Abstract: An entertainment device comprises: an operation device comprising a plurality of push operation mechanisms, each of which outputs a multi-level signal indicating one of three or more values, which change according to the amount of the push operation; a data hold section, which holds an image expression data to display one entertainment image by a different representation style by associating with an identification information of the corresponding representation style and an identification information of said push operation mechanism to which an input is scheduled, and a value of a multi-level signal; a detection section to detect a value of the identification information and the multi-level signal of said push operation mechanism input from said operation device; a data retrieval section, which specifies the identification information of the detected said push operation mechanism and the identification information of said representation style corresponding to the value of the multi-level signal and retrieves

Abstract: Methods of playing games and gaming systems and devices useful for playing games. Gaming devices include a first gaming unit for randomly selecting and displaying indicia associated with play of a primary game and for generating a signal relating to play on the first gaming unit. The gaming device also includes a second gaming unit connected to the first gaming unit for conducting an ongoing bonus game and enabling participation by a player in the ongoing bonus game in response to a signal generated by the first gaming unit. The ongoing bonus game may be administered by and communicated from a second gaming unit in the form of a host server to a number of networked gaming devices. Players may enter and exit play of the ongoing bonus game while it is still in progress, participating only in a segment thereof.

Abstract: A gaming apparatus is disclosed having a display unit capable of generating video images; a value input device; a player tracking card reader; and a controller. The controller being programmed to read a player tracking card, to acquire player tracking data from a database, and determine if a player is a personal progressive member. The controller also being programmed to evaluate an outcome of a game to determine if the outcome was a qualified personal progressive jackpot win; to increment a credit account for the player by a personal progressive jackpot total if the outcome was a qualified personal progressive jackpot win; to reset the personal progressive jackpot total if the outcome was a qualified personal progressive jackpot win; and to increment the credit account by a contribution amount if the outcome was not a qualified personal progressive win.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for operating a lottery gaming system. In one embodiment, a player playing an electronic instant lottery game on a player device accumulates occurrences of a bonus symbol during a duration comprising at least two outcomes. The occurrences of the bonus symbol may be tracked by means of a running count. The running count may be increased with each occurrence of a tracked bonus symbol and the player provided with a bonus if the running count is at least equal to a predetermined number. The accumulated occurrences of the bonus symbol may also expire in some embodiments of the present invention. Expiration of an occurrence of a bonus symbol may occur, for example, after a predetermined time period or a predetermined number of outcomes from the time of the occurrence of the bonus symbol.

Abstract: A carrying case has a storage section that has at least one storage compartment for receiving articles. An amusement feature is provided with the carrying case. The amusement feature can be an electronic device, or a non-electronic device. The amusement feature can be provided on an outer surface of the carrying case, on an inner panel disposed inside the storage section, on a pouch attached to the storage section, or at any internal or external location of the carrying case.

Abstract: A disclosed gaming machine presents pachinko games to a player playing the gaming machine. In some embodiments, a player may initiate a new pachinko game on the gaming machine while the outcome of a previous pachinko game is being presented to the player. The wagers on each game may be different. Also, a player may input parameters into the gaming machine that affect the game outcome presentation. For a number of different games, two or more game outcomes may be presented simultaneously to the player on the gaming machine. However, the game outcomes determined by the gaming machine are independent of one another and do not depend on the game outcome presentation. Normally, the game outcomes are determined using a random number generator and a pay table stored in a memory on the gaming machine.

Abstract: System and method allowing parents, teachers, and helping professionals to automatically incorporate rewards selected from an electronic catalog into a network-assisted behavior management system to motivate children to perform selected behaviors and third party performance programs. Selected rewards are automatically purchased by and shipped to the parent or teacher. System is delivered to multiple remote devices, including personal computers, personal data assistants, network computers, terminals, screen phones, web pads, smart phones, interactive television, interactive game consoles, two-way pagers, or e-mail-only devices. The system is comprised of a set of modular components that are organized into session sets for a parent/teacher and for a particular child or groups of children.

Abstract: A method of interactive game play is provided wherein a seemingly magical wand toy is provided for enabling a trained user to electronically send and receive information to and from other wand toys, a master system and/or to actuate various play effects within a play environment. The toy wand or other seemingly magical object is configured to use a send/received radio frequency communications protocol which provides a basic foundation for a complex, interactive entertainment system to create a seemingly magical interactive play experience.

Abstract: A photo-receiving unit of an entertainment device stores commands sent from a remote controller into a buffer memory. A main unit of the entertainment device incorporates the stored commands at regular intervals (such as once in every vertical synchronization period) and the individual portions of the main unit, or the peripheral devices connected to the main device, are controlled based on the incorporated command. As a result, the user can operate the main unit or peripheral devices with a remote controller not originally meant for the entertainment device.

Abstract: The present invention includes a gaming device wherein a player's skill at an action or event determines or appears to determine the player's success or failure. In reality, a database of information stores a number of successful results, and the game selects an award for each successful result. The action or event involves skill in real life, which requires the player to estimate the time an action will require and/or requires the player to aim at an object or estimate the direction necessary to successfully produce a result. The game can employ software adapted to determine if a player's aim or timing is successful. The game can alternatively randomly determine the player's success. The game displays the player's attempt or action on the screen depicting success or failure and awards gaming device credits or multipliers for successful results.

