|
(11) | EP 3 409 334 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
| published in accordance with Art. 153(4) EPC |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | TERMINAL FOR A BINGO GAME |
| (57) The invention relates to a terminal (1) for a bingo game, which comprises: at least
one control and communications module (2) for executing a local algorithm for representing
the game on at least one screen (3), and which is provided with at least one connection
(4) for communicating with various external programs that manage the bingo game; at
least one interface (5) for interacting with at least one player; and at least one
payment means manager (6) for inputting and recording the payments per game by the
players and enabling the game in the terminal (1). The terminal comprises at least
one printing server (7) with means for printing physical cards (8) for the game, and
which is associated with the control and communications module (2). |
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a terminal especially conceived for providing the bingo game to the user in any of its forms and which also, in terms of the specific functionalities thereof, provides the possibility of physically printing the cards being played in paper format with the aim of being able to cross off the numbers manually.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] At present, the game of bingo in rooms authorised for said activity comprises a cage with numbered balls, cards which are pre-printed with random numbers arranged by rows and marker pens or sheets to cross off or cover said numbers. A game consists of removing the balls from the cage at random and singing the respective number. The players, provided with cards, which will have previously been acquired in the bingo room, will cross off the numbers on their cards when they are sung by the person or devices in charge of removing the balls and announcing them, which are also shown on different screens or electronic panels placed in the room.
[0003] When a horizontal line of a card is complete, the player must shout "line" and will take a small percentage of the total raised from the sale of the cards. When a player has all the numbers crossed off on his card, he must shout "bingo" and he will be the winner of the game, taking therefore the greatest percentage of the amount raised as the prize. This process is generic in traditional bingo, although in the last few years with the advance in technology, other forms of bingo are accepted, such as the electronic form, in which the balls are drawn by a centralised software managing the bingo game instead of a ball cage, and the mixed or dynamic form which integrates the traditional draw using a cage with electronic devices, which communicate the drawing of numbers with game terminals, although the electronic and mixed forms do not allow the possibility of also playing with printed cards.
[0004] This variety of forms and their incompatibilities involves a greater number of resources, resulting in the duplication of the material and human resources with the consequent cost and, this being the trend since the different age characteristics of the users and lesser or greater adaptation to new technologies mean that the older users, for example, normally prefer to play with physical cards, while other types of users prefer the electronic or mixed form.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The terminal for a bingo game of the invention has a configuration which enables compatibility of the electronic and mixed forms of the bingo game with the traditional form, facilitating the work of the human and/or material resources in bingo rooms.
[0006] The terminal comprises at least one control and communications module for executing a local algorithm for representing the bingo game on at least one screen, and which is provided with at least one connection for communicating with the different centralised external programs managing the bingo game, representing the game locally on the screen by way of the local algorithm. It also comprises at least one interface for interacting with at least one player (for example, to request or select cards, etc.) and at least one payment means manager for inputting and recording the payments per game by the players and enabling the game in the terminal, interface and payment means manager, both also being associated with the control and communications module.
[0007] With this basic configuration and in accordance with the invention, said terminal also comprises at least one printing server with means for printing physical cards in order to play bingo in its traditional version and printing means which, in turn, comprise the corresponding physical outputs of the printed physical cards, the printing server, in turn, being associated with the control and communications module for controlling its functioning (issuing the physical cards).
[0008] In addition, owing to the possibility of implementing more than one screen or interface with the player and more than one payment means manager, the terminal can be configured for one or various users simultaneously with improved utilisation of resources.
[0009] In this way, the terminal of the invention allows the user or users:
- to purchase the card or the cards by means of which they will be eligible in each game for the different prizes offered by the game. This purchase can be made in any form accepted by the payment means manager which has, for example by means of prior purchase, a card with credits which will be read by said manager or a code which the specific user would introduce via the interface. Said credits, in turn, will allow the player to purchase one or a number of cards each game.
- to obtain said cards immediately in electronic format, by means of viewing it on the screen which is being used by the player; and/or, if desired, the player can obtain these same electronic cards in glossy paper format, pressing a print command on the interface.
- to track the progress of the game on the screen where an electronic representation of the balls coming out of the cage during the game is shown, the value of the prizes, etc. In addition, the algorithm of the terminal can automatically cross off on the "electronic cards" the numbers which the draw is determining without requiring action from the player, who can opt either to visualise what is happening on the screen or disregard the screen and play in the traditional manner with his printed cards.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010]
Figure 1 shows an exterior general view of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the terminal of the invention for four players.
Figure 2 shows a transversal section of the terminal according to the example shown in Figure 1.
