Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WIRELESS INTERACTIVE GAMING SYSTEM
Back4round of the Invention
This invention relates to an interactive gaming
system, and in particular, a system which is operated by
a wireless gaming device.
A typical casino-type game involves making a wager
that a particular gaming event will occur, e.g., that a
particular element from a set of numbers will be
selected. In such a game, the payout or monetary prize
awarded to a winning player usually depends on the amount
of the player's wager and the probability that the event
will occur..
Various games have been developed that require or
permit interaction between the game and the game's
players in a gaming. or casino environment. Such
interaction should be simple and uninhibited from the
players' point of view, and cost effective for the gaming
establishment. Since wagers and prizes can reach up to
hundreds of thousands of dollars for many casino-type
wagering games, players must have confidence in the
integrity and reliability of such an interactive gaming
system.
Summary of the Invention
In general, in one aspect, the invention features
a system for playing a wagering game, comprising: a
wireless gaming device comprising an identification code
affixed to the wireless gaming device, wager entry
apparatus for entering a wager amount, and a transmitter;
a receiver for receiving the identification code and the
wager amount transmitted by the transmitter of the
wireless gaming device; and a processor in communication
with the receiver for establishing and storing a player's
account corresponding to the identification code and for
3J deducting the wager amount from the player's account based
on the identification code.
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Implementations of the invention may also include
one or more of the following features. The wireless
gaming device may be a hand-held device.
The wager entry apparatus may include keys. The
wireless gaming device may include a smart card reader
for entering wager data.
The system may include an identifier corresponding
to the identification code affixed to the wireless gaming
device. The identifier may be a bar code or a magnetic
l0 stripe. The wireless gaming device may include an
electronically programmable read only memory for storing
an identifier corresponding to the identification code.
The system may also include an encryption key to
encrypt the identification code and wager amount prior to
transmission and to decrypt the identification code and
wager amount after being received by the receiver. The
wireless gaming device may include an identifying circuit
to periodically send an identification signal to the
receiver. The wireless gaming device may include a
device receiver and a device display for displaying
information received by the wireless gaming device. The
processor may include a database for storing the player's
account.
The system may include a wagering terminal in
communication with the processor for processing wagering
transactions. The wagering terminal may include a bar
code reader, a magnetic stripe reader, or a keyboard.
The system may include a display device for
displaying a status of the player's account. The
wireless transmission may be by radio frequency signals
or infrared signals.
In general, in another aspect, the invention
features a method of playing a wagering game using a
wireless gaming device associated with a player's account,
comprising: providing the wireless gaming device
comprising an identification code to the wireless gaming
device and wager entry apparatus for entering a wager
amount; entering the wager amount into the wireless gaming
device; transmitting by wireless transmission the
identification code and the wager amount to place a wager
on the game; establishing and storing the player's account
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in a processor in communication with the receiver in such
a way that the player's account corresponds to the
identification code; deducing by means of the processor
the wager amount from the player's account based on the
identification code.
Implementations of the invention may also include
one or more of the following features. The wager amount
may be subtracted from the player's account. A prize
award may be added to the player's account when the
player wins the game. Odds for the game may be
calculated during play of the game. A status of the
player's account may be displayed. The wireless
transmission may be by radio frequency signals or
infrared signals.
In general, in another aspect, the invention
features a wireless gaming device for transmitting a
wager to a receiver. A memory stores an identification
code. A wager entry apparatus is used for entering a
wager amount. A transmitter converts the wager amount
and the identification code into a signal for wireless
transmission to the receiver.
Implementations of the invention may also include
one or more of the following features. The wager enter
apparatus may include keys. The wireless transmission
may be by radio frequency signals or infrared signals.
The wireless gaming device may include an
encryption key to encrypt the identification code and
wager amount prior to transmission. The identification
code may be stored in the memory in a digital format.
The wireless gaming device may be a hand-held
device. The wireless gaming device may include a smart
card reader for entering wager data.
The wireless gaming device may include an
identifier corresponding to the identification code
affixed to the wireless gaming device. The identifier
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may be a bar code or a magnetic stripe. The wireless
gaming device may also include an electronically
programmable read only memory for storing an identifier
corresponding to the identification code.
