Legalized gambling is increasing in popularity throughout the United States, with large casinos currently located in Las Vegas, Nevada, Atlantic City, New Jersey, and within various American Indian reservations. These casinos generally are placed within large and luxurious hotels offering many amenities to guests, with the understanding that the guests will attend the casinos.' Although most guests do wish to spend many hours gambling in the casino, the atmosphere in a casino renders it difficult to remain in the casino over long periods of time. As a result, guests very often will stray from the casino to other areas of the hotel or to different locales.

It would be to the advantage of a casino if guests could continue gambling, even when not in the casino proper as, for example, while lounging in their rooms, while at dinner, while walking on the boardwalk, while shopping, and while pursuing other activities usually associated with casino jaunts. In this manner, a casino could realize a profit, while providing guests with a welcome break from the atmosphere within the casino itself.

Turning to another wagering endeavor, when purchasing lottery tickets, a purchaser ordinarily spends only one or two dollars at a time for lottery tickets sold at retail stores. As a result, store owners spend a great deal of time on the numerous individual transactions generated by these purchases, thus diverting the proprietors from their primary business. It would be desirable for an individual to be able to obtain from the retail store, with a single

purchase, one item that offers a number of lottery games, such as an instant-win game, thereby requiring only a single transaction for completing a larger purchase.

In other forms of games of chance, various retail establishments provide promotional cards which can be used to redeem premiums offered as promotional items. For example ; fast food outlets, such as McDonald's, currently provide paper cards with scratch-off areas. If a certain item, such as french fries, a drink, or another food item is uncovered in a scratch-off area, a customer can redeem the revealed item at the counter. Other game cards enable a customer to win monetary prizes. These premiums and prizes generally are limited to one chance per card, and once the scratch-off area is revealed, the card can no longer be used.

The present invention avoids drawbacks in the schemes described above and provides an electronic wagering card which enables the realization of the objectives outlined above with convenience and flexibility. As such, the present invention attains several objects and advantages, some of which are summarized as follows: Provides an electronic wagering and redemption card which enables a player to gamble outside of the confines of a casino and then redeem the card at the player's convenience; enables a player to cash in an electronic wagering card with ease and convenience after gambling with the card; provides an electronic wagering and redemption card which allows the play of numerous lottery games and which can be cashed in subsequent to playing of the lottery games; provides a relatively inexpensive electronic wagering and redemption card which is economically manufactured and easy to use; provides a wagering and redemption card for use in connection with the award of premiums, where an item can be redeemed in lieu of money; provides a wagering and redemption card for use in connection with premiums in

retail establishments, and which allows multiple plays; simplifies wagering and encourages greater efficiency and increased convenience in effecting purchases; provides an electronic wagering and redemption card which is tamper- resistant and expendable.

The above objects and advantages, as well as further objects and advantages, are attained by the present invention which may be described briefly as an electronic wagering and redemption card for enabling the play of a particular wagering game to establish one condition of a win condition and a lose condition, and wherein an amount of value available in the card is changed to a subsequent amount of value in accordance with the establishment of the one condition, and the card is redeemable for a redemption value in the amount of the subsequent amount of value, the electronic wagering and redemption card comprising: a card body having compact dimensions comparable to a commonly available credit card; a viewable display on the card body; a play control on the card body; a redemption control on the card body; and circuitry within the card body for performing a wagering game operation in accordance with the particular wagering game, the circuitry including: a memory for storing information pertaining an initial amount of value available in the wagering and redemption card for wagering; and a microprocessor for: controlling the viewable display to display the amount of value available in the wagering and redemption card for wagering; performing a random selection operation in accordance with the particular wagering game in response to operation of the play control; controlling the viewable display to display an outcome resulting from the random selection operation; determining that the outcome represents one condition of the win condition and the lose condition; changing the amount of value available in the wagering and redemption card in response to determining that the outcome

represents the one condition to establish a subsequent amount of value available in the wagering and redemption card, the subsequent amount of value being increased above the initial amount of value in response to determining that the one condition is the win condition, the subsequent amount of value being decreased below the initial amount of value in response to determining that the one condition is the lose condition; controlling the viewable display to display the subsequent amount of value available in the wagering and redemption card for wagering; and precluding further play in response to operation of the redemption control and rendering the card available for redemption of the redemption value.

