User-initiated location determination for a location-based gaming system

• US 9,367,990 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2014
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Russell O. Carter Sr
• Original Assignee: Russell O. Carter Sr
• Inventors: Carter, Russell O. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel, Matthew D.
• Application Number:
  US14/485,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20150133223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 640 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 463/42
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00

Abstract

A system for providing access to casino gaming and sports booking is provided which permits a gambler to place wagers using a location based mobile gaming unit. The gambler may access the system through a wireless network. Further, the gambler may be positioned anywhere there is an established local gaming server. A gambler profile may be provided wireless access to the local server along with the games available in the local server jurisdiction based on a global positioning of the mobile gaming unit.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating geo-location interactive gaming, in an application executing on a mobile gaming device having an operating system, location-based gaming to mobile gaming through a wireless network, the method comprising:

initiating, responsive to a user action on an input/output device of the mobile gaming device, a gaming session in the application responsive to a user action, wherein the application is in communication with an operating system;

sending, by a network interface of the mobile gaming device, a request for gaming options from the application to a server device that is capable of determining gaming options based on location information;

responsive to the user-initiated gaming session in the application, determining the location information as determined by a combination of location technologies used as inputs, by a combination of position location hardware of the mobile gaming device receiving external signals, wherein a first location technology used to determine the location information is different from a second location technology;

sending, by the network interface, the location information to the server device to retrieve gaming options corresponding to a jurisdiction, the jurisdiction being one of a plurality of jurisdictions and associated with gaming restrictions that are particular to the jurisdiction;

receiving, by the network interface, the location-based gaming options available to the mobile gaming unit for display to the user; and

initiating, responsive to a user action on the input/output device, at least one of the location-based gaming options.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the combination of location technologies comprises at least two technologies selected from the group of:

GPS (Global Position System), CELL ID (Cell Identifier), Wi-Fi, GML (Geography Markup Language), WAP (Wireless Application Protocol), and location-based services.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the combination of location technologies comprises at least two technologies selected from the group of:

CELL ID (Cell Identifier), Wi-Fi, GML (Geography Markup Language), FLT (Forward Link Trilateration), WAP (Wireless Application Protocol), and location-based services.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming session comprises a wagering gaming session.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, performs a method for facilitating geo-location interactive gaming in an application executing on a mobile gaming device having an operating system, location-based gaming to mobile gaming through a wireless network, the method comprising:

initiating, responsive to a user action on an input/output device of the mobile gaming device, a gaming session in the application responsive to a user action, wherein the application is in communication with an operating system;

sending, by a network interface of the mobile gaming device, a request for gaming options from the application to a server device that is capable of determining gaming options based on location information;

responsive to the user-initiated gaming session in the application, determining the location information as determined by a combination of location technologies used as inputs, by a combination of position location hardware of the mobile gaming device receiving external signals, wherein a first location technology used to determine the location information is different from a second location technology;

sending, by the network interface, the location information to the server device to retrieve gaming options corresponding to a jurisdiction, the jurisdiction being one of a plurality of jurisdictions and associated with gaming restrictions that are particular to the jurisdiction;

receiving, by the network interface, the location-based gaming options available to the mobile gaming unit for display to the user; and

initiating, responsive to a user action on the input/output device, at least one of the location-based gaming options.

6. A mobile gaming device to facilitate geo-location interactive gaming and unit having an operating system and executing an application for location-based gaming to mobile gaming through a wireless network, the mobile gaming unit comprising:

a processor;

a network interface; and

a memory coupled to the processor and network interface and storing;

a first module to initiate, by the processor, a gaming session in the application responsive to a user action, wherein the application is in communication with an operating system;

a second module to send, by the network interface, a request for gaming options from the application to a server device that is capable of determining gaming options based on location information;

a third module to, responsive to the user-initiated gaming session in the application, by a combination of position location hardware receiving external signals, determine the location information as determined by a combination of location technologies used as inputs, wherein a first location technology used to determine the location information is different from a second location technology;

a fourth module to send, by the network interface the location information to the server device to retrieve gaming options corresponding to a jurisdiction, the jurisdiction being one of a plurality of jurisdictions and associated with gaming restrictions that are particular to the jurisdiction;

a fifth module to receive the location-based gaming options available to the mobile gaming unit for display to the user,

wherein the first module initiates at least one of the location-based gaming options, response to a user action.