4025results about "Card games" patented technology

An apparatus and method for an automated tournament gaming system (10) comprising a central server computer (20) operatively coupled to, inter alia, a plurality of gaming machine G1, G2 . . . GN for automatically harnessing any of the gaming machines for automatically inciting and running a tournament where a group of players are participating for a period after which prizes are awarded to the winning tournament play participants. In addition, the system (10) includes a host site computer (200) operatively coupled to a plurality of the central servers (20) at a variety of remote gaming sites C1, C2 . . . CN for providing a multi-site progressive automated tournament gaming system (210). The multi-site system (210) is integrated into the system (10) to increase the winnings, progressive amounts and the total buy-ins.

A cooperative group gaming apparatus and method therefore including a plurality of gaming machines including means for individual play, means for communal play and communal payout means influenced by any gaming machine participating in cooperative group play, said plurality of gaming machines operatively coupled to at least one controller which, inter alia, communicates with at least one display means for displaying the effects of cooperative group play to game players.

A disclosed smart card includes a processor and memory configured to execute a number of gaming applications, such as a bonus game application, a progressive game application, a voucher application and a paytable application, and communicate with a master gaming controller on the gaming machine. Gaming instructions, generated during the execution of one or more of the gaming application on the smart card, may be used to affect game play on the gaming machine. The gaming instructions for various gaming services may be supplied to gaming machines operating in a “stand alone” mode or gaming machine connected to some type of dedicated network. In addition, the smart card may store game components including audio game components and video game components that may be downloaded into a gaming machine and incorporated into a game presentation on the gaming machine. The smart card may be utilized at many different venues including casinos, hotels, bars, restaurants and retail stores.

Disclosed are methods, apparatus, and systems, including computer program products, implementing techniques for securing a gaming machine for a player of the gaming machine using a mobile device such as a cell phone associated with the player. A player input requests securing of the gaming machine. Responsive to the player input, an access code and a security code are retrieved. The access code defines an access point of a communication system. The security code is specific to a game play session for the player at the gaming machine. The retrieved access code and security code are provided for the player. When the mobile device accesses the communications system and submits the security code, a secure signal is sent to the gaming machine, instructing the gaming machine to enter a remote game play state. The gaming machine can be released from the remote game play state responsive to a releasing event. In one implementation, a wireless interface enables communication between the mobile device and gaming machine according to a wireless protocol such as Bluetooth.

A gaming machine has a symbol display arrangement that displays a variation action of a variable plurality of symbols that are necessary for playing a game. A predictive display arrangement performs a predictive display that informs the player of the likelihood of the appearance of a specific symbol display state when the variation action is stopped. A determination whether or not the symbol variation action is to be stopped with the appearance thereon of the specific symbol display state is made by a controller that also determines which predictive display mode from among a plurality of predetermined predictive display modes is to be displayed. In one embodiment, the controller controls the predictive display arrangement so that the probability of the appearance of a specific symbol display state is changeable in conjunction with the change in the game with the passage of time. The player will expect the appearance of the predictive display having a high likelihood, and therefore the player's expectation of the appearance of the specific symbol display state can be sustained from the start of the variation display to the stopping thereof. The player's expectation for the "big hit" is enhanced by changing the predictive display in which the likelihood of the "big hit" is increased.

Embodiments of the instant invention are directed to a method, apparatus and system for lottery gaming, wherein a simple, objective, verifiable and reliable method of selecting the winning lottery numbers is provided. In preferred embodiments, a user accesses the game via a wide area network or by some other remote means and inputs required information, including payment information and the user's selections for the game. Prior to any user participating in the game, the game provider selects elements that comprise a winning combination. Preferably, the elements that comprise the winning combination are objective and verifiable elements, such as, for example, a portion of the closing stock market price on a given day for a specified set of markets. As such, the elements comprising the winning combinations are objective and can be verified by all of the users. The definition of the winning combination can be redefined for each new game, or as it is generated from a indicia providing source, can remain the same for all games or a set number of games.

A slot machine enables a player to select one or more symbols as wild symbols ("Select-A-Wild"). In one embodiment, the game displays three spin buttons. Each spin button is permanently associated with a symbol. All of the associated symbols have matching symbols on the reel strips. Each of the associated symbols have the same probability of appearing on the reel strips. The player selects a wild symbol by pressing a spin button. The symbol associated with the pressed spin button acts as a wild symbol for that spin. After each spin, the player receives awards for all winning combinations.

