Method and system for online poker play

• US 8,641,522 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2011
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vulcan Gaming LLC
• Original Assignee: Elia Rocco Tarantino
• Inventors: Tarantino, Elia Rocco
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US13/237,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20120238356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 25, 463/29, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

In a gaming system players are assigned individual gaming devices comprising electronic game boards. Players access their assigned gaming device via a gateway from a remote presentation device such as a player'"'"'s computer. The gateway confirms the identity of each player so that a player may only access their assigned and dedicated gaming device. A player may link to a game server via their dedicated gaming device, such as to play an on-line poker game. Additional aspects of the invention comprise methods of preventing player collusion in on-line wagering games.

Claims

1. A method of presenting a multi-player online game to at least two players comprising the steps of:

assigning a gaming device to each player;

storing player identification information in association with information which identifies said gaming device assigned to said player;

receiving player identification information from a presentation device of each player;

verifying said player identification information;

if said player identification information is verified, establishing a communication link between said player'"'"'s presentation device and said gaming device assigned to said player;

linking said player'"'"'s gaming device to a game server;

placing each linked player into a game queue;

randomly assigning each player in said game queue to an instance of an on-line game generated by said game server;

relative to each game instance, generating game information at said game server regarding a game; and

transmitting said game information regarding said player'"'"'s assigned game instance from said game server through each player'"'"'s gaming device to said player'"'"'s presentation device via said communication link.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said gaming devices comprises electronic circuit boards.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said gaming devices are not capable of directly displaying game information.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said game comprises Texas Hold '"'"'em.

5. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein said game information comprises a graphical user interface including a representation of a poker table having multiple players.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of assigning at least two players to each game instance.

7. The method in accordance with claim 6 further comprising assigning different player designators to each of said at least two players of each game instance.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7 further comprising the step of presenting a sequence of games relative to the players assigned to each game instance.

9. The method in accordance with claim 8 further comprising randomly re-assigning said player designators to said at least two players after each game in said sequence of games.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said game information comprises a chip value range for said players assigned to said game instance.