Method and apparatus for remote game device with failure fallback and restoration

• US 6,755,742 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2002
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fortunet Incorporated (Yuri Itkis Gaming Trust 1993)
• Original Assignee: Gametech International Incorporated
• Inventors: Hartman, Michael W., Keeton, Brett N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sager, Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/244,039
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 463/9-13, 463/16-20, 463/24-25, 463/29, 463/30, 463/36, 463/39-42, 463/43, 273/139, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/236-237, 273/269, 273/143.R, 273/292-293, 700/91-93, 379/93.13
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

Methods of administering a game in a wireless embodiment utilizing failure fallback and recovery between automatic and manual modes is disclosed. In one embodiment, a remote game device listens for a game state message and verifies the presence and signal strength of a game state message. If the signal strength is weak or there is no signal, the remote game device transitions to a manual mode to allow a user to manually update game state and continue play in an uninterrupted manner. Once signals of sufficient strength are received, the remote game device transitions from the manual mode to an automatic mode.

Claims

1. A method for operating a remote game device to play a game in a gaming hall, the method comprising:

listening for game state messages broadcast from at least one transmitter located in a gaming hall; and

transitioning from an automatic mode to a manual mode if a game state message having sufficient signal strength is not received from the transmitter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the game device performs game participation functions in automatic mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote game device includes a plurality of function keys that allow a user to manually update game date, and transitioning to manual mode includes activating the keys to accept user input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transitioning to manual mode includes notifying a user that the remote game device is transitioning to manual mode.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the remote game device includes a visual display and notifying a user comprises displaying a text message on the visual display.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the remote game device includes an aural display and notifying a user comprises generating an aural signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the game state data message comprises information describing a game state in a game played on the remote game device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the game state data message includes a plurality of values, the values used in game play.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the game state data message includes a race number.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the game state data message includes status information.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the game state data message includes a ball count.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the game state data message includes a prize amount.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the game state data message includes a prize name.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the game state data message describes numbers called in a numerical ordering.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the game state data message includes a chronological ordering of the numbers called.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the game state data message includes a game number.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the game state data message includes a game name.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the game state data message includes information describing win levels.

19. The method of claim 7, wherein the game state data message includes a header.

20. The method of claim 7, wherein the game state data message includes a session number.

21. The method of claim 7, wherein the game state data message includes a number of balls called during the game.

22. The method of claim 7, wherein the game state data message includes a game identifier.

23. The method of claim 7, wherein the game state data message includes a pattern identifier.

24. The method of claim 7, wherein the game state data message includes a current precall number.

25. The method of claim 7, wherein the game state data message includes a verification.

26. The method of claim 7, wherein the game state data message further includes date information.

27. The method of claim 7, wherein the game state data message includes time information.

28. The method of claim 7, wherein the game state data message includes number of games information.

29. The method of claim 7, wherein the game state data message includes a lotto game games data structure.

30. The method of claim 7, wherein the game state data message includes:

number selection information.

31. A method for operating a remote game device to play a game in a gaming hall, the method comprising:

listening for game state messages broadcast from at least one transmitter located in a gaming hall;

checking to see if a timeout occurred if a message having sufficient signal strength has not been received; and

transitioning from an automatic mode to a manual mode if a game state message having sufficient signal strength is not received from the transmitter and a timeout has occurred.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the game device performs game participation functions in automatic mode.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the remote game device includes a plurality of function keys that allow a user to manually update game date, and transitioning to manual mode includes activating the keys to accept user input.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein transitioning to manual mode includes notifying a user that the remote game device is transitioning to manual mode.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the remote game device includes a visual display and notifying a user comprises displaying a text message on the visual display.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the remote game device includes an aural display and notifying a user comprises generating an aural signal.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the game state data message comprises information describing a game state in a game played on the remote game device.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the game state data message includes a plurality of values, the values used in game play.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the game state data message includes a race number.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the game state data message includes status information.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the game state data message includes a ball count.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the game state data message includes a prize amount.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein the game state data message includes a prize name.

44. The method of claim 37, wherein the game state data message describes numbers called in a numerical ordering.

45. The method of claim 37, wherein the game state data message includes a chronological ordering of the numbers called.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the game state data message includes a game number.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the game state data message includes a game name.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein the game state data message includes information describing win levels.

49. The method of claim 37, wherein the game state data message includes a header.

50. The method of claim 37, wherein the game state data message includes a session number.

51. The method of claim 37, wherein the game state data message includes a number of balls called during the game.

52. The method of claim 37, wherein the game state data message includes a game identifier.

53. The method of claim 37, wherein the game state data message includes a pattern identifier.

54. The method of claim 37, wherein the game state data message includes a current precall number.

55. The method of claim 37, wherein the game state data message includes a verification.

56. The method of claim 37, wherein the game state data message further includes date information.

57. The method of claim 37, wherein the game state data message includes time information.

58. The method of claim 37, wherein the game state data message includes number of games information.

59. The method of claim 37, wherein the game state data message includes a lotto game games data structure.

60. The method of claim 37, wherein the game state data message includes:

number selection information.

