Handheld wagering game system and methods for conducting wagering games thereupon

• US 10,068,418 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2016
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Thomas, Alfred, Hornik, Jeremy M., Pacey, Larry J., Gagner, Mark B., Schwartz, Richard T., Arezina, Vladimir I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harper, Tramar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US15/166,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20160284161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming system for conducting a wagering game includes a handheld gaming machine configured to play at least one game and a controller. The controller is configured to base eligibility of the handheld gaming machine for a game-related feature at least upon a location of the handheld gaming machine.

Claims

1. A gaming system for communicating with a handheld gaming machine via a network, the handheld gaming machine including a wireless communication interface, an electronic input device, and an electronic display device configured to display a wagering game, the gaming system comprising:

at least one processor operatively connected to one or more network components via the network, the one or more network components being configured to wirelessly communicate with the wireless communication interface of the handheld gaming machine; and

at least one non-transient physical memory device operatively connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions which cause the at least one processor to;

determine if the handheld gaming machine is at a first location in response to the handheld gaming machine communicating with at least one of the one or more network components via the wireless communication interface;

in response to the handheld gaming machine being determined to be at the first location, enable for play on the handheld gaming machine a first wagering game having at least one of a first pay table, a first game denomination, or a first betting minimum;

determine if the handheld gaming machine is at a second location in response to the handheld gaming machine communicating with at least one of the one or more network components via the wireless communication interface; and

in response to the handheld gaming machine being determined to be at the second location, enable for play on the handheld gaming machine a second wagering game having at least one of a second pay table, a second game denomination, or a second betting minimum.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each of the first location and the second location comprise physically distinct locations within a gaming establishment.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the location of the handheld gaming machine is determined using a global positioning system, trilateration or triangulation of a signal output by the handheld gaming machine, a comparison of a signal output by the handheld gaming machine between at least two different receivers, an RFID signal, a short range wireless connection between the handheld gaming machine and a stationary receiver, a short range wireless connection between the handheld gaming machine and a mobile receiver, or a physical connection of the handheld gaming machine to a port, or any combination thereof.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the one or more network components form a first hot spot at the first location and wherein the one or more network components form a second hot spot at the second location.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first hot spot and the second hot spot comprise a mobile hot spot.

6. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first hot spot and the second hot spot comprise a virtual hot spot.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the one or more network components are selected from a group consisting of a free-standing gaming machine, another handheld gaming machine, and a transmission/receiving node.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first wagering game and the second wagering game comprise the same wagering game.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the one or more network components comprises a plurality of first transmission/receiving nodes distributed about the first location, and wherein the one or more network components comprises a plurality of second transmission/receiving nodes distributed about the second location.

10. A method of operating a gaming system, the gaming system including one or more processors and one or more non-transient physical memory devices operatively connected to one or more network components via a network, the one or more network components being configured to wirelessly communicate with a wireless communication interface of a handheld gaming machine, the gaming system further including a handheld gaming machine connected to the gaming system via the network, the handheld gaming machine including one or more electronic input devices, one or more electronic display devices configured to display a wagering game, and a wireless communication interface, the method comprising:

establishing a credit balance in the gaming system, the credit balance being represented on the one or more electronic display devices of the handheld gaming machine and being dynamically responsive to wagering game play;

determining, via the one or more processors, if the handheld gaming machine is at a first location in response to the handheld gaming machine communicating with at least one of the one or more network components via the wireless communication interface and, responsive to the handheld gaming machine being determined to be at the first location, enable for play on the handheld gaming machine a first wagering game having at least one of a first pay table, a first game denomination, or a first betting minimum, and display on the one or more electronic display devices the first wagering game having the at least one of the first pay table, the first game denomination, or the first betting minimum;

determining, via the one or more processors, if the handheld gaming machine is at a second location in response to the handheld gaming machine communicating with at least one of the one or more network components via the wireless communication interface and, responsive to the handheld gaming machine being determined to be at the second location, enable for play on the handheld gaming machine a second wagering game having at least one of a second pay table, a second game denomination, or a second betting minimum, and display on the one or more electronic display devices the second wagering game having the at least one of the second pay table, the second game denomination, or the second betting minimum;

receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, an initiating input from a player to play the wagering game corresponding to the determined one of the first location or the second location;

initiating, via at least one of the one or more processors, the wagering game in response to the initiating input from the player; and

receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a cashout input from the player to initiate a payout from the credit balance.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the first location and the second location comprise physically distinct locations within a gaming establishment.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the location of the handheld gaming machine is determined using a global positioning system, trilateration or triangulation of a signal output by the handheld gaming machine, a comparison of a signal output by the handheld gaming machine between at least two different receivers, an RFID signal, a short range wireless connection between the handheld gaming machine and a stationary receiver, a short range wireless connection between the handheld gaming machine and a mobile receiver, or a physical connection of the handheld gaming machine to a port, or any combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more network components form a first hot spot at the first location and wherein the one or more network components form a second hot spot at the second location.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first hot spot and the second hot spot comprise a mobile hot spot or a virtual hot spot.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first wagering game and the second wagering game comprise the same wagering game.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein at least some of the one or more network components are selected from a group consisting of a free-standing gaming machine, another handheld gaming machine, and a transmission/receiving node.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the first wagering game and the second wagering game comprise the same wagering game.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein one or more network components comprises a plurality of first transmission/receiving nodes distributed about the first location, and wherein one or more network components comprises a plurality of second transmission/receiving nodes distributed about the second location.

19. A wagering game system comprising:

a network comprising one or more network components;

one or more processors configured to conduct at least one wagering game via the network; and

a portable wagering game device configured to play the at least one wagering game via the network, the portable wagering game device comprising one or more electronic input devices, one or more electronic display devices, and a wireless communication interface, at least one of the one or more electronic input devices being adapted to receive an input from a player to initiate the wagering game, the one or more electronic display devices being configured to display a randomly determined outcome of the at least one wagering game, the wireless communication interface operable to communicate signals with at least one of the one or more network components to determine a location of the portable wagering game device,

wherein, when the portable wagering game device is determined, by the one or more processors communicating with the one or more network components, to be disposed at a first location, enable for play on the portable wagering game device a first wagering game having at least one of a first pay table, a first game denomination, or a first betting minimum, and display on the one or more electronic display devices the first wagering game having the at least one of the first pay table, the first game denomination, or the first betting minimum, and

wherein, when the portable wagering game device is determined, by the one or more processors communicating with the one or more network components, to be disposed at a second location, enable for play on the portable wagering game device a second wagering game having at least one of a second pay table, a second game denomination, or a second betting minimum, and display on the one or more electronic display devices the second wagering game having the at least one of the second pay table, the second game denomination, or the second betting minimum.

20. The wagering game system of claim 19, wherein the one or more network components form a first hot spot at the first location and wherein the one or more network components form a second bot spot at the second location.