Patent Publication Number: US-7591728-B2

Title: Online gaming system configured for remote user interaction

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   This invention relates to gaming systems, and more particularly, to an apparatus and methods relating to a physical gaming system that may host remote players. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The entertainment industry continues to flourish as the public ceaselessly demands an increasing array of talent and innovation to help relax from the tumultuous reality, or simply to satisfy their specific wants. Casino-type games and other entertainment forms that combine chance with skill have achieved a significant niche among a subset of society, both in the technological and traditional realm. Particularly in today&#39;s technological computer era, arcade games and other electronic devices have become very popular. As electronic games have increased in popularity, more casino-type games are enjoyed in a pure electronic format. One example is the usage of video poker. 
   In concept, video poker is enjoyed similar to traditional poker games and is designed to replicate many aspects of a hand of poker. In some formats, the player is not attempting to beat another player&#39;s hands or against a dealer&#39;s hand; the player is simply attempting to achieve the highest ranking poker hand possible from the cards displayed to the player. The higher the ranking of the poker hand achieved by the player, the greater the player&#39;s winnings based on the number of coins, tokens or credits wagered by the player. Typically, a payout schedule is posted on the gaming machine to advise the player of the payoffs available for certain winning card combinations. 
   The video poker systems generate the deck or decks of cards based on an algorithm or a form of a random number generator, electronically produces visual representations of cards on a display device, and allows a user to determine which card to “hold” and which cards to “discard”. The system then displays visual representations of replacement cards for the cards the player has discarded. The player wins or loses based on conventional poker hand rankings for the resulting five card hand. 
   While many aspects of the card game are recreated with the above mentioned systems, they lack several aspects of traditional card games and are prone to alteration and deception. For example, users of the electronic systems do not know if the machine really creates an accurate “deck” of cards, since there are no physical cards to verify. The users have no idea what algorithm is being utilized to “randomly” draw the cards and cannot be certain the software has not been altered to fix the odds. 
   Thus there is a need for methods and systems that enable players to enjoy amusement-type card games with assurance of accuracy and fairness. There also is a need to recreate aspects of traditional aspects of “live-dealing” in a card game. These and other advantages are successfully incorporated in embodiments of the present invention without sacrificing the element of amusement that many desire. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Aspects of the invention relate to gaming systems, and more particularly, to an apparatus and methods relating to a physical gaming system that may host remote players. According to one aspect of the invention, physical cards are utilized in a gaming environment that may be played remotely over a network. In one embodiment, the physical cards are traditional poker-style gaming cards. The cards include at least one identifier that may be read upon the card being dealt. The identifier may contain information that is remotely communicated to a player. In one embodiment, a video image of the card is shown to a player. The “cards” of the present invention are not limited to traditional playing cards, but rather may be of any shape and/or three-dimensional, such as circular balls. Indeed, any item that may be shuffled, dealt, and reorganized may be a card according to the present invention. 
   In certain embodiments of the invention, the present invention can be partially or wholly implemented with a computer-readable medium, for example, by storing computer-executable instructions or modules, or by utilizing computer-readable data structures. 
   Of course, the methods and systems of the above-referenced embodiments may also include other additional elements, steps, computer-executable instructions, or computer-readable data structures. 
   Additional features and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon reviewing the following detailed description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  depicts one exemplary method of playing a card game according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  depicts an exemplary card shuffling and dealing system according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates one possible network configuration having a client/server network setup that may be used with select embodiments of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  depicts one exemplary method of allowing a user to shuffle or otherwise rearrange the arrangement of the cards according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Introduction 
     FIG. 1  illustrates one exemplary method of playing a card game according to one aspect of the present invention. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the exemplary method may be performed with a variety of gaming systems; however, to aid the reader in understanding the invention, the method of playing the exemplary card game will be illustrated by way of illustrating the exemplary embodiments disclosed in  FIGS. 2-4 . Moreover, the disclosed method may comprise more or fewer steps, as it is understood the exemplary steps illustrate one embodiment. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , a plurality of cards are shuffled in step  102 . Step  102  involves the physical movement of a plurality of cards, such as deck of cards  202 . Step  102  may be performed through mechanical or electrical mechanisms; however, the cards are physically shuffled. Therefore, the final order of the cards is not determined solely by a random number generator or algorithm. One skilled in the art will realize that one or more embodiments may utilize an algorithm to determine the longevity of the shuffle or the like, however, the final order of the cards cannot be accurately predicted upon applying one predetermined algorithm. Shuffling device  204  illustrates one exemplary automatic shuffling device according to one embodiment of the present invention that may be used to perform step  102 . In one embodiment, the shuffling device  204  is configured to house a plurality of gaming cards, such as standard poker playing cards. In other embodiments, the shuffling device is configured to house odd shaped or three-dimensional “cards”, such as balls. Indeed, one embodiment of the invention may utilize a chamber to house the cards, wherein pressurized air is introduced into the chamber having the plurality of cards. The pressurized air will alter the arrangement of the plurality of cards in a random fashion. This method of shuffling is especially advantageous when utilizing three-dimensional cards, such as balls. In one embodiment, the cards are shuffled for a predetermined length of time, whereas in another embodiment, a user input may determine the longevity of the shuffle. A remote user can provide an electronic or mechanical input that controls the physical shuffling of the deck of cards as described in more detail below. Indeed, while the embodiment involves a physical deck of cards, remote users may take part in the game. 
