SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WIRELESS GAMING WITH LOCATION DETERMINATION

• US 20080311994A1
• Filed: 08/25/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interactive Games LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: LUTNICK, HOWARD W., AMAITIS, LEE M., ASHER, JOSEPH M., MYLET, DARRIN M., WILKINS, ALAN B., BAHRAMPOUR, ROBERT F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,504,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/39
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players

Abstract

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a system and method for wireless gaming with location determination are provided. In a particular embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a gaming server; a wireless network at least partially covering a property, the wireless network comprising a plurality of signal detection devices; and a gaming communication device operable to transmit and receive gaming information to and from the gaming server via the wireless network. A location of the gaming communication device on the property may be determined based upon a signal received by the plurality of signal detection devices from the gaming communication device. Based upon the location of the gaming communication device on the property, a predetermined functionality of the gaming communication device may be enabled.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wireless gaming network, the method comprising:

generating a plurality of sets of calibration signal characteristics, each set of calibration signal characteristics corresponding to a location of a calibration device;

determining a location of a gaming communication device by comparing a set of signal characteristics associated with the gaming communication device to the plurality of sets of calibration signal characteristics; and

enabling a predetermined functionality of the gaming communication device based upon the location.

2. The method of claim 1, which the set of signal characteristics includes strengths of a plurality of signals between the gaming communication device respective wireless network devices.

3. The method of claim 2, in which at least one of the respective wireless network devices includes at least one of a wireless access point, a wireless router, a wireless base station, a satellite, and a signal detection device.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the set of signal characteristics includes transmission times of a plurality of signals between the gaming communication device and respective wireless network devices.

5. The method of claim 4, in which at least one of the respective wireless network devices includes at least one of a wireless access point, a wireless router, a wireless base station, a satellite, and signal detection device.

6. The method of claim 1, in which determining the location includes determining a zone from a plurality of zones that span a property.

7. The method of claim 6, in which each of the plurality of zones is associated with at least one allowed activity;

and in which enabling the predetermined functionality includes allowing at least activity associated with the zone.

8. The method of claim 7, in which the at least one allowed activity comprises gambling.

9. The method of claim 7, in which the at least one allowed activity includes at least one of making a reservation, purchasing merchandise, purchasing a service, purchasing food, purchasing a beverage, purchasing a ticket to an entertainment event, purchasing transportation, conducting a financial transaction, and receiving information.

10. The method of claim 6, in which the zone is divided into a plurality of subzones, and in which the set of signal characteristics corresponds to at least one of the plurality of subzones in which the gaming communication device is located.

11. The method of claim 10, in which each set of calibration signal characteristics corresponds to one of the plurality of subzones.

12. The method of claim 10, in which each set of calibration signals corresponds to a signal between respective wireless network devices and a calibration device positioned at a respective subzone.

13. The method of claim 1, in which adjusting the functionality includes allowing gambling.

14. The method of claim 1, in which adjusting the functionality includes allowing at least one of a making of a reservation, a purchasing of merchandise, a purchasing of a service, a purchasing of food, a purchasing of a beverage, a purchasing of a ticket to an entertainment event, a purchasing of transportation, a conducting of a financial transaction, and a receiving of information.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring the plurality of sets of calibration signal characteristics.

16. The method of claim 15, in which measuring the plurality of sets of calibration signals includes measuring a respective set of calibration signal characteristics at each of a plurality of locations.

17. The method of claim 16, in which each location corresponds to at least one of a zone of a property, and a subzone of a zone of the property.

18. The method of claim 1, in which the calibration device includes a gaming communication device.

19. A method comprising:

determining a plurality of signal characteristics, each signal characteristic corresponding to a respective signal between a gaming communication device and a respective wireless network device;

determining a location of the gaming communication device by comparing the plurality of signal characteristics with a plurality of calibration signal characteristics, each calibration signal characteristic corresponding to a respective previously measured calibration signal between a calibration device and a respective wireless network device; and

enabling a functionality of the gaming communication device based upon the location.

20. The method of claim 19, in which each of the plurality of signal characteristics includes a strength of a respective signal between the gaming communication device and a respective wireless network device.

