Virtual leash for personal gaming device

• US 8,282,475 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2005
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• 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., Muir, David H., Paulsen, Craig A., Stockdale, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsu, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US11/155,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20060035707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,672 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/25, 463/29, 463 40- 42, 2731381- 2, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/29
• 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 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing a virtual leash and command download capabilities on a hand-held personal gaming device (“PGD”) are disclosed. A host gaming system includes a game server configured to generate game seeds having data regarding predetermined game outcomes for various wager based games, and an authentication server configured to establish a virtual leash with a PGD. The virtual leash is adapted to repeatedly authenticate or verify a PGD user, a PGD location, the PGD itself, and/or software codes on the PGD. Included within an associated PGD are a display adapted to display gaming related information, a processor configured to execute gaming related code, and a memory containing a command download of computer code to be executed by the processor. The command download of computer code includes enough code for the PGD to process and display independently a game play based on a game seed.

Claims

1. A gaming system configured for playing a wager-based game of chance, comprising:

a personal gaming device including;

a display device; and

a gaming machine including;

a cabinet configured to provide mounting areas for gaming machine components;

a controller configured to output a first game of chance;

a main display configured to display the first game of chance, wherein the main display is mounted to a front of the cabinet;

a value input device configured to accept an indication of a wager for playing the first game of chance;

a docking station configured to physically interface with the personal gaming device, wherein the docking station is mounted to the front of the cabinet; and

the personal gaming device being configured to;

operate in a first mode when the personal gaming device is physically interfaced with the docking station, wherein the personal gaming device is configured to display first gaming information on the display device in the first mode of operation, and wherein the display device of the personal gaming device is configured to operate as a secondary display to the main display of the gaming machine in the first mode of operation; and

operate in a second mode when the personal gaming device is not physically interfaced with the docking station, wherein the personal gaming device is configured to display second gaming information on the display device in the second mode of operation, the second gaming information being different from the first gaming information.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein in the first mode of operation, the first gaming information displayed on the display device is selected from the group consisting of bonus information, player tracking information, paytable information, advertising information, and attract information.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein in the second mode of operation, the second gaming information displayed on the display device includes a second game of chance.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the docking station includes a mechanism to attach the personal gaming device to the docking station when the personal gaming device is physically interfaced with the docking station.

5. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the gaming machine is configured to transfer information relating to the second game of chance to the personal gaming device when the personal gaming device is physically interfaced with the docking station.

6. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the gaming machine is configured to transfer computer code configured to present the second game of chance to the personal gaming device when the personal gaming device is physically interfaced with the docking station.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the docking station is physically integrated with the cabinet.

8. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the mechanism is selected from the group consisting of a physical pin, a lock, and a latching mechanism.

9. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein a license is associated with the gaming system, and wherein the license is required to present the first game of chance and the license is required to present the second game of chance, the license being associated with the gaming machine when the first game of chance is presented, and the license being associated with the personal gaming device when the second game of chance is presented.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein when the license is associated with the personal gaming device, the controller of the gaming machine is unable to output the first game of chance.

11. The gaming machine of claim 10, wherein when the controller of the gaming machine is unable to output the first game of chance, the main display is configured to display a message indicating that the gaming machine is unavailable for playing the first game of chance.

12. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the gaming machine is configured to receive the license from the personal gaming device after the personal gaming device is physically interfaced with the docking station.

13. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the personal gaming device is configured to receive the license from the gaming machine before the personal gaming device is not physically interfaced with the docking station.

14. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the personal gaming device further includes a battery, and wherein the battery is configured to be recharged when the personal gaming device is physically interfaced with the docking station.

15. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the personal gaming device is a personal digital assistant provided by a player of the gaming system.

16. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the personal gaming device is a specialized personal gaming device provided by an operator of the gaming system.

17. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the main display of the gaming machine and the display device of the personal gaming device are visible to a player when the personal gaming device is physically interfaced with the docking station.

18. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the gaming machine further includes a undocking device configured to remove the personal gaming device from a physical interface with the docking station.

19. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the docking station includes a hard-wired connection that connects the gaming machine to the personal gaming device when the personal gaming device is physically interfaced with the docking station.

20. A gaming system configured for playing a wager-based game of chance, comprising:

a personal gaming device including;

a display device; and

a gaming machine including;

a cabinet configured to provide mounting areas for gaming machine components;

a controller configured to output a first game of chance;

a main display configured to display the first game of chance, wherein the main display is mounted to a front of the cabinet;

a value input device configured to accept an indication of a wager for playing the first game of chance;

a docking station configured to physically interface with the personal gaming device, wherein the docking station is mounted to the front of the cabinet; and

the personal gaming device being configured to;

operate in a first mode when the personal gaming device is physically interfaced with the docking station, wherein the personal gaming device is configured to display first gaming information on the display device in the first mode of operation, wherein the first gaming information is selected from the group consisting of bonus information, player tracking information, paytable information, advertising information, and attract information, and wherein the display device of the personal gaming device is configured to operate as a secondary display to the main display of the gaming machine in the first mode of operation; and

operate in a second mode when the personal gaming device is not physically interfaced with the docking station, wherein the personal gaming device is configured to display second gaming information on the display device in the second mode of operation, and wherein the second gaming information consists of a second game of chance.

21. A gaming system configured for playing a wager-based game of chance, comprising:

a personal gaming device including;

a display device; and

a gaming machine including;

a cabinet configured to provide mounting areas for gaming machine components;

a controller configured to output a first game of chance;

a main display configured to display the first game of chance, the main display mounted to a front of the cabinet;

a value input device configured to accept an indication of a wager for playing the first game of chance;

a docking station configured to physically interface with the personal gaming device, the docking station mounted to the front of the cabinet; and

the personal gaming device being configured to;

operate in a first mode when the personal gaming device is physically interfaced with the docking station, wherein the personal gaming device is configured to display first gaming information on the display device in the first mode of operation, and wherein the display device of the personal gaming device is configured to operate as a secondary display to the main display of the gaming machine in the first mode of operation; and

operate in a second mode when the personal gaming device is not physically interfaced with the docking station, wherein the personal gaming device is configured to display second gaming information on the display device in the second mode of operation, wherein the second gaming information is different from the first gaming information; and

wherein the main display of the gaming machine and the display device of the personal gaming device are visible to a player when the personal gaming device is physically interfaced with the docking station.