Electronic amusement device and method for operating same

An electronic amusement device and a method for operating the device are disclosed. The device conducts a game of chance that preferably incorporates game elements that change and expire during the game. The device performs the steps of generating and displaying a subject game element having a first class. The step of displaying includes displaying an indicia of the first class. The device further assigns a second class to the subject game element, and displays the subject game element, thereby displaying an indicia of the second class.

If you were to search for Electronic amusement device and method for operating same using relaxed search criteria, these patents would come up:

What is claimed is:

1. A method for directing a card game, comprising:

presenting a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first rank and a first suit;

changing the first rank of the playing card to a second rank after a specified period of time elapses; and

determining the specified period of time based on the first rank of the playing card.

2. A method for directing a card game, comprising:

presenting a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first rank and a first suit; and

changing the first rank of the playing card to a second rank after a specified period of time elapses,

wherein the specified period of time is measured from a measurement time, the measurement time based on a time at which the player selects the playing card.

3. A method for directing a card game, comprising:

presenting a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first rank and a first suit;

changing the first rank of the playing card to a second rank; and

determining the second rank based on the first rank of the playing card.

4. A method for directing a card game, comprising:

presenting a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first suit and a first rank;

changing the first suit of the playing card to a second suit after a specified period of time elapses; and

determining the specified period of time based on the first suit of the playing card.

5. A method for directing a card game, comprising:

presenting a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first suit and a first rank; and

changing the first suit of the playing card to a second suit after a specified period of time elapses,

wherein the specified period of time is measured from a measurement time, the measurement time based on a time at which the player selects the playing card.

6. A method for directing a card game, comprising:

presenting a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first suit and a first rank;

changing the first suit of the playing card to a second suit; and

determining the second suit based on the first suit of the playing card.

7. A method for directing a card game, comprising:

presenting representations of a plurality of cards to a player;

determining whether a specified period of time has elapsed;

changing, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of cards; and

determining the specified period of time based on the suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards.

8. A method for directing a card game, comprising:

presenting representations of a plurality of cards to a player;

determining whether a specified period of time has elapsed;

changing, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of cards; and

determining the specified period of time based on the rank of the one of the plurality of playing cards.

9. A method for directing a card game, comprising:

presenting representations of a plurality of cards to a player;

determining whether a specified period of time has elapsed since a measurement time, the measurement time based on a time at which the player selects the one of the plurality of playing cards; and

changing, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of cards.

10. A method for directing a card game, comprising:

presenting representations of a plurality of cards to a player;

determining whether a specified period of time has elapsed;

changing, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of cards; and

determining the rank and/or the suit to which the rank and/or the suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards is changed based on the rank and/or the suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards.

11. A method for directing a card game, comprising:

presenting a representation of a first playing card to a player;

determining a specified period of time based on a suit of the first playing card;

determining whether the specified period of time has elapsed; and

if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, changing the representation of the first playing card to a representation of a second playing card.

12. A method for directing a card game, comprising:

presenting a representation of a first playing card to a player;

determining a specified period of time based on a rank of the first playing card;

determining whether the specified period of time has elapsed; and

if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, changing the representation of the first playing card to a representation of a second playing card.

13. A method for directing a card game, comprising:

presenting a representation of a first playing card to a player;

determining whether a specified period of time has elapsed from a measurement time, the measurement time being based on a time at which the player selects the first playing card; and

if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, changing the representation of the first playing card to a representation of a second playing card.

14. A method for directing a card game, comprising:

presenting a representation of a first playing card to a player;

determining whether a specified period of time has elapsed;

determining a second playing card based on the first playing card; and

if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, changing the representation of the first playing card to a representation of the second playing card.

15. A method for a device to direct a card game, comprising:

presenting representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on the plurality of playing cards;

determining a specified period of time based on a suit of one of the plurality of playing cards; and

changing a rank and/or the suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards before the instruction is received by the device and after the specified period of time elapses.

16. A method for a device to direct a card game, comprising:

presenting representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on the plurality of playing cards;

determining a specified period of time based on a rank of one of the plurality of playing cards; and

changing the rank and/or a suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards before the instruction is received by the device and after the specified period of time elapses.

17. A method for a device to direct a card game, comprising:

presenting representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determining an outcome based on the plurality of playing cards; and

changing a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of playing cards before the instruction is received by the device and after a specified period of time elapses from a measurement time, the measurement time being based on a time at which theplayer selects the one of the plurality of playing cards.

18. A method for a device to direct a card game, comprising:

presenting representations of a plurality of play cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on the plurality of playing cards;

determining a rank and/or a suit based on a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of playing cards; and

changing the rank and/or the suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards to the determined rank and/or suit before the instruction is received by the device.

19. A method for a device to direct a card game, comprising:

presenting representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on the plurality of playing cards;

determining a specified period of time based on a suit of one of the plurality of playing cards; and

changing a representation of the one of the plurality of playing cards to a representation of a second playing card before the instruction is received by the device and after the specified period of time elapses.

