Apparatus and methodology for electronic table game system

• US 8,087,983 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2008
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Douglas Ronald Longway
• Original Assignee: Douglas Ronald Longway
• Inventors: Longway, Douglas Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US12/251,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20090098932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 463 9- 13, 463 16- 25, 273/148.A, 273/148.R, 273/149.R, 273/149.P, 273/309
• US Class Current: 463/7
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

One possible embodiment of the invention could be an electronic table game system, and a process for operating the system, generally comprising of an electronic gaming table whose playing surface supports one or more gaming elements of a table game generally played in a gaming establishment; with one or more dealer'"'"'s electronic interfaces proximate to the playing surface to generally allow input of data substantially regarding gaming action of the table game; with one or more the player'"'"'s electronic interfaces proximate to the playing surface to generally input data substantially regarding information on one or more wagers placed on the table game; and a computer system connected to the electronic interfaces to substantially process the inputted data to generally indentify a winner of the table game. The system could further provide two or more electronic table games with a progressive bonus jackpot with or without a cap.

Claims

1. An electronic table game system comprising of:

(A) one or more electronic gaming tables, each gaming table having a playing surface 24 that supports one or more game elements of a table game;

(B) one or more dealer'"'"'s electronic interfaces, the dealer'"'"'s electronic interface being proximate to the playing surface and allowing one or more dealers to input data, the data containing information on one or more actions of game play for a table game being played upon the playing surface;

(C) one or more player'"'"'s electronic interfaces, the player'"'"'s electronic interface being proximate to the playing surface and allowing one more players to input data, the data containing information on one or more wagers on the table game being played upon the playing surface; and

(D) a computer system connected to the dealer'"'"'s electronic interface and the player'"'"'s electronic interface to process the inputted data to indentify a winner of the table game;

wherein the computer system processes the inputted data to additionally run a progressive jackpot, a portion of every wager placed with the table game is added to the progressive bonus jackpot.

2. The electronic table game system of claim 1 further comprising a game element reader located proximate to the dealer'"'"'s electronic interface, the game element reader connects to the computer system to transmit data to the computer system, the data transmitted containing information regarding the value of the game element or the position of the game element upon the table game'"'"'s playing surface.

3. The electronic table game system of claim 2 wherein data transmitted further contains time stamp information for the one or more game elements.

4. The electronic table game system of claim 1 further comprising a player'"'"'s monetary device that is proximate to the player'"'"'s electronic interface, the player'"'"'s monetary device connects to the computer system to transmit data, the data containing player identification information that identifies a player with one player'"'"'s position from a plurality of player'"'"'s positions proximate to the playing surface.

5. The electronic table game system of claim 1 wherein the data inputted by the dealer further contains one or more information from a set of information consisting of:

the value of the game element;

the position of the game element upon the table game'"'"'s playing surface;

the identity of the player who receives a game element dealt by the dealer;

the identity of the dealer assigned to the dealer'"'"'s electronic interface;

the dealer'"'"'s actions with one or more game elements;

the point number on a craps table game;

that dealer holds a blackjack hand.

6. The electronic table game system of claim 1 wherein the data inputted through the dealer'"'"'s electronic interface furthers contains a command to the computer system from a set of commands to the computer system consisting of:

to block further wagers from being placed on the table game through the one or more player'"'"'s electronic interfaces;

to allow wagers to be placed through the one or more player'"'"'s electronic interfaces.

7. The electronic table game system of claim 1 wherein the playing surface is a touch screen that connects to the computer system and forms one or more electronic devices from a set of electronic devices consisting of:

the dealer'"'"'s electronic interface, the player'"'"'s electronic interface, a player'"'"'s monetary device connecting to the computer system, a game element reader connecting to the computer system, one or more wireless gaming devices 130 wirelessly connecting to the computer system.

8. The electronic table game system of claim 7 wherein the computer system can be programmed to change the playing surface from providing the configuration for one table game to the configuration of another table game.

9. The electronic table game system of claim 1 wherein the computer system in processing the inputted data creates one or more databases from a group of databases consisting of:

historical game play, the overall performance of the various types of gaming tables;

headcount data, wagering data, individual player'"'"'s wagering habits data, individual player preferences data, individual player dislikes.

10. A method of operating an electronic table game system comprising of the steps, but not necessarily limited to the order shown:

(A) providing one or more electronic gaming tables, each gaming table having a playing surface for supporting game elements for the play of a table game with one or more player'"'"'s electronic interfaces and one or more dealer'"'"'s electronic interfaces, the interfaces being proximate to the playing surface, the electronic interfaces being further connected to a computer system;

(B) transmitting through the dealer'"'"'s electronic interface by a human dealer to the computer system data concerning one or more actions of game play for the table game;

(C) transmitting through the player'"'"'s electronic interface to the computer system data concerning one or more wagers placed by the player in the table game;

(D) processing the inputted data to indentify any winning player for the table game; and

(E) processing the inputted data to run a progressive bonus jackpot wherein a portion of every wager placed at the table game is placed within the progressive bonus jackpot.

