Controlling wagering game peripherals

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10134225-B2
Application number	US-201514816902-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2015
Priority date	Sep 29, 2011
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations can include establishing a connection with an input device, from a plurality of input devices configured for user input, for use in a wagering game during a wagering game session. The operations can further include receiving input data from the input device, wherein the input data has a first format specific to the input device, and wherein the wagering game requires the input data in a second format different from the first format. The operations can further include converting the input data from the first format to the second format required by the wagering game, and providing the input data to the wagering game in the second format for use as the user input for the wagering game.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
selecting, by one or more processors configured to present a community wagering game, a wagering game participant from a plurality of eligible participants that are eligible for one or more game-play events of the community wagering game;
selecting, by a peripheral controller, an input device from a plurality of input devices, the selected input device associated with a personal device belonging to the wagering game participant, wherein the selected input device is configured to generate user input, wherein the personal device is communicably coupled to the peripheral controller;
providing control to the selected input device to provide the user input for the one or more gameplay events;
detecting, by the peripheral controller, input data from the selected input device in response to providing the control to the selected input device, wherein the input data is in a first format specific to the selected input device, and wherein the community wagering game requires the input data in a second format different from the first format;
converting, by the peripheral controller, the input data from the first format to the second format; and
providing, by the peripheral controller to the one or more processors configured to present the community wagering game, the input data in the second format as the user input for use in the one or more game-play events.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the input device associated with the wagering game participant includes:
detecting a wagering game machine at which the wagering game participant is logged in from which the wagering game participant has contributed a portion of wagers as eligibility for the community wagering game.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the input device associated with the wagering game participant includes:
detecting that a location for the input device is in proximity to a presentation device for the one or more game-play events;
detecting that the input device is assigned to the wagering game participant, in response to detecting that the location for the input device is in proximity to the presentation device;
detecting that the wagering game participant is one of the plurality of eligible participants, in response to detecting that the input device is assigned to the wagering game participant; and
selecting the input device in response to detecting that the wagering game participant is one of the plurality of eligible participants.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting one or more additional game-play events for the community wagering game after completion of the one or more game-play events;
selecting an additional wagering game participant, from the plurality of eligible participants, to perform an additional activity for the one or more additional game-play events for the community wagering game;
selecting an additional input device associated with the additional wagering game participant, wherein the additional input device is configured to generate additional user input;
providing control to the additional input device for providing input for the one or more additional game-play events;
detecting additional input data from the additional input device in response to providing control to the additional input device, wherein the additional input data is in a third format specific to the additional input device, and wherein the third format is different from the second format and the first format;
converting the additional input data from the third format to the second format; and
providing the additional input data in the second format as the additional user input for use in the one or more additional game-play events.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting one or more additional game-play events for the community wagering game that occurs concurrently with the one or more game-play events;
selecting an additional wagering game participant, from the plurality of eligible participants, to perform an additional activity for the one or more additional game-play events for the community wagering game;
selecting an additional input device associated with the additional wagering game participant, wherein the additional input device is configured to generate additional user input;
providing control to the additional input device for providing input for the one or more additional game-play events;
detecting additional input data from the additional input device in response to providing control to the additional input device, wherein the additional input data is in a third format specific to the additional input device, and wherein the third format is different from the second format and the first format;
converting the additional input data from the third format to the second format; and
providing the additional input data in the second format as the additional user input for use in the one or more additional game-play events while concurrently providing the input data in the second format as the user input for use in the one or more game-play events.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected input device is assigned to a wagering-game-machine bank, and further comprising detecting authentication information associated with a player account for the wagering game participant via the selected input device prior to providing the control to the input device for the user input for the one or more game-play events.

7. One or more machine-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a set of one or more processors causes the set of one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
detecting a request from a community wagering game for a type of input data;
selecting a wagering game participant from a plurality of eligible participants that are eligible for one or more game-play events of the community wagering game;
selecting an input device associated with the wagering game participant, wherein the selected input device is configured to generate user input;
determining that the selected input device is not capable of generating a type of input data convertible into a format compatible with the community wagering game;
selecting an alternative input device that can generate the type of input data in response to the determination that the input device is not capable of generating the type of input data;
providing control to the alternative input device to provide the user input for the one or more game-play events;
detecting input data from the alternative input device in response to providing the control to the alternative input device, wherein the input data is in a first format specific to the alternative input device, and wherein the community wagering game requires the input data in a second format different from the first format;
converting the input data from the first format to the second format; and
providing the input data in the second format as the user input for use in the one or more game-play events.

8. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 7 , wherein said operation for selecting the input device associated with the wagering game participant includes operations further comprising:
detecting a wagering game machine at which the wagering game participant is logged in from which the wagering game participant has contributed a portion of wagers as eligibility for the community wagering game.

9. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 7 , wherein said operation for selecting the input device associated with the wagering game participant includes operations further comprising:
detecting that a location for the input device is in proximity to a pre

Assignees

• Bally Gaming Inc

Inventors

• Erickson Eric V
• Kelly sean p
• Smith Jesse M
• Ugarte Jr Martin R

Classifications

• G07F17/3288

  Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking · CPC title

• G07F17/3223

  Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, leader-follower, wireless communication · CPC title

• G07F17/3209

  Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen · CPC title

• G07F17/3225 Primary

  Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users · CPC title