APPARATUS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR HANDHELD GAMING, INCLUDING INTERACTIVE MAPS

• US 20100113161A1
• Filed: 12/04/2007
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tulley, Stephen C., Tedesco, Robert C., Walker, Jay S., Hayashida, Jeffrey Y.
• Application Number:
  US12/516,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20100113161A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players

Abstract

A method comprises receiving a request for a location of at least one player of at least one gaming device from a handheld device, determining the location of the at least one player based upon gaming information derived from the at least one gaming device of the at least one player, and transmitting location information comprising the determined location of the at least one player to the handheld device.

Claims

1. A device operable to facilitate wagering activity, comprising:

a processor;

a memory operable to communicate with the processor, the memory storing instructions for directing the processor to perform a method, the method comprising;

receiving a request for a location of at least one player of at least one gaming device from a handheld device;

determining the location of the at least one player based upon gaming information derived from the at least one gaming device of the at least one player; and

transmitting location information comprising the determined location of the at least one player to the handheld device.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the location information comprises at least one of a map and directions to the at least one player.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the request comprises at least one of a name of the at least one player and a player identification number of the at least one player.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein each of the at least one player are associated with each other as belonging to a predefined group.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one player has provided permission to be located.

3. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

8. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a request for a location of at least one player of at least one gaming device from a handheld device;

determining the location of the at least one player based upon gaming information derived from the at least one gaming device of the at least one player; and

transmitting location information comprising the determined location of the at least one player to the handheld device.

9. (canceled)

10. A device operable to facilitate wagering activity, comprising:

a processor;

a memory operable to communicate with the processor, the memory storing instructions for directing the processor to perform a method, the method comprising;

requesting a location of at least one player of at least one gaming device from a handheld device;

receiving at the handheld device location information comprising the location of the at least one player; and

displaying the location information on the handheld device.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein requesting comprises selecting the at least one player from a list.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein requesting comprises selecting the at least one player from a plurality of options via a user interface.

13. The device of claim 10 wherein displaying the location information comprises displaying a map.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the map comprises a map of at least a portion of a casino.

15. The device of claim 13 wherein the location of the at least one player is displayed as textual information overlaid on the map.

16. The device of claim 13 wherein the location of the at least one player is displayed as a graphical element.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the graphical element comprises at least one of an icon and an image of the at least one player.

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to perform a method comprising:

requesting a location of at least one player of at least one gaming device from a handheld device;

receiving at the handheld device location information comprising the location of the at least one player; and

displaying the location information on the handheld device.

21. (canceled)

22. A device operable to facilitate wagering activity, comprising:

a processor;

a memory operable to communicate with the processor, the memory storing instructions for directing the processor to perform a method, the method comprising;

receiving a request for a location of a gaming activity from a handheld device;

determining at least one location of the gaming activity based upon gaming information; and

transmitting location information comprising the at least one determined location of the gaming activity to the handheld device.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein the method further comprising comprises receiving a selection of a gaming activity associated with at least one determined location and transmitting information associated with the selected gaming activity.

24. The device of claim 23 wherein the information comprises at least one of a type of gaming activity, a location of the gaming activity, a status of the gaming activity and a distance of the gaming activity from the handheld device.

26. The device of claim 23 wherein the information comprises at least one of previous results of the gaming activity, a summary of the gaming history of the gaming activity, recent payouts of the gaming activity, and prior participants in the gaming activity.

27. The device of claim 22 wherein the method further comprises receiving a request to reserve participation in the gaming activity at the at least one determined location.

28. The device of claim 27 wherein the method further comprises transmitting a confirmation of a reservation made in response to receiving the request to reserve.

29. The device of claim 28 wherein the reservation is made in response to a receipt of consideration.

30. The device of claim 27 wherein the request comprises a period of time to hold a reservation.

25. (canceled)

31. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a request for a location of a gaming activity from a handheld device;

determining at least one location of the gaming activity based upon gaming information; and

transmitting location information comprising the at least one determined location of the gaming activity to the handheld device.

32. (canceled)

33. A device operable to facilitate wagering activity, comprising:

a processor;

a memory operable to communicate with the processor, the memory storing instructions for directing the processor to perform a method, the method comprising;

determining at least one of a product and a service based upon a gaming activity of a player;

determining at least one location of the at least one of a product and service; and

transmitting information comprising the determined at least one location of the at least one of a product and service to the player.

34. The device of claim 33 wherein the gaming activity comprises at least one of an amount won by the player and an amount lost by the player.

36. The device of claim 33 wherein the information is transmitted to a handheld device.

37. The device of claim 33 wherein the information is sorted based upon a distance from the player to the at least one product and service.

35. (canceled)

38. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to perform a method comprising:

determining at least one of a product and a service based upon a gaming activity of a player;

determining at least one location of the at least one of a product and service; and

transmitting information comprising the determined at least one location of the at least one of a product and service to the player.

39. (canceled)