Gambling and lottery method and gambling automation for implementing the same

A method as well as a gambling machine for performing games and lotteries consists in that a symbol or combination of symbols is picked out by the gambling machine, a player is enabled to pick out the own symbol or combination of symbols, and then machine-picked symbol or combination of symbols is presented to the player. Wherein, a player is given an opportunity to control an impossibility to change the machine-picked symbol or combination of symbols until it is presented to the player. To realize the method the gambling machine has to contain corresponding units. The proposed invention lets player to make sure the random character of the game and absence of any garbling.

TECHNICAL FIELD
 The proposed invention belongs to methods and technical implementations for
 performing lotteries and gambling with a random outcome.
 BACKGROUND ART
 There are known methods for proceeding of lotteries and games [1-5] in
 which the game situation with pseudo-random outcome such as in card games,
 roulette, lottery with winning numbers etc. is created with a gambling
 machine or computer. In those methods, a player makes a move, i.e. chooses
 an arbitrary combination of symbols (digits, numbers, characters, cards,
 roulette wheel zones, lottery card zones etc.) using the gambling machine
 controls and then the gambling machine picks the winning symbol
 combination to determine the result of the game. In the case of complete
 or partial coincidence of those two combinations the player gets an award.
 But the player can never be sure the game has really been accidental
 because the machine determines the winning symbol combination after the
 information of chosen by player combination became available. Thus, the
 machine may correct the move to its profit violating the random nature of
 the game. The game can be considered fair and random if only the player
 can make the move after the winning combination has been chosen by the
 machine and if the player can make certain the winning combination is
 unchangeable until the results are shown. It is noteworthy that in some
 games, like Black Jack, for the sake of the game fairness it's needed to
 determine and store in the machine unchanged not a winning symbol
 combination but a sequence of cards in the deck from which the players can
 pick out cards. Therefore, hereinafter we will refer to a symbol or
 combination of symbols picked out by the gambling machine for a general
 consideration.
 There is a known method for performing games and lotteries [6] which is the
 closest to the proposed one in terms of aggregate of essential features.
 The method is taken as a prototype. In the method, a symbol or symbol
 combination is fixed in front of the observation window after revolving
 wheels with symbols plotted on their rims stopped. For the axed symbol or
 combination of symbols to be protected from seeing by a player the
 observation window is covered with opaque door until the player makes his
 own choice of symbols. Then the door is lifted up and the game result is
 shown.
 However, the revolving wheels as the information carrier are hidden away
 from the observation and a player fails to assure himself the fixed symbol
 or combination of symbols (a position of the wheels) is still unchanged
 after the player makes his move and up to the result presentation. By this
 way the gambling machine may correct the winning symbol and lead the game
 on behalf of itself violating the random nature of the game.
 There is a known gambling machine [6] chosen as the closest analogue
 (prototype), which contains: the unit for picking out a symbol or
 combination of symbols by the machine comprising the set of independently
 revolving fixable wheels with symbols plotted on the rims; the unit for
 picking out a symbol or combination of symbols by a player; the unit for a
 demonstration of the machine-picked symbol or combination of symbols to
 the player comprising an opaque removable screen mounted before of the
 machine-picked symbols with the possibility of their presentation after
 the player has made a move. Nevertheless, the wheels are hidden from the
 player and the player can't assure himself that after the moment the
 player makes his move and up to the moment of the result presentation the
 machine doesn't correct position of the wheels in dependence on the
 player's move and doesn't lead the game on behalf of itself violating the
 random nature of the game.
 The objective of the proposed method and the machine for its realization is
 to protect a player from potentially unfair game. The attainable technical
 result enables a player to control an unalterability of that symbol or
 combination of symbols picked out by the machine until the moment of
 result presentation.
 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
 To achieve this technical result, in the method of gambling and/or
 lotteries performing, a symbol or combination of symbols is picked out by
 the gambling machine; a player is enabled to pick out an own symbol or
 combination of symbols; the symbol or combination of symbols picked out by
 the gambling machine is presented to the player; the symbol or combination
 of symbols picked out by the gambling machine is compared with the ones
 chosen by the player; as a result of such comparision the player's award
 is determined. Herein, there is enabled player's control of unalterability
 of the machine-picked symbol or combination of symbols until the moment of
 result presentation by the way of a player's visual observation of the
 state of an information carrier with the symbol or combination of symbols
 fixed on it by the gambling machine.