In addition, the present invention provides an electronic wagering and redemption card for enabling the play of a wagering game to establish one condition of a win condition and a lose condition, and wherein a prize is made available for redemption upon the establishment of the win condition, the electronic wagering and redemption card comprising : a card body having compact dimensions comparable to a commonly available credit card; a viewable display on the card body; a play control on the card body; and circuitry within the card body for performing a wagering game operation in accordance with the wagering game, the circuitry including: a microprocessor for: performing a random selection operation in accordance with the wagering game in response to operation of the play control; controlling the viewable display to display an outcome resulting from the random selection operation; determining that the outcome represents one condition of the win condition and the lose condition; allowing multiple plays, up to a predetermined number of plays, in response to determining that the outcome represents the lose condition; fixing the viewable display in response to determining that the outcome represents the win condition

so as to preclude further play and render the card available for redemption of the prize.

Further, the present invention includes an electronic wagering and redemption card for enabling the play of a wagering game to establish one condition of win conditions and a lose condition, and wherein a corresponding prize is made available for redemption upon the establishment of a particular win condition, the electronic wagering and redemption card comprising: a card body having compact dimensions comparable to a commonly available credit card; a viewable display on the card body; a play control on the card body; a redemption control on the card body; and circuitry within the card body for performing a wagering game operation in accordance with the wagering game, the circuitry including a microprocessor for: performing a random selection operation in accordance with the wagering game in response to operation of the play control; controlling the viewable display to display an outcome resulting from the random selection operation; determining that the outcome represents one condition of the win conditions and the lose condition; allowing multiple plays, up to a predetermined number of plays, in response to at least one of: determining that the outcome represents the lose condition; and operating the play control to forfeit the prize corresponding to the particular win condition and continue play; and fixing the viewable display in response to both of: determining that the outcome represents a particular win condition; and operation of the redemption control so as to preclude further play and render the card available for redemption to redeem the prize corresponding to the particular win condition.

The invention will be understood more fully, while still further objects and advantages will become apparent, in the following detailed description of preferred

embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an electronic wagering and redemption card constructed in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the electronic wagering and redemption card; FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating circuitry in the electronic wagering and redemption card; FIG. 4 is a flow chart diagram demonstrating the operation of the electronic wagering and redemption card; FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of another electronic wagering and redemption card constructed in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 6 is a flow chart diagram demonstrating one mode of the operation of the electronic wagering and redemption card of FIG. 5; and FIG. 7 is a flow chart diagram demonstrating a second mode of operation of the electronic wagering and redemption card of FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawing, and especially to FIGS.

1 and 2 thereof, an electronic wagering card 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention is provided with dimensions similar to a conventional credit card, and is therefore sufficiently slim to fit in a wallet or pocket.

Card 10 is very compact, having dimensions which include a limited length of about three inches, a limited width of about two inches, and a limited thickness of a fraction of an inch, similar to the thickness of a commonly available credit card, all made possible by a construction technique described fully in United States Patent No. 5,965, 848, <BR> <BR> granted to Altschul et al. , the substance of which is incorporated herein by reference thereto. Electronic wagering card 10 includes a relatively flat card body 12 having a rectangular display 14, preferably in the form of

a liquid crystal display (LCD), although display 14 may be any conventional display, such as a plasma display or the like. Display 14 is placed on the front of the card body 12 and displays elements of a casino game offered for play on card 10, including the result of a gambling operation carried out in connection with playing the game, as well as an amount of value available in the card 10, shown in the form of a monetary amount, and the amount wagered in a particular gambling game being played.

Turning to FIG. 3, wherein there is illustrated circuitry for operating card 10, display 14 is controlled by a microprocessor 16 to display information in accordance with an operating game program stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 18, as well as information input by a player, which input information is stored in a random access memory (RAM) 20. RAM 20 is a non-volatile memory which retains the information placed therein, even in the absence of power, that is, if battery power is depleted or the card 10 is turned off.

