Apparatus and method for gaming tournament network

• US 7,753,790 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T., Paulsen, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed; Masud
• Application Number:
  US11/143,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20050221882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: 463 12- 13, 463 16- 22, 463/25, 463 30- 31, 463 39- 43, 273/143.R, 273/461, 709/231, 382/100, 235/380, 235/379, 725/25, 725/22, 725/141, 345/2.1
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A gaming system may include a number of gaming units and a host computer operatively coupled to the gaming units, and be configured to allow a gaming tournament to be conducted. Each of the gaming units may comprise a video display unit, a microphone, a camera, a speaker and a gaming unit controller. The gaming unit controller may be programmed to allow a person to select tournament play as a single or a group tournament player at a reserved or unreserved gaming unit, and to allow player data to be transmitted to the host computer. The host computer may include a host interface unit capable of receiving audio, visual and/or data input from a tournament host during the tournament, and a host computer controller capable of causing host data to be transmitted to the gaming units.

Claims

1. A computing system for conducting a gaming tournament among a first tournament player, a second tournament player, and a live person acting as a tournament host during said gaming tournament, wherein said computing system is configured to:

generate host data, said host data configured to be generated from audio or visual input from said live person acting as said tournament host, said host data being generated during said gaming tournament;

cause said host data to be transmitted to a first gaming unit including a gaming unit controller and together configured for communication with a host computer, said first gaming unit configured to be played by said first tournament player during said gaming tournament, said first gaming unit comprising a first display unit capable of generating video images representing a first instance of a tournament game of the gaming tournament, said host data generating a host display image on said first display unit; and

cause said host data to be transmitted to a second gaming unit including a second gaming unit controller and together configured for communication with said host computer, said second gaming unit configured to be played by said second tournament player during said gaming tournament, said second gaming unit comprising a second display unit capable of generating video images representing a second instance of a tournament game of said gaming tournament, said host data generating said host display image on said second display unit, said first gaming unit controller being programmed to determine outcomes of said first and second instances of tournament games, respectively, without reference to said host data received from said host computer.

2. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said host data provides an audio output and a video output to said first tournament player during said gaming tournament, said audio and video output being generated based on said host data.

3. The computing system of claim 1, the computing system further operable to:

generate first player data from audio or visual input from said first tournament player, said first player data being generated during said gaming tournament; and

cause first player data to be output from a sound- or image-generating device associated with said host computer.

4. The computing system of claim 1, the computing system further operable to cause a value payout associated with said first gaming unit in response to said outcome of said first instance of a tournament game.

5. The computing system of claim 1, the computing system further operable to accept a touch input of said first tournament player via said first display unit.

6. The computing system of claim 1, said computing system further operable to obtain an identity of said first tournament player.

7. A computer readable medium including computer program code for conducting a gaming tournament among a first tournament player, a second tournament player, and a live person acting as a tournament host during said gaming tournament, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code configured to generate host data from audio or visual input from said live person acting as said tournament host, said host data being generated during said gaming tournament;

computer program code for causing said host data to be transmitted to a first gaming unit including a gaming unit controller and together configured for communication with a host computer, said first gaming unit configured to be played by said first tournament player during said gaming tournament, said first gaming unit comprising a first display unit capable of generating video images representing a first instance of a tournament game of said gaming tournament, said host data generating a host display image on said first display unit; and

computer program code for causing said host data to be transmitted to a second gaming unit including a second gaming unit controller and together configured for communication with said host computer, said second gaming unit configured to be played by said second tournament player during said gaming tournament, said second gaming unit comprising a second display unit capable of generating video images representing a second instance of a tournament game of said gaming tournament, said host data generating said host display image on said second display unit, said first and second gaming unit controllers being programmed to determine outcomes of said first and second instances of tournament games, respectively, without reference to said host data received from said host computer.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7, further comprising:

computer code for generating first player data from audio or visual input from said first tournament player, said first player data being generated during said gaming tournament; and

computer code for causing said first player data to be output from a sound or image generating device associated with said host computer.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 7, further comprising computer code for causing a value payout associated with said first gaming unit in response to said outcome of said first instance of a tournament game.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 7, further comprising computer code for accepting a touch input of said first tournament player via said first display unit.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 7, further comprising computer code for obtaining an identity of said first tournament player.

