U.S. patent application number 14/059146 was filed with the patent office on 2014-02-13 for method and apparatus for awarding component prizes in a gaming environment.
This patent application is currently assigned to Bally Gaming, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Bally Gaming, Inc.. Invention is credited to Robert A. Luciano, JR..
Application Number | 20140045585 14/059146 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47148003 |
Filed Date | 2014-02-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140045585 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Luciano, JR.; Robert A. |
February 13, 2014 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AWARDING COMPONENT PRIZES IN A GAMING
ENVIRONMENT
Abstract
A system and method for playing component games in a gaming
environment, where a component game is a game in which a physical
prize, the prize to be won, is rendered in a graphical format and
further divided into components (clearly recognizable parts of the
graphical image). Individual component prizes are designed to be
won by a player during individual game plays, that is, upon the
occurrence of specific winning events while playing a chance or
fixed-pool game. To win the component game prize, each of the
components must be won and the combination redeemed. The component
prizes are not intended to be separately redeemable game credits.
In particular, the player may play for regular game credits or may
choose to play for component prizes or portions thereof, not both.
Component games create a highly enticing situation where players
can be rewarded for long term play over a variety of machines.
Inventors: |
Luciano, JR.; Robert A.;
(Reno, NV) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Bally Gaming, Inc. |
Las Vegas |
NV |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Bally Gaming, Inc.
Las Vegas
NV
|
Family ID: |
47148003 |
Appl. No.: |
14/059146 |
Filed: |
October 21, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
13668135 |
Nov 2, 2012 |
8562428 |
|
|
14059146 |
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09870329 |
May 31, 2001 |
8313371 |
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13668135 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
463/25 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3244 20130101;
G07F 17/3255 20130101; G07F 17/32 20130101; G07F 17/326
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/25 |
International
Class: |
G07F 17/32 20060101
G07F017/32 |
Claims
1. A gaming system, comprising: a plurality of gaming devices
including a first gaming device and a second gaming device, each
gaming device including a player input device; a plurality of
different games including a first game only presentable on the
first gaming device, and a second game only presentable on the
second gaming device; a collection of distinct winnable game pieces
that are associated with the plurality of different games, wherein
the completed collection is redeemable for an award; a component
game made up of the collection of winnable game pieces, wherein a
first winnable game piece is associated with the first game and a
second, different winnable game piece is associated with the second
game such that the first winnable game piece is only winnable
through game play of the first game, and the second winnable game
piece is only winnable through game play of the second game.
2. A gaming system, comprising: a plurality of gaming devices
including a first group of gaming devices and a second group of
gaming devices, each gaming device including a player input device;
a plurality of different games including a first game presented on
the first group of gaming devices but not on the second group of
gaming devices, and a second game presented on the second group of
gaming devices but not on the first group of gaming devices; and a
component game made up of a collection of winnable game pieces,
wherein a first winnable game piece is associated with the first
game and a second, different winnable game piece is associated with
the second game such that the first winnable game piece is only
winnable through game play of the first game and the second
winnable game piece is only winnable through game play of the
second game, wherein a completed collection of the winnable game
pieces is redeemable for an award.
3. The gaming system of claim 2, further comprising a third
winnable game piece associated with a third game on a third gaming
device such that the collection includes the first, second, and
third winnable game pieces.
4. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the first or second
winnable game piece is only associated with the first or second
game, respectively, during a set time period.
5. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the first winnable game
piece is associated with the first game during a first time period
and the second winnable game piece is associated with the second
game during a second time period, and wherein the first time period
is different from the second time period.
6. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the first or second
winnable game pieces include distinct winnable sub-game pieces such
that the first or second winnable game piece is deemed to have been
won after the sub-game pieces have been won.
7. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the winnable game pieces
are stored on a storage medium.
8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the storage medium
includes a printed ticket, a magnetic or smart card, or other
information storage medium.
9. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of gaming
devices further comprise a game state manager that keeps track of a
player's progress in a game presented thereon and in the component
game.
10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of gaming
devices further comprise an output device configured to output
component game state data associated with the player's progress in
the component game.
11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the game state data
includes individual game device identity, game pieces won, game
pieces partially won, or combinations thereof.
12. The gaming system of claim 10, further comprising: a third
group of gaming devices that present a third game that is
associated with a third winnable game piece, wherein the third
winnable game piece is also associated with either the first or
second games; and a game state input device configured to receive
component game state data from the player, wherein the game state
manager is configured to restore component game state data
associated with the third gaming device on the first or second
group of gaming devices that respectively present the first or
second game such that the player's progress toward winning the
third winnable game piece is continued on the first or second group
of gaming devices, both presenting a different game.
13. The gaming system of claim 12, further comprising a service
station distinct from the plurality of gaming devices, wherein the
service station has a display, a service station input device, and
a service station output device; and wherein the service station
enables redemption of the award corresponding to the completed
collection of distinct game pieces.
14. The gaming system of claim 12, further comprising a service
station integrated with one or more of the plurality of gaming
devices, wherein the service station enables redemption of the
award corresponding to the completed collection of distinct game
pieces.
15. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of gaming
devices are operatively connected through a network to a game state
manager that is disposed within a computing device, wherein the
game state manager keeps track of a player's progress in a game and
in the component game.
16. A gaming system, comprising: a plurality of gaming devices
including a first gaming device and a second gaming device, each
gaming device including a player input device; a plurality of
different games including a first game presented on the first
gaming device but not on the second gaming device, and a second
game presented on the second gaming device but not on the first
gaming device; and a component game made up of a collection of
winnable game pieces, wherein a first winnable game piece is
associated with the first game during a first time period, and a
second, different winnable game piece is associated with the second
game during a second time period such that the first winnable game
piece is winnable through game play of the first game and the
second winnable game piece is winnable through game play of the
second game; wherein a completed collection of the winnable game
pieces is redeemable for an award.
17. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the first and second
time periods are the same time periods.
18. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the first and second
time periods are different time periods.
19. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the first or second
winnable game pieces include distinct winnable sub-game pieces such
that the first or second winnable game piece is deemed to have been
won after the sub-game pieces have been won.
20. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein the winnable game pieces
are stored on a storage medium.
21. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the storage medium
includes a printed ticket, a magnetic or smart card, or other
information storage medium.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 13/668,135, filed Nov. 2, 2012, which is a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/870,329, filed
May 31, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,313,371, issued Nov. 20, 2012,
which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. This
application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/788,168, filed Feb. 15, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,757,
issued Jul. 6, 2004, and U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/742,679, filed Dec. 20, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,923,721,
issued Aug. 2, 2005, which are all incorporated by reference in
their entirety.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
[0002] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains
material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright
owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of
the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the
Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise
reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0003] This disclosure pertains generally to gaming systems. More
particularly, the disclosed embodiments relate to a method and
apparatus for awarding prizes in a manner that encourages long term
interest and continuing play by players using saved award states in
the form of components to a prize.
BACKGROUND
[0004] Gaming devices of various types have been in use for many
years. The most common type is the conventional slot. A player
operates a slot machine by providing coin or paper monies that are
received as game credits towards playing a game on the slot
machine. Some machines allow a user to provide game credits in the
form of a voucher, a printed coupon or a data card (e.g., a
magnetic strip or smart card). Once the sufficient amount of game
credits has been provided to constitute a wager, the player then
initiates the game, normally by pulling a handle or activating a
button. If a winning event occurs, where a winning event is defined
by the game being played, the slot machine issues a winning amount
according to the player's wager and to a predetermined pay scheme.
The game results are generally based on randomly-generated events.
The winning amount issued to the user is provided by a
corresponding amount of game credits, which the player may redeem
(cash-out) or use for further play on the slot machine. Similar
game play and award schemes are provided according to other gaming
devices such as video poker machines and keno machines.
[0005] Bonus awards and bonus game play were introduced as
improvements to conventional gaming devices to entice increased
game play. A common bonus enticement is to award a player a chance
to multiply the player's award winnings from a primary game on a
secondary, or bonus, stage of the game. Most bonus awards are
simply an increased multiple of the primary winnings and are issued
as game credits on the game currently being played, being identical
in use to game credits either bought or otherwise won by the
player. In some gaming machines the bonus award is not additional
game play but rather a multiplier on a cash prize that the player
has already won on the primary game. Bonus prizes have also been
implemented as a single "jackpot" type where the prize may be a
single large monetary prize or significant non-monetary prize, such
as a car.
[0006] An improvement over simple bonus additions to gaining
devices is the bonus implementation known as an "investment bonus."
An example of this type of game is the 1937 Mills "Bonus Bell" game
which provides a primary slot reel game and a secondary investment
bonus game (or "come-on" feature). During regular play the word
"BONUS" could be spelled out by hitting the correct letters in
sequence on the first reel for an eighteen (18) coin award. This
type of game is generally referred to as an "investment bonus" game
because the player invests in continued play of the same machine to
achieve the requirements for the bonus award (e.g., in the Mills'
game completing the word "BONUS"). If the player were to terminate
play of the investment game prior to completing the requirements
for the bonus award (e.g., the player only completes "BON"), the
player normally forfeits the player's prior investments ("BON") and
must later fulfills the requirements anew. Furthermore, a
subsequent player may "take over" a previous player's investment by
commencing play of the investment bonus game after the previous
player vacates the machine.