As seen in FIG. 2, an information transfer port is shown in the form of a magnetic stripe 22, preferably placed on the back of card body 12. As shown in FIG. 3, magnetic stripe 22 is connected to a magnetic converter 23 which converts information on magnetic stripe 22 to electrical signals for transmission to microprocessor 16, and converts electrical signals from microprocessor 16 to magnetic signals recorded on magnetic stripe 22. A player can insert card 10 into a terminal (not shown) placed at any desired location, and information pertaining to the amount of value available in card 10 can be downloaded to the terminal which then would dispense a monetary amount, corresponding to the amount of value available in the card, to the player, in a manner similar to the operation of a conventional ATM machine used by banks. In addition, magnetic stripe 22 is employed by an issuing casino to

upload value information to card 10 so as to reset card 10 and insert a new total monetary value in the card for the current player or for a new player.

A battery 24 is provided in card body 12 and is connected with display 14, microprocessor 16, ROM 18 and RAM 20 for supplying power to the card 10.

ROM 18 includes software for playing a casino game or lottery game. Although almost any casino game can be adapted for use with the present invention, the use of a slot machine game will be described below by way of example. Thus, display 14 is arranged to display three figures in three different windows 14a, 14b and 14c of display 14, which figures can be fruit, geometric designs, graphics, objects and other items ordinarily encountered in slot machines. In a conventional slot machine, a player will insert coins and then pull a handle to start play.

The figures are carried by wheels mounted side-by-side for rotation in response to the start of a play. When the wheels stop, a series of figures is displayed in an open window and if the displayed figures match a predetermined pattern, the player wins. Card 10 likewise employs three figures, but without the mechanical components of a conventional slot machine. Thus, in FIG. 1, three figures are shown as geometric designs, in the form of two circles and a triangle, indicating that there is no winner.

Display 14 also will display the initial value available in the card 10 for wagering, shown as a total amount of money available for gambling, in a window 14d of display 14. In the illustration of FIG. 1, the amount shown is $500.00. This amount is set by the issuing casino when the card 10 is delivered to the player. For example, the player pays the casino $500. 00 and the casino gives the player a card 10 with an initial amount of $500.00 stored in the card 10 as an amount of value available for wagering. When the player is finished using card 10, the

player operates a redemption control, illustrated in the form of CASH-OUT button 26, which fixes the amount currently available in card 10 so that no further games can be played, whereupon the player redeems the amount available in the card 10, as shown in display window 14d.

The player can return the card 10 to the casino for reimbursement of the amount of value in the card 10 or can insert card 10 into a terminal which will zero out card 10 and deliver the cash equivalent to the player, in a manner similar to the operation of a conventional ATM machine found at banks and various other locations, as described above.

The player sets the amount to be wagered during each play by pressing value controls in the form of value buttons 28,30 and 32 in combination with increment and decrement controls, in the form of buttons 34 and 36. More specifically, value buttons 28,30 and 32 provide preset values of, for example, 25, 50 and $1. 00, respectively.

Thus, to achieve a value of, for example, $5.50, the player presses value button 32 five times, followed by one depression of value button 30. The default mode at the start of the game is to incrementally increase the value.

If the player inadvertently depresses value button 32 six times, correction can be accomplished by depressing decrement button 36, followed by value button 30 to reduce the amount to $5.50. This designated amount then is displayed in window 14e of display 14.

A play control is provided in the form of a PLAY button 38 for initiating play. When initially depressed, PLAY button 38 turns on card 10. Card 10 preferably has a timer within the software so that the card 10 automatically turns off after a predetermined time of non-use as, for example, ten minutes, in order to preserve the life of battery 24. PLAY button 38 also is used to enter a wager and start the operation.

In operation, with reference to FIG. 4, the player turns on card 10 in step 100 by depressing PLAY button 38.

At this time, in step 102, microprocessor 16 controls display 14 to display, in window 14d, the amount of value available in card 10, in terms of the total monetary amount in card 10 that can be used for wagering and, in step 104, to initialize the monetary wager value to zero in window 14e. In the beginning, the total monetary amount will be that amount paid by the player upon obtaining card 10.

Microprocessor 16 then questions, in step 106, whether the total time during which no action has been taken, for example, ten minutes, has expired. If YES, card 10 shuts down, in step 108. If NO, microprocessor 16 questions, in step 110, whether CASH-OUT button 26 has been depressed.