 It's possible to realize the method by the way when fixation of a symbol or
 combination of symbols by a gambling machine is carried out by choosing an
 information carrier out of a set of those carriers; each of these
 information carriers at one side is marked by a symbol or combination of
 symbols. The control of unalterability of the machinepicked symbol or
 combination of symbols is carried out by placing symbol-free side of the
 chosen carrier within a player's field of vision. Presentation of the
 machine-picked symbol or combination of symbols may be accomplished by
 delivering of the information carrier to a player. Therein, it's possible
 to use the following kinds of information carriers:
 information carrier in form of a card;
 information carrier in form of a lotto element.
 A machine-picked symbols or combination of symbols may be fixed by printing
 on the information carrier, herein, it's possible that:
 information carrier in form of as a tape;
 information carrier in form of a card;
 two-layered information carrier with a dye-stuff between the layers.
 The method can be realized by the way when a symbol or combination of
 symbols is picked by a gambling machine out of those plotted on a rim of
 at least one of revolving wheels which is stopped in the fixed position,
 for instance, in front of transparent window. The window can be set out
 parallel to the wheel's rotation axis and only one machine-picked symbol
 plotted on the rim, for example, can be seen through it. The control of
 impossibility for the symbol or combination of symbols to be changed is
 carried out by observation of invariable position of every wheel through
 another window placed, for instance, on the side of a wheel's butt-end.
 Gambling machine for the method described to be realized is comprising: a
 unit for picking out a symbol or combination of symbols by the gambling
 machine; a unit for picking out a symbol or combination of symbols by a
 player, and a unit for presentation of the machine-picked symbol or
 combination of symbols to a player. Hereat, a unit for picking out a
 symbol or combination of symbols by the gambling machine is comprising
 means for a player to be assured in unalterability of the machine-picked
 symbol or combination of symbols fixed on, at least, one carrier until the
 result presentation. Wherein, a unit for picking out a symbol or
 combination of symbols by the gambling machine may comprise: means for a
 choice of, at least, one information carrier out of a set of those
 carriers at one side of which at least one symbol is plotted; and means
 for a feed of the information carrier by a symbol-free side within the
 player's field of vision. Hereat, a unit for presentation may comprise
 means for demonstration either only visually or with direct delivering of
 the symbol-holding carriers into player's hands. For realization of either
 the method or gambling machine various carriers can be used. In case of
 only visual presentation a carrier may be used repeatedly, a player does
 not receive it in his hands and the articles like chips, cards, cubicles,
 lotto elements or dominoes seem to be the most expedient. In case of a
 carrier is delivered directly to a playe--toys, souvenirs, confectionary
 etc. among mentioned above may be used as a carrier to be placed, for
 instance, on a transporter belt in a player's visual control zone and then
 to be delivered to the player.
 In another possible realization of the proposed gambling machine, the unit
 for picking out a symbol or combination of symbols by the gambling machine
 may comprise means for symbols recording on one side of carrier and a unit
 for a feed of the information carrier by the symbol-free side in a
 player's field of vision. It is expedient to use a printer as a recording
 means. The carrier may be made out of various materials in the form of
 cards, ribbon, two-layered carrier with a dye-stuff between the layers.
 The information carrier has to provide for impossibility for a player to
 determine a machine-recorded symbol or combination of symbols when the
 carrier is placed in a player's field of vision with the symbol-free side
 before the moment of result presentation, thus the carrier has to be
 nontransparent.
 There is a possible realization of the gambling machine in which the unit
 for picking out a symbol or combination of symbols by the gambling machine
 is comprising: at least, one revolving wheel with a symbol-plotted rim;
 means for control of an independent rotation and halt of each wheel; a
 transparent window mounted on the butt-end to observe the unalterability
 of the wheel position. Additionally, the unit for presentation is
 comprising a nontransparent screen mounted in such a way as to cover or
 uncover the machine-picked symbol or combination of symbols.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 In FIG. 1 there are schematically shown a nontransparent body 1 of a
 gambling machine and transparent observational window 2 for a visual
 control by a player 3 situated outside of the gambling machine. Behind the
 window 2, the unit 4 for picking out a carrier is mounted with a set of
 information carriers 5 (cards) inside. On the one side of each of the
 nontransparent card 5 a combination of symbols 6 is preliminary plotted.
 In the gambling machine, in the player's field of vision, there is also
 the feeding unit 7 built in the form of belt transporter connected with
 the unit 4 picking out a carrier and with the means for a carrier
 delivering, i.e. the output unit 8 enabling the controlled access from
 outside to the information carrier 5. Various mechanisms of engine-driven
 gates may be used as the output unit 8.