Abstract: A game comprises a system wherein points are awarded for each matching identification of a work from a body of works associated with a personality, preferably a movie in which a particular actor appeared. Players move along a pathway according to the roll of a die. Each position on the pathway provides an instruction for drawing a card on which the picture of an actor or their name appears. The player identifies as many of the actor's works as possible within an allowed time. Optionally, an instruction will cause a player to miss a turn or to draw a card enabling the opportunity to earn bonus points. Alternate embodiments of the game may include any genre in which a body of works can be credited to a personality. Further, the game may be played on alternate game interfaces, such as a computer.

Abstract: An invention creating a new method for providing customized interactive entertainment over a communications network. A method for selecting a player from a player database and for selecting a character with specific character attributes from a character database. These characters are made available at different prices or subscription rates based on criteria such as power, rarity, or importance to ongoing plot lines in the context of the game. The invention is made available via a plurality of networks to a plurality of players playing a plurality of games.

Abstract: Display change cycle of images having a different processing load is coincident with the load. After completion of the generation of a frame image, the generation of a vertical synchronization signal is awaited, and a frame buffer is changed. In synchronization with the change of the frame buffer, the generation of a next frame image is started. A generation time of the immediately preceding frame image is measured using one frame cycle as a unit. The measured value is used as a predicted value of the generation time of a frame image to be generated. The measured value is thus determined as it is as a value of the game progression degree that the next frame image should have. When the game flows have been determined, respective polygons constituting each of a group of objects constituting the next frame image are calculated with respect to the position and orientation after lapse of the frame period corresponding to the number of the game progression degree value.

Abstract: A gaming machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display 14. The game controller is operable to play a game 16 of bingo wherein the display 14 displays a plurality of bingo cards simultaneously, at least one of the bingo cards being selected by a person playing the game in order for that person to play the game of bingo.

Abstract: The present invention is a dice game based on the sport of baseball. The game described permits a player to participate by wagering on the combined sum of three rolled dice. Each combined sum of the dice equates to a common baseball outcome such as a home run, error or strikeout. Players make wagers dependent on each at-bat, each half-inning or game result. The game played with three dice follows realistically the outcomes associated with a professional baseball game. The game is designed for player v. player, team v. player or team v. team. In the preferred embodiment the game is played on a table including a pit area similar to a craps table. The table layout displays the outcomes, various odds associated with the various wagers and sections for players to place their wagers. The table design also permits dealers, stickmen and/or croupiers to orchestrate the game.

Abstract: A method and a system for implementing a multi-way game are disclosed, wherein a combination of a learning software and a game software is used, and the user can still perform the game playing procedure. The present invention first divides the game software into a number of game stages, according to the difficulty level or the procedure property of the game software. Then, a source weight for each of a number of game sources needed by each of the game stages is determined, so that a game evaluating module is set up. According to the difficulty level and content of the learning software, a learning weight is respectively determined, so that a learning evaluating module is set up. Next, a related database is set up according to the source weight, the learning evaluating weight, and a transformation function, so that the source weight and the learning evaluating weight can be exchanged to each other.

Abstract: A character in a video game space is represented realistically and the demo screen is made enjoyable for a user. A start demo display processing unit 100 comprises a motion order assigning unit 101 which refers to any of a plurality of motion probability setting tables 111 based on the player selection in the player setting unit 122 and randomly assigns, based on the probability, the order of arrangement for the motions, a motion reproduction assigning unit 102 for assigning the reproduction of motion in this order to the image processing unit 11, and a motion interpolation assigning unit 103 for assigning to the image processing unit 11 the interpolation to the next motion close to completion of a motion.

Abstract: The subject invention includes a host site which is accessed by a participant directly or through a hyperlink from a sponsor site. The host site includes an application which is activated to run a promotional applet on the participant's computer. The promotional applet creates a graphical user interface (GUI) which is used to play a promotional game which requires the participant to browse through a plurality of sponsor sites in order to find and match a number of indicia embedded therein. Once a participant has matched enough indicia to satisfy a winning criteria, the participant is awarded a prize.

Abstract: A storage unit stores educational course selection premise information about a condition of a skill required as a premise of taking an educational course. A skill information obtaining unit obtains skill information about a skill of a person who plans to take an educational course. The similarity between the educational course selection premise information and the skill information is checked. That is, it is checked how the skill of the person who plans to take an educational course is similar to the condition of the skill required as a premise of taking the educational course. An educational course having high similarity (that is, having a high similarity level) is selected as an educational course to be taken by the person who plans to take an educational course.

Abstract: An arcade race game having interchangeable components allowing for the formation of various games. The object of the game is to hit a target causing actuation of the race progression indication device. The first player to reach a predetermined point activates a detection device which stops the game and signals the winner of the game. The game structure is preferably pre-wired to accommodate various games. The processor may also be programmed to accommodate various game formats.