Wireless gaming environment

• US 6,971,956 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2001
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Rowe, Richard E., Oberberger, Michael M.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US10/044,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20020098888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 463 39- 42, 463/25, 463/29, 463 16- 20, 463/1, 463/43, 700 91- 93
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• 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 2300/403 Connection between platform and handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

A disclosed hand-held device provides a game service system having a wire-less communication interface, a display screen and a microprocessor which generates a number of game service interfaces on the display screen. The hand-held device may input ticket voucher information and communicate with a remote transaction server such that a ticket voucher may be validated. Additionally, the hand-held device may be used to provide a variety of gaming services using different game service interfaces provided on the device. These hand-held devices may be checked out by a game service representative in a secure manner such that the game service representative may roam a game playing area and provide various game services to game players in the game playing area using the hand-held device. These game services may include ticket validation, a prize validation, food services, accommodation services or a gaming operations services.

Claims

1. A portable hand-held device for providing a game service in a game playing area comprising;

a wire-less communication interface;

a display screen for displaying one or more game service interfaces wherein the game service interfaces are for providing a game service;

an input mechanism for inputting game service transaction information including voucher information from a voucher storing an indicia of credit amount;

a microprocessor designed or configured to i) receive a request for validating the voucher wherein the validation of the voucher is for allowing the indicia of credit amount stored on the voucher to be exchanged for cash when a game player presents the voucher to a non-game player utilizing the portable hand-held device in a game playing area and wherein the validation of the voucher is one of one or more types of game service transactions provided on the portable hand-held device;

ii) send a game service transaction validation request for validation of the voucher from the portable hand-held device to a transaction server via wireless the communication interface wherein the game service transaction validation request comprises one or more data packets;

iii) to receiving a game service transaction validation reply from the transaction server in the portable hand-held device via wireless communications wherein the game service transaction validation reply approves or rejects the validation of the voucher and iv) to generate the one or more game service interfaces on the display screen including a first game service interface for validating the voucher.

2. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory storing the game service transaction information from one or more types of game service transactions.

3. The portable hand-held device of claim 2, wherein the memory is removable from the hand-held device.

4. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the display screen is a touch screen.

5. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the wire-less communication interface is a spread spectrum or an infra-red communication interface.

6. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the input mechanism is a card reader, a bar-code reader, a gaming machine, a transaction server, a storage device, a key board, a touch screen, a microphone or a personal digital assistant.

7. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further designed or configured to send game service transaction information to an output mechanism output mechanism.

8. The portable hand-held device of claim 7, wherein the output mechanism is a card reader, a printer, a transaction server, a gaming machine, a personal digital assistant or a storage device.

9. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the game service is a ticket validation, a prize service, a food service, an accommodation service, or a gaming operations service.

10. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the game service interface is a registration interface, a transaction reconciliation interface, a prize validation interface, a voucher validation interface, a food service interface, an accommodation service interface, a gaming operation interface, a login interface, voice interface, or an input/output interface.

11. The hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the game service transaction is a voucher validation request, a voucher validation reply, operator information, a prize validation request, a prize validation reply, a food service request, a food service reply, an accommodation request, an accommodation reply, a maintenance request, a maintenance reply, a print request, a print reply, or a transaction confirmation.

12. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the game service transaction information is player tracking information, a bar code for an award, a bar code for a prize, a bar code for a food service, and a bar code for a accommodation service or a a bar code from the voucher.

13. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the game playing area is a casino, a restaurant, a hotel, a bar, or a store.

14. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the one or more data packets comprise information stored on the voucher and wherein the information is for use by the transaction server to approve or reject the validation of the voucher.

15. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the one or more data packets comprise at least one of player tracking information, player identification information or combinations thereof.

16. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the voucher is selected from the group consisting of a printed ticket, a smart card, and a magnetic striped card.

17. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the voucher is a printed ticket and information used to validate the printed ticket is stored on the printed ticket in a bar-code format.

18. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further designed or configured to send transaction confirmation to the transaction server to indicate the game service transaction has been completed or to send a transaction cancellation to the transaction server to indicate the game service transaction has been cancelled.

19. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further designed or configured a) to generate a menu of game service interfaces in the portable hand-held device;

b) to receive a selection of the game service interface from the menu of game service interfaces; and

c) to generate the selected game service interface on the display screen.

20. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further designed or configured to generate a login interface on a display on the portable hand-held device;

to receive login information; and

to authorize access to the portable hand-held device using the login information.

21. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further designed or configured to compare records of gaming transactions including approved voucher validations stored on the hand-held device to records of approved gaming transactions stored on the transaction server.

22. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the voucher storing an indicia of credit amount is generated from a play of a game of chance.

23. The portable hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the game of chance is selected from the group consisting of video slot games, mechanical slot games, video black jack games, video pai gow poker games, video poker games, table games and video keno games.