U.S. Pat. No. 9,972,170

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention can be implemented in various type of electronic devices, such as: video slot machines, mobile hand-held devices, online servers, home computers etc.

InFIG. 8, a block diagram of a video game device is shown, on which the present invention may be employed. The video game may comprise virtually any type and/or size of video game including, for example, coin operated video games, hand-held video games, microprocessor or PC driven video games, online or offline mode. The video game device includes a processor unit800operably coupled to a ROM/RAM memory units804and806, a graphics display822and a plurality of speakers826. The read only memory (ROM) unit804stores control software, operational instructions and data associated with the video game. The memory unit806is random access memory (RAM) for storing event data or other data generated or used during a particular game. A random number generator802is included for randomly generating elements during play of the game, as described below. The coin-bill management devices812and814perform a necessary process for managing coins and bills in casino version embodiments of presented invention.

The device controls play of a video game responsive to player inputs provided through an operator interface810. The operator interface may comprise any combination of push buttons, joysticks, keypads, touch-screens and the like. The game processor800executes control software according to the player inputs and communicates the resulting video game play activity to the display822and speakers826.

In the case of casino slot game embodimentFIG. 1is a schematic illustration showing the components of a video game unit10configured or programmed with software for playing the game according to the invention. The software and programming of the game unit for carrying out the games according to the invention do not form part of the present invention and will thus not be further described. Those of ordinary skill in the art will contemplate various known means for such software and programming, and the invention is not meant to be limited to any particular means.

The game unit10(FIG. 1) includes a display12, a player's interface14, and processing unit16which includes a structure for generating random elements according to the present invention, thus effecting game play. The processing circuit16effects game play according to the rules of the game and resolves wagers based on resulting patterns and a comparison with established winning patterns.

The method of playing a game on video slot machine includes the following steps (FIG. 7):(a) establishing at least one winning pattern of a plurality of elements, wherein each of the elements includes at least two defining characteristics that comprising at least two signs and being independently characteristic of each of the elements710,(b) enabling a player to select a mode of play710,(c) receiving a wager from a player that the winning pattern will occur712,(d) randomly generating a pattern of a grid elements714,(e) enabling a player to select a sign(s)716,(f) discarding elements that do not comprise (or comprise, depending on the mode of the game) the selected sign(s)718,(g) randomly generating a plurality of the new elements to substitute discarded ones720,(h) if the resulting pattern matches a winning pattern, paying a payout based on the wager and pay table722.

In special cases, elements may include playing cards, wherein step (b) is practiced by establishing the winning pattern with the playing cards according to a card game's winning combinations, such as in poker, blackjack or any other game.

The concepts and playing modes according to the invention will be described in conjunction with an application to a symbol representation of conventional card suits. As shown inFIG. 5AandFIG. 6, the elements are comprised of four suits of conventional cards, shown as figure inscribed in a square shaped element. Each element is preferably also colored, and four different colors are provided. Thus there are two defining characteristics (grid element's color and inscribed figure) and so 8 characteristic signs (4 suits and 4 colors) that are represented on player's interface (FIG. 6), These signs altogether compose 16 possible appearances of elements.

The card symbol representation in the following examples is exemplary, and those of ordinary skill in the art will contemplate variations of core features according to the invention with or without the card representations. The description is thus for exemplary purposes, and the invention is not meant to be limited to the described application.

Upon commencing a game, play credits are established by a player by any suitable method including either coin or bill insertion or player card methodology via the player interface14(FIG. 1).

The processor16(FIG. 1) establishes at least one winning pattern of the grid and drives the display12(FIG. 1) to display a matrix of elements, such as the 4×4 grid of elements illustrated inFIG. 5A. Once a playing mode is established, the player activates the game via the player interface14(FIG. 1), and the display simulates a card “roll” through a random number generation sequence of the appropriate number of, sixteen in this example, different possibilities of elements until stopping at a randomly generated resulting patternFIG. 5A. In this phase, on the interface (FIG. 6) selecting sign buttons become highlighted, thus enabling the player to select a sign (any color or any suit (FIG. 6) by using known touch screen or hold button methodology to hold elements comprising (or not comprising depending on the game mode) the selected sign and “roll” the rest of elements as a method of adding to the retained elements and improving the grid ranking, according to the winning patterns. If the resulting pattern of the grid (FIG. 5C) matches one of the winning patterns, the player is awarded credits according to the wager and payout schedules for the selected game.

Said player selects to hold the “green” sign (FIG. 6), then after discarding the elements not comprising the green color, the grid of elements is going to have the appearance inFIG. 5B. After randomly generating new elements and substituting the discarded ones, one of the possible grid appearances can be the grid shown inFIG. 5C. If this pattern matches one of the winning patterns, the player is awarded credits.

Although the above represented plurality of element configurations can be used in at least one embodiment of the present invention, those of skill in the art will understand how to select other potential pluralities of elements useable with other embodiments of the present invention (including configurations having more, fewer or unlimited elements, having more or fewer wild symbols) after understanding the present disclosure.

The present invention, in various embodiments, includes components, methods, processes, systems and/or apparatus substantially as depicted and described herein, including various embodiments, subcombinations, and subsets thereof. Those of skill in the art will understand how to make and use the present invention after understanding the present disclosure. The present invention, in various embodiments, includes providing devices and processes in the absence of items not depicted and/or described herein or in various embodiments hereof, including in the absence of such items as may have been used in previous devices or processes, e.g. for improving performance, achieving ease and/or reducing cost of implementation. The present invention includes items which are novel, and terminology adapted from previous and/or analogous technologies, for convenience in describing novel items or processes, do not necessarily retain all aspects of conventional usage of such terminology.

The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intended to limit the invention to the form or forms disclosed herein. Although the description of the invention has included description of one or more embodiments and certain variations and modifications, other variations and modifications are within the scope of the invention, e.g. as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.