11. A method of operating an electronic table game system comprising of the steps, but not necessarily limited to the order shown:

(A) providing one or more electronic gaming tables, each gaming table having a playing surface for supporting game elements for the play of a table game with one or more player'"'"'s electronic interfaces and one or more dealer'"'"'s electronic interfaces, the interfaces being proximate to the playing surface, the electronic interfaces being further connected to a computer system;

(B) transmitting through the dealer'"'"'s electronic interface by a human dealer to the computer system data concerning one or more actions of game play for the table game;

(C) transmitting through the player'"'"'s electronic interface to the computer system data concerning one or more wagers placed by the player in the table game;

(D) funding a single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot payout account from wagering activities at the table game;

(E) processing the inputted data to indentify any winning player for the table game;

(F) processing the inputted data to further indentify any winning player for the table game as being a winner of the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot; and

(G) stop funding the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot payout account when it has reached a predetermined monetary amount and instead fund a surplus account from wagers placed in the table game, the funds from the surplus account not being given to the one or more winners of the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot.

12. A method of claim 11 wherein the funding is accomplished by deducting automatically a portion of wager placed by a player in the table game.

13. A method of claim 11, wherein the funding is accomplished by deducting automatically a portion of the gaming establishment'"'"'s winnings from the table game.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising of a step of initiating a winning time period by the winning player for a table game that places an initial predetermined winning wager.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein identifying the winner of the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot as being that winning player who places a predetermined winning wager prior to the expiration of the winning time period.

16. A method of claim 11 wherein the identifying of the winner of the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot as being that winning player obtaining a specific number of predetermined winning game element combinations in a row.

17. A method of operating an electronic table game system comprising of the steps, but not necessarily limited to the order shown:

(A) providing one or more electronic gaming tables, each electronic gaming table having a playing surface for supporting game elements for the play of a table game with one or more player'"'"'s electronic interfaces and one or more dealer'"'"'s electronic interfaces, the interfaces being proximate to the playing surface, the electronic interfaces being further connected to a computer system;

(B) transmitting through the dealer'"'"'s interface to the computer system data concerning one or more actions of game play for the table game;

(C) transmitting through the player'"'"'s electronic interface to the computer system data concerning one or more wagers placed by the player in the table game;

(D) funding a single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot payout account from wagering activities conducted at the table game;

(E) processing the inputted data to indentify any winning player for the table game;

(F) processing the inputted data to indentify any winning player for the table game as being a winner of the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot; and

(G) changing the predetermined winning criteria for single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot to increase the odds of winning the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising of a step of seeding a subsequent single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot with funds collected in the surplus account.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising of a step of funding a complementary program for the gaming establishment using funds collected in the surplus account.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprises a step of starting a countdown timer, which controls when the public is informed that the predetermined winning criteria for single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot will be changed to increase the odds of winning the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprises a step of continuing to alter the predetermined winning criteria to increase the chances of winning the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot after the countdown timer has expired.

22. A method of operating an electronic game system comprising of the steps, but not necessarily limited to the order shown:

(A) providing two or more electronic gaming machines, with each gaming machine having one or more player'"'"'s electronic interfaces, the electronic interfaces being further connected to a computer system that creates the game play for the gaming being conducted on the machine, the game play occurring without the interaction of a human dealer;

(B) transmitting through the player'"'"'s electronic interface to the computer system data concerning one or more wagers placed by a player at the electronic gaming machine;

(C) funding a single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot payout account until the amount of a single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot payout account reaches a cap;

(D) funding a surplus account after the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot account reaches the cap;

(E) indentifying any winning player for the table game; and

(F) indentifying any winning player for the table game as being a winner of the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot.

23. The method of claim 22 further including a step of starting a countdown timer after the cap is reached, wherein if the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot is not won prior to the rundown of the countdown timer, the predetermined winning criteria for winning of the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot will be changed to increase the odds of winning the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot.

24. The method of claim 22 further including a step of changing the predetermined winning criteria after the rundown of the countdown timer without the winning of the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot to increase the odds of winning the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot until the jackpot is won.

25. The method of claim 22 further including a step of continuing to changing the predetermined winning criteria to further increase the odds of winning of the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot until the jackpot is won.

26. The method of claim 22 further including a step of communicating to public after the cap is reached, information from a set of information consisting of:

the amount of the cap, that the predetermined winning criteria will be changed to increase the odds of winning the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot, and that the predetermined winning criteria will continue to be so changed until the single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot is won.

27. The method of claim 22 further including a step of seeding a subsequent single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot with funds accumulated in the surplus account.