Gaming System With Session Master and Gaming Boards

The invention pertains generally to games of chance, such as bingo and the like, and is more particularly directed to automatic gaming systems including an interactive system base station and a plurality of electronic gaming boards. Further, the invention is directed to such automatic gaming systems including a plurality of validation units with which to validate win claims for the electronic gaming boards.

In bingo and similar games of chance the basic elements of the game are a gaming board and a random number generating device. The gaming board can be a square array of numbers, usually a 5.times.5 array, with the centermost location being blank or termed a "free space". The game is generally played with either 75 or 90 numbers. Each column in the array is limited to only one-fifth of the numbers, e.g., the first column numbers are taken from the group 1 to 15 in the event 75 numbers are used, and 1 to 18 if 90 numbers are used; the second column numbers are taken from the group 16 to 30 or 19 to 36, and so on. Further, duplicate numbers cannot appear on a gaming card.

When the game is being played, the game operator specifies a shape or pattern to be formed on the gaming card by randomly drawn numbers and then proceeds to call numbers at random between 1 and 75, or 1 and 90, whichever is appropriate. If a number called coincides with one on a player's board, the player marks the number in some fashion on his board. The object of the game is to be the first player to have a set of randomly-called numbers coincide with the marked numbers on the player's board so as to form the specified shape or pattern.

The specified shape or pattern may be an X, T, L, a diagonal line, and five numbers horizontally or vertically, and so on. Several of these games, usually between twelve and eighteen, constitute a bingo program or session which is played during the course of an evening over several hours. The games are played consecutively and essentially without any major interruption except possibly for intermissions.

These games have long been played with boards which have a fixed printed numerical array. Players select from a large number of boards and, therefore, are unable to create and play an array of their own choosing and determination. While some games have been played with blank paper boards that are filled in with numbers of the player's own choosing, the cards are limited in size and can essentially be used only once since the player marks out the numbers called with an ink dauber or like means. This type of random array selection results in an inefficiency of operation for playing consecutive games on a minimum interruption basis.

This inefficiency affects not only the game operator, who must find and check a copy of the marked paper boards which are collected to avoid an unauthorized change in the numbers once the game has started, but also the player, who must prepare a new board prior to each game. These actions require time and detract from the desired even, and essentially uninterrupted, flow of a successful bingo program. It is mainly for these reasons that the blank board approach has been used only for single games and then generally only for the first game of the bingo program.

Another important factor is to provide a gaming board which cannot be changed without the knowledge of the game operator, which provides an indication that it was acquired for use in the particular program being conducted, and which can be checked quickly in the event it displays a winning combination. Furthermore, during a typical bingo program, the shape of the winning array generally varies from one game to the next. Therefore, it is desirable for the player to have the shape of a winning array promptly displayed on his board and, additionally, to be provided with an automatic indication of when a match for that array has been achieved.

Recently, electronic gaming boards have been developed which permit a player to select his own numbers and to display the shape of a winning array. These boards signal the player when a winning array has been achieved on his board. An electronic gaming board of this type is more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,810 issued in the name of John Richardson on Dec. 28, 1982. Other advantageous electronic gaming systems are disclosed in copending application U.S. Ser. No. 441,771, filed Jan. 17, 1986, entitled, "Multiple Gaming Board" filed in the name of John Richardson, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,387 issued Jan. 17, 1989. The disclosures of Richardson are hereby expressly incorporated by reference.

Even with the improvement in game play brought about by electronic gaming boards, the play during a bingo gaming session has become much more complex. More and different types of games are played today than just the five across, up or down of traditional bingo. Specialized win patterns for each game are becoming commonplace, and it would be impractical to provide a select switch for every possible pattern. Additionally, the gaming schedules are complicated by playing either regular cards or special cards for a particular game. It is necessary for a player to recognize and determine which type of card and game is being played for a particular gaming schedule.

Moreover, even in a single game there may be multiple win patterns or levels that build to a final payoff. For example, the final win pattern may be three completely filled horizontal bars comprising the first, third, and fifth rows of a card. The first level win pattern may be the fifth row, the second level win pattern may be the first and fifth rows, and the third level win pattern may be the first, third and fifth rows. The final payoff is given to the first player to totally fill all three bars. It is difficult with presently configured electronic gaming boards to play different game levels conveniently. These complex schedules become even more difficult to play when considering that many players will desire multiple cards or boards.

Moreover, many bingo gaming sessions today offer place payouts where there is a declining amount for a sequence of wins. The first person matching a particular pattern receives a substantial first prize, a lesser amount is awarded to the second person matching the same pattern, a still lesser amount is paid to the third person matching the same pattern, and so on. These place-type games are also more difficult to play on presently configured electronic gaming boards.

One of the more popular pastimes during intermission at a bingo gaming session is "instant" or "break open" bingo. While this game can be played in a variety of different ways and on different types of cards, the principle of the game is essentially the same. The players purchase cards where all the numbers are covered by pull tabs and no caller is involved. The player simply peels off or breaks open the tab and if the card contains B, I, N, G, O in any order or rotation, it is scored as a win. Because prior-art electronic gaming boards cannot be used to play this game, an operator is required to use two different types of cards and to employ more people to sell these instant cards.

