U.S. patent number 3,556,530 [Application Number 04/731,577] was granted by the patent office on 1971-01-19 for game having quick prize indication for wide area use.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Howard Miller, Scarsdale, NY. Invention is credited to Glen L. Wesen, William H. Barr.
United States Patent |
3,556,530 |
|
January 19, 1971 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
GAME HAVING QUICK PRIZE INDICATION FOR WIDE AREA USE
Abstract
A game-playing system in which the winning indicia in open of a
plurality of game-playing tickets is immediately known to the
player. The winning indicia is dialed into a response system
normally comprising a telephone system. The game also includes one
or more game playing areas having zone spaces to form winning
indicia.
Inventors: |
William H. Barr (Carmel,
NY), Glen L. Wesen (Brooklyn, NY) |
Assignee: |
Howard Miller, Scarsdale, NY
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
24940101 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/731,577 |
Filed: |
May 23, 1968 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/139;
379/93.13; 379/90.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07C
15/005 (20130101); A63F 3/081 (20130101); A63F
2003/086 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
3/08 (20060101); G07C 15/00 (20060101); A63f
001/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/139,161,157(A),155,138,135,130(B),130(E),130(D) ;283/6
;35/48,48(1),71 ;179/2(AS),2(CA),90(CI),90 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Anton O. Oechsle
Assistant Examiner: Arnold W. Kramer
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Hopgood and Calimafde
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation in part of our prior
application, Ser. No. 713,492, filed Mar. 15, 1968.
Our invention relates to a card playing game. More particularly, it
relates to a game in which a person is given a card- or
ticket-carrying game-winning indicia. In a specific aspect of this
game, which may appeal to the supermarket or gasoline station
customer, the customer dials into the telephone system the number
on the card and, at that time, is informed whether or not he is an
instant winner. This game may be played over a wide geographical
area.
One of the objects of this invention is to provide a game
comprising one or more tickets in which a customer can instantly or
relatively quickly determine whether he has won a prize.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a game of
chance featuring a card card using semiautomatic or automatic means
to almost instantaneously inform the player that he has won or lost
the prize.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a game in
which the customer learns whether he has won instantaneously,
utilizing the selective and memory capacity of the telephone system
and dialing in the winning or losing number.
On e feature of this invention is the utilization of the telephone
system as a memory device having substantially instant access and
an address system which may be used to distinguish between winning
and losing numbers.
A further object of this invention is to provide a game of chance
which may be played simultaneously nationwide or over other
relatively large geographic areas featuring a card and using
semiautomatic or automatic means to almost instantaneously inform
the player that he has won or lost the prize.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a system
covering the same wide geographic areas in which the participant
may utilize the telephone system and does not have to pay any money
to learn whether he has won or lost a prize.
Briefly, in our invention, a customer receives a game-playing
ticket. This ticket comprises two concealed areas. When the
customer unveils the first concealed area, he sees a telephone
number which he, or an operator, dials into the telephone system to
determine in immediately whether he has won a prize. A second area
of the game comprises a plurality of indicia zones or spaces which
are concealed by a covering device. The customer is instructed to
remove the covering device to reveal the indicia zones. These
spaces will contain numbers in some of the respective zones, and
some zones will be without numbers. The customer is further
instructed to punch, or otherwise make light transparent, the zone
space where there are no numbers thereby providing a window in each
of these zone spaces.
In a related embodiment, the customer receives and collects similar
tickets at the supermarket, etc. and follows similar instructions.
His collection of tickets will have numbers and windows in
different respective zone spaces. These tickets can be stacked
together as a deck of cards. The customer may then look through the
punched out windows and if he has won, he will see a complete
telephone number. This number can then be dialed into the telephone
system and which provides a signal, here a preferably recorded
message, automatically informing the customer as to the amount of
his prize and the manner by which it can be collected.
The game may be played over a wide area by providing a game-playing
telephone circuit and a game-playing exchange. Game messages may be
associated with certain stations in said exchange.