21. The method of claim 19, in which each of the plurality of signal characteristics includes a transmission time of a respective signal between the gaming communication device and a respective wireless network device.

22. The method of claim 19, in which at least one of the respective wireless network devices includes at least one of a wireless access point, a wireless router, a wireless base station, a satellite, and a signal detection device.

23. The method of claim 19, in which determining the location includes determining a zone from a plurality of zones that span a property.

24. The method of claim 23, in which each of the plurality of zones is associated with at least one allowed activity;

and in which the functionality includes the at least one allowed-activity associated with the zone.

25. The method of claim 24, in which the at least one allowed activity comprises gambling.

26. The method of claim 24, in which the at least one allowed activity includes at least one of making a reservation, purchasing merchandise, purchasing a service, purchasing food, purchasing a beverage, purchasing a ticket to an entertainment event, purchasing transportation, conducting a financial transaction, and receiving information.

27. The method of claim 23, in which the zone is divided into a plurality of subzones, and in which each previously measured calibration signal corresponds to at least one of the plurality of subzones in which the gaming communication device is located.

28. The method of claim 19, in which each respective previously measured calibration signal corresponds to a signal between respective wireless network devices and a calibration device located at a known location.

29. The method of claim 28, in which the known location corresponds to at least one of a zone of a property and a subzone of a zone of the property.

30. The method of claim 19, in which the functionality includes gambling.

31. The method of claim 19, in which the functionality includes at least one of making a reservation, purchasing merchandise, purchasing a service, purchasing food, purchasing a beverage, purchasing a ticket to an entertainment event, purchasing transportation, conducting a financial transaction, and receiving information.

32. The method of claim 19, further comprising measuring the plurality of calibration signal characteristics.

33. The method of claim 32, in which measuring the plurality of calibration signal characteristics includes measuring the calibration signal characteristics at each of a plurality of locations.

34. The method of claim 33, in which each location corresponds to at least one of a zone of a property, and a subzone of a zone of the property.

35. The method of claim 19, in which the calibration device includes a gaming communication device.

36. The method of claim 19, in which the location is determined by a gaming system.

37. A method comprising:

dividing a property into a plurality of zones, in which each zone is associated with at least one function allowed by gaming communication devices located within the respective zone, and in which at least one zone includes a plurality of subzones;

generating a plurality of sets of calibration signal characteristics, each set of calibration signal characteristics corresponding to one of the plurality of subzones; and

determining if a gaming communication device is located in the at least one zone by comparing a set of signal characteristics associated with the gaming communication device to the plurality of sets of calibration signal characteristics.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

if the gaming communication device is located in the at least one zone, enabling the at least one function allowed by gaming communication devices located in the at least one zone.

39. The method of claim 38, in which the at least one function includes gambling.

40. The method of claim 38, in which the at least one function includes at least one of making a reservation, purchasing merchandise, purchasing a service, purchasing food, purchasing a beverage, purchasing a ticket to an entertainment event, purchasing transportation, conducting a financial transaction, and receiving information.

41. The method of claim 38, in which each set of calibration signal characteristics includes respective strengths of a plurality of signals between a calibration device and respective wireless network devices.

42. The method of claim 41, in which at least one of the respective wireless network devices includes at least one of a wireless access point, a wireless router, a wireless base station, a satellite, and a signal detection device.

43. The method of claim 41, in which the calibration device includes a gaming communication device.

44. The method of claim 38, in which each set of calibration signal characteristics includes respective transmission times of a plurality of signals between a calibration device and respective wireless network devices.

45. The method of claim 44, in which at least one of the respective wireless network devices includes at least one of a wireless access point, a wireless router, a wireless base station, a satellite, and a signal detection device.

46. The method of claim 44, in which the calibration device includes a gaming communication device.

47. The method of claim 37, in which each subzone corresponds to a unique set of calibration signal characteristics.

48. The method of claim 47, in which each zone is divided into a plurality of subzones.

49. The method of claim 37, wherein generating includes measuring the plurality of sets of calibration signal characteristics.

50. The method of claim 37, wherein generating includes periodically measuring the plurality of sets of calibration signal characteristics.

51. The method of claim 37, further comprising determining that the gaming communication device has moved from the zone and adjusting the functionality of the gaming communication device accordingly.