For security reasons, the above-referenced electronic gaming boards of Richardson use a timer which, after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed, locks out the board from play if the purchased card(s) have not been filled. While accomplishing its security purpose, this operation for an electronic gaming board causes the gaming session to be somewhat more inflexible than is necessary. For example, if every gaming board is set for a predetermined time, then no gaming cards can be sold within that interval before starting the game or the session cannot begin on time. These predetermined time periods, if fixed for all the boards, make it difficult to buy cards between games or a gaming session or at intermission. Moreover, there are players who do not want to choose their own numbers and consider it an imposition to have to fill out a gaming card on an electronic board. Further, an operator must make some provision for those players who have already paid for cards, but because the time for filling in the cards has elapsed, will not play in a particular game or gaming session.

An electronic gaming board as described in copending application Ser. No. 820,448, entitled "Gaming Board With Instant Win Feature" filed in the name of John Richardson, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,600, issued May 31, 1988 provides for the storage of a complex gaming schedule therein to produce arbitrary win patterns with multiple level and place formats. These electronic gaming boards have produced a need for a means by which the gaming operator can easily program a large number of the boards in a rapid manner with a completely arbitrary gaming schedule. The gaming operator further needs a means to assist him in formulating the complex gaming schedule from one gaming session to the next.

Another problem which confronts the operator when using electronic gaming boards, or even regular paper cards, is the lack of available auditing procedures. Because a winning player is paid in cash at the time of this win, if some inconsistency develops either in the amount paid for one game or the total amount paid over all the games, there is no practical means for correcting the error.

An electronic validation unit as described in copending application Ser. No. 820,245, entitled "Portable Validation Unit for Gaming System," filed in the name of John Richardson, provides for the operation of validating win claims for electronic gaming boards, such as those described immediately above, and for accumulating an audit record of the win claim. These validation units have produced a need for a means by which the gaming operator can easily program the units to validate the wins of a complex gaming schedule and to assemble the separate audit information from each validation unit into an integrated audit record for the entire gaming session.

Because the electronic gaming boards and validation units described above are hand-held, battery-powered apparatus, a considerable maintenance cost for such boards is changing the batteries. Generally, such hand-held, battery-powered devices have an on/off switch which connects and disconnects a battery from the circuitry such that power can be conserved during non-use. However, in a gaming session context, an operator does not want a player to be able to turn on and off an electronic gaming board, or an employee to be able to turn on and off a validation unit, for a number of reasons.

Initially, if the electronic gaming board or validation unit stores information in a random-access memory, turning off the device during the gaming session will excise this information from memory. Secondly, for security purposes as much as for power savings, the gaming operator does not want an electronic gaming board or validation unit operable until the start of the gaming session and then would prefer it to be disabled after the gaming session is complete. This type of operation would prevent unauthorized use and persons from storing or reading data from the electronic gaming board or validation unit which might effect the play of the game.

The invention solves these and other problems for a bingo gaming session, or the like, by providing an automatic gaming system comprised of a system base station and a plurality of electronic gaming boards. The system further includes, in another preferred embodiment, a plurality of validation units with which to validate the win claims for the electronic gaming boards.

The system base station is a data processing and control means which includes means for inputting information into a processor means. The processor means includes means for visually displaying data and means for communicating with either the electronic gaming boards or the validation units. Preferably, the system base station comprises a microprocessor-based disk operating system which runs an interactive application program receiving operator inputs and providing system control, communications, and auditing functions for the electronic gaming boards and the validation units.

The system base station has a number of modes by which an operator, through the input means, performs various functions for a gaming session as either the manager of the gaming session, the cashier of the gaming session, or an accountant at the end of the session developing an audit record for the complete gaming session.

In the manager mode, a complex gaming schedule can be assembled with an interactive routine which provides data for a gaming schedule. The routine provides the choice of selecting a win pattern from a format library of patterns or the choice of inputting an entirely arbitrary win pattern. From the selected win patterns, a gaming schedule is generated which is limited only by the imagination and ingenuity of the scheduler. Regular and special gaming cards, multiple win places and multiple win levels may be interspersed in an arbitrary fashion. Any time before the gaming session begins this schedule can be reformatted, deleted from, added to, etc. The manager or scheduler has complete discretion in game schedule formation and changes thereto and is provided with means for accomplishing these tasks in a facile manner.

In addition, the system, when in a manager mode, permits the selection of a validation code which is unique to the particular gaming session to be played. The validation code will be loaded into all of the electronic gaming boards and validation units to provide a security check for the devices being played and to verify win claims during the gaming session.

The system in the manager mode also provides means to set a real-time clock and to set a starting time for a gaming session. When the electronic gaming boards are loaded with the gaming schedule, they are additionally loaded with information pertaining to the time remaining prior to the start of a game, i.e., the difference between the real time and the starting time. The players have the amount of time remaining before the start of the gaming session to load arbitrary arrays for the number of cards they have purchased before the electronic gaming boards lock out the load mode and switch to the play mode. Because the electronic gaming boards are initialized at different times, this feature permits each board to count down its own variable time interval before the starting time so that all the gaming boards will switch to the play mode together.