Claims
1. A game system comprising: a plurality of cards, each card having
a game playing region; game indicia on each card in said region, at
least one of said indicia and at least one of said cards having
losing indicia cards having game winning indicia; a wide area game
playing telephone circuit including responsive system means to
determine whether indicia of a card is winning; said game playing
circuit including a game playing exchange means and input means
adapted to apply said indicia to said responsive system means; said
input means comprising dial means; said responsive system means
including station means having stations responsive to different
indicia; said exchange means adapted to select predetermined
stations in response to the input of said indicia to said dial
means; and signal means coupled to at least a said predetermined
station to provide a
2. The process of playing a game in a game system comprising: a
plurality of cards, said cards each including exchange and station
indicia, the station indicia varying from card to card, said system
including a wide area telephone system including a game playing
circuit including a first game playing telephone exchange, said
exchange selectable by dialing said exchange indicia into the
telephone system; a plurality of separate stations associated with
said exchange, means for selecting said separate stations in
accordance with the various station indicia; storage means having a
win message means coupled to at least one of said separate
stations; the process including the steps of: giving out the cards
to various players; the players, individually utilizing the indicia
of one card, dialing said exchange indicia into said exchange;
supplying to said means for selecting said separate stations said
station indicia to select a station; and indicating a win if the
selected station is one which has storage means
3. In the game of claim 2, the means for selecting being a
telephone operator applying said various station indicia to select
a respective one of said separate stations.
Description
The above mentioned and other features and objects of this
invention and the manner of attaining them will become apparent and
the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the
following description of embodiments of the invention taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is an illustration of the game playing ticket as the
customer receives it;
FIG. 1a is a diagram of the ticket of FIG. 1 when the game playing
areas are uncovered;
FIG. 1b is a diagram of the card of FIG. 1a in which certain
windows have been punched out;
FIG. 2 is a diagram of another card in accordance with this
invention;
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a different and preferred
embodiment of the first game;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the indication system in
connection with the card of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the indication system in connection
with the card of FIG. 3;
FIGS. 6a and 6b illustrate different card sections of a different
preferred embodiment of the second game;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of one of the windows of
FIG. 6a prior to punching;
FIG. 8 is a diagram of a wide area game-playing circuit and system;
and
FIG. 9 is a diagram of a switchboard which may be used in
connection with the system of FIG. 8.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a game-playing card 10
having game-playing areas 20 and 30. Each game-playing area is
hidden by respective covering means 22 and 32. The covering and
concealing means take the form of a removable strip or an ink
compound. The concealing means may also include a wash off or rub
off material. Such materials are conventional and comprise black
material which may be removed by water or by simple rubbing. Those
skilled in the art will recognize that many forms of concealing
means may be used within the principles of this invention.
The customer receives printed instructions directly on the card to
remove these covering means. When the covering means 22 is removed,
there is disclosed a game winning indicia or no indicia
(representing game loss), or predetermined indicia (also
representing game loss). For illustrative purposes, a telephone
number 800- 999- 1000 is shown in FIG. 1a. The customer then dials
this number into the telephone system which, by appropriate means,
provides a signal, a message in words or a display, such as a
phonovision display, informing him that he has won or lost. It will
be understood that a group of letters or words could also be dialed
into the telephone system and many choices of indicia are possible.
As used herein, dialing and dial means includes pushbutton dialing,
circular dials or other telephone read-in equipment. Although not
shown, telephone read-in equipment could read automatically the
number of the card by optical or magnetic sensing. Other means may
be used to insert the indicia or number into a bank of telephone
stations, which for purposes herein, are a type of memory.
Alternatively, as another means for telling the customer that he
has lost, he could be connected to a number which is not in
service. Means provide a telephone message that the number is not
is in service. By appropriate instructions on the card, this
telephone message indicates to the customer that he has lost. In
this case, the customer receives his money back because the
telephone number is not in service. Other provisions can be made to
return the customer's coin if a different telephone number is
called.
The number in the game area 20 may be different from the number in
other cards, and may either represent a losing number or one of
many game-winning numbers. It may, if desired, represent a
game-winning number having a different prize. The game envisioned
here has a wide capability as to designation of prizes, as well as
game winning indicia.
FIG. 4 illustrates one such system which may be used in connection
with the game of FIGS. 1 and 2. The game-playing number shown in
space 20 through a dial means 50 is read into the system. The
address station selector 60, which may be a conventional telephone
exchange, the selects one of the stations 70, 71, 72, etc.,
depending upon the number called. Each station or at least one of
the stations may have an associated signal means which may include
a message means, which when connected by the address station
selector plays its output signal through a line 90 to an output
device 92. It may be understood that the output device could be the
receiver of a telephone system or could be a display having a
phonovision display.