The invention relates to a gaming machine with at least one display area (2) for a number of game symbols (3) which, after the player has initiated the game by pressing the start button (4), are selected under the control of a computing unit (5) from a multitude of predetermined symbols and presented at positions in the display area (2) for the player to view. The invention calls for a gaming machine (1) to have, preferably in the display area (2) at least one chance-display zone (7,7') in which the computing unit (5), optionally on actuation of a request unit (14), e.g., a request button, by the player, displays and / or increased and / or best-possible win chances, and / or instructions for determining them, which are available for the next game or which, on removal of one or more of the game symbols or game-symbol combinations presented for the next game, apply or could possibly be achieved in the next game.

A mobile game device for selective display of one or more pre-purchased games of chance thereon. The game device includes a removable communication interface adapted to communicate with a central gaming system to selectively receive gaming data controlling the play and outcome of the pre-purchased game of chance, generated at a first time. The game device further includes a display screen, and one or more input mechanisms. A game device microprocessor device is provided which is configured to: commence play, selectively activated by operation of the one or more input mechanisms, of the pre-purchased games of chance using the gaming data at a selected second time after the first time; and selectively display on the display screen the generated outcome of the game of chance.

The present invention is directed to a playing card dispensing shoe apparatus, system and method wherein the shoe has a card scanner which scans the indicia on a playing card as the card moves along and out of a chute of the shoe by operation of the dealer. The scanner comprises an optical-sensor used in combination with a neural network which is trained using error back-propagation to recognize the card suits and card values of the playing cards as they are moved past the scanner. The scanning process in combination with a central processing unit (CPU) determines the progress of the play of the game and, by identifying card counting systems or basic playing strategies in use by the players of the game, provides means to limit or prevent casino losses and calculate the Theoretical Win of the casino, thus also providing an accurate quality method of the amount of comps to be given a particular player. The shoe is also provided with additional devices which make it simple and easy to access, record and display other data relevant to the play of the game. These include means for acconunodating a "customer-tracking card" which reads each player's account information from a magnetic stripe on the card, thus providing access to the player's customer data file stored on the casino's computer system, and one or more alpha-numeric keyboards and LCD displays used to enter and retrieve player and game information. Also included are keyboards on the game table so that each player can individually select various playing or wagering options using their own keyboard.

A slot machine includes a rotatable reel which is cylindrical shaped. The reel is provided with a first display portion on a side surface and with a second display portion on a periphery. In performing a first game, the side surface is so perpendicular that the first display portion may be observable. In performing a second game, the periphery is so horizontal that the second display portion may be observable.

A system automatically monitors playing of a game and gathers data in real time. An overhead imaging system automatically images the game table and provides an overhead view of the game table and / or the dealer's chip tray. A lateral imaging system images the gaming area, especially the wagering regions, to provide a lateral view of the chips on the table. An automatic card shoe system dispenses cards and automatically images at least one card immediately prior to its withdrawal from the shoe. A positioning module processes images from the overhead imaging system to automatically track the position of gaming objects such as for example playing cards, chips, currency bills on the gaming table. An identity module processes images from the overhead imaging system to automatically track the identity of gaming objects on the gaming table. A chip identity module processes overhead images of the chip tray and lateral images of the gaming region to automatically determine, the identity and position of gaming chips. A card-shoe software associated with the automatic card shoe system processes signals from the automatic card shoe system to automatically identify the game related value of at least one card immediately prior to its withdrawal from the shoe by a dealer.

Disclosed are methods, apparatus, and systems, including computer program products, implementing techniques for securing a gaming machine for a player of the gaming machine using a mobile device such as a cell phone associated with the player. A player input requests securing of the gaming machine. Responsive to the player input, an access code and a security code are retrieved. The access code defines an access point of a communication system. The security code is specific to a game play session for the player at the gaming machine. The retrieved access code and security code are provided for the player. When the mobile device accesses the communications system and submits the security code, a secure signal is sent to the gaming machine, instructing the gaming machine to enter a remote game play state. The gaming machine can be released from the remote game play state responsive to a releasing event. In one implementation, a wireless interface enables communication between the mobile device and gaming machine according to a wireless protocol such as Bluetooth.

A server for facilitating real-time betting, wherein the server communicates with clients via a distributed computing network. The server includes a memory storing an operating system, an instruction set, event data related to a sporting event, gambler data related to gamblers participating in a competition based upon the sporting event and site data related to electronic pages associated with the real-time para-mutuel betting. A processor runs the instruction set and communicates with the memory and the distributed computing network. The processor is operative to enroll the gamblers by presenting betting rules associated with the sporting event, collect wagering from the gamblers, accept predictions for discrete events within the sporting event from each gambler and determine a first winner of the competition based upon the predictions. Applications include lotteries with entries received from mobile devices.

