Remote Input Device For A Wagering Game

• US 20100240435A1
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Schwartz, Richard T., Gagner, Mark B., Joshi, Shridhar P., Pacey, Larry J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,864,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen

Abstract

An input device dedicated for use with a wagering game is displayed on a display device. The display device is remote from the input device and includes outcome images of a randomly selected outcome and input images associated with player inputs for the wagering game. The input device includes a player input-receiving area and an interface. The player input-receiving area has a plurality of input elements associated with respective functions of the wagering game. The input elements replicate the input images of the player inputs. The interface is coupled to the input elements and transmits signals in response to the player activating the input elements.

Claims

1. An input device dedicated for use with a wagering game being displayed on an unconventional-wagering display device that is not dedicated for use with a wagering game, the unconventional wagering display device being remote from the input device and including outcome images of a randomly selected outcome and input images associated with player inputs for the wagering game, the unconventional-wagering display device lacking player inputs dedicated to providing input to the wagering games, the input device comprising:

a player input-receiving area having a plurality of input elements associated with respective functions of the wagering game, the input elements replicating the input images of the player inputs; and

an interface coupled to the input elements for transmitting signals directly to the unconventional-wagering display device in response to the player activating the input elements.

2. The input device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of input elements are selected from a group consisting of a touch key, a mechanical push-button, a programmable button, a virtual button, a scroll wheel, a dial, a joystick, a motion sensor, a gesture sensor, and an optical sensor.

3. The input device of claim 1, wherein the unconventional-wagering display device is selected from a group consisting of a television set, a computer screen, and a phone.

4. The input device of claim 1, wherein the interface is a wireless connection.

5. The input device of claim 4, wherein the wireless connection includes infrared signals, Bluetooth signals, and radio frequency signals.

6. The input device of claim 1, wherein the player input-receiving area includes a touch screen display for displaying the input images.

7. The input device of claim 1, further comprising a memory device for storing information associated with a player of the input device.

8. The input device of claim 1, further comprising an output device selected from a group consisting of an integrated speaker, wired headphones, and wireless headphones.

9. The input device of claim 1, further comprising a microphone integrated in a housing of the input device for receiving audio signals.

10. The input device of claim 1, further comprising a video camera integrated in a housing of the input device for receiving video images.

11. A method for conducting a wagering game via a remote input device dedicated for use with a wagering game, the wagering game being displayed on a display device that is not dedicated for use with a wagering game, the display device including outcome images of a randomly selected outcome and input images associated with player inputs for the wagering game, the display device lacking player inputs dedicated to providing input to the wagering game, the method comprising:

activating an input element of the remote input device to perform an associated function of the wagering game, the input element replicating the input image of the player inputs;

in response to the activating, transmitting a generated signal associated with the function of the wagering game; and

performing the function.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising connecting the input device to the display device using a wireless connection.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying the outcome images on a display area of the input device.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying a plurality of input elements of the input device as sequentially ordered buttons, the buttons corresponding to the input images of player inputs.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising identifying a player of the dedicated remote input device with a unique identifier.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising outputting audio signals via a speaker integrated in the remote input device.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising performing a function associated with an electronic item selected from a group consisting of a television set, a DVD player, a cable box, an audio receiver, a video game system, and a video cassette recorder.

18. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions for directing a gaming system to perform the method of claim 11.

19. A wagering system for allowing wagering games to be played remotely, the wagering system comprising:

a wagering game interface;

a display device external to a gaming establishment, the display device displaying images of a randomly selected outcome and lacking player inputs dedicated to providing input to the wagering games; and

a remote input device coupled to the wagering game interface for playing the wagering game via the display device, the remote input device including

a plurality of input touch keys replicating respective ones of a plurality of gaming touch keys, the gaming touch keys being associated with a gaming machine in the gaming establishment, each of the plurality of input touch keys activating an associated function of a corresponding gaming touch key, and

an interface area for transmitting signals associated with an activated function directly to the display device.

20. The wagering system of claim 19, wherein the signals transmitted by the interface area of the remote input device include video and audio signals.

21. The wagering system of claim 19, wherein the interface area of the remote input device further receives signals from the display device.

22. The wagering system of claim 19, wherein the remote input device includes an integrated area for displaying at least some of the images of the wagering game.

23. The wagering system of claim 19, wherein the display device is selected from a group consisting of a television set, a computer screen, and a phone.

24. The wagering system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of input touch keys includes a first set of input touch keys for playing a first wagering game and a second set of input touch keys for playing a second wagering game, the first set of input touch keys being available only when playing the first wagering game and the second set of input touch keys being available only when playing the second wagering game.

25. An input device dedicated for use with a wagering game being displayed on a display device, the display device being remote from the input device and including outcome images of a randomly selected outcome, the input device comprising:

a player input-receiving area having a first set of input elements associated with respective functions of a first wagering game and a second set of input elements associated with respective functions of a second wagering game, the first set of input elements and the second set of input elements replicating respective player input elements, the player input elements being integrated in one or more gaming machines located in a gaming establishment;

an interface coupled to the input elements for transmitting signals in response to the player activating one or more of the first set of input elements and the second set of input elements; and

a menu area for altering the player input-receiving area to show the first set of input elements when playing the first wagering game and the second set of input elements when playing the second wagering game.

26. The input device of claim 25, wherein the player input-receiving area and the menu area are integrated in a single touch screen display.