1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of gaming systems, video gaming systems, processor-based video gaming systems and such video gaming systems that can be played by two or fewer on-site players at the same time or in an adjacent or an overlapping mode.
2. Background of the Art
Video gaming machines basically constitute the vast majority of slot type gaming systems within the casino industry. The original game format and the format that still predominates within the industry is the single player apparatus. A single player is positioned at the front of a machine, that single player places value at risk in the machine, a random event is displayed on the machine and the results of the random event are evaluated (now typically by a processor executing code) to determine a wagering outcome, whether a win, loss, push (tie), advancement and/or entry into an advanced round or bonus event. The fundamental nature of the machine, the process and the system is that each individual wager is resolved for a single individual player for a single random event at a single machine. Although the player may alter the size of the wager and even the underlying game by exercising options in the system program menu, the system consists of one player, one wager, one random event, one machine and one event resolution based on the outcome of the random event.
Another system is referred to as the communal gaming system. In the communal gaming system, there are multiple individual player monitors, each in a separate box, usually in banks (rows) or amphitheaters with individual seats, a common screen or separate individual screens in which a single game is played, individuals wager on their individual player terminals associated with their individual screens, while a communal game is played. Often there may be a communal screen in addition to the individual player terminal screens on which events in the game are generally displayed. A central processor receives the individual player wagering information and the communal event is resolved with respect to the individual wagers made at the individual machines.
A multiplayer format known as the Tablemaster™ gaming system is marketed by Shuffle Master Inc. This system has multiple seats (e.g., 4-6 seats) and individual player terminals on which wagering input is provided by the individual players. There is a large communal screen, usually displaying an image of a dealer, and there are individual screens at each of the multiple player positions that display images of at least playing cards received at that individual player position, and may also display images of chips, images of wager resolution (chips placed, chips added, chips removed, and any other visual information or graphics that relates to game event information or additional information (e.g., prompts, advertising, etc.). Each player position may have individual processors or boards in connection with a central gaming processor that performs the more detailed functions of game processing and image provision. Each individual player position controls its own wagering and game strategy.
Other gaming technology in which multiple screens or multiple functions for screens includes at least the following.
Published U.S. Patent Application Document No. 20090143141 (Wells) discloses various techniques for facilitating gesture-based interactions with intelligent multi-player electronic gaming systems which include a multi-user, multi-touch input display surface capable of concurrently supporting contact-based and/or non-contact-based gestures performed by one or more users at or near the input display surface. Gestures may include single touch, multi-touch, and/or near-touch gestures. Some gaming system embodiments may include automated hand tracking functionality for identifying and/or tracking the hands of users interacting with the display surface. In some gaming system embodiments, the multi-user, multi-touch input display surface may be implemented using a multi-layered display (MLD) display device which includes multiple layered display screens. Various types of MLD-related display techniques disclosed herein may be advantageously used for facilitating gesture-based user interactions with a MLD-based multi-user, multi-touch input display surface and/or for facilitating various types of activities conducted at the gaming system, including, for example, various types of game-related and/or wager-related activities. According to various embodiments, users interacting with the multi-user, multi-touch input display surface may convey game play instructions, wagering instructions, and/or other types of instructions to the gaming system by performing various types of gestures at or over the multi-user, multi-touch input display surface. In some embodiments, the gaming system may include gesture processing functionality for: detecting users' gestures, identifying the user who performed a detected gesture, recognizing the gesture, interpreting the gesture, mapping the gesture to one or more appropriate function(s), and/or initiating the function(s). In at least some embodiments, such gesture processing may take into account various external factors, conditions, and/or information which, for example, may facilitate proper and/or appropriate gesture recognition, gesture interpretation, and/or gesture-function mapping.
Published U.S. Patent Application Document No. 20100016050 (Snow) describes a system for playing a live game of chance using electronic wagering. The system uses a gaming table equipped with a card reading apparatus and multiple dual mode player/dealer displays, each with a player interface. Physical playing cards are electronically read and delivered to the casino table. Electronic information of at least one of rank and count is provided to a game processor. The game processor also sends and receives player information to and from a player display. The player display is divided into two segments, the first segment displaying player information and a second segment displaying dealer information. The player enters wagers and other play decisions through the player interface. The system displays information useful to the player on the first area and information useful to the dealer on the second segment at appropriate intervals.