[0007] A recent development, made possible with the use of gaming
machines that are electronically coupled, are progressive awards.
Progressive awards are normally cash awards or prizes and typically
comprise a large jackpot amount. Progressive awards are funded by
coupling more than one gaming machine, where a percentage of the
money a player spends at each gaming machine goes into a central
award or "pot." The players of each coupled machine compete for the
progressive award. The overall result, due to the multiplicity of
players feeding into the progressive pot, is that a significantly
larger award results. Each player playing a machine coupled to the
progressive can win the progressive at the individual machine being
played. Some gaming machines further allow the player to elect to
participate in a progressive or not, the eligibility criteria
typically being that a player is required ("elects") to bet using a
certain minimum amount or makes bets using a "max bet" selection.
Upon the occurrence of a specific game result, the progressive pot
or award is issued to the player. Since the progressive award is
normally large, it acts as an additional incentive for players to
play gaming machines that form a part of an on-going
progressive.
[0008] Current gaming devices and methods, while suitable for
normal award credit payout and one-time non-monetary prize payout,
have some particular disadvantages. First, current gaming schemes
do not support awarding prizes having any type of complex
interrelationship which require a player to collect multiple
"winning events" towards the redemption of an award, other than
simple credit accumulation. This is especially true where the
winning events may be derived from two or more gaming machines.
Current systems do not allow a player to collect the player's game
points on one machine for usage on a secondary machine for further
collection of points toward prize redemption. Nor do current
systems provide the collection of points on one machine for
redemption of awards on another machine or a central (or separate)
prize station. Current systems also fail to provide for collection
of points on one machine for later aggregation with the same
machine during subsequent play.
[0009] Thus, there is a need for a method and apparatus to enable
players using gaming devices to be awarded prizes having a complex
interrelationship with the requirements for winning a next level of
prizes made up of smaller prizes, including multiple game device
and multiple session accumulation, where the awards or prizes are
not the traditional comps based on player tracking nor are they
simply an accumulation of fungible credits or tickets.
SUMMARY
[0010] The disclosed embodiments provide for a method and apparatus
to save award states in the form of components of a specified
prize, or portions of components to a specific prize. In one
embodiment, a gaming system includes: a plurality of gaming
devices, a plurality of different games, and a component game made
up of a collection of winnable game pieces. The plurality of gaming
devices includes a first group of gaming devices and a second group
of gaming devices, and each gaming device includes a player input
device. The plurality of different games includes a first game
presented on the first group of gaming devices but not on the
second group of gaming devices, and a second game presented on the
second group of gaming devices but not on the first group of gaming
devices. The component game is made up of a collection of winnable
game pieces in which a first winnable game piece is associated with
the first game and a second (different) winnable game piece is
associated with the second game. The first winnable game piece is
only winnable through game play of the first game, and the second
winnable game piece is only winnable through game play of the
second game. The completed collection of the winnable game pieces
is redeemable for an award.
[0011] In some disclosed embodiments, the prizes are in the form of
some tangible item (i.e., a motorcycle, a painting, a picture, a
sculpture), and the gaming machines are configured, in one
preferred embodiment, to give a player a choice of playing for the
prize item or regular game credits. If the player chooses to play
for the prize item, the gaming device is configured to award
components, parts of the components, or points that comprise part
of the total needed for a component, and not game credits or
fungible prize tickets (i.e., the bucket-loads of redeemable
tickets such as those typically found at arcades).
[0012] The player collects the entire prize, as represented by the
pictorial or symbolic representation given to the player by the
gaming device upon a winning event. Once the player has the entire
prize in symbolic form, the player wins the prize. More details on
the different ways of winning all the components needed are given
below. The pictorial or symbolic representations are a form of
user-friendly (player-friendly) savable game state, specifically
the portion of savable game state having to do with awards and/or
prizes. This form of award state allows a casino to design prize
winning combinations that cater to all levels of spenders
(including very low stakes players, who are normally excluded from
playing for significant prizes or awards) and to encourage or
require the play of different gaming devices over a long period of
time. This has the effect of encouraging repeat player visits,
encouraging player experimentation of new or different games, and
enables the winning of cumulative, significant prizes without
requiring a player to have any form of traditional player ID (be on
the casino's player tracking database). In addition, the disclosed
embodiments may be fully integrated into player tracking databases
if the player and/or the casino so chooses.
[0013] Some disclosed embodiments further include the means and
apparatus to make using this form of savable game state as easy as
possible for a player, and as easy as possible to include in
establishments having pre-existing game devices that have limited
output means (typically some kind of voucher or ticket printer).
This is accomplished by having the ability to issue specially
designated or encoded tickets, vouchers, magnetic strip card data,
and the like, from the gaming device, which are then used with a
kiosk, designated terminal, or other game machine which can give
the player prize-specific and pictorial (human readable) versions
of the non-human readable forms of savable game state. The player
can then work with the pictorial version of the components of the
prize, including the ability to combine or store multiple savable
game state vouchers or tickets into one human-transportable item or
save them, anonymously or with a traditional player's ID, on a
backend database.
[0014] Some disclosed embodiments also work in jurisdictions where
gaming is restricted to lottery-based play, where a game result is
selected from a fixed pool of outcomes, rather than from a randomly
generated event. One preferred embodiment is the winning of
components from the primary lottery game that cannot be redeemed
directly or individually, but rather in total to both form a
representation of a prize and, if all the needed components are
possessed by a single player, is a winning event. Another preferred
embodiment has winning components to a prize implemented as a
special bonus or secondary game, run off of the primary game where
the player either gains entry by having a special indicia on a
primary game card or event, and it is then presented with a bonus
or secondary game card or event which will have, according to the
fixed pool, its own chances of getting various components to the
overall prize.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an example system
for using award game states or component prizes.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an example game
board suitable for use with the disclosed embodiments.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an example system
for maintaining and using award game states or component game
states.
[0018] FIG. 4 depicts a sample voucher ticket suitable for use with
the disclosed embodiments.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of another example
system for maintaining and using award game states or component
game states.
[0020] FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of another example
system for maintaining and using award game states or component
game states and component prizes.
[0021] FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of a more complex
system for using all game states.
[0022] FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram showing an example
gaming device suitable for use with the disclosed embodiments.
[0023] FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram showing another example
gaming device suitable for use with the disclosed embodiments.
[0024] FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram showing an example
prize station suitable for use with the disclosed embodiments.
[0025] FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram depicting usage of
gaming devices in a meta-games suitable for use with the disclosed
embodiments.
[0026] FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram depicting a game state
saving a game suitable for use with the disclosed embodiments.
[0027] FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram depicting another game
state saving a game suitable for use with the disclosed
embodiments.
[0028] FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing one example of component
awards.
[0029] FIG. 15 is a functional block diagram of a GBI service
station and CBI station.
[0030] FIG. 16 is a flow diagram showing an example use of a
GBI/CBI service station.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0031] Persons of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the
following description of the disclosed embodiments is illustrative
only and not in any way limiting. Other embodiments will readily
suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of
this disclosure.
[0032] Referring to the drawings, for illustrative purposes the
disclosed embodiments are shown embodied in FIG. 1 through FIG. 16.
It will be appreciated that the apparatus may vary as to
configuration and as to details of the parts, and that the method
may vary as to details and the order of the acts, without departing
from the inventive concepts disclosed herein.
[0033] Referring first to FIG. 14, an example of a component game
made up of individual component awards, where the individual awards
may correspond to award game states, is shown. Component games
start as a pictorial representation (alternatively, a list of
specified elements) of the actual physical item which is the prize.
In this case, it is a garden tractor on a lawn. In a preferred
embodiment, the pictures are far more detailed, graphically
correct, and comprise far more individual components. FIG. 14 is a
simplified graphical representation for illustrative purposes. In
FIG. 14 the grand prize is a garden tractor and a newly planted
lawn, including a layer of top soil and reseeding as needed, up to
a specified area (up to 20,000 sq. ft.). The component game,
illustrated as 1400, is broken down into component parts,
individually winnable component awards, or simply components
(understood to be individually winnable) are shown as 1402 through
1414. The selection of winnable components is made by the people
determining the overall value of the prize coupled with the target
prize "use" in a gaming environment. "Use" considerations include
but are not limited to the number of game and gaming devices that
will be involved in the particular component game, the time period
over which the game is targeted to be in use (i.e., how long before
the prize is won), the target audience, the target play amounts
(i.e., will only players using a specified minimum bet amount be
allowed to win components), game and gaming device configurations;
and the like.
[0034] The disclosed embodiments are extraordinarily flexible in
allowing a casino to use an almost inexhaustible combination of
parameters to encourage players at all playing levels to partake in
a component game. It is also intended that any one casino will have
several component games running concurrently, with some component
games having a relatively small number of components (such as FIG.
14), a relatively small value, and further being enabled to allow
multiple players to collect all the components so as to generate
on-going excitement, especially amongst players who typically make
small individual bets, while others will have perhaps on the order
of a hundred components, with the component game being valued at
least in the tens of thousands of dollars and running for an
extended period of time.
