Wagering game wearables

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10163298-B2
Application number	US-201715823824-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2017
Priority date	Sep 26, 2014
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations can include detecting that one or more wearable computers are within a proximity range to a wagering game machine. In some examples, the operations further include determining one or more characteristics associated with the one or more wearable computers in response to the detecting that the one or more wearable computers are within the proximity range to the wagering game machine. In some examples, the operations further include providing a feature associated with a wagering game based on the one or more characteristics of the one or more wearable computers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gaming system configured to present a casino wagering game, the gaming system comprising:
one or more communication interfaces configured for wireless communication; and
game-logic circuitry configured to:
detect, via at least one of the one or more communication interfaces, one or more wearable computers proximal to the gaining system;
identify each of the one or more wearable computers as being a first-type wearable computer or a second-type wearable computer;
in response to identifying a first-type among the one or more detected wearable computers, provide a first feature associated with the gaming system; and
in response to identifying a second-type among the one or more detected wearable computers, provide a second feature associated with the gaming system, the second feature being different from the first feature.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first or second features is a gaming feature associated with the casino wagering game.

3. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first or second features is a non-gaming feature presented by the gaming system.

4. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the game-logic circuitry identifies a first-type and a second-type among the one or more wearable computers.

5. The gaming system of claim 4 , wherein the first-type and the second-type are worn by a single player.

6. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the game-logic circuitry detects a plurality of wearable computers proximal to the gaming system and simultaneously associates the plurality with a play of the casino wagering game.

7. The gaming system of claim 4 , wherein the first-type is an eye wearable computer and the second-type is a wrist wearable computer.

8. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first feature is first game content associated with a game event in the casino wagering game and the second feature is second game content associated with the game event, wherein the second game content is different from the first game content.

9. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more wearable computers interacts with the gaming system via a mobile phone.

10. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein providing the first feature includes sending a first signal to the first-type but not to the second-type.

11. A method of operating a gaming system including game-logic circuitry and one or more communication interfaces configured for wireless communications, the method comprising:
detecting, via one of the one or more communication interfaces, one or more wearable computers proximal to the gaming system;
identifying, via the game-logic circuitry, each of the one or more wearable computers as being a first-type or a second-type;
in response to identifying a first-type among the one or more detected wearable computers, providing a first feature associated with the gaming system; and
in response to identifying a second-type among the one or more detected wearable computers, providing a second feature associated with the gaming system, the second feature being different from the first feature.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein providing the first feature includes enabling two-way communication between the gaming system and the first-type via at least one of the one or more communication interfaces.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein providing the first feature includes pairing the first-type with the gaming system via at least one of the one or more communication interfaces.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein providing the first feature includes enabling a first game feature of the casino wagering game.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, in response to identifying a predetermined combination of first-type and second-type wearable computers among the one or more detected wearable computers, unlocking a previously locked or hidden game feature.

16. A gaming system configured to present a casino wagering game, the gaming system comprising:
one or more communication interfaces configured for wireless communication; and
game-logic circuitry configured to:
detect, via one of the one or more communication interfaces, one or more wearable computers within a proximity range of the gaming system;
identify one or more characteristics of the one or more wearable computers;
determine, based on the one or more characteristics, whether each of the one or more wearable computers is a first-type or a second-type;
in response to determining that a first-type is within the proximity range, enable a first game feature of the casino wagering game; and
in response to determining that a second-type is within the proximity range, enable a second game feature of the casino wagering game, the second game feature being different from the first game feature.

17. The gaming system of claim 16 , wherein the first game feature is enabled for the first-type only.

18. The gaming system of claim 16 , wherein the first-type and the second-type are worn by a first player and a second player, respectively.

19. The gaming system of claim 16 , wherein the first game feature is associated with a first participant in a community bonus game, and wherein the second game feature is associated with a second participant in the community bonus game.

20. The gaming system of claim 16 , wherein the first-type and the second-type are selected from a group including an ear wearable, an eye wearable, a wrist wearable, a jewelry wearable, a clothing wearable, and a watch wearable.

Assignees

• Bally Gaming Inc

Inventors

• Bytnar Michael R
• DICILLO Michael Vincent
• Gustafson Patrick M
• Hornik Jeremy Michael
• Oswald Gary John
• ROBBINS Richard Barry
• Shin Nickey C
• Smith Jesse M
• SUNBLADE Simon Edward
• Vann Jamie W
• Velu Muthu
• Ward Matthew J
• Zoloto Steven J
• Buchholz Dale Robert
• Gagner Mark B
• SYLLA Craig Joe

Classifications

• G07F17/3209

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

• G07F17/3218 Primary

  wherein at least part of the system is portable · CPC title

• G07F17/3272

  Games involving multiple players · CPC title

• G07F17/3286

  Type of games · CPC title

• G07F17/3237

  about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players · CPC title