If NO, it is then determined, in step 112, whether a value button 28,30, 32,34 or 36 has been depressed. If NO, the operation returns to step 106. If YES, in step 114, a new wagering value is set by microprocessor 16 and displayed in window 14e. For example, if the player presses button 32, the amount of $1.00 appears in window 14e. Thereafter, it is determined, in step 116, if PLAY button 38 has been depressed again. If NO, the operation returns to step 106, and the loop continues until the desired designated wagering amount appears in window 14e. At this time, PLAY button 38 is depressed and the operation continues to step 118 where microprocessor 16 performs a random figure selection operation, and then displays the random selection results in windows 14a, 14b and 14c, in step 120. More specifically, microprocessor 16, according to the software program stored in ROM 18, performs a simulated random slot machine game.

Microprocessor 16 then determines, in step 122, if the displayed random figures match so that the outcome represents a WIN condition or, if the resulting figures do not match, so that the outcome represents a LOSE condition.

If a LOSE condition is determined in step 124, the designated wagered amount displayed in window 14e is deducted from the total amount shown in window 14d to change the amount of value available in the card 10 and establish a new, lower total amount. If a WIN condition is determined in step 126, a winning amount, usually in proportion to the designated wagered amount, is displayed in window 14e and is added to the total amount in window 14d to change the value available in card 10 and establish a new subsequent total amount now made available in card 10. The operation then returns to step 102 where the new total value available in card 10 is displayed. The player then can repeat the above operation for placing a new wager.

If the player presses CASH-OUT button 26 in step 110, the total monetary amount displayed in window 14d is fixed, in step 128, so that further wagering is precluded. In addition, the phrase CASH-OUT is displayed in a window 14f of display 14, in step 130. At this time, the game provided by card 10 can be played, but without wagering.

It then is determined if card 10 has timed out, in step 132. If YES, the operation stops, and card 10 returns to step 108 and shuts down. If NO, the operation continues to step 134 where it is determined if PLAY button 38 has been depressed. If NO, the operation returns to step 132. If YES, microprocessor 16 performs a random figure selection, in step 136, and then displays the results in windows 14a, 14b and 14c, in step 138. The operation then returns to step 132. The player can play any number of games at this time without wagering.

As discussed above, when the player presses CASH-OUT button 26, the player can continue playing without wagering. Alternately, the player can return the card 10 to the casino for reimbursement of the amount remaining in the card 10 or can insert card 10 into a terminal which

will zero out card 10 and deliver an equivalent cash amount to the player, in a manner similar to the operation of a conventional ATM machine found at banks and elsewhere.

Although the present invention has been discussed in relation to a slot machine gambling game, the present invention is not limited to such games. Thus, the present invention can be adapted to practically any wagering game, or even for use as a lottery game or another game of chance. For example, the game of craps can be played, in which window 14c is eliminated, and one die result is shown in window 14a, while the other die result is shown in window 14b. In this case, the PLAY control would be in the form of a ROLL button, rather than a PLAY button. The operation would be the same as in Fig. 4, except that there would be an extra step between steps 120 and 122 to determine if a win or lose condition is present at all. If not, the operation would return to step 116 so the player can roll again. If YES, the operation would continue to step 122. Of course, other steps can be interposed as required, such as a time out step and cash out step, similar to steps 106 and 110. Other games, such as blackjack, roulette, wheel of fortune, and further games of chance can be provided in card 10.

Thus, casino guests can continue gambling, even when outside the casino proper as, for example, while lounging in their rooms, while at dinner, while walking on the boardwalk, while shopping, or while engaged in other available activities. In this manner, the casino still could realize a profit, while providing guests with a welcome break from the environs of the casino itself.

The present invention is available for playing lottery games, enabling a retail store to sell, for example, $100.00 worth of lottery tickets in a single sales transaction. In this case, the value buttons 28,30, 32,34 and 36 are

eliminated, since each game is played for a fixed wager amount, perhaps, $1.00. The play would follow essentially the same operation as shown in FIG. 4. By pressing PLAY button 38, lottery numbers appear. The windows 14a, 14b and 14c are replaced with a number of windows equal to the several lottery numbers to be selected. For example, for a six number lottery game, six number windows would be provided. Rather than selecting random figures in step 118, random numbers would be selected, and then displayed in step 120. The player could CASH-OUT at any time, in step 110, and return the card for payment of the amount displayed in window 14d. Of course, steps 132 through 138 also would be eliminated.

