Personal gaming device and method of presenting a game

• US 8,087,988 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2004
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T., Paulsen, Craig A., Muir, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US10/871,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20050130728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,756 Days
• Field of Search: 463 17- 25, 463 40- 42
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/008 adapted for being playable on a screen
• 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 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• 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 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens

Abstract

A mobile game device for selective display of one or more pre-purchased games of chance thereon. The game device includes a removable communication interface adapted to communicate with a central gaming system to selectively receive gaming data controlling the play and outcome of the pre-purchased game of chance, generated at a first time. The game device further includes a display screen, and one or more input mechanisms. A game device microprocessor device is provided which is configured to: commence play, selectively activated by operation of the one or more input mechanisms, of the pre-purchased games of chance using the gaming data at a selected second time after the first time; and selectively display on the display screen the generated outcome of the game of chance.

Claims

1. A gaming system, comprising:

a central gaming system configured to;

generate pre-viewed gaming data using a random number generator, the pre-viewed gaming data including game outcomes of games of chance that have not yet been displayed by a gaming device,

receive an input selection, the pre-viewed gaming data generated in response to receiving the input selection, and

store the pre-viewed gaming data; and

the gaming device, the gaming device being physically separate from the central gaming system, the gaming device comprising;

a communication interface configured to communicate with the central gaming system, to transmit the input selection, and to receive the pre-viewed gaming data;

a display screen;

one or more input mechanisms;

a processing unit configured to;

accept instructions from the one of more input mechanisms to commence display of at least a portion of the pre-viewed gaming data,

display on the display screen the at least a portion of the pre-viewed gaming data, and

flag the displayed portion of the pre-viewed gaming data as viewed, the flagged pre-viewed gaming data constituting post-viewed gaming data; and

a biometric device, wherein the processing unit of the gaming device is further configured to verify player identity using the biometric device before display of the at least a portion of the pre-viewed gaming data, and wherein the verification identifies a player as the player authorized to view the pre-viewed gaming data;

wherein the communication interface is further configured to transmit the post-viewed gaming data to the central gaming system;

wherein the central gaming system is further configured to compare the post-viewed gaming data to the stored pre-viewed gaming data for authentication of the post-viewed gaming data.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface of the gaming device includes at least one of a hard wired communication interface, an intermediary communication interface, and a wireless communication interface.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication interface includes a wireless communication protocol selected from the group consisting of IEEE 802.1x, Bluetooth, IrDA, TDMA, CDMA, GSM, and HomeRF.

4. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the intermediary communication interface includes a removable peripheral device configured for communication between the gaming device and the central gaming system, the removable peripheral device configured to transfer at least a portion of the pre-viewed and post-viewed gaming data there between.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the removable peripheral device includes a peripheral processor device and a storage medium to store the at least a portion of the pre-viewed and the post-viewed gaming data.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the removable peripheral device is selected from the group consisting of a smartcard, an E-key dongle, a memory stick, and a Secure Digital card.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit of the gaming device is further configured to:

accept instructions from the one or more input mechanisms to generate the input selection.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface of the gaming device includes a wireless communication interface having a wireless communication protocol selected from the group consisting of IEEE 802.1x, Bluetooth, IrDA, TDMA, CDMA, GSM, and HomeRF.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the games of chance are selected from the group consisting of slot games, poker, pachinko, multiple hand poker games, pai-gow poker, black jack, keno, bingo, roulette, craps and card games.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the gaming device comprises a portable gaming device.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the pre-viewed gaming data includes at least two game outcomes of two games of chance.

12. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the processing unit of the gaming device is further configured to:

accept instructions from the one or more input mechanisms to display the at least two game outcomes in a selected order.

13. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the processing unit of the gaming device is further configured to:

accept instructions from the one or more input mechanisms to display the game outcomes of the two or more games of chance in accordance with a category of outcomes of the two or more games of chance.

14. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the category of outcomes includes winning outcomes and losing outcomes.

15. The gaming system of claim 1, the gaming device further comprising:

a memory unit configured to store the pre-viewed gaming data.

16. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the pre-viewed gaming data is in the form of video data.

17. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the video data is in the form of an mpeg file.

18. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the one or more input mechanisms of the gaming device are selected from the group consisting of a touch screen, an input switch, and an input button.

19. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit of the gaming device is further configured to:

automatically receive the pre-viewed gaming data.

41. The gaming system according to claim 1, wherein the central gaming system further includes at least one of a gaming server, a financial server, an accounting server, and a player tracking server.

20. A method, comprising:

receiving an input selection from a portable gaming device at a central gaming system, the portable gaming device being physically separate from the central gaming system;

generating a number of game outcomes in response to receiving the input selection, wherein the number of game outcomes are generated using a random number generator, a game outcome including an outcome of a game of chance;

storing the number of game outcomes as pre-viewed gaming data on the central gaming system, wherein the pre-viewed gaming data includes at least one game outcome that has not yet been displayed by the portable gaming device;

communicating the pre-viewed gaming data to the portable gaming device;

receiving post-viewed gaming data from the portable gaming device, the post-viewed gaming data comprising flagged pre-viewed gaming data, wherein pre-viewed gaming data is flagged as viewed after being displayed on the portable gaming device after verification of player identify using a biometric device to identify a player as the player authorized to play games; and

comparing the post-viewed gaming data from the portable gaming device to the stored pre-viewed gaming data for authentication of the post-viewed gaming data.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the communicating includes communicating the pre-viewed gaming data through a removable communication interface configured for communication between the central gaming system and the portable gaming device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the communicating includes receiving the removable communication interface in a reader device coupled to the central gaming system.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the communicating further includes storing, via the reader device, the pre-viewed gaming data onto a storage unit of the removable communication interface, and the receiving post-viewed gaming data includes retrieving, via the reader device, the post-viewed gaming data from the storage unit of the removable communication interface.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the removable communication interface is configured to be mounted to the central gaming system.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the removable communication interface is selected from the group consisting of a smartcard, an E-key dongle, a memory stick, and a Secure Digital card.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the input selection includes at least two of a total amount wagered, a denomination per game wagered, and a number of games of chance.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

after the generating the number of game outcomes, storing the input selection.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the pre-viewed and the post-viewed gaming data are in the form of video data.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the video data is in the form of an mpeg file.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising

after generating the number of game outcomes, encrypting the pre-viewed gaming data.

42. The method of claim 20, wherein the communicating includes communicating the pre-viewed gaming data using a wireless communication protocol.

31. A method, comprising:

transmitting an input selection from a portable gaming device to a central gaming system, the portable gaming device being physically separate from the central gaming system;

receiving on the portable gaming device pre-viewed gaming data, the pre-viewed gaming data generated by the central gaming system using a random number generator in response to receiving the input selection from the portable gaming device, the pre-viewed gaming data including at least one game outcome of one game of chance that has not yet been displayed by the portable gaming device, the pre-viewed gaming data being stored on the central gaming system;

receiving input instructions from one or more input mechanisms of the portable gaming device to commence display of at least a portion of the pre-viewed gaming data;

verifying player identity using a biometric device before display of the at least a portion of the pre-viewed gaming data, wherein the verification identifies a player as the player authorized to view the pre-viewed gaming data;

displaying the at least a portion of the pre-viewed gaming data on a display screen of the portable gaming device;

flagging the displayed portion of the pre-viewed gaming data as viewed, the flagged pre-viewed gaming data constituting post-viewed gaming data; and

transmitting the post-viewed gaming data to the central gaming system, wherein the central gaming system is configured to compare the post-viewed gaming data to the stored pre-viewed gaming data for authentication of the post-viewed gaming data.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the receiving pre-viewed gaming data and the transmitting the post-viewed data is performed through a removable communication interface configured to enable communication of the portable gaming device with the central gaming system.

33. The method of claim 32, further including:

receiving the removable communication interface in a reader device of the portable gaming device for the receiving and the transmitting of the pre-viewed and post-viewed gaming data.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the receiving the pre-viewed gaming data includes retrieving, via the reader device, the pre-viewed gaming data from a storage unit of the removable communication interface, and the transmitting the post-viewed gaming data includes storing, via the reader device, the post-viewed gaming data onto the storage unit of the removable communication interface.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the removable communication interface is selected from the group consisting of a smartcard, an E-key dongle, a memory stick, and a Secure Digital card.

