Gtech Corporation

Gtech Rhode Island Corporation

Clifton C Dutton

Timothy Riendeau

Matthew McAllister

Sharon Gannon

John DeTora

Jasmin Blackmar

William Robert Patterson

Daniel R Bergeron

An online game of chance and methods of conducting and playing the game on a virtual instant ticket are disclosed. The game is based on a map having multiple branches and nodes, where a desired path is selected by clicking on the branch or node as play progresses between a starting point and multiple finishing points. Each available branch or node that is selected results in a prize value being increased, decreased, or a token being awarded for later use in the game. In a single player mode, a final prize is awarded to the player. In multiple player modes, the final prize is divided among the players according to predetermined criteria.

Game of chance with multiple paths on a virtual scratch ticket

An online game of chance that produces a multi-player extension to an individual, instant lottery-type game and a method of playing the game are disclosed. The game comprises a first, individual phase of play using a virtual game substrate and a second, group phase of play comprising a plurality of virtual game substrates from first phase of play that are arrayed in a matrix. The first, individual phase of play is based on in instant lottery version of the well-known game of tic-tac-toe; the object being to match a plurality of game pieces, e.g., three, in one of a contiguous row, column, and diagonal. The object of the second phase of play is to use the combination of virtual game substrates to produce a match with one or more predetermined winning array combinations. This provides each individual participant with a second chance of winning. With the second phase of play, the combination of virtual game substrates is also movable, which produces even more opportunities for participants to win a prize.

Online game of chance providing a multi-player extension of a single-player virtual scratch ticket game and a method of playing the game

An on-line wagering system with programmable game entry cards including cards having on-card data storage for value tokens and data uniquely related to the player and including cards with on-card data storage for operator security data. The player cards are operable as payment means in which the tokens are spent and as play validation and play entry means in lieu of mark sense slips and printed validation receipts. Demographic player data uniquely related to the owner of the card is stored on the card and possibly in the central wagering system memory. This allows correlation of play entries with player demographics. The operator cards are operable to associate every transaction with an individual operator for the purpose of enhancing transaction security. A plurality of agent terminals in data communication with the central data processor interface between the central processor and the player cards. The agent terminals preferably also accept traditional mark sense entry slips and produce printed verification receipts, upon request.

On-line wagering system with programmable game entry cards and operator

A reader for cards having handwritten marks positioned to encode data, is provided with an image recorder for capturing an instantaneous image of the possible mark-bearing area of the card, including the handwritten marks and identification marks printed on the card. A data processor digitizes the data to a matrix of pixels representing grey levels at spaced points in the image. Digital means are provided to locate the identifcation marks and define the expected mark areas of the image field while accounting for positioning error such as skew, and to map the image field into potential mark-bearing areas. A comparator then compares the grey levels at successive pixels or groups of pixels in the mark areas with immediate adjacent pixels or groups, thereby detecting marks by finding contrasting edges. The identification marks printed on the card can be variable in type or position to provide for separate game cards. The reader is adaptable to be reprogrammed for additional games and functions.

Growing community of inventors

Providence, RI, United States of America

Clifton C Dutton