It will be understood that various messages may be recorded in the
message means 80, 81, 82 to tell the customer that he has won, that
he has lost, or no message at all.
In the case where only one winning number appears on the group of
cards, the dial means 50 connects directly to a single station 70
which may provide a recorded signal through message means 80
telling the customer through output 92 that the game has been
won.
A preferred embodiment of the invention related to the first game
is illustrated in FIG 3. There is shown two game areas 100 and 101
which may have removable concealing means (not shown). The upper
space 100 discloses a telephone number 800-999-1000 and the space
101 discloses a second group of indicia, here a telephone number,
which may be considered as the mystery number. The first number
shown at area 100 is used to select a game-playing group of numbers
or codes. For example, when the number 800-999-1000 is dialed into
this system, the customer identifies to the operator the second
number 123-9000, or, using the area code, 800 -123-9000. The
operator then utilizes a station-selecting means and may plug into
or otherwise connect to this second number. This number or station
will have associated message means, such as a taped message and a
tape recorder, which becomes operative when connected and tells the
player directly whether he has won or not. As an alternative, the
message means may only be a winning light indication, and this
winning message can be relayed by the operator.
When the game of FIG. 3 is played, dial means 50 is connected
directly to a station 75. At this station, the operator then
receives the mystery number contained in the space 101. The
operator has at her disposal means 120 to select one or more
addresses of a memory device 130. As a practical matter, memory
device 130 can then be a series of telephone numbers which may be
connected directly by the operator. One or more of the addresses or
stations will have a message means 85, 86, etc. connected thereto
and an appropriate win or an appropriate lose message can then be
applied over line 90 to an output means 92.
If the person does not win or if the game is set up so that two
games are played simultaneously, the second game-playing area is
utilized. It will also be understood that, if desired, the card may
contain the first or second game.
The second game-playing region contains covering means 32 covering
a plurality of discrete, aligned, indicia slot areas or post
positions referred to here as slot zones. These slot zones when
fully revealed contain either a number or a space in each
respective zone. Further, when there is a space (no number), a
window or aperture which is light transmissive is formed. However,
one or both slot zones may be first color coded to assist in
following instructions. As an example, the customer may first wash
off covering means in the form of a black material and see seven
slot areas, such as circles, squares, etc. Some of these areas may
be colored or may be marked differently to define two groups of
coded slot area. That is, the seven indicia areas are divided into
two categories by either color coding or other selective in
identification means. As to the first group, the instructions will
read so that the customer merely removes the covering material and
observes a number, or one or more numbers contained therein. For
example, in one version, the instructions may read as follows: 1.
Wash off the black area on the other side of this ticket. 2. You
will now see an area code, one or more numerals, a dash and five
black areas. 3. Using a pencil, carefully punch out only the black
areas. 4. You will now have one or more numbers, a dash and
windows. (In FIG. 1b, two numbers and light windows are provided.)
5. Collect more tickets and do the same. 6. Now place all tickets
one on top of the other so that the windows are lined up with each
other. 7. When you see a full telephone number with the area code
and all seven digits, you have a winning number which you can call
to find out what you have won.
As stated, the customer is told to punch or otherwise remove the
window material of the one coded group. In this respect, weakened
boundary means for the windows, such as die cuts or perforations,
or spaced perfs (FIG. 7), may be employed to facilitate removal of
the window material or to provide substantially light-transmissive
properties. As a feature of this invention, those zones which
contain indicia and are not to be removed, may contain the same
perfing or mechanical boundary means so that from the rear, or when
using an X-ray or other "decoding" device, the cards look
identical. When the window material has been removed, the card
appears as shown in FIG. 1b. Here the first four spaces are empty,
the fifth space contains the number 8, the sixth space is empty,
the seventh space contains the number 6, and the remaining three
spaces are empty.
