Flat Rate Wager-Based Game Play Techniques For Casino Table Game Environments

• US 20090253498A1
• Filed: 04/01/2009
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wolf, Bryan D., Davis, Dwayne A., Harris, Roger William
• Granted Patent: US 8,277,314 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 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means
• 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

Abstract

Various techniques are disclosed for operating, at a live casino gaming table, a table game having a flat rate play session costing a flat rate price. In one embodiment, the flat rate play session may span multiple plays on the gaming table over a pre-established duration. In at least one embodiment, a given gaming table may be operable to simultaneously or concurrently host both flat rate game play and non-flat rate game play to different players at the gaming table. In one embodiment, the gaming table may include an intelligent multi-player electronic gaming system which is operable to identify price parameters, and/or operable to determine a flat rate price of playing a flat rate table game session based on those price parameters. Additional aspects relate to automated start/stop/suspend/end of flat rate table game sessions.

Claims

1. A gaming table system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one interface operable to provide a communication link to at least one other network device in a gaming network; and

memory;

the system being operable to;

automatically detect a presence of a first player at a gaming table;

determine a first set of criteria relating to initiation of a first flat rate table game session for the first player at the gaming table;

automatically determine whether the first set of criteria has been satisfied;

automatically initiate the first flat rate table game session for the first player in response to a determination that the first set of criteria has been satisfied.

2. The system of claim 1 being further operable to:

delay initiation of the first flat rate table game session for the first player in response to a determination that the first set of criteria has not been satisfied; and

3. The system of claim 1 being further operable to:

enable the first player to participate in flat rate game play activity at the gaming table during the first flat rate table game session.

4. The system of claim 1 being further operable to:

enable the first player to participate in flat rate game play activity at the gaming table during the first flat rate table game session;

wherein the flat rate game play activity includes game play activity associated with at least one table game type selected from a group of table game types consisting of;

blackjack, craps, poker, baccarat, roulette, pai gow, sic bo, and fantan.

5. The system of claim 1 being further operable to:

automatically detect a presence of a second player at the gaming table;

determine a second set of criteria relating to initiation of a second flat rate table game session for the second player at the gaming table;

automatically determine whether the second set of criteria has been satisfied; and

automatically initiate the second flat rate table game session for the second player in response to a determination that the second set of criteria has been satisfied.

6. The system of claim 1 being further operable to:

automatically detect a presence of a second player at the gaming table;

determine a second set of criteria relating to initiation of a second flat rate table game session for the second player at the gaming table;

automatically determine whether the second set of criteria has been satisfied; and

automatically initiate the second flat rate table game session for the second player in response to a determination that the second set of criteria has been satisfied;

wherein the first flat rate table game session and second flat rate table game session are concurrently active at the gaming table.

7. The system of claim 1 being further operable to:

enable the first player to participate in flat rate game play activity at the gaming table during the first flat rate table game session;

automatically detect a presence of a second player at the gaming table; and

enable the second player to participate in non-flat rate game play activity at the gaming table during at least a portion of time while the first player is participating in flat rate game play activity at the gaming table.

8. The system of claim 1 being further operable to:

track, in response to initiating the first flat rate table game session for the first player, flat rate table game session information associated with activities performed by the first player at the gaming table.

9. A gaming table system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one interface operable to provide a communication link to at least one other network device in a gaming network; and

memory;

the system being operable to;

automatically detect a presence of a first player at a gaming table;

initiate a first flat rate table game session for the first player;

determine a first set of criteria relating to suspension of the first flat rate table game session for the first player;

automatically determine whether the first set of criteria has been satisfied; and

automatically suspend the first flat rate table game session for the first player in response to a determination that the first set of criteria has been satisfied.

10. The system of claim 9 being further operable to:

delay suspension of the first flat rate table game session for the first player in response to a determination that the first set of criteria has not been satisfied.

11. The system of claim 9 being further operable to:

determine a second set of criteria relating to resumption of the suspended flat rate table game session for the first player;

automatically determine whether the second set of criteria has been satisfied; and

automatically resuming the suspended flat rate table game session for the first player in response to a determination that the second set of criteria has been satisfied.

