Data transfer and control among multiple computer devices in a gaming environment

• US 8,613,671 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: Miller, Mark A., Alderucci, Dean P., Bradshaw, Thomas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US12/479,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20100312625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,660 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 463/39, 463/40
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/02 Cards; Special shapes of cards card-printing methods B41K, B41M
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/008 adapted for being playable on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2454 with LED
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2489 by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2492 Power supply
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2494 Battery, e.g. dry cell
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2497 Solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals

Abstract

Various card devices and methods involving card devices are described. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first set of mobile devices, each mobile device of the first set of mobile devices comprising;

a respective first display; and

a respective first element configured to;

receive a respective first indication of respective first gaming information, and

control the respective first display to display the respective first gaming information, in which a combination of the respective first gaming information displayed on each mobile device of the first set of mobile devices makes up an initial hand of a game; and

a second mobile device comprising;

a second display; and

an second element coupled to the second substrate and configured to;

receive an indication of second gaming information, and control the second display to display the second gaming information, in which a combination of the respective first gaming information displayed on each mobile device of the first set of mobile devices and the second gaming information makes up a final hand of the game.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a system comprising;

a gaming server configured to;

determine the respective first gaming information based on at least one random event generation,

determine that the first set of mobile devices and the second mobile device make up the final hand, and

determine the second gaming information based the at least one random event generation and a gaming action.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, in which determining that the first set of mobile devices and the second mobile device make up the final hand includes receiving an indication that the second mobile device should be part of the final hand.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, in which the indication is received from the second mobile device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, in which the second element is configured to control the second display to provide an interface through which a user may select to add the second card to the final hand, in which the second mobile device includes a touch input element configured to receive input from the user based on touch of the second mobile device, in which the second element is configured to receive an indication of an input selecting to add the second card to the final hand from the touch input element and transmit the indication to the gaming server, and in which the gaming server is configured to receive the indication and in response to receiving the indication, determine that the second mobile device should be part of the final hand.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, in which the indication includes an indication of a location of the second mobile device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, in which second mobile device includes a location element configured to facilitate determining a location of the second mobile device, in which the gaming server is configured to receive an indication of the location and in response to receiving the indication of the location determine that the second mobile device should be part of the final hand.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, in which the location includes a location associated with a user of the first set of mobile devices, and a location proximate to the first set of mobile devices.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, in which the indication includes an indication of a selection of the second mobile device for the final hand.

10. The apparatus of claim 3, in which the gaming server is further configured to receive an indication of the action.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, in which receiving an indication of the action includes receiving an indication of the action from at least one of the first set of mobile devices.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, in which the respective first element is configured to control the respective first display to provide an interface through which a user may select the action, in which each of the first set of mobile devices includes a respective touch input element configured to receive input from the user based on touch of the respective first mobile device, in which the respective first element is configured to receive an indication of an input selecting the action from a respective touch input element and transmit the indication to the gaming server, and in which the gaming server is configured to receive the indication.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the indication includes an indication of a location on at least one of the first set of mobile devices and the second mobile device that was touched by a user.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the indication of the action includes an indication of a location of the second mobile device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, in which second mobile device includes a location element configured to facilitate determining a location of the second mobile device, in which the gaming server is configured to receive an indication of the location and in response to receiving the indication of the location determine the action.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, in which second mobile device includes an element configured to facilitate determining an orientation of the second mobile device, in which the gaming server is configured to receive an indication of the orientation and in response to receiving the indication of the orientation determine the action.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the indication of the action includes an indication of an orientation of the second mobile device.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the respective first gaming information includes at least one respective first card value, and in which the second gaming information includes at least one second card value.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, in which each of the first displays includes a respective first flexible organic light emitting diode display, and in which the second display includes a second flexible organic light emitting diode display.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the second mobile device includes at least one of an induction element configured to provide power through magnetic induction from a power source that is not in physical contact with the induction element and an RF power element configured to provide power from an RF signal that is generated by a power source that is not in physical contact with the RF power element.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the second mobile device includes a third display facing an opposite direction as the second display;

in which the second element is configured to control the third display to display non-gaming information.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, in which each mobile device of the first set of mobile devices includes a respective first substrate having a respective front face and a respect back face, in which each first display is coupled to a respective front face of a respective first substrate, in which each first element is coupled to a respective first substrate, and in which each mobile device of the first set of mobile devices has a combined length, width, and height substantially similar to a playing card.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, in which each first substrate is bendable without interference to operation of the respective first display.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, in which each of the mobile devices of the first set of mobile devices and the second mobile devices have a combined structure that is flexible.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, in which each of the first set of mobile devices and the second mobile device have a respective thickness of less than about 0.02 inches.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, in which each of the first set of mobile devices and the second mobile device have a thickness of less than 5 about 0.011 inches.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the second mobile device includes a card device with a substrate having a front face and a back face, in which the second display is coupled to the front face, and in which the card device has a combined length, width, and height substantially similar to a playing card.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, in which the second element is configured to receive an indication of advertising information, and to control the second display to display the advertising information, in which a gaming server is configured to determine the advertising information based on the second gaming information.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, in which the substrate is bendable during operation of the display.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, in which the card device has a combined structure that is flexible.

