System, method and handheld controller for multi-player gaming
First Claim
1. A multi-player bingo game system comprising:
- a bingo game server configured to provide display signals for displaying a multi-player bingo game;
a display system having primary display means, the display system being configured to provide a primary bingo game display of the multi-player bingo game on the primary display means in response to the display signals;
a plurality of handheld bingo game controllers, each handheld bingo game controller having secondary display means and input means for receiving player input; and
communication means for enabling communication between the bingo game server and each handheld bingo game controller of the plurality of handheld bingo game controllers;
wherein the plurality of handheld bingo game controllers are located in proximity to the primary display means such that the primary display means is visible to bingo players manipulating respective handheld bingo game controllers, andwherein for each respective one of the handheld bingo game controllers, the respective handheld bingo game controller is configured to download a bingo game software module using the communication means prior to initiation of the multi-player bingo game, the bingo game software module being executable by the respective handheld bingo game controller toenable a respective bingo player manipulating the respective handheld bingo game controller to participate in the multi-player bingo game, andprovide a secondary bingo game display on the secondary display means of the respective handheld bingo game controller in response to player input received at the input means of that handheld bingo game controller, wherein the secondary bingo game display is complementary to the primary bingo game display such that the respective bingo player manipulating the respective handheld bingo game controller requires both the primary bingo game display and the secondary bingo game display to participate in the multi-player bingo game.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for multi-player gaming. Some embodiments relate to systems having an improved communications infrastructure and improved handheld game controllers, while other embodiments relate to improvements in handling large numbers of players in the multi-player game when played in a game arena with a single large display screen showing the multi-player game images. In one particular embodiment, a bingo system is provided that has a game server controlling a display system to display the multi-player bingo game on the large screen and a plurality of bingo game controllers. Each game controller has a secondary display means for providing a secondary bingo game display and input means for receiving player input. The system further comprises communication mans for enabling communication between the game server and each of the plurality of game controllers. The plurality of game controllers are located in proximity to the large display screen such that it is visible to game players manipulating the game controllers while playing the multi-player game.
-
Citations
40 Claims
-
1. A multi-player bingo game system comprising:
-
a bingo game server configured to provide display signals for displaying a multi-player bingo game; a display system having primary display means, the display system being configured to provide a primary bingo game display of the multi-player bingo game on the primary display means in response to the display signals; a plurality of handheld bingo game controllers, each handheld bingo game controller having secondary display means and input means for receiving player input; and communication means for enabling communication between the bingo game server and each handheld bingo game controller of the plurality of handheld bingo game controllers; wherein the plurality of handheld bingo game controllers are located in proximity to the primary display means such that the primary display means is visible to bingo players manipulating respective handheld bingo game controllers, and wherein for each respective one of the handheld bingo game controllers, the respective handheld bingo game controller is configured to download a bingo game software module using the communication means prior to initiation of the multi-player bingo game, the bingo game software module being executable by the respective handheld bingo game controller to enable a respective bingo player manipulating the respective handheld bingo game controller to participate in the multi-player bingo game, and provide a secondary bingo game display on the secondary display means of the respective handheld bingo game controller in response to player input received at the input means of that handheld bingo game controller, wherein the secondary bingo game display is complementary to the primary bingo game display such that the respective bingo player manipulating the respective handheld bingo game controller requires both the primary bingo game display and the secondary bingo game display to participate in the multi-player bingo game. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. A multi-player bingo game system comprising:
-
a bingo game server configured to provide display signals for displaying a multi-player bingo game; a display system having primary display means, the display system being configured to provide a primary bingo game display of the multi-player bingo game on the primary display means in response to the display signals; a plurality of local handheld bingo game controllers, each local handheld bingo game controller having a local secondary display means and local input means for receiving player input relating to the multi-player bingo game from a local bingo player manipulating a respective local handheld bingo game controller, the plurality of local handheld bingo game controllers being located in proximity to the primary display means such that the primary bingo game display is visible to local bingo players manipulating respective local handheld bingo game controllers; communication means for enabling communication between the bingo game server and each local handheld bingo game controller of the plurality of local handheld bingo game controllers; and at least one remote handheld bingo game controller located remotely from the primary display means, each remote handheld bingo game controller having a remote secondary display means and remote input means for receiving player input relating to the multi-player bingo game from a remote bingo player manipulating a respective one of the remote handheld bingo game controllers, the at least one remote handheld bingo game controller being in communication with the bingo game server over a network, wherein for each respective one of the local handheld bingo game controllers, the respective one of the local handheld bingo game controllers is configured to download a bingo game software module using the communication means prior to initiation of the multi-player bingo game, the bingo game software module being executable by the respective local handheld bingo game controller to enable a respective local bingo player manipulating the respective one of the local handheld bingo game controllers to participate in the multi-player bingo game, and provide a local secondary bingo game display on the local secondary display means of the respective one of the local handheld bingo game controllers in response to player input received at the local input means of the respective one of the local handheld bingo game controllers, wherein the local secondary bingo game display is complementary to the primary bingo game display such that the respective local bingo player manipulating the respective one of the local handheld bingo game controllers requires both the primary bingo game display and the local secondary bingo game display to participate in the multi-player bingo game. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
-
Specification