Multiple-playstation game of chance

• US 5,797,794 A
• Filed: 10/16/1996
• Issued: 08/25/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GTECH Rhode Island Corporation (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: GTECH Corporation (GTECH SpA)
• Inventors: Angell, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Application Number:
  US08/731,498
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/17, 463/18, 463/20, 463/42, 463/25, 273/269
• US Class Current: 463/18
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

A method of playing a game of chance, and the game of chance, include a plurality of playstations, one of which is chosen by a player for entering a quantity of player symbols, e.g., numbers. A unique game symbol is assigned to each playstation of the plurality of playstations, the game symbol being chosen from a set of game symbols, e.g., numbers. A quantity of winning symbols is randomly selected from the set of game symbols. The player wins the game if a predetermined number of the player symbols match the winning symbols or if the game symbol assigned to the player'"'"'s playstation is related to one of the winning symbols in a predetermined manner, e.g., if the game number assigned to the player'"'"'s playstation matches one of the winning numbers or is numerically adjacent to one of the winning numbers.

Claims

1. A method of playing a game of chance, comprising

providing a plurality of playstations, one of which is chosen by a player for entering a quantity of player symbols;

assigning a unique game symbol to each playstation of the plurality of playstations, the game symbol being chosen from a set of game symbols; and

randomly selecting a quantity of winning symbols from the set of game symbols;

wherein the player wins the game if a predetermined number of the player symbols match the winning symbols or if the game symbol assigned to the player'"'"'s playstation is related to one of the winning symbols in a predetermined manner.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the player wins the game if the game symbol assigned to the player'"'"'s playstation matches one of the winning symbols.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the player symbols are chosen from the set of game symbols.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing a player account at the player'"'"'s playstation.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically awarding a prize to a winning player through the winning player'"'"'s playstation.

6. A method of playing a game of chance, comprising

providing a plurality of playstations, one of which is chosen by a player for entering a quantity of player numbers;

assigning a unique game number to each playstation of the plurality of playstations, the game number being chosen from a set of game numbers; and

randomly selecting a quantity of winning numbers from the set of game numbers;

wherein the player wins the game if a predetermined number of the player numbers match the winning numbers or if the game number assigned to the player'"'"'s playstation is related to one of the winning numbers in a predetermined manner.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the player wins the game if the game number assigned to the player'"'"'s playstation matches one of the winning numbers.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the player wins the game if the game number assigned to the player'"'"'s playstation is numerically adjacent to one of the winning numbers.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of randomly selecting the quantity of winning numbers is accomplished by a random number generator.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the player numbers are chosen from the set of game numbers.

11. A game of chance to be played through a plurality of playstations, comprising

a player'"'"'s playstation chosen by a player from the plurality of playstations, each playstation including a processor for providing an indication of a quantity of player symbols;

a unique game symbol assigned to each playstation of the plurality of playstations, the game symbol being chosen from a set of game symbols; and

a symbol selector for randomly selecting a quantity of winning symbols from the set of game symbols;

wherein the player wins the game if a predetermined number of the player symbols match the winning symbols or if the game symbol assigned to the player'"'"'s playstation is related to one of the winning symbols in a predetermined manner.

12. The game of claim 11 wherein the player symbols are chosen from the set of game symbols.

13. The game of claim 11 wherein the playstations are electronic playstations.

14. The game of claim 13 wherein the playstations are interconnected via an electronic network.

15. The game of claim 11 wherein each playstation includes a display device.

16. The game of claim 15 wherein the display device is a touch-sensitive screen.

17. The game of claim 11 wherein each playstation includes a funds acceptor for establishing a player account.

18. A game of chance to be played through a plurality of playstations, comprising

a player'"'"'s playstation chosen by a player from the plurality of playstations, each playstation including a processor for providing an indication of a quantity of player numbers;

a unique game number assigned to each playstation of the plurality of playstations, the game symbol being chosen from a set of game numbers; and

a number selector for randomly selecting a quantity of winning numbers from the set of game numbers;

wherein the player wins the game if a predetermined number of the player numbers match the winning numbers or if the game number assigned to the player'"'"'s playstation is related to one of the winning numbers in a predetermined manner.

19. The game of claim 18 wherein the player numbers are chosen from the set of game numbers.

20. The game of claim 18 wherein set of game numbers is the set of integers from 1 through the number of the plurality of playstations.

21. The game of claim 18 wherein the number selector is a random number generator.

22. A game of chance to be played through a plurality of playstations, comprising

a player'"'"'s playstation chosen by a player from the plurality of playstations, each playstation including an indicator for providing an indication of a quality of player symbols;

a unique game symbol assigned to each playstation of the plurality of playstations, the game symbol being chosen from a set of game symbols; and

a symbol selector for randomly selecting a quality of winning symbols from the set of game symbols;

wherein the player wins the game if a predetermined number of the player symbols match the winning symbols or if the game symbol assigned to the player'"'"'s playstation is related to one of the winning symbols in a predetermined manner.

23. The game of claim 22 wherein the indicator comprises a keyboard.

24. The game of claim 22 wherein the indicator comprises a touch sensitive screen.