31. An apparatus comprising:

a first set of mobile devices, each mobile device of the first set of mobile devices comprising;

a respective first display; and

a respective first element configured to;

receive a respective first indication of respective first gaming information, and

control the respective first display to display the respective first gaming information, in which a combination of the respective first gaming information displayed on each mobile device of the first set of mobile devices makes up an initial hand of a game; and

a second mobile device comprising;

a second display; and

an second element coupled to the second substrate and configured to;

receive an indication of second gaming information, and control the second display to display the second gaming information, in which a combination of the respective first gaming information displayed on each mobile device of the first set of mobile devices and the second gaming information makes up a final hand of the game;

in which the second mobile device includes a card device that comprises a substrate having a front face and a back face,

in which the second display is coupled to the front face of the substrate, and

in which the second element is coupled to the substrate and configured to;

receive an indication of a gaming action in the game,

transmit an indication of the gaming action,

receive the indication of the second gaming information and advertising information in response to transmitting the indication of the gaming action, and

control the second display to display the advertising information,

in which the card device has a combined length, width, and height substantially similar to a playing card and has a combined structure that is flexible.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, comprising:

a gaming server configured to;

determine the second gaming information to display on the second display based on the gaming action and a random event generation, and determine the advertising information based on the second gaming information.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, in which the at least one random event generation includes at least one of a random number generation, a random event happening, and a pseudo-random number generation.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, in which the second element is configured to control the second display to display an interface that includes the gaming action, in which the second mobile device includes a touch input element configured to determine that a user touched the second mobile device at a location corresponding to the gaming action, and configured to provide an indication of the location to the second element, and in which the indication of the gaming action includes the indication of the location.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, in which determining the advertising information includes determining the advertising information based on the second gaming information and the first gaming information displayed on the first set of mobile devices.

36. The apparatus of claim 32, in which determining the advertising information includes determining the advertising information based on a result of the game.

37. An apparatus comprising:

a first set of mobile devices, each mobile device of the first set of mobile devices comprising;

a respective first display; and

a respective first element configured to;

receive a respective first indication of respective first gaming information, and

control the respective first display to display the respective first gaming information, in which a combination of the respective first gaming information displayed on each mobile device of the first set of mobile devices makes up an initial hand of a game; and

a second mobile device comprising;

a second display; and

an second element coupled to the second substrate and configured to;

receive an indication of second gaming information, and control the second display to display the second gaming information, in which a combination of the respective first gaming information displayed on each mobile device of the first set of mobile devices and the second gaming information makes up a final hand of the game;

in which the second mobile device includes a card device with a substrate having a front face and a back face, in which the second display is coupled to the front face, and in which the card device has a combined length, width, and height substantially similar to a playing card, in which the second element is configured to receive an indication of advertising information, and to control the second display to display the advertising information, in which a gaming server is configured to determine the advertising information based on the second gaming information, in which the substrate is bendable during operation of the display, in which the card device has a combined structure that is flexible, in which the card device has a combined length, width, and height substantially similar to a playing card and has a combined structure that is flexible;

in which the second element is coupled to the substrate and configured to;

receive an indication of a gaming action in the game,

transmit an indication of the gaming action,

receive the indication of the second gaming information and advertising information in response to transmitting the indication of the gaming action, and

control the second display to display the advertising information in which the second element is configured to control the second display to display an interface that includes the gaming action, in which the second mobile device includes a touch input element configured to determine that a user touched the second mobile device at a location corresponding to the gaming action, and configured to provide an indication of the location to the second element, and in which the indication of the gaming action includes the indication of the location;

in which the apparatus further comprises;

a gaming server configured to;

determine the respective first gaming information based on at least one random event generation,

determine that the first set of mobile devices and the second mobile device make up the final hand,

determine the second gaming information to display on the second display based on the gaming action and a random event generation, and determine the advertising information based on the second gaming information, in which the at least one random event generation includes at least one of a random number generation, a random event happening, and a pseudo-random number generation, in which determining the advertising information includes determining the advertising information based on the second gaming information and the first gaming information displayed on the first set of mobile devices, in which determining the advertising information includes determining the advertising information based on a result of the game, in which the gaming server is further configured to receive an indication of the action, in which receiving an indication of the action includes receiving an indication of the action from at least one of the first set of mobile devices;

in which determining that the first set of mobile devices and the second mobile device make up the final hand includes receiving an indication that the second mobile device should be part of the final hand, in which the indication is received from the second mobile device, in which the indication includes an indication of a location of the second mobile device, in which second mobile device includes a location element configured to facilitate determining a location of the second mobile device, in which the gaming server is configured to receive an indication of the location and in response to receiving the indication of the location determine that the second mobile device should be part of the final hand, in which the location includes a location associated with a user of the first set of mobile devices, and a location proximate to the first set of mobile devices, in which the indication of the action includes an indication of an orientation of the second mobile device, in which second mobile device includes an element configured to facilitate determining an orientation of the second mobile device, in which the gaming server is configured to receive an indication of the orientation and in response to receiving the indication of the orientation determine the action;

in which the respective first gaming information includes at least one respective first card value, and in which the second gaming information includes at least one second card value, in which each of the first displays includes a respective first flexible organic light emitting diode display, and in which the second display includes a second flexible organic light emitting diode display;

in which the second mobile device includes at least one of an induction element configured to provide power through magnetic induction from a power source that is not in physical contact with the induction element and an RF power element configured to provide power from an RF signal that is generated by a power source that is not in physical contact with the RF power element;

in which the second mobile device includes a third display facing an opposite direction as the second display;

in which the second element is configured to control the third display to display non-gaming information;

in which each mobile device of the first set of mobile devices includes a respective first substrate having a respective front face and a respect back face, in which each first display is coupled to a respective front face of a respective first substrate, in which each first element is coupled to a respective first substrate, and in which each mobile device of the first set of mobile devices has a combined length, width, and height substantially similar to a playing card; and

in which each first substrate is bendable without interference to operation of the respective first display, in which each of the mobile devices of the first set of mobile devices and the second mobile devices have a combined structure that is flexible, in which each of the first set of mobile devices and the second mobile device have a respective thickness of less than about 0.02 inches, in which each of the first set of mobile devices and the second mobile device have a thickness of less than 5 about 0.011 inches.