Simulating real gaming environments with interactive host and players

• US 20060258446A1
• Filed: 06/05/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T., Paulsen, Craig A., Cannon, Lee E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,025,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

Techniques for simulating real (or live) gaming environments are disclosed. A virtual gaming environment effectively connects a number of people together by connecting a number of computing devices (e.g., personal computers, gaming machines). The virtual gaming environment provides a view of a virtual gaming area (e.g., a virtual gaming table) where a number of individuals (or players) and a person acting as the host are effectively represented. In this virtual gaming area, the players and host can interact with each other via audio and/or video input/output devices. As a result, a live gaming environment where players can see, hear, and converse with each other, as well as a live host (e.g., a dealer) is effectively simulated.

Claims

1. A gaming machine (or unit) for allowing a first person to participate in a game played with a number of other persons (or participants) in a virtual gaming environment, wherein said virtual gaming environment effectively simulates a real gaming environment where a live host conducts or oversees said game and participants of said game can interact with each other and said live host, and wherein said gaming machine is operable to:

receive audio and/or video input from a first person when said first person participates in said game with a number of other persons (or participants), wherein said other participants include at least a second person and a third person (host), and wherein said third person (host) participates as a live host that conducts or oversees said game when said participants participate in said game;

receive or determine a view of said virtual gaming environment including a virtual gaming area representative of a real gaming area, wherein each of said other participants are represented in said virtual gaming area;

cause display of said view of said virtual gaming environment on a display associated with or configured for said gaming machine, thereby allowing said first person to see said view of said virtual gaming environment;

receive audio and/or video associated with said second person and third person (host) as said participants participate in said game; and

cause said audio and/or video to be output by an audio output device and/or said display associated with or configured for said gaming machine, thereby allowing said first person to effectively see and/or hear said second person and third person (host) when said participants participate in said game.

2. A gaming unit as recited in claim 1, wherein said virtual gaming area represents a gaming table for playing a table game.

3. A gaming unit as recited in claim 1, wherein said table game is one or a combination of the following games:

a poker game, a blackjack game, a roulette game, and craps game.

4. A method for allowing a plurality of persons to participate in a game played in a virtual gaming environment that effectively simulates a real gaming environment where a host conducts or oversees said game and said persons can interact with each other, said method comprising:

determining or receiving a virtual gaming environment for playing said game, wherein said virtual gaming environment represents a real gaming environment where a host conducts or oversees said game, and said participants can interact with each other, wherein said participants include at least one person participating in said game as a player and at least one host that conducts or oversees said game, and wherein each of said participants respectively interface with a computing system that can receive audio and video input and provide audio and video as output for a participant;

receiving audio and/or video input from any one or more participants of said plurality of participants via one or more of said computing systems when said participants participate in said game; and

causing one or more other computing systems that are respectively associated with one or more other participants of said game to effectively provide said audio and/or video input to said one or more other participants, thereby allowing said other one or more participants to effectively see and/or hear said one or more participants.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said method further comprises:

determining how many participants are to participate in said game; and

determining said virtual gaming environment based on said number of participants.

6. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said method further comprises;

forwarding or causing the display of a view of said virtual gaming environment to at least a first computing system of said computing systems, wherein said first computing system provides audio and video output to a first participant of said participants, and wherein said view of said virtual gaming environment can be displayed on at on a first display associated or configured for said first computing system, thereby allowing said first participant to see said virtual gaming environment.

7. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said virtual gaming environment includes at least one image representing at least one of said participants.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said image is one or more of the following:

a live video feed of one or more persons;

a still picture of one or more persons; and

an icon or caricature representing one or more persons or group of persons.

9. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said method further comprises:

providing audio and/or video input received from said host to one or more other participants of said game when said participants participate in said game.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said audio and/or video input received from said host provides one or more of the following:

commentary on said game;

incentive for playing said game;

simulated sound of a gaming environment;

live sound;

pre-recorded sound;

live or prerecorded sound of a gaming environment;

live or prerecorded sound of a casino;

live or prerecorded background sound of a gaming environment; and

live or prerecorded background sound of a casino.

11. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein audio input is effectively provided in a full-duplex mode, wherein audio input received from a first participant is forwarded or effectively provided to said host or a second participant of said game effectively at the same time as audio input received from said live host or a second participant is forwarded or effectively provided to said first participant, thereby simulating a live gaming environment where said participants can speak at the same time.

12. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein audio and/or video input received from a first participant is forwarded or effectively provided to all other participants that are designated to receive audio and/or video input from said first participant.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein audio and/or video input received from said all other participants of said game is forwarded or effectively provided to said first participant.

14. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said participants of said game include one or more active participants actively participating in said game.

15. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said participants of said game include one or more passive participants passively participating in said game.

16. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said participants of said game include one or more observers that observe said game.

17. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein one or more software agents actively participate in said game.

18. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein one or more software agents passively participate in said game.

19. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein one or more software agents observe said game.

20. A method as recited in claim 4,

wherein said participants include one or more of the following:

one or more active participants actively participating in said game,

one or more passive participants passively participating in said game, and

one or more observers observing said game; and

wherein one or more software agents effectively represent one or more participants of said game as active or passive participants or observers of said game.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein said passive participants participate in back-betting during said time period when said participants participate in said game.

22. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said method comprises:

determining or receiving a view said virtual gaming environment effectively taken or provided by a virtual camera that can effectively pan or scan said virtual gaming environment.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein said virtual camera can zoom or focus on an image associated with a participant of said game, thereby providing a zoom or focus functionality for viewing said gaming area.

24. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving a request a said first participant to zoom or focus on a second image associated with a second participant of said game, wherein said second image represents said second participant in said virtual gaming environment.

25. A method as recited in claim 24 wherein said method further comprises allowing participants to zoom or focus on any area of a virtual 3D gaming environment.

26. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein at least one of said computing systems is one or more of the following:

a gaming machine or unit;

a personal digital assistant;

a mobile wireless phone;

a laptop computer;

a personal computer; and

an interactive TV.

27. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein said at least one computing system is a gaming machine or unit capable of independently determining an outcome of a game.

28. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein said at least one computing system is a portable or a handheld device.

29. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein at least one participant participates in said game as an anonymous participant who does not provide a real image of his or her person.

30. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said method comprises:

converting audio input to text; and

displayed said text on a display.

31. A method as recited in claim 30, wherein said converting of audio is at least partly performed by a voice-interpretation program.

32. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said host is a live person.

33. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said host is virtual host simulating a live person or individual that conducts or oversees said game.

34. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said audio input is effectively provided in a full-duplex mode to effectively simulate a live or real casino environment.

35. A computing system for allowing a plurality of persons to participate in a game played in a virtual gaming environment that effectively simulates a real gaming environment where a host conducts or oversees said game and said persons can interact with each other, wherein said computing system is operable to:

determine or receive a virtual gaming environment for playing said game, wherein said virtual gaming environment represents a real gaming environment where a host conducts or oversees said game and said participants can interact with each other, wherein said participants include at least one person participating in said game as a player and at least one host that conducts or oversees said game;

receive audio and/or video input from any one or more participants of said plurality of participants; and

provide said audio and/or video input to one or more other participants of said game, thereby allowing said other one or more participants to effectively see and/or hear said one or more participants.

36. A computing system as recited in claim 35, wherein said computing system acts as a host or server that is connected to one or more computing systems that are used by one or more participants of said game to participate in said game.

37. A computing system as recited in claim 35, wherein said host said is a person or individual that interacts with said computing system.

38. A computing system as recited in claim 37, wherein said computing system effectively simulates a live host.

39. A computing system as recited in claim 35, wherein said computer system is a gaming machine.

40. A computing system as recited in claim 35, wherein said computing systems is one or more of the following:

a gaming machine or unit;

a personal digital assistant;

a mobile wireless phone;

a laptop computer;

a personal computer; and

an interactive TV.

41. A computer readable medium including computer program code for allowing a plurality of persons to participate in a game played in a virtual gaming environment that effectively simulates a real gaming environment where a host conducts or oversees said game and said persons can interact with each other, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for determining or receiving a virtual gaming environment for playing said game, wherein said virtual gaming environment represents a real gaming environment where a host conducts or oversees said game, and said participants can interact with each other, wherein said participants include at least one person participating in said game as a player and at least one host that conducts or oversees said game, and wherein each of said participants respectively interface with a computing system that can receive audio and video input and provide audio and video as output for a participant;

computer program code for receiving audio and/or video input from any one or more participants of said plurality of participants via one or more of said computing systems when said participants participate in said game; and

computer program code for causing one or more other computing systems that are respectively associated with one or more other participants of said game to effectively provide said audio and/or video input to said one or more other participants, thereby allowing said other one or more participants to effectively see and/or hear said one or more participants.