Electronic gaming apparatus

• US 5,096,195 A
• Filed: 09/09/1988
• Issued: 03/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elbit Computers Limited Scientific Industrial Area CHOF Hacarmel Haifa Israel
• Original Assignee: Elbit Computers, Ltd.
• Inventors: Gimmon, Eliyahu
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US07/242,442
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 273/138 A, 273/143 R, 273/1 E, 273/DIG. 28, 364/410, 364/412
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/08 Counting total of coins inserted

Abstract

Electronic slot machine system comprises a central computer unit, and a plurality of portable game units, each including a credit memory for storing a predetermined credit available for playing, a manual operator manipulatable by the player for playing the game according to a predetermined amount, a computer for determining any winnings earned by playing the game and for updating the credit memory by the predetermined amount played and by any such winnings, and a display for displaying the results of the game played, the earnings if any, and the current amount in the credit memory. The central computer unit may be coupled to a selected one of the portable playing units to credit the memory of the coupled portable game unit with the predetermined credit available for playing, and to read out the current amount in the credit memory of the coupled portable game unit.

Claims

1. An electronic gaming apparatus comprising:

a central computer unit, and a plurality of portable game units;

each of said portable game units including;

display means having a first display device displaying a plurality of lines of variable symbols;

first key means for manually inputting a selected number of lines of symbols to be considered for a winning combination in the respective game;

second key means for manually inputting a selected value to be played for each line;

a credit memory for storing a predetermined credit available for playing;

a rechargeable battery; and

computer means for randomly selecting the symbols to be displayed in said plurality of lines of said first display device, for determining any winnings earned by playing the game and for updating the credit memory by the predetermined amount played and by any such winnings;

said display means including a second display device for displaying the earnings if any as a result of the game played, and the current amount in the credit memory;

said central computer unit including;

a connector for connecting it to a selected one of the portable game units when the game unit is not being played and for disconnecting it from the game unit when the game unit is being played;

means for initially crediting the credit memory of a connected portable game unit with a predetermined credit available for playing; and

means for reading out the current amount in the credit memory of a connected portable game unit;

said central computer unit being carried on a portable cart which cart also includes a plurality of shelves for supporting said plurality of portable game units, and recharging means for recharging the batteries of the portable game units when supported on said shelves.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said portable game units simulates a slot machine game.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first display device of each of said portable game units includes a liquid crystal display comprising a plurality of symbol fields arranged according to a two-dimensional matrix of horizontal and vertical lines, each of said symbol fields including a plurality of symbols each including a liquid-crystal display element, and means for selectively energizing said latter elements to indicate the winning combination for the respective line.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of symbol fields are separated by a plurality of horizontal and vertical lines each including a liquid-crystal display element, the latter elements being selectively energized to indicate the line or lines of symbol fields to be considered for a winning combination in the respective game.

5. An electronic gaming apparatus comprising:

a central computer unit, and a plurality of portable game units;

each of said portable game units including;

display means having a first display device displaying a plurality of lines of variable symbols;

first key means for manually inputting a selected number of lines of symbols to be considered for a winning combination in the respective game;

second key means for manually inputting a selected value to be played for each line;

a credit memory for storing a predetermined credit available for playing; and

computer means for randomly selecting the symbols to be displayed in said plurality of lines of said first display device, for determining any winnings earned by playing the game and for updating the credit memory by the predetermined amount played and by any such winnings;

said first key means including a number-of-coins selector which selects the number of coins to be played in the respective game, and therefore the number of lines of said symbols to be considered for a winning combination;

said second key means including a coin-denomination selector which selects the amount to be played for each of said lines to be considered for a winning combination;

said display means including a second display device for displaying the earnings if any as a result of the game played, and the current amount in the credit memory;

said central computer unit including;

a connector for connecting it to a selected one of the portable game units when the game unit is not being played and for disconnecting it from the game unit when the game unit is being played;

means for initially crediting the credit memory of a connected portable game unit with a predetermined credit available for playing; and

means for reading out the current amount in the credit memory of a connected portable game unit.

6. An electronic gaming machine, comprising:

a plurality of symbol fields each including a plurality of symbols in the form of liquid-crystal display elements each selectively energizable to display one of said symbols;

said plurality of symbol fields being arranged according to a two-dimensional array of horizontal and vertical lines, each of said lines of symbols simulating the symbols of a slot machine game;

and manual operator means manipulatable by the player in each game for randomly energizing the liquid-crystal display elements of one of said symbols in each of said plurality of symbol fields of at least one of said lines.

7. The machine according to claim 6, wherein said symbol fields are separated by a plurality of horizontal and vertical lines each including a liquid-crystal display element selectively energizable to indicate the line or lines of symbol fields to be considered for a winning combination in the respective game.

8. The machine according to claim 6, further including a credit memory for storing a predetermined credit available for playing;

and computer means for determining any winnings earned by playing the respective game, and for updating the credit memory by any such winnings.

9. The machine according to claim 8, further including selector means for manually preselecting a predetermined amount to be played during each game, said computer means being effective to update the credit memory also by the amount played during the respective game.

10. The machine according to claim 9, wherein said selector means includes a number-of-coins selector which selects the number of coins to be played, and thereby the number of lines of said symbol fields to be considered for a winning combination in the respective game;

and a coin-denomination selector which selects the amount to be played for each of said lines to be considered for a winning combination.

11. Electronic gaming apparatus, comprising:

a wheelable cart dimensioned to be wheeled along the aisle of a passenger aircraft, said wheelable cart carrying a central computer unit, a plurality of portable game units, and recharging means for recharging said portable game units when carried on said cart;

each of said portable game units including a credit memory for storing a predetermined credit available for playing;

manual operator means manipulatable by the player for playing the game according to a predetermined amount;

computer means for determining any winnings earned by playing the game and for updating the credit memory by the predetermined amount played and by any such winnings;

display means for displaying the results of the game played, the earnings if any, and the current amount in the credit memory;

a chargeable battery for powering the game unit; and

connector means for detachably connecting the game unit to the recharging means of the cart and to the central computer unit on the cart;

said central computer unit including;

connector means for detachably connecting it to a selected one of the portable game units;

means for initially crediting the credit memory of a connected portable game unit with a predetermined credit available for playing; and

means for reading out the current amount in the credit memory of a connected portable game unit.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said display means comprises a first display device displaying a plurality of lines of variable symbols representing different winning combinations, and a second display device for displaying the results of the earnings if any as a result of the game played, and the current amount in the credit memory.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said first display device comprises a plurality of symbol fields each including a plurality of symbols in the form of liquid-crystal display elements each selectively energizable to display one of said symbols, said plurality of symbol fields being arranged according to a two-dimensional array of horizontal and vertical lines, each of said lines of symbols simulating the symbols of a slot machine game.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said symbol fields are separated by a plurality of horizontal and vertical lines each including a liquid-crystal display element selectively energizable to indicate the line or lines of symbol fields to be considered for a winning combination in the respective game.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said manual operator means comprises first key means for manually inputting a selected number of lines of symbols to be considered for a winning combination in the respective game played, and second key means for manually inputting a selected value to be played.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said first key means includes a number-of-coins selector which selects the number of coins to be played in the respective game, and therefore the number of lines of said symbols to be considered for a winning combination;

and said second key means includes a coin-denominator selector which selects the amount to be played for each of said lines to be considered for a winning combination.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said display means further includes display devices for displaying the values inputted by said first and second key means.