SOCIAL GAMING

• US 20120122590A1
• Filed: 11/14/2011
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Nguyen Gaming LLC
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh
• Granted Patent: US 9,595,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• 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 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3253 involving articles, e.g. paying in bottles, paying out toys
• 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 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3281 wherein game attributes are transferred between players, e.g. points, weapons, avatars

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system, apparatus, and method for social gaming may include a gaming machine configured to play a game of chance and produce game information. A social gaming server can be configured to communicate with the gaming machine, may establish a remote gaming session between the gaming machine and a user device, and may distribute the portion of the game information to the user device.

Claims

1. A social gaming system, comprising:

at least one gaming machine configured to play a game of chance and produce game information; and

a social gaming server configured to;

communicate with the at least one gaming machine;

establish a remote gaming session between the gaming machine and at least one user device; and

distribute at least a portion of the game information to the at least one user device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one user device is another gaming machine.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one user device is a computing device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one user device is a portable electronic device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the social gaming server is configured to communicate with the at least one user device via a local casino network.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third party server configured to:

authenticate the at least one user device or a user; and

receive the at least a portion of the game information.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the said social gaming server is further configured to:

determine a location of the at least one user device; and

determine eligibility of the at least one user device to receive the game information distribution based on the location of the at least one user device.

8. A social gaming server, comprising:

a social game session manager configured to;

establish a social game session between a gaming machine and at least one user device;

acquire gaming information from the gaming machine;

determine portions of gaming information to be distributed to the at least one user device; and

initiate transfer of the portions of gaming information to the at least one user device.

9. The server of claim 8, wherein the initiate transfer sends the portions of the gaming information to a social networking server.

10. The server of claim 8, further comprising an authentication manager configured to authenticate the at least one user device or a user.

11. The server of claim 8, further comprising a social contacts manager configured to maintain one or more social contacts.

12. The server of claim 8, further comprising a social game manager configured to host a social game for use with the social game session.

13. The server of claim 8, further comprising a location determination manager configured to determine a location of the at least one user device.

14. The server of claim 13, further comprising an eligibility determination manger configured to the determine eligibility of the at least one user device to receive the gaming information distribution based on the location of the at least one user device.

15. The server of claim 8, further comprising a social awards manager configured to:

(a) determine whether a social award has been earned through playing a game of chance;

(b) generate the social award if the determining (a) determines that a social award has been earned;

(c) determine if the social award is to be transferred to a remote recipient; and

(d) transfer the social award to the remote recipient if the determining (c) determines that the social award is to be transferred to a remote recipient.

16. A method for distributing game information, comprising:

operating a game of chance on a gaming machine to produce game information;

identifying at least one remote user; and

distributing at least a portion of the game information from the game of chance to the at least one remote user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the distributing further comprises posting the at least a portion of the game information to a social networking server.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the distributing further comprises transmitting a stream of the at least a portion of the game information to the at least one remote user.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprises receiving an input from the at least one remote user device.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprises authorizing the at least one remote user.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprises:

generating a social award earned through playing the game of chance;

receiving a user input to process the social award; and

processing the social award.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprises:

determine a location of the at least one remote user; and

determine the eligibility of the at least one remote user to receive the game information distribution based on the location of the at least one remote user.

23. A method for managing social awards, comprising:

(a) operating a game of chance on a gaming machine;

(b) determining whether a social award has been earned through playing the game of chance;

(c) generating the social award if the determining (b) determines that a social award has been earned;

(d) determining if the social award is to be transferred to at least one remote recipient; and

(e) transferring the social award to the remote recipient if the determining (d) determines that the social award is to be transferred to a remote recipient.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the determining (d) comprises:

(d1) determining whether a user transfer request is received.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the determining (d) determines that the social award is to be transferred to the at least one remote recipient based in part on a user transfer request.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

(f) redeeming the social award for a player of the game of chance if the determining (d) determines that the social award is not to be transferred to the at least one remote recipient.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the determining (d) comprises:

(d1) receiving an at least one remote recipient transfer request for the social award; and

(d2) determining whether a user approval is received from a player of the game of chance for the at least one remote recipient transfer request.

28. The method of claim 23, where in the determining (d) further comprises:

determining a location of the at least one remote player; and

determining eligibility of the at least one remote player to receive the social award based on the location of the at least one remote player.