An aspect of the invention is using the system base station, during the cashier mode, to turn on and initialize each electronic gaming board and each validation unit by connection to a communications means.

Another aspect of the invention is using the system base station, during the accounting mode, to form an audit record of the gaming session and to upload audit information from each validation unit and then turn it off.

These and other objects, features, and aspects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of an automatic gaming system including a system base station, a plurality of electronic gaming boards, and a plurality of validation units which are constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a pictorial representation of the menu of a software control program MAIN regulating the operations of the system base station illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a pictorial representation of the menu of the MANAGER routine which can be selected from the MAIN menu illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a pictorial representation of the menu of the CASHIER routine which can be selected from the MAIN menu illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a pictorial representation of the submenu for the FORMAT routine which can be selected from the MANAGER menu illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a pictorial representation of a menu for the ACCOUNTING routine which can be selected from the MAIN menu illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7A is a pictorial representation of the waveforms for serial data communications for downloading information from the system base station to either the electronic gaming boards or the validation units;

FIG. 7B is a pictorial representation of the waveforms for serial data communications for uploading information from validation units to the system base station;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram view of the system base station illustrated in FIG. 1 showing its electrical connection to either an electronic gaming board or a validation unit;

FIGS. 9A-9D are pictorial representations of the data packages which are transferred between the system base station and a validation unit;

FIGS. 10A-10F are pictorial representations of data packages which are transferred between the system base station and an electronic gaming board; and

FIGS. 11-18 are pictorial representations of printouts from the various modes of the system base station illustrated in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1 there is shown an automatic gaming system, preferably an electronic bingo system, constructed in accordance with the invention. The electronic bingo system comprises three major components including a system base station 10, a plurality of electronic bingo or gaming boards 12, and a plurality of validation units 14. The system base station 10 includes a keyboard 16, a video monitor 18, a printer 20, a computer or processor means 22, a communication cradle 24, and a dual floppy disk drive 26. The elements 10-26 are connected as a specialized data processing system.

The system base station 10 is microprocessor-controlled and functions as a system control center, a point-of-sale terminal, and an accounting or auditing center. The system base station 10 uses the communications cradle unit 24 to communicate with any of the electronic gaming boards 12 or any of the validation units 14 such that data can be transferred between the devices. The electronic gaming boards 12 are used by players in place of physical paper cards and markers which have been used traditionally in the game of bingo. A software control program is used to operate the system base station 10.

Preferably, the processor means 22 is under control of an operating system loaded into the memory of the station 10 through one drive of the dual drive 26. The software control program is then loaded from the other drive of the dual drive 26 and executed as an application program of the operating system.

In general, each electronic gaming board 12 is in turn connected through cradle 24 to the system base station 10 during an initialization step such that the board is downloaded with a gaming schedule for use in a series of games termed a gaming session. The electronic gaming boards 12 are also downloaded from the system base station 10 with an assignment code, a validation code, game parameters, and, optionally, firmware to execute. Preferably, the electronic gaming boards 12 are those having the features described in the Richardson application Ser. No. 820,448 entitled "Gaming Board with Instant Win Feature".

During a first mode, the player loads game arrays into an electronic gaming board 12 by arbitrarily selecting the symbols (numbers) which comprise each of the bingo cards he has purchased. After loading, the gaming boards 12 enter a second mode, termed "play mode", where matching the numbers selected and announced by the caller takes place. As the numbers of a game are called, the player enters them into the electronic gaming board 12 to determine if they match any numbers of one of the bingo cards contained therein. A particular game in the session is played until one or more of the electronic gaming boards 12 signals, audibly and by a visual indicator, that the game has been won. A payout is made using the validation units 14 and play is resumed until an entire gaming schedule is completed.

The validation units 14 are additionally initialized by connection to the cradle 24 of the system base station 10. The validation units 14 receive an assignment code and a validation code for a particular gaming session. When a player scores a bingo, or any other type of winning combination, one of the validation units 14 is used to verify that the win was legitimate. At the time of verification, information specific to a win is recorded within the validation unit 14. Later, these stored data records are uploaded to the system base station 10 via the cradle 24. Preferably, the validation units 14 are those having the features described in the Richardson application Ser. No. 820,245, entitled "Portable Validation Unit for Gaming System".

As more fully detailed in FIGS. 1 and 8, the electronic gaming boards 12 communicate with either the system base station 10 or one of the validation units 14 through a serial digital communications interface including an adaptor plug 36 (FIG. 1). The adaptor plug 36 is a six-pin, female-type telephone jack which is available for connection with the other devices. The validation unit 14 connects to the adaptor plug 36 through a cable 30 with a male plug end 34. The cable 30 has another male plug end 32 which connects to a similar adaptor plug 33 on the validation unit 14.

When an operator needs to validate an electronic gaming board 12, he plugs the cable end 34 into the connector 36 in the bottom of the board 12 and then listens for an audible annunciation by the validation unit 14. Several distinguishable audible annunciations may be produced by the validation unit 14, each indicating a different status for an electronic gaming board 12.

