Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Methods and Devices for Card Games with Card Replacement
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is entitled to the benefit of the co-pending patent
application
entitled "Methods and Devices for Multi-State Card Games with Card
Replacement", with
listed inventor Theo Naicker, filed on the same date as this application.
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BACKGROUND
In various types of card games, such as but not limited to poker, instead of
competing
against other participants, a player may compete against a house. The house
may be any type of
game provider, such as a brick-and-mortar or online casino. The player's goal
may be to achieve
one of several possible winning hands through a combination of luck and
strategy.
The house that provides a card game usually expects a marginal profit on each
hand
played. In order to achieve this profit, the house may seek to differentiate
itself from other game
providers by offering new card games, as well as new variations of well-known
card games.
Players may be relatively indifferent to standard versions of well-known card
games, and
therefore may find new variations of these card games fresh and exciting in
comparison.
Exciting card games also tend to encourage repeat play and return visits to
the game provider.
Thus, house profit is likely to increase when the house provides new
variations of known card
games.
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SUMMARY
The methods and devices disclosed herein provide enhancements to card games by
giving
players an opportunity to exchange their cards at various stages of a card
game. These
exchanges may result in the player's hand being improved. As a result, players
may benefit from
finding the card game more enjoyable and therefore may engage in additional
gameplay. Some
of these exchanges may be associated with a cost to the player. Therefore, the
house may also
benefit from increased popularity, increased gameplay, more players, and/or a
higher profit
margin.
In one embodiment, a player engages in a card game such as poker. The player's
goal
may be to form one of several predetermined winning hands of cards. Each
winning hand may
be associated with a specific return, or payout, to the player. For instance,
a poker hand of three
of a kind may return 3-to-1 (that is, the player receives three times his or
her wager), while a full
house may return 10-to-1. To facilitate the player's wagering, the player may
be associated with
an account that is either held by the house or by a third party.
Accordingly, the player may be dealt an initial hand of cards from a deck, and
may be
offered the opportunity to perform a free card replacement cycle of one or
more of these cards.
If the player chooses to perform the first card replacement cycle, the player
may select one or
more cards from his or her hand to be replaced, and hold the remaining cards.
The selected cards
may be discarded and replaced with an equal number of cards drawn from the
deck and added to
the player's hand. After this optional first replacement, the player may be
shown, told, or
otherwise determine a first return on his or her hand of cards.
If the player is unsatisfied with this first return, the player may opt to
select one or more
cards for a second card replacement cycle. However, the player may incur a
cost for performing
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this second cycle. In particular, the cost may be based on the difference
between the first
return and the expected second return associated with replacing the cards the
player has
selected for replacement. For instance, based on the cards the player holds,
the cards the
player selects for replacement, and the overall state of the game, the
expected second return
can be determined before the second replacement cycle actually takes place.
The cost of the second replacement cycle may be provided to the player, and
the player may decide whether to perform the second replacement cycle. If the
player decides
to perform the second replacement cycle and incur the associated cost, the
player's selected
cards may be discarded and replaced with new cards drawn from the deck, and
the player's
account may be debited by the cost. At this point, the game may end with the
player being
awarded the actual return of the player's hand. Alternatively, the player may
be offered one
or more additional opportunities to perform additional replacement cycles.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method
comprising: determining, by a gaming server device, a hand of cards for a
client entity device,
wherein the hand of cards is determined from a deck using a random number
generator of the
gaming server device; providing, by the gaming server device over a
communications
network, for display on the client entity device, the hand of cards to the
client entity device;
receiving, by the gaming server device, a first request from the client entity
device to replace a
first set of at least one card in the hand of cards; in response to receiving
the first request, (i)
determining, by the gaming server device, a second set of cards, (ii)
replacing, by the gaming
server device, the first set in the hand of cards with the second set, and
(iii) providing, by the
gaming server device, for display on the client entity device, at least the
second set of cards to
the client entity device; after providing at least the second set of cards to
the client entity
device, receiving, by the gaming server device, a second request from the
client entity device
to replace a third set of at least one card in the hand of cards, wherein the
second request
represents each card in the third set; in response to receiving the second
request, (i)
¨calculating, by the gaming server device, a cost of replacing the third set
of cards in the hand
of cards with an equal number of new cards, and (ii) providing, by the gaming
server device,
for display on the client entity device, an indication of the cost to the
client entity device,
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wherein the cost is based on a probabilistic calculation of an expected return
to the client
entity device of replacing the third set of cards in the hand of cards, and
wherein the expected
return is based on values of cards in the hand of cards and all remaining
cards in the deck;
receiving, by the gaming server device, an acceptance, from the client entity
device, of the
cost indicated by the gaming server device; and in response to receiving the
acceptance of the
cost, (i) determining, by the gaming server device, a fourth set of cards from
remaining cards
in the deck, (ii) replacing, by the gaming server device, the third set with
the fourth set, and
(iii) providing, by the gaming server device, for display on the client entity
device, at least the
fourth set of cards to the client entity device, wherein the fourth set of
cards is determined
using the random number generator of the gaming server device.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an
article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer-readable medium,
having stored
thereon program instructions that, upon execution by a gaming server device,
cause the
gaming server device to perform operations comprising: determining a hand of
cards for a
client entity device, wherein the hand of cards is determined from a deck
using a random
number generator of the gaming server device; providing, the hand of cards
over a
communications network, for display on the client entity device, to the client
entity device;
receiving a first request from the client entity device to replace a first set
of at least one card in
the hand of cards; in response to receiving the first request, (i) determining
a second set of
cards, (ii) replacing the first set in the hand of cards with the second set,
and (iii) providing,
for display on the client entity device, at least the second set of cards to
the client entity
device; after providing at least the second set of cards to the client entity
device, receiving a
second request from the client entity device to replace a third set of at
least one card in the
hand of cards, wherein the second request represents each card in the third
set; in response to
receiving the second request, (i) calculating a cost of replacing the third
set of cards in the
hand of cards with an equal number of new cards, and (ii) providing, for
display on the client
entity device, an indication of the cost to the client entity device, wherein
the cost is based on
a probabilistic calculation of an expected return to the client entity device
of replacing the
third set of cards in the hand of cards, and wherein the expected return is
based on values of
cards in the hand of cards and all remaining cards in the deck; receiving an
acceptance, from
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the client entity device, of the cost indicated by the gaming server device;
and in response to
receiving the acceptance of the cost, (i) determining a fourth set of cards
from remaining cards
in the deck, (ii) replacing the third set with the fourth set, and (iii)
providing, for display on
the client entity device, at least the fourth set of cards to the client
entity device, wherein the
fourth set of cards is determined using the random number generator of the
gaming server
device.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
gaming server device comprising: a processor; data storage; and program
instructions, stored
in the data storage, that upon execution by the processor, cause the gaming
server device to
perform operations including: determining a hand of cards for a client entity
device, wherein
the hand of cards is determined from a deck using a random number generator of
the gaming
server device; providing, for display on the client entity device, the hand of
cards over a
communications network to a client entity device; receiving a first request
from the client
entity device to replace a first set of at least one card in the hand of
cards; in response to
receiving the first request, (i) determining a second set of cards, (ii)
replacing the first set in
the hand of cards with the second set, and (iii) providing, for display on the
client entity
device, at least the second set of cards to the client entity device; after
providing at least the
second set of cards to the client entity device, receiving a second request
from the client entity
device to replace a third set of at least one card in the hand of cards,
wherein the second
request represents each card in the third set; in response to receiving the
second request, (i)
calculating a cost of replacing the third set of cards in the hand of cards
with an equal number
of new cards, and (ii) providing, for display on the client entity device, an
indication of the
cost to the client entity device, wherein the cost is based on a probabilistic
calculation of an
expected return to the client entity device of replacing the third set of
cards in the hand of
cards, and wherein the expected return is based on values of cards in the hand
of cards and all
remaining cards in the deck; receiving an acceptance, from the client entity
device, of the cost
indicated by the gaming server device; and in response to receiving the
acceptance of the cost,
(i) determining a fourth set of cards from remaining cards in the deck, (ii)
replacing the third
set with the fourth set, and (iii) providing, for display on the client entity
device, at least the
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76909-432
fourth set of cards to the client entity device, wherein the fourth set of
cards is determined
using the random number generator of the gaming server device.
These and other aspects and advantages will become apparent to those of
ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detailed description, with
reference where
appropriate to the accompanying drawings. Further, it should be understood
that the
foregoing overview is merely for purposes of illustration and is not intended
to limit the scope
of the invention as claimed.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 illustrates a first replacement of selected cards in a hand of poker,
in accordance
with an example embodiment;
Figure 2 illustrates potential second replacements of selected cards in a hand
of poker, in
accordance with an example embodiment;
Figure 3 is a diagram of a client/server networked computing system that may
be used to
facilitate card games, in accordance with an example embodiment;
Figure 4 is a block diagram of a computing device that may be used to execute
part or all
of a computerized card game, in accordance with an example embodiment;
Figure 5 is a message flow diagram, in accordance with an example embodiment;
Figure 6 is a flow chart, in accordance with an example embodiment;
Figure 7 is another message flow diagram, in accordance with an example
embodiment;
and
Figure 8 is another flow chart, in accordance with an example embodiment.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Card games that provide players with opportunities to improve their hands are
presented. Preferably, these opportunities are associated with costs to be
incurred by the
player, should the player choose to take advantage of the opportunity and
replace one or more
chosen cards. The costs may be dynamically determined based on the player's
expected return
once the chosen cards are replaced. The card games disclosed here may be
played by humans
via a computer medium. Alternatively, the card games may be played by a human
against a
computer opponent, or by two computers.
Herein the term "card game" preferably refers to a single instance or single
play of a game such as poker. Thus, a card game may involve a card supply,
such as a deck,
being shuffled or otherwise randomized, the player engaging in play of the
card game, and the
card game coming to some form of conclusion. Then the card supply may be re-
shuffled prior
to the next card game. Alternatively, the player may engage in multiple plays
of the card
game, each with a respective conclusion, before the card supply is reshuffled.
I. Game Description
The embodiments herein are disclosed in the context of card games that
preferably take place between a player and a house. These card games may use a
standard
playing card deck of 52 cards, divided into four suits. These four suits may
be, for example,
clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades, or some other type of suit may be used.
Therefore, each
suit may contain 13 cards, ten of which are preferably labeled with ranks from
1 (ace) to 10,
and three of which are preferably face cards with ranks of jack, queen, and
king.
Alternatively, non-standard playing cards may be used as well without
departing from the
scope of the invention. Additionally, multiple decks of cards may be used as
the supply of any
cards drawn or dealt.
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Typically, these card games allow a player to place a wager at the beginning
of each
game. Then, the player may engage in the card game in an attempt to achieve a
winning hand.
The card game may have one or more possible winning hands, and each winning
hand is
preferably a specific combination of cards that is associated with a return.
Preferably, the more
difficult it is for the player to achieve the winning hand, the greater the
return. Each return may
be calculated based at least in part on the player's wager. For instance, the
return for a given
winning hand may be a particular multiple of the player's wager. If the player
does not achieve a
winning hand by the end of the card game, the player may lose his or her
wager.
In order to facilitate convenient wagering, the player may establish an
account for
maintaining the player's credit balance. These credits may be or may represent
a denomination
of money, a representation of money, or items of value that can be exchanged
for money.
Alternatively, the credits may represent play money and have no actual value,
thus allowing
players to enjoy the card game without risking actual financial loss. The
account may be
managed either by the house or a third party, and from time to time the player
may load the
account with credits via cash payment, credit card, electronic funds transfer,
or some other
means.
While the embodiments herein may be used with any type of card game played
against a
house, the embodiments are described in the context of the popular game of
poker. It should be
understood that poker other types of card games may be played according to a
wide variety of
rules. For instance, these card games may be played according to house rules
of the game
provider, or local or regional jurisdictional rules that vary the type of
cards used, number of cards
per hand, winning hands, returns for each winning hand, or other aspects of
gameplay.
Accordingly, the embodiments herein may be applied to these alternate rules as
well.
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Poker typically involves a player initially being dealt five cards from a
standard 52-card
deck. Alternatively, the player may initially be dealt more or fewer cards
from a standard or
non-standard deck. The goal of a player in poker may be to achieve a winning
hand with a
satisfactory return.
Wining Hand Return Description
Royal Flush 250-to-1 A straight flush consisting of a sequence of cards
from ten
through ace of the same suit.
Straight Flush 50-to-1 Five cards in sequence and of the same suit.
Four of a Kind 20-to-1 Four cards of the same rank.
Full House 10-to-1 Three cards of a first rank and two cards of a
second rank.
Flush 6-to-1 Five cards of the same suit.
Straight 4-to-1 Five cards of any suit in sequence.
Three of a kind 3-to-1 Three cards of the same rank.
Two Pair 2-to-1 Two cards of a first rank and two cards of a
second rank.
One Pair 1-to-1 Two cards of the same rank.
Table 1: Example winning hands in poker.
Table 1 provides an example listing of winning poker hands in the form of a
pay table.
Each winning hand is associated with a return. Generally speaking, the more
difficult a winning
hand is to achieve, the higher the return. Thus, a royal flush, the most
difficult winning hand to
achieve in Table 1, returns 250 credits for each credit the player wagers.
Conversely, one pair, a
relatively easy-to-achieve winning hand, returns only one credit for each
credit wagered (in other
words, the player breaks even when achieving one pair). When evaluating a
player's hand
against a table, preferably only the best possible winning hand return is
awarded to the player.
Thus, a hand with three of a kind will only be awarded the return associated
with three of a kind
rather than the return associated with two of a kind.
It should be understood that the winning hands and returns listed in Table 1
only for
purposes of example. Accordingly, additional winning hands as well as
different returns, could
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be used. Furthermore, some winning hands may be further conditioned upon card
suit or rank.
For instance, the winning hand of one pair may only apply when the pair
consists of a rank of
jack or higher, and the winning hand of a royal flush may only apply when the
five cards are all
hearts.
After the player has been dealt an initial hand, the player may be offered the
opportunity
to replace one or more of the cards in the hand. Replacing cards in a hand may
be referred to as
performing a card replacement cycle, and may provide the player with a chance
to improve the
hand. Figure 1 illustrates such a card replacement cycle. In Figure 1, the
player has been dealt
an initial hand 112 consisting of a seven of clubs, a seven of hearts, an
eight of spades, a queen
of diamonds, and a five of hearts. Thus, the player has achieved a winning
hand of one pair.
However, as discussed previously, the return on one pair may not be
significant. Therefore, in
order to improve his or her hand, the player may want to replace any one or
more of these cards.
Figure 1 shows the player choosing to replace the eight of spades, queen of
diamonds,
and five of hearts, while holding the two sevens. Presumably, the player does
this in an attempt
to improve to two sevens from a one pair winning hand into a better winning
hand, such as two
pair, three of a kind, full house, or four of a kind. Once the player has
selected the cards to be
replaced, these cards may be discarded and replacement cards may be drawn from
the deck.
It should be understood that is makes no difference whether a player selects
the cards to
be replaced or selects the cards to be held. Since any card not replaced is
held and any card not
held is replaced, the outcome is the same. Thus, while the following
embodiments refer to the
player selecting cards to be replaced, the player may actually select the
cards to be held, and
therefore implicitly also select the cards to be replaced.
CA 02714828 2010-09-15
,
Figure 1 also shows the player's hand after replacement 114. In this case, the
player has
drawn a six of clubs, an eight of diamonds, and a nine of clubs. These cards
do not improve the
player's hand, as the player still has only one pair. In a traditional game of
poker, the player's
hand after this first card replacement cycle would be applied to a pay table,
such as Table 1, and
the player would be awarded, for example, a 1-to-1 return.
In such a situation, the player may be disappointed with breaking even. The
player may
also be caught up in the gameplay of poker, and willing to incur an additional
cost for another
chance to achieve a better hand. Accordingly, the house may offer the player
one or more
additional card replacement cycles for a cost.
11. Additional Card Replacement Cycles
Poker, as well as other types of card games, may be enhanced by optional rules
providing
a player with further opportunities to replace one or more cards in his or her
hand. Each card
replacement cycle may be associated with a cost, and the cost may be based on
the relative
advantage that executing the card replacement cycle may provide to the player.
By offering
additional card replacements, the player's interest in the card game may
remain high even if the
player is unsatisfied with his or her hand after the first card replacement.
Figure 2 continues the scenario illustrated in Figure 1. The player's hand
consists of a
seven of clubs, seven of hearts, six of clubs, eight of diamonds, and nine of
clubs. The player
selects one or more cards of these cards for a second replacement. In card
selection 210, the
player selects the six of clubs, eight of diamonds, and nine of clubs for
replacement, thus holding
the two sevens. Presumably, the player is once again attempting to improve his
or her one pair
into two pair, three of a kind, a full house, or four of a kind.
Alternatively, in card selection 212,
the player selects the seven of hearts for replacement, while holding the
remaining cards. In this
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situation, the player is presumably attempting to achieve a straight by
drawing a five or a ten as
the replacement for the seven of hearts.
Preferably, the cards selected for replacement in the card selection 210 or
the card
selection 212 are discarded, and replacement cards are drawn from the deck.
These replacement
cards may be added to the player's hand, and a cost associated with the
combination of selected
cards may be debited from the player's account.
Once this second card replacement cycle is complete, the card game may end
with the
player being awarded a return based on the cards in the player's hand and a
pay table such as
Table 1. Alternatively, the player may be offered one or more additional card
replacement
cycles. Thus, the player may continue to replace the cards in his or her hand
until he or she is
satisfied with the result or has run out of credits. Alternatively, the player
may be limited to no
more than a given number of card replacement cycles per card game. Each card
replacement
cycle may involve the player replacing a different number of cards in his or
her hand and/or
incurring a different cost.
It should be understood that any cards the player discards during a card
replacement cycle
may be placed in a discard pile. Preferably, cards in the discard pile are not
used for the
remainder of the card game. After the card game has ended, all cards may be
gathered, shuffled
or otherwise randomized, and used as a card supply for a subsequent card game.
III. Calculating Costs
Regardless of whether the game being played is poker or another card game,
each of the
card selection 210 and the card selection 212 may be associated with a cost to
the player.
Preferably, the cost of replacing a particular set of cards is proportional to
the expected gain, or a
relative advantage, that replacing those cards will provide the player.
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In the case of card selection 210, the player has a pair of sevens, which is a
winning hand
that returns 1-to-1. A pay table, such as the pay table of Table 1, that maps
combinations of
cards to returns may be used to determine this return. Assuming that the
player wagered 100
credits on the hand, the player will receive a return of 100 credits even if
the player declines to
perform any additional card replacements. If the expected return associated
with replacing the
other three cards is 147 credits, then the expected cost to the house for
performing the
replacement is 147-100=47 credits. Thus, in order to break even, the house
should charge the
player at least 47 credits to perform the replacement, which is the difference
between 100 credits
and the expected return associated with replacing the other three cards. The
house may add an
additional house margin to this cost. For instance, the house may add a margin
of 5% to the cost
and charge the player 50 credits (rounded up), as shown in Figure 2.
In the case of card selection 212, the player may relinquish his or her pair
of sevens to
seek a winning hand with a potentially higher return. Assuming again that the
player wagered
100 credits on the hand, without replacing any cards in the hand, the player
will receive a return
of 100 credits. If the expected return associated with replacing the seven of
hearts is 123 credits,
then the expected cost to the house for performing the replacement is 123-
100=23 credits. Thus,
in order to break even, the house should charge the player at least 23 credits
to perform the
replacement, which is the difference between 100 credits and the expected
return associated with
replacing the other three cards. Again, the house may add an additional house
margin to this
cost. For example, adding a house margin of 5% to the cost will result in
charging the player 25
credits (rounded up), as shown in Figure 2.
The expected return associated with replacing a particular set of cards may be
calculated
in a number of ways. For instance, the expected return may be based just on
the cards in the
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player's hand. However, the remaining cards in the deck may also be
considered, as well as any
cards that have already been discarded. The costs associated with any offers
provided at each
stage of the card game may be calculated dynamically, calculated based on
statistical tables, or
some combination of both.
One method of calculating an expected return associated with replacing a given
set of
cards in the player's hand is to calculate, based on the cards being held by
the player, the cards
discarded by the player, and the cards remaining in the deck, the probability
of the player
achieving each winning hand in the pay table. Then, each of these
probabilities may be
multiplied by the return associated with the respective winning hand to
determine an expected
return. Thus, the cost of a card replacement cycle may be dynamically
calculated based on the
state of the game and a pay table.
For example, consider card selection 212. The probability of the player
receiving a five
or a ten to replace the seven of hearts and complete the straight is 7/44. In
particular, assuming a
52-card deck, five cards were dealt initially, three of which were replaced in
the first card
replacement cycle. Thus, there are 44 cards remaining in the card supply.
There are a total of
eight combined fives and tens in the deck, but one of these was discarded
during the first card
replacement cycle, leaving a total of seven cards that will complete the
straight out of the 44
cards remaining. Of course, replacing the seven of hearts could also result in
other types of
winning or losing hands. The cost of the second card replacement cycle for
card selection 212
may then be calculated as the difference in the player's expected returns
between (a) the player's
current hand, and (b) the average of all potential outcomes of replacing the
seven of hearts.
In some situations, the cost of a card replacement cycle may be negative. In
these
situations, the house may effectively "pay" the player to replace one or more
of the cards in his
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or her hand. For example, suppose that the player has a straight flush. If the
player replaces one
or more of his or her cards, the expected return of the resulting hand after
this card replacement
cycle may be less than the return on a straight flush. Thus, it behooves the
house to attempt to
convince the player to undertake the card replacement cycle.
In order to do so, the house might offer the card replacement cycle for free,
or might offer
the player a number of credits to perform the card replacement cycle. For
instance, if performing
the card replacement cycle lowers the player's expected return by 20 credits,
the house might
offer the player up to 20 credits to perform the card replacement cycle.
IV. Game Playing Environments
In addition to being played as table games, the embodiments of card games
described
herein may be facilitated through the interconnection of computers and
computer networks. The
advantages of computerized gameplay include allowing the player to engage in
the card games
from the privacy of his or her own home, or via a mobile device from virtually
anywhere.
Figure 3 depicts an example of such a computerized arrangement. It should be
understood, however, that this and other arrangements and processes described
herein are set
forth for purposes of example only, and other arrangements and elements (e.g.,
machines,
interfaces, functions, orders of elements, etc.) can be added or used instead,
and some elements
may be omitted altogether. Further, as in most computer and communication
architectures, those
skilled in the art will appreciate that many of the elements described herein
are functional entities
that may be implemented as discrete components or in conjunction with other
components, in
any suitable combination and location. For example, systems and methods for
facilitating the
playing of games over a communication network are described in published PCT
application
WO 03/093921 A2, which is incorporated by reference herein.
CA 02714828 2010-09-15
' .
In Figure 3, the system 300 includes the gaming server 310 and the client
devices 312,
each preferably having a display 314. The gaming server 310, and the client
devices 312 may be
capable of communicating with each other by means of the communication network
316. The
communication network 316 may be a public Internet Protocol (IP) network such
as the Internet,
a private IP network, or a public or a private network that operates according
to other
communication protocols. Thus, for instance, the client devices may be
personal computers,
laptops, or wireless communication devices such as cell phones.
Furthermore, the communication network 316 may be purpose-built or hardcoded
network designed for the support of networked games. For example, the gaming
server 310 may
be a mainframe computer and the client devices 312 may be so-called "dumb
terminals" that
only communicate with the gaming server 310. Thus, the communication network
316 may only
comprise communication links between the devices they connect. Alternatively,
the gaming
server 310 and one or more client devices 312 may be combined into a
standalone gaming
machine, such as a video game console.
The client devices 312 and the gaming server 310 may include various computing
technologies, such as those that are semiconductor-based, magnetic, optical,
acoustic, or
biological in nature, any combination of these computing technologies, or any
other technology
known today or developed in the future, that can be used in conjunction with
computational
devices. A networked game architecture may also be defined to comprise more or
fewer
elements. For example, the gaming server 310 may be distributed across more
than one physical
or logical device.
