Handheld devices for community events of wagering games

• US 9,208,639 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Gagner, Mark B., Gomez, Benjamin T., Kelly, Sean P., Loose, Timothy C., Massing, Scott A., Smith, Pamela S.
• Primary Examiner(s): CUFF, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/804,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20130274016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 463/34, 463/20
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players

Abstract

A system includes a community screen configured to display images of a community event thereon. The system includes a number of wagering game machines coupled to the community screen. The system also includes a number of handheld devices, wherein each handheld device has a respective display and is associated with a respective one of the wagering game machines. The system includes an image module configured, for at least one handheld device of the number of handheld devices, to identify a location on the community screen based on a position of the at least one handheld device and to present an image on the display of the at least one handheld device based on the location.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a community screen configured to display images of a community event thereon;

a number of wagering game machines communicatively coupled to the community screen;

a number of handheld devices, each handheld device having a respective display and being communicatively coupled to respective one of the wagering game machines; and

an image module configured, for at least one handheld device of the number of handheld devices, to;

identify a location on the community screen based on a position of the at least one handheld device; and

present an image on the display of the at least one handheld device based on the location, wherein the image indicates one or more of an effect on wagering game play on the respective one of the wagering game machines, an effect on the community event, or an award provided for play of the community event.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the image module is configured to present the image on the display of the at least one handheld device that is unique to a wagering game player that is using the at least one handheld device during play of the community event relative to other wagering game players that are part of the community event.

3. The system of claim 1, the image module further configured to:

modify, based on movement of the at least one handled device, the image on the display to compensate for the movement of the at least one handled device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the display of each handheld device comprises a transmissive display on which the image is presented.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the display of each handheld device comprises a non-transmissive display on which the image is presented, wherein each handheld device comprises a camera configured to capture the location of the community screen, and wherein the image module is configured to derive the image based on the captured location.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the handheld devices is configured to present an image on the display of the handheld device based on at least one of play of the community event and wagering game play at the associated wagering game machine.

7. The system of claim 1,

wherein each handheld device comprises a camera configured to capture a face image of a face of a respective wagering game player that is using the handheld device during play of the community event,

wherein the image module is configured to determine a direction that the face of the respective wagering game player is facing based on the face image, and

wherein the image module is configured to identify the location based on the direction that the face of the respective wagering game player is facing.

8. A method comprising:

initiating a community event during game play at a number of wagering game machines;

displaying imagery of the community event on a community screen;

identifying a location on the community screen based on a position of a handheld device of a number of handheld devices, each handheld device being communicatively coupled to a respective one of the number of wagering game machines; and

presenting an image on the display of the handheld device based on the location, wherein the image indicates one or more of an effect on wagering game play on the respective one of the number of wagering game machines, an effect on the community event, or an award provided for play of the community event.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, prior to presenting the image, receiving a selection from a wagering game player via an input on the handheld device to select a graphic element displayed at the location on the community screen, wherein the image that is presented is associated with the graphic element.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

modifying, based on movement of the handheld device, the image on the display of the handheld device to compensate for the movement of the handheld device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the display of the handheld device comprises a transmissive display on which the image is presented.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the display of the handheld device comprises a non-transmissive display on which the image is presented and wherein the handheld device comprises a camera, wherein the method comprises:

capturing, using the camera, the location of the community screen;

deriving the image based on the captured location.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a handheld device having a display;

at least one display device including a community screen;

at least one processor;

at least one memory device configured to store instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to;

initiate a community event during game play at a number of wagering game machines;

display imagery of the community event on the community screen;

capture an image of the community screen based on a position of the handheld device;

derive a presented image based on the image that is captured; and

display the presented image on the display of the handheld device, wherein the presented image one or more of indicates an effect on wagering game play on at least one of the number of wagering game machines, an effect on the community event, or an award provided for play of the community event.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the handheld device comprises a button,

wherein, prior to presenting the image, the apparatus is configured to receive a selection from the wagering game player via the button on the handheld device to select a graphic element displayed at the location on the community screen, wherein the image that is presented is associated with the graphic element.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, the instructions further causing instructions to cause the apparatus to:

modify, based on movement of the handheld device, the presented image to compensate for the movement of the handheld device.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the display of the handheld device comprises a transmissive display.

17. The apparatus of claim 13,

wherein the handheld device comprises a camera configured to capture a face image of a face of the wagering game player that is using the handheld device during play of the community event,

wherein the apparatus is configured to determine a direction that the face of the wagering game player is facing based on the face image, and

wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the position of the handheld device based on the direction that the face of the wagering game player is facing.

18. One or more machine-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

initiate a community event during game play at a number of wagering game machines;

display imagery of the community event on a community screen;

identify a location on the community screen based on a position of a handheld device of a number of handheld devices, each handheld device being communicatively coupled to a respective one of the number of wagering game machines; and

present an image on the display of the handheld device based on the location, wherein the image indicates one or more of an effect on wagering game play on the respective one of the number of wagering game machines, an effect on the community event, or an award provided for play of the community event.

19. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the operations comprise, prior to presenting the image, receiving a selection from a wagering game player via an input on the handheld device to select a graphic element displayed at the location on the community screen, wherein the image that is presented is associated with the graphic element.

20. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 18, the operations further comprising:

modify, based on movement of the handheld device, the image on the display to compensate for the movement of the handheld device.

21. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the display of the handheld device comprises a transmissive display.

22. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the display of the handheld device comprises a non-transmissive display on which the image is presented and wherein the handheld device comprises a camera, wherein the operations comprise:

capture, using the camera, the location of the community screen; and

derive the image based on the captured location.

23. An apparatus comprising:

means for initiating a community event during game play at a number of wagering game machines;

means for displaying imagery of the community event on a community screen;

means for identifying a location on the community screen based on a position of a handheld device of a number of handheld devices, each handheld device being communicatively coupled to a respective one of the number of wagering game machines; and

means for presenting an image on the display of the handheld device based on the location, wherein the image indicates one or more of an effect on wagering game play on the respective one of the number of wagering game machines, an effect on the community event, or an award provided for play of the community event.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for receiving a selection from a wagering game player via an input on the handheld device to select a graphic element displayed at the location on the community screen, wherein the image that is presented is associated with the graphic element.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

means for modifying, based on movement of the handheld device, the image on the display to compensate for the movement of the handheld device.