 After a player has paid for a move with a token or credit means (not shown
 in FIG. 1 for the sake of simplicity) the picking out unit 4 puts the card
 5 on the feeding unit 7 with a symbol-free side. Hereby, the player 3 can
 see only the symbol-free side of the card 5 through the window 2. Various
 conventional devices like money bills or post envelopes sorters can be
 used as the unit 4 picking out the information carrier. The picking out
 unit 4 can read combination of symbols plotted on the next card 5 and thus
 determine the winning combination of symbols. It is also possible that the
 picking out unit 4 is registrating only the fact of the following card 5
 issue, in the gambling machine control unit (based, for example, on a
 computer) there was in advance determined the order of cards in the set of
 carriers 5 and, hence, the sequence of winning combinations of symbols.
 Then, the feeding unit 7 nioxes the card 5 into the player's 3 field of
 vision and stops it in the position shown in FIG. I until the player picks
 out the own combination of symbols. Hereat, the output unit 8 for the
 carrier delivering is closed and the winning combination 6 plotted on the
 card 5 is hidden from the player's sight. However, the player can make
 sure looking through the transparent window that no technical means have
 an access to the card 5 to change the winning combination of symbols.
 After the player picks out a combination of symbols using a conventional
 setting device equipped with either buttons, handles, mouse manipulator,
 light pen, remote control, touch-sensitive display, etc. the carriers
 feeding unit 7 removes the card 5 to the opening output unit 8 and
 delivers the card 5 into the hands of player 3 to check the result.
 In FIG. 2 there are schematically shown the nontransparent body 1 of a
 gambling machine and the transparent observational window 2 for a visual
 control by a player 3 situated outside of the gambling machine. Behind the
 window 2, an automated unit 9 for picking out a combination of carriers 10
 is mounted. On one side of the each carrier 10 a symbol from the set of
 symbols is plotted. Cylinder-shaped lotto elements with a symbol plotted
 on the butt-end can be used as the carriers 10, for example. A unit 9 for
 picking out a symbol or combination of symbols by the gambling machine can
 be accomplished, for example, in the form of a mechanism for the carriers
 10 shuffling and a gate to let the current combination of carriers 10 pass
 through. In addition, the combination picking unit 9 is comprising means
 for reading symbol plotted on each of those carriers 10 let out. In FIG. 2
 one of the possible variants of the carrier feeding unit is shown. Under
 the force of gravity, for example, the carriers 10 advance along a set of
 guides 11 up to a door 12 and stop in the player's 3 field of vision. The
 guides 11 and the door 12 are installed in such a way as to hide the fixed
 combination of symbols from the player (the lower butt-end of the carriers
 10 is not visible for the player). However the player can make sure
 looking through the transparent window 2 that no technical means have an
 access to the carrier 10 to change the winning combination of symbols. At
 the end of the guides 11, the door 13 is mounted to stop the carriers 10
 in the position enabling the visual presentation of the winning
 combination on the butt-ends of the carriers 10 to the player. The door 13
 is installed in such a way as to enable the carriers 10 to get into the
 accumulator 14 after the door is opened and to get lifted back into the
 unit 9 picking out a combination of symbols.
 After a player has paid for a move the combination picking unit 9 shuffles
 the carriers 10 and forwards some combination of them to the guides 11 to
 move it up to the closed door 12 where they stop in the player's field of
 vision as shown in FIG. 2. After the player picks out the own combination
 the door 12 is opened and let the carriers 10 pass to the closed door 13.
 In that position of carriers 10, the player 3 can read the winning
 combination and check the result of the game. Then the door 13 is opened,
 the carriers 10 get into the accumulator 14 and are lifted back into the
 combination picking unit 9.
 In FIG. 3 there are schematically shown the nontransparent body 1 of a
 gambling machine and transparent observational window 2 for a visual
 control by a player 3. Behind the window 2. one or several revolving
 wheels 15 are coaxially installed (in FIG. 3, the closest to the window
 wheel 15 is shown). Rims of the wheels have control lugs 16. The wheels
 have independent drives for a rotation and stop, symbols 17 out of a
 symbol set are plotted on the lugs 16. In the body 1 of the gambling
 machine. before the rims of the wheels 15, the transparent read-out window
 18 is installed to enable the player 3 to read the winning combination of
 symbols on the rims of the wheels stopped in front of the window 18. At
 the initial phase the read-out window 18 is closed by the nontransparent
 door 19 with a drive (in FIG. 3 the door 19 is shown open). Observational
 window 2 is installed from the butt-end side of the wheels 15 and has such
 dimensions as not to let the player read the symbols 17 plotted on the
 rims but make sure the wheels 15 don't rotate due to the immovable
 position of the lugs and thus the fixed winning combination of symbols 17
 is still invariable.