Similarly, the game is played and the customer collects a second,
third, fourth, etc. card which are stacked one on top of the other
as in a card deck. When instructions are followed, this second card
appears as illustrated in FIG. 2. If the customer has the winning
number of cards there will be a number in each slot area and the
windows will expose one digit in each slot area. The total digits
comprise a telephone number. It is apparent that the area code may
be optionally printed adjacent the telephone number and may be
initially concealed or always exposed. Therefore, by looking at the
stacked array of cards, a single telephone number will appear
through the windows. This telephone number is preferably selected
as a winning number and the customer dials this number into the
telephone system. He will then be informed about his prize.
It will be understood that particular zones can be used as the hole
out. That is, the number which can determine the prize or the
amount or of the prize or whether the prize has been won. For
example, a number 800-123-1567 may win $l.00, 800 -123-2567 may win
$5.00; 800-123-3567 may win $10.00 , etc., the seventh number being
the hold out.
In FIGS. 6a and 6b,there are illustrated different and preferred
embodiments of the second game. There is associated therewith an
area code 800 (see FIG. 3 also) and a second game-playing region
200 having a plurality of slot zones as mentioned previously. A
second card is illustrated in FIG. 6b and numeral 210 identifies
the same game-playing zones. The background color of the card of
FIG. 6a is identified by numeral 202 and may, for example, be
yellow, while the background color identified by 212 may be a
different color, for example, blue. The slot zones here are shown
as circular. When the customer receives the cards, the numerals 1
and 3, illustrated in FIGS. 6a and 6b,are not visible and the
entire game-playing area is covered, the same as in FIG. 1. When
the customer removes the covering, the holes which are to be
punched out are identified by a color or any coding device, also as
described previously.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing the slot zone 220 prior to the
time that the window material 220' is removed. In one embodiment,
mechanical means shown as a plurality of tabs or perfs connected
the window material 220' to the remainder of the card. The spacing
between the interior or window material and the remainder card is
exaggerated only for purpose of illustration. Each of the slot
zones of FIG. 6a including those containing the indicia or numbers
are formed in the same way so that from any external view, from the
back or using an X-ray, etc., all of the slot zones look the
same.
As stated previously, those slot zones containing predetermined
coding means are punched out. The color in background 202 is shown
within the visible area of the space zone 230 and in FIG. 6b the
color 212 is also shown in the area of space zone 240. When the
cards, shown in FIGS. 6a and 66, are stacked one on top of the
other, a full telephone number may appear, but the color
backgrounds for each number may be different. The game may be
played so that the winning cards have a telephone number having a
background all of the same color. Other marking devices may be used
to distinguish between sets of numbers which may appear within the
zone spaces.
Alternatively, the space zones may contain the numbers alone in a
white background and, the playing-game area, as suggested by
background 202 and 212, may be colored differently. The game may be
played so that all of the winning cards must be of the same color
in the game-playing area. This adds another dimension by which
winners and losers can be distinguished.
Referring now to FIG. 8, there are shown diagrammatically a
plurality of locations, i.e., New York, Chicago, El Paso,
representing a wide geographic area at which the games illustrated
in connection with FIGS. 1--3 may be played. In each of these
locations there are illustrated telephones 301, 302, 303, etc. Each
of the telephones, of course, may be used to dial standard
telephone numbers or area codes, such as are suggested by the
numerals 914, 203, which are shown directed to the specific lines
and which are intended to represent diagrammatically, area codes
which may be connected to the telephone 301. In this invention, all
of the telephones 301, 302, 303 are connected to a game-playing
circuit identified by the numeral 800. When any of the participants
dials into the game-playing circuit the call is connected to a
specific memory which is part of an exchange and which is
identified as number 999. For purposes herein, the game-playing
circuit may be identified by the first three numbers 800 of the
telephone number as suggested also in FIGS. 1--3.
In terms of implementation, the game playing circuit 800 and the
game exchange 999 are part of a wide area telephone system. The
wide area telephone system is a commercially available system made
available by the Bell System under the designation WATS. In this
system, the trunk line 800 is distributed throughout the specified
geographic areas and interconnects many cities, etc. The subscriber
who utilizes the WATS system does not have to connect through area
codes or other means since all of the exchanges may be connected to
this common line. For example, as illustrated diagrammatically,
exchange 1 and exchange 2 may be standard exchanges utilized by
other customers of the WATS system. However, the game-playing
circuit of this invention is specific to the line 800 and the
exchange 999. Such equipment is commercially available and need not
be described in any further detail herein.
