ADMINISTRATOR TOOL OF AN ELECTRONIC GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROCESSING GAMING PROFILES CONTROLLED BY THE SYSTEM

• US 20060287102A1
• Filed: 05/23/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pokertek Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pokertek Incorporated
• Inventors: Crawford, James T. III, White, Gehrig Henderson, Lester, Jon
• Application Number:
  US11/419,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20060287102A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

An electronic gaming system has a plurality of tables each having a plurality of electronic player interaction areas (EPIA'"'"'s) spaced preferably about a table periphery so that a gaming player locates oneself in front of a respective EPIA to play a game. A computer-based controller of the system assigns any one of preferably a variety of games to any one table. The player is then free to choose what game he/she desires to play by picking a particular table. The gaming system has a host console that communicates with each EPIA via the controller for managerial control of the plurality of tables. A software-based administrator tool operates preferably through a user interface for the control of at least one gaming profile type by the deletion, editing and creation of various gaming rules.

Claims

1. An electronic gaming system for control of a plurality of games being selectively played by a plurality of players, the system comprising:

at least one game table having a plurality of electronic player interaction areas for player communication and player input, wherein each one of the plurality of players is located adjacent to a respective one of the plurality of electronic player interaction areas; and

a first computer being in communication with the plurality of electronic player interaction areas, the first computer having a user interface for managerial control of the at least one game table; and

a software based administrator tool operated through the user interface for the control of at least one gaming profile type associated with at least gaming rules.

2. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 1 wherein the user interface is a touch-screen display.

3. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 2 wherein each one of the plurality of electronic player interaction areas has a second computer being in communication with the first computer.

4. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 1 further comprising the at least one gaming profile type having a timing profile heading having a new timing key displayed on the user interface and for entering a time for at least one event of a new game of the plurality of games.

5. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 4 wherein the new timing key has an events sub-option that when selected lists a plurality of timing events specific to the new game.

6. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 5 further comprising a time prompt of the administrator tool displayed by the user interface when any one of the plurality of timing events is selected.

7. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 6 further comprising a name prompt of the administrator tool displayed by the user interface after entry of a time in the time prompt for naming the new game.

8. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 1 wherein the timing profile heading has a plurality of sub-options each having a unique list of timing events for editing.

9. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 8 wherein the plurality of sub-options has a basic timing key sub-option, a ring game timing sub-option, and a tournament timing sub-option.

11. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 1 further comprising the gaming profile type having a jackpot profile heading having a jackpot profile prompt displayed on the user interface and having a plurality of fields for entry of jackpot parameters.

12. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 11 wherein the plurality of fields has a description field and a minimum pot field.

13. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 11 wherein the jackpot profile heading is available for editing or creating a game profile.

14. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 1 further comprising the gaming profile type having a jackpot profile heading having a jackpot list displayed selectively on the user interface when the jackpot profile heading is selected.

15. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 14 further comprising an update jackpot profile prompt of the jackpot profile heading displayed on the user interface when any one of at least one unique jackpot profile of the jackpot list is selected, the jackpot profile prompt having a plurality of fields for entry of data related to monetary parameters of the gaming rules.

16. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 14 further comprising a delete icon of the administrator tool that when selected deletes a unique jackpot profile of the at least one unique jackpot profile pre-selected from the jackpot list.

17. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one gaming profile type has a game profile heading having settable parameters of the gaming rules including game type, stakes and betting requirements.

18. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 1 further comprising the at least one gaming profile type having a game profile heading displayed on the user interface for at least creating a unique new game profile, editing a unique existing game profile, and deleting a unique existing game profile of the at least one game.

19. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

the at least one gaming type having a game profile heading displayed on the user interface; and

a create game profile prompt of the game profile heading displayed selectively on the user interface and having a plurality of fields for entering new game data of the gaming rules.

20. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 19 wherein the plurality of fields of the create game profile prompt has a description field and a game field.

21. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 19 further comprising an update game profile prompt of the game profile heading displayed selectively on the user interface and having a plurality of fields for entry of data to edit the gaming rules.

22. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 21 further comprising a clone icon of the administrator tool displayed on the user interface and for selectively cloning a unique game profile of at least one game profile of the game profile heading.

23. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 21 further comprising a delete icon of the administrator tool displayed on the user interface and for selectively deleting a unique game profile of at least one game profile of the game profile heading.

24. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 19 further comprising:

the game profile heading having a tournament profile sub-option displayed selectively on the user interface; and

a table tournament field of the plurality of fields of the create game profile prompt for designating tournament play.

25. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 24 further comprising a blind structure prompt of the tournament profile sub-option displayed selectively for tournament play and having a plurality of fields for entering tournament play data of the gaming rules.

26. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 24 further comprising a payout structure prompt of the tournament profile sub-option displayed selectively for tournament play and having a plurality of fields for entering tournament play data of the gaming rules.

27. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 24 further comprising a rake structure prompt of the tournament profile sub-option displayed selectively for tournament play and having a plurality of fields for entering tournament play data of the gaming rules.

28. The electronic gaming system set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

a timing profile of the at least one gaming type associated with events in each respective one of the plurality of games that are timed;

a jackpot profile of the at least one gaming type associated with monetary parameters regarding a jackpot of each respective one of the plurality of games; and

a game profile of the at least one gaming type associated with the creation and storing of a new game of the plurality of games.

10. The electronic gaming system set forth in 8 further comprising a delete icon of the administrator tool displayed on the user interface for deleting a selected one of the plurality of sub-options of the timing profile heading.

29. A method of operating an administrator tool for controlling a plurality of games comprising the steps of:

activating a computer of a gaming system;

displaying the administrator tool on a user interface of the computer;

selecting one of a plurality of gaming profile headings displayed in an options field of the administrator tool;

selecting a unique profile of one of the plurality of profile headings from a plurality of lists selectively displayed in an information field of the administrator tool for editing or deleting.

30. The method of operating the administrator tool set forth in claim 29 comprising the further step of selecting a delete icon displayed in a tool bar field of the administrator tool for deleting the selected unique profile.

31. The method of operating the administrator tool set forth in claim 29 comprising the further steps of:

creating a new timing profile of the plurality of profile headings by selecting a refresh icon displayed in a tool bar field of the administrator tool before selecting the unique profile, wherein the unique profile selected is an event from an events list of the plurality of lists;

filling in data fields including a new file name in a time prompt automatically displayed as a result of selecting the unique event; and

selecting a refresh icon displayed in a tool bar field of the administrator tool.

32. The method of operating the administrator tool set forth in claim 29 comprising the further steps of:

creating a new unique profile by selecting one of a jackpot profile heading and a game profile heading of the plurality of profile headings without selecting any one of the unique profiles in the plurality of lists;

displaying a respective prompt of the selected one of the jackpot profile heading and the game profile heading by the administrator tool; and

filling in data fields of the respective prompt.

33. The method of operating the administrator tool set forth in claim 29 comprising the further steps of:

editing the selected unique profile by selecting a refresh icon displayed in a tool bar field of the administrator tool before selecting the unique profile, wherein the unique profile selected is a timing event from a timing events list of the plurality of lists;

filling in data fields, without including a new file name, in a time prompt automatically displayed as a result of selecting the unique event; and

selecting a refresh icon displayed in a tool bar field of the administrator tool.

34. The method of operating the administrator tool set forth in claim 29 comprising the further steps of:

editing the selected unique profile wherein the selected unique profile is a jackpot profile selected from a jackpot list of the plurality of lists; and

filling in data fields of a jackpot prompt displayed by the administrator tool as a result of selecting the unique profile.

35. The method of operating the administrator tool set forth in claim 29 comprising the further steps of:

editing the selected unique profile wherein the selected unique profile is a game profile selected from a jackpot list of the plurality of lists;

displaying game parameters of the game profile in the information field;

selecting an update icon in an options field of the user interface; and

filling in data fields of a game prompt displayed by the administrator tool as a result of selecting the update icon.