Abstract:
A wireless multiple server gaming system and method having customizable user interface features provides enhancements to wireless gaming systems. The system includes a scanning device or other receiving device for the input of user-provided graphics that are used to customize features of a gaming device screen. The user interface may include backgrounds, daubers, numbers and other areas that are customized to the users preferences. Additionally, the improved user interface provides special hot-ball indicia for indicating the presence of a hot-ball (also known as “fish ball”, “pig ball”, “fire ball”, “cash ball”, “money ball” or “flash ball”) in one or more game cards, and a pop-up navigation menu on the card display for navigating amongst various games. The system includes multiple game servers coupled through a special proxy server that provides interconnectivity for the wireless game units and the servers, whereby multiple gaming types are supported at the wireless units simultaneously.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates generally to client-server gaming systems and more specifically, to a system providing customizable user interface features.  
           [0003]    2. Background of the Invention  
           [0004]    Electronic gaming systems, including dedicated game boards and wireless client/server systems, have proliferated for use in bingo, keno and other gaming as technologies have yielded low-cost and portable devices. However, such systems are typically dedicated to a single type of game or connected to a single server providing a particular type of game. Requirements for control of various class games as provided by local or federal regulations also dictate that certain systems are isolated in conformance with gaming requirements. Therefore, various game class types are typically not available at a single portable gaming unit.  
           [0005]    The software or firmware in portable gaming units is typically fixed, providing the same user interface to all gaming participants using a portable gaming unit. Navigation within gaming units is typically provided by a number of control buttons or in some cases, a menu interface displayed at an edge of the screen. Special variants of games such as bingo have special requirements for play that are typically not incorporated within standardized gaming units.  
           [0006]    Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method and system providing a unique user interface including navigational controls for gaming systems. It is further desirable to provide customization of the user interface to enhance user interest. It would also be desirable to provide user interface capabilities compatible with special gaming requirement. Lastly it would be desirable to provide a gaming system capable of efficiently providing multiple types of games at a portable wireless unit.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The above objective of providing unique user interface for a gaming system, play of multiple game class types, and a customizable user interface having improved navigation is provided in a method and system.  
           [0008]    The gaming device includes one or more of various user interface features such as a pop-up navigation menu for activation from a play area of the gaming device that provides navigation amongst a plurality of available games. Other user interface features include insertion of portions of user-provided graphics via a card reader or scanner in order to customize the playing area, number display, playing area backgrounds or other areas of the graphical display of the portable gaming device. The system may include a scanner, card reader or both for input of user-provided graphics. The system may provide multiple gaming types via a connection of multiple servers to a communications intermediary server that provides efficient connection and security among the multiple servers.  
           [0009]    The methods of the present invention may be embodied a computer program products including program instructions for execution within a portable gaming device or system.  
           [0010]    The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting an electronic gaming system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram depicting components of an electronic gaming system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a block diagram depicting a wireless gaming unit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a pictorial diagram depicting a user interface of a wireless gaming unit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a pictorial diagram depicting a user interface of a wireless gaming unit in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a pictorial diagram depicting a user interface of a wireless gaming unit in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]    Referring now to the Figures, and with particular reference to FIG. 1, an electronic gaming system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is depicted in a block diagram. The system is a multi-server system providing enhanced security and efficiency within a wireless electronic gaming environment. A point of sale server  12 B provides for sale and consequent loading of game cards and sets of game cards for playing bingo and other games served by the system. Handheld portable wireless units  10 ,  10 A and  10 B are programmed by point of sale server via an infrared interface, and the programming includes the download of bingo game information for generating electronic representations of bingo cards used during play on a user interface of portable wireless units  10 ,  10 A and  10 B. While the system described uses a wireless infrared (IR) interface for downloading of gaming information to portable wireless units  10 ,  10 A and  10 B in a download mode, secure radio-frequency communications (RF) may be used within the system as well as hard-wired temporary connections for download of gaming information as has been practiced in past systems.  
         [0018]    Point of sale server  12 B is coupled to an image scanner  4  and a card reader  2  for providing certain features of the system. Scanner  4  is used to scan user-supplied graphics for download or transmission to portable wireless units  10 ,  10 A and  10 B for customization of a user interface of the present invention. Various items in the user interface, including backgrounds, daubers (the cursor used to play bingo) and other portions of the user interface can be decorated or replaced with user-supplied graphics, providing an enhanced gaming experience through personalization of the user interface of portable wireless units  10 ,  10 A and  10 B.  