Connection of the electronic gaming board 12 to the system base station 10 is through a male plug of the cradle 24 which is received by the adaptor plug 36. The pins of the adaptor plug 36 form a serial data transmit line TxD, a serial data receive line RxD, two low voltage detection lines BAT1, BAT2, a nonconnected pin NC, and ground. These pins connect to similarly-labelled pins of the cradle 24 and plug end 34 of the validation units 14.

The validation units 14 additionally communicate with the system base station 10 through the serial communications interface including the adaptor plug 33. The adaptor plug 33 is a six-pin, female-type telephone jack which is available for connection with the other devices. The coiled cable 30 with two male plug ends 32, 34 (FIG. 1) extends from the jack to connect the validation unit 14 to the system base station 10 at a female plug of the cradle 24. The pins of the adaptor plug 33 form a serial data transmit line TxD, a serial data receive line RxD, two sense lines-sense B, C, a low battery detection line BAT1, and ground. These pins connect to similarly-labelled pins in the cradle 24 and adaptor plug 36 of the gaming boards 12.

The system base station 10 can download through the communications interface cradle 24 to an electronic gaing board 12 three different types of data blocks as illustrated in FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 10C. A gaming schedule is shown in FIG. 10A, preferably including 64 bytes of a format list, 256 bytes of win patterns, and ending with a check byte. The second type of data block in FIG. 10B which can be downloaded into the gaming board 12 is 1023 bytes of firmware which is terminated by a check byte. The block of firmware is executable by the gaming board 12 upon a special sequence of key actuations or commands. It is used for special security applications or other functions.

The last block of data which can be downloaded is a game parameters block shown in FIG. 10C. The system base station 10 assigns each gaming board 12 an 8-byte serial number defining the board and the player to which it is entrusted for the gaming session. The serial number is used for audit purposes to track the cards in play and is the first 8 bytes of the game parameters. The next 16 bytes of the game parameters is a validation code which is identically input to every gaming board 12 and validation unit 14 to define a gaming session. Next in the game parameters block is a byte indicating how many regular cards the player has purchased which byte have a value between 0 and 40. The following byte is the number of special cards, between 0 and 10, purchased and, thereafter, a byte indicates the number of instant bingo games between 0 and 255, purchased. The next to the last byte of information in the block indicates the number of chances available to select instant bingo spaces. The last information byte is a number between 0 and 79 indicating the time in minutes that a player has to load the board before it automatically switches to play mode. This variable is to ensure that play of the game starts all boards at the same actual time.

The validation unit 14 can upload a block of data from an electronic gaming board 12 through its communications interface 33 as illustrated in FIG. 10D. These game records or parameters are assembled internally within the gaming board 12 and are available upon command from the validation unit 14. The first six bytes of this block are the values of status indicators for the gaming board 12 at the time of a win or a validation command. The status (contents) of the free space, the annunciator bar and the pattern, game, and level of the gaming schedule are uploaded. The next 27 bytes are copies of the initialization information downloaded previously including the serial number, validation code, and the number of regular, special, and instant cards. The block ends with a check byte.

A flexible and complex gaming schedule can be formed by the system base station 10 and downloaded into each gaming board 12. FIGS. 10A, 10E, and 10F illustrate a schedule for a typical 16-game session with up to either 4 sublevels or places for each game. The schedule in FIG. 10A is separated into a format list shown in detail in FIG. 10E, and a plurality of win patterns shown in detail in FIG. 10F. The maximum of 16 games of the session are each assigned four bytes which contain addresses of win pattern groups in the win pattern bytes. Therefore, each game area of the format list points to the winning pattern for that particular game.

For different game levels, the addresses of the win pattern groups can be different, each building into a more complex pattern. For different game places, the addresses of the win pattern groups can be repeated. In addition, combinations of place and level games may be played in this manner. For example, a two-level game with a first and second place for each level can be played by storing the same win group address in the first byte and the second byte. Another win group address would be stored in the third byte and the fourth byte. It is evident that a 16-game, 4-level or 4-place schedule that is completely an arbitrary choice, or other schedules of this type, can be used.

Each win pattern group comprises a group count byte and a plurality of 3-byte (24-bit) win patterns. Each bit of a win pattern is assigned to one of the 24 spaces of the 5.times.5 bingo array (the free space is excluded) and a pattern is formed by selecting which spaces must be matched for a win. The selected spaces are marked one or zero, and the remaining bits are filled with the other logic value. The group count number identifies the number of ways or win patterns that will result in a win. For example, regular bingo has 12 win patterns (5 rows, 5 columns, 2 diagonals).

When first powered on, the validation units 14 receive from the system base station 10 an assignment code of eight bytes and a validation code of sixteen bytes, both in the form of ASCII strings (FIG. 9A). The validation code defines the particular game schedule or session of play and can be changed as often as the operator desires. The identical validation code is also stored in each of the electronic gaming boards 12 such that it can be matched with the validation code stored in the validation unit 14. The assignment code is a number given by the system base station 10 to the validation unit 14 describing the particular unit and the employee to whom it is entrusted for the session.

After the validation of a winning electronic gaming board 12, an EBC record relating to the winning combination and stored in the gaming board 12 is transferred to the validation unit 14 (FIG. 9D). Thereafter, a plurality of win records from a validation unit 14 may be uploaded to the system base station 10 for auditing purposes by selecting operations that upload a header record (FIG. 9B) and upload a win record (FIG. 9C). The header record is a count kept by the validation unit 14 of the number of win records it has stored and also includes the assignment code of the device and a byte forming the checksum of the information sent. A command to upload the win record causes the validation unit 14 to transfer one of its stored records about a win. The win record of an electronic gaming board 12 contains information as to the place of the win, which card the win occurred on, the win pattern, and the game number. Further, the information indicates the level of the win and the serial number of the winning gaming board 12. Operationally, when the validation unit 14 is connected to the electronic gaming board 12, it is used to validate the gaming board 12, validate either a regular or instant bingo, and upload the EBC records. When the validation unit 14 is connected to the system base station 10, it is used to receive the initialization record, or to upload the header records or win records.

The automatic gaming system uses a communications scheme or interface that allows the system base station 10, the electronic gaming boards 12, and the validation units 14 to act as one system. The communications interface uses an asynchronous serial communications protocol with the addition of a special handshaking routine to establish communications. The general communications protocol is a byte-serial communications with one start bit, eight data bits (no parity), and one stop bit at a data rate of 4800 baud. Serial data is transmitted via the transmit line TxD of each device and received via the receive line RxD of the other device.

When the gaming board 12 is connected to either the system base station 10 or the validation unit 14, the gaming board 12 acts as a slave unit and waits for one of the other devices to initiate the communication. In one mode, the gaming board 12 uses the BAT1 signal to signal the validation unit 14 with a high logic level. The gaming board 12 also uses the BAT1 and BAT2 signals to test for low battery voltage with the system base station 10.

When the validation unit 14 or system base station 10 detects the high logic level on the BAT1 signal line, it will establish a communications link with the gaming board 12, FIGS. 7A, 7B. The link is accomplished by the master device beginning the communications by placing a zero (break) 200 or 202 on the RxD line of the gaming board 12. This produces an interrupt to the board 12 which will be sensed by internal circuitry. The gaming board 12 will then reply with a low-level response, 204 or 206, by grounding the TxD line of the master device. The master device will again respond by setting the RxD input of the gaming board 12 high, 208 or 210, removing the interrupt. Thereafter, the board 12 will again reply by bringing its TxD line to a high logic level 212 or 214. Once the handshake has been accomplished the link is established and data communications may take place.

The system base station 10 or the validation unit 14 will then transmit a one-byte command 216 or 218 to the gaming board 12 requesting a particular operation. Depending upon which device the gaming board 12 is communicating with, it will perform either a download operation as illustrated in FIG. 7A or an upload operation as illustrated in FIG. 7B.

The command byte is an ASCII numeral from the set 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (all other numbers are ignored), specifying one of five commands as follows:

"1" Download gaming schedule

"2" Download gaming parameters

"3" Download gaming firmware

"4" Upload game records

"5" Power down

After receiving the command byte, the gaming board 12 executes one of the five commanded operations depending upon the value of the byte. If the command byte is a "1", "2", , or "3", the gaming board 12 prepares to receive (download) a block of data 220 from the system base station 10. The downloaded data blocks have been illustrated previously with respect to FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 10C. If the command byte is a "4", the gaming board 12 will transmit (upload) a block of data 222 to the validation unit 14. The uploaded data block has been previously illustrated with respect to FIG. 10D. If the command byte is a "5" from the system base station 10 or the validation unit 14, the gaming board 12 will power down and turn itself off. Any other command byte value is ignored. After these actions are completed, the gaming board breaks the communication link, thereby requiring the link to be re-established for further communication to occur.

Following the data block transfers, regardless of whether data was transferred to or from the gaming board 12, a checksum byte, 224 or 226, is transmitted back to the master unit. The checksum is the arithmetic sum of all the bytes transmitted after the command byte in modulo 256. For data transmitted from the gaming board 12, the validation unit 14 must match this checksum 226 to the one it calculates while receiving the data. If they match, the transfer was good and if not, the validation unit 14 is responsible for re-establishing the link and reissuing the upload command until a good transfer is achieved. For data transmitted to the gaming board 12, the checksum 224 must equal zero for a good data transfer. A check byte will be included in each block of data 220 to make the check sum equal to zero if the transfer is valid. Again, if the checksum 224 transmitted to the system base station 10 is not zero, then it is incumbent upon the base station to re-establish the link and reissue the communications until a good transfer is achieved.

The validation units 14 communicate with two external devices, namely the system base station 10 and the electronic gaming boards 12, through the communications interface. When the validation unit 14 is not connected to any other device, the sense C and sense B lines are held at a low logic level. These lines are used to indicate which of the two external devices are connected to the validation unit 14. The sense C line is assigned to the system base station 10 while sense B line is assigned to the electronic gaming boards 12. Therefore, the sense C line has a voltage applied to it if the system base station 10 is connected, and the sense B terminal has a voltage applied to it if an electronic gaming board 12 is connected to the validation unit 14.

