Method and system for storing preselected numbers for use in games of bingo

• US 6,656,045 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Planet Bingo LLC
• Original Assignee: Melange Computer Services Incorporated
• Inventors: Green, James L., Austin, Ronald J., Bean, Richard G., Rappold, Harrold J., Wei, William, Dettloff, Jeffery A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): White, Carmen D.
• Application Number:
  US10/160,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20030003986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16-22, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/19
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

A method and system (10) for storing preselected Bingo numbers which allows a player to play the same sets of Bingo numbers (56) in multiple sessions of Bingo. The player preselects Bingo numbers to play in multiple Bingo sessions. The numbers are stored in the memory (16) of the computer (12). The player selects which preselected Bingo numbers to play for a specific session of Bingo. A ticket is provided having the selected sets of Bingo numbers with a control number (58) for each selected set of numbers and a validation number (60) for the ticket.

Claims

1. A system for managing a game of Bingo which comprises:

(a) a computer having a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory;

(b) an input device connected to the computer;

(c) an output device connected to the computer; and

(d) a computer program operating on the computer enabling;

(i) input of at least two sets of Bingo numbers preselected by a player without payment by the player;

(ii) storage of the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player in the memory of the computer;

(iii) assignment of a single player identifier unique to the player for the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player and stored in the memory of the computer wherein the player identifier is assigned to the sets of Bingo numbers for multiple sessions of Bingo;

(iv) retrieval of all the sets of Bingo numbers using the player identifier;

(v) selection, upon retrieval of all the sets of Bingo numbers, of at least one of the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player and stored in the memory of the computer, for play in a selected game of Bingo in a specific session of Bingo;

(vi) assignment by the computer of a control number for each set of Bingo numbers selected for play in the selected game of Bingo;

(vii) payment by the player of an amount necessary to purchase the selected Bingo numbers for play in the selected game of Bingo;

(viii) output of a receipt with the control number, the set of Bingo numbers selected for play in the selected game of Bingo and a validation number;

(ix) input into the computer of the control number of a potentially winning set of Bingo numbers for verification that the potentially winning set of Bingo numbers is a winning set of Bingo numbers; and

(x) input into the computer of the validation number for verification of the winning set of Bingo numbers.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer system or a second computer system with a second program enables use of the validation number to receive an output of the set of Bingo numbers selected for play in the selected game of Bingo to be used by the player for the selected game of Bingo.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the player inputs the set of Bingo numbers which is preselected into the computer using the input device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein a portable terminal is configured to be connected to the CPU to receive the sets of Bingo numbers selected by the player from the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player and stored in the memory of the computer and paid for by the player after selection for play in a selected game of Bingo.

5. A method for playing a game of Bingo which comprises the steps of:

(a) providing a computer having a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory;

(b) providing an input device connected to the computer;

(c) providing an output device connected to the computer;

(d) providing a computer program capable of operating on the computer;

(e) inputting at least two sets of Bingo numbers preselected by a player into the computer for repetitive play in games of Bingo over a period of time;

(f) storing the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player in the memory of the computer;

(g) assigning a single player identifier unique to the player to the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player and stored in the memory of the computer for multiple sessions of Bingo;

(h) retrieving all the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player and stored in the memory of the computer using the single player identifier;

(i) selecting at least one set of Bingo numbers preselected by the player and stored in the memory of the computer for play in a selected game of Bingo in a specific session of Bingo;

(j) assigning a separate control number for each set of Bingo numbers selected for play in the selected game of Bingo;

(k) paying an amount necessary to purchase the sets of Bingo numbers selected for play in the selected game of Bingo in the specific session of Bingo to enable the player to play the sets of Bingo numbers selected for play in the selected game of Bingo in the specific session of Bingo;

(l) outputting a receipt having the sets of Bingo numbers selected for play in the selected game of Bingo and the control numbers;

(m) playing the game of Bingo using the sets of Bingo numbers selected for play in the selected game of Bingo wherein the player signals a Bingo to indicate one of the sets of Bingo numbers is a winning set of Bingo numbers; and

