The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 23, 2010
Filed:
Jul. 16, 2004
Stephen Cowan, Taren Point, AU;
Dean Wright, Taren Point, AU;
Stephen Cowan, Taren Point, AU;
Dean Wright, Taren Point, AU;
Paltronics Australasia Pty Limited, Heathcote, New South Wales, AU;
Abstract
Apparatus () and associated methods are disclosed for determining the award of a plurality of prizes having respective prize values. The apparatus includes memory () for storing data indicative of a current prize value; an input device () being responsive to input signals from a respective plurality of gaming terminals () for providing an increment signal; a controller () for defining a prize value between upper and lower prize values and for incrementing an accumulated value toward the current prize value in response to the increment signal; a comparator () being responsive to the current prize value and the accumulated value for determining if the current prize value is to be awarded and, if so, generating an award signal that actuates the controller () to define a second prize value. Methods are disclosed in which, upon payment of a prize, the accumulated value is reset to the prize value or the upper or lower prize value and in which subsequent prize values are selected between a preceding prize value and either the upper prize value or the lower prize value.