A different communications format is used, depending on which device the validation unit 14 is communicating with. When the validation unit 14 is connected to an electronic gaming board 12, the validation unit 14 initiates communications by generating commands as a master unit, shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. When the validation unit 14 is connected to the system base station 10, the validation unit 14 acts as the slave unit and waits for the system base station 10 to initiate communications.

As seen in FIG. 7B, when the validation unit 14 detects a high logic level on the sense B line, it will establish a communications link with an electronic gaming board 12. The link is accomplished when the validation unit 14 begins communicating by placing a zero (break) 202 on its transmit line TxD. The validation unit 14 will then wait for the electronic gaming board 12 to respond with a zero 206 on its receive line RxD. A low logic level on the RxD line will end an interrupt to the validation unit 14, indicating that the electronic gaming board 12 has replied. Thereafter, the validation unit 14 responds by setting the data output line TxD high again at 210 and waiting for the electronic gaming board 12 to do the same to its RxD line at 214. Once this has been accomplished, the link is established and data communications can take place.

The validation unit 14 will transmit a one-byte command 218 to the electronic gaming board 12 requesting that the electronic gaming board 12 transmit stored audit information about the present card in play and, if applicable, a win pattern. The electronic gaming board 12 transmits a block of data 222 to the validation unit 14 in byte-serial format and terminates the transmission with a checksum 226. This communication protrocol, more particularly illustrated in FIG. 7B, is termed an upload operation from an electronic gaming board 12 to a validation unit 14. The uploaded information is an EBC record as illustrated in FIG. 9D.

Conversely, when a validation unit 14 detects a high logic level on the sense C line, this is an indication that it is connected to the system base station 10. The validation unit 14 does not initiate communication with the system base station 10, but instead waits for the system base station 10 to do so. The communications can be either an uploading operation, FIG. 7B, or a downloading operation, FIG. 7A.

In the manner illustrated, the system base station 10 places a logic zero 200 or 202 on the input data line RxD of the validation unit 14. After the sense B line has detected a high logic level during the connection, the validation unit 14 continuously checks its interrupt input line to detect a zero condition on its RxD line. When a logic zero on the RxD line appears, the validation unit 14 responds with a logic level zero, 204 or 206, on its output data line TxD. The handshake is completed when the system base station 10 detects the logic zero, and in response thereto, returns its TxD line to a logic level one, 208 or 210. The system base station 10 then waits for the validation unit 14 to sense the return of the TxD line to a high level and to brings its output data line back to a logic level of one at 212 or 214. This procedure establishes the communications link.

After the communications link has been established, the validation unit 14 waits to receive a command 216 or 218 from the system base station 10 and will idle waiting for the command as long as the sense C line is held high. If the sense C line goes low, then the link will have to be reestablished before any communications can occur. The system base station 10 thereafter sends a command byte to the validation unit 14 to request a certain operation.

The command byte is an ASCII numeral from the set 2, 5, 6, and 7 (all other numbers are ignored), specifying one of four commands as follows:

"2" Download Assignment and Validation Code

"5" Power Down

"6" Upload Header Record

"7" Upload Next Record

After receiving the command byte, the validation unit 14 executes one of the four commanded operations depending upon the value of the byte. If the command byte is a "2" the validation unit 14 prepares to receive (download) a block of data 220 from the system base station 10. The data block which is downloaded is as shown in FIG. 9A. If the command byte is a "6" or "7", , the validation unit 14 will transmit (upload) a block of data 222 as previously described in FIGS. 9B and 9C, respectively. If the command byte is a "5" from the system base station 10, the validation unit 14 will power down and turn itself off. Any other command byte value is ignored. After these actions are completed, the validation unit 14 breaks the communications link thereby requiring the link to be reestablished for further communication to occur.

Following the data block transfers regardless of whether data went to or from the validation unit 14, a checksum byte 224 or 226 is transmitted to the system base station 10. The checksum is the arithmetic sum of all the bytes transmitted after the command byte in modulo 256. For data transmitted from the validation unit 14 (upload), the system base station 10 must match the checksum 226 received from the validation unit 14 to the checksum the system base station 10 calculates while receiving the data. If they match, the transfer was good and, if not, the system base station 10 is responsible for reestablishing the link and reissuing the command until a good transfer is achieved. For data transmitted to the validation unit 14 (download), the checksum 224 must equal zero, as a check byte will be included in each block of data to make the checksum equal to zero if the transfer is valid. If the checksum transmitted to the system base station 10 is not zero, then it is incumbent upon the system base station 10 to reestablish the link and reissue communications until a good transfer is achieved.

