Abstract: Methods and systems for providing a video slot machine game of chance are provided herein. A video slot machine may use M-reels to play an N-reel game, where M>N, or may use any field of play larger than necessary to determine a payout outcome of the game. For example, nine reels may be used to play a multi-line five reel video slot game. The reels may be selected by an N-reel wide frame that slides back and forth over the available reels. In some embodiments, reels on one side of the screen pay at a higher rate than reels on the other side of the screen, or pay rates of reels gradually increase or decrease from one end of the visually displayed reels to the other. Optional bonus modes may take advantage of all M reels, e.g., by sliding the frame across the reels without respinning the reels and recalculating pay lines, by providing free spins with the frame locked in place, and/or by moving the frame to a highest paying position for one or more free spins.

Abstract: A card game and video gaming system includes a matrix of card positions in addition to cards dealt for a player's hand. The player may select betting lines or line paths in the matrix to play and set a wager for the selected line paths. Line paths may include a variety of line configurations including rows and/or columns of the matrix. One or more cards may be selected for retention from the player's hand and combined with cards in each of the selected line path of the matrix to form patterns. The matrix may activate card positions or cards depending on line path selections as well as a number of cards selected for retention. A payout may be determined based on the number of patterns formed as well as the type of patterns.

Abstract: A card game and video gaming system includes a matrix of card positions in addition to cards dealt for a player's hand. The player may select betting lines or line paths in the matrix to play and set a wager for the selected line paths. Line paths may include a variety of line configurations including rows and/or columns of the matrix. One or more cards may be selected for retention from the player's hand and combined with cards in each of the selected line path of the matrix to form patterns. The matrix may activate card positions or cards depending on line path selections as well as a number of cards selected for retention. A payout may be determined based on the number of patterns formed as well as the type of patterns.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing a video slot machine game of chance are provided herein. A video slot machine may use M-reels to play an N-reel game, where M>N, or may use any field of play larger than necessary to determine a payout outcome of the game. For example, nine reels may be used to play a multi-line five reel video slot game. The reels may be selected by an N-reel wide frame that slides back and forth over the available reels. In some embodiments, reels on one side of the screen pay at a higher rate than reels on the other side of the screen, or pay rates of reels gradually increase or decrease from one end of the visually displayed reels to the other. Optional bonus modes may take advantage of all M reels, e.g., by sliding the frame across the reels without respinning the reels and recalculating pay lines, by providing free spins with the frame locked in place, and/or by moving the frame to a highest paying position for one or more free spins.

Abstract: A method for controlling a multi-tasking time slice to support a desired system frame operating time. Depending upon the number of tasks which take control within the desired system frame, and the length of the processing time required for each task, the system frame would extend beyond the desired system frame operating time. In this event, it is necessary to shorten the time slice so that subsequent frames remain as close as possible to the desired system frame operating time. Similarly, if extra time is left in each frame, then the slice time is expanded to allow tasks to complete processing within the desired system frame operating time without being sliced as often.

Abstract: A bowling center system includes a plurality of lane pair control systems each including a pin setting device for each lane, a pin setter control unit, a game scoring control unit, a bowler input station and a pair of overhead display monitors. A manager's control system provides accounting control over the bowling center system and is operable to communicate with a selected game control unit as necessary. A plurality of remote terminals are provided associated with selected ones of the lane pair control systems. Each remote terminal system includes a keyboard and a display monitor. The remote terminal operates under the control of the game unit to allow a user thereof to enter requests for video displays. The video displays include, the example, ball trajectory displays which illustrate the path of the ball in the bowling lane, or dynamic displays, such as for training, generated by video source devices associated with the manager's control system.

Abstract: A memory system for use in a text entry system is provided. The system includes a retentive data memory and a system for locking a portion of the retentive memory and a key for unlocking the lockable portion of the memory to allow a predetermined number of bits of data to be written to the memory when the lockable memory is in unlocked state. The system automatically locks the memory after the predetermined number of bits have been written into the lockable portion of memory.

Abstract: A memory system for use in a text entry system is provided. The system includes a retentive data memory and a system for locking a portion of the retentive memory and a key for unlocking the lockable portion of the memory to allow a predetermined number of bits of data to be written to the memory when the lockable memory is in unlocked state. The system automatically locks the memory after the predetermined number of bits have been written into the lockable portion of memory.

Abstract: A bowling center system includes a plurality of lane pair control systems each including a pin setting device for each lane, a pin setter control unit, a game control unit, a bowler input station and a pair of overhead display monitors. The game control unit is operable under the control of a game control program stored in a memory for automatically operating the pin setter control units during game play to selectively set a sequence of pin patterns on the lane. A manager's control system is coupled to each of the lane pair control systems and includes a bowler input station similar to the game control unit bowler input station.

Abstract: A data entry terminal for storing a plurality of user generated answers is described which includes a removable volatile read/write memory module. The memory module is used to store formatting information used to configure the data entry terminal as appropriate for a particular set of questions. The memory module can for example store a set of correct answers as well as a set of user answers for each of the questions of the test, and it can store data used to disable certain functions of the data entry terminal, such as the ability of a user to revise an initially entered answer. The data entry terminal operates to record user answers in the portable memory module, which can then be removed from the data entry terminal and applied as an input to an external computer for analyzing user responses. The portable memory module includes a battery for powering a volatile semiconductor memory included in the module.