US 2009/0014958 A1 · ONLINE GAMING SYSTEM

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention provide systems and methods relating to online gaming utilizing virtual playing instruments generated from physical playing instruments. According to one aspect of the invention, physical playing instruments are utilized in a gaming environment that may be scrambled, shuffled, and/or played remotely over a network. In one embodiment, the physical playing instruments are traditional poker-style gaming playing cards. The playing instruments include at least one identifier that may be read upon being dealt, such as identified and stored on a computer-readable medium before a game. In one such embodiment, computer-executable instructions may utilize the information on the computer-readable medium in conjunction with one or more games. Further aspects relate to validating the playing instruments and/or systems before, during, and/or after conducting one or more games with the playing instruments.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system configured to physically randomize a plurality of physical playing instruments having at least one identifier comprising:

a chamber positioned at an incline such that the chamber has a lower portion and an elevated portion, the chamber having a base and further being configured to receive the plurality of playing instruments with a first side facing down with respect to the chamber base and a second side facing upwards;
a vacuum configured to exert a vacuum force upon at least a portion of the chamber such that the first side of at least one playing instrument is pulled against the chamber base;
and
a motor configured to rotate the chamber such that the first side of the plurality of playing instruments remains substantially downward, and the at least one playing instrument pulled against the chamber base rotates at substantially the same velocity as the chamber until rotating to a location of the chamber that is not substantially proximate to the vacuum force, wherein the first side of the at least one playing instrument ceases to be pulled against the chamber base, wherein the system is configured to randomize the physical playing instruments within the chamber and the randomization is not determined by a random number generator.

1 more element

A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions, that when executed perform the method of:

(a) retrieving from a computer-readable medium, the identity of a plurality of sequentially arranged virtual playing instruments, wherein the sequential arrangement of the virtual playing instruments was determined from the sequential identification of a plurality of physical playing instruments that were first randomized by a method comprising:
(i) introducing a plurality of playing instruments into an inclined chamber having a base comprising an elevated portion and a lowered portion, wherein the plurality of playing instruments are introduced with a first side facing down with respect to the base and the second side facing upwards;
(ii) introducing a vacuum force upon at least a portion of the chamber wherein the first side of at least one playing instrument is pulled against the chamber base;
and
(iii) rotating the chamber, wherein the first side of the plurality of playing instruments remains substantially downward, and the at least one playing instrument pulled against the chamber base rotates at substantially the same velocity as the chamber until rotating to a location within the chamber that is not substantially proximate to the vacuum force, wherein the first side of the at least one playing instrument ceases to be pulled against the chamber base, thereby randomizing the physical playing instruments, wherein the randomization of the physical playing instruments is not determined by a random number generator.

2 more elements

A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions, that when executed perform the method of:

(a) introducing a plurality of playing instruments into an inclined chamber having a base comprising an elevated portion and a lowered portion, wherein the plurality of playing instruments are introduced with a first side facing down with respect to the base and the second side facing upwards;
(b) introducing a vacuum force upon at least a portion of the chamber wherein the first side of at least one playing instrument is pulled against the chamber base;
and
(c) rotating the chamber, wherein the first side of the plurality of playing instruments remains substantially downward, and the at least one playing instrument pulled against the chamber base rotates at substantially the same velocity as the chamber until rotating to a location within the chamber that is not substantially proximate to the vacuum force, wherein the first side of the at least one playing instrument ceases to be pulled against the chamber base, thereby randomizing the physical playing instruments, wherein the randomization of the physical playing instruments is not determined by a random number generator.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Online gaming system

Life of this patent

Online gaming system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20