Online game of chance providing a multi-player extension of a single-player virtual scratch ticket game and a method of playing the game

• US 6,514,144 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2001
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GTECH Corporation (GTECH SpA)
• Original Assignee: GTECH Corporation (GTECH SpA)
• Inventors: McAllister, Matthew, Blackmar, Jasmin, Dutton, Clifton, Riendeau, Timothy, Gannon, Sharon, DeTora, John
• Primary Examiner(s): JIANG, CHEN WEN
• Application Number:
  US09/872,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20010049305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/17, 463/18, 463/19, 463/20, 463/21, 463/22, 463/30, 463/31, 463/37, 463/40, 463/42, 273/236, 273/269, 273/272, 273/274, 273/292
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00094 Ticktacktoe
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric
• 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

Abstract

An online game of chance that produces a multi-player extension to an individual, instant lottery-type game and a method of playing the game are disclosed. The game comprises a first, individual phase of play using a virtual game substrate and a second, group phase of play comprising a plurality of virtual game substrates from first phase of play that are arrayed in a matrix. The first, individual phase of play is based on in instant lottery version of the well-known game of tic-tac-toe; the object being to match a plurality of game pieces, e.g., three, in one of a contiguous row, column, and diagonal. The object of the second phase of play is to use the combination of virtual game substrates to produce a match with one or more predetermined winning array combinations. This provides each individual participant with a second chance of winning. With the second phase of play, the combination of virtual game substrates is also movable, which produces even more opportunities for participants to win a prize.

Claims

1. An online game of chance that is played by at least one participant, the game comprising:

a first game phase using a virtual game substrate, having a grid, which includes a plurality of playing squares arrayed thereon in a plurality of rows and columns; and

a second game phase using a matrix, said matrix comprising a plurality of movable virtual game substrates from the first game phase disposed in an array;

wherein said at least one participant can win a prize during said first game phase if at least three matching game pieces, which are disposed in the playing squares of the grid, are arrayed contiguously in at least one of a row, a column, and a diagonal in the grid; and

wherein said at least one participant can win a prize during said second game phase if a combination of game pieces, when arrayed in said matrix, match a predetermined winning array of game pieces.

2. The game as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of movable virtual game substrates is disposed to populate a first quadrant of the matrix.

3. The game as recited in claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of movable virtual game substrates is movable sequentially to a second, then to a third, and finally to a fourth quadrant of the matrix.

4. The game as recited in claim 3, wherein each of said plurality of movable virtual scratch substrates is movable to said second, third, and fourth quadrants of the matrix in a clockwise direction.

5. The game as recited in claim 1 wherein a first participant can win a prize during said first game phase if said first participant reveals a game piece that, in combination with two or more previously-revealed matching game pieces, produces at least three matching game pieces that are arrayed contiguously in at least one of a row, a column, and a diagonal in the grid on the virtual game substrate of a second participant.

6. The game as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one participant can win a prize during said second game phase if a combination of game pieces, when arrayed in said matrix, match substantially all of a predetermined winning array of game pieces.

7. The game as recited in claim 1, wherein the game is played online using at least one of the following the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, a wireless network, a personal desk assistant, and interactive television.

8. A method of playing an online game of chance comprising the steps of:

providing one or more participants with a plurality of virtual game substrates, having a plurality of game pieces that are concealed from view by a virtual covering, wherein said plurality of game pieces is disposed in a plurality of playing squares in a grid;

playing a first game phase, whereby said one or more participants removes said virtual covering from said plurality of virtual game substrates to reveal said plurality of game pieces that is disposed thereunder, to determine whether a substrate is a winning substrate; and

playing a second game phase, whereby said plurality of virtual game substrates are combined and movably arrayed in a matrix, to determine whether said combination of virtual game substrates is a winning combination of game substrates.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said virtual covering is removed by clicking a mouse cursor on one of said plurality of playing squares of said grid.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said virtual covering is removed from one of said plurality of game squares sequentially to reveal one of said plurality of game pieces at a time.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said virtual covering is removed simultaneously from each of said plurality of game squares to reveal all of said plurality of game pieces at once.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the method comprises the further steps of:

arraying each of said plurality of virtual game substrates in one of a first quadrant, a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant of said matrix;

transposing each of said arrayed plurality of virtual game substrates to each of said first, second, third, and fourth quadrants; and

determining whether said moved plurality of virtual game substrates is a winning combination by comparing each combination of game pieces disposed in said plurality of playing squares of the matrix with a predetermined winning combination of game pieces.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said arrayed plurality of virtual game substrates is transposed by transposing:

a first game piece disposed in the first quadrant to the second quadrant;

a second game piece disposed in the second quadrant to the third quadrant;

a third game piece disposed in the third quadrant to the fourth quadrant; and

a fourth game piece disposed in the fourth quadrant to the first quadrant.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said arrayed plurality of virtual game substrates is further transposed by transposing:

a first game piece disposed in the second quadrant to the third quadrant;

a second game piece disposed in the third quadrant to the fourth quadrant;

a third game piece disposed in the fourth quadrant to the first quadrant; and

a fourth game piece disposed in the first quadrant to the second quadrant.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said arrayed plurality of virtual game substrates is further transposed by transposing:

a first game piece disposed in the third quadrant to the fourth quadrant;

a second game piece disposed in the fourth quadrant to the first quadrant;

a third game piece disposed in the first quadrant to the second quadrant; and

a fourth game piece disposed in the second quadrant to the third quadrant.

16. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein each of said one or more participants reveals his or her plurality of game pieces by removing said virtual covering from his or her own virtual game substrates.

17. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein a first participant reveals his or her plurality of game pieces by removing said virtual covering from one or more virtual game substrates that belong to a second participant.