SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONVENIENCE GAMING

• US 20120289320A1
• Filed: 07/30/2012
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interactive Games LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: Interactive Games LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: Amaitis, Lee M., Asher, Joseph M., Lutnick, Howard W., Mylet, Darrin M., Wilkins, Alan B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,726,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00

Abstract

A convenience gaming system is provided. The convenience 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 features to ensure that users are not permitted to participate in gambling activities if users communicate with the system through parts of system infrastructure located close enough to pick up or send signals across state lines or beyond authorized areas.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing, as part of a gaming system, a gaming application to a plurality of users, wherein the gaming application is configured to reside on devices owned by the users such that the devices are pre-programmed with the gaming application, and wherein the gaming application is configured to interface with a server application of the gaming system, and to enable users to engage in at least one gaming activity together with the server application;

responsive to a user launching the gaming application on the user'"'"'s device, determining by the at least one server whether the user'"'"'s device is located within a pre-defined location; and

allowing, by the at least one server, the user to engage in the at least one gaming activity from the user'"'"'s device based upon the determination that the user'"'"'s device is located in the pre-defined location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined location is an area in which gaming is permitted by law.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined location is a hotel room.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one server is configured to communicate with the user'"'"'s device via a private wireless network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one server is configured to communicate with the user'"'"'s device via a private wireless network and a public wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein allowing the user to engage in the gaming activity includes the user engaging in the wagering activity without the use of the Internet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s device comprises a mobile phone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s device is a PDA.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s device is a computer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming application is configured, together with the server application, to enable users to engage in a plurality of gaming activities.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of gaming activities include at least one wagering activity and at least one non-wagering activity.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming application is configured to present information corresponding to gaming activities to users.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one gaming activity is sports betting.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one gaming activity is horse betting.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one gaming activity is a gambling activity.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user'"'"'s device is located within a pre-defined location includes making the determination upon initial access by the user to the at least one server.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

at pre-defined time intervals after the initial access, determining whether the user'"'"'s device is still located within the pre-defined location; and

continuing to allow the user to engage in the at least one gaming activity from the user'"'"'s device based upon the determination that the user'"'"'s device is still located in the pre-defined location.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user'"'"'s device is located within the pre-defined location includes making the determination through the use of geo-fencing.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user'"'"'s device is located within the pre-defined location includes making the determination through the use of triangulation.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user'"'"'s device is located within the pre-defined location includes making the determination through the use of multilateration.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user'"'"'s device is located within the pre-defined location includes making the determination through an identification of which network, portion of a network, or network component the user'"'"'s device is accessing.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the identification indicates at least one of a base station, group of base stations, a line, a channel, a trunk, a switch, a router, and a repeater.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user'"'"'s device is located within the pre-defined location includes making the determination through the use of GPS.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein determining whether the user'"'"'s device is located within the pre-defined location includes:

receiving the location of the user'"'"'s device; and

based upon the location, determining whether the user'"'"'s device is located within the pre-defined location.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein receiving the location of the user'"'"'s device comprises receiving the location from the user'"'"'s device.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined location comprises at least two geographically separate locations.

27. The method of claim 1,

wherein the user has an account;

and

wherein the method further comprises debiting and/or crediting the account in response to at least one wager made by the user from the user'"'"'s device.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising receiving from the user from the user'"'"'s device an instruction to add funds to the account.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising receiving from the user from the user'"'"'s device an instruction to deduct funds from the account.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

receiving from the user from a kiosk an instruction to deduct funds from the account; and

providing the funds to the user via the kiosk.

31. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing to the user on the user'"'"'s device real time odds.

32. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing to the user on the user'"'"'s device sports video.

33. A method comprising:

providing, as part of a gaming system, a gaming application to a plurality of users, wherein the gaming application is configured to reside on devices owned by the users such that the devices are pre-programmed with the gaming application, and wherein the gaming application is configured to interface with a server application of the gaming system, and to enable users to engage in at least one gaming activity together with the server application;

responsive to a user launching the gaming application on the user'"'"'s device, providing by the at least one server to the user on the user'"'"'s device real time odds.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

determining whether the user'"'"'s device is located within a pre-defined location; and

allowing the user to engage in the at least one gaming activity from the user'"'"'s device based upon the determination that the user'"'"'s device is located in the pre-defined location.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the at least one gaming activity is a sports wagering activity.