The wireless gaming device may include an
identifying circuit to periodically send an
identification signal to the receiver. The wireless
gaming device may include a device receiver and a device
display for displaying information received by the
wireless gaming device. The displayed information may
relate to a player's account.
The interactive gaming system of the present
invention has the advantage of providing players with a
simple and straightforward way to place wagers in a
gaming environment.
The interactive gaming system of the present
invention has the additional advantage of allowing
players to place wagers in a gaming environment using a
wireless gaming device.
The interactive gaming system of the present
invention has the additional advantage that players can
obtain confirmations of wagers and prizes while they are
playing the game.
The interactive gaming system of the present
invention has the further advantage of providing a system
in which the total cost of the components of the system
is low. This advantage is particularly important where a
large number of players must be able to interact with the
same game. For example, for a typical lottery game,
players may number in the tens to hundreds of thousands.
Other features and advantages of the invention
will become apparent from the following detailed
description, and from the claims.
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Brief Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sketch of an interactive
gaming system of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic sketch of the wireless
gaming device of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic sketch of the receiver of
the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic sketch of the central
processor of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is a chart showing the impact of various
wagering activities on a player's account.
Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic sketch of the terminal of
the present invention.
Fig. 7 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of an
account balance display of the present invention.
Fig. 8 is a flow chart showing how a player
establishes an account to play a game with a wireless
gaming device.
Fig. 9 is a flow chart showing how a player places
a wager using a wireless gaming device.
Fig. 10 is a flow chart showing how a player
closes an account associated with a wireless gaming
device.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
As shown in Fig. 1, a wireless interactive gaming
system 10 includes one or more wireless gaming devices
20...20a, a receiver 30, and a central processor 40.
Wireless interactive gaming system 10 may also include a
terminal 50 which is in communication with central
processor 40.
In a gaming environment that employs system 10, a
player receives wireless gaming device 20 from a game
officiant who represents a gaming establishment or the
"house". Wireless gaming device 20 is capable of
receiving wager information input by the player and
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transmitting the received wager information along with
identification information to receiver 30 by wireless
transmission.
Fig. 2 shows the components of wireless gaming
device 20. Device 20 may be any size apparatus that
includes these components. Device 20 is preferably a
hand-held device that can be carried by a player
throughout the gaming establishment.
A player inputs information into wireless gaming
device 20, e.g., by pressing push buttons or keys 22 on
device 20. Device 20 may include any number, e.g. from 5
to 20, of buttons 22 in a keypad-type arrangement.
Buttons 22 may be marked with the digits 0 through 9 and
may also include a "$" (dollar sign) key and an "enter"
key, so that the player may easily input wager
information. Alternately, the player can input some or
all of the wager information into device 20 by swiping a
smart card 24, which contains a microprocessor chip or a
magnetic stripe with encoded information, through a smart
card reader 26 on device 20.
Wireless gaming device 20 may include an
identifier 28. Identifier 28 may be, e.g., a series of
alphanumeric characters, a bar code, or a magnetic stripe
affixed to device 20. Alternately, identifier 28 may be
a digital code stored in a secure memory, e.g., an
electronically programmable read only memory (EPROM) 34.
Identifier 28 is thus readable directly by the game
officiant if it is a series of alphanumeric characters,
or it may be read automatically by a bar code reader 56
or a magnetic stripe reader 58, or through a port 84
connected to encoder and decoder circuitry 82 in terminal
50 (Fig. 6) which may be placed in direct communication
with EPROM 34 of device 20.
Wireless gaming device 20 may store an encryption
key 32. Encryption key 32 is used to encrypt information
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that is transmitted to receiver 30 from device 20.
Encryption of the information transmitted to receiver 30
limits tampering with device 20 and prevents unauthorized
or counterfeit devices from being used with system 10.
Encryption key 32 is preferably stored in EPROM
34. EPROM 34 has the advantage of being a memory device
which is difficult to access if the appropriate encoding
circuitry is not available. Thus, it is contemplated
that the encoding circuitry that downloads encryption key
32 into device 20 will be securely held by the game
officiant.
