Systems and methods for portable wagering mediums

• US 8,597,115 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2013
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• 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): McCulloch, Jr., William H
• Application Number:
  US13/747,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20130190076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 315 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 gaming system comprising:

a first portable wagering medium including at least one first portable wagering medium display device;

a second portable wagering medium including at least one second portable wagering medium display device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the first portable wagering medium and the second portable wagering medium to;

(a) determine a status of the 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 the 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

(b) cause the at least one first portable wagering medium display device to display to a player an indication of the determined status.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to determine the status of the first portable wagering medium based on a status of the second portable wagering medium.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to set the status of the first portable wagering medium to be equal to the status of the second portable wagering medium.

4. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to determine the status of the first portable wagering medium based on the first portable wagering medium being situated on top of the second portable wagering medium.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to determine the status of the first portable wagering medium based on the first portable wagering medium being part of a stack of portable wagering mediums including the second portable wagering medium.

6. The gaming system 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 gaming system of claim 5, wherein the indication of the status of the first portable wagering medium includes an indication of a total cumulative value of each of the portable wagering mediums in the stack of portable wagering mediums.

8. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the stack of portable wagering mediums is utilized to place a wager in a wagering game and 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 gaming system of claim 5, wherein the stack of portable wagering mediums is utilized to place a wager in a wagering game and the indication of the status of the first portable wagering medium includes an indication of a total payout which is based on a determined wagering game outcome.

10. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to determine the status of the first portable wagering medium based on the first portable wagering medium being situated on top of the stack of portable wagering mediums.

11. The gaming system 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 includes the second portable wagering medium.

12. A portable wagering medium configured to;

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

in response to receiving the indication of the status, cause at least one display device attached to the portable wagering medium to display to a player the indication of the status.

13. The portable wagering medium of claim 12, wherein the status is based on a status of the other portable wagering medium.

14. The portable wagering medium of claim 13, wherein the status is based on the portable wagering medium being situated on top of the other portable wagering medium.

15. The portable wagering medium of claim 12, wherein the status is based on the portable wagering medium being part of a stack of portable wagering mediums including the other portable wagering medium.

16. The portable wagering medium of claim 12, wherein the status of the portable wagering medium includes the portable wagering medium being located in a chip tray including the other portable wagering medium.