US 9,311,773 B2 · Table game tournaments using portable devices

Abstract

Table game tournament systems can include player terminal(s), electronic gaming table(s), and/or a remote server. A player terminal can have an outer housing, a controller located therewithin or thereabout, input and output component(s), and a communications interface to an outside gaming network having other functionally similar gaming device(s), gaming table(s), and a remote server. The controller and/or server can facilitate providing tournament information to a player, which information can include whether the player would qualify for the next tournament round, who is the most serious opponent to the player, and/or the chip difference therebetween. A terminal can also facilitate asynchronous and individually paced tournament play, switching between different tournament tables on demand, and play of other non-tournament table games thereat simultaneously with the play of the table game tournament. Portable computing devices can be used as player terminals and can permit players to play in actual or practice play-along modes.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A gaming table system, comprising:

(a) a plurality of electronic gaming tables adapted to provide live table game tournaments involving wager based games, wherein each of said plurality of electronic gaming tables includes:
a physical surface adapted for the play of a table game that includes a live dealer and the use of one or more physical game components,
a table controller adapted to control a plurality of gaming table functions, wherein said table controller is further adapted to facilitate the provision of current tournament information upon demand, continuously in automated fashion, or both, and
a table communication interface coupled to the table controller and adapted to facilitate communications between the table controller and other electronic components within the tournament table gaming system;
and
(b) a system server located remotely from and in communication with the plurality of electronic gaming tables, said system server being adapted to facilitate the simultaneous play of multiple tournament table games for the same tournament administered at multiple gaming tables from said plurality of electronic gaming tables by a single player located remotely from all of the plurality of electronic gaming tables and who is using one of a plurality of separate and remotely located portable electronic devices adapted to function as player terminals.

3 more elements

A gaming table adapted to host a live table game tournament involving wager based table games and one or more awards, the gaming table comprising:

a physical surface adapted for the play of a live table game tournament that includes the use of a live dealer and one or more physical game components;
a table controller adapted to control a plurality of gaming table functions, wherein said table controller is further adapted to facilitate the provision of current tournament information to one or more players who are located remotely from the gaming table and who are using one or more separate and remotely located portable electronic devices adapted to function as a player terminal for the gaming table;
and
a communication interface coupled to the table controller and adapted to facilitate communications between the table controller and an outside gaming network, wherein the outside gaming network includes at least one or more similar gaming tables that host table games for the live table game tournament, a remotely located system server, or both, and wherein said gaming table is further adapted to facilitate the play of a specific live table game thereat as simultaneously both a tournament game and also a live cash game.

1 more element

A method of facilitating player participation in a live table game tournament using a portable computing device, the method comprising:

providing a specialized software component to a portable computing device, the specialized software component being adapted to permit the portable computing device to function as a player terminal for a live table game tournament that takes place at one or more physical gaming tables that include a live dealer and one or more physical game components;
accepting a login from a player using the portable computing device, wherein the player and the portable computing device are both located remotely from all of the one or more physical gaming tables;
providing information specific to the live table game tournament to the remotely located portable computing device, wherein the information includes a status to the player that an end of a current tournament round is approaching or that the player has not yet played a minimum amount required for the current tournament round;
administering a plurality of table games for the live table game tournament on the one or more physical gaming tables;
and
permitting the player to participate in the plurality of table games for the live table game tournament by using the portable computing device while the player and the portable computing device are remotely located from all of the one or more physical gaming tables.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Table game tournaments using portable devices

Life of this patent

Table game tournaments using portable devices

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20