20. A method for a device to direct a card game, comprising:

presenting representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on the plurality of playing cards;

determining a specified period of time based on a rank of one of the plurality of playing cards; and

changing a representation of the one of the plurality of playing cards to a representation of a second playing card before the instruction is received by the device and after the specified period of time elapses.

21. A method for a device to direct a card game, comprising:

presenting representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on the plurality of playing cards; and

changing a representation of one of the plurality of playing cards to a representation of a second playing card before the instruction is received by the device and after a specified period of time elapses from a measurement time, the measurementtime being based on a time at which the player selects the one of the plurality of playing cards.

22. A method for a device to direct a card game, comprising:

presenting representations of plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determining an outcome based on the plurality of playing cards;

determining a second playing card based on one of the plurality of playing cards;

changing a representation of the one of the plurality of playing cards to a representation of the second playing card before the instruction is received by the device.

23. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first rank and a first suit;

a step to change the first rank of the playing card to a second rank after a specified period of time elapses; and

a step to determine the specified period of time based on the first rank of the playing card.

24. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first rank and a first suit; and

a step to change the first rank of the playing card to a second rank after a specified period of time elapses,

wherein the specified period of time is measured form a measurement time, the measurement time based on a time at which the player selects the playing card.

25. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first rank and a first suit;

a step to change the first rank of the playing card to a second rank; and

a step to determine the second rank based on the first rank of the playing card.

26. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first suit and a first rank;

a step to change the first suit of the playing card to a second suit after a specified period of time elapses; and

a step to determine the specified period of time based on the first suit of the playing card.

27. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first suit and a first rank; and

a step to change the first suit of the playing card to a second suit after a specified period of time elapses,

wherein the specified period of time is measured from a measurement time, the measurement time based on a time at which the player selects the playing card.

28. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first suit and a first rank;

a step to change the first suit of the playing card to a second suit; and

a step to determine the second suit based on the first suit of the playing card.

29. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present representations of a plurality of cards to a player;

a step to determine whether a specified period of time has elapsed;

a step to change, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of cards; and

a step to determine the specified period of time based on the suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards.

30. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising;

a step to present representations of a plurality of cards to a player;

a step to determine whether a specified period of time has elapsed;

a step to change, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of cards; and

a step to determine the specified period of time based on the rank of the one of the plurality of playing cards.

31. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present representations of a plurality of cards to a player;

a step to determine when a specified period of time has elapsed since a measurement time, the measurement time based on a time at which the player selects the one of the plurality of playing cards; and

a step to change, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of cards.

32. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present representations of a plurality of cards to a player;

a step to determine whether a specified period of time has elapsed;

a step to change, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of cards; and

a step to determine the rank and/or the suit to which the rank and/or the suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards is changed based on the rank and/or the suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards.

33. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present a representation of a first playing card to a player;

a step to determine a specified period of time based on a suit of the first playing card;

a step to determine whether the specified period of time has elapsed; and

a step to change, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, the representation of the first playing card to a representation of a second playing card.

34. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present a representation of a first playing card to a player;

a step to determine a specified period of time based on a rank of the first playing card;

a step to determine whether the specified period of time has elapsed; and

a step to change, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, the representation of the first playing card to a representation of a second playing card.

35. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present a representation of a first playing card to a player;

a step to determine whether a specified period of time has elapsed from a measurement time, the measurement time being based on a time at which the player selects the first playing card; and

a step to change, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, the representation of the first playing card to a representation of a second playing card.

36. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present a representation of a first playing card to a player;

a step to determine whether a specified period of time has elapsed;

a step to determine a second playing card based on the first playing card; and

a step to change, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, the representation of the first playing card to a representation of a second playing card.

37. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on the plurality of playing cards;

a step to determine a specified period of time based on a suit of one of the plurality of playing cards; and

a step to change a rank and/or the suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards before the instruction is received by the device and after the specified period of time elapses.

38. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein a instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on the plurality of playing cards;

a step to determine a specified period of time based on a rank of one of the plurality of playing cards; and

a step to change the rank and/or a suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards before the instruction is received by the device and after the specified period of time elapses.

39. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on the plurality of playing cards; and

a step to change a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of playing cards before the instruction is received by the device and after a specified period of time elapses from a measurement time, the measurement time being based on a time atwhich the player selects the one of the plurality of playing cards.

40. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on the plurality of playing cards;

a step to determine a rank and/or a suit based on a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of playing cards; and

a step to change the rank and/or the suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards to the determined rank and/or suit before the instruction is received by the device.

41. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on the plurality of playing cards;

a step to determine a specified period of time based on a suit of one of the plurality of playing cards; and

a step to change a representation of the one of the plurality of playing cards to a representation of a second playing card before the instruction is received by the device and after the specified period of time elapses.

42. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on the plurality of playing cards;

a step to determine a specified period of the based on a rank of one of the plurality of playing cards; and

a step to change a representation of the one of the plurality of playing cards to a representation of a second playing card before the instruction is received by the device and after the specified period of time elapses.

43. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on the plurality of playing cards; and

a step to change a representation of one of the plurality of playing cards to a representation of a second playing card before the instruction is received by the device and after a specified period of time elapses from a measurement time, themeasurement time being based on a time at which the player selects the one of the plurality of playing cards.

44. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to present representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on the plurality of playing cards;

a step to determine a second playing card based on one of the plurality of playing cards; and

a step to change a representation of the one of the plurality of playing cards to a representation of the second playing card before the instruction is received by the device.

45. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein to processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first rank and a first suit; change the first rank of to playing card to a secondrank after a specified period of time elapses; and determine the specified period of time based on the first rank of the playing card.

46. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first rank and a first suit; and change the first rank of the playing card to asecond rank after a specified period of time elapses, wherein the specified period of time is measured from a measurement time, the measurement time based on a time at which the player selects the playing card.

47. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first rank and a first suit; change the first rank of the playing card to asecond rank; and determine the second rank based on the first rank of the playing card.

48. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first suit and a first rank; change the first suit of the playing card to asecond suit after a specified period of time elapses; and determine the specified period of time based on the first suit of the playing card.

49. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first suit and a first rank; and change the first suit of the playing card to asecond suit after a specified period of time elapses, wherein the specified period of time is measured from a measurement time, the measurement time based on a time at which the player selects the playing card.

50. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present a representation of a playing card to a player, the playing card having a first suit and a first rank; change the first suit of the playing card to asecond suit; and determine the second suit based on the first suit of the playing card.

51. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present representations of a plurality of cards to a player; determine whether a specified period of time has elapsed; change, if it is determined that thespecified period of time has elapsed, a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of cards; and determine the specified period of time based on the suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards.

52. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein tie processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present representations of a plurality of cards to a player; determine whether a specified period of time has elapsed; change, if it is determined that thespecified period of time has elapsed, a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of cards; and determine the specified period of time based on the rank of the one of the plurality of playing cards.

53. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present representations of a plurality of cards to a player; determine whether a specified period of time has elapsed since a measurement time, the measurementtime based on a time at which the player selects the one of the plurality of playing cards; and change, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, a rank and/or a suit of one of he plurality of cards.

54. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present representations of a plurality of cards to a player, determine whether a specified period of time has elapsed; change, if it is determined that thespecified period of time has elapsed, a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of cards; and determine the rank and/or the suit to which the rank and/or the suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards is changed based on the rank and/or thesuit of the one of the plurality of playing cards.

55. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present a representation of a first playing card to a player; determine a specified period of time based on a suit of the first playing card; determine whetherthe specified period of time has elapsed; and change, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, the representation of the first playing card to a representation of a second playing card.

56. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present a representation of a first playing card to a player; determine a specified period of time based on a rank of the first playing card; determine whetherthe specified period of time has elapsed; and change, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, the representation of the first playing card to a representation of a second playing card.

57. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present a representation of a first playing card to a player; determine whether a specified period of time has elapsed from a measurement time, the measurementtime being based on a time at which the player selects the first playing card; and change, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, the representation of the first playing card to a representation of a second playing card.

58. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present a representation of a first playing card to a player; determine whether a specified period of time has elapsed; determine a second playing card based onthe first playing card; and change, if it is determined that the specified period of time has elapsed, the representation of the first playing card to a representation of a second playing card.

59. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on theplurality of playing cards; determine a specified period of time based on a suit of one of the plurality of playing cards; and change a rank and/or the suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards before the instruction is received by the deviceand after the specified period of time elapses.

60. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on theplurality of playing cards; determine a specified period of time based on a rank of one of the plurality of playing cards; and change the rank and/or a suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards before the instruction is received by the deviceand after the specified period of time elapses.

61. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on theplurality of playing cards; and change a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of playing cards before the instruction is received by the device and after a specified period of time elapses from a measurement time, the measurement time being basedon a time at which the player selects the one of the plurality of playing cards.

62. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on theplurality of playing cards; determine a rank and/or a suit based on a rank and/or a suit of one of the plurality of playing cards; and change the rank and/or the suit of the one of the plurality of playing cards to the determined rank and/or suitbefore the instruction is received by the device.

63. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on theplurality of playing cards; determine a specified period of time based on a suit of one of the plurality of playing cards; and change a representation of the one of the plurality of playing cards to a representation of a second playing card before theinstruction is received by the device and after the specified period of time elapses.

64. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on theplurality of playing cards; determine a specified period of time based on a rank of one of the plurality of playing cards; and change a representation of the one of the plurality of playing cards to a representation of a second playing card before theinstruction is received by the device and after the specified period of time; elapses.

65. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on theplurality of playing cards; and change a representation of one of the plurality of playing cards to a representation of a second playing card before the instruction is received by the device and after a specified period of time elapses from ameasurement time, the measurement time being based on a time at which the player selects the one of the plurality of playing cards.

66. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is operative with the processor-executable process steps to: present representations of a plurality of playing cards to a player, wherein an instruction may be received by the device to determine an outcome based on theplurality of playing cards; determine a second playing card based on one of the plurality of playing cards; and change a representation of the one of the plurality of playing cards to a representation of the second playing card before the instructionis received by the device.