   One embodiment of the invention allows remote players to participate in the physical game through a network, such as the World Wide Web.  FIG. 3  illustrates one possible network configuration ( 300 ) having a client/server network setup. In the network configuration  300 , clients  302 ( 1 )- 302 (N) can each request information from a host computer  304  across a network  306 . (N represents a whole number.) The client  302 ( 1 ), for example, may send a request across the network  306  to join a game session. In one embodiment, the request may arrive at the host computer  306  at a network interface card (NIC)  308 . From the NIC  308 , the request can travel along an input/output (I/O) bus  310  and through a network stack  312  to a web server  314  running web server software. The web server may also comprise software to allow game play or be electronically connected to a computer-readable medium having the necessary software to allow game play. 
   The web server  314  handles the request (including any necessary connection setup and information retrieval) and, if necessary, reads information from a local storage mechanism  316  such as a buffer or a data cache. The web server  314  may then return any content requested by the client  302 ( 1 ) to the client  302 ( 1 ), with the content traveling through the network stack  312 , the I/O bus  310 , the NIC  308 , and the network  306 . Likewise, clients  302 ( 1 )- 302 (N) can each send and receive information to each other, such as for example, chatting and/or card information. 
   In some card games, it is customary to allow at least one player to cut the deck, therefore optional step  104  may be implemented to determine if the game allows reshuffling or rearrangement of the cards by a user. If the employed embodiment permits a user to cut the deck, step  106  receives an input from a user regarding the reshuffling the deck of cards.  FIG. 4  shows one exemplary method of allowing a user to shuffle or otherwise rearrange the arrangement of the cards. A graphical representation of the deck of cards, such as representation  402  can be displayed on an output device, such as monitor  404  operatively connected to a client  302 ( 1 )-(N). The user may provide an input through an input device to select a location to “cut” the deck. For example, arrow  406  may be positioned to select a specific card within the graphical representation of the deck of cards  402 . The user may be allowed to choose any individual card within the graphical representation  402  which corresponds to a physical card or sections of cards within the deck of cards  202 . Once selected, the input is transmitted through the network, for example as described in relation to  FIG. 3 , to the shuffling device  204 , where the deck  202  is physically “cut” according to the user input. In other embodiments, shuffling device  204  may shuffle the deck  202  until a user input is received. For example, step  102  could be repeated. 
   In step  108 , a card is physically dealt from the deck of cards  202 . In one embodiment, the top card of the deck will be dealt; however, one skilled in the art will appreciate that other embodiments may draw a card at random. For example, embodiments having balls in a pressurized chamber may be randomly selected. While the cards are physically dealt, select embodiments may not remove the card from the shuffling device. Indeed, in one embodiment, the card is merely transferred to another section or compartment of the shuffling device  204 . Yet in other embodiments, the card is dealt from a device that is separate from the shuffling device  204 . In step  110 , the identity of the dealt card is determined. In one embodiment, steps  108  and  110  may occur substantially simultaneously, wherein the identity of the card is determined as it is physically dealt. 
   As shown  FIG. 2 , the shuffling device may also comprise a card reader, such as card reader  206 . Yet in other embodiments, the card reader is external to the shuffling device. The card reader may determine the dealt card&#39;s identity based on the presence of at least one identifier. As shown in  FIG. 2 , dealt card has  208  a plurality of identifiers  210   a,    210   b.  As used herein, an identifier can be any marking, attribute, and/or property of a card used in conjunction with the card reader  206  to identify the card. In one embodiment, the identifier contains information such as a source code for determining which deck or subset of cards the card originated from. For example, identifier  210   a  may comprise a scannable code, such as a bar code that is readable by card reader  206 . Yet in other embodiments, reader  206  may be an RFID reader configured to read identifier  210   b.  In still yet other embodiments, the identifier  210   a  may comprise at least one physical alteration to the card, such as for example, a notch, groove, or extrusion, that may be used with card reader  206  to identify the card. 
