Virtual leash for personal gaming device

• US 20060035707A1
• Filed: 06/16/2005
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T., Paulsen, Craig A., Stockdale, James W., Muir, David H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,282,475 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/323 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 17/3239 Tracking of individual 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

Methods and systems for providing a virtual leash and command download capabilities on a hand-held personal gaming device (“PGD”) are disclosed. A host gaming system includes a game server configured to generate game seeds having data regarding predetermined game outcomes for various wager based games, and an authentication server configured to establish a virtual leash with a PGD. The virtual leash is adapted to repeatedly authenticate or verify a PGD user, a PGD location, the PGD itself, and/or software codes on the PGD. Included within an associated PGD are a display adapted to display gaming related information, a processor configured to execute gaming related code, and a memory containing a command download of computer code to be executed by the processor. The command download of computer code includes enough code for the PGD to process and display independently a game play based on a game seed.

Claims

1. A gaming system adapted for accepting wagers, playing games based on the wagers, and granting monetary payouts based on the results of the games, comprising:

a game server configured to accept input regarding a specific number of wager based games to be played on an associated hand-held personal gaming device, to generate a game seed having data regarding a predetermined game outcome for each of said specific number of wager based games, and to transmit said game seed for each of said specific number of wager based games to a storage device for use by said personal gaming device for future game play thereupon, wherein said wager based games involve the placement of wagers, the play of games based on the wagers and the grant of payouts based on the outcomes of the games;

a financial server in communication with said game server and configured to track financial data related to each of said generated predetermined game outcomes;

an authentication server in communication with said game server and configured to establish a virtual leash with said personal gaming device, wherein said virtual leash is adapted to authenticate or verify a user of said personal gaming device, a location of said personal gaming device, the personal gaming device itself, software stored on said personal gaming device, or any combination thereof; and

a hand-held personal gaming device including a display adapted to display gaming related information, a processor configured to execute gaming related code, and a memory containing at least one command download of computer code to be executed by said processor, wherein said at least one command download of computer code includes enough code for said hand-held personal gaming device to process and display independently a game play at said display based on one of said game seeds, and wherein said personal gaming device is adapted to communicate both with said game server and said authentication server.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said specific number of wager based games to be played comprises a block of games to be paid for in advance before said game seeds are transmitted to said personal gaming device.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, further including:

a portable memory device adapted to store said game seeds, wherein said portable memory device is adapted to be coupled and decoupled from said personal gaming device.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said game server is configured to transmit said game seed for each of said specific number of games to said personal gaming device via a wireless communication link.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said game server is located at a secured area accessible only to casino personnel.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said game server is located at a free standing gaming machine.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said game server is located at a kiosk.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said financial server is further adapted to accept information from said gaming server regarding said predetermined game outcome for each of said specific number of games, and is further configured to reconcile said accepted information with actual results from said future game play on said personal gaming device.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said virtual leash is established at least in part by accepting at least one of a PIN, password, fingerprint, voiceprint, retinal scan, picture, or digital signature of said user.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, virtual leash is established by reading a fingerprint of said user while said user handles said personal gaming device.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said virtual leash is established at least in part by accepting data from at least one of an RFID tag, dongle, transaction certificate, or location determination feature of said personal gaming device.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, further including:

at least one docking station configured to interface with said personal gaming device, wherein said game seeds are transmitted to said personal gaming device via said at least one docking station.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein said at least one docking station is associated with a free standing gaming machine located within a gaming region of an associated gaming establishment.

14. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein said at least one docking station is integrated within said free standing gaming machine.

15. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said hand-held personal gaming device comprises a private outside device owned by said user, and wherein one or more of said game server, said financial server and said authentication server are owned and operated by a gaming establishment separate from said user.

16. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein said virtual leash is established with said private outside device at least in part by accepting data from at least one of an RFID tag, dongle, transaction certificate, or location determination feature of said private outside device.

17. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said virtual leash is established at least in part by emitting a signal from one or more system devices.

18. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein said one or more system devices adapted to emit a virtual leash signal includes said personal gaming device.

19. The gaming system of claim 17, further including:

one or more gaming machines, wherein said one or more gaming machines are adapted to emit a virtual leash signal.

20. The gaming system of claim 17, further including:

one or more wireless access points, wherein said one or more wireless access points are adapted to emit a virtual leash signal.

21. A gaming machine adapted for accepting a wager, playing a game based on the wager and granting a monetary payout based on the result of the game, comprising:

an exterior housing arranged to contain a plurality of internal gaming machine components therein;

a master gaming controller in communication with at least one of said plurality of internal gaming machine components, said master gaming controller being adapted to execute or control one or more aspects of said wager based game; and

a docking station configured to interface with an external hand-held personal gaming device, said personal gaming device including a display adapted to display gaming related information, a processor configured to execute gaming related code, and a memory containing at least one command download of computer code to be executed by said processor, wherein said at least one command download of computer code includes enough code for said personal gaming device to process and display independently the play of said wager based game at said display based on a game seed having data regarding a predetermined game outcome for said wager based game.

22. The gaming machine of claim 21, wherein said game seed is transmitted to said personal gaming device via said docking station.

23. The gaming machine of claim 22, wherein said game seed is transmitted from said docking station to a portable memory device adapted to store said game seeds, wherein said portable memory device is adapted to be coupled and decoupled from said personal gaming device, and wherein said game seed is transmitted from said portable memory device to said personal gaming device.

24. The gaming machine of claim 23, wherein said portable memory device is adapted to be physically coupled and decoupled from said personal gaming device.

25. The gaming machine of claim 21, wherein said command download of computer code is transmitted to said personal gaming device via said docking station.

26. A method of administering wager based games, comprising:

providing a gaming system having one or more servers adapted to facilitate the play of said wager based games at an associated hand-held personal gaming device, said wager based games involving the placement of wagers, the play of games, and the grant of monetary payouts based on the results of the games;

accepting input from a first user regarding a number of wager based games to be played on said personal gaming device, said personal gaming device including a display adapted to display gaming related information, a processor configured to execute gaming related code, and a memory containing at least one command download of computer code to be executed by said processor, wherein said at least one command download of computer code includes enough code for said personal gaming device to process and display a game play at said display based on a game seed having data regarding a predetermined game outcome for a respective game;

generating at said system having one or more servers a predetermined game outcome for each of said number of wager based games to be played on said personal gaming device;

transmitting said predetermined game outcome for each of said number of games in the form of data within a game seed to a storage device for use by said personal gaming device;

storing said game seed for each of said number of games at said storage device for later use; and

executing said at least one command download of computer code at said personal gaming device using a first game seed from said stored game seeds to present a game corresponding to said first game seed at said display.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of:

receiving payment from said first user for a wager to play at least one of said number of wager based games.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said storage device is selected from the group consisting of:

a smart card, a player card, a portable memory module and a memory of said personal gaming device.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising the steps of:

storing data regarding said predetermined game outcome for each of said number of games at at least one of said one or more system servers; and

reconciling said stored data with actual results from said executed game plays on said personal gaming device using said game seeds.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of:

establishing a virtual leash between said personal gaming device and at least one of said one or more system servers.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said virtual leash is established at least in part by accepting at least one of a PIN, password, fingerprint, voiceprint, retinal scan, picture, or digital signature of a proper user.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein said virtual leash is established at least in part by determining that said personal gaming device is at a location that is acceptable for providing wager based gaming activities.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein said virtual leash is established at least in part by determining that said personal gaming device is a proper device for providing wager based gaming activities.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein said virtual leash is established at least in part by determining that software stored on said personal gaming device is software that is approved for the play of said game.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein said virtual leash is established at least in part via the emission of a signal from said personal gaming device.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein said virtual leash is established at least in part via the emission of a signal from one or more devices selected from the group consisting of a pico cell, a triangulation device, a wireless access point and a candle.

37. The method of claim 30, further including the step of:

monitoring said virtual leash on a repeated basis to determine whether one or more factors remain appropriate relating to a proper user, a proper location for said personal gaming device, the personal gaming device itself, software stored on said personal gaming device, or any combination thereof.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising the step of:

preventing play of said number of games at said personal gaming device when at least one of said one or more factors is or becomes inappropriate.

39. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of:

providing a docking station configured to interface with said personal gaming device, wherein said transmitting step is performed via said docking station.

40. The method of claim 26, further comprising the steps of:

receiving input from a second user regarding a request to play said game at said personal gaming device; and

verifying that said second user is a proper user for which said game may be played.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein said first user and said second user must both be the same person or must both be from an established group of preapproved users.

42. A gaming system adapted for accepting wagers, playing games based on the wagers, and granting monetary payouts based on the results of the games, comprising:

a game server configured to accept input regarding a specific number of wager based games to be played on an associated personal gaming device, to generate a game seed having data regarding a predetermined game outcome for each of said specific number of wager based games, and to transmit said game seed for each of said specific number of wager based games to a storage device for use by said personal gaming device for future game play thereupon, wherein said game server is further configured to provide at least one command download of computer code to said personal gaming device, and wherein said at least one command download of computer code includes enough code for said personal gaming device to process and display independently a game play at a display of said personal gaming device based on one of said game seeds; and

an authentication server in communication with said game server and configured to establish a virtual leash with said personal gaming device, wherein said virtual leash is adapted to authenticate or verify a user of said personal gaming device, a location of said personal gaming device, the personal gaming device itself, software stored on said personal gaming device, or any combination thereof.