Poker online playing system

• US 7,736,221 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pen-One Acquisition Group LLC (Equitable IP Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pen-One Inc.
• Inventors: Black, Adam Matthew, Black, Gerald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shah; Milap
• Application Number:
  US11/122,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20060154715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,866 Days
• Field of Search: 463 11- 13, 463/26, 463/28, 463 40- 42, 273/292
• US Class Current: 463/13
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

The online poker gaming system comprises a live or recorded poker game, and at least one gaming terminal. The live or recorded poker game involves a group of players sitting around a table. Each player is playing for prize money so there is a cash incentive for each to win. The player terminal displays images of the live or recorded game being broadcast for view by an online player. The player terminal also includes a schematic of the game for presenting in a concise and visual way, the game status and gaming data of the live or recorded game. The player terminal also includes a keypad, enabling the online player to select one or more players to win, and select a value for each selection. So while the online player cannot make gaming decisions—fold, call, check, and raise—the online player can participate by making selections, much as one would make selections at a racetrack. The online player can make multiple playing selections unavailable to the player sitting at the table.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a. a live or recorded game of poker involving a plurality of participating players, such plurality of participating players being positioned about a poker table, such plurality of participating players having fold, check, call, or raise playing options for the live or recorded game of poker, such plurality of participating players using gaming skills to be the winning player of the live or recorded game; and

b. a first player terminal displaying images relative to the live or recorded game for view by a first online player, the first player terminal enabling player selection by the first online player from the plurality of participating players as to the winning player of the live or recorded game, the first player terminal enabling an entering of value selection by the first on line player regarding the one of the participating players selected for the live or recorded game;

whereby the first online player is provided with a plurality of playing options through the first player terminal, the plurality of playing options being in addition to the fold, call, check, or raise playing options for the plurality of participating players in the live or recorded game; and

whereby the first online player makes a winning selection whenever such player selection from the plurality of participating players is the winning player of the live or recorded game of the poker hand.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising a second player terminal displaying images relative to the live or recorded game for view by a second on line player, the second player terminal enabling player selection by the second online player from the plurality of participating players as to the winning player of the live or recorded game, the second player terminal enabling value selection by the second online player to enter value regarding such player selection for the live or recorded game, whereby value selection by the first online player and value selection by the second online player are added together during play of the multiple live or recorded game, either the first or the second on line player winning a portion of the totaled value selections added together, such portion increasing with increased online playing activity.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein value is awarded to the first online player by selecting a winning poker hand for the winning player, the value being determined by likelihood of being dealt the poker hand.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first player terminal provides historical data of winning players of the live or recorded game, such historical data including success rates of the participating players for most recent of the live or recorded game of poker, lifetime earnings of participating players, and heads-up success against other participating players.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first player terminal enables player selection by the first online player from the plurality of participating players as to the winning player of the live or recorded game, the first player terminal enabling value selection by the first online player to enter value regarding such player selection for the live or recorded game, the first online player making a winning selection whenever such player selection from the plurality of participating players is dealt the best poker hand in the live or recorded game of the poker hand, said best-poker-hand player being independent of the winning player of the live or recorded game.

6. A gaming system comprising:

a. a live or recorded game of poker involving a plurality of participating players, such plurality of participating players being positioned about a poker table;

such plurality of participating players having fold, call, check, or raise playing options for the live or recorded game of poker, such plurality of participating players using gaming skills to be the winning player of the live or recorded game; and

b. a first player terminal displaying images relative to the live or recorded game for view by a first online player, the first player terminal enabling player selection by the first online player from the plurality of participating players as to a winning player of the live or recorded game, the first player terminal enabling an entering of value selection by the first online player to enter value regarding the one of the participating players selected for the live or recorded game;

whereby the first player terminal provides the first online player with a plurality of playing options, the plurality of playing options being in addition to the fold, call, check, or raise playing options for the plurality of participating players in the live or recorded game; and

whereby the first online player makes a winning selection whenever the player selection from the plurality of participating players is dealt the best poker hand in the live or recorded game of the poker hand, said best-poker-hand player being independent of the winning player of the live or recorded game.

7. The gaming system of claim 6, further comprising a second player terminal displaying images relative to the live or recorded game for view by a second online player, the second player terminal enabling player selection by the second online player from the plurality of participating players as to the winning player of the live or recorded game, the second player terminal enabling value selection by the second online player to enter value regarding such player selection for the live or recorded game, whereby value selection by the first online player and value selection by the second online player are added together during play of the multiple live or recorded game, either the first or the second online player winning a portion of the totaled value selections added together, such portion increasing with increased online playing activity.

8. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein value is awarded to the first online player by selecting a winning poker hand for the winning player, the value being determined by likelihood of being dealt the poker hand.

9. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the first player terminal provides historical data of winning players of the live or recorded game, such historical data including success rates of the participating players for most recent of the live or recorded game of poker, lifetime earnings of participating players, and heads-up success against other participating players.

10. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the first player terminal enables player selection by the first online player from the plurality of participating players as to the winning player of the live or recorded game, the first player terminal enabling value selection by the first online player to enter value regarding such player selection for the live or recorded game, the first online player making a winning selection whenever such player selection from the plurality of participating players is the winning player of the live or recorded game of the poker hand.

11. A gaming system comprising:

a. multiple live or recorded games of poker involving a plurality of participating players, such plurality of participating players being positioned about a poker table, such plurality of participating players having fold, call, check, or raise playing options for each live or recorded game of poker, such plurality of participating players using gaming skills to be the winning player in the multiple live or recorded games;

b. a first player terminal displaying images relative to one of the multiple live or recorded games for view by a first online player, the first player terminal providing the first online player with a plurality of playing options, the plurality of playing options being in addition to the fold, call, check, or raise playing options for the plurality of participating players in the live or recorded game, the first player terminal enabling selection of one of the participating players, the first player terminal enabling a value selection by the first online player to enter value regarding the one of the participating players selected for each of the live or recorded games; and

c. a second player terminal displaying images relative to one of the multiple live or recorded games for view by a second online player, the second player terminal providing the second online player with a plurality of playing options, the plurality of playing options being in addition to the fold, call, check, or raise playing options for the plurality of participating players in the live or recorded game, the second player terminal enabling value selection by the second online player to enter value regarding the player selection for each of the live or recorded games;

whereby value selection by the first online player and value selection by the second online player are added together during play of the multiple live or recorded games, either the first or the second online player winning a portion of the value selection by the first online player and value selection by the second online player, such portion increasing with increased online playing activity.

12. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein value is awarded to the first online player by selecting a winning poker hand for the winning player, the value being determined by likelihood of being dealt the poker hand.

13. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the first player terminal enables player selection by the first online player from the plurality of participating players as to the winning player of one of the multiple live or recorded games, the first player terminal enabling value selection by the first online player to enter value regarding such player selection for one of the multiple live or recorded games, the first online player making a winning selection whenever such player selection from the plurality of participating players is the winning player of the one of the multiple live or recorded games of the poker hand.

14. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the first player terminal enables player selection by the first online player from the plurality of participating players as to the winning player of the one of the multiple live or recorded games, the first player terminal enabling value selection by the first online player to enter value regarding such player selection for the one of the multiple live or recorded games, the first online player making a winning selection whenever such player selection from the plurality of participating players is dealt the best poker hand in the one of the multiple live or recorded games, said best-poker-hand player being independent of the winning player of the one of the multiple live or recorded games.