Game history for wagering games using handheld devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9646452-B2
Application number	US-201414299700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2014
Priority date	Jun 7, 2013
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A computerized method includes presenting a community game on a display device of a wagering game system that comprises a wagering game machine associated with a handheld device for use in conducting the community game, wherein the presenting of the community game comprises presenting movements of a game element in response to movements of the handheld device. The computerized method includes, at periodic time intervals during the community game, storing, in a memory device, data indicating a current position of the handheld device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computerized method comprising:
presenting, via at least one of one or more electronic processors, a community game on a display device of a wagering game system that comprises a wagering game machine associated with a handheld device for use in conducting the community game, wherein the presenting of the community game comprises presenting movements of a game element in response to movements of the handheld device, wherein the wagering game machine includes a money input device configured to receive physical money, wherein a value for the physical money is added to a credit balance for placement of one or more wagers on the community game, and wherein the game element is presented, at least in part, in response to the one or more wagers; and
at periodic time intervals during the community game, storing, via at least one of the one or more electronic processors, in a memory device, data indicating a current position of the handheld device.

2. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein the periodic time intervals are defined independent of game events of the community game.

3. The computerized method of claim 1 , further comprising storing, in the memory device, game events of the community game.

4. The computerized method of claim 3 , wherein the handheld device comprises a button, wherein the game events comprise data indicating actuation of the button.

5. The computerized method of claim 3 , further comprising storing, in response to the game events of the community game, data indicating the current position of the handheld device.

6. The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein the data indicating the current position of the handheld device comprises data indicating a location and an orientation of the handheld device in three-dimensional space.

7. The computerized method of claim 3 , further comprising:
replaying, on the display device, the community game based on the game events and the data indicating the current position of the handheld device.

8. The computerized method of claim 7 , wherein the replaying of the community game is without video captured during the presenting the community game on the display device.

9. A gaming system comprising:
one or more display devices;
a money input device;
a handheld device including a sensor configured to detect inputs for a community game occurring during a wagering game;
one or more memory devices; and
one or more processors configured to execute instructions to cause the gaming system to
detect movements of the handheld device, wherein the money input device is configured to receive physical money, wherein a value for the physical money is added to a credit balance for placement of one or more wagers on the community game, and wherein a game element is presented, at least in part, in response to the one or more wagers,
present, in response to the movements of the handheld device, movements of the game element in the community game on the one or more display devices, and
at periodic time intervals during the community game, store, in the one or more memory devices, data that indicates a current position of the handheld device.

10. The gaming system of claim 9 , wherein the periodic time intervals are defined independent of game events of the community game.

11. The gaming system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions to cause the gaming system to store game events of the community game.

12. The gaming system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions to cause the gaming system to:
replay, on the one or more display devices, the community game based on the game events and the data indicating the current position of the handheld device.

13. The gaming system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions to cause the gaming system to replay the community game without video recorded during the community game.

14. The gaming system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions to cause the gaming system to store, in the one or more memory devices, the current position of the handheld device in response to game events of the community game.

15. A community gaming system comprising:
a first wagering game machine including one or more first display devices configured to display a first wagering game;
a second wagering game machine including one or more second display devices configured to display a second wagering game, wherein one or more of the first wagering game machine or the second wagering game machine includes a money input device configured to receive physical money, wherein a value for the physical money is added to a credit balance for placement of one or more wagers on a community game, and wherein one or more of a first game element or a second game element is presented, at least in part, in response to the one or more wagers;
one or more community game display devices configured to display the community game that is initiated during play of the first wagering game and the second wagering game;
a first handheld device associated with the first wagering game machine, wherein the first handheld device includes at least one first sensor configured to detect movements of the first handheld device at periodic intervals during the community game;
a second handheld device associated with the second wagering game machine, wherein the second handheld device includes at least one second sensor configured to detect movements of the second handheld device at the periodic intervals during the community game;
a community game presentation unit configured to present, on the one or more community game display devices, video of the community game, wherein the video includes movements of the first game element in response to the movements of the first handheld device, and wherein the video includes movements of the second game element in response to the movements of the second handheld device; and
a game history recorder unit configured to store, in a memory device, data indicating positions of the first handheld device and data indicating positions of the second handheld device.

16. The community gaming system of claim 15 , wherein the data indicating the positions of the first handheld device comprises data indicating locations and orientations of the first handheld device in three-dimensional space, and wherein the data indicating the positions of the second handheld device comprises data indicating locations and orientations of the second handheld device in three-dimensional space.

17. The community gaming system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to detect first inputs to the community game from the first handheld device, wherein the at least one second sensor is configured to detect second inputs to the community game from the second handheld device, and wherein the game history recorder unit is configured to store the first inputs and the second inputs.

18. The community gaming system of claim 15 , wherein the game history recorder unit is further configured to store the data indicating the positions of the first handheld device and the data indicating the positions of the second handheld device during periodic time intervals independent of game events of the community game.

19. One or more machine-readable storage devices including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operation

Assignees

• Bally Gaming Inc

Inventors

• Parra Jacqueline F
• Smith Jesse M
• Sylla Craig J
• Yarger Brian L

Classifications

• G07F17/3272

  Games involving multiple players · CPC title

• G07F17/3218

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

• G07F17/3209 Primary

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

• G07F17/3211

  Display means · CPC title