[0035] Returning to FIG. 14, the component parts in this
illustration consist of exhaust system 1402, steering wheel and
cowl assembly 1404, seat assembly 1406, main chassis assembly 1408,
rear wheels and axle assembly 1410, front wheels and axle assembly
1414, and newly planted lawn assembly 1412. In addition, one
component is broken down into two subcomponents; seat assembly 1406
is broken down into subcomponents consisting of a seat 1416 and a
seat post 1418. This enables casinos to assign different levels of
prizes depending on the amounts being played by individual players.
Higher stakes players are eligible to win the seat assembly, while
lower stakes players are eligible to win seat subcomponents.
[0036] In one preferred embodiment, each component or subcomponent
has to be won by itself, that is, during individual game play. The
casino has the freedom to group participating games so that, as an
example, there are seven sets of game machines or devices, and a
player has to achieve at least one winning event (getting one
component thereby) from each of the seven groups. This encourages
diversity of game play. Alternatively, a casino may designate
certain times as the only time when participating game devices will
award certain components. One example would be making Mondays and
Tuesdays (typically slower days than other days in a casino)
"wheel" days. To win components 1410 and 1414, a player must play a
designated machine, set of machines, or perhaps any machine in the
casino, and achieve a winning event on a Monday or a Tuesday.
Alternatively, play may be time constrained (e.g., mornings between
7 AM and noon are designated as "wheel times," and to win the two
wheel components a player must achieve a winning event on one of
the participating game machines during those times).
[0037] In addition to making use of component prizes to encourage
both multiple and varied game device play, as well as encourage
time and day specific play, the disclosed embodiments also allow a
casino to involve players at all betting levels. Using the present
example, a casino may choose to allow a player to win the entire
seat assembly when making "max bet" plays, and enable players
making less than max bets per play to enjoy the possibility of
winning seat subcomponents. In addition to setting the odds of
winning a subcomponent appropriately for the money being spent by a
player, this allows a casino to encourage play amongst the lowest
betting players on a floor. These "penny players" are often left
out of progressives and other high stakes awards, which discourages
play. With the disclosed embodiments, a cautious player may still
win subcomponents in one of the component games being run by a
casino, and thereby be encouraged, over time, to participate at
higher levels and with more frequency. In all cases more play is
encouraged at all levels than was previously reasonably possible,
due to the configurability of the component games themselves.
[0038] These examples are not anywhere near exhaustive; a person of
ordinary skill in the art and with the benefit of the present
disclosure will be able to arrive at numerous ways and combinations
of using component prizes in conjunction with multiple machines,
times, days, or other events, in any combination. The basic
property of component prizes is that they greatly encourage
continued play and enable extreme flexibility in how the prize may
be awarded using components. How the encouraged play is made use of
at any particular casino is highly configurable, using time
(minutes, hours, days, months, recurring time periods, and the
like) and game devices (using sub-groups of the machines enabled
for component prizes), by that casino; this is in itself a
remarkable property of the disclosed embodiments.
[0039] Continuing on with FIG. 14, also shown is a component list
1420 and a subcomponent list 1422. The component list is a text
rendition for the components, listing each required component and
subcomponent (in the subcomponent list). This alternative form may
be used when limitations exist with older gaming devices having
limited printing means. If a player wins a component and is issued
a ticket or voucher having, in part, a text format, in a preferred
embodiment the player would then take the ticket or voucher and
exchange it for a graphical representation at a component station
(described more fully below). This is not required; a player may
choose to keep the textual format ticket or voucher and may still
win the component game prize by winning each component, in whatever
form it is stored, printed, or saved (including a purely numeric or
other non-human readable representation inside a machine readable
storage device).
[0040] However, much visual excitement is lost when a pictorial
representation is not used, so a preferred embodiment will make use
of pictorial representations of all components. This preferred
embodiment will further configure the components such that when a
player has a complete set of components, the components fit
together to form a picture of the prize or graphical representation
of the prize.
[0041] In one embodiment which uses limited printing means on
existing game devices, a player may collect and win a prize by
collecting a textual description of each component. Alternatively,
a player may win by collecting (winning) each component which is
then stored in any manner, including but not limited to tickets or
vouchers that only have bar codes or other machine-readable-only
data on them, purely electronic representations kept in any type of
backend database where the data is associated with an individual
through an anonymous player identifier (discussed below), a
traditional player's ID, or by keeping electronic representations
of the components in a hand-held device that can interface with the
game device and/or component service station (i.e., a Palm
Pilot.TM. with a program downloaded into it, designed to use the IR
interface that exists in the Palm Pilot.TM. and to further use the
IR interface to operably communicate with at least one system in
the casino).
[0042] Referring now to FIG. 1, a block diagram of an example
system for use with a player's award credit state and also a
player's component game state, is shown. System 114 includes a game
device 100 and a prize or component station 112. Game device 100
comprises a conventional game of chance, such as a slot machine,
video poker machine, video lottery device, keno machine, bingo
machine. The game device 100 may alternatively comprise a live
table game of chance, such as a blackjack table or roulette table,
where the functions described herein that are carried out by the
gaming device are carried out by a table attendant.
[0043] If game device 100 is not a live table game, then game
device 100 further provides a game 116 configured for play by a
player. Game device 100 would then include typical hardware and
software components (not shown), such as a processor, memory, and
input/output devices, such as a video output or rotating reels,
control inputs, and game software for executing game 116. According
to play of the game 116, one or more game results may provide the
player with an "award credit." The game results may be provided by
a game of chance involving random events or may be provided from a
predetermined outcome selected from a fixed pool (e.g., a
lottery).
[0044] Award credits, unlike game credits which are used for
playing the game 100, may be directly redeemed for prizes or awards
on prize station 112. Award credits may also be used in a
meta-game. Although if the preferred embodiment award credits are
not used for additional game play, the disclosed embodiments fully
encompass embodiments which do provide for award credits being used
to add to game play credits.
[0045] A meta-game is defined as using credits, award credits,
promotional credits (defined below), or any other transferable
result(s) from one or more individual games comprising a plurality
of individual game units, towards a game that requires, in order to
play, the output results (in terms of credits, award credits,
promotional credits, special indicia, and the like) of previously
played game or games, and where the meta-game is a different game
than any of the games from which output results are being used.
[0046] In the simplest case (other than straight prize redemption
using award credits), the award credits may comprise meta-game
pieces which are collected by the player for use at prize station
112. In this example, the meta-game pieces may be part of a game
board or puzzle and when the player has collected a particular
subset (i.e., collection or accumulation) of meta-game pieces, the
player uses those pieces with prize station 112, where the
combination of award credits will entitle the player to a
particular prize or class of prizes. In other cases, the award
credits may entitle the player entry into a more complex meta-game,
where the award credits are used in the meta-game in a similar way
that currency is used in primary games.
[0047] FIG. 2 illustrates a sample game board 200 having spaces for
game pieces 202, 204, 206, 208 and 210. The game pieces 202 through
210 may be represented by indicia or representation to a particular
theme, such as a popular board game, television show, movie, and
the like. Game rules may require accumulation of all or part of the
game pieces 202 through 210 for different levels of prize
awards.
[0048] FIG. 2 also illustrates a second sample game board 212
having letter space holders to accommodate letters 214, 216, 218,
220 and 222 corresponding to the word "WATCH." This game allows a
player to collect letters (game pieces) from the word "WATCH"
during game play of the primary game, normally a slot game. Once
the player has collected all the letters, the player may redeem a
prize corresponding to "WATCH" from the prize station. Numerous
other game board formats and rules suitable for use with the
disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to one of ordinary
skill in the art and with the benefit of the present
disclosure.
[0049] Referring back to FIG. 1, according to one aspect of one
embodiment the game device 100 is configured to maintain a record
of the accumulated award credits (game pieces) associated with the
player, including award credits earned during play of the game 116.
Alternatively, game device 100 is configured to keep track of
events that may result in the awarding of a component directly, or
events that may be accumulated until enough points (or other game
achievement) is reached, which only then results in the awarding of
a component. These accumulations of events may be implemented in
the same way as player award credits, with a Component Manager
keeping track of correlations between accumulated events and
components. The player may maintain the player's state of award
credits earnings (also called award credit game state, award credit
state, or for component games component game state) even when the
player has terminated play of the game device 100.
[0050] In one embodiment, the player's game state is maintained via
a prize bearing instrument (PBI) 104. PBI 104 may comprise any
media suitable for associating a player's award credits with the
player. Example media include a printed ticket (voucher), a
magnetic or smart card, or other information storage medium. As an
interface to PBI 104, game device 100 provides a PBI reader/writer
device (not shown) capable of reading PBI 104 and writing to (or
generating) a PBI. PBI 104 will typically contain one or more data
records indicating the number of (or collection of) award credits
earned by the player. For vouchers, game device 100 will include a
voucher reader and a voucher printer that is in operable
communication with game device 100. When the player selects to
terminate play, game device 100 prints a voucher indicating the
number of award credits earned by the player. If the player is
playing at a gaming device that is enabled for component game play,
the component game state may be kept on a component bearing
instrument (CBI) rather than a PBI. The CBI will have information
on the components a player has won, or, credits that may be applied
to a component after more are won during game play.
[0051] Game device 100 is also configured to determine the
accumulated award credits previously earned by the player,
generally by reading PBI 104 as presented by the player and
identifying any award credits indicated. The previous award credits
may have been earned from the same game device 100 or a similar
gaming device having the same underlying feature set of game device
100. If the game devices are component game enabled, 104 will be a
CBI, with component game state being saved in the CBI.
[0052] The award credits previously earned as identified by game
device 100 are accumulated with further award credits which the
player may earn during current play of game device 100. The
accumulated award credits may be maintained by the player at the
termination of play of the game device 100 via another PBI 104
which indicates the overall accumulated award credits earned. PBI
104 thus preserves the award credit game state of the player in
terms of award credits upon termination of play on the gaming
device. The player may later resume play of the game device 100 at
the preserved game state by presenting PBI 104 to game device 100
as described above. The same applies of 104 in a CBI, with the
player either having won one or more components or building credits
that may result in the awarding or winning of a component.
[0053] In the example "WATCH" game 212 of FIG. 2, the player
retains the player's earned letters (investment) so that when the
player later continues play either on the same or different game,
the player's letters (investment) is retained and restored, and the
player resumes play from the preserved award credit game state.
Although described herein for the purposes of redeeming tangible
prizes and service, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in
the art and with the benefit of the present disclosure that the
disclosed embodiments are suitable for preserving award credit game
state with bonus games, progressive games, and investment bonus
games, among others.
[0054] Continuing with FIG. 1, prize station 112 contains one or
more prizes 110. The prizes may be tangible goods (e.g., diamonds,
keys to a car, event tickets), services, or monetary awards.
Although not required for operation, the prizes are not generally
redeemable directly via cash payments by the player to the prize
station or the game devices. Rather the prizes are normally
redeemable via award credits earned by the player from playing game
device 100. The redemption process indicated by double-headed arrow
108 is manually initiated by a player, as is the playing process
indicated by double-headed arrow 102. Both paths make use of PBI
104. Redemption path 108 is executed by presenting one or more PBIs
to prize station 112. Prize station 112 is equipped with a PBI
reader/writer device (not shown) for reading PBI 104 and
determining the award credits associated with the player from data
provided by PBI 104. The prize station then determines the prizes
to which the player is entitled according to the award credits
earned by the player. For example, prizes may be selected according
to the number of award credits earned (e.g., using a hierarchical
prize level arrangement) or according to the collection of types of
award credits earned (e.g., game pieces on a game board or puzzle)
or both. Other prize payout arrangements may also be used.
[0055] After the player's selection, the selected prize is awarded
to the player. According to one embodiment, the prizes are
maintained in vaults having doors secured by latches and windows to
thereby allow the player to see the prizes inside the vaults and
yet provided a level of security by limiting access to the prize.
Further descriptions of physical access controls, methods of prize
delivery, and alternative prize presentation methods may be found
in co-pending parent application, U.S. application Ser. No.
09/788,168 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,757) and co-pending parent
application, U.S. application Ser. No. 09/742,679 (now U.S. Pat.
No. 6,923,721), both of which are fully incorporated in this
application by explicit reference.
[0056] Alternatively, 104 may be a Component Bearing Instrument
(CBI) rather than a PBI. The difference between the two is that a
PBI saves award credit game state, which is usable in many ways. A
CBI is usable only for playing (use with) a component game, so a
CBI saves component game state. If 104 is a CBI, then 112 is a
Component Station in addition to (or instead of) a Prize Station.
Component Stations have installed in them a Component Manager,
which can either combine a plurality of CBIs that a player may
accumulate, or in one preferred embodiment will exchange text or
non-human readable CBIs for high-quality, pictorial representation
of any components the player may have already won, enabling the
player to work towards completing a graphical picture of the
component prize rather than merely collecting vouchers or
tickets.
[0057] Referring now to FIG. 3, another embodiment of a system for
maintaining a player's Award Credit Game State (ACGS) is shown.
System 314, like system 114 described above in conjunction with
FIG. 1, comprises a game device 302 for playing a game 304 and a
prize station 312 comprising one or more prizes 310. System 314
further comprises a validation device 300 which typically comprises
a server computer configured with conventional hardware and
software components (not shown). Validation device 300 is
operatively coupled for communication with game device 302 and
prize station 312, normally via a network connection, shown as
connections 318.
[0058] Validation device 300 may function in one of a number of
ways. According to one aspect of the disclosed embodiments,
validation device 300 may serve to validate ACGS which is earned
and collected by the player on game device 302 and redeemed for
prizes at prize station 312. Various validation means known in the
art may be used to carry this out, including maintaining
transaction records on validation device 300 which corresponds to
transaction records identified on the player's PBI 306.
[0059] According to another aspect, the use of validation device
300 eliminates (or reduces) the need for recording the actual ACGS
onto PBI 306. Rather, validation device 300 may serve to maintain
the ACGS associated with players in a database (not shown). Under
this arrangement, the player is identified with a record in the
database, which further identifies the award credits earned by the
player. The player may use any means for identifying herself to
game device 302 or prize station 312, including using a personal
identification number (PIN) or using an identity PBI 306, which
instead of bearing the award credits earned by the player provides
unique identifying information to identify the player's
corresponding ACGS information. The use of PBI 306 is indicated by
double-headed arrows 308 and 316; both show a manual path of use by
the bearer of the PBI. In each case the bearer of PBI 306 would
insert it into a PBI reader at the target location.
[0060] The same functional relationship exists when 312 is
configured as a Component Station rather than a Prize Station, and
306 is a Component Bearing Instrument (CBI) rather than a Prize
Bearing Instrument (PBI). By using a Validation Device, the CBIs
may either be verified or may make use of the Validation Device to
keep some portion of the component game state data on it, rather
than keeping all the component game state data exclusively on the
CBI. Component game state data may include, but is not limited to,
individual game device identity (the game device on which a
component or subcomponent was won, or an accounting of partial
award states that may be accumulated to eventually win a
component), components won, components partially won, subcomponents
won, any transferable component award state that has not yet
resulted in the winning of a component or subcomponent, player data
(amount bet, amount of time spent, and the like, if the player was
not using a player's ID nor an anonymous player ID), time and date
information stamp, and any facilities information (location).
Component game state data is also referenced generally as component
data, where component data includes any and all information
associated with component game state data, in addition to
additional or unique representations of the data that is not
necessarily tied to any form of game state as that term is used
herein.
[0061] FIG. 4 depicts an example ticket voucher 400. Ticket voucher
400 includes a data record in the form of a UPC bar code 402. As
described above in conjunction with FIG. 3, this data record may
identify the player's award credits, component game state, or may
alternatively identify the player's corresponding record in the
validation unit's database.
[0062] FIG. 5 illustrates another example embodiment of a system
for maintaining a player's game state. The system has a game device
506 suitable for playing a game 504 and a prize station 502 having
one or more prizes 500. Game device 506 and prize station 502 are
integrated into a single unit.
[0063] Game device 506 and prize station 502 may further be
operatively coupled for communication to allow prize redemption to
be made by the player via the game device. In this embodiment, the
game device may include a monitor or other display device (not
shown) for displaying game play as well as prize selection on a
single display unit. A gaming device may further be coupled to (or
configured to be coupled to) a network for connection to the global
information network (Internet). Under this arrangement, a web-based
scheme may be used to provide prize selection and to select a
delivery method directly on the gaming device, and in one preferred
embodiment the web-based nature of the prizes being presented would
be invisible to the user. In this environment, the player's award
credits (AWGC) may be used for shopping online, and in one
preferred embodiment the selections are from a pre-selected group
of cooperating merchants, with pre-selected merchandise. PBI 508
may also be used as described above in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. Path 512
shows manual use of PBI 508 with the player inserting/withdrawing
PBI 508 from game device 506. Path 510 may be either a manual path,
where the player inserts PBI 508 into a reader associated with
prize station 502, or may include an electronic connection between
game device 506 and prize station 502, where PBI 508 may be issued
after completing a transaction at both game device 506 and prize
station 502.
[0064] A similar functional relationship exists when 502 is
configured as a Component Station rather than a Prize Station, and
508 is a Component Bearing Instrument (CBI) rather than a Prize
Bearing Instrument (PBI). In such cases, the component station will
have the ability to award pictorial components the player has won
by either printing them on a high-quality printer, or by issuing a
preprinted component award card having a picture of the component
the player just won, allowing the player to use the issued
component awards like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. In addition, the
component station will be able to read multiple component game
state vouchers (CBIs) and will, under the rules of the applicable
component game, combine certain states and issue components
accordingly.
[0065] Referring next to FIG. 6, shown is another example
embodiment for maintaining a player's award game state. There is a
game device 606 having a game 604 for play and another game device
614 having a game 608 for play. The game device 606 is integrated
with a prize station 600 as described above in conjunction with
FIG. 5.
[0066] The award credits earned by a player on game device 606 may
be maintained and later presented and accumulated with additional
award credits on game device 606 or game device 614, normally via
PBI 612, although (as noted above) a validation unit may be used to
perform this game state maintenance function on the "back-end."
