Automated league and tournament device

• US 6,048,271 A
• Filed: 05/07/1996
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tournament Holdings Ltd. LLC
• Original Assignee: David M. Barcelou
• Inventors: Barcelou, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica J.
• Application Number:
  US08/643,827
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: 463/4, 463/7, 463/25, 463/29, 463/40, 463/42, 463/46, 463/48, 463/16, 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 902/23, 700/90, 700/91
• US Class Current: 463/48
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/57 details of game services offered to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/0684 with play figures slidable or rotatable about a vertical axis A63F7/0672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A sport or skill game device in which equipment for accepting and dispensing currency, preferably of more than one type (both actual cash and encodable credit, for example), is provided in close proximity with and in electronic connection to one or more of any of a number of sport or skill game devices for play by two or more players. The device contains a computerized function (and appropriate hardware and software) so that the outcome of at least one game of skill may be decided among two or more entrants whose entry fees and currency payouts (to the winners) are tendered and distributed as part of the overall operation of the device.

Claims

1. A league device, comprising:

game means wherein means are provided for play by at least one player, and at least one opponent, of a game of skill, said game means being positioned adjacent a means for accepting and immediately and automatically disbursing currency wherein said game means and said means for accepting and disbursing currency further contain means to enable independent or simultaneous operation of said game means and said means for accepting and disbursing currency.

2. A league device comprising:

a game wherein play controls are provided for play by at least two players of a game of skill;

a computerized control in communication with said game; and

an automated teller function for accepting and disbursing currency in communication with said computerized control, wherein said game is substantially housed by a kiosk, wherein said computerized control engages one of a local area network and a wide area network;

whereby administration of league play of two or more players of a game of skill is conducted automatically including acceptance of entry fees and disbursement of any winnings.

3. The league device according to claim 2 wherein said kiosk houses an automated teller machine.

4. The league device according to claim 2 wherein the device includes at least two kiosks each of which substantially houses at least one of said game, wherein said computerized control engages a wide area network.

5. The league device according to claim 2 wherein said kiosk also contains a juke box and at least one control therefor.

6. The league device according to claim 2 wherein said kiosk further houses services for one of electromechanical games of skill services;

smart card services;

insurance services;

restaurant services;

travel services;

sports services;

gaming device services;

delivery services;

coupon services;

introduction services;

audio services;

news services transportation services;

utility services;

physician services;

school services;

security services;

building services;

credit services;

directory services;

home services;

military services;

personal services;

automotive services;

employment services;

recreational services;

travelers check services;

children'"'"'s services;

video games of skill services;

Internet services;

brokerage services;

government services;

entertainment services;

library services;

catalogue services;

print services;

diagnostic services;

chat services;

video services;

database services;

barter services;

engineering services;

pharmacy services;

identification services;

detective services;

church services;

loan services;

training services;

buying services;

recruitment services;

accounting services;

photographic services;

food services;

radio services;

credit services;

theme park services;

music services;

financial services;

full-line vending services;

health care services;

remote access services;

payment services;

computer services;

search services;

network services;

subscription services;

virtual reality services;

advertising services;

rental services;

programming services;

beverage services;

credit/debit card services;

freight services;

stored value card services;

beauty services;

tax services;

leasing services;

medical services;

emergency services;

publishing services;

counseling services;

satellite services;

screening services;

real estate services;

telephone services;

ticket services;

television services;

dating services;

information services;

lottery services;

software services;

reservation services;

communication services;

Intranet services;

adult services;

referral services;

repair services;

legal services;

consulting services;

maintenance services;

moving services;

trade show services;

design services;

lodging services;

mail services;

fast food services;

automated services;

recording services;

clothing services;

wireless services;

human services; and

encryption services.

7. A league device comprising:

a kiosk containing game means, control means and means for accepting and disbursing currency, said game means providing for play by at least two players of a game of skill further comprising at least two play stations and at least one network connection between said at least two play stations;

said control means having capability of controlling said game means; and

means for accepting and disbursing currency in communication with said control means wherein said means for accepting and disbursing currency accepts and dispenses currency selected from the group consisting of actual cash and digital currency, whereby administration of league play of two or more players of a game of skill is conducted automatically including acceptance of entry fees and immediate disbursement of winnings as currency selected from the group consisting of actual cash and digital currency.

8. The league device according to claim 7 wherein said game means further includes at least one video screen to facilitate user control of said game means.

9. The league device according to claim 7 wherein said game means further includes at least one video screen configured both to facilitate user control of said game means and to control at least one additional retail transaction means present in association with said game means.

10. The league device according to claim 7 wherein said means for accepting and disbursing currency further comprises in combination a bill acceptor, a bill dispenser, and credit card reader and a smart card reader.

11. The league device according to claim 7 wherein said game means includes at least one video control screen, at least one card reader/encoder and at least one audio speaker.

12. The league device according to claim 9 wherein said additional retail transaction means is a juke box.

13. The league device according to claim 9 wherein said additional retail transaction means is selected from the group consisting of Skill Services;

Smart Card Services;

Insurance Services;

Restaurant Services;

Travel Services;

Sports Services;

Gaming Device Services;

Delivery Services;

Coupon Services;

Introduction Services;

Audio Services;

News Services;

Transportation Services;

Utility Services;

Physician Services;

School Services;

Security Services;

Building Services;

Credit Services;

Directory Services;

Home Services;

Military Services;

Personal Services;

Automotive Services;

Employment Services;

Recreational Services;

Travelers Check Services;

Kids Services;

Videogames of Skill Services;

Internet Services;

Brokerage Services;

Government Services;

Entertainment Services;

Library Services;

Catalog Services;

Print Services;

Diagnostic Services;

Chat Services;

Video Services;

Database Services;

Barter Services;

Engineering Services;

Pharmacy Services;

Identification Services;

Detective Services;

Church Services;

Loan Services;

Training Services;

Buying Services;

Recruitment Services;

Accounting Services;

Photographic Services;

Food Services;

Radio Services;

Credit Services;

Theme Park Services;

Music Services;

Financial Services;

Full-line Vending Services;

Health Care Services;

Remote Access Services;

Payment Services;

Computer Services;

Search Services;

Network Services;

Subscription Services;

Virtual Reality Services;

Advertising Services;

Rental Services;

Programming Services;

Beverage Services;

Credit/Debit Card Services;

Freight Services;

Stored Value Card Services;

Beauty Services;

Tax Services;

Leasing Services;

Medical Services;

Emergency Services;

Publishing Services;

Counseling Services;

Satellite Services;

Screening Services;

Real Estate Services;

Telephone Services;

Ticket Services;

Television Services;

Dating Services;

Information Services;

Lottery Services;

Software Services;

Reservation Services;

Communication Services;

Intranet Services;

Adult Services;

Referral Services;

Repair Services;

Legal Services;

Consulting Services;

Maintenance Services;

Moving Services;

Trade Show Services;

Design Services;

Lodging Services;

Mail Services;

Fast Food Services;

Automated Services;

Recording Services;

Clothing Services;

Wireless Services;

Human Services; and

Encryption Services.