SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GAMING

• US 20110269520A1
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alan B. Wilkins, Darrin M. Mylet, Howard Lutnick, Joseph M. Asher, Lee M. Amaitis, Robert F. Bahrampour
• Original Assignee: Alan B. Wilkins, Darrin M. Mylet, Howard Lutnick, Joseph M. Asher, Lee M. Amaitis, Robert F. Bahrampour
• Inventors: Mylet, Darrin M., Wilkins, Alan B., Lutnick, Howard W., Asher, Joseph M., Amaitis, Lee M., Bahrampour, Robert F.
• Granted Patent: US 10,733,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/40 Data acquisition and logging for input to computer G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• 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 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A gaming system is provided. The gaming system allows users to access applications via gaming communication devices coupled to a communication network. At least a portion of the network may be wireless. The gaming applications include gambling, financial, entertainment service, and other types of transactions. The system may include a user location determination feature to prevent users from conducting transactions from unauthorized areas.

Claims

1. A method comprising

receiving by at least one processor from a first player via a gaming device a request to identify from a plurality of activities an activity in which a second player is participating;

in response to the request, identifying by the processor from the activities an activity in which the second player is participating;

based at least in part on the second player participating in the identified activity, displaying by the processor to the first player via the gaming device the identified activity as an activity in which the first player may participate; and

receiving by the processor from the first player via the gaming device a request to participate in the identified activity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified activity allows the first and second players to compete against a house.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identified activity comprises at least one of blackjack, pai gow, and caribbean stud.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified activity allows the first and second players to compete against one another.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the identified activity comprises at least one of poker, sporting event wagering, athletic competition wagering, a lottery contest, a prize contest, and keno.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified activity comprises viewing an event on a display of the gaming device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the event comprises at least one of a sporting event, a gaming event, a sporting tournament, or a gaming tournament.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified activity comprises a virtual computerized activity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified activity comprises an actual activity occurring at a physical location.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying to the first player via the gaming device a real-time representation of the actual activity occurring on the casino floor.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based at least in part on receiving the request to participate in the identified activity, identifying by the processor a third player as a potential participant in the identified activity, wherein the third player has a relationship to the first player; and

communicating by the processor an invite to the third player via a gaming device in use by the third player to request participation of the third player in the identified activity.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying the third player comprises identifying the third player based at least in part on a profile associated with the first player that indicates the relationship between the first player and the third player.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified activity comprises a number of player positions;

wherein the first and the second players occupy at least two of the player positions; and

wherein the method further comprises;

determining by the processor that at least one of the player positions is not occupied; and

based at least in part on determining that at least one of the player positions is not occupied, communicating by the processor an inquiry to at least one of the first player and the second player to determine whether the first or second player wishes to occupy an additional player position in the identified activity, thereby allowing the first or second player to play a plurality of player positions in the identified activity.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving by the processor from the first player a wager on a performance of the second player in the identified activity.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving by the processor from the first player via the gaming device a communication; and

transmitting by the processor the communication to the second player via a gaming device in use by the second player.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified activity comprises a card game in which at least a card dealt to the first player and a card dealt to the second player are dealt from a common deck of cards.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the common deck of cards comprises a virtual deck of cards.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the common deck of cards comprises a physical deck of cards.

19. The method of claim 1,

wherein the request to identify further comprises at least one parameter specified by the first player;

wherein the at least one parameter corresponds to at least one gaming characteristic in which the first player is interested; and

wherein the identified activity meets the at least one gaming characteristic.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one parameter comprises at least one of:

the first player'"'"'s desire to participate in a virtual computerized activity,

the first player'"'"'s desire to participate in an actual activity occurring at a physical location,

the first player'"'"'s desire to play from a single deck,

the first player'"'"'s desire to play from a multi-deck shoe,

a betting minimum,

a betting limit,

a maximum number of players with whom the first player would like to play with, and

a minimum number of players with whom the first player would like to play with,

21. The method of claim 1,

wherein the identified activity comprises a number of player positions;

and

wherein displaying to the player the identified activity as an activity in which the first player may participate further comprises displaying the identified activity based at least in part on the identified activity having an unoccupied position.

22. An apparatus comprising

at least one processor;

and

at least one memory device electronically coupled to the processor, wherein the memory device stores software that when executed by the processor, directs the processor to;

receive from a first player via a gaming device a request to identify from a plurality of activities an activity in which a second player is participating;

in response to the request, identify from the activities an activity in which the second player is participating;

based at least in part on the second player participating in the identified activity, display to the first player via the gaming device the identified activity as an activity in which the first player may participate; and

receive from the first player via the gaming device a request to participate in the identified activity.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the identified activity allows the first and second players to compete against a house.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the identified activity comprises at least one of blackjack, pai gow, and caribbean stud.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the identified activity allows the first and second players to compete against one another.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the identified activity comprises at least one of poker, sporting event wagering, athletic competition wagering, a lottery contest, a prize contest, and keno.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the identified activity comprises viewing an event on a display of the gaming device.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the event comprises at least one of a sporting event, a gaming event, a sporting tournament, or a gaming tournament.

29. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the identified activity comprises a virtual computerized activity.

30. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the identified activity comprises an actual activity occurring at a physical location.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the software, when executed, further directs the processor to display to the first player via the gaming device a real-time representation of the actual activity occurring on the casino floor.

32. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the software, when executed, further directs the processor to:

based at least in part on receiving the request to participate in the identified activity, identify a third player as a potential participant in the identified activity, wherein the third player has a relationship to the first player; and

communicate an invite to the third player via a gaming device in use by the third player to request participation of the third player in the identified activity.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein identifying the third player comprises identifying the third player based at least in part on a profile associated with the first player that indicates the relationship between the first player and the third player.

34. The apparatus of claim 22,

wherein the identified activity comprises a number of player positions;

wherein the first and the second players occupy at least two of the player positions; and

wherein the software, when executed, further directs the processor to;

determine that at least one of the player positions is not occupied; and

based at least in part on determining that at least one of the player positions is not occupied, communicate an inquiry to at least one of the first player and the second player to determine whether the first or second player wishes to occupy an additional player position in the identified activity, thereby allowing the first or second player to play a plurality of player positions in the identified activity.

35. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the software, when executed, further directs the processor to receive from the first player a wager on a performance of the second player in the identified activity.

36. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the software, when executed, further directs the processor to:

receive from the first player via the gaming device a communication; and

transmit the communication to the second player via a gaming device in use by the second player.

37. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the identified activity comprises a card game in which at least a card dealt to the first player and a card dealt to the second player are dealt from a common deck of cards.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the common deck of cards comprises a virtual deck of cards.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the common deck of cards comprises a physical deck of cards.

40. The apparatus of claim 22,

wherein the request to identify further comprises at least one parameter specified by the first player;

wherein the at least one parameter corresponds to at least one gaming characteristic in which the first player is interested; and

wherein the identified activity meets the at least one gaming characteristic.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the at least one parameter comprises at least one of:

the first player'"'"'s desire to participate in a virtual computerized activity,

the first player'"'"'s desire to participate in an actual activity occurring at a physical location,

the first player'"'"'s desire to play from a single deck of cards,

the first player'"'"'s desire to play from a multi-deck shoe of cards,

a betting minimum,

a betting limit,

a maximum number of players with whom the first player would like to play with, and

a minimum number of players with whom the first player would like to play with.

42. The apparatus of claim 22,

wherein the identified activity comprises a number of player positions;

and

wherein displaying to the player the identified activity as an activity in which the first player may participate further comprises displaying the identified activity based at least in part on the identified activity having an unoccupied position.