DESCRIPTION OF A PRACTICAL EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The terminal (1) for a bingo game comprises at least one control and communications module (2) (see Fig. 2) for executing a local algorithm for representing the game in different forms on at least one screen (3), and which is provided with at least one connection (4) for communicating with various external and/or centralised programs that manage the bingo game; at least one interface (5) for interacting with at least one player (to select cards, etc.); and at least one payment means manager (6) for inputting and recording the payments per game by the players and enabling the game in the terminal (1). According to the invention, the terminal (1) also comprises at least one printing server (7) with means for printing physical cards (8) to follow the game in the traditional version and the corresponding physical output (9) for the said cards which is associated with the control and communications module (2).
[0013] In this preferred example, the interface (5) with each player ideally comprises a touch matrix (12) (captive or resistive) integrated into the corresponding screen (3), configuring a touchscreen, as is represented in Figure 1.
[0014] The payment means manager (6) can, in turn, comprise, in addition to the interface (5) for inputting for example a code, a code reader (bar, QR code, etc.) and/or a note and/or coin validator and/or wireless RF reader (RFID, NFC, etc.) not represented.
[0015] The terminal (1) is ideally integrated into a support (14) provided with at least one inclined flat face (15) where the corresponding screen (3) is arranged and quite preferably said support (14) comprises four inclined flat faces (15) adopting a general truncated pyramid shape, as can be seen in the figures, other such screens (3) and payment means managers (6) being arranged in said inclined flat faces (15) and/or in extensions (16) of the same, while at its top (40) a physical output (9) of the printed physical cards (8) is arranged. This configuration allows four players to play simultaneously in the terminal.
[0016] Similarly, the support (14) comprises support means, such as legs or a flat base (30) on a table (31) in a bingo room.
[0017] Lastly, the terminal (1) can comprise at least one availability light signaller (17) (one for each player) which indicates whether the corresponding playing position is free, therefore also being associated with the control and communications module (2). Said light signaller (17) is preferably arranged at the top (40) of the support (14) adopting an elongated shape at the top. In addition, the optional and preferred arrangement of at least one box (19) to deposit the used physical cards (8) once the game has ended. In the preferred example of the invention represented in the figures, a box (19) is arranged on each one of the extensions (16) of the four inclined flat faces (15) of the support (14), a removable drawer (20) is, in turn, arranged in the interior of its support (14), in this area, for receiving the cards and facilitating their subsequent collection, once the game has ended, by the room or cleaning staff.
1. Terminal (1) for a bingo game, which comprises: at least one control and communications
module (2) for executing a local algorithm for representing the game on at least one
screen (3), and which is provided with at least one connection (4) for communicating
with various external programs that manage the bingo game; at least one interface
(5) for interacting with at least one player; and at least one payment means manager
(6) for inputting and recording the payments per game by the players and enabling
the game in the terminal (1), characterised in that it comprises at least one printing server (7) with means for printing physical cards
(8) for the game, which is associated with the control and communications module (2).
2. Terminal (1) for a bingo game according to claim 1, characterised in that the printing means comprise a blank card supplier (10) and a printer (11).
3. Terminal (1) for a bingo game according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the interface (5) with each player comprises a touch matrix (12) integrated into
the corresponding screen (3), configuring a touchscreen.
4. Terminal (1) for a bingo game according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the payment means manager (6) comprises the interface (5) and/or a card reader and/or
a note and/or coin validator and/or a wireless RF reader.
5. Terminal (1) for a bingo game according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is integrated into a support (14) provided with at least one inclined flat face
(15) wherein the corresponding screen (3) is arranged.
6. Terminal (1) for a bingo game according to claim 5, characterised in that the support (14) comprises four inclined flat faces (15) adopting a truncated pyramid
shape; other such screens (3) and payment means managers (6) being arranged in said
inclined flat faces (15) and/or extensions (16) of the same.
7. Terminal (1) for a bingo game according to claims 5 or 6, characterised in that the support (14) comprises support means on a table (31) in a bingo room.
8. Terminal (1) for a bingo game according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises at least one availability light signaller (17) associated with the control
and communications module (2).
9. Terminal (1) for a bingo game according to claim 8, characterised in that the light signaller (17) is arranged in the upper part of the support (14) adopting
an elongated shape at the top.
10. Terminal (1) for a bingo game according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises at least one box (19) for depositing the used physical cards (8).
11. Terminal (1) for a bingo game according to claim 10, characterised in that it comprises a box (19) on each one of the extensions (16) of the four inclined flat
faces (15) of the support (14), a removable drawer (20) is, in turn, arranged in the
interior of its support (14), in this area, for receiving the cards and facilitating
their collection.