System and methods for randomizing playing instruments for use in online gaming

• US 7,300,056 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MGT Interactive LLC (MGT Capital Investments Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gioia Systems, LLC (MGT Capital Investments Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fogarty, Brendan Michael, Gioia, Andrew Nicholas, Gioia, Gene George
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shah; Milap
• Application Number:
  US11/467,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20070004491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 273/149.R, 273/148.R, 273/309, 463/1, 463/10, 463/13, 463/25, 463/42, 463/47
• US Class Current: 273/149.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2419 Optical
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/242 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention provide systems and methods relating to online gaming utilizing virtual playing instruments generated from physical playing instruments. According to one aspect of the invention, physical playing instruments are utilized in a gaming environment that may be scrambled, shuffled, and/or played remotely over a network. In one embodiment, the physical playing instruments are traditional poker-style gaming playing cards. The playing instruments include at least one identifier that may be read upon being dealt, such as identified and stored on a computer-readable medium before a game. In one such embodiment, computer-executable instructions may utilize the information on the computer-readable medium in conjunction with one or more games. Further aspects relate to validating the playing instruments and/or systems before, during, and/or after conducting one or more games with the playing instruments.

Claims

1. An automated method comprising:

(a) physically randomizing a plurality of physical playing instruments without the utilization of a random number generator, each playing instrument having at least one identifier, wherein the randomization process includes a scrambling process comprising;

(i) introducing a plurality of playing cards in an inclined chamber having a base comprising an elevated portion and a lowered portion, wherein the plurality of playing instruments are introduced with the first side facing down with respect to the base and the second side facing upwards;

(ii) introducing a vacuum force upon at least a portion of the lowered portion of the chamber wherein the first side of at least one playing instrument is pulled against the chamber base; and

(iii) rotating the chamber, wherein the first side of the plurality of playing instruments remains substantially downward, and the at least one playing instrument pulled against the chamber base rotates at substantially the same velocity as the chamber until rotating to a location within the elevated portion of the chamber that is not substantially proximate to the vacuum force, wherein the first side of the at least one playing instrument ceases to be pulled against the chamber base.

(b) electronically determining the identity of at least two physical playing instruments in a sequential order before initiation of a game; and

(c) electronically storing the identity of the at least two playing instruments of (b) on one or more computer-readable mediums to create a virtual deck of virtual playing instruments derived from the physical plurality of playing instruments for use in one or more electronic games, wherein the identity of the at least two playing instruments is stored in correlation to the sequence the identities were determined in (b).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) further includes an automated shuffling process.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

(d) electronically determining the identity of the at least two playing instruments before (a); and

(e) comparing the identity of the playing instruments determined in (d) with the determination of (b) to ensure validity of the playing instruments.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) creating at least a second virtual deck of playing instruments from the virtual deck of playing instruments created in (c) by rearranging the ordering of the sequence of the virtual playing instruments within the virtual deck.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

(e) validating the second virtual deck of playing instruments against the first virtual deck of playing instruments.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

(f) initiating a game according to pre-defined rules that include the distribution of the at least two playing instruments in a sequential order.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

(g) comparing the sequential order the at least two playing instruments of the virtual deck were distributed in the game of (f) against the sequential order the playing instruments were stored in (c).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of playing instruments have a first side and a second side and further are characterized by a first dimension of substantially about 2.25 inches to about 2.5 inches and a second dimension of about 3.5 inches.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the scrambling process further comprises:

(iv) introducing a pressurized force upon at least a portion of the elevated portion of the chamber wherein the first side of at least one playing instrument passing over the pressurized force is pushed away from the base of the chamber in sufficient force to allow the at least one playing instrument to fall towards the lower portion of the chamber and permit the least one playing instrument to become more distant from at least one proximate second playing instrument.

10. An automated system comprising:

an automated apparatus configured for physically randomizing a plurality of physical playing instruments in absence of a random number generator, each playing instrument having at least one identifier, wherein the apparatus comprises

a chamber positioned at an incline such that the chamber has a lower portion and an elevated portion, the chamber having a base and further being configured to receive the plurality of playing instruments with a first side facing down with respect to the chamber and a second side facing upwards;

the chamber further comprising;

a vacuum configured to exert a vacuum force upon at least a portion of the lowered portion of the chamber wherein the first side of at least one playing instrument is pulled against the chamber base; and

a motor configured to rotate the chamber, wherein the first side of the plurality of playing instruments remains substantially downward, and the at least one playing instrument pulled against the chamber base rotates at substantially the same velocity as the chamber until rotating to a location within the elevated portion of the chamber that is not substantially proximate to the vacuum force, wherein the first side of the at least one playing instrument ceases to be pulled against the chamber base.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

an automated playing instrument reader for electronically determining the identity of at least two playing instruments in a sequential order at least one time before the initiation of a game; and

one or more computer-readable mediums in operative communication with said playing instrument reader for storing the identity of the at least two playing instruments to create a virtual deck of virtual playing instruments derived from the physical plurality of playing instruments for use in one or more electronic games, wherein the identity of the at least two playing instruments is stored in correlation to the sequence the identities were determined by the playing instrument reader.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the automated playing instrument reader is configured to read the at least two playing instruments before and after the at least two playing instruments are physically rearranged to increase the validity of the system.

13. The system of claim 11, further including a processor configured to compare the sequential order the at least two playing instruments of the virtual deck were distributed in a game against the sequential order of the virtual playing instruments were determined before the game to validate the usage of the virtual deck during the game.

14. The system of claim 10, further including a processor configured to derive at least a second virtual deck of playing instruments from the virtual deck of playing instruments stored on the one or more computer-readable mediums by rearranging the ordering of the sequence of the virtual playing instruments within the virtual deck.

15. The system of claim 14, further being configured to validate the second virtual deck of playing instruments against the first virtual deck of playing instruments before usage in one or more games.

16. A method comprising:

(a) retrieving from a computer-readable medium, electronic information comprising a collection of virtual playing instruments sequentially arranged, wherein the sequential arrangement of the playing instruments has been determined by a method comprising;

(i) physically randomizing a plurality of physical playing instruments without the use of a random number generator until a user input is received from a remote user through a network, wherein each playing instrument comprises at least one identifier;

(ii) electronically determining the identity of at least two playing instruments in a sequential order before initiation of a game; and

(iii) electronically storing the identity of the at least two playing instruments of (ii) on one or more computer-readable mediums to create a virtual deck of virtual playing instruments derived from the physical plurality of playing instruments for use in one or more electronic games, wherein the identity of the at least two playing instruments is stored in correlation to the sequence the identities were determined in (ii);

(b) requiring the receipt of an electronic signal through a network from at least one remote user comprising a user input selected from the group consisting of;

(i) a user input configured to cut the virtual deck of playing instruments, thereby determining the initiation point for distribution of the at least two virtual playing instruments; and

(ii) a user input configured to indicate the at least one remote user does not wish to cut the virtual deck, wherein the receipt of the electronic signal detects utilization of remote automated programs; and

(c) initiating a game according to pre-defined rules that include the distribution of at least two virtual playing instruments in sequential order to one or more players.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

(d) receiving notification the game initiated in (a) has concluded; and

(e) comparing the sequential order the at least two playing instruments of the virtual deck were distributed in the game of (a-ii) with the sequential order of the playing instruments were determined in (b).

18. The method of claim of 16, wherein the physical randomization of the playing instruments includes a process selected from the group consisting of:

shuffling, scrambling, and combinations thereof.