16
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A. Server Devices
The gaming server 310 may comprise a computing device with input, output,
processing,
storage, and memory functions. The gaming server 310 may be a form of personal
computer, or
may be physically designed for server operation. For example, the gaming
server 310 may be a
rack-mounted or blade server component. With respect to the depiction of the
gaming server 310
in Figure 1, the gaming server 310 may actually take the form of multiple
physical components
or computers that are co-located or distributed. For example, the gaming
server 310 may be a
cluster of computing devices that operate in conjunction with one another to
enable networked
games. This cluster may be in a particular physical location, such as an
Internet service provider
(ISP), or may operate over a network between multiple physical locations.
The gaming server 310 may run a standalone or distributed operating system to
enable
server functions. This operating system may be based on Microsoft Windows,
Apple's MacOS,
Linux, FreeBSD or various other technologies. These operating systems
preferably support
multiple processes or threads of execution so that a single gaming server 310
can support a
potentially large number of networked games simultaneously. Additionally, the
gaming server
310 may be provisioned with a network connection.
The gaming server 310 preferably operates under control of a server-stored
program (not
shown) capable of enabling the client devices 312 to participate in one or
more networked
games. The stored program in the gaming server 310 may also maintain a dynamic
register of all
participants admitted to, and actively participating in, a networked game,
together with data
representative of the corresponding networked game.
Additionally, the gaming server 310 may contain, or have access to, accounts
associated
with each of these participants. Thus, the gaming server 310 may add credits
to or debit credits
17
CA 02714828 2010-09-15
=
from these accounts in accordance with the networked game being played.
Furthermore, the
gaming server 310 may have an interface from which a given participant may
access his or her
account in order to add more credits, or to cash out the account's credit
balance. Moreover, the
gaming server 310 may also have an administrative interface, from which an
administrator of the
gaming server 310 can add, delete, or modify accounts or game settings.
B. Client Devices
The client devices 312 may comprise personal computers, computer terminals,
laptop
computers, wireless communication devices such as cell phones, personal
digital assistants, or
similar devices. Furthermore, the client devices 312 may operate under an
operating system such
as Microsoft Windows, Apple MacOS, Linux or FreeBSD, and are preferably
provisioned with a
web browser and network connection.
Using the client device 312, card games may be facilitated by a client process
(not
shown) that executes on the client device 312, and the server-stored program
(not shown), or
server process, that executes on the gaming server 310. In order to play a
card game from any
client device 312, a client process may first be downloaded, for example, from
the gaming server
310 to the client device 312. The downloaded client process may then be
installed in the client
device 312, where after it is ready for execution. Alternatively, the client
process may execute
from within a World Wide Web browser of the client device 312. In either case,
once the client
process is launched, communication between the client device 312 and the
gaming server 310
may then proceed.
The output functions of client devices 312 may comprise a graphical user
interface (GUI)
rendered on display 314. Such a GUI may represent networked game information
in some
combination of graphics and text. For example, a GUI on display 314 may
represent the state of
18
CA 02714828 2010-09-15
= "
a card game associated with the client device 312, and include options to
perform the acts of
playing the card game, and, during the course of the card game, accepting or
rejecting offers to
redeal, replace, or discard cards. The client process executing on the client
device 312 may
display different trade marks, color schemes, or "look and feel" depending on
the card game
being played.
C. Functional Model of Gaming Servers and Client Devices
Figure 4 is a simplified block diagram depicting an example representation of
computing
device 400. Gaming servers, such as the gaming server 310, and/or client
devices, such as the
client devices 312, may be arranged according to such an example
representation. Figure 4
illustrates some of the functional components that would likely be found in a
computing device
that operates in accordance with the embodiments herein. The computing device
400 preferably
includes a processor 402, data storage 404, a network interface 406, and an
input/output function
408, all of which may be coupled by a system bus 410 or a similar mechanism.
The processor 402 preferably includes one or more central processing units
(CPUs), such
as one or more general purpose processors and/or one or more dedicated
processors (e.g.,
application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or digital signal processors
(DSPs), etc.) The
data storage 404, in turn, may comprise volatile and/or non-volatile memory
and can be
integrated in whole or in part with the processor 402. Alternatively, part or
all of the data storage
404 may be external to computing device 400, and thus may take the form of
remote storage or
network storage. The data storage 404 preferably holds program instructions
executable by the
processor 402, and data that is manipulated by these instructions, to carry
out various functions
described herein. Alternatively, the functions can be defined by hardware,
firmware, and/or any
combination of hardware, firmware and software.
19
CA 02714828 2010-09-15
,
By way of example, the data in the data storage 404 may contain information
associated
with performing any of the methods, processes, or functions described herein
or represented by
any of the accompanying figures. For example, the data storage 404 may contain
data associated
with the state of a card game, data associated with a player's account, and so
on. The data
storage 404 may also contain program instructions that are executable by the
processor 402 to
perform any of the gaming server or client device methods, processes, or
functions presented
herein or represented by any of the accompanying figures.
The network interface 406 may take the form of a wireline connection, such as
an
Ethernet, Token Ring, SONET, or T-carrier connection. The network interface
406 may
alternatively or additionally take the form of a wireless connection, such as
IEEE 802.11,
BLUETOOTHO, CDMA, WIMAXO, UMTSO, LTEO, or any other interface used to
communicate. However, other forms of physical layer connections and other
types of standard
or proprietary communication protocols may be used over network interface 406.
Furthermore,
the network interface 406 may comprise multiple physical or logical network
interfaces, each
capable of operating according to the same or different protocols.
The input/output function 408 facilitates user interaction with the computing
device 400.
The input/output function 408 may comprise multiple types of input devices,
such as a keyboard,
a mouse, a touch screen, and so on. Similarly, the input/output function 408
may comprise
multiple types of output devices, such as a monitor, printer, or one or more
light emitting diodes
(LEDs). Additionally or alternatively, computing device 400 may support remote
access from
another device, via the network interface 406 or via another interface (not
shown), such an RS-
232 port.
CA 02714828 2010-09-15
= = , =
V. Example Methods
Figures 5-8 are message flow diagrams and flow charts of methods in accordance
with
example embodiments of this invention. Each of these figures depicts a gaming
server
conducting at least one card replacement cycle at the request of a client
entity. All cards dealt to
a player or drawn by the player in such a card game are presumed to be
determined randomly
from a card supply such as a standard 52-card deck. Additionally, for purposes
of illustration,
each of the embodiments depicted in Figures 5-8 describe one or two card
replacement cycles.
