U.S. patent application number 10/504315 was filed with the patent office on 2005-07-21 for menu selection system and method of operation thereof.
Invention is credited to Moshal, Martin.
Application Number | 20050159204 10/504315 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 9931081 |
Filed Date | 2005-07-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050159204 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Moshal, Martin |
July 21, 2005 |
Menu selection system and method of operation thereof
Abstract
A menu selection system (1) including a game server (2) and a
user access facility in the form of a computer work-station (3)
with an associated display (5) and a pointing device (5a). The
workstation (3) is remotely located from the game server (2) and
communication between the two is provided across communications
network (4).
Inventors: |
Moshal, Martin; (Marina Bay,
ZA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCDONNELL BOEHNEN HULBERT & BERGHOFF LLP
300 S. WACKER DRIVE
32ND FLOOR
CHICAGO
IL
60606
US
|
Family ID: |
9931081 |
Appl. No.: |
10/504315 |
Filed: |
February 22, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
February 13, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB03/00457 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/17 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/32 20130101;
G07F 17/323 20130101; G07F 17/3223 20130101; G07F 17/3262
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/017 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 14, 2002 |
GB |
0203515.2 |
Claims
1. A menu selection system, comprising: a categorisation facility
operable to categorise a number of casino games playable by a user
in an on-line casino environment, into a number of different
categories; and a display means instructable to display to the user
display data relating to all the casino games in any selectable one
of the number of different game categories.
2. A menu selection as claimed in claim 1 in which each one of the
number of casino games is categorisable in a plurality of different
game categories.
3. A menu selection system as claimed in either one of the claim 1
in which the different game categories to include any one or more
of progressive jackpot games, table games, video poker games, slots
games and new games.
4. A menu selection system as claimed in claim 2 in which a further
one of the different game categories relates to casino games that
are preferred by the user.
5. A menu selection system as claimed in claim 1 in which the
display data corresponding to each casino game includes primary and
secondary game data.
6. A menu selection system as claimed in claim 5 in which the
primary game data includes a name of the casino game and a type of
the casino game.
7. A menu selection system as claimed in claim 5 in which the
secondary game data includes any one or more of the name of the
casino game, the type of the casino game, data relating to a
jackpot which can be won on the casino game, a description of the
casino game, a set of rules applicable to the casino game, and a
game status indicator.
8. A menu selection system as claimed in claim 7 in which the game
status is an active status when the casino game is ready for
playing by the user, and an inactive status when the game is not
ready for playing by the user.
9. A menu selection system as claimed in claim 8 in which the game
is ready for playing by the user when the casino game has been
previously downloaded from a gaming server, or when an updated
version of the casino game has been downloaded from the gaming
server.
10. A menu selection system as claimed in claim 1 in which the
display means includes a display screen having an associated
pointing device.
11. A menu selection system as claimed in claim 10 in which the
display means is also instructable to display the different game
categories as tabbed categories on the display screen.
12. A menu selection system as claimed in claim 11 in which the
primary game data of all the games in a selected tabbed game
category is displayed in a scrollable window on the display
screen.
13. A menu selection system as claimed in claim 12 in which the
secondary game data corresponding to any particular game in the
selected game category is displayed in an adjacent non-scrollable
window on the display screen when the primary game data in the
scrollable window is brought into focus by means of the pointing
device.
14. A menu selection system as claimed in claim 4 in which the menu
selection system includes a selection means activatable by the user
to categorise and de-categorise any one or more of the casino games
in the category of casino games preferred by the user.
15. A menu selection system as claimed in claim 1 in which the
display means is instructable to display the game categories and
the casino games in each category by means of a conventional
fly-out menu interface display.
16. A menu selection system as claimed in claim 4 that includes a
recommendation facility operable to provide the user with a
personalised recommendation of any one or more of the number of
casino games that is likely to be of interest to the user.
17. A menu selection system as claimed in claim 16 in which the
recommendation facility provides the user with the personalised
recommendation as a function of the casino games contained in the
category of casino games preferred by the user.
18. A menu selection system as claimed in claim 16 in which the
recommendation facility provides the user with the personalised
recommendation as a function of a history of a number of games most
recently played by the user.
19. A menu selection system as claimed in claim 16 in which the
recommendation facility provides the user with the personalised
recommendation as a function of a user-supplied profile of
preferred games.
20. A method of operation of a menu selection system, comprising
the steps of: categorising a number of casino games playable by a
user in an on-line casino environment into a number of different
categories; and displaying to the user display data relating to all
the casino games in any one of the number of different game
categories.
21. A method as claimed in claim 20 in which each one of the number
of casino games is categorised into a plurality of different game
categories.
22. A method as claimed in claim 20 in which the casino games are
categorised into the categories of progressive jackpot games, table
games, video poker games, slots games and new games.
23. A method as claimed in claim 21 that includes the step of
providing a further game category relating to casino games which
are preferred by the user.
24. A method as claimed in claim 20 in which the display data
corresponding to each casino game is classified into primary and
secondary game data.
25. A method as claimed in claim 24 that has the step of including
in the primary game data a name of the casino game and a type of
the casino game.
26. A method as claimed in claim 24 which has the step of including
in the secondary game data any one or more of the name of the
casino game, the type of the casino game, data relating to a
jackpot which can be won on the casino game, a description of the
casino game, a set of rules applicable to the casino game, and a
game status indicator.
27. A method as claimed in claim 26 in which the game status
indicator is set to be active when the casino game is ready for
playing by the user, and inactive when the game is not ready for
playing by the user.
28. A method as claimed in claim 26 in which the game status
indicator is set to be inactive when the casino game has not
previously been downloaded from a gaming server, or when an updated
version of the casino game must be downloaded from the gaming
server.
29. A method as claimed in claim 20 in which the data relating to
the casino games is displayed on a display screen having an
associated pointing device.
30. A method as claimed in claim 21 in which the different game
categories are displayed on the display screen as tabbed
categories.
31. A method as claimed in claim 30 in which the primary game data
of all the games in a selected tabbed game category is displayed in
a scrollable window on the display screen.
32. A method as claimed in claim 31 in which the secondary game
data corresponding to any particular game in the selected game
category is displayed in an adjacent non-scrollable window when the
corresponding primary game data in the scrollable window is brought
into focus by means of the pointing device.
33. A method as claimed in claim 23, which includes the further
steps of: adding any desired one or more of the casino games to the
category of casino games preferred by the user; and removing any
casino game from this category when it is no longer preferred by
the user.
34. A method as claimed in claim 20 in which the game categories
and the casino games in each game category are selectively
displayed by means of a conventional fly-out menu interface display
on the display screen.
35. A method as claimed in claim 23 that includes the step of
providing the user with a personalised recommendation of any one or
more of the number of casino games which is likely to be of
interest to the user.
36. A method as claimed in claim 35 in which the user is provided
with a personalised recommendation as a function of the casino
games contained in the category of casino games preferred by the
user.
37. A method as claimed in claim 35 in which the user is provided
with the personalised recommendation as a function of a history of
a number of games most recently played by the user.
38. A method as claimed in claim 35 in which the user is provided
with the personalised recommendation as a function of a
user-supplied profile of preferred games.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a menu selection system and, more
particularly, to a menu selection system that is operable by a user
of the system to make a selection of a game which the user wishes
to play, from list of available games. The invention extends to a
method of operation of the menu selection system.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] Menu selection systems are widely utilised in graphical user
interfaces ("GUIs") for online casinos.
[0003] An online casino generally includes a gaming server and a
user access facility in the form of a computer workstation remote
from the gaming server and linked thereto by means of an open
communication network such as the Internet.
[0004] One or more casino games are executable at the instance of a
player client of the online casino. Each casino game consists of a
server process, which is executable in the gaming server, and a
client process, which is executable in the computer workstation.
The server process generates, upon request of the client process,
one or more random events upon which an outcome of the casino game
depends. Such random events can correspond, for example, to the
roll of a die, the spin of a roulette wheel or the deal of a
playing card, depending on the which particular casino game is
being played by the player. The client process, on the other hand,
presents to the player a simulation of the casino game being
played. Such a simulation presents to the player a realistic image
of a playing surface or a playing apparatus pertaining to the
particular casino game being played. The client process also
enables the player to place wagers on, and to control the progress
of, the casino game, and displays to the player the outcome of the
game as a function of the random events generated by the server
process.