Alternately, encryption key 32 stored in EPROM 34
may be updated and changed for each player who receives
wireless, gaming device 20 by directly connecting device
20 to encoding and decoding circuitry 82 in terminal 50
through port 84 at the time device 20 is delivered to the
player (Fig. 6). Moreover, other digital information
related to the game being played may be downloaded from
terminal 50 to EPROM 34 through the direct connection
with device 20.
A microprocessor 36 controls the operation of
wireless gaming device 20. Microprocessor 36 receives
digital wager information 39 entered by the player using
buttons 22. Microprocessor 32 stores an identification
code 38 associated with device 20 that is a digital
equivalent of identifier 28. Microprocessor 32 also
executes software applications for encrypting
identification code 38 and the player's wager information
39 for transmission to receiver 30. The software
contains an algorithm that encrypts a data packet
including identification code 38 and wager information 39
using encryption key 32.
Wireless gaming device 20 includes a transmitter
42. Transmitter 42 receives encrypted digital
information from microprocessor 36 and converts it to a
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signal for wireless transmission to receiver 30.
Transmitter 42 transmits signals wirelessly, e.g., using
radio frequency signals or infrared signals. Various
techniques for such cordless transmission of signals are
known.
Wireless gaming device 20 may include an
identifying circuit 44 that drives transmitter 42 to
periodically send an identification signal to receiver
30. The use of identifying circuit 44 permits receiver
30 and central processor 40 to be assured that device 20
is still active, functioning and present in the gaming
establishment. Thus, if device 20 were removed from the
gaming establishment, receiver 30 and central processor
40 would no longer receive and detect the periodic
identification signal sent by identifying circuit 44 and
transmitter 42, and the game officiant may be alerted
that device 20 has been removed from the gaming
establishment.
Wireless gaming device 20 may contain a real-time
clock 46 that permits microprocessor 36 to monitor the
current time and date. Clock 46 may consist of a timing
circuit. Microprocessor 36 can use the time and date
information obtained from clock 46 to perform
calculations and other functions based on the current
time and date.
Wireless gaming device 20 may also include a tag
48, such as an electronic or magnetic component, which
activates an alarm when passed through a sensing
apparatus located at the entrance and/or exit of the
gaming establishment. Activation of the alarm by passing
device 20 with tag 48 through the sensing apparatus
notifies the game officiant of an attempted removal of
device 20 from the gaming establishment.
Wireless gaming device 20 may be powered by a
battery source 52 contained within device 20. A portable
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power source such as battery source 52 permits extended
cordless operation of device 20 throughout a gaming
environment. Battery source 52 may be part of a battery
pack that allows device 20 to be recharged when it is not
in use.
In one embodiment, wireless gaming device 20
displays information on a device display 21. Device 20
may include a display receiver 23 which receives digital
information transmitted from receiver 30 or from central
processor 40.
Receiver 30 is capable of receiving signals
transmitted from transmitter 42 in device 20. As shown
in Fig. 3, receiver 30 contains a decoder 54, which
converts the received signals, e.g., into digital
information. This digital information contains at least
identification code 38 and the player s wager information
39. Receiver 30 sends the digital information obtained
by decoder 54 to central processor 40.
Receiver 30 can receive signals from many wireless
devices either simultaneously or in rapid succession,
e.g., using'multiplexing techniques, so that many players
can place wagers using their wireless gaming devices 20
during a short time interval. Receiver 30 differentiates
signals received from the various devices by the
identification codes which are present in the signals
received by receiver 30.
Central processor 40 receives identification code
38 and the player's wager information 39 from receiver
30. Central processor 40 also decrypts this information
using encryption key 32.
As shown in Fig. 4, an account for the player is
stored in a database 64 of central processor 40.
Database 64 stores the monetary value of the balance of
the account associated with identifier 28 of wireless
gaming device 20.
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Central processor 40 manages the player's account
in database 64 based on signals received from the
player's wireless gaming device 20 as the player places
wagers and when prizes are awarded during play of the
game. Central processor 40 subtracts money from the
player's account balance when the player places a wager.