However, each of these embodiments may include further card replacement cycles
that are not
shown in Figures 5-8.
It should be understood that each of the methods illustrated by these figures
may include
more or fewer steps. Furthermore, the steps of any two or more of these
message flow diagrams
and flow charts can be combined with one another, in whole or in part, without
departing from
the scope of the embodiments herein. Moreover, the costs in each of the
example embodiments
related to Figures 5-8 may be determined according to any of the calculations
described in
Section III of this specification.
Figure 5 depicts a message flow 500 for facilitating a first and a second card
replacement.
At step 502, the gaming server 310 may provide a representation of a first
hand to the client
entity 312. Then, at step 504, the client entity 312 may provide a first
request for card
replacement to the gaming server 310. The first request may include either one
or more cards to
be replaced, one or more cards to be held, or both. In response to receiving
this first request, at
step 506 gaming server 310 may determine a first set of replacement cards, and
at step 508, the
gaming server 310 may provide a representation of this first set to client
entity 312.
21
CA 02714828 2010-09-15
After receiving the first set of replacement cards, the client entity 312 may
provide a
second request for replacement cards to the gaming server 310. In response to
receiving the
second request, at step 512 the gaming server 310 may determine a second set
of replacement
cards. Additionally, at step 514, the gaming server 514 may debit the client
entity's account by a
first cost. The first cost may be determined at any point prior to step 514,
and may be
proportional to the expected gain, or a relative advantage, that replacing the
chosen cards in the
player's hand with the second set will provide the player. Then, at step 516,
the gaming server
310 may provide a representation of the second set to the client entity 312.
Figure 6 is a flow chart of method 600, also for facilitating replacement of
one or more
cards in a hand. At step 602 a first hand of cards is determined and provided
to a client entity,
such as client entity 312. Preferably the client entity is associated with an
account. Then at step
604, a first request to exchange cards is received from the client entity. In
response to receiving
this first request, a first set of replacement cards are determined at step
606 and a second hand is
formed at step 608. Preferably, the second hand is formed by replacing at
least one card in the
first hand with the first set. Then, at step 610, at least the first set is
provided to the client entity.
At step 612, a second request to exchange cards is received from the client
entity. In
response to receiving this second request, at step 614 a second set of
replacement cards may be
determined, and a step 616 a third card of hands may be formed by replacing at
least one card in
the second hand with the second set. Then, at step 618, this second set is
provided to the client
entity.
Figure 7 depicts a message flow 700 for facilitating card replacement. At step
702, the
gaming server 310 may provide the client entity 312 with a representation of a
hand of cards.
The client entity 312 may then select a first set of one or more cards from
the hand to replace,
22
CA 02714828 2010-09-15
= .
and at step 704 provide a representation of this first set to the gaming
server 310. In response to
receiving the first set, at step 706 the gaming server 310 may determine a
cost to replace the first
set, and at step 708 may provide a representation of this cost to the client
entity 312. Preferably
the cost is based on the difference between (a) the return of the hand of
cards without any cards
being replaced, and (b) the expected return of the hand of cards if the first
set is replaced by
cards chosen randomly from those remaining in the card supply.
The client entity 312 may consider whether to carry out the replacement of the
first set
based at least on this cost. If the client entity 312 chooses to replace the
first set, at step 710 the
client entity 312 may make a request to the gaming server 310 to replace the
first set. In
response to this request, the gaming server 310 may, at step 712, debit the
cost from the account
of the client entity 312, and, at step 714, determine a second set of
replacement cards to replace
the first set. Preferably the cards in the second set are chosen randomly from
those remaining in
the card supply. Then, at step 716, the gaming server 310 may provide a
representation of the
second set to the client entity 312.
Figure 8 is a flow chart of a method 800 also for facilitating replacement of
one or more
cards in a hand. At step 802, a hand of cards is determined and provided to a
client entity, such
as client entity 312. At step 804, a first set of cards from the hand to
replace is received from the
client entity. At step 806, a cost for replacing the first set may be
determined. Preferably the
cost may be based on the difference between (a) the return of the hand of
cards without any cards
being replaced, and (b) the expected return of the hand of cards if the first
set is replaced by
cards chosen randomly from those remaining in the card supply. Then, at step
808, the cost is
provided to the client entity.
23
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=
At step 810, a request to replace the first set is received from the client
entity. In
response to receiving this request, at step 812 the first set of cards may be
replaced by a second
set of cards. Preferably the cards in the second set are chosen randomly from
those remaining in
the card supply. At step 814 the cost may be debited from the client entity's
account, and at step
816, the second set may be provided to the client entity.
It should be understood that client entity 312 may be physically or logically
distinct from
the gaming server 310. Thus, client entity 312 may be a client machine that is
communicatively
linked to the gaming server 310 by a network. In this case, the gaming server
providing
information (e.g., representations of cards and/or representations of costs)
to the client entity 312
may comprise the gaming server 310 transmitting the information through the
network.
Alternatively, the client entity 312 may be physically or logically combined
with the
gaming server 310. Thus, the client entity 312 may be a user interface that is
coupled to the
gaming server 310, and the gaming server 310 providing information to the
client entity 312 may
comprise displaying the information on the user interface.
VI. Additional Description
The following clauses are offered as further description of the disclosed
inventions.
1. A method for a gaming server to conduct a card game
comprising:
the gaming server determining a first hand of cards and providing the first
hand to a client
entity, wherein the client entity is associated with an account;
in response to receiving a first request from the client entity, the gaming
server (i)
determining a first set of replacement cards to replace one or more cards in
the first hand, thereby
forming a second hand of cards, and (ii) providing at least the first set to
the client entity; and
24
CA 02714828 2010-09-15
= = =
in response to receiving a second request from the client entity, the gaming
server (i)
determining a second set of replacement cards to replace one or more cards in
the second hand of
cards, thereby forming a third hand of cards, (ii) debiting the account by a
first cost associated
with replacing the one or more cards in the second hand, and (iii) providing
at least the second
set to the client entity.
2. The method of clause 1, further comprising:
in response to receiving a third request from the client entity, the gaming
server (i)
determining a third set of replacement cards to replace one or more cards in
the third hand of
cards, thereby forming a fourth hand of cards, (ii) debiting the account by a
second cost
associated with replacing the one or more cards in the third hand, and (iii)
providing at least the
third set to the client entity.