         [0019]    Card reader  2 , which also may include card write capability, can also be used to load and/or store user-supplied graphics. Cards issued to players can identify a player (user) uniquely, providing a mechanism for quickly accessing player information including graphics scanned by scanner  4  or uploaded from another location. Also, if card reader  2  is a memory card reader (as opposed to a magnetic stripe reader or other similar card type reader) the cards themselves may contain graphics input by scanner  4 , uploaded by the player at another location or with another device such as a personal computer with a card writer attached. Cards may also contain credits for games, monetary value and other information consistent with a gaming player&#39;s use of the system.  
         [0020]    Point of sale server  12 B is also coupled to a network switch  6  providing network access to other coupled servers and switches, but also coupled directly to an intermediary second-tier communication server  14  that communicates via RF signals with portable wireless units  10 ,  10 A and  10 B. Generally, intermediary server  14  provides RF ball call information to portable wireless units  10 ,  10 A and  10 B as games are played to provide a path secure from general network access for the ball call information, which represents actual monetary or other value as the calls determine winners and therefore must be secured against hacking and other unauthorized access. Intermediary server  14  provides such security as the RF ball call path is isolated from the general network. Intermediary server  14  also provides communications efficiency as the RF communication with portable wireless units  10 ,  10 A and  10 B is handled completely from intermediary server  14  avoiding a drain on other network resources. Multiple intermediary servers may be provided for the implementation of the system in large halls or when many portable wireless units are used on the system.  
         [0021]    Another function of intermediary server  14  is to isolate Class II and Class III games within the system. Class II and Class III game data is provided on a direct connection from Class II and Class III game data server  12 A, which can then be transmitted via the RF link from intermediary server  14  to portable wireless units  10 ,  10 A and  10 B.  
         [0022]    A plurality of fixed base gaming units  8 ,  8 A and  8 B are coupled to a switch  6 A connecting them to point of sale server  12 B and a verification and game control server  12 . Verification and game control server  12  controls the progress of the various games and provides verification of wins at the completion of each game. Fixed base units are verified directly through the network connection to verification and game control server  12 , while portable wireless units  10 ,  10 A and  10 B are generally verified through an IR link to a verification station provided by verification and game control server  12  (there is no requirement that the actual server and verification station be co-located). Separation of verification and point of sale functions provides increased security and efficient operation as the verification locations and servers are separates from the point of sale locations and servers.  
         [0023]    Referring now to FIG. 2, details of a server system in accordance with another, simplified embodiment of the invention are shown. A gaming server system  12  includes a server processor  15  for executing program instructions is coupled to a server memory  16  containing program instructions embodying methods of the present invention. Server processor  15  is also coupled to a network interface  17  for connection via a network connection  19  to intermediary server  14 . Portable wireless gaming unit  10  includes a processor  15 B coupled to a memory  16 B and a wireless interface  18 B for connection to intermediary server  14 . Intermediary server  14  also includes a processor  15 A coupled to a memory  16 A for executing and storing program instructions including program instructions for supporting the RF wireless interface  19 A to wireless portable gaming unit  10  and further for connection to servers  12  and  12 A via a wired LAN connection provided through a network interface  17 A coupled to processor  15 A. The above-described networked computer system is exemplary only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. The illustration provides an example of multiple gaming servers, where gaming server  12  is, for example a bingo game control server and where gaming server  12 A may be a Class II or Class III gaming control server, coupled to an intermediary server  14  that provides security and efficiency in connecting gaming servers  12  and  12 A to a plurality of portable gaming units such as wireless portable gaming unit  10 .  
         [0024]    Referring now to FIG. 3, further details of wireless portable gaming unit  10  are shown in a block diagram. Gaming unit  10  connects to the servers described above via an IR optical interface  21  and an antenna  23 . Antenna  22 A is coupled to an RF transmitter/receiver  22 A which is in turn coupled to a communications interface  18 B that handles communications with a processor  15 B. IR optical interface  21  is provided from an infrared transmitter/receiver  22  that is also coupled to communications interface  18 B. Processor  15 B is coupled to memory  16 B which stores data and program instructions for providing features of the present invention, including the user interface methods described herein. Input devices  21  are also coupled to processor  15 B for providing user input to the user interfaces. Input devices  21  may include a touchscreen integrated with an liquid crystal display (LCD)  20 , which displays text and graphics in accordance with the user interfaces of the present invention. LCD display  20  is generally a color TFT LCD display, as the preferred embodiments of the present invention include color schemes and games that provide information and enhanced enjoyment of the gaming screens, including color information consistent with the user interfaces described below. A battery  26  provides power through connections (not shown) to the various components of gaming device  10  and sound system  24  provides an audible user interface to further enhance the gaming experience.  