   The identifiers  210   a,    210   b  may comprise a plurality of information, such as but not limited to: a numerical value of the card and the “suit” (i.e., club, spade, heart) or other subset classification of the card. Indeed, in one embodiment, the identifier  210   a  may also aid in ensuring the fairness and accuracy of the game. For example, identifier  210   a  may also comprise information regarding the origination of the dealt card. This would be especially advantageous for games utilizing multiple decks. For example, if 3 decks are utilized for a particular game, one identifier, for example, identifier  210   a,  may comprise information regarding which deck the card originated from to ensure more or less than 3 decks were not being used and/or became improperly combined. In such embodiments, optional step  112  may be implemented to ensure validity of the cards. For example, if a game is utilizing decks  001 ,  002 , and  003 , the card reader  206  may be configured to discard any card not from decks  001 ,  002 , and  003 . In yet another embodiment, the detection not belonging to decks  001 ,  002 , and  003  may cause the termination of the current game and a new deck or decks of cards will be shuffled to initiate a new game. In still yet another embodiment, the identity information retrieved from an identifier, such as identifier  210   a  may be stored in an electronic medium for later analysis. For example, if the odds of dealing an ACE of HEARTS is 1/52, but the card reader has detected that particular card has been dealt 5 times in the last 10 deals, an optional step may be implemented to require inspection of the card reader  206  and/or the card shuffler  204  before more games are conducted. 
   In yet another embodiment, conventional attributes of typical playing cards may be used as identifiers. For example, the card reader  206  may comprise a video camera that identifies the card based on at least one visual representation. In the illustrated embodiment, visual identifiers may comprise the “K” representing the card is a “KING” and a visual representation of a “Diamond”, thereby the card will be interpreted by the card reader to be a “King of Diamonds”. In yet another embodiment utilizing conventional attributes of cards, a card reader, such as reader  206  may further comprise a video camera operatively coupled to a computer to further identify the dealt card  208 . For example, in one embodiment the reader is a camera coupled to a computer having software to recognize the characters or letters on the card  208 , such as Optimal Character Recognition (“OCR”) or the like. 
   While step  210  has been described in relation to the dealing of one card, one skilled in the art will recognize that the dealing of multiple cards to one or more players is within the scope of the invention. Moreover, one in the art will understand that a plurality of identifiers, such as identifiers  210   a,    210   b  may be used simultaneously to identify a card. This may be especially advantageous in embodiments attempting to simulate the “real feel” of a live game while increasing the accuracy and efficiency of administering the game. For example, identifier  210   b  may be used to electronically track the game while a still or video camera may be used to capture the actual card dealt to increase the realistic gaming experience. 
   In step  114 , the identity of the dealt card is transmitted to at least one user. Transmission may be performed through a variety of mediums, such as the network environment illustrated in  FIG. 3 . When and to which players the identity of a particular card is transmitted to may be determined according the preset rules in the game play. For example, in one embodiment employing a “Blackjack”-style game, the identity of at least one of the dealts cards, such as the face-down card dealt to the dealer will not be revealed to a player, until a player&#39;s turn has ended. In one such embodiment, step  116  may be implemented before step  114  to allow the player to provide an input, for example, to instruct the computer that the player does not wish to be dealt another card. As step  118  indicates, game play will continue according to the type of game being administered. If, however, the player does provide an input in step  120 , step  122  maybe implemented to determine if the input request additional cards to be dealt. In one embodiment, if additional cards are to be dealt, step  108  may be re-implemented. Returning to step  118 , game play will resume until it is determined at step  124  that the game is over. As one skilled in the art will understand, step  118  may incorporate any of the preceding steps or optional additional steps to continue to the game, such as for example, redealing cards, shuffling additional cards as needed, determining when and to whom the dealt cards are displayed to. 
   Step  118  will depend on the type of game implemented. For example, in Draw Poker, the conventional poker hand rankings that are winning combinations are a Royal Flush, a Straight Flush, a Four of a Kind, a Full House, a Flush, a Straight, a Three of a Kind, a Two Pair and a Pair of Jacks or Better, wherein a payout table is established based on the number of coins wagered by the player and the type of poker hand achieved. One skilled in the art will understand there are many poker formats used in poker. These poker game formats include, but are not limited to: Jacks (or even Tens) or Better Draw Poker, Bonus Poker, Double Bonus Poker, Double Double Bonus Poker, Super Double Bonus Poker, Triple Bonus Poker, Deuces Wild Poker, Jokers Wild Poker, Deuces and Jokers Wild Poker, Texas Holdem Poker, Omaha Hi Poker, Omaha Hi Lo Poker, Stud Poker Hi, and Stud Poker Hi Lo. One skilled in the art will realize that these and other games of the present invention may be played with a wagering system, wherein the wagering system may vary, such as limited and no limit stakes. 
   In yet other embodiments, other traditional card games may be employed, such as Black Jack, Caribbean Stud, or the like. In one embodiment, the system is configured to allow a user to choose among numerous game formats. The player may then make a wager based on upon that choice of game format. Once is it is determined game play has ended, step  126  may compare the identity of each card dealt to determine at least one winner. 
   While the exemplary embodiment has been discussed in broad terms of a networking environment, the invention, however, may be configured for personal gaming systems, such as Sony® Playstation® or Microsoft® Xbox®, handheld systems such as a Palm® or Treo®, among others, for example, cellular-based applications. In still yet further embodiments, the invention is configured for web-based applications that may be incorporated within or independent of cellular-based applications.