ELECTRONIC VALUE-OPERATED AND BATTERY POWERED PORTABLE AMUSEMENT DEVICE
A portable amusement device has a display and is configured to operate at least one electronic game. The portable amusement device is operated by a touchscreen and includes a battery and a currency input. The portable amusement device is operable by a user upon receipt by the currency input of at least one of coins, currency, a credit card/debit card, and a Personal Identification Number (PIN). An amusement system includes a portable amusement device configured to operate at least one electronic game and having a display, a touchscreen, and a battery. The system also includes a docking station configured to receive the portable amusement device. The docking station includes a currency input. The portable amusement device is removable from the docking station only upon receipt by the currency input of at least one of coins, currency, a credit card/debit card, and a PIN.
1 . A portable amusement device having a display and being configured to operate at least one electronic game, the amusement device comprising:
(a) a touchscreen on the display for operating the portable amusement device;
(b) a battery; and
(c) a currency input, the portable amusement device being operable by a user upon receipt by the currency input of at least one of coins, currency, a credit card/debit card, and a Personal Identification Number (PIN).
2 . The portable amusement device of claim 1 , further comprising an anti-theft system.
3 . The portable amusement device of claim 2 , wherein the anti-theft system sounds an alert when the device is outside of a predefined area.
4 . The portable amusement device of claim 2 , wherein the anti-theft system deactivates the device when the device is outside of a predefined area.
5 . The portable amusement device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one communication port.
6 . The portable amusement device of claim 5 , wherein the at least one communication port is a Universal Serial Bus (USB).
7 . The portable amusement device of claim 1 , wherein the currency input is one of a magnetic stripe reader, a paper money slot, a coin slot, and a keypad.
8 . The portable amusement device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a thin client communicating to at least one of a local server and an internet server.
9 . The portable amusement device of claim 1 , wherein the device has Global Postitioning System (GPS) location capability.
10 . The portable amusement device of claim 1 , wherein the device communicates wirelessly.
11 . The portable amusement device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to select music to be played on a local music system.
12 . The portable amusement device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of music and video is selectable and playable on the device.
13 . The portable amusement device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to order food.
14 . The portable amusement device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to browse the internet.
15 . The portable amusement device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of an Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader, a bar code reader, and a digital camera.
16 . The portable amusement device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured for at least one of messaging and voice communication.
17 . The portable amusement device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured for at least one of head-to-head, cooperative, and tournament play.
18 . The portable amusement device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to alert the user that a table is available for seating.
19 . The portable amusement device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to provide to the user information regarding at least one of a position of the user in a queue for being seated at a table and an estimated time before a table will be available for seating.
20 . A system for providing entertainment to a user, the system comprising:
(a) a portable amusement device configured to operate at least one electronic game, the device including a display, a touchscreen, and a battery; and
(b) a docking station configured to receive the portable device, the docking station including a currency input, the device being removable from the docking station only upon receipt by the currency input of at least one of coins, currency, a credit card/debit card, and a Personal Identification Number (PIN).
21 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the currency input is one of a magnetic stripe reader, a paper money slot, a coin slot, and a keypad.