Published U.S. Patent Application Document Nos. 20080254881; 20100263310; and 20110263310 (Lutnick) describe various embodiments of amusement devices and methods for various games. In some embodiments, a secondary player may engage in a game started by a first player. Various additional methods and apparatus are described. A secondary player may make odds bets or may make partial bets such as betting the third coin at a slot machine, even if the primary player has already made such bets. Primary players might see who or how many people are betting on them. In various embodiments, a primary player may be made aware of a secondary player who is participating in the game of the primary player, or who subsequently participates in the game of the primary player. The primary player may receive a name, an image, and description of various attributes (e.g., age, occupation, area of residence, etc.) of the secondary player. The primary player may also receive an indication of the performance of the secondary player while participating in the games of the primary player. For example, the primary player may see how much the secondary has won or lost, what types of bets he has made, how many games he has participated in, for how long he has been participating in the games of the primary player, and so on. A secondary player watches games in progress. The secondary player may have various ways of watching or following the game or games in which he is participating. Following a game may include receiving information about the outcome or result of the game, receiving information about symbols or indicia that have arisen in the game (e.g., cards that have been dealt), receiving information about outcomes or results received by a dealer or opposing players, receiving information about decisions that are available or have been made in a game (e.g., decisions by a primary player to hit or stand), receiving information about player mannerisms in a game (e.g., facial expressions of a primary player or his opponents), information about amounts bet on a game (e.g., amounts bet by the primary player or the secondary player), information about amounts won on a game (e.g., amounts won by the primary player or the secondary player); and so on. A split screen allows the secondary player to see all the roulette wheels in the casino at once. In various embodiments, the secondary player may follow the progress of one or more games in which he participates using one or more display screens. Display screens may include cathode ray tubes, flat panel displays, plasma displays, liquid crystal displays, diode displays, light-emitting diode displays, organic light-emitting diode displays, projection displays, rear projection displays, front projection displays, digital light processing (DLP) displays, surface-conduction electron-emitter (SED) displays, electronic ink displays (e.g., E-Ink Corp's display technology), holographic displays, and so on.
Published U.S. Patent Application Document No. 20110118009 Bone describes a wagering game system and its operations. In some embodiments, the operations can include initiating, at a gaming machine, an analysis mode of a wagering game training tool associated with a wagering game, and determining when a player has played a predefined number of rounds of the wagering game. The operations can also include determining a skill level associated with the player for one or more areas of skill associated with the wagering game based, at least in part, on the predefined number of rounds played by the player. The operations can further include identifying an area of skill associated with the wagering game where the skill level associated with the player is less than a predefined skill level, and initiating a training mode of the wagering game training tool to improve the skill level associated with the player in the identified area of skill. The online wagering game server may customize a training mode based on the one or more variables in the state of play to improve the player's performance at the casino floor. In one implementation, the wagering game training tool implemented by the training tool manager customizes a training mode based on the one or more variables in the state of play.
Published U.S. Patent Application Document No. 20100130280 (Arezina) discloses a multi-player gaming system sensing multiple simultaneous contacts on a surface of a gaming table, differentiating contacts by different players. Privacy controls selectively display private information visible to only one of the players on or near the display surface of the gaming table. The gaming system also detects physical objects placed on the surface of the gaming table, causing wagering game functions or peripheral functions to be performed as a result of the placement of the object on the display surface. In some embodiments, a split screen may be implemented to convey private information to players, perhaps by using a lenticular lens that creates a convex perspective of multiple images or light sources. The simplest form of a lenticular lens is a bifocal, which has just two magnifying lenses. Using a three-part lenticular lens, a viewing screen could be split into three portions: all three could be showing the identical image during some portion of the game play, and then, during another part of the game, the screens might be split to show a first player his cards on the first screen portion, a second player his cards on the second screen portion, and a third (e.g., middle) screen portion with both hands down. Multiple video images may thus be viewed from different angles, so that game play elements can be added. A composite image of all of desired views may be displayed, with the various parts of the lenticular lens used to separate them for multiple players, each viewing from a different angle.
Published U.S. Patent Application Document No. 20100062845 (Wadds) describes a system for playing a live game of chance using electronic wagering and enabling player-initiated change of denomination of virtual chips. The system uses a gaming table equipped with a card reading apparatus and multiple dual mode player/dealer displays, each with a player interface. Physical playing cards are electronically read and delivered to the casino table. Electronic information of at least one of rank and count is provided to a game processor. The game processor also sends and receives player information to and from a player display. The player display is divided into two segments, the first segment displaying player information and a second segment displaying dealer information. The player enters wagers and other play decisions through the player interface. The system displays information useful to the player on the first area and information useful to the dealer on the second segment at appropriate intervals. FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a “How to Play” player-game information screen design, wherein a player views game information in the player screen area by pressing the “help” button in the first player area. In this mode, it should be noted that the split screen line remains displayed, and the dealer screen area is displaying the game title/logo in a text and manner readable by the player.
The above references, and all materials cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety to provide technical enablement of systems, components, electronics and methods.