Methods and apparatus for enhanced play in lottery and gaming environments

• US 20070129144A1
• Filed: 12/05/2005
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milestone Entertainment LLC
• Original Assignee: Milestone Entertainment LLC
• Inventors: Dawson, Gary, Katz, Randall
• Granted Patent: US 8,727,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/828 Managing virtual sport teams
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/86 Watching games played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for game play using virtual players, sometimes referred to herein as vBots, is disclosed. In one aspect, a method for game play involves the use of the system electronic system environment described herein, wherein one or more virtual players are displayed to the player of the game, preferably, the virtual players have differing play characteristics, receiving from the user association with a selection of a virtual player, displaying a simulated game using the virtual players, identifying a subset of the virtual players as being winners of the simulated game, and awarding a win to the lottery user if the selected virtual player is in the subset of virtual players. In this way, the player of the game is selecting a virtual player to do the playing of the base game, thereby providing the excitement of player participation in a game of skill or chance, yet not actually be playing the game. Yet another parameter for modified and enhanced game play is the arrangement and presentation of various graphics, symbols, or icons (collectively “indicia”) to the player. The arrangement of the indicia in a predefined arrangement indicates that the player has won. By way of example, a grid or array arrangement may be used wherein the winning combination is a set of indicia arranged in a line, either horizontally in a row, vertically in a column or diagonally. Other patterns using multiple adjoining segments may be used, such as an X-pattern or a T-pattern. Alternatively, a predefined patter of non-adjoining segments may be used, such as where a win includes matches in a four corners or north, south, east and west positions.

Claims

1. A method for game play involving the user of the system in an electronic environment, comprising the steps of:

displaying one or more virtual players, the virtual players having differing play characteristics,

receiving from the user association with a selection of a virtual player,

displaying a simulated game using the virtual players,

identifying a subset of the virtual players as being winners of the simulated game, and

awarding a win to the lottery user if the selected virtual player is in the subset of virtual players.

2. The method for game playoff claim 1 wherein the virtual players are displayed as graphical images.

3. The method for game play of claim 2 wherein the graphical images are cartoon images.

4. The method for game play of claim 2 wherein the graphical images are human images.

5. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the simulated game is poker.

6. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the simulated game is blackjack.

7. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the simulated game is chess.

8. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the simulated game is a sports game.

9. The method for game play of claim 8 wherein the sports game is tennis.

10. The method for game play of claim 8 wherein the sports game is football.

11. The method for game play of claim 8 wherein the sports game is baseball.

12. The method for game play of claim 8 wherein the sports game is hockey.

13. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the outcome of the simulated game is predetermined.

14. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the outcome of the simulated game is not predetermined.

15. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the virtual players have differing play characteristics.

16. The method for game play of claim 15 wherein the virtual players have varying chances of winning.

17. The method for game play of claim 15 wherein a weighting is applied to equalize the probability of winning by the virtual players.

18. The method for game play of claim 17 wherein the weighting is a point spread.

19. The method for game play of claim 17 wherein the weighting is a handicap.

20. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the play characteristics of the virtual players are disclosed to the users.

21. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the play characteristics of the virtual players are not disclosed to the users.

22. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the subset of the virtual players is a single virtual player.

23. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the subset of the virtual players is two virtual players.

24. The method for game play of claim 23 wherein the virtual player comprises a team of virtual players.

25. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the lottery game includes a guaranteed prizing structure.

26. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the electronic environment includes remote game play.

27. The method for game play of claim 26 wherein the remote game play is over the internet.

28. The method for game play of claim 1 wherein the game is a lottery game.

29. A method for solitary game play in an electronic environment comprising the steps of:

displaying a bingo grid to the user of the system, the grid including multiple rows and columns of locations,

a plurality of the locations including a unique designator,

providing multiple comparative designators to the player, the multiple comparative designators being selected by the lottery system,

indicating those areas of the grid in which the comparative designator matches the designators on the grid, and

assigning a win to a player based upon predetermined criteria of the matches.

30. The method for solitary game play of claim 29 wherein a fixed number of comparative designators are provided to the user.

31. The method for solitary game play of claim 29 wherein the user has multiple separate bingo grids.

32. The method for solitary game play of claim 31 wherein the multiple grids are arranged in a geometric pattern.

33. The method for solitary game play of claim 32 wherein the geometric pattern is a cube and the multiple grids are arranged on the faces of the cube.

34. The method for solitary game play of claim 29 wherein the user selects at least some of the unique designators on the grid.

35. The method for solitary game play of claim 29 wherein the grid is a 3 by 3 grid.

36. The method for solitary game play of claim 29 wherein the grid is a 5 by 5 grid.

37. The method for solitary game play of claim 29 wherein one or more free spaces are provided on the grid.

38. The method for solitary game play of claim 29 wherein the predetermined criteria for a win includes matches in a row.

39. The method for solitary game play of claim 29 wherein the predetermined criteria for a win includes matches in a column.

40. The method for solitary game play of claim 29 wherein the predetermined criteria for a win includes matches in a diagonal.

41. The method for solitary game play of claim 29 wherein the predetermined criteria for a win includes matches in a x-pattern.

42. The method for solitary game play of claim 29 wherein the predetermined criteria for a win includes matches in a four corners.

43. The method for solitary game play of claim 29 wherein the comparative designators are obscured until selected by the user.

44. The method for solitary game play of claim 29 wherein multiple predetermined criteria exists for one game.

45. The method for solitary game play of claim 44 wherein the multiple predetermined criteria are associate with multiple, different printing.

46. The method for solitary game play of claim 29 further including audio associated with game play.

47. A system for effecting user experience and prizing in an electronic environment, comprising:

an input for receiving mandated parameters,

a memory coupled to the input for storing at least the mandated parameters,

a processing system coupled to the memory for implementing the mandated parameters by utilizing variable parameters,

storage for recording information regarding particular user experience events as determined by the processor, and

a presentation system for at least displaying user experience events, wherein the result of the play is determined by the physical display of indicia in a predetermined organized pattern.

48. The system for effecting user experience and prizing of claim 47 wherein the organized pattern in an array.

49. The system for effecting user experience and prizing of claim 47 wherein a win corresponds to multiple adjacent segments in the array being selected.

50. The system for effecting user experience and prizing of claim 47 wherein the organized pattern is a string of letters.

51. The system for effecting user experience and prizing of claim 50 wherein the string of letters is a word.

52. The system for effecting user experience and prizing of claim 50 wherein the string of letters is formed in an N by 1 array.

53. The system for effecting user experience and prizing of claim 50 wherein the string of letters is in a two dimensional array.