MULTI-TABLE GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD-INTERNET GAMING 2.0

• US 20130079147A1
• Filed: 04/26/2012
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uplay1
• Original Assignee: Uplay1
• Inventors: Merati, Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 9,092,935 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2488 Remotely playable
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

A method and apparatus of providing gaming services to one or more game players by a gaming server, in one embodiment comprising assigning game players to two or more virtual gaming tables, authorizing a first game player to participate in a game played on each of the two or more gaming tables, providing one or more game values to the first player, and excluding the one or more game values provided to the first player from consideration of being provided to any of the other game players that have been assigned to the two or more virtual gaming tables.

Claims

1. A method of providing multi-table gaming services to one or more game players by a gaming server, comprising:

assigning game players to two or more virtual gaming tables;

authorizing a first game player to participate in a game played on each of the two or more gaming tables;

providing one or more game values to the first player; and

excluding the one or more game values provided to the first player from consideration of being provided to any of the other game players that have been assigned to the two or more virtual gaming tables.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a winner among the game players and the first player at a first one of the two or more virtual gaming tables using game values provided to each of the game players at the first virtual table and the one or more game values provided to the first player; and

determining a winner among the game players and the first player at a second one the two or more virtual gaming tables using game values provided to each of the game players at the second virtual table and the one or more game values provided to the first player.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more game values provided to the first player comprise one or more mechanically-generated game values, and the method further comprises:

receiving an electronic representation of the one or more mechanically-generated game values.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein excluding the one or more game values comprises:

receiving an indication of a value of each of the one or more physical game values provided to the first player; and

excluding the one or more of the values from a first set of possible game values associated with the first virtual gaming table.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein excluding the one or more card values comprises:

excluding the one or more of the values from a second set of possible game values associated with the second virtual gaming table.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing one or more game values to the first player comprises providing one or more electronic game values to the first player from a gaming server.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving wagers from one or more of the game players in accordance with a modified version of wagering rules from standard wagering rules associated with the game, the modified version of wagering rules allowing fewer wagering opportunities throughout execution of the game.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a status summary of each game that is being played on the two or more virtual gaming tables to the first player as game play progresses through each round of game play.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:

provide a status summary of each game that is being played on the two or more virtual gaming tables to the first player as game play progresses through each round of game play.

9. An apparatus for providing multi-table gaming, comprising:

a communication interface for sending and receiving information related to a one or more games over a communication network, the information comprising one or more player game values;

a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; and

a processor for executing the processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to;

assign game players to two or more virtual gaming tables;

authorize a first game player to participate in a game played on each of the two or more gaming tables;

provide one or more game values to the first player; and

exclude the one or more game values provided to the first player from consideration of being provided to any of the other game players that have been assigned to the two or more virtual gaming tables.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine a winner among the game players and the first player at a first one of the two or more virtual gaming tables using game values provided to each of the game players at the first virtual table and the one or more game values provided to the first player; and

determine a winner among the game players and the first player at a second one the two or more virtual gaming tables using game values provided to each of the game players at the second virtual table and the one or more game values provided to the first player.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more game values provided to the first player comprise one or more mechanically-generated game values, and the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to receive electronic representations of the one or more mechanically-generated game values via the communication interface.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions for excluding the one or more game values comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive an indication of a value of each of the one or more physical game values provided to the first player; and

exclude the one or more of the values from a first set of possible game values associated with the first virtual gaming table.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions for excluding the one or more game values further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:

exclude the one or more of the values from a second set of possible game values associated with the second virtual gaming table.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions for providing one or more game values to the first player comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:

provide one or more electronic game values to the first player from a gaming server.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive wagers from one or more of the game players in accordance with a modified version of wagering rules from standard wagering rules associated with the game, the modified version of wagering rules allowing fewer wagering opportunities throughout execution of the game.