[0005] In order to communicate with the gaming server of the online
casino, the computer workstation operates under control of a casino
client interface program. The client interface program includes a
menu subsystem that displays to the player a menu of casino games
that are offered by the particular online casino. The player is
then able to select any one of the particular games that he wishes
to play. When selecting a particular game for the first time, the
casino client interface program causes a software program
corresponding to the client process for that particular casino game
to be downloaded from the gaming server to the computer workstation
where it is stored and installed locally on a mass storage device
such as a hard disk. Once downloaded, the player can install the
software program on the computer workstation. Once the client
process for a particular casino game has been downloaded in this
manner, the casino game can be played without the necessity for
further downloads.
[0006] In one particular menu subsystem, a list of casino games
that are available on the gaming server is displayed to the player
as an unstructured, tiled display of individual game display
windows. Each game display window includes a name of a
corresponding game, as well as salient details and rules associated
with the game. Where a client process associated with a particular
game has not yet been downloaded from the gaming server to the
computer workstation, the corresponding game display window in the
menu subsystem includes an icon that can be activated by the player
to initiate a download of the corresponding client process from the
gaming server to the computer workstation. Where there are more
games available than can be simultaneously displayed on the
computer workstation, the player is required to bring the
corresponding game display windows of the remaining games into view
by causing the display to scroll.
[0007] This type of menu subsystem is disadvantageous as it is
inflexible and inconvenient for the player to browse through in
order to select a casino game that he wishes to play.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is an object of this invention to provide a menu
selection system that will, at least partially, alleviate the
above-mentioned difficulties and disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In accordance with this invention there is provided a menu
selection system, comprising:
[0010] a categorisation facility operable to categorise a number of
casino games playable by a user in an on-line casino environment,
into a number of different game categories; and
[0011] a display means instructable to display to the user display
data relating to all the casino games in any selectable one of the
number of different game categories.
[0012] Further features of the invention provide for each one of
the number of casino games to be categorisable in a plurality of
different game categories, for the different game categories to
include any one or more of progressive jackpot games, table games,
video poker games, slots games and new games, for a further one of
the different game categories to relate to casino games which are
preferred by the user, for the display means to include a display
screen having an associated pointing device, and for the pointing
device to be a mouse or a touch pad.
[0013] Still further features of the invention provide for the
display data corresponding to each casino game to include primary
and secondary game data, for the primary game data to include a
name of the casino game and a type of the casino game, for the
secondary game data to include any one or more of the name of the
casino game, the type of the casino game, data relating to a
jackpot which can be won on the casino game, a description of the
casino game, a set of rules applicable to the casino game, and a
game status, for the game status to be an active status when the
casino game is ready for playing by the user, and an inactive
status when the game is not ready for playing by the user, and for
the game to be ready for playing by the user when the casino game
has been previously downloaded from a gaming server, or when an
updated version of the casino game has been downloaded from the
gaming server.
[0014] Yet further features of the invention provide for the
display means to be instructable to display the different game
categories on the display screen as tabbed categories, for the
primary game data of all the games in a selected tabbed game
category to be displayed in a scrollable window on the display
screen, and for the secondary game data corresponding to any
particular game in the selected game category to be displayed in an
adjacent non-scrollable window when the primary game data in the
scrollable window is brought into focus by means of the pointing
device.
[0015] There is further provided for the menu selection system to
include a selection means activatable by the user to add and remove
any one or more of the casino games to the category of casino games
preferred by the user.
[0016] There is still further provided for the display means to be
instructable to also display the game categories and the casino
games in each category by means of a conventional fly-out menu
interface display.
[0017] There is further provided for the menu selection system to
include a recommendation facility operable to provide the user with
a personalised recommendation of any one or more of the number of
casino games which is likely to be of interest to the user, for the
recommendation facility to provide the user with the personalised
recommendation as a function of the casino games contained in the
category of casino games preferred by the user, for the
recommendation facility to provide the user with the personalised
recommendation as a function of a history of a number of games most
recently played by the user, and for the recommendation facility to
provide the user with the personalised recommendation as a function
of a user-supplied profile of preferred games.
