Televised bingo game system
First Claim
1. A television game show system comprising:
- (A) a computer system for generating a required number of sheets each containing a preselected number of unique bingo cards from the pool of all potential bingo cards, for distribution to bingo players in a television station'"'"'s viewing area, with each sheet having a unique identification number assigned thereto;
(B) at least one variable content printing means to print out each sheet of bingo cards;
(C) a telephone system for providing to the computer system information received via a telephone connection which pertains to at least an identification of a player and the sheet identification number for an associated sheet of bingo cards;
(D) means responsive to receipt of a sheet identification number for regenerating the contents of an associated sheet of bingo cards and for storing information in a first database relating to the regenerated contents of the cards on the associated sheet and the associated player identification that was received via the telephone connection;
(E) means to define to the computer system at least one winning pattern on a bingo card that is used to determine winners of a bingo game;
(F) means to randomly select bingo numbers one at a time from a pool of all seventy-five possible bingo numbers;
(G) means to inform a television audience of the bingo numbers as they are selected;
(H) means to enter the selected bingo numbers into the computer system;
(I) means to determine if a selected bingo number matches a number that is included in the set of numbers on each bingo card whose information is stored in said first database;
(J) means to determine if there is a pattern of matched bingo numbers on a card that is the same as a defined wining bingo pattern;
(K) means to determine the identification of the players associated with a winning bingo card; and
(L) means to inform the television audience the player identification of the bingo game winners.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method to provide a mass audience television game show based on bingo that is played on impulse many times per day. Players use erasable daubers to mark system generated plastic laminated sheets of reusable bingo cards. Entry to the game is by telephone with the automatic acquisition of players names and other information required to play the game. Billing is provided by a `900` number billing service or by charging a players credit card. A computer system plays the selected bingo balls against all the entered bingo cards, determines the winners and announces the winners names over the television channel. This system is totally automated without any staff required to accept players entries or to operate the television game show. A semiautomated version includes an announcer and the selection and display of the bingo balls manually over the television channel as well as the personal announcement of the winners.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A television game show system comprising:
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(A) a computer system for generating a required number of sheets each containing a preselected number of unique bingo cards from the pool of all potential bingo cards, for distribution to bingo players in a television station'"'"'s viewing area, with each sheet having a unique identification number assigned thereto; (B) at least one variable content printing means to print out each sheet of bingo cards; (C) a telephone system for providing to the computer system information received via a telephone connection which pertains to at least an identification of a player and the sheet identification number for an associated sheet of bingo cards; (D) means responsive to receipt of a sheet identification number for regenerating the contents of an associated sheet of bingo cards and for storing information in a first database relating to the regenerated contents of the cards on the associated sheet and the associated player identification that was received via the telephone connection; (E) means to define to the computer system at least one winning pattern on a bingo card that is used to determine winners of a bingo game; (F) means to randomly select bingo numbers one at a time from a pool of all seventy-five possible bingo numbers; (G) means to inform a television audience of the bingo numbers as they are selected; (H) means to enter the selected bingo numbers into the computer system; (I) means to determine if a selected bingo number matches a number that is included in the set of numbers on each bingo card whose information is stored in said first database; (J) means to determine if there is a pattern of matched bingo numbers on a card that is the same as a defined wining bingo pattern; (K) means to determine the identification of the players associated with a winning bingo card; and (L) means to inform the television audience the player identification of the bingo game winners. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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9. The system of claim including input means to accept a bingo player'"'"'s credit information and to store it in a second database of bingo information so that a bingo player'"'"'s account is billed for the charges to play bingo.
