Methods of receiving electronic wagers in a wagering game via a handheld electronic wager input device

• US 9,842,468 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2017
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Gagner, Mark B., Gronkowski, Timothy T., Lesley, Paul M., Loose, Timothy C., Motyl, Jim, Rasmussen, James M., Shi, Victor T., Thomas, Alfred, Smith, Jesse
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US15/449,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20170178453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 284 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming system includes a gaming device and one or more controllers. The gaming device has a surface configured to display a wagering game. The controller is configured to display on the surface a designated area including indicia indicating where an electronic device held by a player should be placed in the designated area. In response to the electronic device being placed in proximity to the surface in the designated area, an illuminating flashing pattern representing an electronic identification code is caused to occur between the surface and the electronic device in the designated area. In response to causing the flashing pattern, a session associating play of the wagering game with a player account of the player is established.

Claims

1. A gaming system, comprising:

a gaming device having a surface configured to display a wagering game; and

one or more controllers configured to;

display on the surface a designated area including indicia indicating where an electronic device held by a player should be placed in the designated area;

responsive to the electronic device being placed in proximity to the surface in the designated area, cause an illuminating flashing pattern representing an electronic identification code to occur between the surface and the electronic device in the designated area; and

responsive to causing the flashing pattern, establish a session associating play of the wagering game with a player account of the player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the flashing pattern is a pattern of lights.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the illuminating is carried out using one or more LEDs.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the flashing pattern includes graphics.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the flashing pattern is detected by an electronic imaging device.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the electronic device is a portable handheld device.

7. A computer-implemented method of operating a gaming device, the gaming device including one or more controllers and a surface, the method comprising the steps of:

display on the surface a designated area including indicia indicating where an electronic device held by a player should be placed in the designated area;

responsive to the electronic device being placed in proximity to the surface in the designated area, cause an illuminating flashing pattern representing an electronic identification code to occur between the surface and the electronic device in the designated area; and

responsive to causing the flashing pattern, establish a session associating play of a wagering game on the gaming device with a player account of the player.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the flashing pattern is a pattern of lights.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the illuminating is carried out using one or more LEDs.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the flashing pattern includes graphics.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the flashing pattern is detected by an electronic imaging device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the electronic device is a portable handheld device.

13. A gaming device, comprising:

a surface configured to display a wagering game;

means for displaying on the surface a designated area including indicia indicating where an electronic device held by a player should be placed in the designated area;

means for causing, responsive to the electronic device being placed in proximity to the surface in the designated area, an illuminating flashing pattern representing an electronic identification code to occur between the surface and the electronic device in the designated area; and

means for establishing, responsive to causing the flashing pattern, a session associating play of the wagering game with a player account of the player.

14. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein the flashing pattern is a pattern of lights.

15. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the illuminating is carried out using one or more LEDs.

16. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein the flashing pattern includes graphics.

17. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein the flashing pattern is detected by an electronic imaging device.

18. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the electronic device is a portable handheld device.