Wireless operation of a game device

• US 8,241,127 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2005
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Kovacs, James K.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, PETER DUNG BA
• Application Number:
  US11/204,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20060046849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,555 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 16- 47, 273/36, 273/39, 273/138.1, 273/139, 273/138.2, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/39
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication

Abstract

A gaming device which can be operated by wireless signals provided by a remote control unit or device after an initialization process. The initialization process insures that the initialized gaming device accepts signals solely from the initialized remote control unit and that other players are prevented from operating the gaming device using a different remote control unit. The wireless signals contain gaming commands for play of a primary wagering game as well as player identification and/or player tracking information.

Claims

1. A gaming device operable under control of processor, said gaming device comprising:

a housing;

a primary game operable upon a wager by a player;

a display device connected to said housing and operable to display said primary wagering game;

an input slot defined by said housing, wherein said input slot is configured to receive at least part of a removable wireless remote control device; and

a signal receiver connected to said housing, wherein the processor is operable with said display device and said signal receiver to;

(a) execute an initialization process between the signal receiver and the wireless remote control device when the wireless remote control device is inserted in the input slot;

(b) receive at least one wireless signal generated from the initialized wireless remote control device after the initialized wireless remote control device is removed from the input slot;

(c) execute at least one gaming device command associated with a play of said primary game in response to said received wireless signal, wherein said gaming device command is at least partially based on said received wireless signal; and

(d) provide any award to the player for said play of the primary game.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the wireless signal encodes a plurality of gaming commands for said primary game.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the wireless signal encodes player information.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the signal receiver is operable to receive radio signals.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the signal receiver is operable to receive infrared signals.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to verify information transferred from the initialized wireless remote control device with information received from a remote source.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the information represented by the received wireless signal is displayable on a display of the wireless remote control unit.

8. A method of initializing a wireless remote control unit with a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) aligning said wireless remote control unit with a signal receiver within a slot of a housing of the gaming device;

(b) causing a signal to be sent from the wireless remote control unit to the signal receiver of the gaming device while the wireless remote control unit is aligned with the signal receiver within the slot, said signal containing synchronization data which enables the wireless remote control unit to operate the gaming device; and

(c) causing the gaming device to receive said synchronization data, wherein once the gaming device and the wireless remote control unit are synchronized, the gaming device is operable with said wireless remote control unit for a designated period, and the wireless remote control unit is operable with said gaming device for the designated period.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the synchronization data includes a personal identification number for the wireless remote control unit which enables the wireless remote control unit to operate the gaming device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the synchronization data contains player identification information or wager information.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the wireless remote control unit and the gaming device are aligned by physical coupling.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the signal is a radio signal.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the signal is an infrared signal.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the signal is a laser signal.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the signal is a microwave signal.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the signal contains advertisement data.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the signal contains personal messages.