3. The method of clause 2, wherein the first cost is not equal to the
second cost.
4. The method of clause 1, 2, or 3, wherein the client entity is a client
machine that
is communicatively linked to the gaming server by a network, and wherein
providing the first
hand, the second hand, and the third hand to the client entity comprises the
gaming server
transmitting representations of the first hand, the second hand, and the third
hand through the
network.
5. The method of clause 1,.2, 3, or 4, wherein the client entity is a user
interface, and
wherein providing the first hand, the second hand, and the third hand to the
client entity
comprises the gaming server displaying representations of the first hand, the
second hand, and
the third hand on the user interface.
6. The method of clause 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, wherein the card game is poker,
and each of
the first hand, the second hand, and the third hand comprises at least five
cards.
CA 02714828 2010-09-15
=
7. The method of clause 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, wherein determining the first
hand, the
first set, and the second set comprises drawing the first hand, the first set,
and the second set
from a deck of cards
8. The method of clause 7, wherein the deck is a standard 52-card deck.
9. The method of clause 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8, wherein the first set
and the second
set are of different sizes.
10. The method of clause 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9, wherein the first
cost is based on a
relative advantage, to the client entity, of replacing the one or more cards
in the second hand.
11. The method of clause 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10, wherein the
first cost is based
on a difference between a first return associated with continuing the card
game without replacing
the one or more cards in the second hand, and an expected second return
associated with
continuing the card game with the second set replacing the one or more cards
in the second hand.
12. The method of clause 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11, wherein the
first cost is
based at least on the one or more cards in the second hand.
13. The method of clause 12, wherein the first cost is also based on the
one or more
cards in the first hand that are replaced.
14. The method of clause 1,2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, or 13,
firther comprising:
in response to receiving the second request, the gaming server determining the
first cost.
15. The method of clause 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14,
wherein the
second request specifies the one or more cards in the second hand, and wherein
the first cost is
determined based on the one or more cards in the second hand.
16. The method of clause 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or
15, wherein the
first cost is negative.
26
_ _
CA 02714828 2010-09-15
. ,
17. A method for a gaming server to conduct a card game, the method
comprising:
the gaming server providing a first hand of cards to a client entity, wherein
the client
entity is associated with an account;
in response to receiving, from the client entity, a first set of cards in the
first hand, the
gaming server determining a first cost associated with replacing the first set
and providing the
first cost to the client entity; and
in response to receiving a first request to replace the first set from the
client entity, the
gaming server (i) replacing the first set with a second set of cards, thereby
forming a second hand
of cards, (ii) debiting the first cost from the account, and (iii) providing
at least the second set to
the client entity.
18. The method of clause 17, wherein the first hand of cards is associated
with a first
return, wherein replacing the first set of cards is associated with an
expected second return, and
wherein the first cost is based on a difference between the expected second
return and the first
return.
19. The method of clause 18, wherein the gaming server maintains a pay
table that
maps combinations of cards to returns, and wherein the first return is based
on applying the first
hand to the pay table.
20. The method of clause 18, wherein each possible respective second hand
of cards
is associated with a respective probability, and wherein determining the
expected second return
further comprises the gaming server applying each possible respective second
hand to the pay
table to determine a respective return, and weighing each respective return by
the respective
probability associated with the possible respective second hand.
27
CA 02714828 2010-09-15
. , .
21. The method of clause 18, wherein the card game includes a card supply
and a
discard pile, and wherein the expected second return is based at least in part
on cards in the card
=
supply and cards in the discard pile.
22. The method of clause 18, wherein the first hand and the second set are
drawn
from a deck of cards, wherein the expected second return is based on the first
hand, the second
set, and cards remaining in the deck.
23. The method of clause 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, or 22, wherein the client
entity is a client
machine that is communicatively linked to the gaming server by a network, and
wherein
providing the first hand, the first cost, and the second set to the client
entity comprises the
gaming server transmitting representations of the first hand, the first cost,
and the second set
through the network.
24. The method of clause 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, or 23, wherein the client
entity is a
user interface, and wherein providing the first hand, the first cost, and the
second set to the client
entity comprises the gaming server displaying representations of the first
hand, the first cost, and
the second set on the user interface.
25. The method of clause 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, or 24, the method
further
comprising:
in response to receiving, from the client entity, a third set of cards in the
second hand, the
gaming server (i) determining a second cost associated with replacing the
third set, and (ii)
providing the second cost to the client entity; and
in response to receiving, from the client entity, a second request to replace
the third set,
the gaming server (i) replacing the third set with a fourth set of replacement
cards, thereby
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. . , ,
forming a third hand of cards, (ii) debiting the second cost from the account,
and (iii) providing
at least the fourth set to the client entity.
26. A gaming server for conducting a card game, the gaming server
comprising:
a processor;
an interface for communicating with a client entity, wherein the client entity
is associated
with an account; and
a data storage containing program instructions executable by the processor to
(i)
determine a first hand of cards and provide the first hand to a client entity,
(ii) in response to
receiving a first request from the client entity, (a) determine a first set of
replacement cards to
replace one or more cards in the first hand, thereby forming a second hand of
cards, and (b)
provide at least the first set to the client entity, and (iii) in response to
receiving a second request
from the client entity, (a) determine a second set of replacement cards to
replace one or more
cards in the second hand of cards, thereby forming a third hand of cards, (b)
debit the account by
a first cost associated with replacing the one or more cards in the second
hand, and (c) provide at
least the second set to the client entity.
27. The gaming server of clause 26, further comprising:
program instructions, contained in the data storage and executable by the
processor, to in
response to receiving a third request from the client entity, (i) determine a
third set of
replacement cards to replace one or more cards in the third hand of cards,
thereby forming a
fourth hand of cards, (ii) debit the account by a second cost associated with
replacing the one or
more cards in the third hand, and (iii) provide at least the third set to the
client entity.
28. The gaming server of clause 27, wherein the first cost is not equal to
the second
cost.