(n) verifying the winning set of Bingo numbers.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein in step (n), the winning set of Bingo numbers is verified using the computer program.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the computer or a second computer with a second program enables an output of a print of the set of Bingo numbers selected for play in the selected game of Bingo and the control number wherein the print is used by the player for the game of Bingo.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising after step (i), the steps of:

receiving an easy pick identifier and randomly generating a random set of Bingo numbers to be played in the selected game of Bingo in response to the easy pick identifier.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein an accounting of the set of Bingo numbers preselected by the player for play in the selected game of Bingo is provided further comprising the steps of:

receiving an amount of buying points corresponding to the player;

storing the amount of buying points in the memory of the computer;

in step (g), assigning the player identifier to the buying points wherein one player identifier is assigned to the buying points and the preselected set of Bingo numbers corresponding to one player;

in step (h), retrieving the buying points along with all the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player;

in step (k) subtracting from the amount of buying points a number of buying points corresponding to the amount necessary to purchase the set of Bingo numbers selected by the player to be played in the selected game of Bingo;

displaying a new amount of buying points with the set of Bingo numbers to be played in the selected game of Bingo in step (h); and

replacing the amount of buying points with the new amount of buying points in the memory of the computer.

10. A system for managing a game of Bingo which comprises:

(a) a computer having a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory;

(b) an input device connected to the computer;

(c) an output device connected to the computer; and

(d) a computer program operating on the computer enabling;

(i) input of at least two sets of Bingo numbers preselected by a player;

(ii) storage of the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player in the memory of the computer;

(iii) assignment of a single player identifier unique to the player to the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player and stored in the memory of the computer wherein the player identifier is assigned to the sets of Bingo numbers for multiple sessions of Bingo;

(iv) retrieval of all the sets of Bingo numbers using the player identifier;

(v) selection, upon retrieval of all the sets of Bingo numbers, of at least one of the sets of Bingo numbers and less than all the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player and stored in the memory of the computer, for play in a selected game of Bingo in a specific session of Bingo;

(vi) addition by the computer of a control number for each set of Bingo numbers selected for play in the selected game of Bingo;

(vii) output of a receipt with the control number and the set of Bingo numbers selected for play in the selected game of Bingo;

(viii) input into the computer of the control number of a winning set of Bingo numbers; and

(ix) verification of the winning set of Bingo numbers by means of the control number.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the computer system or a second computer system with a second program enables an output of a print of the set of Bingo numbers selected for play in the selected game of Bingo and the control number to be used by the player for the selected game of Bingo.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the player inputs the set of Bingo numbers which is preselected into the computer using the input device.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein an operator of the computer inputs the set of Bingo numbers which is preselected by the player using the input device.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the output of the verification of the winning set of Bingo numbers with the control number is printed by a printer connected to the computer.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the computer program enables selective retrieval by the player of at least one of the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player and stored in the memory of the computer into a portable terminal for play in the selected game of Bingo.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the portable terminal is configured to be connected to the CPU to receive at least two of the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player and stored in the memory of the computer and selectively retrieved by the player for playing in a selected game of Bingo.

17. A method for playing a game of Bingo which comprises the steps of:

(a) providing a computer having a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory;

(b) providing an input device connected to the computer;

(c) providing an output device connected to the computer;

(d) providing a computer program capable of operating on the computer;

(e) inputting at least two sets of Bingo numbers preselected by a player into the computer;

(f) storing the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player in the memory of the computer;

(g) associating a single player identifier unique to the player to the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player and stored in the memory of the computer for multiple sessions of Bingo;

(h) retrieving all the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player and stored in the memory of the computer using the single player identifier;

(i) selecting at least one set of Bingo numbers and less than all sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player and stored in the memory of the computer for play in a selected game of Bingo in a specific session of Bingo;

(j) outputting a receipt having the sets of Bingo numbers selected for play in the selected game of Bingo;

(k) playing the game of Bingo using the sets of Bingo numbers selected for play in the selected game of Bingo wherein the player signals a Bingo to indicate one of the sets of Bingo numbers is a winning set of Bingo numbers; and

