Abstract: An electronic gaming device and method for operating the same is disclosed. According to one aspect of the invention, the device is a video poker machine that displays an initial hand of cards to a player. The player considers the initial hand and executes a game strategy by selecting certain of the cards to hold and others to discard, if any. A player's selection of cards causes a signal to be received by the device. The signal indicates which of the of the cards in the initial hand are to be held and which are to be dicarded. Based on the signal, the device determines a number of cards to be drawn. For each discard card, the device displays an additional draw card in place thereof and determines a payout based on a ranking of the final hand and the number of cards drawn.

Abstract: An electronic gaming system is disclosed that allows a player to play a game of knowledge, such as a trivia game, while playing a slot machine. The player can preferably use successful trivia game results to access higher reward levels with the slot machine, with each reward level having progressively higher payouts for a given winning combination or a higher probability of a winning result or both. The trivia questions are preferably stored in a question database after being obtained from a remote source, in order to ensure an adequate supply of accurate and sufficiently challenging trivia questions.

Abstract: A portable, programmable karaoke unit that is flexible in its use. Data may be stored and retrieved in compressed digital data format from an internal memory or a removable storage medium. The unit is operable by remote control and transmits audio data over radio frequencies. It may display visual data on an internal or external display. Data can be downloaded for storage from external sources such as a digital system or the Internet.

Abstract: A system for mounting circuit components on a circuit substrate, including a circuit-substrate supporting device which supports the circuit substrate, a circuit-component mounting device which mounts, at a circuit-component mounting position, the circuit components on the circuit substrate supported by the circuit-substrate supporting device, and a circuit-substrate carry-out device which receives, from the circuit-substrate supporting device, the circuit substrate with the circuit components being mounted thereon, and carries out the received circuit substrate, the circuit substrate being transferred from the circuit-substrate supporting device to the circuit-substrate carry-out device in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane of the circuit substrate.

Abstract: An Internet call routing system (200, 250, 300) includes a master controller (220, 264, 314) coupled to a signaling control network, and a call routing element (205, 260, 280, 310) coupled to the master controller and a voice switched network (206, 256, 306). The call routing element receives calls destined for an information service provider (216, 272, 322) from the voice switched network as directed by the master controller. At least one modem bank (208, 262, 284, 312) is coupled to the call routing element and master controller for converting the calls destined for the information service provider from a first format to a second format and then providing the converted calls to a packet data network. Additionally, the modem interface to the packet data network includes a controller (62) coupled to a master controller (220, 264, 314) for receiving control information therefrom.

Abstract: A method of playing a multi-line poker game of cards on a computer-based video gaming device is disclosed. The poker game has a game hand line and a plurality of bonus lines that are combined to create a game array. The game array itself has a plurality of paylines used in determining winnings for the play of the game. The method of playing the multi-line poker comprises determining a set of game parameters from a set of input signals from a player. Next a plurality of cards are randomly dealt from a deck of cards to fill the game hand line. The player selects cards from the within the game hand that are to be held and the cards that are to be discarded. Cards from the deck of cards are randomly dealt to replace all of the cards discarded from within the game hand. Each card now within the game hand is duplicated and randomly placed within the plurality of bonus lines until all of the locations within the game array are filled with cards.

Abstract: A game device includes a plurality of user-selectable cells extending between start and finish areas, where each of the cells is associated with a character performing an answer to a question or clue that may be provided in the form of a category. One or more participants move from the start to the finish area by selecting cells whose characters when taken in order form a valid answer. A number of valid answers or paths between the start and finish areas can exist. The participant is scored at least in part based on the characters forming the valid answer.

Abstract: A learning system is disclosed which allows student interaction and student creation of a composition. The system has a series of multi-media interactive booths which are grouped in stations with different themes related to a general subject. Each booth has a number of multi-media based lessons relating to the theme of the station. Students are supplied with a control box which may be carried by the student as they move from booth to booth. The control box allows a student to play a musical composition. The musical composition is stored by a central computer and uniquely assigned to a database record associated with the specific control box. The central computer also keeps track of the number of booths and lessons which have been completed by the specific control box. Each booth has a number of specific programs which teach students by interactive input.

Abstract: The instant invention provides an apparatus, and a method of its use, for enabling an instructor to train a student in learning a procedure which embodies at least two alternative sequences of steps and conditions. The invention, in order, enables the student to initiate the procedure; enables communication of at least one condition or an instruction required for prompting the student to initiate at least one step following in the sequence, at a time, to the student; enables the instructor to provide an alternative sequence; and, enables the student to initiate at least one step of said procedure in response to said alternative sequence.

Abstract: The objective of this invention is to provide a game machine and information storage medium that make it possible for players to perceive which player has succeeded in attacking which target, in a simple manner. When players have launched attacks against a target, attacking player identification information, which is information for identifying which player has succeeded in attacking that target, is associated with that target and is kept and saved. Targets 40-1 and 40-2 that have been hit by shots 32-1 and 32-2 from players 1 and 2 turn red and blue, which are symbolic colors for players 1 and 2, or change shape to symbolic shapes for players 1 and 2. If player 1, whose symbolic color is red, succeeds in attacking a target then player 2, whose symbolic color is blue, succeeds in attacking the same target, the color of the target first changes from a neutral color to red, then to blue.