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into plural hands of cards, wherein each of the hands contains a random arrangement of the same quantity of cards. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack, and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanism and the elevator so that an individual card is moved into an identified compartment. The number of compartments receiving cards and the number of cards moved to each compartment may be selected.

A displaying device comprises an outer rotational member and an inner rotational member. The displaying device is incorporated with a game machine. The outer rotational member of the displaying device is rotated in a lateral direction of the game machine. The inner rotational member is rotated in a perpendicular direction of the game machine. The rotational members are rotated in the different directions with each other, and are respectively stopped. After the rotational members have been stopped, a game result is determined in accordance with a stop state of the rotational members. The outer rotational member represents a dividend of the game, and the inner rotational member represents whether the game is a win or loss.

A system automatically monitors playing of a game and gathers data in real time. An overhead imaging system automatically images the game table and provides an overhead view of the game table and / or the dealer's chip tray. A lateral imaging system images the gaming area, especially the wagering regions, to provide a lateral view of the chips on the table. An automatic card shoe system dispenses cards and automatically images at least one card immediately prior to its withdrawal from the shoe. A positioning module processes images from the overhead imaging system to automatically track the position of gaming objects such as for example playing cards, chips, currency bills on the gaming table. An identity module processes images from the overhead imaging system to automatically track the identity of gaming objects on the gaming table. A chip identity module processes overhead images of the chip tray and lateral images of the gaming region to automatically determine, the identity and position of gaming chips. A card-shoe software associated with the automatic card shoe system processes signals from the automatic card shoe system to automatically identify the game related value of at least one card immediately prior to its withdrawal from the shoe by a dealer.

A gaming device including a re-initiation mode wherein the probability of extending the bonus game is increased by fixing the reel or reels displaying a locking symbol on the reel. In the re-initiation mode embodiment, the gaming device re-activates some or all of the reels except the reel displaying the locking symbol for a predetermined number of additional free spins or until the reactivated reels display or indicate a terminating symbol on the reels. The gaming device provides any outcomes associated with indicated symbols or combination of symbols. In one embodiment, if a terminating symbol is displayed on designated reels during one of the additional free spins, the gaming device re-initiates the bonus game.

A miniature golf game involving a miniature golf hole having a playing surface including a tee-off area and a ball-receiving cup. The hole includes a pachinko game or other game of chance, which may be positioned within the playing surface or otherwise adjacent the cup. The game of chance is operable to select one a predetermined plurality of prizes. The player putts the golf ball along the playing surface and into the cup. The game of chance is operated to select a prize for award to the player. The travel of the ball within the game of chance may determine the selection of the prize. Such operation may occur automatedly or manually in response to receipt of the ball in the cup. The player is awarded the prize selected by the game of chance. Prizes may be dispensed in an automated fashion, and may include a counter for accounting purposes.

A system for establishing a wager for a gaming application comprises a server, a processor remotely coupled to the server, and a memory coupled to the processor. The server hosts a gaming application for a plurality of users. The processor receives a wager offer generated by a first user, wherein the wager offer is associated with the gaming application. The processor further presents the wager offer to a plurality of second users, and receives a wager acceptance by a second user. The wager offer and the wager acceptance combine to form a wager between the first user and the second user. The processor further generates a wager record in response to receiving the wager acceptance. The wager record is associated with the wager between the first user and the second user, and comprises a plurality of wager parameters. The memory stores the wager record according to a wager record identifier.

A system for determining the skill of a player eliminates the element of chance by comparing players who have the same initial position. In the case of cards, the initial position is the hand dealt to the player and in tile games, it is the initial distribution and arrangement of tiles. A player with a less than advantageous initial position may win a game over an opponent having a better initial position. It cannot conclusively be said whether this win is due to the good play of the winner or the bad play of the loser. However, it can clearly be said that the winning player has a higher skill level than the losing player.

Disclosed are methods, apparatus, and systems, including computer program products, implementing techniques for securing a gaming machine for a player of the gaming machine using a mobile device such as a cell phone associated with the player. A player input requests securing of the gaming machine. Responsive to the player input, an access code and a security code are retrieved. The access code defines an access point of a communication system. The security code is specific to a game play session for the player at the gaming machine. The retrieved access code and security code are provided for the player. When the mobile device accesses the communications system and submits the security code, a secure signal is sent to the gaming machine, instructing the gaming machine to enter a remote game play state. The gaming machine can be released from the remote game play state responsive to a releasing event. In one implementation, a wireless interface enables communication between the mobile device and gaming machine according to a wireless protocol such as Bluetooth.