(l) verifying the winning set of Bingo numbers.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein in step (1), the winning set of Bingo numbers is verified using the computer program.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the computer or a second computer with a second program enables an output of a print of the set of Bingo numbers selected for play in the selected game of Bingo and wherein the print is used by the player for the game of Bingo.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein in step (e), the player inputs the sets of Bingo numbers which are preselected into the computer.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein in step (e), an operator of the computer inputs the sets of Bingo numbers which are preselected by the player.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein an output of a verification of the winning set of Bingo numbers is printed by a printer.

23. A method using a programmable computer having a memory to track a set of Bingo numbers selected by a player to be played in a selected game of Bingo which comprises the steps of:

(a) receiving at least two sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player to be played in at least one game of Bingo;

(b) storing the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player;

(c) assigning a single player identifier unique to the player to all the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player wherein the single player identifier is assigned to all the sets of Bingo numbers for multiple sessions of Bingo;

(d) retrieving all the stored sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player using the player identifier;

(e) selecting at least one of the sets of Bingo numbers and less than all the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player and stored, for play in a selected game of Bingo in a specific session of Bingo;

(f) assigning a separate control identifier to each set of Bingo numbers selected by the player to be played in the selected game of Bingo;

(g) storing each set of Bingo numbers selected by the player to be played in the selected game of Bingo along with its assigned control identifier;

(h) displaying each set of Bingo numbers to be played in the selected game of Bingo along with its assigned control identifier;

(i) receiving a potentially winning control identifier corresponding to one set of Bingo numbers selected by the player to be played in the selected game of Bingo after the selected game of Bingo has been played wherein the set of Bingo numbers is a potentially winning set of Bingo numbers; and

(j) verifying that the set of Bingo numbers selected by the player corresponding to the potentially winning control identifier is a winning set of Bingo numbers.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein in step (h), the set of Bingo numbers and the control identifier are displayed as a printed receipt and wherein the printed receipt is used to obtain a Bingo card having the set of Bingo numbers selected by the player for play in the selected game of Bingo.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the printed receipt has a receipt validation number and wherein the receipt validation number is received by the computer or a second computer to obtain the Bingo card having the set of Bingo numbers selected by the player for play in the selected game of Bingo.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein in step (h), the display is received by a portable terminal.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein after step (h), and after or during the game of Bingo, winning numbers are received, wherein in step (j), the set of Bingo numbers corresponding to the potentially winning control identifier is compared to the winning numbers to determine whether the potentially winning set of Bingo numbers is the winning set of Bingo numbers.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein in step (h), the set of Bingo numbers and the control identifier is displayed as a printed receipt and wherein the printed receipt also includes a date of the selected game of Bingo, a price for the set of Bingo numbers to be played in the game of Bingo and a computer identification number.

29. The method of claim 23 further comprising after step (f), the steps of:

receiving an easy pick identifier and randomly generating a random set of Bingo numbers to be played in the selected game of Bingo in response to the easy pick identifier; and

assigning a random control identifier for the random set of Bingo numbers and wherein in step (g), the random control identifier for the random set of Bingo numbers to be played in the game of Bingo is stored with the control identifier for the set of Bingo numbers to be played in the selected game of Bingo.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein an accounting of the set of Bingo numbers preselected by the player for play in the selected game of Bingo is provided further comprising the steps of:

receiving an amount of buying points corresponding to the player;

storing the amount of buying points in the memory of the computer;

assigning the player identifier to the buying points wherein one player identifier is assigned to the buying points and the preselected set of Bingo numbers corresponding to one player;

retrieving the buying points along with all the sets of Bingo numbers preselected by the player;

subtracting from the amount of buying points a number of buying points corresponding to each set of Bingo numbers selected by the player to be played in the selected game of Bingo;

displaying a new amount of buying points with the set of Bingo numbers to be played in the selected game of Bingo in step (h); and

replacing the amount of buying points with the new amount of buying points in the memory of the computer.