Interactive gaming in licensed locations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9824533-B2
Application number	US-201615231613-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2016
Priority date	Jul 14, 2005
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 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 system comprising:
a host computer system configured to facilitate one or more games that can be played by a plurality of players;
a plurality of player terminals communicably coupled to the host computer system via a network and configured to engage the plurality of players within the one or more games facilitated by the host computer system;
wherein at least one of the plurality of player terminals is a wireless, hand-held player terminal supporting only one player at a time and is capable of connecting wirelessly to the host computer system via the network;
wherein a first set of the plurality of player terminals are located within a licensed gaming location;
wherein any of the plurality of player terminals that are not located within the licensed gaming location are excluded from the one or more games;
wherein each of the plurality of player terminals are configured to receive value from one of the plurality of players and upon receiving the value use a processor to generate a credit for one of the plurality of players playing on that player terminal;
wherein the players associated with the first set of the plurality of player terminals interact with the one or more games during a course of the one or more games through a player interaction area that includes a betting interface to place a bet having a betting value that is then deducted from the credit; and

a collusion detection component to monitor the one or more games to identify unusual activity by the plurality of players;
wherein the unusual activity by the plurality of players includes frequency of common play between two or more of the plurality of players;
wherein, in response to determination of collusion by the collusion detection component, one or more of the plurality of players is banned and any value received from the one or more of the plurality of players that have been banned is held until resolution; and
wherein, upon conclusion of the one or more games and no detection of collusion, the host computer system distributes winnings by adding to the credit associated with one or more of the plurality of players that were participating in the one or more games.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the licensed gaming location includes a casino, a restaurant, a bar, a race track, a gas station, a store, an airport, or a hotel.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more games include an interactive game that requires at least one interaction from one of the plurality of players during the course of the one or more games.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the host computer system includes an internal network, a web server and a game server.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the host computer system includes a terminal control module to interact with or control the plurality of player terminals.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the host computer system includes:
a graphics module to control graphics displayed on the plurality of player terminals;
a game storage arrangement to house software or computer-executable code that controls the one or more games offered by the host computer system;
a game processor to control the one or more games using the software or computer-executable code from the game storage arrangement;
a tournament processor to control player tournaments;
a loyalty tracker to track game play of any of the plurality of players that have registered and to thereby reward those players for an amount of time spent playing; and
an accounting processor to control flow of value within the network.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless, hand-held player terminal is a personal computing device.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the licensed gaming location has a local server to facilitate communication between the player terminals and the host computer system.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the licensed gaming location is a casino and has a local server in communication with the host computer system, wherein the local server administers a common interactive game to the first set of the plurality of player terminals.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the licensed gaming location is a casino and allows the wireless, hand-held player terminal to be checked out for game play while one of the plurality of players is within the casino.

11. A gaming network comprising:
a host computer system configured to facilitate one or more games that can be played by a plurality of players located at licensed gaming locations;
a communications network through which the licensed gaming locations communicate with the host computer system;
a collusion detection component to monitor the one or more games and identify unusual activity by the plurality of players;
wherein the collusion detection component monitors frequency of common play between two or more of the plurality of players; and

a plurality of player terminals communicably coupled to the host computer system and configured to engage the plurality of players within the one or more games facilitated by the host computer system;
wherein at least one of the plurality of player terminals is a wireless, hand-held player terminal supporting only one player at a time and is capable of connecting wirelessly to the host computer system;
wherein each of the plurality of player terminals is configured to:
receive a request from a player to enter a gaming session facilitated by the host computer system,
wherein the request includes a selection of the one or more games, and
wherein the one or more games include at least two different games with different gaming rules;

transmitting a signal to the host computer system to initiate a gaming session; and
receive signals related to the gaming session when an associated player terminal is located in a licensed location;

wherein each of the plurality of player terminals is configured to receive value from one of the plurality of players and upon receiving the value use a processor to generate a credit for one of the plurality of players playing on that player terminal;
wherein any of the plurality of player terminals that are not located within the licensed gaming locations are excluded from the one or more games;
wherein the each of the plurality of player terminals includes:
a player interaction area allowing a player to control action occurring within the one or more games;
a betting interface to place a bet having a betting value that is then deducted from the credit, and

wherein, in response to determination of collusion by the collusion detection component, one or more of the plurality of players is immediately banned and any value received from the one or more of the plurality of players that have been banned is held until resolution;
wherein, upon conclusion of the one or more game the host computer system distributes winnings from the gaming session by adding to the credit associated with one or more of the plurality of players that were participating in the gaming session.

12. The gaming network of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of player terminals includes a personal computing device, the hand-held player terminal, and a free standing player terminal.

13. The gaming network of claim 11 , wherein the host computer system includes:
a graphics module to control graphics displayed on the plurality of player terminals;
a game storage arrangement to house software or computer-executable code that controls the one or more games offered by the host computer system;
a game processor to control the one or more games using the software or computer-executable code from the game storage arrangement;
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Assignees

• Ag 18 Llc

Inventors

• Frenkel Brian

Classifications

• G07F17/32

  for games, toys, sports, or amusements · CPC title

• G07F17/3246

  involving coins and/or banknotes · CPC title

• G07F17/3272

  Games involving multiple players · CPC title

• G07F17/3211

  Display means · CPC title

• G07F17/3293

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