Methods and apparatus for playing bingo over a wide geographic area
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for enabling bingo to be played over a wide geographic area, comprising:
- (a) on-line point of sale terminal means for issuing valid game card arrays in response to purchase requests, at the time of request;
(b) means for keeping track of all game card arrays issued in response to said purchase requests;
(c) means for sequencing through each bingo game in a scheduled bingo session; and
(d) means for communicating over a wide geographic area the sequence of random symbols being generated during a particular bingo game to thereby enable players at locations over the wide geographic area to participate in the bingo session.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus (systems) are set forth for enabling bingo (and similar games of chance, referred to hereinafter collectively as "bingo") to be played in real time at locations which are remote (geographically separated in a physical sense) from the location where the numbers (or more generally symbols) used to play a bingo type of game are being selected. The disclosed methods and apparatus are directed to both passive and interactive systems which allow bingo to be played from the aforementioned remote locations.
211 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A system for enabling bingo to be played over a wide geographic area, comprising:
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(a) on-line point of sale terminal means for issuing valid game card arrays in response to purchase requests, at the time of request; (b) means for keeping track of all game card arrays issued in response to said purchase requests; (c) means for sequencing through each bingo game in a scheduled bingo session; and (d) means for communicating over a wide geographic area the sequence of random symbols being generated during a particular bingo game to thereby enable players at locations over the wide geographic area to participate in the bingo session. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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2. A system for enabling bingo to be interactively played over a wide geographic area, comprising:
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(a) on-line point of sale terminal means for issuing valid game card arrays in response to purchase requests, at the time of request; (b) means for keeping track of all game card arrays issued in response to said purchase requests; (c) means for sequencing through each bingo game in a scheduled bingo session; and (d) means for communicating over a wide geographic area the sequence of random symbols being generated during a particular bingo game to thereby enable players over the wide geographic area to participate in the bingo session; and (e) a communications path for allowing a game participant to interact with the system.
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3. A gaming system for playing a game of chance over a wide geographic area, wherein said game requires a plurality of game card arrays, each formed from a plurality of symbols positioned in predetermined symbol display locations, and further wherein it is an object of the game to sequentially and randomly generate symbols from a predefined symbol universe, matching generated symbols against the symbols on said game card arrays, with a winner being declared whenever a predefined pattern of generated symbols is formed on at least one of said game card arrays, comprising:
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(a) on-line point of sale terminal means for issuing valid game card arrays in response to purchase requests, at the time of request; (b) means for keeping track of game card arrays in play; (c) means for communicating over a wide geographic area the sequence of random symbols being generated during a particular game of chance to thereby enable players over the wide geographic area to participate in said game of chance; and (d) a communications path for allowing a game participant to interact with the system.
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4. An interactive gaming system for playing a game of chance over a wide geographic area, wherein said game requires a plurality of game card arrays, each formed from a plurality of symbols positioned in predetermined symbol display locations, and further wherein it is an object of the game to sequentially and randomly generate symbols from a predefined symbol universe, matching generated symbols against the symbols on said game card arrays, with a winner being declared whenever a predefined pattern of generated symbols is formed on at least one of said game card arrays, comprising:
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(a) on-line point of sale terminal means for issuing valid game card arrays in response to purchase requests, at the time of request; (b) means for communicating over a wide geographic area the sequence of random symbols being generated during a particular game of chance to thereby enable players over the wide geographic area to participate in said game of chance; and (c) a communications path for allowing game participants to interact with the system when the game participants are physically located over a wide geographic area.
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5. A gaming system for playing a game of chance over a wide geographic area, wherein said game requires a plurality of game card arrays, each formed from a plurality of symbols positioned in predetermined symbol display locations, and further wherein it is an object of the game to sequentially and randomly generate symbols from a predefined symbol universe, matching generated symbols against the symbols on said game card arrays, with a winner being declared whenever a predefined pattern of generated symbols is formed on at least one of said game card arrays, comprising:
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(a) on-line point of sale terminal means for issuing valid game card arrays in response to purchase requests, at the time of request; and (b) means for communicating over a wide geographic area the sequence of random symbols being generated during a particular game of chance to thereby enable players over the wide geographic area to participate in said game of chance.