12. A gaming table system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one interface operable to provide a communication link to at least one other network device in a gaming network; and

memory;

the system being operable to;

automatically detect a presence of a first player at a gaming table;

initiate a first flat rate table game session for the first player;

determine a first set of criteria relating to ending of the first flat rate table game session for the first player;

automatically determine whether the first set of criteria has been satisfied; and

automatically end the first flat rate table game session for the first player in response to a determination that the first set of criteria has been satisfied.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the first set of criteria includes at least one criteria selected from a group consisting of:

criteria relating to total game play time;

criteria relating to total wager limit(s);

criteria relating to total number of games/rounds/hands played;

criteria relating to total number of cards dealt;

criteria relating to total number of wins;

criteria relating to total number of game outcomes;

criteria relating to total number of game losses; and

criteria relating to violation of flat rate table game session rules.

14. The system of claim 12 being further operable to:

delay ending of the first flat rate table game session for the first player in response to a determination that the first set of criteria has not been satisfied.

15. A method for managing flat rate table game session activities in a gaming network, the gaming network including a first gaming table, the method comprising:

automatically detecting a presence of a first player at the first gaming table;

determining a first set of criteria relating to initiation of a first flat rate table game session for the first player;

automatically determining whether the first set of criteria has been satisfied; and

automatically initiating the first flat rate table game session for the first player in response to a determination that the first set of criteria has been satisfied.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

delaying initiation of the first flat rate table game session for the first player in response to a determination that the first set of criteria has not been satisfied.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

enabling the first player to participate in flat rate game play activity at the gaming table during the first flat rate table game session.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

enabling the first player to participate in flat rate game play activity at the gaming table during the first flat rate table game session;

wherein the flat rate game play activity includes game play activity associated with at least one table game type selected from a group of table game types consisting of;

blackjack, craps, poker, baccarat, roulette, pai gow, sic bo, and fantan.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

automatically detecting a presence of a second player at the gaming table;

determining a second set of criteria relating to initiation of a second flat rate table game session for the second player at the gaming table;

automatically determining whether the second set of criteria has been satisfied; and

automatically initiating the second flat rate table game session for the second player in response to a determination that the second set of criteria has been satisfied.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

automatically detecting a presence of a second player at the gaming table;

determine a second set of criteria relating to initiation of a second flat rate table game session for the second player at the gaming table;

automatically determining whether the second set of criteria has been satisfied; and

automatically initiating the second flat rate table game session for the second player in response to a determination that the second set of criteria has been satisfied;

wherein the first flat rate table game session and second flat rate table game session are concurrently active at the gaming table.

21. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

enabling the first player to participate in flat rate game play activity at the gaming table during the first flat rate table game session;

automatically detecting a presence of a second player at the gaming table; and

enabling the second player to participate in non-flat rate game play activity at the gaming table during at least a portion of time while the first player is participating in flat rate game play activity at the gaming table.

22. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

tracking, in response to initiating the first flat rate table game session for the first player, flat rate table game session information associated with activities performed by the first player at the first gaming table.

23. A method for managing flat rate table game session information in a gaming network, the gaming network including a first gaming table, the method comprising:

automatically detecting a presence of a first player at the first gaming table;

initiating a first flat rate table game session for the first player at the first gaming table;

determining a first set of criteria relating to suspension of the first flat rate table game session for the first player;

automatically determining whether the first set of criteria has been satisfied; and

automatically suspend the first flat rate table game session for the first player in response to a determination that the first set of criteria has been satisfied.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

delaying suspension of the first flat rate table game session for the first player in response to a determination that the first set of criteria has not been satisfied.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

determining a second set of criteria relating to resumption of the suspended flat rate table game session for the first player;

automatically determining whether the second set of criteria has been satisfied; and

automatically resuming the suspended flat rate table game session for the first player in response to a determination that the second set of criteria has been satisfied.

26. A method for managing flat rate table game session information in a gaming network, the gaming network including a first gaming table, the method comprising:

automatically detecting a presence of a first player at the first gaming table;

initiating a first flat rate table game session for the first player at the first gaming table;

determining a first set of criteria relating to ending of the first flat rate table game session for the first player;

automatically determining whether the first set of criteria has been satisfied; and

automatically end the first flat rate table game session for the first player in response to a determination that the first set of criteria has been satisfied.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the first set of criteria includes at least one criteria selected from a group consisting of:

criteria relating to total game play time;

criteria relating to total wager limit(s);

criteria relating to total number of games/rounds/hands played;

criteria relating to total number of cards dealt;

criteria relating to total number of wins;

criteria relating to total number of game outcomes;

criteria relating to total number of game losses; and

criteria relating to violation of flat rate table game session rules.

28. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

delaying ending of the first flat rate table game session for the first player in response to a determination that the first set of criteria has not been satisfied.