Means 900 comprising a coin return and a time count disconnecting
means are made available as part of the WATS system and when a
participant places his dime into the telephone 301 and dials the
number 800-999-1000, he may be connected for example from New York
to the game exchange located anywhere desired, New York,
Philadelphia, El Paso, Los Angeles. He immediately receives his
dime back and no time count is made in connection with the
conversation.
It will be understood that while one game exchange number is
illustrated as 999, that more than one game exchange number can be
used and as a practical matter a large number of game-playing
numbers may be utilized throughout the entire United States in
playing the game.
If the game of FIG. 1A is played, by the use of the dial means
incorporated in the telephone 301 and associated equipment, the
number 800-999-1000 is immediately read into the system, the game
exchange and the game switchboard 1000 then function in the same
manner as suggested in FIG. 4.
The game exchange 999 may then include within it, the address
station selector 60 and the station 70 and the message means 80
shown in FIG. 4. By playing this game, a person dialing in a number
in New York or in Texas will immediately be informed as to whether
he has won or lost a game.
When the game of FIG. 3 is played, the number 800 -999 -1000 may be
dialed into this system, and a telephone operator will answer. In
this case the number 800-123-9000 is told to the operator who
immediately plugs into a switchboard, the face f of which is shown
in more detail in FIG. 9. There are also illustrated in FIG. 8, win
and lose recorded messages 1010 which are connected to the
respective numbers illustrated also in FIG. 9 and which contain
messages. Obviously the win message is connected to the winning
numbers and the lose messages are connected to different numbers.
If the number 800-123-9000 is a winning number, the operator plugs
into that number as illustrated in FIG. 9 and the win message which
is recorded in 1010 is connected thereto.
By functioning in this way, the telephone operator does not know
what is or is not a winning number nor does the telephone operator
know whether the caller is a winner. The telephone operator
functions only as a telephone operator and is not a participant in
the game.
The game switchboard 1000 may be a conventional switchboard and one
form of which is available as the Bell System 552 PBX switchboard.
In this type of switchboard, the face of which is suggested in FIG.
9, the openings represent contact receptacles which are connected
by standard plugs. The incoming call received over an inward WATS
trunk line is then connected to the winner or loser numbers by the
operator plugging in a conventional cable. It will be obvious that
more than one switchboard can be used dependent upon the selection
of the winning and losing numbers. Since obviously most of the
numbers will be losing numbers, the telephone switchboard can have
a certain code so that more than one telephone number is identified
with a particular receptacle and of course the lose message will be
connected through that receptacle. Further, various forms of lose
messages may be connected and the losing numbers themselves may
have a coding or a selectivity depending upon the nature of the
game. For example, if one game in location 1, New York is played
for a group of stores distributing cards, the game in location 3,
El Paso may be played for a group of gasoline stations distributing
different cards. The losing message may advantageously contain a
selective statement that the store or the gas station thanks the
participant for playing the game. Different messages can therefore
be recorded and connected to specific numbers.
Various forms of automatic answering services and messages may be
utilized in connection with the winning and losing numbers and the
messages may be recorded in a taped system currently available by
the Bell System as 100A, and automatic answering service or an
automatic answering system.
It will be apparent that other means may be used as additional
dimensions or variables to distinguish winning from losing numbers,
such as by applying discrete coding techniques in the form of
color, shape or other indicia on the game playing card.
It may be understood that in forming the two groups of numbers 1,
2, 3 or more, or any number, may contain digits and may contain
windows.
Further, in the second game area, the winning indicia may comprise
any word, number, symbol or group thereof which becomes apparent
when the cards are stacked.
It is, therefore, a prime object of this invention to provide an
almost or a semiinstantaneous game winning system which immediately
informs the customer that he is a winner. The advantage to be
derived from the foregoing system is that the number which is
identified in the cards and when related to a telephone number,
allows the customer to almost instantaneously determine whether he
has won a prize.
While the foregoing description sets forth the principles of the
invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be
understood that this description is made only by way of example and
not as a limitation of the scope of the invention as set forth in
the objects thereof and in the accompanying claims.
* * * * *