The main program which controls the system base station 10 is an interactive software package which allows an operator of the system base station 10 to perform particular functions for the automatic gaming system. In general, the main operational modes of the system are a manager mode, a cashier mode, and an accounting mode. The manager mode is used to initialize the system parameters, provide security information, and develop a gaming schedule. The cashier mode allows the system base station 10 to operate as a point-of-sale terminal for initializing the validation units 14 and for selling cards on the electronic gaming boards to patrons. Further, it permits the cashier to make refunds and payouts during the play of the gaming session. The accounting mode is used after the gaming session to provide an audit record of the card sales, the payouts, and the refunds. In this manner, an integrated gaming system is created whereby the system base station provides a focal point for performing the functions needed to efficiently and automatically run a gaming session, particularly a bingo gaming session.

With respect now to FIG. 2, the main program is entered through a MAIN menu 50 which has a number of selections or choices which the operator can branch to by pressing a particular key. The MAIN menu 50 that the operator will produce on the display 18 during the initial part of the program consists of five selections. The operator can either select the manager mode 52, the cashier mode 54, or the accounting mode 56 of the program for the system base station 10. Further, by selecting a fourth routine in block 58, he can set the current date and time of a real-time clock which is used to provide a variable time interval for loading the electronic gaming boards 12. In general, the routine which embodies the operational block 58 depends upon the internal hardware of the system of the system base station 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. Conventional disk-operating systems which are compatible with MS-DOS or PC-DOS include means and instructions for settng a real-time clock. The routine 58 will produce a prompt on the screen of the display means 18 of the system base station 10 requesting an input of the current date and time from the operator on a keyboard 16. In response to his input, the current data and time will be stored in the real-time clock module of the hardware. The system will increment the date and time settings from that point.

The manager mode routine 52 is more fully illustrated in FIG. 3 and is also an interactive, menu-oriented routine. Selecting the routine 52 from the MAIN menu 50 causes a MANAGER menu 52 providing twelve choices or selections to be displayed on the monitor 18 of the system base station 10. The first choice is a routine 62 which allows the operator to set the validation code. The routine requests the operator by means of a visual prompt on display means 18 to enter a 16-byte arbitrary code. This code can be input either as numbers, letters, or symbols and in any order. The manager mode 52 is used at this point to set the validation code for the entire gaming session. At any time before the start of play, or before the programming of the electronic gaming boards 12 and validation units 14 is completed, the validation code can be changed or updated if the operator believes that the system has been compromised.

Another selection of the manager mode 52 allows a routine 64 to be called to set the start time of the gaming session. The routine 64 permits the operator to set one beginning time for the gaming session so that all of the electronic gaming boards 12 will commence play at the same time. Further, this feature allows extra cards to be sold during intermissions by ensuring that the gaming boards 12 will start together at the end of the intermission. When the routine 52 is selected, the operator is prompted with a request to enter the start time on the display 18. After this operation is successfully completed, the program will return to the manager menu 52.

A selection of routine 66 by the operator when in the manager mode 52 will provide means for changing the password which is used to gain entrance to the main program. When in this mode the program prompts the operator with a message to enter a new password. In response to the prompt, the operator will type in a six-digit or longer identifier which is then used by the manager to access the main program at the next gaming session.

The fourth selection, a routine 68, allows the operator to set the selling prices of each card. In response to a prompt for each type of available card, the operator inputs a price which is used thereafter to calculate audit records for the system. A further option, routine 70, allows a group of package prices to be charged for different combinations of cards and instant bingos. A routine 74 can be selected to set the discount percentages for purchasing any number of games or combinations of games. Printouts of these variables, as selected by the operator, is shown in FIG. 1B for price data and discount percentages. FIG. 15 illustrated a printout after the selection of the package variables for the gaming session.

Three selections of the MANAGER routines, namely routine 72, routine 78, and routine 80, allow for the formation of a complex gaming schedule which is completely arbitrary in nature. The selection of routine 78 allows the gaming operator to set the game formats, and routine 80 allows him to call up a format library. An example of a format library which has been printed is shown in FIG. 16, but this is the same data which would be shown on display 18 for the interactive routine. The format library is a set of predetermined win patterns which are used to select a number of different game formats in the routine 78. After the format of each game is chosen, the routine 72 is called to set the gaming session schedule by inserting the particular format chosen into a schedule and entering the number of levels and win combinations available to the player. Further, data as to the amount of the payoff for each game, and whether a regular or special card is required, are selected. An example of a game schedule selected in this manner is illustrated in FIG. 18.

Setting the game format routine 78 produces a separate submenu illustrated in FIG. 5 from which a number of operations may be chosen. The operator or game scheduler may choose to create a format by selecting routine 114, to delete a format by selecting routine 116, or to print a copy of a selected format by routine 118. Further, the entire format library can be printed by selecting routine 120. Finally, from the format menu routine 80, the operator has the choice of returning to the MANAGER menu 52 by selecting an option illustrated in block 122. FIG. 17 shows an example of a win format which was created with the routine 114 and then printed by routine 118.

After the operator has accomplished all of the functions that are necessary for his particular establishment and gaming session in manager mode, he can return to the MAIN menu by selecting the appropriate routine in block 84. Once back in the MAIN menu, the system base station 10 is ready to start the gaming session, which may or may not begin immediately. When it is desired to start the gaming session, the MAIN menu 52 is entered by the correct password and the cashier mode 54 is selected. The selection of the cashier mode 54 causes a CASHIER menu illustrated in FIG. 4 to be displayed on the monitor 18.