Likewise, award credits earned by a player on game device 606 may
be maintained via PBI 612 for presentation and accumulation of
further award credits on game device 614 or game device 606. PBI
612 may be presented to the prize station 600 for prizes shown
generally as 602. Paths 616, 618, and 620 show the different uses
to which PBI 612 may be used in this embodiment. Paths 618 and 620
are award credit creation/gathering by manually using (or
receiving) PBI 612 from game devices 606 and/or 614. Path 616
indicates the manual use or retrieval of PBI 612 after using prize
station 600. A similar functional relationship exists when 600 is
configured as a Component Station rather than a Prize Station, and
612 is a CBI rather than a PBI.
[0067] Turning now to FIG. 7, there is shown another example award
state maintenance system which comprises a plurality of individual
systems grouped as 708, 720, and 732. FIG. 7 illustrates that a
wide variety of systems and subsystems may be utilized with the
disclosed embodiments. Subsystems include those that are both
connected and unconnected.
[0068] Systems 708 and 732 are each operatively coupled for
communication to a validation device 700 and a monitoring device
702 via a data communications network 704. System 708 comprises a
plurality of game devices and prize stations each coupled to a
conventional remote game controller (RGC) 734. RGC 734 is coupled
to communication network 704 for communication with the validation
and monitoring units. System 708 includes individual game device
716 and prize stations or component stations 712 and 718. System
708 further includes integrated game devices and prize/component
stations 710 and 714. Award credits earned in any of the gaming
devices may be maintained, including a PBI (alternatively a CBI),
validation unit 700, or via a combination of the PBI (or CBI) and
the validation unit 700 as described above. The disclosed
embodiments encompass configurations that allow system 708 to issue
award credits and/or component awards that may or may not be used
on system 732 or on system 720; any subsystem may be configured to
accept or reject award credits and/or component awards from other
subsystems, depending on the needs of the particular
installation.
[0069] System 732, comprises a plurality of game devices and prize
stations coupled directly to communication network 704. The game
devices of system 732 include table games (TG) 722 and 724 as well
as conventional game devices 726 (with an integrated
prize/component station) and 728 and a non-integrated
prize/component station 730. Table games 722 and 724 are maintained
by an attendant or dealer for the particular table game (e.g.,
blackjack, roulette). Each table game is also equipped with a PBI
and/or CBI reader/writer (not shown) to enable a player of the
table game to present her PBI/CBI and establish the player's
existing or previously earned award credits. Certain game results
(such as consecutive blackjacks) may result in further award
credits or component awards earned by the player during play of the
table game. At the completion of play the PBI/CBI reader/writer may
be activated to generate a PBI and/or CBI to give to the player
after play is completed. As noted above, the award credits and/or
(at the choice of the casino) component awards may alternatively be
managed by validation device 700 in conjunction with individual
PBI/CBIs, or without the need for a PBI/CBI where a player has a
PIN number to identify the player. Table game 722 differs from
table game 724 in that table game 722 further has in combination a
prize/component station.
[0070] System 720 also comprises a plurality of gaming devices
(also called gaming-related devices) of all types, including game
devices (i.e., specific games in specific cabinets) together with
prize and/or component stations, but unlike systems 708 and 732,
this system is not coupled to communication network 704. Each
gaming device will use PBIs and/or CBIs rather than validation
device 700 and monitoring device 702. As discussed earlier, the
overall system may be configured to allow or disallow PBIs/CBIs
generated from subsystem 708 or 732 to be used in the machines
comprising subsystem 720 and vice versa. This is readily
accomplished by issuing system source information as part of the
encoding on each PBI/CBI, and may be as simple as a unique system
identity number for each of systems 708, 720, and 732, printed as
the initial field on a bar code printed on each PBI/CBI. This would
typically include other information, such as the date, time, and a
unique transaction ID, as well as the system of origin. Another
preferred embodiment will include system source information along
with a unique transaction ID, effectively combining the two pieces
of information into one field.
[0071] Referring now to FIG. 8, a game device is shown in
additional detail. Game device 800 comprises a game 802 (skill,
arcade, chance, semi-skill, fixed-pool) operatively coupled with
Award Credit Manager (a form of savable game state manager) 804,
which is also operatively coupled with a PBI input/output device
806. The PBI input/output device 806 is configured to read, write,
generate, transmit, and receive information about PBI 810 as
needed. Path 814 shows a manual usage path for PBI 810: the player
must manually insert the PBI into the PBI reader. If PBI 810
comprises a printed ticket (voucher), the PBI input/output device
806 comprises a voucher reader for reading vouchers and indicia
printed thereon, such as "Interleaved 2 of 5" bar codes. The PBI
input/output device 806 would further include a voucher printer for
generating vouchers when the player terminates play on game device
800.
[0072] Award state manager or Savable game state manager (award
game states are a subset of all possible savable game states,
explained more fully below) 804 carries out the operation of
managing a player's savable award game states during play. If a
player presents a PBI 810 prior to playing, the previously earned
savable game states are identified from PBI 810 and/or from
validation device 808 which communicates with the game device 800
over an electronic communications path 812. While playing game 802,
the player may earn additional credits or change savable state
based on winning game events. These events are noted by savable
game state manager 804 in conjunction with the previously-earned,
savable game states, if any. Upon termination of play or use of the
gaming device by the player, another PBI 810 may be issued to the
player which contains data associating the cumulative award credits
or other game state earned by the player. A similar functional
relationship exists when 804 is configured as a Component Manager
rather than as an Award Credit Manager, and 810 is a Component
Bearing Instrument (CBI) rather than a Prize Bearing Instrument
(PBI). The CBI has the same enabling effect for use in casino
running component games, as the PBI has for award credits. It
allows a player to manage their own component game state (component
awards) across multiple games and across an extended period of
time.
[0073] Continuing with FIG. 9, another preferred embodiment of a
game device and support system is shown. Of particular interest in
this embodiment is that the Component Manager (alternatively, the
Award Credit Manager) 910 does not reside, in whole or in part, in
game device 900. Upon the occurrence of a winning event,
information is sent from game device 900 out onto a network, shown
as outgoing and incoming connections 912. In a typical
configuration, the outgoing and incoming electronic network
connections will be made through a slot machine interface board
(SMIB), a well-known game-device part in the art. A SMIB interfaces
the individual game device with external networks, where the
external connection will typically use a serial connection to a
floor controller or remote game controller (i.e., RGC 734 of FIG.
7). The RGC will then typically use a LAN type connection with the
rest of the networked devices (i.e., Ethernet using TCP/IP). The
SMIB, RGC (if any), and network are shown generally as connection
912. In addition to being the interface between the game device and
a network, a SMIB will typically be able to read game data (game
events, reel results, and the like) and user input/output
(including plays and money input and won), which can then be sent
over the serial connections to the RGC or floor controller. This
enables the game play data that is needed by a remote Component
Manager to be communicated to the Component Manager without in any
way disturbing the game play.
[0074] Component Manager 910 is software operably disposed within a
computing device, where the computing device has its hardware and
software environment configured such that the resources needed by
the Component Manager are in place (i.e., enough main memory,
secondary storage, I/O devices, and an operational operating system
such as a UNIX-based or NTrm-based OS). The Component Manager may
reside on a floor controller or RGC, or may reside on a backend
computing device, such as the same computing device in which a
player database is kept. It may also be configured such that some
of its operations are carried out on an RGC (i.e., event
recognition), while others are carried out on a backend system
(i.e., storing and retrieving component data for an individual, or
issuing instructions for a particular game device to issue a
printed ticket containing the code for a particular component or
partial component credit).
[0075] In all cases, the SMIB or other network interface sends
information about game events that are received by the Component
Manager 910. Component Manager 910 is optionally operably in
communication with a Validation Device 908, where the validity of
any particular award can be checked, and where newly-credited
events (new awards) are recorded. Validation Device 908 is an
option as the vouchers or tickets may be deemed trustworthy in and
of themselves and may make use of self-validating means well known
in the data encryption arts.
[0076] The functionality carried out by the Component Manager, if
done in an environment that does not make use of any other game
state information (this would typically be the case when
retrofitting an existing establishment only for component game
play), is done in a standalone fashion. In this embodiment,
Component Manager 910 makes direct use of the game play data, and
it is sent via a SMIB in each game device that is designated as
participating in at least one component game. There will typically
be a plurality of component games running simultaneously across
various subsets of machines in a casino, where different component
games are enabled on different sets of game devices. The Component
Manager will have the needed component game rules (including but
not limited to descriptions of winning events on designated game
devices) from which it will issue winning component vouchers to
players.
[0077] If the Component Manager is being used in a casino where
other savable game state is being used, then in one embodiment, the
Component Manager makes use of the already existing savable game
state infrastructure. This is accomplished by watching the game
state results being generated by game state enabled game devices,
and then making the translation between all possible game states
and those that result in a change of state relative to a Component
Game. This would allow savable game state to be saved, then the
Component Manager would look at the saved game state, and
reconfigure and/or recombine it such that any component awards that
should be issued will be issued, and any partially won component
awards can be checked. Thus, the functionality of the Component
Manager would be built on top of the underlying general game state
saving apparatus. In these cases, the Component Manager would be
smaller than a standalone Component Manager, which must do much of
the game state saving itself.
