Wireless communal gaming system
First Claim
1. A gaming system, comprising:
- an interactive communal computer-based wagering game platform, the platform comprising an interactive communal platform game server communicating game information by way of a hardwired connection with multiple physical stationary player stations for playing the communal game and receiving a wager command from and providing a communal game outcome to a wireless gaming device by way of a secure wireless network.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for wireless communal gaming in a casino environment. The system includes one or more wireless gaming devices each equipped with a display, one or more gaming servers configured to communicate wirelessly with the wireless gaming devices, and one or more financial servers configured to record financial transactions for players playing communal games of chance on the handheld gaming devices. The wireless approach to communal gaming allows greater player mobility within the casino establishment and also allows a large number of players (players playing wirelessly as well as players playing traditionally at a physical player station) to participate in a common game, thereby increasing the capacity of existing communal game tables. When the wireless game-playing option is available, a player can participate in the communal game regardless of whether there is a physical player station available. Thus, flexible game-playing options can be provided to casino patrons participating in a communal game.
487 Citations
57 Claims
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1. A gaming system, comprising:
an interactive communal computer-based wagering game platform, the platform comprising an interactive communal platform game server communicating game information by way of a hardwired connection with multiple physical stationary player stations for playing the communal game and receiving a wager command from and providing a communal game outcome to a wireless gaming device by way of a secure wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A gaming system, comprising:
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an interactive communal computer-based wagering game platform having an interactive communal platform game server executing a communal game, and a plurality of stationary player stations communicating with the game server by way of a hardwired connection to enable a player at each player station to play said communal game executed by said game server; and a device server in communication with the game server and a plurality of wireless gaming devices, the wireless gaming devices communicating with the device server over a secure wireless network to enable a mobile player operating each corresponding wireless gaming device to play said communal game executed by said game server. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of playing an interactive communal game executed by an interactive communal platform game server in communication with a plurality of stationary player stations by way of a hardwired connection, wherein the communal game is one in which all players wager on a common outcome and in which player decisions are limited to selecting and placing a wager in a predetermined time period that is fixed for all players playing the communal game, said method further comprising:
allowing a plurality of wireless gaming devices to wirelessly communicate with said game server so as to enable a player operating each corresponding wireless gaming device to play said communal game executed by said game server. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of playing an interactive communal game, wherein the communal game is one in which all players wager on a common outcome and in which player decisions are limited to selecting and placing a wager in a predetermined time period that is fixed for all players playing the communal game on a stationary player station, said method comprising:
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executing said communal game on an interactive communal platform game server connected by hardwire to each stationary player station; enabling a player at each of a plurality of stationary player stations to play said communal game executed by said game server; and allowing a plurality of wireless gaming devices to wirelessly communicate with said game server so as to enable a mobile player operating each corresponding wireless gaming device to play said communal game executed by said game server and also played by players at said stationary player stations. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 47)
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46. (canceled)
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48. A method of operating a first wireless gaming device, comprising:
- selecting one of a first game having game rules executed by a local wireless game server and a second game executed by a second interactive communal game server connected by hardwire to a plurality of stationary player stations.
- View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53)
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49. (canceled)
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54. A gaming system, comprising:
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a local wireless game server executing rules for a first game; an external interactive communal platform game server executing rules for a second game and communicating with the local wireless game server; and a wireless gaming device communicating wirelessly with the local wireless game server, the wireless gaming device having an input with which a user of the wireless gaming device may select to play the first game executed by the local wireless game server or the second game executed by the external interactive communal platform game server connected by hardwire to a plurality of stationary player stations and a display on which is displayed a result of the selected game. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57)
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55. (canceled)
Specification