Apparatus and method for handheld color bingo card monitor

Abstract

An apparatus and method are described for monitoring bingo cards using a portable game device. The game device has a central processing unit, a bit-mapped color display and memory containing representations of bingo cards, a series of games to be played and their rules, and the number of cards to be played. The game device may be battery powered and adopt reduced power modes of operation to conserve battery life. An external power supply may be connected to the game device without interrupting a game in progress. The game device may have more than one battery and charge one battery fully before recharging the other batteries. The game device may have a wireless communications port, through which the memory may be loaded. A communications protocol with security elements may be used for loading the memory. The game device may test its circuitry and data in memory before commencing game play.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A portable game device, comprising: 
 a power supply;    a central processing unit connected to the power supply;    a user interface connected to the power supply and to the central processing unit;    a volatile memory unit;    a non-volatile memory connected to the power supply and to the central processing unit, containing: 
 bingo card data representative of a plurality of bingo cards;  
 game data representative of a set of games and a set of winning patterns, and an identifier for the number of bingo cards in play;  
 a computer program containing: 
 instructions for monitoring bingo cards during a game; and  
 instructions for displaying a selectable number of bingo cards; and  
 a bit-mapped color display connected to the power supply and to a graphics display for matter.  
 
   
     
     
         2 . The portable game device of  claim 1  wherein the non-volatile memory comprises a removable game key containing the game data.  
     
     
         3 . The portable game device of  claim 1  further comprising a graphics engine connected to the central processing unit and the color display.  
     
     
         4 . The portable game device of  claim 1  wherein the computer program further contains instructions for utilizing display formats from a cyclical sequence of formats, each format displaying a different number of bingo cards, the next format in the sequence being utilized in response to user input via the user interface.  
     
     
         5 . The portable game device of  claim 1  wherein the power supply comprises a battery.  
     
     
         6 . The portable game device of  claim 5  wherein the game device has a reduced power operating mode and the game device further comprises circuitry to switch the game device to the reduced power operating mode.  
     
     
         7 . The portable game device of  claim 5  further comprising power management circuitry connected to the power supply, the power supply further comprising a plurality of rechargeable batteries, where the power management circuitry charges one battery of the plurality of batteries completely before charging another battery of the plurality of batteries.  
     
     
         8 . The portable game device of  claim 5  wherein the power supply further comprises an external power connector, where connection of an external power source to the external power connector does not interrupt a game in progress.  
     
     
         9 . The portable game device of  claim 1  further comprising a wireless communication port connected to the central processing unit.  
     
     
         10 . The portable game device of  claim 9  wherein the computer program further contains instructions for receiving downloads to non-volatile memory through the wireless communication port.  
     
     
         11 . The portable game device of  claim 9  wherein the communication port is bi-directional.  
     
     
         12 . The portable game device of  claim 9 , wherein the wireless communication port communicates using infrared signals.  
     
     
         13 . The portable game device of  claim 9  wherein the wireless communication port communicates using radio frequency signals.  
     
     
         14 . The portable game device of  claim 9  wherein the computer program further contains instructions for using a communication protocol with security features.  
     
     
         15 . The portable game device of  claim 1  wherein the computer program further contains instructions to test device circuitry and data stored in non-volatile memory prior to allowing normal operation of the game device.  
     
     
         16 . A method of monitoring bingo cards during play using a portable game device having memory, a user interface and a bit-mapped color display, comprising the steps of: 
 storing bingo card data in the memory representative of a plurality of bingo cards, including bingo cards in play;    displaying a one or more of the bingo cards in play on the bit-mapped color display, the number of cards displayed being selected by the user;    storing game data in the memory representative of a set of games, a set of winning patterns, and an identifier for the number of bingo cards in play;    receiving called numbers entered by the user at the user interface;    comparing the called numbers on each bingo card in play to the winning patterns; and    presenting a notification to the user when one of the bingo cards in play contains called numbers in a winning pattern.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of inserting a removable game key to enable operation of the portable game device, the game data being stored in memory in the game key.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of powering the portable game device with a battery.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of: 
 monitoring the operational status of the portable game device; and    entering a reduced power mode of operation in response to the monitored status of the portable game device.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of powering the portable game device utilizes a plurality of rechargeable batteries, the method further comprising the step of recharging one of the plurality of batteries completely before recharging the remainder of the plurality of batteries.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the portable game device has an external power connector, the method further comprising the step of connecting an external power supply to the external power connector without interrupting a game in progress.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the steps of: 
 communicating with the portable game device using a wireless communication link; and    downloading data into the memory from an external device over the wireless communication link.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of employing a communication protocol with security features to communicate over the communication link.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of self-testing the circuitry and stored data of the portable game device before allowing game play to begin.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of providing display formats each showing a different number of bingo cards, the format in use being selected by the user via the user interface.  
     
     
         26 . A method of preparing game devices for use while playing bingo, comprising the steps of: 
 accepting an order from a player specifying a number of bingo cards to be played;    providing a game device having memory and a bit-mapped color display capable of displaying a selectable number of bingo cards;    transmitting data to the game device using a wireless communication link, the data representative of a set of games, a set of winning patterns, and an identifier for the number of bingo cards in play.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , the step of transmitting further comprising the step of utilizing a communication protocol with security features.