[0078] FIG. 10 shows a prize station in more detail. Prize station
1000 comprises a PBI input/output device 1008 operatively coupled
to an award credit manager 1006, a prize selection module 1004
coupled to the award credit manager 1006, and a plurality of prizes
maintained in vault 1002, the vault operatively coupled for
communication with the prize selection module 1004.
[0079] When a player presents one or more PBIs to prize station
1000, shown as PBI 1010 and manual insertion path 1016, the PBI
input/output device 1008 reads the award credits associated with
the player. Award credit manager 1006 determines the total award
credits' value, either directly from PBI 1010 and/or from
validation device 1012. Validation device 1012 is operably
connected to prize station 900 via electronic communications path
1014. Prize selection unit 1004 offers to the player one or more
prize selections based on the player's total award credits. The
player may select a prize selection or may cancel prize redemption.
If a player selects a prize, the prize is awarded from vault 1002.
If the prize selection does not exhaust the player's total award
credits, another prize selection may be offered to the player, if
the remaining credits are sufficient to support a prize selection
from the vault 1002. If the remaining award credits are not
sufficient to support a prize selection, the remaining award
credits are maintained and associated with the player, normally by
dispensing another PBI 1010. Other methods may also be employed to
dispense prizes associated with award credits on PBIs, as disclosed
in the co-pending parent applications previously identified and
incorporated herein.
[0080] FIG. 11 illustrates two additional meta-game systems which
may be implemented using the game state maintenance system. FIG. 11
includes a prize (alternatively, component) station 1100 and a
plurality of gaming device indicators illustrated as gaming device
indicators 1102, 1104, and 1106. Each gaming device indicator
corresponds to a gaming device on the game floor; there may be as
many gaming device indicators as there are individual games in
actual implementations, or they may be grouped for convenience.
Under this arrangement a particular prize awarded by the prize
station 1000 may require an award credit from each of the gaming
devices indicated by 1002 through 1006 or a predetermined subset,
such as three award credits where at least two of three must come
from different gaming devices. Alternatively, if 1100 is configured
as a Component Station, then each of the game device indicators
show a person which components may be won from which game devices.
In a component award situation, this allows the casino to
distribute component award play over any combination of game
machines, adding to a player's involvement in the casino. Various
other award requirements may also be used and will readily come to
mind for a person of ordinary skill in the art and with the benefit
of the present disclosure.
[0081] Another example of a meta-game involves banks of game
devices. Bank 1 is defined as consisting of individual game device
indicators 1108, 1110, and 1112. Bank "n" is defined generally as
1114 and is understood to further comprise individual game device
indicators not individually labeled. There may be any number of
banks between bank 1 and bank "n." Prize station 1100 may require
an award credit from each bank of game devices (corresponding to
the game device indicators) in order to receive a particular prize.
If 1100 is configured as a Component Station, then designated
components must be won by playing certain banks of machines at the
casino. Each bank may be configured as the same game (e.g.,
blackjack), the same device type (e.g., slot machine), the same
family of games (e.g., games manufactured by Sierra Design
Group.TM.), or other arrangements.
[0082] Having the ability to save award credit state creates the
need and desire to save other states associated with a game device.
A player will be particularly interested in saving the game state
of a game that involves the accumulation of play points or play
state, where the game state is not tied to award credits (or
perhaps not yet tied in to award credits but could be).
[0083] Generally, game states other than award credit states fall
into one of two categories. The first is saving credit state, that
is, saving state when working towards an award or credit, where the
game's state is derived from a game of chance or from a result from
a fixed-pool set of results. This includes saving credit state that
may result in the eventual issuance of a component, called
subcomponents or partial component state. The second is saving any
other game state that effects the state of the game as it appears
to a player if they leave and return later; typically, a skill game
where the player has reached a certain level or point value and
does not want to have to start over.
[0084] An example of the first type is shown in FIG. 12. This is a
state saving game associated with games based on chance (or
fixed-pools) and working towards an award state. Typically the
goal, if reached, is playing credits or award credits. Game device
1200 has a standard primary game with indicia windows shown as
1202. The primary game may be any of the well-known reel games,
poker games, keno, bingo, fixed-pool games, and the like. There is
a panel of player buttons, shown between buttons 1206 and 1208,
used for the primary game. Any layout and interface may be used,
from a fixed number of physical buttons to a dynamic layout of
touchscreen buttons. Also included is an output slot 1204 and an
input slot 1210. Input slot 1210 accepts ID cards, ID vouchers,
smart cards, game state vouchers, or any other means used to
present game device 1200 with credits, states, or Ill. If presented
with ID, game device 1200 must be in operable communication with a
back-end database (not shown), typically over a LAN (not shown).
The communications means is used to retrieve data associated with
the presented ID.
[0085] Voucher IDs are intended to be used by people who may be at
a casino for more than a brief time, but who do not want to be
entered as "players" in the casino's database (typically used by
casinos for player tracking purposes and by players to be awarded
player tracking points). This may include people who want to play a
series of games over an evening or a week, and want the convenience
of having some gaming data kept on a back-end database, but do not
want to give the casino their personal data. The player may choose
to use a voucher ID, which is simply any media on which a unique
identifier is recorded (typically, an alphanumeric sequence). This
may include a card with a magnetic strip, smart card, bar-coded
voucher, or any other form of readable media that can easily be
carried by a person. Gaming device data, discussed below, can now
be associated with the "voucher ID" rather than a traditional
player's card. Typically, voucher IDs would be given limited life
spans, specified by the holder or establishment.
[0086] Like traditional player cards, the player using a voucher ID
may be awarded "points" according to conventional methods for
calculating player tracking incentives or awards. Later, the player
may redeem the points by presenting his/her voucher ID at
redemption sites established by the casino. Redemption sites could
include, but are not limited to, restaurants, bars, hotels, or
customer counters.
[0087] Voucher IDs are one example of anonymous player IDs, which
allow players and casinos to make use of many of the features of a
traditional player's ID, but also allow the player anonymity and
other inventive characteristics. Anonymous Player IDs (APIDs) are
more fully explained and disclosed in co-pending application
entitled "ANONYMOUS PLAYER IDENTIFIERS IN A GAMING ENVIRONMENT,"
U.S. application Ser. No. 09/819,112. Both this and the referenced
application are owned by the same entity. Continuing, U.S.
application Ser. No. 09/819,112 is hereby incorporated by reference
in its entirety.
[0088] Returning now to FIG. 12, when playing the primary game,
there will be game states, indicia, or other aspects of the primary
game that will trigger the secondary game. In this example, the
secondary game is the "Froggie" game. Each time the secondary
"Froggie" game is invoked by the primary game, frog 1214 will
advance up one step. The secondary game starts at step 1 (the steps
are labeled). With each invocation of the "Froggie" game, frog 1214
advances one step. After seven invocations, frog 1214 will be
sitting on step 8. With one more trigger of the secondary game, the
player will get the frog to its home pad 1212 (step 9) and will be
awarded 1000 game credits. Alternatively, the number of steps the
frog advances on each secondary game invocation can be partially
determined by the indicia shown on the primary game, allowing for
more than one "hop" per invocation. When the frog reaches its home
pad 1212, the game may present the player with the option of award
credits instead of play credits.
[0089] The player has the option of saving the state of the game at
the start of each primary game play. In this example, the state
saved would be the state of the secondary game, specifically the
frog's current step location. If the player plays "Froggie" enough
to advance frog 1214 to step 5, the player may touch button 1206,
the "save state" button, and receive a print-out in the form of a
voucher from output slot 1204. Immediately after saving the game
state to a voucher, the game resets itself to the base state, with
frog 1214 back on step 1. The player may now leave the game for a
while and come back, inserting the previously generated voucher
into slot 1210. The game will set itself to the state saved, in
this case placing frog 1214 on step 5. The game is now ready to be
played.
[0090] Typically, the game state just recovered will be available
for a fixed length of time, perhaps three minutes. The game must be
played within that allotted time or the game reverts to its start
state, and the game state voucher value is lost. If the player
inserts the game state voucher and decides not to play the game,
the voucher can always be recovered by pressing the "save state"
button before the allotted time is up. Although discussed in terms
of vouchers, any read/write media may be used in addition to having
all the game state data stored in a back-end database, accessed by
an ID card, PIN, APID, and the like. All such methods of saving
game state are fully contemplated by the current embodiment.
[0091] The advantages of saving game state are increased interest
in investment bonus games by the players. With the ability to save
their state, players who must leave without having reached the
winning secondary game state have a much higher incentive to return
and continue playing.
[0092] In addition to saving game state associated with awards,
game state may be saved simply to keep a score on a non-award game
or skill game. An example of this type of game state is shown in
FIG. 13. In game device 1300 there is a primary game, indicated
with indicia windows 1302. The primary game may be any game of
chance or a fixed-pool game, including but not limited to poker,
keno, reel-games, and the like. Buttons shown between 1306 and 1308
are used to play the primary game in its known manner. Also
included is input slot 1310 for reading any convenient input form
that may be used to record game state. This includes but is not
limited to vouchers, magnetic strip cards, smart cards, player IDs,
ID vouchers, and the like. Output slot 1304 is used to give any
form of game state saving media to the player on request, typically
some form of voucher or magnetic media. Button 1306 is used for
secondary game play; button 1308 is a "save state" button that
directs the game device to save the current state of the game. All
this is shown for illustrative purposes only and can take a
plethora of functionally equivalent forms, including configurations
with just a single game.
