GAME RELATED SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND ARTICLES THAT COMBINE VIRTUAL AND PHYSICAL ELEMENTS

• US 20090115133A1
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Kelly, Bryan M., Eichmann, Kenneth J., Ferrara, Paul J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,734,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/274
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00072 played along an endless track, e.g. monopoly A63F3/00069 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0423 Word games, e.g. scrabble electric A63F3/0421; two-dimensional puzzles with rotating rings or discs A63F9/0811, A63F9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3286 Type of games

Abstract

Physical objects may be employed with a virtual game layout to enhance wager and non-wagered based gaming. Displays subsystems may provide a changeable or selectable virtual game layout with demarcations appropriate to a selected game. A sensor subsystem may detect physical aspects of game related pieces (e.g., playing cards, chips, markers, dice, spinners, tokens, tiles) as well as media (e.g., identity media, financial media). All gaming functions may occur through interaction with a playing surface, as well as functions such as order food, beverages and services. Automated tracking of players, dealers and games may be realized along with bonusing and promotions.

Claims

1. A hybrid wagering game apparatus, comprising:

a playing surface;

one or more physical elements associable with the playing surface; and

one or more virtual elements displayed on the playing surface, the virtual elements associable with the physical elements; and

a sensor communicably coupled to the processor, the sensor operable to detect one or more wagers such that a play of the game is initiated by the detection of the one or more wagers, the wagers comprising one or more of the physical or virtual elements.

2. The hybrid wagering game apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the physical elements comprise one or more of a card, a chip, and a playing piece.

3. The hybrid wagering game apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the virtual elements comprise one or more of a card icon, a chip icon, and a playing piece icon.

4. The hybrid wagering game apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the playing surface includes a game field with one or more demarcations associated with the game field, and the game field is physically or virtually associated with the playing surface.

5. The hybrid wagering game apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the game field comprises a representation of a blackjack table surface.

6. The hybrid game as in claim 4 wherein the game field comprises a representation of a roulette table surface, a wheel, and a ball spinnable about the wheel.

7. The hybrid game as in claim 4 wherein the game field comprises a representation of a roulette table surface and a wheel, and one of the one or more physical elements is ball.

8. The hybrid wagering game apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the game field comprises a representation of a MONOPOLY game.

9. The hybrid wagering game apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the game field comprises a representation of a SCRABBLE game.

10. The hybrid wagering game apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the game field comprises a representation of a poker table.

11. The hybrid wagering game apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the game field comprises a representation of one or more portions of slot machines;

the representation including a first game replaceable by a second game upon an event.

12. The hybrid game as in claim 11 wherein the first game comprises a main game;

and the second game comprises a bonus game.

13. A method of operating a hybrid wagering game apparatus, comprising:

displaying images related to one or more games to be played on at least a first game playing surface, the images including a virtual game layout including a number of demarcations of at least one area associated with the play of the games;

detecting at least one physical aspect of at least one game related piece when the game related piece is at least proximate the first game playing surface; and

initiating a game associated with the detected at least one game related piece.

14. A hybrid wagering game apparatus with backup wagering, comprising:

a playing surface;

one or more physical elements associable with the playing surface; and

one or more virtual elements displayed on the playing surface, the virtual elements useable with the physical elements;

one or more wagers, the one or more wagers initiate-able by a first player;

the wagers comprising one or more of the physical or virtual elements; and

one or more backup wagers, the one or more backup wagers initiate-able by a second player and associable with play of the first player.

15. The hybrid wagering game apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a touch panel operable to receive input from the second player and execute a wagering instruction in accordance with the input; and

wherein the hybrid wagering game is operable to identify a player card of the second player on the playing surface and access a player account using the player card, and the hybrid wagering game is operable to provide a player account display in the vicinity of the player card.

16. A virtual element for a hybrid wagering game, comprising:

an image displayed on the playing surface;

image data stored in a memory and displayable to the playing surface that carries one or more physical game related pieces, the image resembling a physical game related piece.

17. The virtual element of claims 16, wherein the image comprises one or more virtual credits displayed as virtual tokens, one or more virtual tokens being selectable by one or more player taps on or about the area of the virtual tokens.

18. The virtual element of claim 17, wherein the selected virtual credits are slidably movable along the playing surface to a betting location by motion of a player instrumentality.