Pattern keno game

• US 5,813,911 A
• Filed: 08/21/1996
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Margolin, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US08/701,309
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/17, 463/18, 463/19, 463/20, 463/21, 273/138.1, 273/269, 364/412, 364/410
• US Class Current: 463/19
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0645 Electric lottos or bingo games

Abstract

A method and device for playing a game. The device comprising a video screen for displaying a playing board wherein the playing board comprises an array of squares, access for accepting a bet from a player, a selector for a player to select a pattern of squares on the playing board, a template generator, a random number generator for selecting, at random, squares within the playing board, a scanner to calculate the number of randomly selected squares which are contained within the template for each different position in which the template is included within the playing board, a calculator for determining the payout for a winning position and for tallying the winnings and crediting the winnings to the player.

Claims

1. A method of playing a game having a playing board divided into a desired number of squares, a means for a player to select a pattern of squares on the playing board and a means for generating a random selection of squares on the playing board, comprising:

preparing a template from the pattern of squares selected by the player;

generating a random selection of squares on the playing board by the game;

overlaying the template over the playing board, in each of the positions where the template is included;

counting the number of randomly selected squares contained within the template;

determining the payout; and

crediting the payouts to the player.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the playing board consists of an array of eighty squares in an arrangement of 8×

10.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein twenty squares are randomly selected by the game.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein four to ten of the squares on the playing board are selected by the player.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the squares selected by the player are selected from the group consisting of contiguous and noncontiguous squares.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the template retains the spatial arrangement of the pattern of squares chosen.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the playing board is displayed on a video screen.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the pattern of squares selected by the player are displayed on the video screen.

9. A method of playing a game having a playing board comprising a grid of eighty squares arranged in an 8×

10 array, means for a player to select a pattern of between four and ten squares on the playing board and a random number generator for selecting twenty squares from the grid at random, comprising;

a. preparing a template from the pattern of squares selected by the player;

b. generating a random selection of twenty squares on the playing board by the game;

c. overlaying the template over the playing board at a first position;

d. counting the number of randomly selected squares contained within the template at the first position;

e. determining the payout for the first position;

f. moving the template to a next position;

g. counting the number of randomly selected squares included within the template at the next position;

h. determining the payout for the next position;

i. repeating steps f. to h. until all the different positions in which the template will be included on the board have been scanned;

j. totaling the payouts derived from the each of the positions; and

k. crediting the payouts to the player.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the squares selected by the player are selected from the group consisting of contiguous and noncontiguous squares.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein when a noncontiguous pattern of squares is chosen the template retains the relative spatial arrangement of the pattern of squares.

12. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the playing board is displayed on a video screen.

13. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the pattern of squares selected by the player are displayed on the video screen.

14. A device for playing a game comprising:

a video screen for displaying a playing board wherein the playing board comprises an array of squares;

means for accepting a bet from a player;

means for a player to select a pattern of squares on the playing board;

means for generating a template from the pattern chosen by the player;

a random number generator for selecting, at random, squares within the playing board;

means for scanning the playing board with the template to calculate the number of randomly selected squares which are included within the template for each different position in which the template is included within the playing board;

means for calculating the payout for a winning position;

means for tallying the winnings; and

means for crediting the winnings to the player.

15. The device as recited in claim 14 wherein the playing board consists of an array of eighty squares in an arrangement of 8×

10.

16. The device as recited in claim 15 wherein twenty squares are randomly selected by the game.

17. The device as recited in claim 15 wherein a minimum of four to a maximum of ten squares are selected by the player.

18. The device as recited in claim 14 wherein the squares selected by the player are selected from the group consisting of contiguous and noncontiguous squares.

19. The device as recited in claim 18 wherein when a noncontiguous pattern of squares is chosen the template retains the relative spatial arrangement of the pattern of squares.