SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING WIRELESS GAMING AS A SERVICE APPLICATION

• US 20150080111A1
• Filed: 04/07/2014
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: Amaitis, Lee M., Asher, Joseph M., Bahrampour, Robert F., Mylet, Darrin M., Wilkins, Alan B., Lutnick, Howard W.
• Granted Patent: US 11,636,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/086 played via telephone, e.g. using a modem
• 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 17/3225 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

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:

determining, by a computing device of a cellular telephonic communication network, that each of a plurality of cellular telephones is approved to use the cellular telephonic communication network;

determining, by the computing device, that a first subset of the plurality of cellular telephones is not approved for gaming services using the cellular telephonic communication network based on a first bundle of services to which the first subset of the plurality of cellular telephones is subscribed;

determining, by the computing device, that a second subset of the plurality of cellular telephones is approved for a first level of gaming services using the cellular telephonic communication network based on a second bundle of services to which the second subset of the plurality of cellular telephones is subscribed;

determining, by the computing device, that a third subset of the plurality of cellular telephones is approved for a second level of gaming services using the cellular telephonic communication network based on a third bundle of services to which the third subset of the plurality of cellular telephones are subscribed, in which the second level of gaming services includes an ability to place a wager;

allowing a respective level of gaming services using the cellular telephonic communication network for each of the plurality of cellular telephones based on the determined level of gaming services for which the respective cellular telephone is approved; and

billing each respective subscriber of the second and third subset of the plurality of cellular telephones for usage of the cellular telephonic communication network and usage of the gaming services based on respective billing rates associated with the respective bundles of services.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellular telephonic communication network includes a proprietary cellular network over which the cellular telephones may place calls.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming services comprise an add-on service that is provided as a corollary to cellular telephone service.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that a first device of the second subset is approved for the first level of gaming services includes determining that the first device is approved for a bundle of services including the gaming services and one or more telecommunication service enhancements.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of the one or more telecommunication service enhancements comprise a service selected from the group consisting of text messaging, customizable ring tones, photo sharing services, video sharing services, and customizable downloads.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein billing includes generating a respective bill associated with a respective cellular telephone, in which each respective bill including an accounting of respective gaming service usage and respective cellular telephonic communication network usage for a respective cellular telephone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein billing includes generating a respective bill associated with a respective cellular telephone, in which each respective bill includes an accounting of the respective gaming service provided to a respective cellular telephone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming services comprise a news service.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming services comprise a gambling service that allows a user associated with a respective device to place bets.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming services comprise a virtual casino.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second level of gaming services includes identification of user-selected activities to be included in the virtual casino.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the cellular telephonic communication network is selected from the group consisting of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), WiFi (802.11x), WiMax (802.16x), Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), Blue Tooth, and cable modem.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising:

generating a respective database entry of subscriber information for each of the plurality of cellular telephones, in which each database entry identifies the respective level of gaming services, in which each database entry is based on a respective bundle of services subscribed to, and in which determining the level of gaming services for which each cellular telephone is approved includes querying the respective database entries.

14. The method of claim 1, in which each respective bundle of services associated with the second subset and third subset includes a set of telecommunication services and a set of gaming services.

15. The method of claim 1, in which the billing includes billing for each game transaction.

16. The method of claim 15, in which the billing includes billing based on a monthly fee associated with a respective bundle of services.

17. The method of claim 1, in which one first cellular telephone of the first subset of cellular telephones and at least one second cellular telephone of at least one of the second and third subsets of cellular telephones are part a same billing plan.

18. The method of claim 17, in which the billing plan includes a family plan for use of the cellular telephonic communication network.

19. The method of claim 18, in which the first cellular telephone is associated with a child and the second cellular telephone is associated with an adult.

20. The method of claim 1, in which billing a first cellular telephone of the second subset of cellular telephones includes:

determining that an amount of usage of gaming services exceeds an authorized amount of usage of the gaming services; and

charging a fee for an amount of usage that exceeds the authorized amount of usage, and in which the second level of gaming services includes an unlimited amount of usage.

21-29. -29. (canceled)