GAMING TABLE SYSTEM PERMITTING PLAY OF A SHARED PLAYER HAND BY MULTIPLE PLAYERS

• US 20150024818A1
• Filed: 07/01/2014
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Novel Tech International Limited
• Inventors: Chun, Jay
• Granted Patent: US 9,566,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/11
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/00 Card games aspects of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions showing representations related to the game A63F13/00; card games played on a gaming machine G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/067 Tables or similar supporting structures
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/003 Blackjack; Twenty one
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/005 Poker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00164 Casino tables
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means
• 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 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

An electronic gaming table for hosting live table games involving wagers can include a physical surface, a dealer station, a plurality of player terminals, and a table controller. The physical surface permits the play of live table games with a live dealer and physical game components. The dealer station is situated proximate the physical surface and allows the presence of a live dealer who facilitates game play. Player terminals allow live players to play the games and include player terminal processors coupled to player interfaces having input and output devices. A table controller coupled to the player terminals controls various table functions and administers a live table game pitting a first hand against a second hand. Each of multiple live players can make different live game decisions independently based upon the same second hand, wherein resolution of the game varies by player depending upon the different live game decisions.

Claims

1. An electronic gaming table adapted to host live table games based on wagers with monetary awards based on results of the live table games, the electronic gaming table comprising:

a physical surface adapted for the play of live table games that include the use of a live dealer and one or more physical game components;

a dealer station situated proximate said physical surface and adapted to provide for the presence of the live dealer at the electronic gaming table, wherein the live dealer facilitates the play of said live table games;

a plurality of player terminals situated at or nearby the electronic gaming table, wherein each of said plurality of player terminals provides for the presence of a live player to play the live table games and includes a player terminal processor coupled to a player interface having one or more player input devices and one or more player output devices; and

a table controller coupled to said plurality of player terminals and adapted to control a plurality of electronic gaming table functions, wherein said table controller is further adapted to administer a live table game pitting a dealer hand against a shared player hand, wherein the shared player hand is shared by a plurality of live players who each play the shared player hand against the dealer hand, wherein each of the plurality of live players is permitted to make one or more different live game decisions independently regarding the shared player hand, and wherein a resolution of the live table game varies by player depending upon the different live game decisions of the live players playing the shared player hand against the dealer hand.

2. The electronic gaming table of claim 1, wherein at least one of the different live game decisions takes place after the initial creation of the dealer hand and the player hand.

3. The electronic gaming table of claim 1, wherein at least one of the different live game decisions occurs after initial wagers are placed and initial physical game components creating the dealer hand and the player hand have been distributed.

4. The electronic gaming table of claim 1, wherein at least one of the different live game decisions involves a strategic decision on the play of the shared player hand that is separate from placing wagers or wager amounts.

5. The electronic gaming table of claim 1, wherein the dealer hand and the shared player hand are the only two hands in the live table game.

6. The electronic gaming table of claim 1, wherein the live table game is blackjack.

7. The electronic gaming table of claim 6, wherein at least one of the different live game decisions involves a decision on whether to hit or stay with the shared player hand.

8. The electronic gaming table of claim 7, wherein a first player of the live table game independently decides to hit with the shared player hand while a second player of the live table game independently decides to stay with the shared player hand, and wherein one of the first and second players wins with the shared player hand against the dealer hand based on his or her independent decision to hit or stay while the other of the first and second players loses with the shared player hand against the dealer based on his or her independent decision to hit or stay.

9. The electronic gaming table of claim 6, wherein at least one of the different live game decisions involves a decision on whether to split or not split with the shared player hand.

10. The electronic gaming table of claim 1, wherein the live table game is pai gow.

11. The electronic gaming table of claim 1, wherein the table controller is further adapted to interact with one or more third party electronic devices as added virtual player terminals for additional live players to play the live table games.

12. The electronic gaming table of claim 11, wherein said one or more third party electronic devices include at least one mobile device owned by one of the plurality of live players.

13. An electronic gaming table system, comprising:

one or more electronic gaming tables adapted to host live table games based on wagers with monetary awards based on results of the live table games, wherein each of said one or more electronic gaming tables includes;

a physical surface adapted for the play of live table games that include the use of a live dealer and one or more physical game components,

a dealer station situated proximate said physical surface and adapted to provide for the presence of the live dealer at the electronic gaming table, wherein the live dealer facilitates the play of said live table games,

a plurality of player terminals situated at or nearby the electronic gaming table, wherein each of said plurality of player terminals provides for the presence of a live player to play the live table games and includes a player terminal processor coupled to a player interface having one or more player input devices and one or more player output devices,

a table controller coupled to said plurality of player terminals and adapted to control a plurality of electronic gaming table functions, wherein said table controller is further adapted to administer a live table game pitting a dealer hand against a shared player hand, wherein the shared player hand is shared by a plurality of live players who each play the shared player hand against the dealer hand, wherein each of the plurality of live players is permitted to make one or more different live game decisions independently regarding the shared player hand, and wherein a resolution of the live table game varies by player depending upon the different live game decisions of the live players playing the shared player hand against the dealer hand, and

at least one interface in communication with said table controller and one or more gaming system components remotely located from said electronic gaming table; and

a host server located remotely from and in communication with each of said one or more electronic gaming tables, said host server being adapted to facilitate the processing of transactions with respect to the live table games played at said one or more electronic gaming tables.

14. The electronic gaming table system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the different live game decisions takes place after the initial creation of the dealer hand and the player hand.

15. The electronic gaming table system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the live table games is a game of blackjack.

16. The electronic gaming table system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the different live game decisions of the game of blackjack involves a decision on whether to hit or stay with the shared player hand.

17. The electronic gaming table system of claim 16, wherein a first player of the game of blackjack independently decides to hit with the shared player hand while a second player of the game of blackjack independently decides to stay with the shared player hand, and wherein one of the first and second players wins with the shared player hand against the dealer hand based on his or her independent decision to hit or stay while the other of the first and second players loses with the shared player hand against the dealer based on his or her independent decision to hit or stay.

18. The electronic gaming table system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the live table games is pai gow.

19. The electronic gaming table system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the table controllers is further adapted to interact with one or more third party electronic devices as added virtual player terminals for additional live players to play the live table games.

20. A gaming table, comprising:

a physical surface adapted for the play of live table games that include the use of a live dealer and one or more physical game components;

a dealer station situated proximate said physical surface and adapted to provide for the presence of the live dealer at the gaming table, wherein the live dealer facilitates the play of said live table games;

a plurality of player stations situated at or nearby the gaming table, wherein each of said plurality of player stations provides for the presence of a live player to play the live table games; and

a controller adapted to control a plurality of gaming table functions, wherein said controller is adapted to administer a live table game pitting a dealer hand against a shared player hand, wherein the shared player hand is shared by a plurality of live players who each play the shared player hand against the dealer hand, wherein each of the plurality of live players is permitted to make one or more different live game decisions independently regarding the shared player hand, and wherein a resolution of the live table game varies by player depending upon the different live game decisions of the live players playing the shared player hand against the dealer hand.