[0018] The invention extends to a method of operation of a menu
selection system, comprising the steps of:
[0019] categorising a number of casino games playable by a user in
an on-line casino environment, into a number of different game
categories; and
[0020] displaying to the user display data relating to all the
casino games in any one of the number of game categories.
[0021] There is further provided for categorising each one of the
number of casino games into a plurality of different game
categories, for categorising the casino games into the categories
of progressive jackpot games, table games, video poker games, slots
games and new games, for providing a further game category relating
to casino games which are preferred by the user, and for displaying
the data relating to the casino games on a display screen having an
associated pointing device.
[0022] There is still further provided for classifying the display
data corresponding to each casino game into primary and secondary
game data, for including in the primary game data a name of the
casino game and a type of the casino game, for including in the
secondary game data any one or more of the name of the casino game,
the type of the casino game, data relating to a jackpot which can
be won on the casino game, a description of the casino game, a set
of rules applicable to the casino game, and a game status, for
setting the game status to be active when the casino game is ready
for playing by the user, and inactive when the game is not ready
for playing by the user, and for setting the game status to be
inactive when the casino game has not previously been downloaded
from a gaming server, or when an updated version of the casino game
must be downloaded from the gaming server.
[0023] There is yet further provided for displaying the different
game categories on the display screen as tabbed categories, for
displaying the primary game data of all the games in a selected
tabbed game category in a scrollable window on the display screen,
and for displaying the secondary game data corresponding to any
particular game in the selected game category in an adjacent
non-scrollable window when the corresponding primary game data in
the scrollable window is brought into focus by means of the
pointing device.
[0024] There is also provided for the method to include the further
steps of:
[0025] adding any desired one or more of the casino games to the
category of casino games preferred by the user; and
[0026] removing any casino game from this category when it is no
longer preferred by the user.
[0027] There is also provided for displaying the game categories
and the casino games in each category by means of a conventional
fly-out menu interface display on the display screen.
[0028] There is also provided for providing the user with a
personalised recommendation of any one or more of the number of
casino games which is likely to be of interest to the user, for
providing the user with the personalised recommendation as a
function of the casino games contained in the category of casino
games preferred by the user, for providing the user with the
personalised recommendation as a function of a history of a number
of games most recently played by the user, and for providing the
user with the personalised recommendation as a function of a
user-supplied profile of preferred games.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below,
by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0030] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a menu selection
system according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0031] Referring to FIG. 1, a menu selection system is indicated
generally by reference numeral (1).
[0032] The menu selection system (1) includes a gaming server (2)
and a user access facility in the form of a computer workstation
(3) with an associated display means (5) such as a display monitor,
and a pointing device (5a), such as a mouse or, alternatively, a
touchpad. The computer workstation (3) is located remotely from the
gaming server (2) and communication between the computer
workstation and the gaming server is provided across a
communication network (4) that is, in this embodiment, the
Internet.
[0033] The computer workstation (3) is a conventional personal
computer operating under a Windows 2000 operating system, which is
well known and commercially available from the Microsoft
Corporation of Seattle, Wash., USA. The gaming server also operates
under the Windows 2000 operating system. The computer workstation
(3) operates under the control of a stored program (6), the
operation of which will be outlined in the description that
follows. Each casino game includes a client process (not shown)
that is executable on the computer workstation (3) and a
corresponding server process (not shown) that is executable on the
gaming server (2). Each server process is another computer program
that generate one or more random events that determine the outcome
of the corresponding casino game. The client process obtains he
result of the random event from the gaming server (2), across the
communication network (4) and displays the outcome of the game on
the display monitor (5) in an intelligible manner. The gaming
server (2) can execute any one of a number of different casino
games under instruction of a user through the computer workstation
(3). In order to play any particular casino game, the corresponding
client process for that game must be downloaded from the gaming
server (2) to the computer workstation (3).