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I . õ
29. The gaming server of clause 26, 27, or 28, wherein the client entity is
a client
machine communicatively linked to the gaming server by a network, and wherein
providing the
first hand, the second hand, and the third hand to the client entity comprises
the gaming server
transmitting representations of the first hand, the second hand, and the third
hand via through the
network via the interface.
30. The gaming server of clause 26, 27, 28, or 29, wherein the client
entity is a user
interface, and wherein providing the first hand, the second hand, and the
third hand to the client
entity comprises the gaming server displaying representations of the first
hand, the second hand,
and the third hand on the user interface.
31. The gaming server of clause 26, 27, 28, 29, or 30, wherein the card
game is poker,
and each of the first hand, the second hand, and the third hand comprises at
least five cards.
32. The gaming server of clause 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, or 31, wherein
determining the
first hand, the first set, and the second set comprises drawing the first
hand, the first set, and the
second set from a deck of cards.
33. The gaming server of clause 32, wherein the deck is a standard 52-card
deck.
34. The gaming server of clause 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, or 33, wherein
the first set
and the second set are of different sizes.
35. The gaming server of clause 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, or 34,
wherein the first
cost is based on a relative advantage, to the client entity, of replacing the
one or more cards in
the second hand.
36. The gaming server of clause 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, or 35,
wherein the
first cost is based on a difference between a first return associated with
continuing the card game
without replacing the one or more cards in the second hand, and an expected
second return
CA 02714828 2010-09-15
associated with continuing the card game with the second set replacing the one
or more cards in
the second hand.
37. The gaming server of clause 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, or
36, wherein
the first cost is based at least on the one or more cards in the second hand.
38. The gaming server of clause 37, wherein the first cost is also based on
the one or
more cards in the first hand that are replaced.
39. The gaming server of clause 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36,
37, or 38,
further comprising:
program instructions, contained in the data storage and executable by the
processor, to in
response to receiving the second request, determine the first cost.
40. The gaming server of clause 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36,
37, 38, or
39, wherein the second request specifies the one or more cards in the second
hand, and wherein
the first cost is determined based on the one or more cards in the second
hand.
41. The gaming server of clause 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36,
37, 38, 39,
or 40, wherein the first cost is negative.
42. A gaming server for conducting a card game, the gaming server
comprising:
a processor;
an interface for communicating with a client entity, wherein the client entity
is associated
with an account; and
a data storage containing program instructions executable by the processor to
(i) provide
a first hand of cards to the client entity, (ii) in response to receiving,
from the client entity, a first
set of cards in the first hand, determine a first cost associated with
replacing the first set and
provide the first cost to the client entity, and (iii) in response to
receiving a first request to
31
CA 02714828 2010-09-15
õ
replace the first set from the client entity, (a) replace the first set with a
second set of cards,
thereby forming a second hand of cards, (b) debit the first cost from the
account, and (c) provide
at least the second set to the client entity.
43. The gaming server of clause 42, wherein the first hand of cards is
associated with
a first return, wherein replacing the first set of cards is associated with an
expected second return,
and wherein the first cost is based on a difference between the expected
second return and the
first return.
44. The gaming server of clause 43, wherein the gaming server maintains a
pay table
that maps combinations of cards to returns, and wherein the first return is
based on applying the
first hand to the pay table.
45. The gaming server of clause 43, wherein each possible respective second
hand of
cards is associated with a respective probability, and wherein determining the
expected second
return comprises applying each possible respective second hand to the pay
table to determine a
respective return, and weighing each respective return by the respective
probability associated
with the possible respective second hand.
46. The gaming server of clause 43, wherein the card game includes a card
supply
and a discard pile, and wherein the expected second return is based at least
in part on cards in the
card supply and cards in the discard pile.
47. The gaming server of clause 43, wherein the first hand and the second
set are
drawn from a deck of cards, wherein the expected second return is based on the
first hand, the
second set, and cards remaining in the deck.
48. The gaming server of clause 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, or 47, wherein the
client entity is a
client machine that is communicatively linked to the gaming server by a
network, and wherein
32
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,
providing the first hand, the first cost, and the second set to the client
entity comprises
transmitting representations of the first hand, the first cost, and the second
set through the
network.
49. The gaming server of clause 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, or 48, wherein the
client entity
is a user interface, and wherein providing the first hand, the first cost, and
the second set to the
client entity comprises displaying representations of the first hand, the
first cost, and the second
set on the user interface.
50. The gaming server of clause 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, or 49, further
comprising:
program instructions contained in the data storage and executable by the
processor to (i)
in response to receiving, from the client entity, a third set of cards in the
second hand, (a)
determine a second cost associated with replacing the third set, and (b)
provide the second cost to
the client entity, and (ii) in response to receiving, from the client entity,
a second request to
replace the third set (a) replace the third set with a fourth set of
replacement cards, thereby
forming a third hand of cards, (b) debit the second cost from the account, and
(c) provide at least
the fourth set to the client entity.
51. A computer readable medium for use in a gaming server, the medium
containing
program instructions, executable by a processor in the gaming server, for
performing the steps
of:
the gaming server determining a first hand of cards and providing the first
hand to a client
entity, wherein the client entity is associated with an account;
in response to receiving a first request from the client entity, the gaming
server (i)
determining a first set of replacement cards to replace one or more cards in
the first hand, thereby
forming a second hand of cards, and (ii) providing at least the first set to
the client entity; and
33
CA 02714828 2010-09-15
in response to receiving a second request from the client entity, the gaming
server (i)
determining a second set of replacement cards to replace one or more cards in
the second hand of
cards, thereby forming a third hand of cards, (ii) debiting the account by a
first cost associated
with replacing the one or more cards in the second hand, and (iii) providing
at least the second
set to the client entity.
VI. Conclusion
For the embodiments described herein, the terms "random" or "randomly" shall
refer to
any realizable process of randomly generating events. Such processes shall
include, but not be
limited to, generating events without a deterministic pattern of occurrences.
Additionally, these
processes may be pseudo-random, thus resulting in a deterministic pattern of
occurrences that
exhibit some form of statistical randomness.
It should also be understood that use of any form of enumeration within an
element of
any of the claims should not be construed to imply that an ordering of events
within the claim is
required.
1 0 Furthermore, other variations from the disclosed embodiments may be
made without
departure from the scope of the invention. All questions concerning scope are
to be answered by
reference to the appended claims.
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