12. A computing system for conducting a gaming tournament among a first tournament player, a second tournament player, and a live person acting as a tournament host during the gaming tournament, the gaming system comprising:

a host computer configured for transmitting host data from audio or visual input from the live person acting as the tournament host, the host data being generated during the gaming tournament;

a first gaming machine configured for communicating with the host computer, the first gaming machine including a first gaming controller and a first display unit, the first gaming machine configured for being played by the first tournament player during the gaming tournament and for receiving the host data, the first display unit capable of generating video images representing a first instance of a tournament game of the gaming tournament and generating a host display image utilizing the host data, the first gaming controller configured to determine an outcome of the first instance of a tournament game of the gaming tournament without reference to the host data; and

a second gaming machine configured for communicating with the host computer, the second gaming machine including a second gaming controller and a second display unit, the second gaming machine configured for being played by the second tournament player during the gaming tournament and for receiving the host data, the second display unit capable of generating video images representing a second instance of a tournament game of the gaming tournament and generating the host display image on the second display unit utilizing the host data, the second gaming controller configured to determine an outcome of the second instance of a tournament game of the gaming tournament without reference to the host data.

13. A computing system for a gaming tournament, the computing system comprising:

host computer means for generating and transmitting, during a gaming tournament, host data from audio or visual input from a live person acting as a tournament host;

first gaming machine means for receiving the host data at a first gaming machine, displaying a first instance of a tournament game of the gaming tournament to a first player on a first display of the first gaming machine, displaying a host display image on the first display utilizing the host data, and determining an outcome of the first instance of a tournament game without reference to the host data; and

second gaming machine means for receiving the host data at a second gaming machine, displaying a second instance of a tournament game of the gaming tournament to a second player on a second display of the second gaming machine, displaying the host display image on the second display utilizing the host data, and determining an outcome of the first instance of a tournament game without reference to the host data.

14. The computing system of claim 13, the computing system further comprising:

means for generating first player data from audio or visual input from the first tournament player by the first gaming machine;

means for generating second player data from audio or visual input from the second tournament player by the second gaming machine; and

means for outputting the first and second player data by the host computer.

15. The computing system of claim 13, the computing system further comprising means for causing a value payout associated with the first gaming unit in response the outcome of the first instance of a tournament game.

16. The computing system of claim 13, the computing system further comprising means for accepting input of the first tournament player via the first display unit.

17. The computing system of claim 13, the computing system further comprising means for identifying the first tournament player.

18. A method of conducting a gaming tournament among a first player, a second player, and a live person acting as a tournament host during the gaming tournament, the method comprising machine-implemented steps for:

generating host data, said host data configured to be generated from audio or visual input from the live person acting as the tournament host, the host data being generated during the gaming tournament;

causing the host data to be transmitted to a first gaming unit including a first gaming unit controller and together configured for communication with the host computer, the first gaming unit configured to be played by the first player during the gaming tournament, the first gaming unit comprising a first display unit capable of generating video images representing a first instance of a tournament game of the gaming tournament, the host data generating a host display image on the first display unit;

causing the host data to be transmitted to a second gaming unit including a second gaming unit controller and together configured for communication with the host computer, the second gaming unit configured to be played by the second player during the gaming tournament, the second gaming unit comprising a second display unit capable of generating video images representing a second instance of a tournament game of the gaming tournament, the host data generating the host display image on the second display unit; and

determining, by the first and second gaming unit controllers, outcomes of the first and second instances of tournament games, respectively, without reference to the host data received from the host computer.

19. The method of claim 18, the method further comprising:

generating first player data from audio or visual input from the first tournament player by the first gaming machine; and

outputting first player data from the host computer.

20. The method of claim 18, the method further comprising identifying the first tournament player.