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6. A method for enabling bingo to be played over a wide geographic area, comprising the steps of:
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(a) issuing valid game card arrays in response to purchase requests, at the time of any such request, utilizing on-line point of sale terminal means; (b) keeping track of all game card arrays issued in response to said purchase requests; (c) sequencing through each bingo game in a scheduled bingo session; and (d) communicating over a wide geographic area the sequence of random symbols being generated during a particular bingo game to thereby enable players over the wide geographic area to participate in the bingo session. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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7. A method for operating a gaming system for playing a game of chance over a wide geographic area, wherein said game requires a plurality of game card arrays, each formed from a plurality of symbols positioned in predetermined symbol display locations, and further wherein it is an object of the game to sequentially and randomly generate symbols from a predefined symbol universe, matching generated symbols against the symbols on said game card arrays, with a winner being declared whenever a predefined pattern of generated symbols is formed on at least one of said game card arrays, comprising the steps of:
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(a) issuing valid game card arrays in response to purchase requests, at the time of any such request, utilizing on-line point of sale terminal means; (b) keeping track of game card arrays in play; (c) communicating over a wide geographic area the sequence of random symbols being generated during a particular game of chance to thereby enable players over the wide geographic area to participate in said game of chance; and (d) providing a communications path for allowing a game participant to interact with the system.
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8. A method for operating a gaming system for interactively playing a game of chance over a wide geographic area, wherein said game requires a plurality of game card arrays, each formed from a plurality of symbols positioned in predetermined symbol display locations, and further wherein it is an object of the game to sequentially and randomly generate symbols from a predefined symbol universe, matching generated symbols against the symbols on said game card arrays, with a winner being declared whenever a predefined pattern of generated symbols is formed on at least one of said game card arrays, comprising the steps of:
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(a) issuing valid game card arrays in response to purchase requests, at the time of any such request, utilizing on-line point of sale terminal means; (b) communicating over a wide geographic area the sequence of random symbols being generated during a particular game of chance to thereby enable players over the wide geographic area to participate in said game of chance; and (c) providing a communications path for allowing game participants to interact with the system when the game participants are physically located over a wide geographic area.
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9. A method for operating a gaming system for playing a game of chance over a wide geographic area, wherein said game requires a plurality of game card arrays, each formed from a plurality of symbols positioned in predetermined symbol display locations, and further wherein it is an object of the game to sequentially and randomly generate symbols from a predefined symbol universe, matching generated symbols against the symbols on said game card arrays, with a winner being declared whenever a predefined pattern of generated symbols is formed on at least one of said game card arrays, comprising the steps of:
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(a) issuing valid game card arrays in response to purchase requests, at the time of any such request, utilizing on-line point of sale terminal means; and (b) communicating over a wide geographic area the sequence of random symbols being generated during a particular game of chance to thereby enable players over the wide geographic area to participate in said game of chance.
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10. A system which enables a game of bingo to be played over a wide geographic area, comprising:
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(a) on-line point of sale terminal means for issuing valid game card arrays in response to purchase requests, at the time of request; (b) means for keeping track of all game card arrays issued in response to said purchase requests; (c) means for sequencing through each bingo game in a scheduled bingo session; and (d) means for enabling each potential participant in a bingo session to play bingo without physically having to attend a pre-established gaming hall. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A gaming system for playing a game of chance over a wide geographic area, wherein said game requires a plurality of game card arrays, each formed from a plurality of symbols positioned in predetermined symbol display locations, and further wherein it is an object of the game to sequentially and randomly generate symbols from a predefined symbol universe, matching generated symbols against the symbols on said game card arrays, with a winner being declared whenever a predefined pattern of generated symbols is formed on at least one of said game card arrays, comprising:
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(a) on-line point of sale terminal means for issuing valid game card arrays in response to purchase requests, at the time of request; and (b) means for enabling each potential participant in said game to independently select, from a multiplicity of potential game participation sites within said area, where to play said game without having to physically attend a game participation site pre-established primarily for the purpose of playing bingo. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method for enabling bingo to be played over a wide geographic area, comprising the steps of:
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(a) issuing valid game card arrays in response to purchase requests, at the time of any such request, utilizing on-line point of sale terminal means; (b) keeping track of all game card arrays issued in response to said purchase requests; (c) sequencing through each bingo game in a scheduled bingo session; and (d) enabling each potential participant in a bingo session to play bingo without physically having to attend a pre-established gaming hall.
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Specification