[0093] In this case, when the secondary "Froggie" game is triggered
or invoked from the primary game, the player can play the game for
skill points. Frog 1316 has a tongue (not shown) that can be
extended by pressing button 1306. A plurality of "fireflies," shown
as 1314, are flying near frog 1316. A player presses button 1308
when a firefly is in line and near the frog's mouth, getting points
thereby. The player accumulates points that are recorded on the
screen at 1312.
[0094] When the player needs to leave the machine for a time, the
player has the option of pressing "save state" button 1306 and
saving the game state of the machine that can be saved. In this
case, it is the player's score on the secondary game. The player
will be issued a bearer record from output slot 1304 on which is
recorded the game state. When the player returns later, the player
inserts the readable media into read slot 1310, and the game will
reset to the saved state.
[0095] In a preferred embodiment, the saved game state will also
have an expiration date associated with it. The idea is to
encourage a player to maximize their skill point score within a
specified period of time (thereby encouraging game use in general
during the same period). The expiration time picked would depend on
the game type, the player's average stay, as well as other factors,
but would typically be in hours or days.
[0096] The saving of game states discussed above includes award
states, "partial" award states (secondary or bonus game state,
before award points or prizes have been awarded), and skill game
states. Components may also be kept as a version or form of award
credit game state. This may be accomplished in several ways. One
preferred embodiment makes use of award credit game states
directly. In this embodiment, a player is awarded some type of game
state credits (any form of award credits), which are then presented
to a gaming device or component station that has a Component
Manager available, thereby being enabled to award components or
subcomponents to a prize based on the number of credits the player
has. In this embodiment, this would be a one-way transaction (e.g.,
the player may convert award credits into components or
subcomponents, but may not convert components or subcomponents into
award credits). This is to encourage play within the casino as
players try and work towards a prize, assuming the risk that
someone else may win before they do.
[0097] In another embodiment, players may be allowed to convert
component and subcomponent awards or credits into general game
credits, but at a reduced rate and after the component prize has
been won by someone else. This would preferably be carried out by
instructing the Component Manager to accept component awards at
gaming devices to prizes that have been won. The Component Manager
would then issue standard game credits to the game into which the
player inserted the component prize. The return rate would be
reduced--that is, if the component inserted into the game device
would have had a value of 1000 award credits before the prize was
won, the player may now receive 500 game credits back. This is not
intended to make playing for the component prize a "freebie," i.e.,
without risk. Rather, it is designed to give the player the feeling
that they at least get a little something back for trying, so the
return rate is intentionally low. In addition, there would
preferably be time limits on the redemption of components for an
awarded component prize. This time limit would act as an additional
incentive for a player to keep track of the component prize for
which they were playing, and to come back to the casino to use them
within a fixed period. This time period would typically be measured
in weeks, but could readily be implemented in hours, days, or
months (this will depend on the value of the component prize and
how long the component prize game was run, amongst other
considerations).
[0098] In another preferred embodiment, partial award states may be
kept with respect to individual components of a component prize
game. In a manner similar to saving partial award game states with
bonus and secondary games, the same game state mechanisms will be
used to save the state of bonus and/or secondary games, when the
player is trying to achieve a winning event that will result in a
component or subcomponent (rather than a generic bonus game win).
An example is shown in FIG. 12, the previously described "Froggie"
game. When used in conjunction with a component prize game, award,
giveaway, or progressive, the player chooses to use the secondary
game for the purpose of winning component awards (components)
rather than general award credits or game credits. The player must
make the choice before starting the secondary game play (in some
cases, the game will be configured such that the player will always
be playing for components when playing a secondary or bonus game).
The player makes progress as they continue to play, moving
"froggie" a step at a time towards froggie's home pad. Once the
home pad is reached, the player is awarded a component. If the
player must leave the game for some reason, the player has the
choice of telling the game device to save the current partial award
game state, in this case the partial component game state. The
player will receive a ticket or voucher with the state of the
secondary game on it. When the player returns to this game, or a
game having a functionally equivalent secondary game from an award
standpoint, the player can insert the ticket or voucher and the
game will set itself to the same state (in the "froggie" game, what
step "froggie" is on), and the player may continue to play the game
and accumulate play on the secondary, eventually getting the frog
home and winning a component or subcomponent thereby.
[0099] Continuing with a more general game state, in addition to
partial game states associated with components, any game state that
is allowed to be savable by a player may be saved. This
determination may be made by the gaming device itself, a back-end
server with a database for networked gaming devices, or by
parameters set by the operators, the gaming device manufacturers,
or other accountable people. The examples given above are
illustrative, showing preferred embodiments. They are not
exhaustive; the inventive concept disclosed herein fully
encompasses any savable game states.
[0100] Game state may be saved in an instrument similar to that of
award credits, bar codes on a voucher, and the like. The
descriptions already given above for types of prize-bearing
instruments (PBIs) and devices that read, write, and use them apply
equally for game state instruments (GSIs) and component prize
instruments (CBIS). The same is also true of the system
architectures described for use with PBIs--all the descriptions
hold equally true for use with GSIs and CBIs. Whereas, the
information contained on a PBI is related to prize redemption (the
information on a CBI is for component prize play), and the
information on a GSI is for other saved game state.
[0101] If award credit game state (ACGS) gaming devices, general
game state gaming devices, and game devices participating in a
component games are used in the same establishment or casino, the
preferred embodiment is to combine them into a general bearer
instrument (GBI). The amount of information that needs to be stored
for PBI, CBI, and GSI information, on a GBI, is readily
accommodated on any of the instruments described for the PBIs, and
may readily be stored in the same database records with additional
fields using the same keys. In this preferred embodiment, a single
bearer instrument would contain data for award credit saving, game
state saving, as well as component games, allowing users to carry a
single instrument for all games and gaming devices. It would look
essentially the same as the example of FIG. 4, but perhaps with two
bar code strips, one over the other, or with the bar code strips
more densely packed.
[0102] In addition to carrying information on all saved game state
for one gaming device, it is fully envisioned that the current
embodiment will encompass the saving of game states for multiple
games on a single bearer instrument. If the game state is being
saved in a back-end database, this is the straightforward
association (keying) of a player ID or APID with multiple game
state records, where the game state records include fields
identifying the gaming device to which the saved state applies. For
bearer instruments such as vouchers, multi-game, multi-state
vouchers will be issued. These will be supported by readers that
will read and understand (decode) the multi-game, multi-state
instruments. And as discussed above, although vouchers are being
used as an example of bearer instruments, any form of read/write
media suitable for use as a bearer instrument is within the scope
of the disclosed embodiments.
[0103] It is envisioned that casual players may well end up
carrying multiple instruments after a while. To help them, as well
as provide other related services including advertising and special
promotional offers, the GBI service station will be provided. As
explained above, a GBI is a general bearer instrument which may
have, in a combined form, data that includes any and all PBI data,
GSI data, CBI data, or any combination of PBI, GSI, and CBI data.
FIG. 15 shows a functional block diagram of a GBI service station.
Because the complexity of the interaction at the GBI service
station is relatively high, a preferred embodiment will have a
minimum number (if any) of "hard" buttons, shown generally as
buttons 1408. These hard buttons may provide a few preliminary
choices, such as screen display only, print-only, and read-out only
functions (read-only functions are provided for people who forget
what a PBI, GSI, CBI, or GBI has on it--it provides an English,
Spanish, Japanese, or other language translations of what the
instrument has on it, and then returns the instrument without
further processing). An implementation using hard buttons may be
preferred if the GBI service station has limited capabilities; for
example, one that only provides reading services and nothing
else.
[0104] GBI service stations will also have at least one input slot,
shown as 1504, and may have more than one. A minimal configuration
will have an input slot for voucher-based PBIs, GSIs, CBIs, and
GBIs. Optional slots may be for magnetic cards, smart cards,
player's cards, RFID tags, and similar instruments carried by
people. There will also be at least one printer or pre-printed card
output port, shown as slot 1506. Also shown is a video display
1502, further being a touchscreen for user input. A GBI service
station will preferably be connected to the establishment's or
casino's back-end database 1512 via a LAN 1510 or functionally
equivalent means. Being connected to a back-end database is
optional; a subset of the GBI service station's primary functions
can still be carried out without the connection. In certain
installations (particularly for security reasons), it may be
desirable to have one or more GBI service stations installed
unconnected.
[0105] The functionality provided by the GBI service station is
geared towards helping users manage and understand any and all
instruments and/or awards or credits they may have. This will be
especially helpful to occasional users who do not play enough to
"memorize" the meaning of the various instruments and awards. The
user starts a session by pressing a hard button for certain limited
functions, or inserting any applicable instrument in its respective
slot (i.e., player's card in a player card slot, PBI in the voucher
reader slot, an RFID tag near an RFID reader). This action
corresponds to entry box 1600 in FIG. 16.
[0106] The user initially decides if they want a read-only session
at decision diamond 1602. If the answer is yes, the "YES" exit is
taken to decision diamond 1604. If the user has presented a form of
ID to the GBI service station (rather than some form of GBI), the
"YES" exit is taken from decision diamond 1604 to decision diamond
1606. If the GBI service station can access a back-end database and
the ID is recognized, the "YES" exit is taken to box 1608. Action
in box 1608 includes asking if the user wants a display or a
print-out, and then providing the user with the current state of
any credits or components in the back-end database associated with
the ID presented. Box 1608 is then left, and the process finishes
at finish 1610.
