Electronic entertainment and communication system

In a guest room communications system that permits interactive, in-room videographic display sessions between in-room display units located in each of the plurality of guest rooms and assigned ones of an array of videographic processing systems, each videographic processing system comprising:

• a memory system storing a videographics program;
• a videographics program executing processor, coupled to the memory system and receiving information generated during an in-room interactive videographics display session, executing the videographics program;
• and
• a halt controller halting the videographics program being executed by the videographics processor at a first point in the videographics program where a first command is received, and in response thereafter to a second command, resuming execution of the videographics program at the first point.

For use in an entertainment system in a hotel having multiple guest rooms each having an in-room display unit where interactive, in-room video game display sessions are established between ones of the in-room display units and assigned video game processing systems, a method comprising:

• storing a video game program in one of the video game processing systems;
• executing the video game program during an in-room video game display session between one of the in-room display units and the one video game processing system;
• halting execution of the video game program at a first point in the video game program where a first command is received;
• and
• thereafter resuming execution of the video game program at the first point in response to a second command.

An entertainment system comprising:

• a control computer controlling operation of the entertainment system;
• a plurality of videographics entertainment stations, coupled to the control computer, including a control device and a display;
• an array of videographics units, each videographics unit being dynamically assignable by the control computer to one of the plurality of videographics play stations and including:
• a memory storing a videographics program, and
• a data processor, coupled to the memory, executing the videographics program stored in the memory;
• and
• a halt controller halting the videographics program being executed in one of the videographics units at a first point in the videographics program where a first command is received, and in response thereafter to a second command, resuming execution of the videographics program at the first point.

In a guest room communications system that permits interactive, in-room videographic display sessions between in-room displays located in each of the plurality of guest rooms and assigned ones of an array of videographic processing systems, each videographics processing system including:

• means for storing a videographics program;
• means, coupled to the means for storing, for receiving information generated during an in-room interactive videographics display session and for executing the videographics program;
• and
• halt means for halting the videographics program at a first point in the videographics program where a first command is received, and in response thereafter to a second command, resuming execution of the videographics program at the first point.