System for evaluating Bingo card faces

A device for evaluating a game face, wherein said face is defined by a matrix of first values, and the face is designated a winner when a combination of the first values forms a determined winning pattern in the matrix by matching second values selected from a pool of values, said device comprising:

• first storage means for storing the combination of the face's first values corresponding to the winning pattern such that it is represented as a first array of data elements;
• receiving means for receiving the second values which are selected from the pool;
• second storage means for storing the second values such that they are represented by a second array of data elements;
• combining means for combining the first array with the second array to generate a resulting third array of data elements;
• and,
• analyzing means for analyzing the third array to determine at least one of:
• (i) if the face is to be designated a winner;
• or, (ii) a rank of the face, wherein the rank is defined as a minimum number of second values that have to be selected from the pool for the face to be designated a winner.

A method of evaluating a game face, wherein said face is defined by a matrix of cells containing values, and the face is designated a winner when a combination of cells forms a determined winning pattern in the matrix by having their respective values match those selected during a game, said method comprising:

• a) representing a winning pattern by a first bit mask;
• b) representing each of the face's cells by an associated pair of bit masks including a second bit mask that represents the value contained in the cell and a third bit mask that represents the location of the cell in the matrix;
• c) monitoring the values that are selected during the game;
• d) representing the values selected during the game by a fourth bit mask;
• e) generating a fifth bit mask by processing in turn each of the associated pairs of bit masks, said fifth bit mask representing a pattern formed in the face by those cells containing the values matching the values selected during the game;
• f) combining the first and fifth bit masks to generate a first result;
• and,
• g) analyzing the first result to determine if the face is to be designated a winner.