[0107] If, at decision diamond 1606, the ID was not recognized, the
process finishes immediately at finish point 1610 (with a polite
message to that effect on the screen, of course!). If, at decision
diamond 1604, the user presented something other than an ID, the
"NO" exit is taken, and box 1612 entered. The action taken in box
1612 is to ask if the user wants the information in hardcopy or
video form, present the information to the user in that manner,
return the instrument to the user, and proceed to finish the
transaction at finish 1610.
[0108] If, at decision diamond 1602 the answer was "NO," the user
wants to do something more than have something read. The "NO" exit
is taken to box 1614. The action taken in box 1614 is to determine
from the user where to get input, and then to present all
information to the user in total. There are basically two places
from which data can be gathered. One is from instruments (GBIs,
CBIs) carried by the user, and the other is from a database. If the
user requests information from a database, the user is asked for an
ID. The ID can take any form, including but not limited to an APID
or some kind of player's ID. The user is then asked to submit
instruments until they have no more (i.e., PBIs, GSIs, CBIs, and/or
GBIs). Once the user indicates to the GBI service station that all
sources of credits or components has been accumulated, the GBI
service station combines like data and lists other data. Combining
like data consists of combining award credits, consolidating game
state information for the same gaming device, deleted expired game
state data, deleting expired component game data, consolidating
component awards, and the like. Much, if not most, of the data will
not be able to be combined, and it will simply be listed in order.
An example of hard-to-combine data is secondary game state data for
a skill or perceived skill game, which will be specific to a
particular game and the particular score (points and the like)
achieved or won when the player last used it. On the other hand,
award credits may always be combined. Box 1614 is left and box 1616
entered.
[0109] The action in box 1616 is to present the information to the
user in the most coherent manner possible. As before, the user may
choose hardcopy or video output. Box 1616 is then left for decision
diamond 1618.
[0110] In decision diamond 1618 the user is asked if they want to
combine credits that are combinable, and to re-issue the rest in as
compact a form as possible. It is expected that most players will
make use of this automatic combination function. If the answer is
yes, the "YES" exit is taken to box 1624. The action taken in box
1624 is to do any combinations possible, remove redundant or
expired credits, and the like. For component games, the automated
action will be to combine any partial component credits or partial
components into whole components, where the player has the correct
subcomponents assembled (won). In addition, if the GBI service
station detects that the player has all the components needed to
win an entire component prize, they are also combined, and the
player is notified. These calculations may be done in the GBI
service station or in a networked server in a networked
environment.
[0111] In the event that a service station is a stand alone unit,
there are two generic possible outcomes that are possible when the
service station (or component station) is presented with component
game winnings. This is different than other types of game state
manipulations, because component games are expected to be changing
(new games initiated, old games expired or won) on a regular basis.
However, although component games are dynamic, the games need not
be designed such that the changes are needed in real time (unlike
changes to a player tracking data, which changes as the player is
actually playing games). An example of such a case would be a
casino that decides to use component games only for long running,
relatively high-stakes games (a game that lasts more than a month,
and the prize is a vehicle). In such cases, stand-alone service
stations can readily be upgraded with new component game
information using traditional transportable media such as CDs. If
this is the case, there can be a Component Manager installed in the
service station that will, using the latest data or information on
or read from a CD, be able to properly handle all the current (and
expired) component game data it may receive from a player. This may
include the ability to combine subcomponents into whole components
when the player his all the proper subcomponents, ask the player if
they wish to exchange general award credits into subcomponents or
components (if enabled and desired by the casino), exchange
non-visual component and subcomponent vouchers, tickets, or
transfer other media for visually-appealing printouts that are used
to construct a visual image of the component prize, and similar
actions.
[0112] If, on the other hand, the service station is too remote to
load, or the component games being used by the casino are too
dynamic (i.e., component games may be enabled, run, won, and expire
within a few hours if the casino desires to create an immediate
sense of excitement), then the service station will be programmed
to simply let the player know they have component game data on
their tickets, vouchers, and the like, and that they will have to
go to a customer counter or networked service station (typically
inside the casino, for security purposes) for further information.
Box 1624 is then left for decision diamond 1626.
[0113] At decision diamond 1626, the user is asked if they want to
store the information on a database, or if they want the credits
(awards, game state, visual representations of component prize
games) re-issued to them in an instrument form, typically GBI
vouchers. If the data also has component game information, the
information may be dispensed as pictures (which may be printed, if
the service station has a sophisticated enough printer, or may
consist of a series of pre-printed representation of the components
that make up the component prize, which are then dispensed when
called for by the Component Manager). If the answer is yes to the
database storage, the "YES" exit is taken and box 1630 entered.
Please note that if the GBI service station in use is not
networked, clearly the "NO" exit is taken from this decision
diamond.
[0114] In box 1630, the database determines if the current user has
an ID. If they do, the data is recorded in records associated with
that ID. If not, the user is asked if they want to be issued a
player ID. If they do, one will be issued to them, with data being
inputted on the touchscreen or by going to a customer counter. If
they do not want a player tracking ID, they will be issued an APID,
and the data is then stored on the database using the newly issued
APID. The process finishes by then entering finish 1632.
[0115] If the user indicated no at decision diamond 1626, then the
"NO" exit is taken to box 1628. The action taken is to issue a new
GBI to the user that incorporates all the valid credits listed for
the user, including any combined credits. The process then finishes
by leaving box 1628 and entering finish 1632.
[0116] If, at decision point 1618 the user answered no, the "NO"
exit is taken to box 1620. The action taken in box 1620 is to
instruct the user on possible combinations. For example, a user may
want a separate OSI game state vouchers (to give to a friend to
use), or may want to divide up any award credits into even amounts
on several different vouchers to distribute to friends. Any
combination of vouchers may be created for the user. Box 1620 is
left, and box 1622 is entered.
[0117] The action in box 1622 is to put up interactive screens and
determine the combination of vouchers the user wants the GBI
service station to produce. After determining a set of vouchers
equal in value to the credits and vouchers presented to the GBI
service station at the start of the session, box 1622 is left, and
box 1634 is entered.
[0118] The action in box 1634 is to present a list to the user of
the newly-combined credits and/or game states, and ask which are to
be stored in a database and which are to be issued as
newly-generated GBIs or component pictorials. The user indicates
which are to be stored and which are to be issued. Box 1634 is left
and box 1636 is entered. The action taken in box 1636 is to store
and/or issue the GBIs or pictorials the user requested. As with box
1630, if the user currently has no ID for the database and has
requested that some of the newly-recombined credits or game states
be stored on a database, the player will be asked if they want a
traditional player's ID or an APID. One or the other will be
generated and will be given to the user at this time. The process
now exits box 1636 and finishes by entering finish 1632.
[0119] The disclosed embodiments have been partially described
using flow charts. As will be understood by a person of ordinary
skill in the art and with the benefit of the present disclosure,
steps described in the flow charts can vary as to order, content,
allocation of resources between steps, times repeated, and similar
variations while staying fully within the inventive concepts
disclosed herein.
[0120] Accordingly, it will be seen that this embodiment provides a
system and method for maintaining player's award credits, game
states in a secondary or bonus game, gaming states not otherwise
associated with credits or prizes, and a system for the creation
and use of component games. All the game states, including those
associated with a component game, may be collectively called
savable game state or savable game states. The savable game states
may be saved on a game state voucher or any other media-based
implementation or may be saved in strictly softcopy (electronic or
other means) form. Any savable game state, in whatever form it is
stored, comprises savable game state. The saving of game states, in
particular in its use in implementing component games, provides for
the promotion of continued play in a gaming environment.
[0121] A player may restore award credits add/or other game state
from previously-played games, when the previously-played games are
on the same game device or from a similarly-constructed game, or
any game with equivalent results or states. For example, saving the
bonus game state of "Froggie" in FIG. 12 results in a voucher (or
other instrument, or data in a database) that may then be used in
any game where the secondary bonus game is triggered by the primary
game with the same probability (pay tables establishing the same
likelihood of incrementing the secondary or bonus game) coupled
with a bonus game that has 9 incremental states to win, or a
similar number of increments to be awarded a component to a
component prize.
[0122] As will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the
art and with the benefit of the present disclosure, component
games, and in particular component game states, a component
manager, and component data will be represented inside computing
machines of various complexity (from RGCs to general purpose
computers typically found on the backend of most casino systems) as
encoded strings of hits in machine readable media. Such collections
of bits, or bit streams when they are being transported, will
comprise and be organized as appropriate data structures readable
and writeable on machine readable media, including main memory as
well as transportable media including but not limited to disks and
CDs, some portions of which may be executable by a target processor
when compiled and/or appropriately linked and put into executable
image form (as needed).
[0123] Although the description above contains much specificity,
the description should not be construed as limiting the scope of
the invention but as merely providing an illustration of the
presently preferred embodiment of the invention. The scope of this
invention should be determined by the appended claims and their
legal equivalents.
* * * * *