System and method for connecting gaming devices to a network for remote play

• US 9,092,932 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2008
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Saunders, Michael W., Carlson, Rolf E., Miller, William D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sengdara, Vongsavanh
• Application Number:
  US12/331,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20090088240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,422 Days
• Field of Search: 463 15- 25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/58 Random or pseudo-random number generators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/582 Pseudo-random number generators
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/323 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 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00

Abstract

A system and method for connecting remote player devices to regulated host gaming devices in a network to provide remote game play. A host gaming device is configured to provide game information to a plurality of remote player devices to allow remote play of the host game device. Whether each remote player device is permitted to receive gaming data is based upon, at least in part, the geographic location of the remote player device.

Claims

1. A system for a game, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory disposed in communication with the one or more processors and storing processor-executable instructions, the instructions comprising instructions to;

send gaming transaction messages to and receive gaming transaction messages from at least one remote player device over a network, wherein the gaming transaction messages are part of a single gaming session;

provide random numbers for the game, using a random number generator;

create an auditable gaming session record representing each gaming transaction of the single gaming session; and

send the auditable gaming session record online to a gaming authority for auditing using standard accounting practices.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote player device is a mobile or wireless telephone handset.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote player device is a handheld computer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote player device is a personal computer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote player device is a television or a television with a set-top box having access to the Internet.

6. A system for a game with at least one remote player device, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory disposed in communication with the one or more processors and storing processor-executable instructions, the instructions comprising instructions to;

provide random numbers for the game, using a random number generator;

record each gaming transaction message in the game received from or sent to the at least one remote player device over the Internet, wherein each gaming transaction message is part of a single gaming session;

create an auditable gaming session record representing each gaming transaction of the single gaming session; and

send the auditable gaming session record over the Internet to a gaming authority for auditing using standard accounting practices in a gaming jurisdiction where the game is located.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the remote player device is a mobile or wireless telephone handset.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the remote player device is a handheld computer.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the remote player device is a personal computer.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the remote player device is a television or a television with a set-top box having access to the Internet.