The game terminal is designed to be structurally- strong while providing good access to various electronic controls of the game and music system, and the electronic components of the payment devices. The terminal is horizontally divided into lower, mid, intermediate and upper portions. The two center portions include hinged front face panels to provide efficient access to internal components that preferably have been divided into modular components.
G07F 17/32 - Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articlesCoin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
A63F 13/90 - Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups or , e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
The music selection system allows a game terminal to use the logic processing and information of a remote computer server to provide fast relevant search results based on user keyed information. The search is carried out in parallel using different databases to provide possible results which are then combined and reduced by the server. This arrangement provides fast accurate results and advantageously uses search techniques well known to users. This familiarity in combination with the specialized databases provides relevant music search results with relatively few keystroke entries.
An entertainment terminal has an improved user interface presenting an effective more consistent interface for selection of particular games, music, video or other material for play. In particular the interface is adapted to provide better consistency whereby knowledge or experience in game selection or other categories simplifies selection in a different category.
G07F 17/32 - Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articlesCoin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
A63F 13/00 - Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
G06F 3/0481 - Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
G07F 17/30 - Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articlesCoin-freed facilities or services for musical instruments
A countertop entertainment terminal includes a terminal housing containing components for a pay to play game terminal including a stereo sound system. The sound system includes a pair of tweeter speakers adjacent an upper edge of the terminal housing and a pair of midrange speakers located on opposite sides of a touchscreen supported by the terminal housing. A sub-woofer speaker is provided within the housing and is open to a side of the housing. In a preferred embodiment the stereo sound system uses subassemblies for each of the tweeter speakers, the midrange speakers and the sub-woofer speaker, simplifying securement within or to the housing.
G07F 17/32 - Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articlesCoin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
A63F 13/25 - Output arrangements for video game devices
A63F 13/90 - Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups or , e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
G07F 17/30 - Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articlesCoin-freed facilities or services for musical instruments
An improved touch screen entertainment terminal for playing of games includes an attract mode having a simulation intended to attract possible patrons to use the terminal for playing of games and a game mode where a game is being played by a user interacting with a touch screen of the terminal. The attract mode provides the simulation on the touch screen in combination with at least one advertising banner positioned to one side of or above or below the simulation. Preferably, the advertising banner is provided on one side of the simulation and the game mode utilizes the touch screen without banner advertisement. The advertising banner can be changed and typically is not associated with the game provider.
A63F 13/30 - Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devicesInterconnection arrangements between game devicesInterconnection arrangements between game servers
G07F 17/32 - Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articlesCoin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
G06Q 30/02 - MarketingPrice estimation or determinationFundraising
A media center component for receiving digital records (music/video) includes a web based communication function and includes a plurality of outputs for connecting to different audio outputs. These different outputs include an output for connection to a separate stand alone audio system or for connection to an output for speakers directly. The media center component includes its own controls for modifying the outputted signal controls. The media center component also includes an input for receiving digital records to be played.
A system for the play of digital content in a public establishment includes a digital content play system, a web accessible digital content server, a media center connected to the digital content play system and in communication with the digital content server to receive digital content, and independent web enabled or text messaging enabled devices of users. These independent web enabled or text messaging enabled devices allow a user to access the digital content server and select digital content for play on the in- house digital content play system.
H04L 9/32 - Arrangements for secret or secure communicationsNetwork security protocols including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system
H04N 7/16 - Analogue secrecy systemsAnalogue subscription systems
A method of playing a poker game using a video game terminal includes one player using the video game terminal and three or more terminal generated and controlled players to play against. Each player has a starting point value used for play and scoring in the poker game. The poker game includes a series of elimination rounds where each elimination round comprises two or more hands and eliminating the player with the lowest score at the end of an elimination round. Each hand in an elimination round includes two down cards provided to each player and five common cards provided face up for use by all players in combination with their respective two down cards for forming of the best five card poker hand and thereby determining a winner of a 'win' pool associated with the hand. Each hand in an elimination round includes one or more player wagering steps where players wager points from their starting points with said wagered points accumulating in the 'win' pool or a player withdrawing from the hand. The game terminal for each hand initially provides two down cards for each player and three face up cards of said five common cards followed by a wagering step and a wagering step follows the fifth card. After each round, the player with the lowest score is eliminated. This poker game method is relatively fast to play and involves similar strategy and expertise used in traditional poker games. The method also has an interconnected terminal mode allowing direct competition between players having a connected terminal.
The networked game system uses a local area network to allow multi-player competition between terminals in real time. The game software of each terminal allows that terminal to act as the communication server if that terminal initiates an invitation to play in a networked mode. In a preferred aspect the game software allows an initiating player to send an open invitation or a restricted invitation that requires a PIN to respond. In a different aspect each terminal includes a player activated Do Not Disturb feature if the player does not want to receive invitations.
A63F 13/32 - Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devicesInterconnection arrangements between game devicesInterconnection arrangements between game servers using local area network [LAN] connections
A media control system allows the play of media files from customers or users in a public establishment. A digital content review arrangement communicates with a control gate that forwards to the digital content review arrangement requested media files or summary information of the media files sufficient to identify the requested media files with known media files contained in a database of the digital content review arrangement or available thereto. The control gate includes an input for communicating with personal portable digital content devices of customer and/or users and receives therefrom requested media files to be played on a media play system of said public establishment. The control gate forwards the requested media files received from said personal portable digital content devices to said digital content review arrangement for identification. The control gate also provides to the media play system any of the requested media files that have been identified by said digital content review arrangement. The digital content review arrangement preferably tracks the play of identified media files on the media play system. This control system is appropriate for various media files including audit files, video files and game files.
H04L 9/32 - Arrangements for secret or secure communicationsNetwork security protocols including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system
H04N 7/173 - Analogue secrecy systemsAnalogue subscription systems with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