The CASHIER menu allows for the initialization of the validation units 14 by selecting the beginning of a routine 86. This selection causes the operator to be prompted with a message to insert a validation unit 14 in the communications cradle 24 of the system base station 10 in block 88. When the operator has finished the insertion step, he will press a carriage return in block 90 and the system will automatically initialize the validation unit 14 with the data previously described. After the routine 86 has successfully completed the initialization, the program will return to the cashier menu in block 110. This program is repeated if any other validation units 14 are present and need to be initialized.

The number of validation units 14 will be proportional to the number of gaming cards sold during a particular gaming session. Therefore, the validation units 14 may be initialized in a group before the start of the gaming session if the average number of players is known. Alternatively, a validation unit 14 may be initialized at any time during the gaming session when it becomes apparent that more cards are being sold than was originally anticipated.

If the second selection on the cashier menu 54 is taken, then a routine to sell the cards is entered. The card sale routine 92 consists of a prompt to the operator to insert one of the uninitialized electronic gaming boards 12 into the communications cradle 24. The particular board is assigned the next serial number, beginning with a particular offset, and the operator is prompted to input the number of regular cards which the player has purchased. The operator then enters a number from 0-40 or none. After the operator makes the entry, the program prompts with a request to enter the number of special cards purchased. After the operator has responded to this, he must also input the number of instant bingos that the player has purchased. The last input that the operator makes is the number of chances that the player has to produce an instant bingo. Once all the information has been loaded into the system and formatted into the correct data blocks, the operator will press the carriage return and cause the system base station 10 to download the gaming schedule that was developed during the manager mode 52, and to download the selected game parameters.

After the successful loading of a gaming board 12, the player is given a gaming board to load with numbers of the arrays he has purchased and a printed receipt of the transaction. An example of a printed receipt showing the purchase during routine 92 is illustrated in FIG. 11.

A routine 94 may be selected to manage other sales, and a routin 96 may be selected to determine whether a discount should be given for some purchases. The selection of a routine 100 allows the operator to enter a message into a special storage area of the system base station 10. When the players receive their receipts from the sales of the cards, a message will be preprinted thereon as a banner or header advertisement such as in FIG. 11. Further, the CASHIER menu 54 allows for a selection in block 112 to permit the operator to return to the main menu 50. The last selection of the CASHIER menu 54 is a payout routine 98. The payout routine 98, when selected, causes a submenu having four choices to be displayed on the monitor 18 of the system base station 10. The selections of the PAYOUT menu 98 include whether the payout is a bingo payout 102, another payout 104, or a refund 106. One last selection allows the operator to return to the CASHIER menu in block 108.

After the gaming session has been completed and the validation units 14 have been collected, the operator will cause the program to branch back to the MAIN menu 50 (FIG. 2) where the ACCOUNTING routine 56 is selected. FIG. 6 illustrates a detailed menu displayed on the monitor 18 of the system base station 10 when the ACCOUNTING routine 56 is selected from the main menu 50. The accounting menu 56 allows the listing of a number of system parameters on the display screen or, alternatively, their printout on a paper tape printer 20. The system base station 10 has been collecting data from all of the sales, payouts, and refuns of the gaming session. The stored information concerning the entire gaming session dyanamics is condensed and compressed into a formatted output. A listing of the bingo sales may be obtained by selecting routine 126, or a listing of other sales may be obtained by requesting routine 128. Further, the listings of the bingo payouts or the other payouts may be obtained by requesting the appropriate routine, either 130 or 132, respectively. In addition, a listing of all refunds may be obtained by selecting block 134 from the ACCOUNTING menu 56. A summary of all of the sales and payouts can be collectively obtained by selecting the routine 124. This routine gives a listing of the sum total of all sales in a category type, rather than individual listings as routines 126-134 provide. An example of a summary report is shown in FIG. 12.

To obtain actual support information for these audit functions from the validation units 14, a routine 138 is selected and executed. The upload validation routine causes a prompt to be displayed on the monitor 18 of the system base station 10 indicating that the validation unit 14 should be connected to the communications cradle 24. After the operator has accomplished the connection, he will press the carriage return key and the system base station 10 will automatically interrogate the validation unit 14, causing an upload of the audit information contained therein. Once the audit information has been extracted from the validation unit 14, the command which causes the validation unit 14 to be powered down is generated by the system base station 10. This operation turns the validation unit 14 off during those times when a gaming session is not being played.

Routine 136 of the ACCOUNTING menu 56 provides for the selection of a search serial number and customer number routine. This routine permits the system to do a global record search of all the audit information that it has stored for a particular serial number or customer number which is entered by the operator. This operation is for checking purposes and allows the operator to quickly find a record if there is some discrepancy between sales, payouts, and refunds. The last selection 140 in the ACCOUNTING menu allows the operator to return to the main menu.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. A listing of the routines for controlling the system base station 10 in a high level language (BASIC) follows on pages 32-94.