[0034] The menu selection system (1) includes a categorisation
facility (7) operable to categorise each one of the different
casino games available on the gaming server (2) into one or more
different categories. Examples of such categories include, for
example, progressive jackpot games, table games, video poker games,
slots games, and new games that have not previously been accessible
through the menu selection system. The categorisation also includes
a further category of casino games, which are preferred by the
user. The significance and function of this category of casino
games will be described below.
[0035] The stored program (6) of the computer workstation is
instructable to display to the user on the display monitor (5),
display data relating to each one of the casino games categorised
into any one of the game categories. The display data for each
casino game is classified into primary and secondary display data,
the former including a name of the casino game and a brief
description of a type of the casino game, and the latter including
the name of the casino game, the type of the casino game, data
relating to a jackpot which can be won on the casino game, a more
detailed description of the nature of the casino game, a set of
rules applicable to the casino game, and a status of the casino
game. The status of the casino is displayed as being active when
the casino game is ready for playing by the user, and inactive when
the game is not ready for playing by the user. The game status is
set to be inactive when a client process of the casino game has not
previously been downloaded from a gaming server and stored locally
on a storage device (not shown) on the computer workstation (3), or
when an updated version of the client process of the casino game is
available on the gaming server and must be downloaded in order for
the game to be played by the user
[0036] The different game categories are displayable on the display
screen as a series of tabbed categories, according to a display
standard that is well known in the art. The user is able to view
game data relating to all the casino games in any desired category
by selecting, or bringing in to focus, with the pointing device
(5a), a corresponding tab for that game category. The primary game
data of all the casino games in selected tabbed game category is
displayed in a scrollable window on the display screen. When the
primary game data of any particular casino game displayed in the
scrollable window is brought into focus by means of the pointing
device (5a), the secondary game data corresponding to that
particular game in the selected game category is displayed in an
adjacent non-scrollable window.
[0037] The stored program (6) of the computer workstation (3)
provides the user with a selection means that is operable by the
user to add and remove any one or more of the displayed casino
games in any one of the tabbed game categories to the category of
casino games preferred by the user. It will be appreciated by those
skilled in the art that the user is thus able to configure the menu
selection system (1) to provide for simple and rapid navigation to
a subset of the available casino games on the gaming server (2)
that are of particular interest to the user.
[0038] Numerous modifications are possible to this embodiment
without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular,
the different game categories, and the different games in each
category are displayable by means of a conventional menu fly-out
interface display, of a type, which is well known in the Windows
operating system software from the Microsoft Corporation of
Seattle, Wash. in the United States of America. Further, the
secondary game data corresponding to any casino game is displayable
to the user even when the game status for that particular game has
been set to be inactive. This facility makes it possible for the
user to make an informed decision, on the basis of the secondary
game data thus displayed, as to which casino game to download from
the entire library of casino games available on the gaming server
(2).
[0039] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the
categorisable menu system described above will facilitate selection
by a user of desirable casino games to download from a gaming
server in order to play such games. Despite this advantage, it may
still remain a daunting task, in situations where a large number of
casino games are available on the gaming server (2), and where each
game category itself contains a large number of games, to rapidly
identify games that the user may wish to play. In order to overcome
this problem, the menu system may also include a recommendation
facility that is operable to provide the user with a recommended
list of games that it deems might be of interest to the user. Such
a recommendation list may be constructed, for example, as a
function of the games in the user's own preferred category of
games, or as a function of a history of a number of games most
recently played by the user, or both. It will be further
appreciated by those skilled in the art that such a recommendation
may also be made as a function of other parameters and information,
such as a user-supplied profile of preferred games.
[0040] The technical problem solved by this invention is that of
simplifying and speeding up the making of a selection from a menu
of available choices. The use of configurable categories into which
individual available choices can be categorised, together with the
use of a specific category for personally preferred choices, and
automatic pre-selection enables a user of the menu system to make a
selection in a reduced time relative to other prior art menu
systems. Display data corresponding to each choice is divided into
primary and secondary subsets. The primary subset for each choice,
which is kept small, is used as a key to access the corresponding
secondary subset and to effect final selection of a desired
choice.
[0041] The invention therefore provides a menu selection system
that provides a simple and convenient user interface for an on-line
casino, and which is customisable by a user to enables rapid access
to a subset of available casino games that are preferred by the
user.
* * * * *