US4652998A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Video gaming system with pool prize structures
Assignee: Scientific Games LLC
•
Filing: 1984-01-04
•
Granted: 1987-03-24
•
Expires: 2004-01-04
Abstract
Abstract A video amusement gaming system with pool prize structures including remote game terminals and a central controller with two-way communications between the remote game terminals and the central controller. Prize awards are based upon random shuffling of a set of prize awards among a predetermined pool of plays for each remote game terminal. This ensures an equal distribution of prize awards to each remote game terminal. The shuffling of prizes is based upon a random seed produced either by the remote terminal of the central controller or by both.
Inventors
- 👤 John R. Koza
- 👤 Norman T. La Marre
- 👤 Martin A. Keane
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 05:15
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/32; G06; G06Q; G06Q50/00; G06Q50/34; G07F17/3244; G07F17/3248; G07F17/326; G07F17/3262; G07F17/3286; G07F17/3288
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
83 words
In a gaming system having a central controller and a plurality of remote terminals each operable for playing a game, a prize distribution system guaranteeing a predetermined number of winners at each terminal comprising: means included in said central controller for assigning a minipool to each terminal, each of said mini-pools representing a fixed number of game plays and a predetermined number of prizes; and means included in each of said terminals for randomly distributing prizes among different plays of the terminal's minipool.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
83 words
In a gaming system having a central controller and a plurality of remote terminals each operable for playing a game, a prize distribution system guaranteeing a predetermined number of winners at each terminal comprising: means included in said central controller for assigning a minipool to each terminal, each of said mini-pools representing a fixed number of game plays and a predetermined number of prizes; and means included in each of said terminals for randomly distributing prizes among different plays of the terminal's minipool.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
The gaming system of claim 1 wherein said central controller includes means for generating a random seed for each of said minipools and said prize distributing means of each of said terminals includes means responsive to the random seed generated for its associated minipool for implementing a randomizing algorithm to randomly distribute the prizes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The gaming system of claim 2 wherein said central controller includes means for implementing the randomizing algorithm of each terminal based on the random seed generated for the terminal's minipool to validate winners at the terminal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The gaming system of claim 2 wherein each of said terminals includes means for transmitting a variable value to said central controller, said random seed generating means being responsive to a variable value transmitted from a terminal to generate the random seed for said terminal from said variable value.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The gaming system of claim 1 wherein said central controller further includes: means for assigning each play of each of said minipools to a main pool; and means for randomly distributing a predetermined number of additional prizes among the minipools of said main pool.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The gaming system of claim 5 wherein each of said terminal's prize distribution means randomly distributes any main pool prize distributed to its minipool with its mini-pool prizes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3002512A
Cited
US4157829A
Cited
US4335809A
Cited
US4367876A
Cited
US4467424A
Cited
US4332389A
Cited
US4451896A
Cited
US4494197A
Cited
US4527798A
Cited
US4547851A
Cited
GB2148135A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-03-23 | 1990-09-22 | 1991-03-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-03-23 | 1994-09-22 | 1995-03-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-03-23 | 1998-09-22 | 1999-03-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |