Abstract:
Gaming apparatus ( 10 ) comprises symbols providing means for providing a plurality of symbols ( 40 ), each symbol having a value designation. The apparatus further includes presentation means for selecting two or more symbols ( 40 ) from the plurality of symbols and presenting the symbols to a user. The plurality of symbols are arrangeable in order of value designation. The apparatus also includes replacement means for replacing one or more of the selected symbols with one or more successive symbols from along the order of value designation.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to gaming apparatus.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Gaming apparatus for playing card games are known. However, such apparatus are limited in their scope for playing the games involved.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided gaming apparatus comprising symbol providing means for providing a plurality of symbols, each symbol having a value designation, presentation means for selecting two or more symbols from said plurality of symbols and presenting the selected symbols to a user, said plurality of symbols being arrangeable in order of value designation, and replacement means for replacing one or more of the selected symbols with one or more successive symbols from along said order of value designation.  
           [0004]    According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided a gaming method comprising providing a plurality of symbols, each symbol having a value designation, selecting two or more symbols from said plurality of symbols, presenting the selected symbols to a user, said plurality of symbols being arrangeable in order of value designation, and replacing one or more of said symbols with one or more successive symbols from along said order of value designation.  
           [0005]    According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided gaming apparatus comprising symbol providing means for providing a plurality of symbols, each symbol having a value designation, presentation means for selecting two symbols from said plurality of symbols and presenting the selected symbols to a user, the presentation means selecting one or more symbols and replacing said selected symbols in turn with said further symbols until two pre-determined symbols are presented.  
           [0006]    According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a gaming method comprising providing a plurality of symbols, each symbol having a value designation, selecting two symbols from said plurality of symbols and presenting the selected symbols to a user, selecting at least one further symbol and replacing said selected symbols in turn until two pre-determined symbols are presented.  
           [0007]    Preferably, the plurality of symbols includes a plurality of sets of symbols.  
           [0008]    According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided gaming apparatus comprising symbol providing means for providing a plurality of symbols, said plurality of symbols comprising a plurality of sets of symbols, each symbol having a value designation and a set designation, presentation means for selecting two or more symbols from said plurality of symbols and presenting the selected symbols to a user, said plurality of symbols being arrangeable in order of value designation, and replacement means for replacing one or more of the selected symbols with one or more successive symbols from along said order of value designation, wherein the, or each, successive symbol is selected from any of said sets.  
           [0009]    According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gaming method comprising providing a plurality of symbols, said plurality of symbols, said plurality of symbols comprising a plurality of sets of symbols, each symbol having a value designation and a set designation, selecting two or more symbols from said plurality of symbols, presenting the selected symbols to a user, said plurality of symbols being arrangeable in order of value designation, and replacing one or more of said symbols with one or more successive symbols from along said order of value designation, wherein the, or each, successive symbol is selected-from any of said sets.  
           [0010]    According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided gaming apparatus comprising symbol providing means for providing a plurality of symbols, said plurality of symbols comprising a plurality of sets of symbols, each symbol having a value designation and a set designation, presentation means for selecting two or more of said symbols from said plurality of symbols, presentation means for selecting two or more symbols from all of said plurality of symbols and presenting the selected symbols to a user, said plurality of symbols being arrangeable in order of value designation, and replacement means for replacing one or more of the selected symbols with one or more successive symbols from along said order of value designation, wherein the, or each, successive symbol is selected from the same set as the symbol to be replaced.  
           [0011]    According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gaming method comprising providing a plurality of symbols, said plurality of symbols comprising a plurality of sets of symbols, each symbol having a value designation and a set designation, selecting two or more symbols from all of said plurality of symbols, presenting the selected symbols to a user, said plurality of symbols being arrangeable in order of value designation, and replacing one or more of the selected symbols with one or more successive symbols from along said order of value designation, wherein the, or each, successive symbol is selected from the same set as the symbol to be replaced.  
           [0012]    In one embodiment, the symbols may be arranged in said order of value designation, preferably by the symbol providing means.  
           [0013]    Preferably, the presentation means comprises selection means for selecting the aforesaid two or more symbols. The presentation means may comprise display means displaying the selected symbols, to be presented to the user.  
           [0014]    The value designation of each symbol may be an alphabetical or numerical designation.  
           [0015]    The order of values may be an alphabetical or numerical order. The symbols may provide a succession of symbols in alphabetical or numerical order.  
           [0016]    Each set of symbols may comprise a plurality of symbols in which the value designations are alphabetical or numerical designations, and each set may provide a succession of symbols in alphabetical or numerical order. Each symbol may further include a set designation to define the sets to which the respective symbol belongs. For example, the symbols may be in the form of representations of playing cards, in which the sets constitute suits, whereby the value designation denotes the value of the respective playing card, and the set designation denotes the suit to which the respective card belongs.  
           [0017]    In one embodiment, the, or each, aforesaid succession of symbols may comprise different symbols selected from any of said sets. In another embodiment, the, or each, aforesaid succession of symbols may comprise different symbols having the same set designations.  
           [0018]    The symbol providing means may comprise storage means for storing representations of the symbols. The storage means, the selection means, and the replacement means may constitute a single processing means, or may be separate components of the apparatus.  
           [0019]    The display means may comprise a screen on which the symbols are displayed.  
           [0020]    Preferably, the presentation means is arranged to select the, or each, symbol substantially at random. The selection means may comprise electronic selection means which may be appropriately programmed.  
           [0021]    The presentation means is preferably arranged to select three of said symbols.  
           [0022]    The replacement means may be arranged to replace the selected symbol in a stepwise manner. Preferably, each stepwise change in the symbol is displayed on the display means. The replacement means may be arranged to replace the selected symbol, or one of the selected symbols in either direction along the succession of symbols as desired by a user.  
           [0023]    The plurality of symbols may comprise a plurality of groups of symbols. Each group of symbols may comprise a plurality of sets as described above.  
           [0024]    In the preferred embodiment, each group of symbols comprises representations of a pack of playing cards. Preferably, the plurality of symbols consists of three groups of symbols. In the preferred embodiment, the plurality of symbols comprises representations of three packs of playing cards.  
           [0025]    The apparatus preferably further includes actuation means to allow the apparatus to be used by a user. The actuation means may comprise token receiving means, whereby upon receipt of a token, or a plurality of tokens, to a predetermined value, the actuation means may allow the user to operate the apparatus. The token receiving means may be adapted to receive tokens in the form of coins.  
           [0026]    Preferably, the apparatus includes delivery means to deliver to a user a prize, which may be in the form of coins or other tokens, when the symbols, or, displayed on the display means match a predetermined arrangement of symbols  
           [0027]    Means for retaining the symbols may be provided for a user to retain a symbol presented by the presentation means for the next operation of the apparatus. The retaining means may allow the operator to retain more than one of the symbols presented by the presentation means for the next operation of the apparatus. The retaining means may be a part of the processing means, or may be a separate component of the apparatus.  
           [0028]    In an alternative embodiment, or in addition to the above the presentation means may select a first symbol and thereafter a second symbol, and may present the first and second symbols to the user. Thereafter the presentation means may select further symbols in turn, to replace the previously selected first or second symbols. This further selection may continue until two symbols of the same value are displayed. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0029]    An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional side view of gaming apparatus; and  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 2 is a view along the lines II-II in FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0032]    Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a sectional side view of a gaming apparatus  10 . The gaming apparatus  10  comprises a main body  12  housing the components thereof.  
         [0033]    The components of the gaming apparatus  10  comprise processing means  14  which includes storage means  16  in the form of a memory for electronically storing a plurality of symbols in the form of representations of three packs of playing cards.  
         [0034]    The processing means  14  further includes selection means  18  co-operable with the storage means  16  for selecting three individual playing cards.  
         [0035]    Also included in the processing means,  14  is replacement means  20  for allowing the cards selected by the selection means  18  to be replaced. The processing means  14  also includes retaining means  22 . The replacement means  20  and the retaining means  22  are described in more detail below.  
         [0036]    The gaming apparatus  10  also includes display means  24  comprising a screen  26  for presenting the selected cards to a user.  
         [0037]    Token receiving means  28  is provided towards the top of the main body  12  to receive, and recognise, tokens in the form of coins or other suitable means, such as a credit or debit card, or notes inserted therein. The token receiving means  28  defines a first slot  29 A to receive the tokens and a second slot  29 B out of which rejected tokens may pass. Where, for example, the tokens are coins, accepted tokens are passed via a chute  31  to a token holding chamber  33 .  
         [0038]    Also provided at the front of the main body  12  are control means  30  in the form of a plurality buttons, described below, which enable the user to operate the apparatus  10  when tokens to the correct value have been inserted into, and accepted by, the token receiving means  28 .  
         [0039]    Token delivery means  50  is provided, which holds a plurality of tokens. The tokens may be in the form of coins for delivery to a user as a prize. The token holding means  50  comprises a container  52  for containing the tokens and a chute  54  down which the tokens can slide. The main body  12  defines a slot  56  to allow access by the user to the tokens, on the chute  54 .  
         [0040]    The control means  30  is connected to the processing means  14  held within the main body  12  of the apparatus  10 .  
         [0041]    In the presently described embodiment, the processing means  14  comprises a single entity which includes within it, as represented in broken lines the storage means  16 , the selection means  18 , the replacement means  20 , and the retaining means  22 . It will be appreciated that the representations of the storage, selection, replacement, and retaining means  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  are arbitrary representations of these features within the processing means  14 . The person skilled in the art will realise from this description the components that would be required, and their arrangements within the processing means  14 . It will also be appreciated that the processing means  14  need not be a single entity, the individual components as described herein, namely the storage means  16 , the selection means  18 , the replacement means  20 , and the retaining means  22  may be individual components co-operating with one another connected electrically to one another.  
         [0042]    The control means  30  is arranged on a front panel  32  of the apparatus and comprises a “start button”  34 , three “step up” buttons,  36 A,  36 B,  36 C, three “step down” buttons  37 A,  37 B,  37 C, and three “hold” buttons  38 A,  38 B,  38 C. The screen  26  is arranged directly above the control means  30 .  
         [0043]    When the start button  34  is pressed, the processing means  14 , operates so that the selection means  18  selects, substantially at random, three playing cards from the three sets of representations of playing cards stored on the storage means  16 . These three playing cards are displayed on the screen  26 , as shown by the playing cards  40 A,  40 B,  40 C. As can be seen, the buttons  36 A,  37 A,  38 A are arranged directly beneath and operate on the representation of the card  40 A and, correspondingly, the buttons  36 B,  37 B and  38 B are arranged directly beneath and operate on, the representation of the card  40 B on the screen  26 , and the buttons  36 C,  37 C,  38 C are arranged beneath and operate on, representation of the card  40 C.  
         [0044]    When the button  34  is pressed, three cards are displayed on the screen  26 . Also displayed at the top of the screen is a number which is the maximum amount of changes which can be made to the cards on the screen by pressing the buttons  36 A,  36 B,  36 C,  37 A,  37 B or  37 C. In the example shown the number of changes that can be made is “4”. By pressing the “step up” button  36 A, the adjustment means  20  changes the card  40 A upwardly in numerical order. Similarly, by pressing the “step down” button  37 A the adjustment means  20  changes the card  40 A downwardly in numerical order, and the buttons  36 B,  37 B and  36 C,  37 C would have the same effect respectively to the cards  40 B and  40 C.  
         [0045]    For example, if the cards which are selected and first appear on the screen  26  are a three of hearts, a four of clubs and a seven of diamonds as shown in FIG. 1 and the number of adjustments indicated on the screen is “ 4 ” (as shown) the user could press the “step up” button  36 A once to change the three of hearts, to a four and the “step down” button  37 C three times to change the seven of diamonds to a four which would give the user three fours. Alternatively, if the cards shown on the screen had been the three of clubs, the eight of spades, and the six of hearts, and the number of adjustments indicated on the screen was at least five, the user, by pressing the “step up” button  36 A three times could change the three of clubs to a six, and by pressing the “step down” button  37 B twice could change the eight of spades to a six thereby giving the user three sixes. In each case the user wins a prize and an appropriate number of coins are delivered down the chute  54  to be retrieved by the user.  
         [0046]    During the process of changing the cards, the cards are arranged in numerical order and, if desired, in suit order. Thus, in the first example given above, the three of hearts would be changed to the four of hearts and the seven of diamonds to the four of diamonds. Similarly, with the second example, the three of clubs would be changed to the six of clubs and the eight of spades to the six of spades. However, if the cards are arranged in value order, but with random ordering of the suits, the user does not know which suit will be displayed on the screen when the buttons  36 A-C and  37 A-C are pressed.  
         [0047]    In the first example indicated above, it will be possible to change the three of hearts to the four of clubs and the seven of diamonds also to the four of clubs if the suits are randomly ordered. The user is likely to win a higher prize if the three matching cards are identical rather than if they are of different suits.  
         [0048]    It will be appreciated that in some embodiment, the representations of the cards may be stored in numerical order in the storage means  16 , at least during the step of operating the replacement means  20 . However, in other embodiments, the representations of the card may be stored in the storage means in any desired order, and the replacement means,  20  is programmed to replace the card  40 A,  40 B or  40 C with the subsequent or previous card in numerical order.  
         [0049]    When the user has completed the game, and decides to play again, on the insertion of appropriate coins to play a further game, the screen may indicate that some or all of the cards may be retained or “held”. The buttons  38 A- 38 C are connected to the retaining means  22  which enables the user, on pressing a desired one or more of the buttons  38 A- 38 C to retain the respective cards during the next game. For example, if, at the end of a previous game, the user has two sevens, and on insertion of coins to play a further game, the screen indicates that at least two “holds” are available, the player could choose to retain the two sevens for the next game.  
         [0050]    The apparatus  10  also includes a random is action button  42  for playing a further game after the game described above has finished. The random action button  42  is connected to the processing means  14 . If, at the end of a game described above, the screen shows a preselected arrangement of cards, the display may offer the user the opportunity to play a further game, and win further money. In this part of the game, if the user wishes to play, he presses the random is action button  42 , and the selection means then selects a pair of cards at random. Subsequently the selection means then selects also at random cards in turn which alternately replace each of the two selected cards. This continues until the screen shows a pair of cards. At the beginning of the game the prize to be won may be, for example, fifteen pounds. Each time a card is dealt, after the first two cards have been dealt, the prize may be reduced by a predetermined amount, for example, one pound. When the cards on the screen constitute a pair, the user will win the amount remaining.  
         [0051]    Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, for example, then selection means could select more than three cards.  
         [0052]    Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.