US20080261681A1

US20080261681A1 - Connection game system and method of using the same

Info

Publication number: US20080261681A1
Application number: US11/785,509
Authority: US
Inventors: Yueh-Chun Lin; Shun-Tsung Hsu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Jumbo Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2007-04-18
Filing date: 2007-04-18
Publication date: 2008-10-23

Abstract

A connection game system has a game server, an operating machine and multiple player interfaces. The operating machine is electrically connected to the game server. The player interfaces are electrically connected to the game server to allow multiple players to input signals and to display game information to the players. The game server has a processing program for controlling processes of a game and providing a choosing function for allowing one of the players to serve as a banker for the game. With such a system, a player is allowed to be a banker and the system is versatile and fair in use.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connection game system, and more particularly to a connection game system and a method of using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic or video games are always arranged on amusement places to provide effects of entertainment, relaxation and competition to users. To improve the entertainment effect of the games, multiple game machines are connected with each other to allow multiple players to play competitive games, for example Black Jack, Roulette, Poker game, Lottery, tube Mahjong, Baccarat or Sic-Bo.
However, a casino operator or a game club is always a banker for the conventional competitive games to take the advantage or commission from the games, but a player can not be a banker. Therefore, the conventional multi-player games are not versatile in use, and doubt of the casino operator's inequitable conduct to break the fair of playing the games always exits.
Additionally, in gambling games, a player can be a banker in a game in which all players are real people, but to deal and to calculate losses and gains are manual and this is time-consuming and easily cheatable.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide a connection game system to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the invention is to provide a gam system that allows a player to be a banker and is versatile and fair in use. The connection game system has a game server, an operating machine and multiple player interfaces. The operating machine is electrically connected to the game server. The player interfaces are electrically connected to the game server to allow multiple players to input signals and to display game information to the players. The game server has a processing program for controlling processes of a game and providing a choosing function for allowing one of the players to serve as a banker for the game.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a game system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a method of using a gam system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side plane view of an operational embodiment of a player interface of the game system in FIG. 1 showing that a user is requested to be a banker or not;

FIG. 4 is a side plane view of an operational embodiment of a player interface of the game system in FIG. 1 showing which player being a banker;

FIG. 5 is a side plane view of an operational embodiment of a player interface of the game system in FIG. 1 showing the remaining time for placing stakes by players;

FIG. 6 is a side plane view of an operational embodiment of a player interface of the game system in FIG. 1 showing that the casino operator is requested to support the player banker if the function is enabled;

FIG. 7 is a side plane view of an operational embodiment of a player interface of the game system in FIG. 1 showing that a previous banker is requested to be a banker in a new game or not;

FIG. 8 is a side plane view of an operational embodiment of a player interface of the game system in FIG. 1 showing that a player is not qualified as a banker; and