         [0025]    Referring now to FIG. 3, a gaming device  10  screen user interface display  32  is depicted in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. User interface  32  provides a display of a “flashboard”  34  used to indicate ball calls in the bingo games played on gaming device  10 . As the bingo numbers are called, they are indicated on the flashboard screen area  34 , and in a particular feature of the present invention, a special number corresponding to a “hot ball” is indicated with a unique indicia  36 . In the indicated example of the indicia  36 , the box surrounding the “hot ball” number (also known as “fish ball”, “pig ball”, “fire ball”, “cash ball”, “money ball” or “flash ball”) is provided with a flaming box motif. Other indicia may be used such as colors, flashing color or box frame and the indicia may be animated such as providing animated flames to further call attention to the “hot ball” number.  
         [0026]    By way of explanation, a hot ball number is a number that provides an alternative mechanism of winning in a bingo game. The hot ball number may be specially called, or it may be the taken as the first call in a game, or determined by some other means. When a player gets a bingo (i.e., a straight line combination of calls or other pattern required by special bingo games), if the hot ball is the last number called in the bingo combination, the hot ball payout is made to the player. As an alternative, if the hot ball number is present at all in a winning bingo combination, a payout may be made. Previous game cards and gaming systems have provided no way of indicating a hot ball number and the use of the frame as illustrated to provide an indicia prevents interference with the color scheme or numbering scheme in user interface display  32 . However, other indicia provided in the number square or on the number itself (graphic color, etc. including personalized graphics described elsewhere herein, may be used to indicate the hot ball). The hot ball may also be indicated via the indicia in other locations such as a separate flashboard graphical display coupled to one of the gaming servers in the system that is visible to some are all players, such as a large display mounted on a wall. The hot ball indicia may also be displayed on the bingo card representations of the user interfaced as is illustrated in FIG. 6 and described below.  
         [0027]    Referring now to FIG. 5, another feature of the user interface of the present invention is depicted. Within user interface  42  which provides a playing screen including a plurality of card representations  44 , a pop-up menu providing navigation amongst a plurality of games is provided, when a user activates the “game number”  48  area via a touchscreen, cursor movement or provided as a separate game number key on the gaming device  10  housing. Pop-up menu  46  permits navigation to games in any sequence, in contrast to previous gaming system operation which typically require game play in sequence as dictated by the system. Pop-up menu  46  provides flexibility in gaming that further enhances enjoyment of the gaming experience through letting an individual player have more control over their gaming options.  
         [0028]    Referring now to FIG. 6, yet other features of the user interface of the present invention is depicted. One feature is consistent with the personalized graphics described above with respect to point-of-sale server  12 B and the coupled input devices. Within user interface  52  which provides a playing screen including a plurality of card representations  54 , a dauber  56  that is personalized with a user-supplied graphic  58  is depicted. Graphic depicts a caricature drawing of a face, but will generally be a photograph of a friend, loved one, or other person, place or item familiar to the player. While dauber  56  is a convenient location for personalization, other areas (and areas within other screens) of user interface display  52  may be customized with user-supplied graphics in accordance with other embodiments of the present invention. In particular, the background of the user interface display may be provided as a larger graphic or a tiled small graphic that is supplied by the player (user). Personalization provides enhanced enjoyment of the games through familiarity and the other advantages of personalization as described above. Players can transport their graphic images between systems using cards readable via the card readers described above, including flash cards and other memory cards that may contain digital photographs or images in other computer-readable formats for input to point of sale server  12 B and subsequent transfer to one or more of gaming devices such as gaming device  10 .  
         [0029]    Also in FIG. 6, a hot ball indicia  60  is illustrated for user interfaces depicting bingo card representations (in contrast to the flashboard user interface depiction of FIG. 4). As soon as a hot ball is determined, indicia  60  may be added in static or animated form to call attention to the hot ball in the current game.  
         [0030]    Also in FIG. 6, a messaging feature of the system is displayed on user interface. In gaming halls it is customary for the caller to make announcements, such as player birthdays, etc. or information about the games to be played over a microphone. The portable wireless gaming device  10  of the present invention provides an alternative messaging system for the caller to make an announcement to the players on user interface  52 , via a message area  62  that is displayed when a communication from the caller, other game player or other game manager wants to make an announcement. The announcement may be a “broadcast” message to all players, or may be an individual message address to a particular wireless gaming device.  
         [0031]    While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form, and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.