GAMING MACHINE CONTROLLER AND METHOD OF USE

• US 20180085667A1
• Filed: 09/26/2017
• Published: 03/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prism Solutions, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Prism Solutions, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: TSUTSUI, Yuichiro
• Granted Patent: US 11,213,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• 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 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

An application enabling a player to utilize a portable computing device, such as a Smartphone, to function as a game controller for a gaming machine. The user would receive and return an associating link code to initiate a communication link between the gaming machine and the portable computing device by way of tapping, manually entering the code, or scanning an image of the code. The portable computing device enables manual user input or use of motion controllers for controlling skill based games in a casino environment. The application can receive a configuration from the gaming machine to replicate or mimic the controls and the gaming images, thus enabling the player to play the game at a short distance from the machine. The gaming machine can suspend play or terminate play when the portable computing device becomes distant or disconnected from the gaming machine.

Claims

1. A method using a gaming machine controller application, the method comprising steps of:

installing the gaming controller application onto a portable computing device;

activating the gaming controller application;

establishing a short range, wireless communication link between a gaming machine and the portable computing device; and

utilizing the gaming controller application to provide instructions to the gaming machine to play a game thereon.

2. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 1, wherein the short range, wireless communication link established between the gaming machine and the portable computing device employs at least one of a Wi-Fi protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, cellular protocol, Internet access, and a Near Field Communication (NFC protocol).

3. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of utilizing the gaming controller application to provide instructions to the gaming machine includes a representation of at least a portion of input functions available on the gaming machine.

4. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one of the following steps:

(a) displaying an output of the gaming machine on the portable computing device, and

(b) replicating a gaming display image of the gaming machine on the portable computing device.

5. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of establishing a short range, wireless communication link between the gaming machine and the portable computing device includes a step of tapping between the gaming machine and the portable computing device.

6. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 5, wherein the step of tapping between the gaming machine and the portable computing device is accomplished using at least one of a Wi-Fi protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, cellular protocol, Internet access, and a Near Field Communication (NFC protocol).

7. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of establishing a short range, wireless communication link between the gaming machine and the portable computing device includes steps of:

obtaining an associating link code associated with the respective gaming machine; and

conveying the associating link code from the portable computing device to the gaming machine.

8. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of establishing a short range, wireless communication link between the gaming machine and the portable computing device includes steps of:

generating an associating link code associated with the respective gaming machine;

displaying the generated associating link code associated with the respective gaming machine on a display on or proximate the gaming machine;

obtaining the generated associating link code associated with the respective gaming machine; and

conveying the associating link code from the portable computing device to the gaming machine.

9. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of establishing a short range, wireless communication link between the gaming machine and the portable computing device further includes steps of:

obtaining an associating link code associated with the respective gaming machine by scanning a machine readable representation of the associating link code; and

conveying the associating link code from the portable computing device to the gaming machine.

10. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of establishing a short range, wireless communication link between the gaming machine and the portable computing device further includes steps of:

obtaining an associating link code associated with the respective gaming machine by scanning a machine readable representation of the associating link code, wherein the machine readable representation of the associating link code includes an embedded link to at least one of a website and an application; and

conveying the associating link code from the portable computing device to the gaming machine.

11. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of:

modifying a configuration of a game played on the gaming machine upon establishment of the short range, wireless communication link between a gaming machine and the Smartphone.

12. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 1, further comprising steps of:

providing a profile to the gaming machine; and

modifying a configuration of a game played on the gaming machine upon establishment of the short range, wireless communication link between a gaming machine and the Smartphone, wherein the modifications are based upon the provided profile.

13. A method using a gaming machine controller application, the method comprising steps of:

installing the gaming controller application onto a Smartphone;

activating the gaming controller application;

establishing a short range, wireless communication link between a gaming machine and the Smartphone; and

utilizing the gaming controller application to provide instructions to the gaming machine to play a game thereon.

14. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 13, wherein the short range, wireless communication link established between the gaming machine and the Smartphone employs at least one of a Wi-Fi protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, cellular protocol, Internet access, and a Near Field Communication (NFC protocol).

15. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 13, wherein the step of utilizing the gaming controller application to provide instructions to the gaming machine includes a representation of at least a portion of input functions available on the gaming machine.

16. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 13, further comprising at least one of the following steps:

(a) displaying an output of the gaming machine on the Smartphone, and

(b) replicating a gaming display image of the gaming machine on the Smartphone.

17. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 13, wherein the step of establishing a short range, wireless communication link between the gaming machine and the Smartphone includes a step of tapping between the gaming machine and the Smartphone.

18. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 17, wherein the step of tapping between the gaming machine and the Smartphone is accomplished using at least one of a Wi-Fi protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, cellular protocol, Internet access, and a Near Field Communication (NFC protocol).

19. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 13, wherein the step of establishing a short range, wireless communication link between the gaming machine and the Smartphone includes steps of:

obtaining an associating link code associated with the respective gaming machine; and

conveying the associating link code from the Smartphone to the gaming machine.

20. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 13, wherein the step of establishing a short range, wireless communication link between the gaming machine and the Smartphone includes steps of:

generating an associating link code associated with the respective gaming machine;

displaying the generated associating link code associated with the respective gaming machine on a display on or proximate the gaming machine;

obtaining the generated associating link code associated with the respective gaming machine; and

conveying the associating link code from the Smartphone to the gaming machine.

21. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 13, wherein the step of establishing a short range, wireless communication link between the gaming machine and the Smartphone further includes steps of:

obtaining an associating link code associated with the respective gaming machine by scanning a machine readable representation of the associating link code; and

conveying the associating link code from the Smartphone to the gaming machine.

22. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 13, wherein the step of establishing a short range, wireless communication link between the gaming machine and the Smartphone further includes steps of:

obtaining an associating link code associated with the respective gaming machine by scanning a machine readable representation of the associating link code, wherein the machine readable representation of the associating link code includes an embedded link to at least one of a website and an application; and

conveying the associating link code from the Smartphone to the gaming machine.

23. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 13, further comprising a step of:

modifying a configuration of a game played on the gaming machine upon establishment of the short range, wireless communication link between a gaming machine and the Smartphone.

24. The method using a gaming machine controller application as recited in claim 13, further comprising steps of:

providing a profile to the gaming machine; and

modifying a configuration of a game played on the gaming machine upon establishment of the short range, wireless communication link between a gaming machine and the Smartphone, wherein the modifications are based upon the provided profile.