FIG. 9 is a flow chart of another embodiment of a method of using a gam system in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1, a connection game system in accordance with the present invention comprises a game server (10), an operating machine (11) and multiple player interfaces (12).
The game server (10) comprises a computer, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) connected to the computer and a hub electrically connected to the operating machine (11) and the player interfaces (12). The game server (10) further has a processing program for controlling processes of a game, starting a processing of dealing, receiving signals of sent from the operating machine (11), receiving the input signals from the player interfaces (12), sending signals to the player interfaces (12) and providing a choosing function for allowing one of the players to serve as a banker for the game.
In an embodiment of the game system for applying for a tube Mahjong game, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8, the processing program can process the following steps:
1. Sending signals to the operating machine (11) and player interfaces (12) to start a game.
2. Sending a signal to the player interfaces (12) to allow the players to choose to be a banker for a game round as shown in FIG. 3. If credit of any player achieves a predetermined level, he or she is qualified as a banker. Contrarily, if credit of a player is lower than the predetermined level as shown in FIG. 8, the player cannot be a banker. After the processing program determines the banker, the game server (10) sends a signal to the player interfaces (12) to show which player is the banker to the players as shown in FIG. 4. After the game round is over, the previous banker can determine to serve as the banker for the next new game round or not.
3. Sending a signal to the player interfaces (12) to show the remaining time for wagering to the players to allow the players to place stakes as shown in FIG. 5.
4. Receiving input signals by the players from the player interfaces (12) to the game server (10).
5. Sending a signal to the player interfaces (12) to show that the time for placing stakes is over.
6. Providing a function of requesting a casino operator or a game club to support the banker if the credits of the banker are less than the amount of the stake credits placed by the players as shown in FIG. 6. When the casino operator supports the banker, the casino operator and the banker share the won or lost bet amount.
7. Sending a signal to start the operating machine (11) to operate, receiving the operational result signals from the operating machine (11) and sending the result signals to the player interfaces (12) for showing the game result to the players.
8. Calculating the won or lost credits of each players and banker based on the game rule and sending the calculating results to the player interfaces (12).
9. Requesting the previous banker to be a banker for a next game round or not as shown in FIG. 7.
10. Repeating the above acts until the game is over.
The operating machine (11) is electrically connected to the game server (10) and is switched on or off by the signals sent from the game server (10). In a preferred embodiment, the operating machine (11) is a ball drawing machine comprising balls served as cards or Mahjong. The ball drawing machine may comprise a computer, a detector for detecting the numbers or symbols on the balls, an air blower for blowing the balls to roll and fly and a ball selector to gain a ball randomly. In an alternative embodiment, the operating machine (1) can be a built-in component of the game server (10) and may be a computer or a random number generator (RNG) mounted in the game server (10).
The player interfaces (12) may be electronic game machines (EGMs), are electrically connected to the game server (10) to allow multiple players to input signals and to display game information to the players. Each player interface (12) may include a keyboard, a display and a card reader for players inputting signals to the game server (10) and showing off game results to the players.
With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 9, a method for using a game system comprising acts of:
A. Starting the game system and initiating a new round or a new game. The game system comprises a game server (10), an operating machine (11) electrically connected to the game server (10) and multiple player interfaces (12) electrically connected to the game server (10) to allow multiple players to input signals and to display game information to the players. The game server (10), operating machine (11) and the player interfaces (12) are connected with each other by intranet or internet. The game server (10) has a processing program for controlling processes of a game including a banker and at least one ordinary player each having credits for placing stakes and calculating result.
B. Requesting one of the players to be a banker through the player interfaces (12). The game server (10) sends a signal for requesting for the banker to the player interfaces (12), and the players input choice to the game server (10) through the player interfaces (12). If no player wants to be a banker, the casino operator serves as the banker.
C. Determining which one of the players is the banker with the game server (10). If more than two players want to be the banker, the processing program of the game server (10) determines the player having the most credits to be the banker. If more than two players have the same credits, the system randomly chooses one of the players to be the banker.
D. Sending the banker information to all the players. The game system shows off which one of the players or the casino operator is the banker to the players on the player interfaces (12).
E. Starting the operating machine (11) to processing the game by the game server (10) and producing the game outcome.
F. Placing stakes by the players through the player interfaces (12). In an alternative embodiment, the game system can enter a betting stage to allow the players to wager their bets before starting the operating machine (11) as shown in FIG. 9.
G. Showing off game result to the players through the player interfaces (12). During the act, the system calculates the won amount of each player, the won amount or lost credit of banker and won amount or lost credit of the house, if a house-backup function is enabled.
When the credits of the banker is less than amount of the stakes placed by the players, the processing program of the game server (10) provides a house-backup function to request a casino operator to support the banker. If the casino operator support the banker, the casino operator and the banker share the won or lost credits in the game.
After each game round is over, the game server (10) will send a signal to inform the previous banker to be a banker for a next game round or not. If the previous banker wants to be or not to be the banker for the next game round, he or she can input from the corresponding player interface (12).
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A connection game system comprising:

a game server; and

multiple player interfaces electrically connected to the game server to allow multiple players to input signals and to display game information to the players,

wherein the game server has a processing program for controlling processes of a game and providing a choosing function for allowing one of the players to serve as a banker for the game.

2. The game system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an operating machine electrically connected to the game server.

3. The game system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the game server comprises

a computer;

an uninterruptible power supply connected to the computer; and

a hub electrically connected to the operating machine and the player interfaces.

4. A method for using a game system comprising acts of:

starting a game system comprising a game server, an operating machine electrically connected to the game server and multiple player interfaces electrically connected to the game server to allow multiple players to input signals and to display game information to the players, wherein the game server has a processing program for controlling processes of a game including a banker and at least one ordinary player each having credits for placing stakes and counting result, starting a processing of dealing, receiving signals of sent from the operating machine, receiving the input signals from the player interfaces, sending signals to the player interfaces and providing a choosing function for allowing one of the players to serve as a banker;

choosing the banker from the players through the player interfaces;

determining which one of the players is the banker with the game server;

sending the banker information to all the players;

starting the operating machine to processing the game by the game server;

placing stakes by the players through the player interfaces; and

showing off game result to the players through the player interfaces.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein in the act of determining which one of the players is the banker, if more than two players want to be the banker, the processing program of the game server determines the player having the most credits to be the banker.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 further comprising an act of providing a house-backup function of requesting a casino operator to support the banker when the credits of the banker is less than amount of the stakes placed by the players or lower than a predetermined level.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4 further comprising an act of providing a house-backup function of requesting a casino operator to support the banker when the credits of the banker is less than amount of the stakes placed by the players.