Abstract: A video game apparatus implementing a simulating fishing game displays an animation image representing behavior of a fish hooked on a lure. The video game apparatus has a first determining unit determines that a first condition has been met, when a fish is hooked on a lure by the operation of a game procedure controlling unit, or when the fish under the control of the game procedure controlling unit exhibits such a behavior as to apply a strong tension on the fishing line or to jump up above the water surface. An animation display controlling unit causes a monitor to display an animation image which has been stored in a storage medium and which represents a fished hooked on a fishing line, in such a manner as to enable identification of the fisher character who has hit the fish. A switching unit switches the game display screen displayed on the monitor from the fishing image to the animation image, when the first determining unit has determined that the first condition is met.

Abstract: A conventional game machine informs a player that a big hit prize is caused by inner lottery, however, it does not inform the player that a small hit prize is caused. Prize determination (probability lottery processing) is carried out by determining to which prize group in a prize determining table a random number value generated by a random number generator 36 and specified by a sampling circuit 37 pertain (step 103). When a hit flag of a small hit prize is erected as a result of the inner lottery (step 104), a process of emitting small hit informing sound is carried out (step 105). According to the informing sound emitting processing, a speaker drive circuit 43 is controlled by CPU 31 and the speaker 39 emits informing sound A, B, C and D in accordance with the kind of the hit flag of the small hit prize.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for using a metaphor elicitation technique in conjunction with physiological function monitoring to elicit, organize and analyze data pertaining to a research topic. The metaphor elicitation technique process and apparatus is improved with the acquisition of data related to a user's physiological functioning. This data provides further insight and understanding which can be used in creating an appropriate marketing campaign for a product, improving inter-office communications and determining the presence of pre-existing biases or beliefs.

Abstract: A training shoe is disclosed. The shoe, preferably a soft shoe such as a slipper is designed to emit audio and/or physical stimuli which assists the user in learning dance or other steps. The shoe comprises electromechanical members which are responsive to electrical output signals to control movement to guide a user to perform the appropriate dance steps. In preferred embodiments, the shoe also comprises a loudspeaker through which music is played. In alternate embodiments, the electromechanical members are responsive to audio stimuli such as the music from the loudspeaker on the shoe or from other musical sources.

Abstract: A system for a networking electronic game units, includes an arcade router coupled with one or more game units at each of a plurality of locations and coupled to a communications resource for supporting bi-directional exchange of information with the one or more game units. A first router is coupled with a first group of the communications resources for supporting bi-directional exchange of information with a first group of game units. A first server is coupled with the first router for controlling the bi-directional exchange of information so as to support interactive play by game units at different locations.

Abstract: An input device in which a player moves the whole of the input device and a game processing device for processing a simulated game are disclosed. The input device is modeled on an instrument required for a prescribed action in real-life. The input device includes detecting means for detecting physical quantities corresponding to the movement of the input device as a whole and converting the physical quantities to a detection signal which is output. The input device further includes vibration transmitting means, fixed to the casing of the input device so that vibration is transmitted to the input device, for inducing mechanical displacement corresponding to prescribed instruction signals. The game processing device includes game developing means for developing a game simulating the real-life action and for providing a display indicating that the instrument has received an impact at a time during the game corresponding to a time when the instrument would receive an impact during the real-life action.

Abstract: Light-emitting means for emitting a light beam for sterilizing a gaming medium is disposed in a gaming machine itself at a position where the light beam irradiates a stored gaming medium or a passing gaming medium, the light-emitting means being shielded from eyes of a player. In particular, the gaming machine is a ball-shooting gaming machine or a coin or medal gaming machine. Specifically, the light-emitting means is disposed at a position where the light beam irradiates a gaming medium flowing into storage means within the gaming machine or a gaming medium stored in the storage means. Specifically, the light-emitting means is disposed at a position where the light beam irradiates a gaming medium stored in a tray located outside the gaming machine. Preferably, the light beam is an ultraviolet ray. As a consequence, the antibacterial specification of the gaming machine becomes more effective, and an antibacterial specification is newly realized in the case of the coin or medal gaming machine.

Abstract: A method for automatically awarding credits to a player on a gaming machine network adjusted for tax codes. The network comprises a plurality of gaming machines on which a primary game is played, a bonus server implementing the credit adjustment, and a database containing player information such as tax status, country of residence, tax rate, electronic signature, etc. Play is allowed to continue on the gaming machines and any bonus amount won on the machines are detected. If the bonus amount meets a preestablished threshold, currently set by IRS regulations as any award equal to or greater than $1200, then the gaming machine is locked up until the actual awarded amount can be determined. If the player record is complete and the proper tax amount is included, then the bonus award can be adjusted and a withholding calculated to yield a reduced award amount. An authorization signal is sent through the network to the gaming machine that credits the reduced amount to the games credit meter.

Abstract: A method of playing a video wagering game is disclosed. The method includes at least a first and second segment, the method comprising the steps of: placing a wager to participate in a video wagering game; playing the first segment of the video wagering game; continuing play of the first segment until at least one predetermined condition has been met; assigning a payout based on at least one predetermined winning outcome of the first segment; playing the second segment of the video wagering game when the at least one predetermined condition has been met; wherein at least a portion of said payout of the first segment is used as a wager in a second segment video wagering game in which a visually different screen format is used in play of a different game in the play of the second segment; and after play of the second segment video wagering game, a second segment payout is assigned based on at least a predetermined outcome of play of the second segment video wagering game.

Abstract: An online digital photography game system allows multiple participants in the game by submitting digital photography game entries, where the digital photography game system determines a game winner based on equivalency with a game solution. The digital photography game system allows a user to choose a particular game and to save incomplete game entries. Digital photography games may require an entry fee for participation. Additionally, one or more participants can be rewarded for their participation in the game.