43. The method of claim 31, wherein the transmitting the input selection, the receiving the pre-view gaming data, and the transmitting the post-view gaming data is performed using a wireless communication protocol.

36. A method, comprising:

receiving an input selection from a portable gaming device at a central gaming system, the portable gaming device being physically separate from the central gaming system;

generating a number of game outcomes in response to receiving the input selection, wherein the number of game outcomes are generated using a random number generator, a game outcome including the outcome of a game of chance;

storing the number of game outcomes as pre-viewed gaming data, the pre-viewed gaming data not yet having been displayed by the portable gaming device, on the central gaming system;

communicating the pre-viewed gaming data to a removable communication interface;

receiving post-viewed gaming data from the removable communication interface, the post-viewed gaming data comprising flagged pre-viewed gaming data, wherein the pre-viewed gaming data is flagged as viewed after being displayed on the portable gaming device, wherein player identity is verified using a biometric device before display of the pre-viewed gaming data, and wherein the verification identifies a player as the player authorized to view the pre-viewed gaming data; and

comparing the post-viewed gaming data to the stored pre-viewed gaming data for authentication of the post-viewed gaming data.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

retrieving the post-viewed gaming data from the removable communication interface to the central gaming system.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the communicating the pre-viewed gaming data includes storing, via a reader device coupled to the central gaming system, the pre-viewed gaming data onto a storage unit of the removable communication interface, and wherein the retrieving post-viewed gaming data includes retrieving, via the reader device, the post-viewed gaming data from the storage unit of the removable communication interface.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the pre-viewed and the post-viewed gaming data are in the form of video data.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

after generating the number of game outcomes, encrypting the pre-viewed gaming data.

44. A gaming device, the gaming device comprising:

a communication interface configured to communicate with a central gaming system to transmit an input selection to the central gaming system and to receive pre-viewed gaming data generated by the central gaming system, the pre-viewed gaming data including game outcomes of games of chance that have not yet been displayed by the gaming device, the gaming device being physically separate from the central gaming system;

a display screen;

one or more input mechanisms;

a biometric device; and

a processing unit configured to;

accept instructions from the one of more input mechanisms to commence display of at least a portion of the pre-viewed gaming data,

verify player identity using the biometric device before display of the at least a portion of the pre-viewed gaming data, wherein the verification identifies a player as the player authorized to view the pre-viewed gaming data,

display on the display screen the at least a portion of the pre-viewed gaming data, and

flag the displayed portion of the pre-viewed gaming data as viewed, the flagged pre-viewed gaming data constituting post-viewed gaming data;

the communication interface further configured to transmit the post-viewed gaming data to the central gaming system for authentication of the post-viewed gaming data.

45. The gaming device of claim 44, wherein the communication interface includes at least one of a hard wired communication interface, an intermediary communication interface, and a wireless communication interface.

46. The gaming device of claim 44, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

accept instructions from the one or more input mechanisms to generate the input selection.

47. A central gaming system, the central gaming system comprising:

a random number generator, the random number generator configured to generate pre-viewed gaming data, the pre-viewed gaming data including game outcomes of games of chance that have not yet been displayed by a gaming device, the pre-viewed gaming data generated in response to receiving an input selection, the gaming device being physically separate from the central gaming system, the gaming device including a biometric device, wherein player identity is verified using the biometric device before display of the pre-viewed gaming data, and wherein the verification identifies a player as the player authorized to view the pre-viewed gaming data;

a memory device, the memory device configured to store the pre-viewed gaming data;

a communication interface configured to communicate with the gaming device to receive an input selection from the gaming device, to transmit the pre-viewed gaming data to the gaming device, and to receive post-viewed gaming data from the gaming device, the post-viewed gaming data including portions of the pre-viewed gaming data displayed at the gaming device; and

a processor, the processor configured to compare the post-viewed gaming data to the stored pre-viewed gaming data for authentication of the post-viewed gaming data.

48. The central gaming system of claim 47, wherein the communication interface includes at least one of a hard wired communication interface, an intermediary communication interface, and a wireless communication interface.

49. The central gaming system of claim 47, wherein the pre-viewed gaming data is in the form of video data.