The present invention also can be used as a premium card for retail establishments such as, for example, at fast food outlets. As such, window 14d would display an item to be redeemed in lieu of cash. Depending upon the game and the offering, certain windows need not be included in the display and certain buttons could be eliminated. As an example, reference is made to FIG. 5 which shows a wagering and redemption card 210 adapted for use as a game card in a McDonald's fast food outlet. In the illustrated embodiment, a single window 214d displays the results of windows 214a, 214b and 214c of display 214. The displayed figures are depictions of the item to be redeemed, in this instance, three BIG MAC hamburgers. A separate window 214g is provided to display the trademark or logo of the vendor. Of course, since there are no monetary values being wagered, value buttons 28, 30,32, 34 and 36 are eliminated. With this arrangement, the number of plays is predetermined and fixed. A customer is given card 210 when purchasing items at the retail establishment and then uses the card 210 to redeem a premium

item. Card 210 requires no magnetic stripe 22 or magnetic converter 23, nor is there a need for cash-out button 26.

In a first mode of operation, the customer presses a PLAY button 238, and microprocessor 16 performs a random figure selection operation, resulting in an outcome displayed at windows 214a, 214b and 214c. Microprocessor 16, in accordance with the software program stored in ROM 18, performs a simulated random slot machine game. If the customer wins, the items shown in windows 214a, 214b and 214c are fixed, and further play is precluded. The customer then redeems the premium.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the customer turns on card 210, in step 300, by depressing a play control in the form of PLAY button 238. Then, in step 302, microprocessor 16 questions whether the total time during which no action has been taken, for example, ten minutes, has expired. If YES, card 210 shuts down in step 304, and can be restarted at a later time by again pressing PLAY button 238. If NO, microprocessor 16 questions, in step 306, whether PLAY button 238 has been depressed. If NO, the operation returns to step 302. If YES, the process continues to step 310 where microprocessor 16 performs a random figure selection operation, and then displays the results in windows 214a, 214b and 214c, in step 312. Thus, microprocessor 16, according to the software program stored in ROM 18, performs a simulated random slot machine game.

Microprocessor 16 then determines if the displayed random figures constitute a WIN condition or a LOSE condition, in step 314. If a WIN condition is determined, the operation continues to step 316 where display 214 is fixed, showing the prize won and, in step 318, microprocessor 16 prevents further

play. The customer then redeems the displayed prize as a premium.

If a LOSE condition is determined in step 314, the operation proceeds to step 320 where it is determined if the customer has played the predetermined number of plays. If YES, the operation proceeds to step 316. If NO, the operation returns to step 302 to enable further play.

In a second mode of operation, after the customer wins, the customer is given an opportunity to fix display 214 or to continue playing in an attempt to obtain a better prize to redeem. Referring to FIG. 7, the operation is similar to that shown in FIG. 6; however, after step 314, if the customer wins, the customer is questioned, in step 315, as to whether the customer desires to forfeit the prize and resume play, window 214g displaying the indication"FORFEIT PRIZE AND <BR> RESUME PLAY BY PRESSING PLAY. "If the customer then presses PLAY button 238, the operation continues to step 320. If the customer operates a redemption control, in the form of a STOP button 240, the operation continues to step 316. In this manner, the customer has the option of continuing to play a game of chance or redeeming card 210 for the prize shown.

It will be seen that the present invention attains the several objects and advantages summarized above, namely: Provides an electronic wagering and redemption card which enables a player to gamble outside of the confines of a casino and then redeem the card at the player's convenience; enables a player to cash in an electronic wagering card with ease and convenience after gambling with the card; provides an electronic wagering and redemption card which allows the play of numerous lottery games and which can be cashed in subsequent to playing of the lottery games; provides a relatively inexpensive electronic wagering and redemption card

which is economically manufactured and easy to use; provides a wagering and redemption card for use in connection with the award of premiums, where an item can be redeemed in lieu of money; provides a wagering and redemption card for use in connection with premiums in retail establishments, and which allows multiple plays; simplifies wagering and encourages greater efficiency and increased convenience in effecting purchases; provides an electronic wagering and redemption card which is tamper-resistant and expendable.

It is to be understood that the above detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention is provided by way of example only. Various details of design and construction may be modified without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.