Interactive gaming among a plurality of players systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9786121-B2
Application number	US-201615212578-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2016
Priority date	Jul 14, 2005
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

A system for interactive gaming among a plurality of players includes a host computer system and a plurality of player terminals communicably coupled to the host computer system via a network. The plurality of player terminals are located at a plurality of licensed gaming locations. The plurality of player terminals are configured to engage the plurality of players in a common interactive game operated by the host computer system. The plurality of player terminals include means for dispensing player winnings from the player terminal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A player terminal comprising:
one or more processors;
a cash and credit area configured to receive value from a player,
wherein the cash and credit interaction area includes at least one of a loyalty card acceptor, a bill accepter, a ticket accepter, a ticket dispenser, a token accepter, and a coin accepter;

a display to depict action from an interactive game that requires at least one input from the player during a course of the interactive game,
wherein the interactive game is a card game; and
wherein the display to depict action from the interactive game displays a virtual table;

a player interaction area positioned on a panel below the display, wherein the player interaction area—
includes a touch screen to present interactive buttons,
is configured to receive bets from the player,
is configured to receive, from the player, a selection of the interactive game from multiple interactive games that can be played on the player terminal;
is configured to receive a selection of game limits from the player; and
is configured to receive interactions from the player to play the interactive game;

a communications component to connect the player terminal to a host computer system via a network connection; and
a memory having instructions stored thereon that when executed by the one or more processors cause the player terminal to:
generate a credit in exchange for value received via the cash and credit area;
monitor the player interaction area for a bet having a betting value;
deduct, upon detecting the bet received via the player interaction area, the betting value from the credit;
monitor the player interaction area for interactions from the player;
dynamically change the interactive buttons depending on the interactive game selected by the player via the player interaction area and on a state of the interactive game created, at least in part, by the interactions from the player during the course of the interactive game;
monitor for a request from the player to rotate a perspective of the virtual table so that the player is depicted at the virtual table in a desired location that obstructs a view of a potential cheater located near the player terminal;
reposition the player at the virtual table to the desired location without changing a position of the player with respect to other players at the virtual table; and
transmit, in response to detecting completion of the interactive game, a signal to the host computer system identifying a payout amount.

2. The player terminal of claim 1 , wherein the card game is poker, blackjack, or bridge.

3. The player terminal of claim 1 , wherein upon generating the credit in exchange for the value received via the cash and credit area, the instructions further cause the one or more processors to cause the player terminal to monitor for the selection of the interactive game from the multiple interactive games and, upon receiving the selection, use the communication component to communicate with the host computer system and cause the host computer system to retrieve from a game storage arrangement computer-executable code that can be executed to control the interactive game selected from the selection of the interactive game from the multiple interactive games.

4. The player terminal of claim 3 , wherein the host computer system includes:
a game processor to control the interactive game using computer-executable code retrieved from the game storage arrangement; and
a collusion detection processor to monitor unusual activity taken by the player,
wherein the unusual activity taken by the player includes frequent occurrences of two or more players playing together.

5. The player terminal of claim 1 , wherein the interactive game is multi-player game and the host computer system joins, via the network connection, a plurality of players to an interactive gaming session, wherein each of the plurality of players is operating a different player terminal communicably coupled to the host computer system, and wherein at least one of the plurality of players is joined to the interactive game anonymously and without creating a user account.

6. The player terminal of claim 1 , wherein the player terminal is linked to multiple other player terminals located at different gaming locations via the host computer system.

7. The player terminal of claim 1 , wherein the player interaction area includes a button, trackball, or an actuator.

8. A player terminal comprising:
one or more processors;
a game display area to provide a visual depiction of a game in which a player is involved,
wherein the game includes a card game; and
wherein the visual depiction of the game on the game display area includes a virtual table;

a player interaction area including player input buttons allowing the player to place bets and interact with the game;
wherein the player interaction area is positioned on a panel below the game display area,
wherein the player interaction area includes a touchscreen display and the player input buttons are virtual buttons presented on the touchscreen display; and
wherein the player input buttons are added or removed during a course of the game from the touchscreen display depending on the game and on a state of the game created, at least in part, by the interactions from the player during the course of the game;

a cash and credit interaction area configured to receive value from the player; and
a memory having instructions stored thereon that when executed by the one or more processors cause the player terminal to:
generate a credit in exchange for value received via the cash and credit area;
monitor the player interaction area for a bet having a betting value;
deduct, upon detecting the bet received via the player interaction area, the betting value from the credit;
monitor the player interaction area for interactions from the player,
wherein the interactions from the player include a request from the player to rotate a perspective of the virtual table so that the player is depicted at the virtual table in a desired location that obstructs a view of a potential cheater located near the player terminal; and

reposition, in response to the request, the player at the virtual table to the desired location without changing a gameplay position of the player with respect to other players at the virtual table.

9. The player terminal of claim 8 , further comprising a jackpot payout information area to present jackpot accumulation information.

10. The player terminal of claim 9 , wherein the player terminal allows the player to engage in different games and wherein the jackpot payout information area displays different jackpot amounts based on the game selection from the player.

11. The player terminal of claim 8 , wherein the player terminal allows the player to engage in different games with different game limits.

12. The player terminal of claim 8 , wherein the player input buttons include a bet button, a raise button, an enter button, a cash out button, a fold button, a call button, or a check button.

13. The player terminal of claim 8 , wherein the player interaction area includes a track ball.

14. The player terminal of claim 8 , further comprising a communication component and wherein the one or more processors cause the player terminal to send a signal, using the communication component, to a host computer in response to the player cashing in and cashing out.

15. The player terminal of claim 8 , wherein the cash and credit interaction area includes a loyalty card acceptor, a bill accepter, a ticket accepter, a

Assignees

• Ag 18 Llc

Inventors

• Frenkel Brian

Classifications

• G07F17/3251

  involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens · CPC title

• G07F17/3248

  involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value · CPC title

• G07F17/3241

  Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance (computer security G06F21/00) · CPC title

• G07F17/3293

  Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack · CPC title

• G07F17/3209

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