61. A method for operating a remote game device to play a game in a gaming hall, the method comprising:

listening for game state messages broadcast from at least one transmitter located in a gaming hall;

checking to see if a message having sufficient signal strength has been received; and

transitioning from a manual mode to an automatic mode if a game state message having sufficient signal strength is received from the transmitter.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the game device performs game participation functions in automatic mode.

63. The method of claim 61, wherein the remote game device includes a plurality of function keys that allow a user to manually update game date, and transitioning to manual mode includes activating the keys to accept user input.

64. The method of claim 61, wherein transitioning to manual mode includes notifying a user that the remote game device is transitioning to manual mode.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the remote game unit includes a visual display and notifying a user comprises displaying a text message on the visual display.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein the remote game unit includes an aural display and notifying a user comprises generating an aural signal.

67. The method of claim 61, wherein the game state data message comprises information describing a game state in a game played on the remote game unit.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein the game state data message includes a plurality of values, the values used in game play.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the game state data message includes a race number.

70. The method of claim 68, wherein the game state data message includes status information.

71. The method of claim 68, wherein the game state data message includes a ball count.

72. The method of claim 68, wherein the game state data message includes a prize amount.

73. The method of claim 68, wherein the game state data message includes a prize name.

74. The method of claim 67, wherein the game state data message describes numbers called in a numerical ordering.

75. The method of claim 67, wherein the game state data message includes a chronological ordering of the numbers called.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein the game state data message includes a game number.

77. The method of claim 75, wherein the game state data message includes a game name.

78. The method of claim 75, wherein the game state data message includes information describing win levels.

79. The method of claim 67, wherein the game state data message includes a header.

80. The method of claim 67, wherein the game state data message includes a session number.

81. The method of claim 67, wherein the game state data message includes a number of balls called during the game.

82. The method of claim 67, wherein the game state data message includes a game identifier.

83. The method of claim 67, wherein the game state data message includes a pattern identifier.

84. The method of claim 67, wherein the game state data message includes a current precall number.

85. The method of claim 67, wherein the game state data message includes a verification.

86. The method of claim 67, wherein the game state data message further includes date information.

87. The method of claim 67, wherein the game state data message includes time information.

88. The method of claim 67, wherein the game state data message includes number of games information.

89. The method of claim 67, wherein the game state data message includes a lotto game games data structure.

90. The method of claim 67, wherein the game state data message includes:

number selection information.

91. A method for operating a remote game device to play a game in a gaming hall, the method comprising:

listening for game state messages broadcast from at least one transmitter located in a gaming hall;

if a message having sufficient signal strength has not been received;

checking to see if a timeout has occurred;

if a timeout has occurred, and the remote game device is in an automatic mode, transitioning the remote game device to a manual mode; and

if a message having sufficient signal strength has been received;

checking to see if the remote game device is in manual mode;

transitioning the remote game device from manual mode to automatic mode.

92. The method of claim 91, wherein the game device performs game participation functions in automatic mode.

93. The method of claim 91, wherein the remote game device includes a plurality of function keys that allow a user to manually update game date, and transitioning to manual mode includes activating the keys to accept user input.

94. The method of claim 91, wherein transitioning to manual mode includes notifying a user that the remote game device is transitioning to manual mode.

95. The method of claim 94, wherein the remote game unit includes a visual display and notifying a user comprises displaying a text message on the visual display.

96. The method of claim 94, wherein the remote game unit includes an aural display and notifying a user comprises generating an aural signal.

97. The method of claim 91, wherein the game state data message comprises information describing a game state in a game played on the remote game unit.

98. The method of claim 97, wherein the game state data message includes a plurality of values, the values used in game play.

99. The method of claim 98, wherein the game state data message includes a race number.

100. The method of claim 98, wherein the game state data message includes status information.

101. The method of claim 98, wherein the game state data message includes a ball count.

102. The method of claim 98, wherein the game state data message includes a prize amount.

103. The method of claim 98, wherein the game state data message includes a prize name.

104. The method of claim 97, wherein the game state data message describes numbers called in a numerical ordering.

105. The method of claim 97, wherein the game state data message includes a chronological ordering of the numbers called.

106. The method of claim 105, wherein the game state data message includes a game number.

107. The method of claim 105, wherein the game state data message includes a game name.

108. The method of claim 105, wherein the game state data message includes information describing win levels.

109. The method of claim 97, wherein the game state data message includes a header.

110. The method of claim 97, wherein the game state data message includes a session number.

111. The method of claim 97, wherein the game state data message includes a number of balls called during the game.

112. The method of claim 97, wherein the game state data message includes a game identifier.

113. The method of claim 97, wherein the game state data message includes a pattern identifier.

114. The method of claim 97, wherein the game state data message includes a current precall number.

115. The method of claim 97, wherein the game state data message includes a verification.

116. The method of claim 97, wherein the game state data message further includes date information.

117. The method of claim 97, wherein the game state data message includes time information.

118. The method of claim 97, wherein the game state data message includes number of games information.

119. The method of claim 97, wherein the game state data message includes a lotto game games data structure.

120. The method of claim 97, wherein the game state data message includes:

number selection information.