Systems and methods for portable wagering mediums

• US 8,382,582 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2007
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Sammon, Russell P., Hayashida, Jeffrey Y., Tedesco, Daniel E., Tulley, Stephan C., Scribner, Gregory J., Fincham, Carson C. K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): McCulloch, Jr., William H
• Application Number:
  US12/067,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20100304841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,980 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 194/205, 194/214, 264/132
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• 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 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens

Abstract

Some embodiments are associated with wagering game devices and/or portable wagering mediums. Some portable wagering mediums are capable of outputting various indications related to one or more potential or current statuses of the portable wagering mediums. Some wagering game devices are operable to (i) determine a status of a portable wagering medium and (ii) cause, based on the determining, an outputting of an indication of the status via an output device coupled to the portable wagering medium. In some embodiments, a central server or other device conducts the determining of the status and/or the causing of the outputting. The status of a portable wagering medium may be based on one or more of many different factors or metrics.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a status of a first portable wagering medium, wherein the status is separate from any wagering value individually associated with the first portable wagering medium and the status is based at least in part on a proximity of the first portable wagering medium to a second portable wagering medium, such that if the first portable wagering medium is in a first proximity to the second portable wagering medium, the status of the first portable wagering medium includes a first status and if the first portable wagering medium is in a second, different proximity to the second portable wagering medium, the status of the first portable wagering medium includes a second, different status; and

in response to determining the status of the first portable wagering medium, causing a display device attached to the first portable wagering medium to visually output to a player an indication of the status.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the status of the first portable wagering medium is based on a status of the second portable wagering medium.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining includes setting the status of the first portable wagering medium to be equal to the status of the second portable wagering medium.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the status of the first portable wagering medium is based on the first portable wagering medium being situated on top of the second portable wagering medium.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the status of the first portable wagering medium is based on the first portable wagering medium being part of a stack of portable wagering mediums and wherein the stack at least also includes the second portable wagering medium.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the indication of the status of the first portable wagering medium includes an indication of a specific color associated with the stack of portable wagering mediums.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the indication of the status of the first portable wagering medium includes an indication of a total cumulative value of all portable wagering mediums in the stack of portable wagering mediums.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the stack of portable wagering mediums is utilized to place a wager in a wagering game and wherein the indication of the status of the first portable wagering medium includes an indication of a total cumulative potential payout for the wager.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the stack of portable wagering mediums is utilized to place a wager in a wagering game, wherein the wagering game results in an outcome, and wherein the indication of the status of the first portable wagering medium includes an indication of a total payout, based on the outcome, for the wager.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the status of the first portable wagering medium is based on the first portable wagering medium being the top portable wagering medium in the stack of portable wagering mediums.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the status of the first portable wagering medium includes the first portable wagering medium being located in a chip tray that also includes the second portable wagering medium.