Gaming system having multiple player simultaneous display/input device

• US 8,235,812 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2011
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Baerlocher, Anthony J., Campbell, Kimberly M., Champagne, Christiaan R., Davis, Dwayne A., Elias, Hans, Ennis, Damien C., Khamis, Michael P., Myers, David N., Palmer, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US13/152,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20110230248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 273/274, 273/309, 273/292, 273/142.E, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/237, 463/17, 463/30, 463/31, 463/34, 463/46
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A game table having a multiplayer interactive display/input device which enables multiple players to simultaneously play primary or base wagering games and/or secondary or bonus games using the display/input device. The display/input device enables multiple players to simultaneously interact with the game table and the various games using the same display/input device. The game table enables multiple players to manipulate displayed objects (such as virtual cards or other game symbols) displayed by the display/input device at the same time. This enables the display/input device to simultaneously display the same game to multiple players in an integrated seamless manner without the need for multiple different sets of display devices and input devices for each of the players.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a game table having a single multiplayer display/input device; and

at least one processor configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device to;

(a) display a play of a wagering game to a plurality of players using the single multiplayer display/input device, wherein the single multiplayer display/input device is configured for each of the plurality of players, to detect the player moving one of the player'"'"'s hands above the single multiplayer display/input device without touching the single multiplayer display/input device as an input by the player for the play of the wagering game,

(b) for each of the players, display any awards for that player resulting from said play of the wagering game using the single multiplayer display/input device, and

(c) for each of the players, additionally display any secondary game opportunities for use in a play of a secondary game and earned by the player resulting from the player'"'"'s detected hand movements above the single multiplayer display/input device.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the wagering game is selected from the group consisting of:

a slot wagering game, a poker wagering game, a blackjack wagering game, a keno wagering game, a bingo wagering game, and a baccarat wagering game.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device for the play of the wagering game to sequentially detect said player hand movements above the single multiplayer display/input device.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device for the play of the wagering game to simultaneously detect said player hand movements above the single multiplayer display/input device.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device to display the play of the secondary game to the plurality of players, and for each player, to detect the player moving one of the player'"'"'s hands above the single multiplayer display/input device without touching the single multiplayer display/input device as an input by the player to use the player'"'"'s earned secondary game opportunities for the play of the secondary game, and to display any awards for the player resulting from the play of the secondary game.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device for the play of secondary game to sequentially detect said player hand movements above the single multiplayer display/input device.

7. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device for the play of the secondary game to simultaneously detect said player hand movements above the single multiplayer display/input device.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device to display the play of the secondary game to the plurality of players using the player'"'"'s earned secondary game opportunities and to display any awards resulting from said play of the secondary game.

9. A gaming system comprising:

a game table having a single multiplayer display/input device; and

at least one processor configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device to;

(a) display a play of a wagering game to a plurality of players using the single multiplayer display/input device, wherein the single multiplayer display/input device is configured to enable the plurality of players to play the play of the wagering game using the single multiplayer display/input device,

(b) for each of the players, display any awards for that player resulting from said play of the wagering game using the single multiplayer display/input device,

(c) for each of the players, additionally display any secondary game opportunities for use in a play of a secondary game and earned by the player resulting from the player'"'"'s detected hand movements above the single multiplayer display/input device,

(d) display the play of the secondary game to the plurality of players, wherein the single multiplayer display/input device is configured, for each of the players, to detect the player moving one of the player'"'"'s hands above the single multiplayer display/input device without touching the single multiplayer display/input device as an input by the player to use the player'"'"'s earned secondary game opportunities for the play of the secondary game, and

(e) for each of the players, display any awards for the player resulting from said play of the secondary game using the single multiplayer display/input device.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the wagering game is selected from the group consisting of:

a slot wagering game, a poker wagering game, a blackjack wagering game, a keno wagering game, a bingo wagering game, and a baccarat wagering game.

11. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device for the play of the secondary game to sequentially detect said player hand movements above the single multiplayer display/input device.

12. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device for the play of the secondary game to simultaneously detect said player hand movements above the single multiplayer display/input device.

13. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the display of said play of the secondary game includes a display of a wheel.

14. A gaming system comprising:

a game table having a single multiplayer display/input device; and

at least one processor configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device, for each of a plurality of players, to cause the single multiplayer display/input device to;

(i) display a play of a wagering game to the player,

(ii) detect the player moving one of the player'"'"'s hands above the single multiplayer display/input device without touching the single multiplayer display/input device as an input by the player for the play of the wagering game,

(iii) display any awards for the player resulting from the play of the wagering game to the player, and

(iv) additionally display any secondary game opportunities for use in a play of a secondary game and earned by the player resulting from the player'"'"'s detected hand movements above the single multiplayer display/input device.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein, for each player, the wagering game is selected from the group consisting of:

a slot wagering game, a poker wagering game, a blackjack wagering game, a keno wagering game, a bingo wagering game, and a baccarat wagering game.

16. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device for the plays of the wagering games to sequentially detect said player hand movements above the single multiplayer display/input device.

17. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device for the plays of the wagering games to simultaneously detect said player hand movements above the single multiplayer display/input device.

18. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device for at least one of the plurality of the players, to detect the player moving one of the player'"'"'s hands above the single multiplayer display/input device without touching the single multiplayer display/input device as an input by the player to use the player'"'"'s earned secondary game opportunities for the play of the secondary game, and to display any awards resulting from the play of the secondary game.

19. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device for each of a plurality of the players, to detect the player moving one of the player'"'"'s hands above the single multiplayer display/input device without touching the single multiplayer display/input device as an input by the player to use the player'"'"'s earned secondary game opportunities for the play of the secondary game, and to display any awards resulting from the play of the secondary game.

20. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device for the play of secondary game to sequentially detect said player hand movements above the single multiplayer display/input device.

21. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device for the play of the secondary game to simultaneously detect said player hand movements above the single multiplayer display/input device.

22. A gaming system comprising:

a game table having a single multiplayer display/input device; and

at least one processor configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device to;

for each of a plurality of players, cause the single multiplayer display/input device to;

(i) display a play of a wagering game to the player to the player,

(ii) display any awards resulting from the play of the wagering game to the player,

(ii) additionally display any secondary game, opportunities for use in a play of a secondary game and earned by the player resulting from the player'"'"'s detected hand movements above the single multiplayer display/input device;

for at least one of the plurality of players, cause the single multiplayer display/input device to;

(i) display the play of the secondary game to the player,

(ii) detect the player moving one of the player'"'"'s hands above the single multiplayer display/input device without touching the single multiplayer display/input device as an input by the player to use the player'"'"'s earned secondary game opportunities for the play of the secondary game, and

(iii) display any awards resulting from the play of the secondary game to the player.

23. The gaming system of claim 22, wherein the wagering game is selected from the group consisting of:

a slot wagering game, a poker wagering game, a blackjack wagering game, a keno wagering game, a bingo wagering game, and a baccarat wagering game.

24. The gaming system of claim 22 wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device for the play of the secondary game to sequentially detect said player hand movements above the single multiplayer display/input device.

25. The gaming system of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device the at least one processor is configured to operate with the single multiplayer display/input device for the play of the secondary game to simultaneously detect said player hand movements above the single multiplayer display/input device.

26. The gaming system of claim 22, wherein the display of said play of the secondary game includes a display of a wheel.