System and method for gaming using wireless communication devices

• US 9,245,408 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2014
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IP Investment Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Mobilitie, LLC (Bai Communications Pty Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jabara, Gary B., Linder, Lloyd Frederick, Simon, David Brett
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US14/274,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20140248959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• 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: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A short-range wireless network is established by direct communication between wireless devices and wireless access points to permit gambling within a casino. The short communication range of the access points assures that the wireless device is in the casino. A gaming communication link is used to exchange game play data (e.g., betting, card dealing, etc.) between a gaming controller and one or more wireless devices. Game play may be conducted between a player and the house or between a plurality of payers. In one embodiment, all communication is routed between players using the gaming controller so that the house controls the transmission of all game play data.

Claims

1. A system for gambling using a wireless communication device, comprising:

a wireless network comprising a plurality of wireless access points controlled by a licensed gaming establishment and distributed within the licensed gaming establishment, each of the plurality of wireless access points having a transmitter, a receiver, and an antenna, the wireless network being configured to determine the location of the wireless communication device within the gaming establishment;

an internal website controlled by the licensed gaming establishment and configured to perform gambling operations; and

if the location of the wireless communication device within the gaming establishment is determined to be in a specified location within the gaming establishment, the wireless network being further configured to establish a gaming communication link between a web browser in the wireless communication device and the website operated by the gaming establishment to thereby permit gambling activity to be conducted via the website wherein the gaming communication link is contained within the licensed gaming establishment.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the gaming communication link is established between the wireless communication device and the website using one or more of the plurality of wireless access points.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless network is configured to determine the location of the wireless communication device within the gaming establishment by identifying which of the plurality of wireless access points the wireless communication device is communicating with in the gaming establishment.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the wireless network is configured to establish the gaming communication link only if the wireless communication device is communicating with selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the wireless network is further configured to terminate the gaming communication link if the wireless communication device is not in communication with at least one of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the each of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment has an area of coverage in which the gaming communication link can be established, the area of coverage of at least a portion of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment being configurable by adjusting a transmit power in the transmitters of the portion of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the each of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment has an area of coverage in which the gaming communication link can be established, the area of coverage of at least a portion of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment being configurable by adjusting an antenna pattern of the antenna for each of the portion of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the website is further configured to provide loyalty rewards to a player for the gambling activities under selected conditions.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein each player has established a player account maintained in association with the website wherein the website is configured to maintain the loyalty rewards in association with the player account.

10. A system for gambling using a wireless communication device, comprising:

a wireless network comprising a plurality of wireless access points controlled by a licensed gaming establishment and distributed within the licensed gaming establishment, each of the plurality of wireless access points having a transmitter, a receiver, and an antenna, wherein selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment have an area of coverage;

an internal website controlled by the licensed gaming establishment and configured to perform gambling operations; and

the wireless network being further configured to establish a communication link between the wireless communication device and any of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment to permit communications between the wireless communication device and the gaming establishment, but only establishing a gaming communication link between a web browser in the wireless communication device and the website operated by the gaming establishment to thereby permit gambling activity to be conducted via the website if the wireless communication device has established a communication link with any of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the area of coverage of at least a portion of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment is configurable by adjusting a transmit power in the transmitters of the portion of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the area of coverage of at least a portion of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment is configurable by adjusting an antenna pattern of the antenna for each of the portion of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment.

13. A method for gambling using a wireless communication device, comprising:

establishing a communication link between the wireless communication device and a wireless network controlled by a licensed gaming establishment and comprising a plurality of wireless access points distributed within the licensed gaming establishment, each of the plurality of wireless access points having a transmitter, a receiver, and an antenna;

determining a location of the wireless communication device within the gaming establishment; and

if the location of the wireless communication device within the gaming establishment is determined to be in a specified location within the gaming establishment, permitting the establishment of a gaming communication link between a web browser in the wireless communication device and an internal website operated by the gaming establishment to thereby permit gambling activity to be conducted via the website wherein the gaming communication link is contained within the licensed gaming establishment.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment have an area of coverage and determining the location of the wireless communication device within the gaming establishment comprises determining whether the wireless communication device is communicating with any of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment and permitting the establishment of the gaming communication link if the wireless communication device is within the area of coverage of any of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising adjusting the area of coverage of at least a portion of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment by adjusting a transmit power in the transmitters of the portion of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising adjusting the area of coverage of at least a portion of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment by adjusting an antenna pattern of the antenna for each of the portion of the selected ones of the plurality of wireless access points within the gaming establishment.