The player's account balance may be automatically
increased by central processor 40 when the player wins a
game on which he has placed a wager.
Central processor 40 also stores and is capable of
executing software applications containing algorithms to
calculate players' account balances, wagers, and
winnings. Central processor 40 should be able to execute
all of the algorithms which define the actions performed
on the players' accounts during the progress of the game,
as wagers are entered, as winnings paid out, and when
funds are added to the players' accounts.
Algorithms in the software in central processor 40
may also calculate odds and payouts for certain games,
such as lottery-type games, during play of the game. The
odds and payouts at a particular point in time may depend
on the characteristics of the game being conducted by
central processor 40, and may change as the game
progresses. These algorithms may be executed by central
processor 40, to provide exact calculations of the odds of
specific game events occurring and the associated prizes
for a player's correctly predicting the occurrence of one
of those events. The algorithms may be executed
continuously, so that real-time odds and payout can be
calculated as the game progresses.
Fig. 5 shows the actions that may be performed on
players' accounts by central processor 40, and their
impact on the accounts. For example, if the player wins
a game, his account is credited for the payout based on
his wager. If the player places a wager using wireless
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gaming device 20, his account is debited by the amount of
the wager. If the game officiant receives additional
funds from the player, the balance of the player's
account is credited by the amount of the funds. If the
game officiant closes the player's account and disburses
funds to him, the balance of the player's account is
debited by the amount disbursed.
Central processor 40 may be located in the gaming
establishment that houses receiver 30. Alternately,
central processor 40 may be located remotely from
receiver 30, communicating with receiver 30 via
electronic digital telephone communication or wireless
transmission. Additionally, central processor 40 may
perform a multitude of functions for various receivers in
I5 a variety of gaming environments.
Using terminal 50, the game officiant may process
wagering transactions and distribute wireless gaming
devices such as wireless gaming device 20. As shown in
Fig. 6, terminal 50 may include a bar code reader 56
and/or a magnetic stripe reader 58 for rapid entry of the
identifier 28 of device 20 prior to delivering device 20
to the player. Reading devices 56 and 58 provides
information in the form of digital data to terminal 50.
Terminal 50 includes a keyboard 62 by which the game
officiant can manually enter data to be sent to central
processor 40. Using either reading device 56 or 58,
keyboard 62, or a combination of these, the game
officiant communicates with central processor 40 to
establish a player's account, increase the balance of the
account when the player tenders funds to the game
officiant, and decrease the balance of the account when
the player seeks to collect the cash value of his account
balance.
The player establishes a balance of the account
associated with his wireless gaming device 20, identified
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by identifier 28, when he receives device 20 from the
game officiant. The player may increase the monetary
value of the balance of the account by paying additional
funds, in the form of cash or credit, to the game
officiant, who accesses the account stored in central
processor 40 through terminal 50 to increase the balance
of the account.
Device 20 is returned to the game officiant after
the player has played one or more games. Readers 56 and
58 may be used to read identifier 28 for closing out the
player's account stored in database 64 of central
processor 40. Terminal 50 includes a terminal display 68
which notifies the game officiant of the balance of the
player's account, so that the player may be paid the cash
value of the remaining balance of his account.
In one embodiment, an account status display
device 70 is located in the gaming establishment to
display players' account information. As shown in Fig.
7, display device 70 may be, e.g., a liquid crystal
display or a cathode ray tube display. Display device 70
is controlled by central processor 40, which sends
information to display device 70 for display to the
players.
A player may look at display device 70 to confirm
that wagers transmitted from wireless gaming device 20
were received by receiver 30 and sent to central
processor 40, to determine the monetary balance of the
player's account, and to verify that the player's
winnings have been credited to his account. Display
device 70 displays key information necessary for a player
to participate in a game. The information displayed for
each player may include the account number (which
corresponds to identifier 28), the player's account
balance, the player's last wager, and the player's last
prize award or win.
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Display device 70 is divided into specific areas,
e.g., display area 72, each area showing the account
information for one player. The size of display area 72
may be determined by the size of display device 70 and
the number of players who possess wireless display
devices. It is contemplated that only active accounts
will be displayed on display device 70. If additional
display devices are required to display the information
concerning a large number of accounts, central processor
40 may be configured to drive multiple similar display
devices.
