. The player would then select which cards to hold
and which to discard. New cards would be provided to replace the
non-held cards and the player would be paid off according to a
payoff table.
[0025] The line created by the pointing device could be fixed or it
could be controlled by the user. In the user-controlled embodiment,
such as shown in FIG. 4 elements 560 and 570, the pointing device
could be controlled by a knob (or any other control device) so that
the line rotated around the center point X. Alternatively, the line
could be fixed, as shown by element 580.
[0026] Here too, the number of lines available to the player could
be a function of the amount bet.
[0027] Alternatively, the player could be paid off immediately
based on the cards that were intersected without being given an
opportunity to hold or discard certain cards.
[0028] A combination of circles and rows or columns, as shown in
FIG. 6, could also be used without departing from the spirit of the
invention.
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