Electronic Gaming Method And System Having Variable Game Display Timer

Abstract

An electronic gaming method, system and program product for controlling the time a player has in which to play an electronic game based on the potential winnings available for the electronic game. A game field is constructed having a plurality of elements on a game display wherein each element is filled by a game symbol from a plurality of available game symbols. The game symbols for each element are automatically determined such that there is no winning combination without player interaction. A maximum value that can be obtained for a winning combination for the constructed field is determined. The field of game symbols is presented to the player on the game display. A game timer is initiated that varies with the maximum value that can be obtained for a winning combination. The player selects a field element to turn the symbol displayed into a wild symbol. The player's selection of the field element for the wild symbol location is received by the game software which determines each winning combination of symbols that is formed by such wild symbol location selection. Each winning combination of symbols on the field of game symbols is displayed to the player. A method and system are also provided for determining the total fees accrued by a game operator for plays of an electronic game during a license period, in which the per game fee is based on the denomination of play selected by the players.

1 . A method for determining fees accrued by a game operator for plays of an electronic game during a license period, comprising the steps of:
 setting a plurality of levels of play that can be selected by a player;   setting a per game fee to charge the game operator for each level of play;   providing a passcode to a game operator to activate play of the electronic game;   reading a level of play selected by the player; and   dynamically determining the fees accrued for games played at each level of play.   
   
   
       2 . The method for determining fees accrued of  claim 1  wherein each level of play comprises a monetary denomination. 
   
   
       3 . The method for determining fees accrued of  claim 1  wherein the fees charged for each play at a low denomination is greater than the fee charge for each play at a higher denomination. 
   
   
       4 . The method for determining fees accrued of  claim 1  further comprising receiving an electronic game terminal identifier from the operator as part of a request to renew the license on the terminal. 
   
   
       5 . The method for determining fees accrued of  claim 4  further comprising generating a new passcode to reactivate electronic game play on the terminal. 
   
   
       6 . The method for determining fees accrued of  claim 5  wherein generating the new passcode comprises applying an algorithm to the terminal identifier. 
   
   
       7 . The method for determining fees accrued of  claim 6  further comprising transmitting the new passcode to the game operator to enter into the electronic game terminal to reactivate electronic game play. 
   
   
       8 . A computer program product for determining fees accrued by a game operator for plays of an electronic game during a license period when executed on a processor, comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable code embedded therein, the computer readable medium comprising:
 program instructions that set a plurality of levels of play that can be selected by a player;   program instructions that set a per game fee to charge the game operator for each level of play;   program instructions that provide a passcode to a game operator to activate play of the electronic game;   program instructions that read a level of play selected by the player; and   program instructions that dynamically determine the fees accrued for games played at each level of play.   
   
   
       9 . The computer program product for determining fees accrued of  claim 8  wherein each level of play comprises a monetary denomination. 
   
   
       10 . The computer program product for determining fees accrued of  claim 9  wherein the fee charged for each play at a low monetary denomination is greater than the fee charged for each play at a higher monetary denomination. 
   
   
       11 . The computer program product for determining fees accrued of  claim 8  further comprising program instructions that receive an electronic game terminal identifier from the operator as part of a request to renew the license on the terminal. 
   
   
       12 . The computer program product for determining fees accrued of  claim 11  further comprising program instructions that generate a new passcode to reactivate electronic game play on the terminal. 
   
   
       13 . The computer program product for determining fees accrued of  claim 11  wherein the program instructions that generate the new passcode comprise program instructions that apply an algorithm to the terminal identifier. 
   
   
       14 . The computer program product for determining fees accrued of  claim 13  further comprising program instructions that transmit the new passcode to the game operator to enter into the electronic game terminal to reactivate electronic game play. 
   
   
       15 . A system for determining fees accrued by a game operator for plays of an electronic game, comprising:
 a game processor for generating an electronic game display on a game terminal with a plurality of options selectable by a player, the game processor comprising:
 a component that sets a plurality of levels of play that can be selected by the player; 
 a component that sets a per game fee to charge the game operator for each level of play; 
 a component that provides a passcode to a game operator to activate play of the electronic game; 
 a component that reads a level of play selected by the player; and 
 a component that dynamically determines the fees accrued at each level of play. 
   
   
   
       16 . The system for determining fees accrued of  claim 15  wherein each level of play comprises a monetary denomination. 
   
   
       17 . The system for determining fees accrued of  claim 15  wherein the fee charged for each play at a low monetary denomination is greater than the fee charged for each play at a higher monetary denomination. 
   
   
       18 . The system for determining fees accrued of  claim 15  further comprising a component that receives an electronic game terminal identifier from the operator as part of a request to renew a license on the terminal. 
   
   
       19 . The system for determining fees accrued of  claim 18  further comprising a component that generates a new passcode to reactivate electronic game play on the terminal. 
   
   
       20 . The system for determining fees accrued of  claim 19  wherein the component that generates the new passcode comprises a component that applies an algorithm to the terminal identifier. 
   
   
       21 . The system for determining fees accrued of  claim 20  further comprising a component that transmits the new passcode to the game operator to enter into the electronic game terminal to reactivate electronic game play.