Electronic board for playing banko or bingo

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electronic board for playing banko or bingo comprising rows and columns forming squares containing numbers, and which board 5 comprises printed numbers in at least some of the squares formed in rows and columns. When the board is in use during playing the game, a caller transmits drawn numbers to the players, where players mark drawn numbers on the board, where a game ends when a player has marked a defined number of rows or columns and switches the caller. It is the object of the present invention is to provide a manually operated electronic board for banko or bingo comprising means for marking numbers transmitted from the caller in order to avoid the use of coins or pieces of paper for marking. This can be achieved if a board as described in the opening paragraph also contains at least printed numbers in the rows and columns, and comprises electronic switches that are activated by pressing the numbers by the player's fingers, which switches activate marking elements placed in conjunction with the pressed number, which marking elements remain activated during the game. In playing the game, the player can operate the board in a way very similar to that used in traditional game playing. To the player, touching the number and activating the switch instead of placing a marking element on the number very much resembles manual board playing. In addition, the risk of removing markings by accident is totally eliminated. Just pushing a switch is much easier for the player than using the known marking methods, and allows the player to be more concentrated on the transmission of drawn numbers. For some very skilled players, this invention even enables them to operate several boards simultaneously.

1 . Electronic board for playing banko or bingo, comprising rows and columns forming squares containing numbers, and which board comprises printed numbers in at least some of the squares formed in the rows and columns of the board, when in use during playing the game, a caller transmits drawn numbers to players, where players mark drawn numbers on the board, where a game ends when a player has marked a defined number of rows or columns and contacts the caller, wherein at least the squares containing printed numbers in the rows and columns comprise electronic switches activated by pressing down the squares containing numbers which switches in operation activate marking elements placed in conjunction with the pressed squares, which marking elements remain activated during the game where the board comprises a reset function for deactivating all marking elements simultaneously to achieve a fast start of the next game by using the board.  
   
   
       2 . Electronic board according to  claim 1 , wherein reactivating a numbered square leads to deactivating the marking element.  
   
   
       3 . Electronic board according to  claim 1 , wherein the marking elements are LED elements placed in holes in the surface of the board, where the LEDs transmit light upwards from the board towards the player.  
   
   
       4 . Electronic board according to  claim 1 , wherein the marking elements are LCD indicators placed in conjunction with the printed numbers on the board.  
   
   
       5 . Electronic board according to  claim 4 , wherein the LCD display is formed under the numbers, where the numbers are printed on a transparent medium, where the LCD by activation causes the background under and around the number to become black, which numbers become partly invisible upon activation of the switch.  
   
   
       6 . Electronic board according to  claim 4 , wherein the CD indicators are formed as circles around the numbers, where a number upon marking is surrounded by a black circle.  
   
   
       7 . Electronic board according to  claim 4 , wherein the LCD indicators are formed as dots placed in conjunction with the numbers, which dots become black upon activation of the switch.  
   
   
       8 . Electronic board according to  claim 1 , wherein the switches are connected to flip-flop input terminals, and the marking elements are connected to flip-flop output terminals, which flip-flop comprises reset terminals connected to the reset switch.  
   
   
       9 . Electronic board according to  claim 7 , wherein the flip-flops are formed of interconnected NAND gates, where a plurality of NAND gates is formed on the same chip.  
   
   
       10 . Electronic board according to any of the  claim 1 , wherein the switches communicate with a microprocessor, which microprocessor controls the marking elements.