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16. A method for playing a television game show based on bingo comprising the steps of:
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(A) selecting bingo cards in unique sets of defined size from a computer generated pool of all potential bingo cards, and assigning each set of bingo cards a unique identification number; (B) printing each different sheet of bingo cards with the assigned identification number, and distributing the sheets of bingo cards to potential bingo players in a television station'"'"'s viewing area; (C) accepting telephone calls from individual players who provide at least the sheet identification number for a sheet of bingo cards they want to play in the next bingo game and a player identification; (D) regenerating the set of bingo cards on the players sheet from the sheet identification number provided by the player for the next bingo game to be played; (E) storing the regenerated bingo cards and player identification in a first database in readiness to play the next bingo game; (F) defining to the computer system at least one winning pattern that is used to determine winners of the bingo game; (G) randomly selecting bingo numbers one at time from a pool of all seventy-five possible bingo numbers; (H) informing a television audience of the bingo numbers as they are selected; (I) determining for each stored bingo card in the first database (E) if the bingo numbers match the bingo numbers as they are selected (G) to determine if there is a pattern of matched bingo numbers on any card that matches a previously defined winning bingo pattern (F); (J) determining the player identification associated with the winning bingo cards; and (K) informing the television audience the player identification of the bingo game winners. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A television game show system comprising:
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(A) a computer system for generating a required number of sheets each containing a preselected number of unique values from the pool of all potential values for play of the game, for distribution to game players in a television station'"'"'s viewing area, with each sheet having a unique identification number assigned thereto; (B) at least one variable content printing means to print out each sheet of values; (C) a telephone system for providing to the computer system information received via a telephone connection which pertains to at least an identification of a player and the sheet identification number for an associated sheet of values; (D) means responsive to receipt of a sheet identification number for regenerating the contents of the associated sheet and for storing information in a first database relating to the regenerated contents of the associated sheet and the associated player identification that was received via the telephone connection; (E) means to inform a television audience of game play values as they are selected; (F) means to enter the selected values into the computer system; (G) means to determine if a selected value matches a value that is included in each set of values that is stored in said first database; (H) means to determine whether matched values for each sheet whose regenerated contents are stored in said first database comprise a winning set of values; (I) means to determine the identification of players associated with winning sets of values; and (J) means to inform the television audience of the player identification of the winners. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A method for playing a television game show comprising the steps of:
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(A) selecting game-play values in unique sets of defined size from a computer generated pool of all potential values for playing the game, and assigning each set of values a unique identification number; (B) printing each set of different values with the assigned identification number on respective sheets, and distributing the sheets to potential players in a television station'"'"'s viewing area; (C) accepting telephone calls from individual players who provide at least the sheet identification number for a sheet of values they want to play and a player identification; (D) regenerating the set of values for a sheet from the sheet identification number provided by the player; (E) storing the regenerated values, and a player identification in a first database; (F) randomly selecting game values one at a time from a pool of all possible game values; (G) informing the television audience of the values as they are selected; (H) determining for each stored set of values in the first database (E) if a selected value matches the stored value to determine a winner; (I) determining the identification of a player associated with a winning set of values; and (J) informing the television audience of the player identification game winners. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. A method for one or more on site agents to employ a computer system to play remotely located player'"'"'s game data in a local game comprising the steps of:
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(A) accepting telephone calls from individual remotely located players who provide at least an identification number for a set of game values they want the agent to play in a game, and a player identification; (B) regenerating on the computer system the set of game values from the identification number provided by the player; (C) storing on the computer the regenerated game values and player identification in a first database; (D) defining the computer system at least one winning set of values that is used to determine winners of the game; (E) providing the computer system with selected game values; (F) determining for each stored set of values in the first database (C) whether the selected game values match the stored values to determine a winner; (G) determining the identification of a player associated with a winning set of values.
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40. A television game show system comprising:
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(A) a first computer system for generating a required number of sheets each containing a preselected number of unique sets of game values from the pool of all potential game values, for distribution to game players in a television station'"'"'s viewing area, with each sheet having a unique identification number assigned thereto; (B) a storage system operatively connected to the first computer system to store the required number of sheets in a format suitable for printing and subsequent retrieval; (C) at least one variable content printing means to print out each sheet of game values; (D) a second computer system connected to the first computer system via communications lines; (E) a telephone system connected to said second computer system for providing to the second computer system information received via a telephone connection which pertains to at least an identification of a player and the sheet identification number for an associated sheet of game values; (F) means to retrieve a set of game values form the storage means connected to the first computer system that is associated with the identification number of a sheet of game values; (G) a first database for storing information relating to the set of game values printed on the sheet identified by the sheet identification number and the associated player identification that was received via the telephone connection; (H) means to define to the second computer system at least one winning set of game values that is used to determine winners of a game; (I) means to randomly select game values one at a time from a pool of all possible game values; (J) means to inform a television audience of the game values as they are selected; (K) means to enter the selected game values into the second computer system; (L) means to determine if a selected game value matches a value that is included in each set of values stored in said first database; (M) means to determine if there is a set of matched game values that is the same as a defined winning set; (N) means to determine the identification of players associated with winning set of values; and (O) means to inform the television audience of the player identification of the game winners.
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Specification