COMPUTER GAME DISPLAY SYSTEM AND PROCESSES, IN ELECTRONICALLY-CONTROLLED MULTI-PARTICIPANT GAME CONTESTS, FOR AGGREGATING AND COMPOSING A COMMON DISPLAY AND FOR INCORPORATING VIRTUAL PARTICIPANTS IN THE CONTEXT OF GAMES/CONTESTS INVOLVING ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS
First Claim
1. In a computer-based game, a method of compiling and displaying participant game events and status information, said method comprising the steps of:
- composing a common information display to include a plurality of participant windows for visually displaying game events and status information for a respective plurality of participants;
updating each of said participant windows in real-time as the game proceeds so that said participant windows show each event of each participant'"'"'s game in real time, and current status information for each of said plurality of participants; and
presenting said common information display to said plurality of participants throughout the course of the game, so that each participant can view all participant'"'"'s games and monitor individual progress toward winning the game in relation to the progress of other participants;
wherein said composing step further comprises composing the common information display to include a summary status window including information regarding participation in the game by “
virtual”
participants, and further wherein said presenting step includes presenting the summary status window on the common information display.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An information display system and method is provided for computer-based games and the like, particularly of the type involving multiple participants who may be present at a game site or alternately located at one or more remote sites. The display system and method monitors the status of each participant as a particular game progresses. The system combines the monitored status information for all participants and generates a common information display so that individual participants can view their status relative to other game participants, and thereby assess their individual chances of winning as the game proceeds. The invention is suited for rapid and efficient playing of games of chance or skill in a casino environment or the like, wherein the game can accommodate a large number of participants including “active” participants located at the game site as well as “virtual” participants who may not be present at the game site.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. In a computer-based game, a method of compiling and displaying participant game events and status information, said method comprising the steps of:
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composing a common information display to include a plurality of participant windows for visually displaying game events and status information for a respective plurality of participants;
updating each of said participant windows in real-time as the game proceeds so that said participant windows show each event of each participant'"'"'s game in real time, and current status information for each of said plurality of participants; and
presenting said common information display to said plurality of participants throughout the course of the game, so that each participant can view all participant'"'"'s games and monitor individual progress toward winning the game in relation to the progress of other participants;
wherein said composing step further comprises composing the common information display to include a summary status window including information regarding participation in the game by “
virtual”
participants, and further wherein said presenting step includes presenting the summary status window on the common information display.
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2. In a computer-based game, a method of compiling and displaying participant game events and status information, said method comprising the steps of:
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composing a common information display to include a plurality of participant windows for visually displaying game events and status information for a respective plurality of participants;
updating each of said participant windows in real-time as the game proceeds so that said participant windows show each event of each participant'"'"'s game in real time, and current status information for each of said plurality of participants; and
presenting said common information display to said plurality of participants throughout the course of the game, so that each participant can view all participant'"'"'s games and monitor individual progress toward winning the game in relation to the progress of other participants;
wherein said updating step comprises ranking the participants according to each participant'"'"'s real-time progress toward winning the game, and further wherein said presenting step comprises presenting the common information display in an array wherein windows for at least a selected number of leading participants are rearranged and displayed in order of participant ranking.
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3. In a computer-based game, a system of compiling and displaying participant game events and status information, said system comprising:
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computer means for composing a common information display to include a plurality of participant windows for visually displaying game events and status information for a respective plurality of participants;
said computer means including processor means for updating each of said participant windows in real-time as the game proceeds so that said participant windows show each event of each participant'"'"'s game in real time and current status information for each of said plurality of participants; and
display means for presenting said common information display to said plurality of participants throughout the course of the game, so that each participant can view each participant'"'"'s game and monitor individual progress toward winning the game in relation to the progress of other participants;
wherein said processor means ranks the participants according to each participant'"'"'s real-time progress toward winning the game; and
wherein said display means presents the common information display in an array wherein windows for at least a selected number of leading participants are periodically rearranged to display the windows in order of participant ranking. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer-based game system, comprising:
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computer means including means responsive to inputted participant information to open accounts for a plurality of “
active”
participants and for a plurality of “
virtual”
participants;
a plurality of “
active”
participant terminals associated respectively with said plurality of “
active”
participants and each including means for inputting to said computer means participant information regarding the participation and stake in a game for each of said “
active”
participants; and
at least one “
virtual”
participant terminal including means for inputting to said computer means participant information regarding the participation and stake in the game for each of said plurality of “
virtual”
participants;
said computer means including means for initiating and controlling play of the game in steps and including at least one visual display for presenting current status information regarding the progress of the game;
said computer means further including means for identifying the a winning participant at the conclusion of the game and for visually indicating said winning participant on said at least one visual display at the conclusion of the game. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A computer-based game method, comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of “
active”
participant terminals associated respectively with a plurality of “
active”
participants;
inputting participant information into a computer utilizing the “
active”
participant terminals to open participant accounts specifying participation and stake in a game for each of said “
active”
participants;
providing at least one “
virtual”
participant terminal associated with a plurality of “
virtual”
participants;
inputting participant information into the computer utilizing said at least one “
virtual”
participant terminal to open participant accounts specifying participation and stake in the game for each of said “
virtual”
participants;
computer initiating and controlling play of the game in steps;
computer generating at least one visual display including current status information regarding the progress of the game;
updating said at least one visual display substantially in real-time as the game proceeds;
identifying a winning participant at the conclusion of the game; and
updating said at least one visual display to indicate said winning participant at the conclusion of the game. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A computer-based bingo game system, comprising:
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computer means for composing a common information display to include a plurality of participant windows for visually displaying one or more bingo cards and status information for each of a respective plurality of participants in a game;
said computer means including means for initiating and controlling play of the bingo game in steps;
said computer means including processor means for updating each of said participant windows in real-time as the game proceeds so that said participant windows include updated bingo cards and current status information for each of said plurality of participants;
display means for presenting said common information display to said plurality of participants throughout the course of the game, so that each participant can monitor individual progress toward winning the game in relation to the progress of other participants; and
said processor means including means for identifying a winning participant at the conclusion of the game. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A computer-based bingo game method, comprising:
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inputting into a game computer participant information regarding each participant'"'"'s participation and stake in the bingo game;
composing a common information display to include a plurality of participant windows for visually displaying one or more bingo cards and status information for each of a respective plurality of participants in a game;
utilizing the game computer to initiate and control play of the bingo game in steps;
updating each of said participant windows in real-time as the bingo game proceeds so that said participant windows include updated bingo cards and current status information for each of said plurality of participants;
presenting said common information display to said plurality of participants throughout the course of the bingo game, so that each participant can view each participant'"'"'s bingo cards and monitor individual progress toward winning the game in relation to the progress of other participants; and
said updating step further including the step of identifying a winning participant at the conclusion of the bingo game. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification