Mobile secondary betting user interface

• US 10,068,417 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2015
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Toohey, John, Baerlocher, Anthony J., Buchholz, Dale R., Peterson, James S., Sylla, Craig J., Ward, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US14/821,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20160042599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 25
• 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 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations can include detecting a request to pair a mobile device with a secondary content controller that is communicatively coupled to a wagering game machine. In some examples the secondary content controller is independent of a primary content controller for the wagering game machine. The operations can further include determining, by the secondary content controller, that primary wagering game content of the wagering game machine is in a state that would permit secondary wagering on the primary wagering game content. Further, the operations can include pairing the mobile device with the secondary content controller after determining that the primary wagering game content is in the state that would permit the secondary wagering.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wagering game system, the method comprising:

electronically detecting, via a network communication interface of the wagering game system, a request to pair a mobile device with a secondary content controller that is communicatively coupled to a wagering game machine, wherein the secondary content controller is independent of a primary content controller of the wagering game machine;

determining, by the secondary content controller, that primary wagering game content of the wagering game machine is in a state that would permit secondary wagering on the primary wagering game content; and

electronically pairing, via the network communication interface, the mobile device with the secondary content controller after the determining that the primary wagering game content is in the state that would permit the secondary wagering.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the primary wagering game content is in the state that would permit the secondary wagering comprises determining that the primary game content is activated for game play.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining that the primary game content is activated for game play comprises determining that a credit meter of the primary wagering game content is funded.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining that the primary game content is activated for game play comprises determining that a wagering game player account is logged in to the wagering game machine.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining that the primary wagering game content is in the state that would permit the secondary wagering comprises determining that the primary wagering game content is in a non-active, game-play state.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the non-active, game play state of the primary wagering game comprises one or more of an idle state of the wagering game machine, a state after a credit meter is funded and before a game-start event of the primary wagering game, a state after a login event of the wagering game machine and before a game-start event of the primary wagering game, a state when a congratulatory game effect is presented for the primary wagering game, a state when an episodic event is presented for the primary wagering game, or a state when a bonus game is presented.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after the pairing, providing to the mobile device, by the secondary content controller, authorization to place the secondary wager on the primary wagering game content in response to the determining that the primary wagering game content is in the state that would permit secondary wagering on the primary wagering game content.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the providing the authorization to place the secondary wager comprises causing an application on the mobile device to enable content to place a wager on a potential occurrence of an event of the primary wagering game content.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the primary wagering game content is in a state that would permit secondary wagering on the primary wagering game content comprises:

determining a potential outcome, for the primary wagering game content, on which the secondary wager can be placed; and

determining that the primary wagering game content has not initiated a game play round from which the potential outcome may occur.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining that the mobile device is authorized to access gaming funds from the wagering game machine; and

using funds from the wagering game machine to place the secondary wager.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the wagering game machine includes a value input device configured to receive monetary input for placement of wagers on one or more casino wagering games.

12. One or more non-transitory, machine-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a set of one or more processors of a wagering game system, cause the wagering game system to perform operations for controlling a wagering game system, the instructions comprising:

instructions to electronically pair, via a wireless communication interface of the wagering game system, with a mobile device by a secondary content controller communicatively coupled to a wagering game machine, wherein the secondary content controller is independent of a primary content controller of the wagering game machine;

instructions to determine, by the secondary content controller, after the pairing, that a primary wagering game is not in an active game-play state during which a potential event could occur; and

electronically provide to the mobile device, by the secondary content controller, authorization to place a secondary wager on the potential event of the primary wagering game in response to the determination that the primary wagering game is not in the active game-play state.

13. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable storage media of claim 12, wherein the instructions to provide to the mobile device the authorization to place the secondary wager include one or more instructions comprising instructions to send to the mobile device a command in response to the determination that the primary wagering game is not in the active game-play state, wherein the command permits selection of the potential event from an application of the mobile device.

14. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable storage media of claim 13, the instructions further comprising:

instructions to cause the application on the mobile device to launch in response to the pairing, wherein the application provides a user interface configured to present betting controls for the secondary bet, wherein the betting controls specify the potential event.

15. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable storage media of claim 12, the instructions further comprising:

instructions to establish, during the pairing, a first wireless link between the secondary content controller and the mobile device;

instructions to establish a second wireless link between the mobile device and a secondary content server separate from the secondary content controller; and

instructions to communicate data from the secondary content controller to the secondary content server using the first wireless link and the second wireless link, wherein the data is associated with the primary wagering game.

16. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable storage media of claim 12, the instructions further comprising:

instructions to determine that the mobile device is authorized to access gaming funds from the wagering game machine; and

instructions to use funds from a credit meter of the wagering game machine to place the secondary bet.

17. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the instructions to use the funds include:

instructions to send a command to the wagering game machine to initiate a funds transfer with an accounting host;

instructions to intercept the funds transfer from the wagering game machine to the accounting host; and

instructions to provide, from the funds transfer, the at least the portion of the amount of funds for the secondary bet.

18. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable storage media of claim 16, the instructions further comprising:

instructions to intercept a communication from the wagering game machine, wherein the communication specifies information about an occurrence of the event; and

instructions to provide the information from the wagering game machine to resolve the secondary bet.

19. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable storage media of claim 16, the instructions further comprising:

instructions to determine that the secondary wager results in a win; and

instructions to return a win amount for the secondary wager to the credit meter of the wagering game machine.

20. A wagering game system comprising:

one or more processors;

a network communication interface; and

at least one memory storage unit configured to store instructions which, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations to control the wagering game system, the instructions comprising;

instructions to electronically detect, via the network communication interface, a request to pair a mobile device with a secondary content controller that is communicatively coupled to the wagering game system, wherein the secondary content controller is independent of a primary content controller of the wagering game system,

instructions to determine that primary wagering game content of the wagering game system is in a state that would permit secondary wagering on the primary wagering game content, and

instructions to electronically pair the mobile device with the secondary content controller in response to the determination that the primary wagering game content is in the state that would permit the secondary wagering.

21. The wagering game system of claim 20, wherein the wagering game system includes a value input device configured to receive monetary input for placement of wagers on one or more casino wagering games.

22. The wagering game system of claim 20, wherein the instructions further include:

instructions to determine that the primary wagering game content is in a non-active, game-play state.

23. The wagering game system of claim 22, wherein the non-active, game play state of the primary wagering game comprises one or more of an idle state of the wagering game system, a state after a credit meter is funded and before a game-start event of the primary wagering game, a state after a login event of the wagering game system and before a game-start event of the primary wagering game, a state when a congratulatory game effect is presented for the primary wagering game, a state when an episodic event is presented for the primary wagering game, or a state when a bonus game is presented for the primary wagering game.

24. The wagering game system of claim 20, wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine that a wagering game credit meter of the primary wagering game content is funded.

25. The wagering game system of claim 20, wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine that a wagering game player account is logged in to the wagering game system.