 After a player has paid for a move the drive of the door 19 shuts the
 window 18, the wheels 15 start independent rotation and then stop in some
 position thus fixing the winning combination. It is possible to mount a
 nontransparent extra door on the control window 2 for a some time after
 the wheels started the rotation to disable the player to find out the
 winning combination by knowing the initial position of the wheels,
 sequence of the symbols 17 placement on the rim of the wheel 15 and
 measuring the rotation angle of the wheel 15. After the player picks out
 the combination the door 19 opens the read-out window 18 and shows the
 winning combination to the player.
 In FIG. 4, there are schematically shown the nontransparent body 1 of a
 gambling machine and the transparent observational window 2 for a visual
 control by a player 3 situated outside of the gambling machine. Behind the
 window 2 in the gambling machine, the standard (dot matrix, for example)
 printer 20 is installed for a symbol or combination of symbols 21 to be
 fixed. The paper tape 22 (for example) can be used as a carrier. The tape
 22 can be fed and presented to the player through the cutting unit 23 that
 is made, for example, in the form of engine-driven sharpened blade with
 reciprocating movement. In the initial phase the cutting unit 23 shuts an
 outside access to the tape 22, the printer 20 and the tape are installed
 in such a way as to print the combination of symbols 21 on the tape side
 invisible for the player. Therefore, the player cannot read the fixed
 combination of symbols 21 but can make sure looking through the
 transparent window 2 that no technical means have an access to the tape 22
 to change the fixed combination of symbols 21.
 After a player has paid for a move the printer prints out the combination
 of symbols 21 on the tape 22 and then feeds the segment of the tape 22
 with the combination of symbols 21 printed into the player's 3 field of
 vision as shown in FIG. 4. The arrows show the direction of the tape 22
 movement. After the player picks out the own combination the segment of
 the tape 22 with printed combination of symbols 21 is fed out of the
 gambling machine and is presented with the cutting unit 23 to let the
 player check the validity of game.
 Of course, in all the given above examples of the proposed invention
 realization not only combination of symbols but also a single symbol may
 be offered to guess, as for instance, in games with guessing a number or
 card, etc. In the given examples, a machine-picked symbol or combination
 of symbols is called a winning one because a player wins if only a symbol
 or combination of symbols picked out by the player coincides completely
 or, at least, partially, with that picked out by the machine. Following
 the proposed invention, the wide family of games and lotteries with a
 random outcome can be realized, as for instance, a roulette, a wheel of
 fortune, various lotto and lotteries, guessing numbers or cards and so on.
 Moreover, according to the proposed invention, there is a possibility to
 realize the card games of Black Jack type, in which cards are identified
 with numbers (points) and a player or several players has a right to pick
 an arbitrary number of sequentially arranged cards from a deck in such a
 way as to collect the maximum sum of points not exceeding 21. To realize
 the game in accordance to the proposed invention, after the game is paid
 for, the gambling machine picks out the combination of symbols as an
 initial sequence of cards in a deck and fixes it on the carrier in any
 appropriate methods using the devices described above. After that the
 player or players may take an arbitrary number of consequent cards out
 from that initial sequence starting from the first one while the gambling
 machine displays the symbol of the every taken card. In case of the total
 sum exceeds 21 the player loses both a right to take the next card and a
 bet equal to the paid game fee. After the player or players have made
 their moves the gambling machine determines a card combination that is a
 "dealer" is supposed to take in line with the game rules starting from the
 first card left by the players. For instance, in Black Jack, a dealer has
 to take cards until he/she totals 17 points or greater. Then, like it has
 been in all other above variants of the invention realization, the
 gambling machine determines according to the rules the result of the game
 and presents the fixed initial cards sequence to verify the correctness of
 the results.
 INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
 The gambling machine, in accordance with the proposed technical solution,
 can also perform games and lotteries with money winnings and deliver
 awards in the form of prizes, coins, tokens, credit increase and so on.
 Control of the gambling machine and coordination of its units performance
 can be carried out by standard computer that can also create a game
 situation, display the results and make an audio background. The computer
 and its software can also control the units for picking out the symbols
 combination by a player, keep balance of payments and awards.
 SOURCES OF INFORMATION CITED
 1. DE, 2264625, G07 F 17/32, published 24.05.74.
 2. DE, 2657835, G07 F 17/32, published 22.06.78
 3. EP, 219306, G07 F 17/32, published 22.04.87
 4. EP, 208857, G07 F 17/32, published 21.01.87
 5. WO, 91/032292, A63 F 9/00, published 22.04.87
 6. GB, 1275697, G07 F 17/32, published 24.05.72