Methods and apparatus for facilitating remote viewing of gaming outcomes

• US 20060148562A1
• Filed: 01/06/2006
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Robert C., Walker, Jay S., Suarez, Jose A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,846,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value

Abstract

In accordance with some embodiments, a plurality of outcomes are generated for a wagering game. The plurality of outcomes are stored on a tangible medium (e.g., a DVD) or otherwise stored. The plurality of outcomes are sold to a player, for viewing by the player at a location remote from a casino.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a plurality of outcomes; and

facilitating a creation of a digital file, wherein the digital file comprises a video, the video being a sequential display of the plurality of outcomes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data indicative of the outcomes, the outcome having been generated by a gaming device,

wherein the data is output by the gaming device; and

recreating the outcomes based on the data,

wherein the digital file comprises a video that is a sequential display of the recreated outcomes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the plurality of outcome comprises generating the plurality of outcomes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of outcomes comprises a plurality of outcomes previously generated by a gaming device and wherein facilitating the creation of the digital file comprises:

recreating at least one outcome of the plurality of outcomes previously generated by the gaming device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein recreating is based on data output by the gaming device.

6. A gaming device, comprising:

a processor operable to facilitate a wagering game; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing a program, wherein the processor and the memory are together operable to;

receive an instruction defining a plurality of outcomes; and

generate the plurality of outcomes in accordance with the instruction.

7. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the processor and the memory being operable together to generate the plurality of outcomes comprises the processor and the memory being operable together to:

generate a fist outcome upon receiving the instruction; and

generate the second outcome without receiving any further input from a player.

8. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the processor and the memory being operable together to receive the instruction comprises the processor and the memory being operable together to receive the instruction from a casino attendant.

9. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the processor and the memory being operable together to receive the instruction comprises the processor and the memory being further operable together to receiving an identifier that identifies the casino attendant.

10. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the processor and the memory being operable together to receive the instruction comprises the processor and the memory being operable together to receive the instruction from a player.

11. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the processor and the memory being operable together to generate the plurality of outcomes comprises the processor and the memory being operable together to generate the plurality of outcomes on behalf of a player associated with the plurality of outcomes.

12. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of outcomes are associated with an identifier that uniquely identifies the player.

13. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the processor and the memory are together further operable to:

facilitate the provision of a net positive payout corresponding to the plurality of outcomes,

wherein the net positive payout comprises the sum of payouts for each of the outcomes less a price paid for the plurality of outcomes.

14. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the processor and the memory are together further operable to:

determine a payout corresponding to at least one outcome of the plurality of outcomes; and

store an indication of the payout.

15. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the indication of the payout is stored on a medium other than the memory.

16. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the processor and the memory are together further operable to:

receive at least one of a payment and an indication of payment for the plurality of outcomes.

17. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the processor and the memory are together further operable to generate the plurality of outcomes in response to the instruction at a speed that is greater than a speed at which outcomes are generated at the gaming device in response to an initiation, at the gaming device, of a game play corresponding to a single outcome.

18. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the processor and the memory are together operable to generate the plurality of outcomes without displaying any indicia indicative of any one outcome of the plurality of outcomes in a manner that allows a person to discern the outcome.

19. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the processor and the memory are further operable to output an indication of the generated first plurality of outcomes.

20. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the indication comprises data that represents at least a sum of any payouts corresponding to the plurality of outcomes.

21. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the data is in the form of a machine-readable bar code.

22. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the indication comprises data readable by another device, the data enabling the other device to generate a video representation of a second plurality of outcomes, wherein a sum of payouts corresponding to the second plurality of outcomes equals the sum of payouts corresponding to the first plurality of outcomes.

23. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein at least one outcome of the second plurality of outcomes is at least one outcome of the first plurality of outcomes.

24. A device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory,

the memory storing a program for directing the processor,

wherein the memory and the processor are operable together to;

receive data indicating a plurality of outcomes previously generated by another device; and

translate the data into a video representation of the outcomes.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the video representation comprises a sequential output of the plurality of outcomes.

26. A system, the system comprising:

a first device, the first device operable to;

receive an instruction, the instruction defining a first plurality of pseudo-random outcomes;

generate the first plurality of pseudo-random outcomes in accordance with the instruction; and

output an indication of the first plurality of pseudo-random outcomes, wherein the indication is in encoded and machine-readable form; and

a second device, the second device operable to;

receive the indication;

decode the indication to determine a second plurality of outcomes based on the indication; and

create a video representation of the second plurality of outcomes.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

a third device, the third device operable to;

receive the indication from the first device; and

transmit the indication to the second device.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the second device is further operable to:

store the video representation on a tangible medium to be provided to a player.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the first device is further operable to generate the first plurality of outcomes without displaying an indicia representing any one of the outcomes in a manner that would allow a person to discern the outcome.

30. A device comprising a recording mechanism operable to interface with a processor of a gaming device, the gaming device operable to facilitate a wagering game, wherein the recording mechanism is further operable to:

determine an indication of outcomes generated by the gaming device but not displayed by the gaming device;

wherein each of the outcomes is generated based on a random number.

31. A method, comprising:

generating a first plurality of outcomes at a first location, each outcome being a result of a wagering game and being determined based on a random number;

facilitating a video to be created at a second location that is different from the first location, the video being a sequential output of the first plurality of outcomes;

facilitating a provision of the video to the player, for viewing of the video by the player at a third location that is different from both the first location and the second location.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein facilitating the provision of the video comprises facilitating a sale of a DVD, the DVD storing the video.