How to play the solfège roulette game using solfège chanting.

Abstract

This document provides a solfège roulette game and method using solfège chanting. [Solution] The roulette game allows for the formation of meaningful strings of characters in a single spin, and such strings of characters can be associated with sounds to enhance the game experience. Meaningful strings of characters may be defined by a set of characters that enable solfège, and such set of characters may indicate a key tone in solfège. The solfège roulette game comprises a roulette wheel, a layout that allows for betting, and multiple balls. The wheel is equipped with alphabetic characters with a rainbow background to allow for various payout methods. To facilitate placing bets, it is preferable to place a color-coordinated betting support surface adjacent to the roulette wheel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to games that are influenced by luck, and more particularly, to a novel variation of a roulette board and the object of wagering thereon. The present invention includes a roulette board including alphabetic characters and various colors of the rainbow, and a plurality of balls. The balls can rest on at least two characters and form pairs, triples, etc. of characters. Combinations of characters may form rank names or words, and by associating the formation thereof with sounds, an extended gaming experience can be elicited.

Background Art

[0002] Games are ancient. Over time, the core game themes and rules have evolved and continue to enjoy wide popularity. To bring new elements to ancient games, game enthusiasts continue to encourage the expansion of the gaming experience through inventive approaches to play. For example, roulette traces back to many ancient sources including Chinese and Roman origins.

[0003] Regardless of its origin, roulette has evolved into a casino gambling game in which a round roulette board with 37 or 38 pockets numbered separately around the circumference is rotated, and a ball lands in one of the pockets. Conventional roulette boards include pockets or wheel sectors numbered 1 to 36 with alternating red and black backgrounds. Most modern roulette boards further include at least one green pocket numbered "0". Additionally, (unlike in Europe) in the United States, most roulette boards include a second green pocket marked with "00" which increases the house advantage in the United States compared to the house advantage in European play.

[0004] In US-based games, if a player bets on a single number and wins, the payout ratio is 35:1. Naturally, several other betting options are available to gamers, including bets on multiple numbers in various combinations or ranges, bets on all odd or even numbers, or bets on colors, which offer lower payout ratios. Over time, variations of the basic roulette theme have evolved, including electronic betting through computer stations, fully electronic simulations of ball spinning / the wheel, standalone games on slot machines or through internet games, multiple balls, and non-numeric characters (such as the symbols of the twelve zodiac signs).

[0005] Indeed, prior art related to roulette game devices has developed considerably, and investigations into the prior art reveal that several inventive roulette-based game devices are known in the prior art. Below, we briefly describe and present some of the more appropriate prior art related to roulette-type game devices that the inventors are aware of.

[0006] U.S. Patent No. 3,853,324 ('324'), granted to Reiner et al., discloses a game that combines luck and skill. '324' teaches a game that combines luck and skill, a variation of the popular game known as bingo. The game includes a circular playing field, a longitudinal array extending therefrom, and a ball propulsion mechanism mounted at one end of the array to propel large and small indicator balls along the array onto the playing field. The playing field includes an outer member and an inner disc that are rotated in opposite directions. The outer member is provided with partitions carrying multiple indicators, spaced apart to catch large indicator balls propelled onto the playing field, and spaced apart to allow small indicator balls to pass onto the inner disc. The inner disc is provided with ball-holding pockets carrying multiple indicators configured to accommodate small indicator balls passing through the partitions.

[0007] U.S. Patent No. 4,222,561 ('561), granted to Whitten, discloses a game device. '561 instructs a roulette-type device in which a player answers a word that satisfies both the selected category and the first letter, by spinning a roulette wheel to specify the first letter and randomly selecting one card at a time from a given set of word category cards. A close examination of '561 reveals that the roulette-type wheel has a set of Roman alphabet letters on it. Whitten's wheel includes a total of 36 lettered positions on it, with certain letters being duplicated. Whitten uses this device to specify the first letter of objects included in a related set of objects (e.g., types of fruit) by enabling the random selection of letters by the roulette wheel. To win a particular game or turn, the target user or gamer must come up with an object whose name begins with the letter selected on Whitten's roulette wheel.

[0008] U.S. Patent No. 4,887,819 ('819 Patent), granted to Walker, discloses a casino board game. '819 Patent teaches a relatively complex game incorporating the use of a roulette wheel and combining several different forms of traditional or conventional gambling games. In this regard, the player determines the number of spaces to move along a segmented path using either a card game similar to blackjack or a slot machine, and a particular game is selected by instructions contained in the segment the player arrived at in the previous move. Each segment also contains further instructions, some of which specify further gambling devices and give odds. These further devices are roulette games or dice games, and the player who arrives at that segment can gamble on these games at the specified odds. Other players can join in the gambling when the roulette and dice games are played. The objective of the game is for the player to avoid specified penalties on the game board and acquire the majority of the playing chips until either all other players "go bankrupt" or the casino bank "goes bankrupt". It is worth noting that the alphabetical layout of the roulette wheel has not been disclosed.

[0009] U.S. Patent No. 5,259,616 ('616 Patent) granted to Bergmann discloses a roulette-type coin-operated game machine. '616 Patent discloses a process for operating a slot machine that operates as a roulette wheel. According to this process, a gambler determines the amount of their bet by inserting coins and then pressing a selection key. The outcome of the game is determined by a microprocessor using a random algorithm. If the selected number is hit, the microprocessor instructs a coin distribution unit to dispense the main prize. If the selected number is hit, the microprocessor drives another processor with a random generator. The random generator determines a gain multiplier by a described algorithm, which is multiplied by the amount of the bet on the hit number. It then instructs a payout unit to distribute in coins an amount corresponding to the product of the bet on the hit number and the gain multiplier.

[0010] U.S. Patent No. 5,553,853 ('853 Patent), granted to Sackitey, discloses a game apparatus and method for teaching DNA-related technologies. '853 Patent teaches a game that includes a selector for selecting nucleotides from a group of nucleotides typically associated with DNA. By randomly selecting nucleotides and recording the selected nucleotides, each player creates a unique DNA sequence. The winner of the game is determined by using the DNA sequence in one of various game motifs. A close examination of '853 Patent reveals that a roulette-type wheel has a series of 71 positions on which letters are attached, enabling the game. Certain alphabet letters are repeated, while some (Roman alphabet) letters are omitted from the wheel.

[0011] U.S. Patent No. 5,755,440 ('440 Patent), granted to Sher, discloses an extended roulette-style game. '440 Patent teaches a novel roulette device comprising multiple balls and separate tracks for launching each ball. In a preferred embodiment, there are two balls and two tracks, as well as a special device for launching the balls. In one embodiment, the launcher is air-driven, and in another embodiment, the device is mechanical, accelerating the ball by contact with a spinning wheel. In either case, the launcher can be held by hand or mounted on a frame and positioned to propel the ball into the track. In another embodiment of the present invention, the wheel of the roulette device is provided as a dynamic display, such dynamic display may be of several different types, such as LCDs and dynamic holographic displays, and an electronic player station is provided where players can place bets according to their preferences. In many embodiments, the game is enhanced by sound effects, including the sound of the balls being launched, the sound of the balls rolling in the roulette device, thunder, and music.

[0012] U.S. Patent No. 6,164,647 ('647 Patent), granted to Chee, discloses a casino board game system. '647 Patent teaches a roulette assembly comprising a lower disc divided into multiple sections, each representing at least one of a unique number and a unique color. It also includes an upper disc rotatably mounted on the lower disc, also divided into multiple sections, each representing at least one of a unique number and a unique color. When the upper and lower discs are spun, the upper disc slows down and engages with the lower disc, revealing a unique number and color combination. A close examination of '647 Patent reveals that a mechanically complex roulette wheel is disclosed. By randomly combining the upper and lower discs, a specific color and number result can be selected on the lower disc. Notably, alphabetical representation on the roulette wheel is not disclosed.

[0013] U.S. Patent No. 6,227,542 ('542 Patent) and U.S. Patent No. 6,663,106 ('106 Patent), both granted to Cosmi, disclose certain improved versions of roulette and new gambling games involving the use of said improved roulette. Patents '542 and '106 teach a new type of roulette comprising two bowls that rotate coaxially and on the same axis, and two smaller balls, each rolling around one of the bowls, with data pointing to independent events inscribed on each bowl. In a first embodiment, the two independent events are symbols of the twelve zodiac signs and numbers from 0 to 31, the symbols of the twelve zodiac signs preferably inscribed on the outer ring-shaped bowl, and the numbers from 0 to 31 preferably inscribed on the inner bowl. In a second embodiment, the events inscribed on the two bowls relate to one or more calendars used in Asian countries (such as China, Korea, Japan, etc.). Furthermore, a new gambling game involving the use of the aforementioned improved roulette wheel is described.

[0014] U.S. Patent No. 6,406,022 ('022) granted to Nadibaidze discloses a method for playing a roulette-type popular entertainment game having a betting field with symbols of the twelve zodiac signs. Patent '022 teaches a popular entertainment method using a stake field that simulates a roulette-type betting field, with stake squares of various colors having information marks of various colors formed on them from 1 to 36, and stake squares having the symbols of the twelve zodiac signs within them having numerical information marks 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, and 31. A flat image of a fixed roulette wheel is also formed, having 36 main sectors and one or two additional sectors, each main sector containing, firstly, images of the numbers 1-36 accompanied by images of the symbols of the twelve zodiac signs at the prime numbers 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, and 31, and secondly, two images of a six-sided die accompanied by information marks of various numbers of dots from 1 to 6. The procedure then proceeds with the player placing a bet on the stake square of the stake field and selecting two pairs of random gambling indices by rolling two sets of two six-sided dice simultaneously.

[0015] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005 / 0285336 by Ilievski discloses an alphabet roulette game comprising a roulette wheel having 25 positions, including 26 letters of the Roman alphabet and positions having two letters. Players place bets on the betting surface, i.e., the table, on the probability that one of a single letter (or pair of letters) or one of several groups of letters will appear when the wheel is spun. In the game, players can also place bets on the probability that a given letter will appear when the wheel is spun two or more times in a row. Furthermore, players are given the opportunity to place bets on the probability that a letter belonging to one or more given words will appear when the wheel is spun.Optionally, the alphabet positions on the wheel and the corresponding positions on the table can be colored so that players can place bets on one or more colors.

[0016] However, by further examining the patents referenced above and other prior art generally known to exist, it becomes clear that the prior art does not disclose a roulette-type game for using multiple dice and alphabet letters to form solfège pairs or words, wherein such pairs and / or words can be operably linked to specific means for providing sound when formed by a roulette-type ball, and all of this acts to stimulate the gamer's senses and enhance the overall game experience.

[0017] Any reference to the literature, laws, materials, apparatus, articles, etc. included herein is intended solely to provide context for the present invention. It should not be construed as an acknowledgment that any or all of these constitute part of the prior art or were common knowledge in the relevant art of the present invention prior to the priority date of this application in Australia or elsewhere. [Overview of the project] [Means for solving the problem]

[0018] Therefore, some embodiments of the present invention provide a roulette game with a vibrant rainbow theme, which expands on the rainbow theme to enable one or more levels of so-called mystery jackpot prizes. As a means of enabling various jackpot prizes, some embodiments of the present invention provide a tiered roulette game to evoke an enhanced winning experience achieved by visually and / or aurally stimulating the user of the roulette game.

[0019] Embodiments of a solfège or alphabetical roulette game essentially comprise a roulette medium, a layout for placing bets, and multiple balls. Notably, the roulette medium can be defined, preferably by a board or a simulated board, and may comprise multiple ball-holding sectors and specific sound-providing means for providing auditory sounds. Each ball-holding sector has an upper sector surface having a selectable alphabet letter based on the board or medium and a rainbow-type selectable color scheme, the selectable rainbow color scheme preferably selected from a group of colors consisting of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple. In some embodiments, the multiple selectable ball-holding sectors are coordinately tuned to the sound-providing means for providing selectable auditory sounds.

[0020] To facilitate placing bets, the betting support surface is preferably positioned adjacent to the roulette wheel, and the betting support surface comprises multiple betting support sections, each betting support section having an upper section surface with selectable alphabet letters based on the betting targets, and the letters based on the wheel and the letters based on the betting targets may have paired letter correspondences. Each sector stimulus, i.e., letter identification ball, is preferably housed in one of the ball housing sectors. The selectable ball housing sectors may work together to provide selectable auditory sounds when sector stimulus balls are housed in them. In some embodiments, the paired letter correspondences and selectable auditory sounds together act to visually and aurally stimulate the user's senses in order to enhance the game experience.

[0021] According to an aspect of the present invention, an electronic game device is provided having a central processing unit, a betting target input unit, and a visual display unit, configured to perform the game or method described herein.

[0022] This device preferably takes the form of a slot machine, portable device, personal computer, touchscreen monitor, handheld data input / output device, mobile phone, tablet, kiosk, digital television, or personal information terminal.

[0023] In some possible embodiments, the device may include communication means, and such communication means may include the use of any one or more of wireless connection, Internet connection, mobile phone connection, connection by an in-house communication network, or connection by a wide area communication network.

[0024] The central processing means is preferably configured to selectively display at least one board and at least one ball on the visual display unit. In one possible embodiment, the board and the ball may be simulated, and the result of the game may at least partially depend on the output of a random number generator. In another possible embodiment, the board and the ball may be real, and the result of the game may at least partially depend on the board and the ball.

[0025] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronically readable medium including executable code for instructing an electronic game device to perform the game or method described herein.

[0026] Throughout this specification, the word "comprise" or its variations (such as "comprises" or "comprising") is to be understood as implying the stated elements, integers, or steps, or groups of elements, integers, or steps, but not excluding any other elements, integers, or steps, or groups of elements, integers, or steps.

[0027] Other non-essential features and specific elements of the present invention, as well as their advantages, will be elucidated or become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings provided by way of non-limiting examples.

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention will become clearer by considering the following brief description of the patent drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029] [Figure 1] It is a plan view of the first roulette board of the present invention, showing a plurality of ball storage sectors each having a selected Roman alphabet letter and one of a series of seven rainbow colors. [Figure 2] It is a plan view of the second roulette board of the present invention, showing a plurality of ball storage sectors each having a selected Roman alphabet letter and two character identification balls arranged in the character sectors of "D" and "O" (i.e., "D.O."). [Figure 3] It is a plan view of the third roulette board of the present invention, showing a plurality of ball storage sectors each having a selected Roman alphabet letter and three character identification balls arranged in the character sectors of "W", "I", and "N" (i.e., "WIN."). [Figure 4] It is a plan view of the fourth roulette board of the present invention, showing a plurality of ball storage sectors each having a selected Roman alphabet letter and four character identification balls arranged in the character sectors of "P", "L", "A", and "Y" (i.e., "P.L.A.Y."). [Figure 5] It is a partial side cross-sectional view of the second roulette board of the present invention, showing two character identification balls in two ball launch track rings. [Figure 6] It is a partial side cross-sectional view of the third roulette board of the present invention, showing three character identification balls in three ball launch track rings. [Figure 7] It is a partial side cross-sectional view of the fourth roulette board of the present invention, showing four character identification balls in four ball launch track rings. [Figure 8] It is a view of the first payout target layout table of the present invention, showing a Roman alphabet character set in a state where colors are removed for clarity. [Figure 9] It is the first payout rate table of the present invention, showing the first bet name column, the first quantity column, the first payout rate column, and the first expected value column. [Figure 10]This is a diagram of a 3-level "Mystery Jackpot" table, showing columns for the minimum Mystery Jackpot value, the maximum Mystery Jackpot value, and the percentage Mystery Jackpot value. [Figure 11] This is a diagram of a second payout rate table for a second roulette wheel of the present invention, showing a second bet name column, a second quantity column, a second payout rate column, and a second expected value column. [Figure 12] This is a diagram of the first betting layout table with a second betting layout table showing 13 table sheets, each sheet containing its own unique three-letter word with color removed for clarity. [Figure 13] This is a diagram of a third payout rate table for a third roulette wheel of the present invention, showing a third bet name column, a third quantity column, a third payout rate column, and a third expected value column. [Figure 14] This is a diagram of a fourth payout rate table for a fourth roulette wheel of the present invention, showing a fourth bet name column, a fourth quantity column, a fourth payout rate column, and a fourth expected value column. [Figure 15] This is a diagram of the third betting layout table of the present invention, showing a Russian alphabet character set with color removed for clarity. [Figure 16] This is a diagram of a fifth payout rate table for the third betting target layout table of the present invention, showing a fifth bet name column, a fifth quantity column, a fifth payout rate column, and a fifth expected value column. [Figure 17] This is a diagram of the fourth betting layout table of the present invention, showing the Russian alphabet character set with color removed for clarity. [Figure 18] This is a diagram of a sixth payout rate table for the fourth betting target layout table of the present invention, showing a sixth bet name column, a sixth quantity column, a sixth payout rate column, and a sixth expected value column. [Figure 19]This is a diagram of a two-level "Mystery Jackpot" table, showing columns for the minimum Mystery Jackpot value, the maximum Mystery Jackpot value, and the percentage Mystery Jackpot value. [Figure 20] This is an enlarged view of the first betting target layout table of the present invention, showing a Roman alphabet character set in a state including seven representative colors for clarity. [Figure 21] This diagram illustrates various electronic gaming devices in the form of handheld units (shown in the upper left of the diagram), mobile phones (shown in the lower left of the diagram), slot machines (shown in the center of the diagram), touchscreen LCD display units (shown in the upper right of the diagram), and notebook computers (shown in the lower right of the diagram). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] Referring below with reference to the drawings, preferred implementations of the present invention generally relate to an alphabet rainbow roulette game using music or sound, with at least two spinning balls and two alphabet letters selected or identified when the balls come to rest. For the purposes of the present invention, it is preferable to include each of the rainbow colors as a visually stimulating background for the alphabet letters, and such colors may include red (shown as 30 in Figure 1), orange (shown as 31), yellow (shown as 32), green (shown as 33), blue (shown as 34), indigo (shown as 35), and violet (shown as 36). The colors red 30, orange 31, yellow 32, blue 34, indigo 35, and violet 36 are further referenced in Figure 20. The preferred rainbow colors, red 30, orange 31, yellow 32, green 33, blue 34, indigo 35, and violet 36, can be incorporated into the design of the present invention by the well-known ROY G.REV memory method used to memorize traditional optical spectra. Any number of other different colors and electromagnetic wavelengths can be incorporated into the design of this invention, depending on the designer's preference or selection.

[0031] Figure 9 shows the first payout table 20 (used in combination with the one-ball roulette wheel of the present invention), which represents different winning odds for the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 shows the second payout table 21 (used in combination with the two-ball roulette wheel of the present invention), which represents different winning odds for the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] A closer examination of the payout rate column in Figure 9 against Figure 11 reveals that Figure 11 shows two payout rates. These represent different payout rates for hitting one or both of the selected numbers, depending on the chosen betting criteria. For example, if a user or player chooses yellow 32, which represents the color of the rainbow, and one of the balls lands on yellow 32, they receive the "same amount" payout. However, if both balls land on yellow 32, the user or player receives a payout of 19:1.

[0033] A primary objective of some embodiments of the present invention is to spell a trigger word or solfège with a single "spin" of the roulette wheel, and in this regard, it should be noted that multiple balls 12 make it possible for the player to spell, or form, the trigger word or solfège. By including an additional betting option using music called "scales," the player can be awarded a progressive or jackpot prize if any of the following solfège letter pairs or solfège scale names occur, namely "DO," "RE," "MI," "FA," "SO," "LA," or "TI." This jackpot is expected to occur approximately every 46 games. This provides room to set the jackpot prize amount from low to medium by how the jackpot parameters are set, the means of betting on the jackpot, and the division of the prize.

[0034] The jackpot method described above can be easily adapted to operate on an electronic slot machine version of a roulette game, or on an online, network, or internet-based medium, and it is conceivable that individual player-based machines can be linked in a chain of several similar machines, all linked to a common jackpot. In this scenario, winners are produced relatively frequently. If there is a winner on the "scale," the "DO, RE, MI" music, i.e., the scale, is played by the jackpot controller. In an alternative implementation example on a slot machine, it is also possible to have seven different slots in the jackpot, each with a different "scale" station name. Thus, the probability of each station hitting on any given spin is reduced by factor 7, resulting in a larger prize. For further information on the "scale" betting options explored in some embodiments of the present invention, please refer to Figure 11.

[0035] In another extension or implementation of the present invention, it is conceivable that three balls 12 could be utilized. In this case, an additional progressive jackpot could be included, based on whether the balls land in such a way that a win is achieved when a three-letter word from a predetermined list is formed. For example, the formation of the word "WIN" (sketched in Figure 3) could mean winning the progressive prize. By examining Figure 12, it can be seen that thirteen "sheets" 40 are arranged on the table, and each sheet 40 may have its own unique three-letter word 41.

[0036] For linked progressive electronic slot machines (or online game port halls, etc.), it is possible that each slot may have its own unique 3-letter word / code. When that word / code appears on the machine a player is playing, the progressive jackpot is won. The probability of any specified 3-letter word 41 appearing in a single spin is 0.00038, or once every 2600 games. If the entire table, i.e., all 13 seats 40, i.e., stations, are active, the progressive jackpot is expected to be won on average once every 200 games. It is worth noting that, by further examining Figure 13, it can be seen that there are different payout rates depending on how many balls 12 hit in a category. For example, if a column bet is selected, there is no payout if one ball 12 hits, the payout rate is 2:1 if two balls 12 hit, and the payout rate is 15:1 if all three balls 12 hit.

[0037] For table games or linked electronic slot-type or online porthole-type roulette games, it is conceivable that each "seat" 40 in the alphabet rainbow roulette table has its own unique word 41 to which the progressive jackpot applies only to that seat 40. Thus, as roughly shown in Figure 12, it is possible to assign the word "WIN" to one seat 40, "NOW" to another seat 40, "RED" to yet another seat 40, and so on. This structure solves the problem of the payout rate dropping drastically if multiple patrons win simultaneously for the single word 41 that wins the progressive jackpot. For game machines where each player is independent of all other players participating in the progressive jackpot, electronic table games (EGMs) (hybrid table games with slots) can either automatically and randomly assign the word 41, or allow the player to select the word 41 from a predetermined list. In the former scenario, the means for assigning word 41 may include the step of specifying word 41 to each slot station as instructed by the "scale" jackpot or the "WIN" jackpot.

[0038] Participation in the jackpot can be considered to involve one of the following three options: (1) Players can bet on the jackpot word. This option may yield a higher payout rate. (2) Players who have placed any of the other bets automatically become eligible to win the progressive jackpot if those words appear. (3) Players who have placed at least the minimum bet amount (which can be a system setting parameter) automatically become eligible to win the progressive jackpot if those words appear. A further option to this variation is to spin four balls instead of three balls. Players are then assigned four-letter words, and if all four letters of the word appear, they can win the progressive jackpot. The advantage of this structure is that a larger progressive prize can be won. It should be noted that any of the participation options presented above can be chosen.

[0039] Furthermore, it is conceivable that a mystery jackpot option can be incorporated into the structure. In this embodiment of the present invention, for a 3-ball game, i.e., version, there is a single winning word combination, "WIN". The difficulty associated with having a single word is that, since many players share the jackpot, the prize money is not very large and is not unique. This problem can be easily addressed. A secondary jackpot winner selection process is carried out in the situation in which the jackpot win trigger occurs (e.g., three balls 12 are drawn and the word "WIN" is spelled). It is preferable to evaluate each player based on all the money, credits, or other similar assets wagered on the game.

[0040] For example, suppose a game in which a WIN event occurs has only two players (Player A and Player B). Player A bets 10 credits, and Player B bets 90 credits. Each player is given a rating of 10 and 90, meaning that Player A has a probability of 0.1 and Player B has a probability of 0.9. The jackpot controller determines which player wins by drawing a random number. For example, assuming the random number ranges from 0.01 to 1, if the drawn random number is 0.05, Player A wins, and if it is 0.75, Player B wins. This is very beneficial for the game operator, as players are constantly encouraged to bet larger as the jackpot begins to grow to a relatively large amount, increasing their chances of being selected as the winner when the WIN jackpot occurs. The same principle can also be applied to the musical scale jackpot described above.

[0041] The above describes a specific game awarding method as originally taught by the present invention. In this regard, the game awarding method can be well-suited to enhancing the game experience and includes the step of accepting multiple betting predictions, wherein such betting predictions are predictions of event outcomes which are preferably definable by the formation of meaningful strings that can be formed by alphabetical letters or a roulette game. Notably, the betting predictions may necessarily include specific betting sums of varying magnitudes. After accepting the predictions, they are assigned probability ratings corresponding to the magnitudes of the betting sums. Then, a random number (in percentage form) selected from a numerical range of 0.01 (1%) to 1 (100%) is drawn from the awarding controller. After drawing the random number, it is compared to a probability rating that represents the difference between the various probability ratings corresponding to the initially provided betting sums. The difference is then evaluated, and assets such as credits, tokens, or cash are awarded to the betting sum with the highest rating.

[0042] In any game using two or more balls 12, to indicate a sound, it is possible to provide a musical tone in solfège (corresponding to the solfège of diplets of letters ("DO", "RE", "MI", "FA", "SO", "LA", "TI")) when a musical scale word, i.e., a solfège letter, is hit. In this regard, it is preferable that the selected auditory tone has a diatonic scale and is adjusted to match the group of diplets of solfège letters in solfège, and such a group of diplets of solfège letters consists of "DO", "RE", "MI", "FA", "SO", "LA", and "TI", with the diplet of solfège letters "DO" corresponding to the tonic in the diatonic scale. Please examine the DO trigger event briefly shown in Figure 2.

[0043] The betting layout can be cleverly designed to encompass three types of bets: (1) group notes, which are based on the exact same concept as field bets in dice games (where hitting "DO" pays approximately double the payout for the other six notes); (2) individual side bets for each of the seven notes of the diatonic scale; and (3) triggers for progressive / mystery jackpot combinations. Note that the two solfège words "DO" are pronounced "dough," a common slang term for money, which is the traditional prize in games of chance such as roulette. This play on solfège and sound content is considered just one of the features that enhances, or expands, the game experience.

[0044] When using a mechanical roulette machine that spins 12 balls, group (field) bets are expected to pay out at a 36:1 ratio if "RE", "MI", "FA", "SO", "LA", or "TI" appear, and at a 73:1 ratio if "DO" appears. The overall return on this type of bet is 91.08%. Each individual side bet pays out at a 295:1 ratio, and the overall return on this type of bet is also 91.08%. The jackpot is triggered when any of the seven musical note pairs (or solfège names) match, and the jackpot occurs approximately every 46.5 games. When spinning 12 balls, group (field) bets are expected to pay out at a 12:1 ratio if "RE", "MI", "FA", "SO", "LA", or "TI" appear, and at a 29:1 ratio if "DO" appears. The overall return on this type of bet is 91.85%. Each individual side bet pays out at a 99:1 ratio, resulting in an overall return of 91.38% for this type of bet. The jackpot is triggered when any of the seven musical note words are matched, and the jackpot occurs approximately every 15.75 games. It is also possible to manipulate the payouts so that a bonus sum is paid out if two musical note words are formed from three balls (for example, "FAL," "SOD," or "MIT"). It should be noted that some game operators may wish to limit liability for large bets. For example, it is possible that the maximum payout could be set at $10,000.

[0045] Side bets can be summarized as follows: (1) The colors of the rainbow—red 30, orange 31, yellow 32, blue 34, indigo 35, and violet 36—act as well as the traditional red and black, to allow for six different bets. (2) It should be noted that green 33 is unnecessary as it can represent small street bets on the top line. (3) Column. (4) First 12 and Last 12. (5) Street, Double Street. (6) Scale "Field" bet. (7) Scale Individual Side Bet (7), (Pair, Corner (group of 4)).

[0046] Accordingly, preferred embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a colorful solfège roulette game, such a game is designed to offer a reward for the formation of a meaningful string of characters (including monosyllabic words). The formed string of characters can further be operablely linked to specific means for providing sound when triggered by an event. Thus, a solfège roulette game can work well to elicit an enhanced winning experience through visual and auditory solfège-based stimuli. A solfège roulette game of an embodiment of the present invention preferably comprises a roulette wheel 10 as shown and referenced in Figures 1 to 7, a betting-target layout, i.e., a structure, i.e., a surface 11, that allows betting, as shown and referenced in Figures 8, 12, 15, 17, and 20, and a plurality of sector stimuli, i.e., letter-identifying spheres, i.e., balls 12, as shown and referenced in Figures 2 to 7.

[0047] The roulette wheel 10 comprises a plurality of radially inwardly spaced, evenly spaced sphere-holding sectors 13, a plurality of radially outwardly sphere-launching track rings 14, and a specific means for providing auditory sound, i.e., a sound-providing means, schematically shown in Figure 2 by reference numeral 15 (as a speaker forming a circuit with the roulette wheel 10). Comparing and examining Figures 1 to 4 with Figures 5 to 7, it can be seen that the track rings 14 are preferably stepped in order to randomize the placement of the balls 12, which are initially radially outwardly positioned, into the sectors 13 (radially inward). Furthermore, depending on the number of balls 12 or identified letters 18 used, as can be seen from the overall examination in Figures 5 to 7, it is considered preferable that the number of track rings 14 be equal to the number of balls 12 as a means of making the placement more random.

[0048] As described above, each sphere-containing sector 13 is preferably provided with a colored upper sector surface, and each of these surfaces is preferably further provided with a selected alphabet character 18 based on the board. As can be seen from a close examination of Figures 1 and 20, multiple colors are represented by various types of hatching marks. For example, the Roman alphabet characters Y and Z shown in Figure 1 are preferably colored green 33, as represented by hatching marks designated as green under the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rules for color representation. Similarly, the Roman alphabet letters A, H, O, and V are preferably colored red 30; the Roman alphabet letters B, I, M, and W are preferably colored orange 31; the Roman alphabet letters C, J, Q, and X are preferably colored yellow 32; the Roman alphabet letters E, L, R, and S are preferably colored blue 34; the Roman alphabet letters D, K, P, and U are preferably colored in indigo 35; and the Roman alphabet letters F, G, N, and T are preferably colored purple 36. As previously presented, the above colors include, i.e., represent the commonly used mnemonic ROY(G.)BIV for each color of the optical spectrum or rainbow.

[0049] For mechanical versions of roulette games, it is conceivable that multiple selection ball-containing sectors 13 may be equipped with specific pressure-sensing units (not shown) for emitting sound. Thus, it is conceivable that the pressure-sensing units of the selection ball-containing sectors 13 (i.e., sectors that enable sound provision) may partially constitute sound-providing means. For example, it is conceivable that a pressure-sensing switch can be activated to close a circuit that operates to provide a selection sound when the ball 12 comes to rest on the selection sector 13. For electronic (slot-type or online game-type) versions of roulette games, it is conceivable that the selection sectors 13 can be pre-programmed to emit sounds as indicated by the character-identifying balls 12.

[0050] The betting surface, or layout 11, of the present invention, i.e., the structure that enables betting, is preferably arranged adjacent to the roulette wheel 10 in order to facilitate betting. Please refer to Figures 8, 12, 15, 17, and 20 for further details. By examining the above drawings, it can be seen that a gamer can place bets on multiple betting surface sections, i.e., betting surface sections 16, before the ball is placed. Each of the betting surface sections 16 has an upper section surface, each of which has a selection alphabet character 17 based on the betting surface that has a one-to-one correspondence with a character 18 based on the wheel. The character 18 based on the wheel and the character 17 based on the betting surface have a paired character correspondence, and therefore it should be understood that the section 16 also preferably has a rainbow-colored background corresponding to the breakdown shown above. By examining Figure 20 closely, we can see, for example, that A is colored red 30, C is colored yellow 32, G is colored purple 36, I is colored orange 31, K is colored indigo 35, and S is colored blue 34. For ease of visual interpretation, the remaining sections 16 shown in Figure 20 are intentionally shown without coloring (otherwise, coloring would always be present).

[0051] The sector stimuli, or character recognition spheres, or balls 12, can be launched from the sphere launching track ring 14 and housed in one of the sphere housing sectors 13, as schematically shown in Figures 2 to 4. When a trigger event occurs, such as the formation of a solfège in solfège (e.g., "DO"), a sound is provided by the sound providing means 15 (reference numeral 19 in Figure 2). In other words, the selection sphere housing sector 13 works in cooperation to provide a selected auditory sound 19 when the sector stimuli sphere 12 is housed in the sector. The paired character correspondences between the board 10 and the layout 11 and the selected auditory sound 19 work together to visually and aurally stimulate the user's senses in order to elicit an enhanced game experience.

[0052] The above description contains a fair amount of specificity, but this specificity should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention, but rather as illustrative. For example, as described above, the invention essentially discloses a solfège roulette game for visually and aurally stimulating a game user, such a solfège roulette game comprising a specific roulette medium, such as a board, and a plurality of sector stimulating balls. If it is preferred to bet on the outcome of the ball arrangement, a betting support surface, or layout, may be further provided.

[0053] The roulette medium preferably comprises multiple ball-holding sectors, each ball-holding sector preferably comprising a sector face having a selected alphabet character based on a medium that enables solfège. In this last point, it should be noted that the Roman alphabet is only one form of alphabet. By examining Figures 15 and 17, it can be seen that the incorporation of other alphabet characters, such as the Russian alphabet, into the game may also be included in the teachings presented herein. It is worth noting that, as can be seen by comparing Figures 9, 11, 13, and 14 with those of Figures 16 and 18, the payout structure and winning odds can be modified to some extent by the alphabet character set. It should be noted that other types of alphabet character sets can be used, such as Greek, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and other similar alphabet character sets, and that solfège is not limited to scales associated with meaningful strings written in Roman alphabet strings, etc.

[0054] Sector-stimulating balls, or character identifiers, can be housed in one of the ball-housing sectors to enable the formation of a word or solfège with a single spin through their collaborative action. The formation of a word or solfège with a single spin is extended by paired character correspondences, which can effectively stimulate the user visually and elicit an enhanced game experience. Notably, the roulette medium may feature a rainbow-type color scheme to enable variable payout methods, including but not limited to mystery jackpots. Furthermore, it is preferable that the roulette game includes specific sound-providing means to provide auditory sounds that have a one-to-one correspondence with the meaningful strings of characters formed.

[0055] Furthermore, according to the concept of the present invention, it is considered that a specific roulette game method can be taught. In this regard, it is considered that the roulette game method of the present invention can work well to enhance the roulette game experience. The roulette game method preferably includes the steps of: organizing visually perceptible alphabetic characters in the radial neighborhood with respect to the (rotation) axis of the central roulette wheel; randomly placing character identifiers (e.g., balls 12) in the radial neighborhood with respect to the rotation axis, for example, in the ball housing sector 13; identifying multiple alphabetic characters by the placed character identifiers; forming one or more significant strings of characters by the identified alphabetic characters; and comparing the formed significant strings with significant strings presented in Figure 12, namely WIN, NOW, RED, SHE, FOR, HUG, MAN, BAR, YES, DOG, AXE, SUN, and CA, or predetermined significant strings such as DO, RE, MI, FA, SO, LA, and TI that enable solfège.

[0056] Other steps may include organizing each color of a rainbow type into radial neighbors relative to the axis of rotation before randomly placing the letter identifiers into radial neighbors relative to the axis of rotation. Notably, in the case of electronic (slot-type or online game-type) roulette formats, the color arrangements can be assigned randomly or changed periodically. Furthermore, similar to how a gamer selects a chosen alphabet letter, color, or string before the roulette spin, there may be a step of predicting the formation of a particular meaningful string before randomly placing the ball, i.e., the letter identifier, into radial neighbors relative to the axis of rotation. Typically, during the prediction step, there is a step of placing a bet, such as money, credits, or other similar assets.

[0057] Furthermore, the roulette game method may include a step of awarding assets such as money, credits, or other similar assets after comparing the formed significant string with a selected default string. The awards may take the form of a mystery jackpot and other payout structures of any number. Notably, the step may include playing a selected tone during the formation of the significant string, in which case the formed significant string preferably corresponds to a selected tone in solfège.

[0058] Some preferred embodiments of the present invention are thought to allow gameplay on one or more electronic game devices, such as an electronic slot machine 52, or via a multi-terminal electronic game device. Furthermore, some preferred embodiments of the present invention are thought to allow gameplay on one or more portable devices, such as a handheld data input / output device, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) 50, as generally shown and referenced in Figure 21, a mobile phone 51, a touchscreen liquid crystal display (LCD) unit 53 having a display screen 56, a tablet, a kiosk, a digital television, or other such electronic devices.

[0059] In some possible embodiments, a combination of various electronic devices interacts with each other to facilitate gameplay among multiple players. Such coordination of interaction can be carried out via communication means available to the devices, including the use of internet connectivity, mobile phone connectivity, local area network connectivity, or wide area network connectivity. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, many such electronic devices include transmitting and receiving means, such as antennas, for transmitting and receiving radio waves 55 for communication purposes. In addition, many such electronic devices include card readers configured to read information from credit cards 57 to facilitate betting transactions.

[0060] It should be noted that a touchscreen LCD unit 53, such as the type shown in Figure 21, is a more readily implementable option for casinos or game operators and can define a user-friendly interface. Furthermore, it should be noted that, due to doubts about the results obtained through a random number-symbol generator, players often wish to visualize how winning combinations occur in the game. While a random number or symbol generator can be central to several electronic embodiments, it is considered that in certain aspects of this teaching, it is possible to implement it well in a fully or partially electronic version.

[0061] In one electronically implemented embodiment, it is conceivable that the player selects betting options using input means such as buttons or a touchscreen. When the "game" begins, the central processing unit simulates the spinning of a simulated board on the display screen 56. The central processing unit also indicates on the display screen 56 that at least one simulated ball spins around the simulated board and comes to rest in the simulated sector. Once the result of each spin is displayed, the central processing unit calculates the prize to be distributed to the player.

[0062] In another possible embodiment, the spin of a real (not simulated) board and at least one ball may be shown on the display screen 56 of the electronic game device, and the outcome of the game may depend on the physical sector where the ball rests. In yet another possible embodiment, the outcome may depend on a combination of the resting positions of one or more physical balls and the output of a random number generator.

[0063] While the present invention has been described with reference to preferred roulette games and specific methods relating thereto, it is not intended that these limit any new games or methods of playing, and variations thereof are also intended to be included in the broad scope and spirit of the above disclosures, the following claims, and the accompanying drawings.

[0064] Several aspects are described below. [Aspect 1] A solfège roulette game designed to visually and aurally stimulate game users: A roulette wheel comprising a plurality of evenly spaced radially inward sphere-holding sectors, a plurality of radially outward sphere-launching rings, and a sound-providing means for providing auditory sounds, wherein each sphere-holding sector has an upper sector surface having a selectable alphabet character, and the plurality of selectable sphere-holding sectors are adjusted to cooperate with the sound-providing means for providing selectable auditory sounds; A plurality of betting object storage sections, each betting object storage section comprising an upper section surface having a selected alphabet betting object character, wherein the board character and the betting object character have a paired character correspondence with the betting object storage section; A solfège roulette game comprising: a plurality of sector stimulating spheres, each of which is launchable from the sphere launching ring and can be housed in one of the sphere housing sectors, the selection sphere housing sectors cooperate to provide the selection auditory sound when the sector stimulating sphere is housed therein, and the paired letter correspondence and the selection auditory sound visually and aurally stimulate the user; [Aspect 2] The floor name roulette game according to embodiment 1, wherein the upper sector surface and the upper section surface have a selectable color scheme, and the selectable color scheme is selected from a group of colors consisting of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple. [Aspect 3] The floor name roulette game according to embodiment 2, wherein the upper sector surface and the upper section surface have Roman alphabet letters. [Aspect 4] The solfège roulette game according to embodiment 3, wherein the selected auditory sound has a diatonic scale. [Aspect 5] The solfège roulette game according to embodiment 4, wherein the selected auditory sounds are adjusted to match the paired solfège letters in solfège singing, and the paired solfège letters consist of "DO", "RE", "MI", "FA", "SO", "LA", and "TI". [Aspect 6] It's a solfège roulette game designed to stimulate game users: A roulette medium comprising a roulette medium comprising a plurality of ball-holding sectors and a plurality of balls, each ball-holding sector comprising an upper sector surface having a selectable alphabet character, each ball being able to be held in one of the ball-holding sectors, the selectable ball-holding sectors enabling the formation of a word by working together when the balls are held in them, and the formation of the word visually stimulates the user; a floor name roulette game comprising a roulette medium. [Aspect 7] The floor name roulette game according to embodiment 6, wherein the upper sector surface has a selectable color scheme, the selectable color scheme is selected from a group of colors consisting of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple, and the selectable color scheme allows for changes in the payout structure. [Aspect 8] The roulette game according to embodiment 7, comprising a plurality of betting object accommodating sections, each betting object accommodating section having an upper section surface having a selected alphabet betting object character, and the board characters and the betting object characters having a paired character correspondence. [Aspect 9] The roulette medium comprises sound-providing means for providing auditory sounds, the selection ball housing sectors are adjusted to cooperate with the sound-providing means for providing selection auditory sounds, the selection ball housing sectors cooperate to provide the selection auditory sounds when the balls are housed therein, and the paired letter correspondences and the selection auditory sounds stimulate the user visually and aurally, the solfège roulette game according to embodiment 8. [Aspect 10] The aforementioned selection ball housing sector has letters that enable solfège, according to embodiment 9 of the solfège roulette game. [Aspect 11] The floor name roulette game according to embodiment 10, wherein the upper sector surface and the upper section surface have Roman alphabet letters. [Aspect 12] The alphabet roulette game according to embodiment 11, wherein the selected auditory sounds are adjusted to match pairs of solfège letters in solfège singing, and the pairs of solfège letters consist of "DO", "RE", "MI", "FA", "SO", "LA", and "TI". [Aspect 13] A roulette game method to enhance the roulette game experience: The steps include: organizing visually perceptible alphabetic characters in radial neighborhoods with respect to a central axis; The steps include: randomly arranging character identifiers in the radial neighborhood with respect to the central axis; The steps include identifying multiple alphabetic characters using the character identifiers arranged as described above; The steps include: forming a meaningful string of characters using the identified alphabet characters; A roulette game method comprising the steps of: comparing the formed meaningful string with a predetermined meaningful string; [Aspect 14] The roulette game method according to embodiment 13, wherein the central axis is a rotation axis, and the arrangement of alphabetic characters is rotatable around the rotation axis to facilitate the random arrangement of character identifiers. [Aspect 15] A roulette game method according to embodiment 14, comprising the step of predicting the formation of a significant string before randomly placing character identifiers in radial neighborhoods with respect to the axis of rotation. [Aspect 16] A roulette game method according to embodiment 14, comprising the step of organizing each color of the rainbow in the radial neighborhood with respect to the rotation axis before randomly arranging the character identifiers in the radial neighborhood with respect to the rotation axis. [Aspect 17] A roulette game method according to embodiment 15, comprising the step of betting assets while predicting the formation of a significant string. [Aspect 18] A roulette game method according to embodiment 17, comprising the step of awarding an asset after comparing the formed meaningful string with the selected default string. [Aspect 19] A roulette game method according to embodiment 14, comprising the step of playing a selection sound while a meaningful string is being formed. [Aspect 20] The roulette game method according to embodiment 14, wherein the meaningful string formed corresponds to the selected sound in solfège. [Aspect 21] A game awards method designed to enhance the gaming experience: A step of accepting multiple predictions with betting options, wherein the predictions with betting options include predicting the outcome of an event and including a total of betting options of varying magnitudes; A step of assigning a probability evaluation to the prediction with betting items, wherein the probability evaluation corresponds to the total size of the betting items; A step of drawing a random number from an award controller, wherein the random number is selected from a numerical range of 0.01 to 1; The steps include: comparing the aforementioned probability evaluation with the aforementioned random number; A step of evaluating the difference between the probability evaluation and the random number, wherein the difference corresponds to the total amount of the bet; Game awarding method includes a step of awarding assets to the highest-rated total bet; [Aspect 22] The game awarding method according to embodiment 21, wherein the aforementioned game experience is a roulette-based game experience. [Aspect 23] The game awarding method according to embodiment 22, wherein, before accepting the aforementioned betting predictions, visually perceptible alphabetic characters are organized in radial neighborhoods with respect to a central axis. [Aspect 24] The game awarding method according to embodiment 23, wherein the event result is defined by the formation of a significant string, and the significant string can be formed by the visually perceptible alphabetic characters. [Aspect 25] An electronic game device having a central processing unit, a betting target input unit, and a visual display unit, wherein the device is configured to play the game described in any one of embodiments 1 to 12. [Aspect 26] An electronic game device having a central processing unit, a betting target input unit, and a visual display unit, wherein the device is configured to perform the method described in any one of embodiments 13 to 24. [Aspect 27] The electronic game device according to embodiment 25 or 26, wherein the device is one of a slot machine, a portable device, a personal computer, a touchscreen monitor, a handheld data input / output device, a mobile phone, a tablet, a kiosk, a digital television, or a portable information terminal. [Aspect 28] The device is an electronic game device according to any one of embodiments 25 to 27, which includes a communication means. [Aspect 29] The electronic game device according to embodiment 28, wherein the communication means includes the use of one or more of the following: wireless connection, internet connection, mobile phone connection, local area network connection, or wide area network connection. [Aspect 30] The electronic game device according to any one of embodiments 25 to 29, wherein the central processing means is configured to selectively display at least one board and at least one ball on the visual display unit. [Aspect 31] The electronic game device according to embodiment 30, wherein the at least one board and the at least one ball are simulated. [Aspect 32] The electronic game device according to embodiment 30, wherein the at least one board and the at least one ball are real. [Aspect 33] An electronic game device according to any one of embodiments 25 to 32, wherein the outcome of the game depends at least in part on the output of a random number generator. [Aspect 34] An electronic game device according to any one of embodiments 25 to 33, wherein the outcome of the game depends at least in part on at least one physical board and at least one physical ball. [Aspect 35] An electronically readable medium containing executable code for instructing an electronic game device to play the game described in any one of embodiments 1 to 12. [Aspect 36] An electronically readable medium containing executable code for instructing an electronic game device to perform the method described in any one of embodiments 13 to 24.

Claims

[Claim 1] The device is, A roulette wheel comprising a plurality of radially inward sphere-containing sectors, a plurality of radially outward sphere-launching rings, and a sound-providing means, the sound-providing means providing auditory sounds, each sphere-containing sector comprising an upper sector surface, each upper sector surface having a selection wheel symbol, and the plurality of selection sphere-containing sectors being adjusted in conjunction with the sound-providing means to provide a selection auditory sound, A plurality of betting object storage sections, each betting object storage section includes an upper section surface, each upper section surface has a selectable betting object symbol, and the wheel symbol and the betting object symbol have a corresponding pair relationship, the plurality of betting object storage sections, A plurality of sector stimulating spheres, each of which is launchable from the sphere launching ring and can be housed in one of the sphere housing sectors, wherein the selected sphere housing sectors cooperate to provide the selected auditory sound when the sector stimulating spheres are housed therein, A central processing means configured to display the roulette wheel and at least one sphere on at least one visual display unit, Includes a jackpot controller, The combination of wheel symbols identified by multiple sphere-containing sectors, each containing a sector-stimulating sphere, corresponds to the jackpot event. When the jackpot event occurs, each user who bet on the spin of the roulette wheel will have the opportunity to win the jackpot. When the aforementioned jackpot event occurs, the jackpot controller is capable of operating to determine a random number indicating which user will win the jackpot. Device.

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