Display device 70 may also be used to display the
odds 74 and payouts 76 for game wagers. Alternately, a
separate display device driven by central processor 40
may be used to display the odds 74 and payout 76
information. Further, the odds 74 and payouts 76 may be
displayed on device display 21 (Fig. 2).
Figs. 8 through 10 show an exemplary procedure 100
for using wireless interactive gaming system 10. As seen
in Fig. 8, a player tenders money in the form of cash or
credit, e.g., $100, to a game officiant in the gaming
establishment to establish an account (step 102). The
game officiant chooses a wireless gaming device 20 and
uses, e.g.,.bar code reader 56 on terminal 50 to enter
identifier 28 into terminal 50 (step 104). The game
officiant also inputs the amount of money tendered, i.e.
$100, into terminal 50 via keyboard 62 (step 106). The
game officiant hands wireless gaming device 20 to the
player and tells the player that his account is, e.g.,
Account No. 12 (step 108). Alternately, the player may
identify his account number directly from identifier 28
on device 20. The information entered by the game
officiant into terminal 50 is sent to central processor
(step 110), which establishes an account record for
35 the player in database 64 (step 112).
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For this example, central processor 40 may be
conducting a racing game in which players choose a
winning racing element on which to place a wager for the
next racing game to be displayed in the gaming
establishment. To place a wager, the player presses
buttons 22 on wireless gaming device 20 (step 120), as
shown in Fig. 9.
In one embodiment, the player first presses the
button that corresponds to the number assigned to the
racing element that he chooses, e.g., "3", and then the
wager amount, e.g., "$" and "5", for a $5 wager. The
player then presses the "enter" key to transmit his wager
to central processor 40.
In an alternate embodiment, the game may be
simplified so that all wagers are placed for a fixed
amount, e.g., $1, by pressing a single button on wireless
gaming device 20. By pressing the button that
corresponds to the number assigned to the chosen racing
element, e.g., "3", the player places a $1 bet on racing
element number 3. The player can then place a larger
wager on racing element number 3, by pressing the "3"
button the number of times corresponding to the number of
$1 bets he desires to make, e.g., by pressing "3" five
times to wager $5 on racing element number 3.
Each time the player enters a wager, wireless
gaming device 20 forms a data packet containing the
player's wager information 39 and identification code 38
of device 20 (step 122). The data packet is encrypted
(step 124) and transmitted by transmitter 42 via wireless
communication (step 126).
Decoder 54 in receiver 30 receives the encrypted
data packet transmitted by transmitter 42 (step 128).
The encrypted data packet is sent to central processor 40
(step 130), where it is decrypted (step 132). Central
processor 40 uses the information it has obtains to
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update the player's account in database 64 by subtracting
the wagered amount from the player's account balance
(step 134) and registers the player's wager on the game
(step 136) .
After the game has been played, central processor
40 awards prizes to winning players based on the wagers
they have made and the odds associated with the winning
outcome of the game (step 138). If the player in
possession of wireless gaming device 20 is a winner,
central computer 40 updates the player's account in
database 64 by adding the monetary amount of the prize to
the player's account balance (step 140). Otherwise, the
player's account remains unchanged (step 142).
The player may repeat steps 120-142 to place
wagers on subsequent games played in the gaming
establishment (step 144). Moreover, the player may check
on his account balance and the amount of his wagers by
referring to display device 70 or device display 21 (step
146) .
As shown in Fig. 10, when the player has finished
playing games in the gaming establishment, he returns
wireless gaming device 20 to the game officiant (step
160). The game officiant again inputs identifier 28 into
terminal 50, e.9., by using bar code reader 56 (step
162). Terminal 50 accesses the player's account
information stored in database 64 of central processor 40
to obtain the player's remaining account balance (step
164). Terminal display 68 displays the player's
remaining account balance to the game officiant (step
166), who then tenders the monetary value of that amount
to the player (step 168). The account is closed, and the
transaction.is recorded in central processor 40 (step
170) .
Other embodiments are within the scope of the
following claims.
What is claimed is:
