Method for implementing a live dealer game

• US 20080026807A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cork Group Trading Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Waterleaf Limited
• Inventors: Goodwin, Carl, Smith, Grant, Moshal, Martin Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,348,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

A method for implementing a Live Dealer game is disclosed. A live feed of game-play at a gaming table is sent to a remote player. During play, a server receives an indication of a rank and suit of a dealt card. If the card has not yet been revealed at the gaming table, the server will delay transmitting to the remote player data indicating the rank and suit of the dealt card. Upon receipt of a status signal indicating that the card has been revealed at the gaming table, the server will transmit the data indicating the rank and suit of the dealt card to the remote player, thereby substantially synchronizing transmitting the data indicating the rank and suit of the dealt card to the remote player with revealing the card at the gaming table.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing a live dealer game, wherein the live dealer game has a dealer at a gaming table in a live play area that deals cards, wherein the cards have a rank and suit, and at least one remote player participating through an electronic gaming device in communication with a server, comprising:

sending a live feed of game-play at the gaming table to the electronic gaming device of the remote player;

receiving at the server an indication of the rank and suit of a dealt card;

delaying transmission of data indicating the rank and suit of the dealt card to the electronic gaming device until the server receives a status signal indicating a status of the dealt card; and

upon receipt of the status signal by the server, transmitting the data indicating the rank and suit of the dealt card to the electronic gaming device of the remote player, wherein the transmission is substantially synchronized with revealing of the dealt card at the gaming table in the live play area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein delaying transmission comprises preventing the server from deriving the rank and suit of the dealt card until the server receives the status signal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the status signal to the server, wherein the status signal is generated by activation of a manual switch.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a predetermined portion of a face of the dealt card is visible;

generating the status signal indicating the status of the dealt card; and

transmitting the status signal to the server.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining that the predetermined portion of the face of the dealt card is visible comprises reviewing the live feed using real-time image processing to determine if the dealt card has been revealed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each card has a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, and the method further comprises:

an RFID reader at the gaming table reading the RFID tag on the dealt card at approximately the same time that the dealt card is revealed at the gaming table in the live play area;

generating the status signal indicating the status of the dealt card; and

transmitting the status signal to the server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each card has a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, and the method further comprises:

an RFID reader at the gaming table reading the RFID tag on the dealt card to determine the indication of the rank and suit of the dealt card; and

sending the indication of the rank and suit of the dealt card to the server.