IP Library Granted Patent US 8,403,748
Granted Patent B2
US 8,403,748 · App. 12/674,351 · Granted Mar 26, 2013

Presenting and controlling wagering game play

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,403,748
App. No.
12/674,351
Granted
Mar 26, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A network browser and toolbar objects are described herein. The network browser has a main display area that can display content. The toolbar objects can be on a toolbar that is a part of the network browser. The toolbar objects indicate information associated with wagering games. The network browser and the toolbar objects can receive and display content. Specifically, the toolbar objects can process and present wagering games using wagering game play elements (e.g., icons, graphics, etc.) on the toolbar. The toolbar can also have controls, configurations and settings associated with the toolbar, which the toolbar can communicate to a wagering game provider to determine game results. The toolbar can use the controls, configurations, and settings to affect the presentation of wagering game information on the toolbar, to control the presentation of game results using the wagering game play elements, etc.

Claims (84)

1. A method, comprising:

presenting one or more toolbar objects in a network browser, wherein the one or more toolbar objects include one or more wagering game play elements that graphically represent game play on a wagering game toolbar;

determining an activation of a wagering game control that begins a wagering game on the wagering game toolbar;

obtaining a wagering game result from a wagering game content provider;

processing the one or more wagering game play elements to change appearance on the one or more toolbar objects according to game play instructions that perform the wagering game; and

presenting the wagering game result using a graphical display of the one or more toolbar objects on the wagering game toolbar.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a wager amount from a wager setting associated with the one or more toolbar objects; and

providing the wager amount to the wagering game content provider to generate the wagering game result based on the wager amount.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining one or more pay line setting values included in the one or more toolbar objects;

providing the one or more pay line setting values to the wagering game content provider;

receiving additional wagering game results for the one or more pay line setting values; and

presenting the additional wagering game results using the one or more toolbar objects.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the presenting the additional wagering game results comprises presenting a wrap-around pay line on the one or more wagering game play elements.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a secondary input that toggles the one or more toolbar objects from a wagering mode to a non-wagering mode.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more toolbar objects further include a bonus award object, and further comprising:

determining a bonus award from the wagering game content provider; and

presenting a bonus award display using the one or more toolbar objects.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

presenting a secondary game meter indicating a secondary game associated with the wagering game.

8. One or more non-transitory machine-readable media having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a set of one or more processors causes the set of one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

presenting a wagering game toolbar with one or more toolbar objects in a network browser, wherein the one or more toolbar objects include one or more wagering game play elements and one or more wager settings, and wherein the one or more wagering game play elements graphically represent game play on the wagering game toolbar;

presenting the one or more wager settings in an extension toolbar object of the wagering game toolbar;

determining an activation of a wagering game control that begins a wagering game on the wagering game toolbar;

determining a wager amount from the one or more wager settings;

providing the wager amount to a wagering game content provider to generate a wagering game result based on the wager amount;

obtaining the wagering game result from the wagering game content provider; and

presenting the wagering game result using a graphical display of the one or more toolbar objects on the wagering game toolbar.

9. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the extension toolbar object is configured to be hidden from view by default and wherein the operation for presenting the one or more wager settings in the extension toolbar object includes operations comprising:

presenting the extension toolbar object, as a result of activity activated within the wagering game toolbar, as one or more of a drop-down, a pop-up, a frame, a grid, and a panel originating from the wagering game toolbar.

10. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 8 , the operations further comprising:

presenting one or more game settings using the extension toolbar object, wherein the one or more game settings comprise one or more of game controls, betting controls, help menus, payout charts, login items, credit meters, payment meters, game statistics, progressive game information, and bonus game information.

11. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the wagering game result includes a wagering game award from the wagering game content provider, and the operations further comprising:

presenting one or more award redemption controls on the wagering game toolbar; and

determining a selection of the one or more award redemption controls to redeem the wagering game award.

12. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 8 , the operations further comprising:

presenting wagering game activity of social contact accounts.

13. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 8 , the operations further comprising:

presenting a replay control object using the extension toolbar object;

determining activation of the replay control object; and

replaying the wagering game using the one or more wagering game play elements.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

means for determining one or more player customized values included in one or more toolbar settings associated with a wagering game toolbar in a network browser, wherein the wagering game toolbar includes one or more wagering game play elements that graphically represent game play on the wagering game toolbar;

means for determining one or more wagering game play instructions that use the player customized values to perform automated actions of the wagering game, on the wagering game toolbar;

means for processing the one or more wagering game play instructions based on the player customized values; and

means for presenting wagering game play information on the wagering game toolbar based on the one or more wagering game play instructions.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the one or more player customized values relate to one or more of repeat betting, stop betting, folding of hands, repeat spins, instant notification of game results, and pausing actions based on game results.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the means for determining the one or more wagering game play instructions that use the player customized values to perform the automated actions on the wagering game toolbar comprises,

means for determining that the one or more player customized values include automated betting information,

means for determining a wager amount based on conditions indicated by the player customized values,

means for communicating the wager amount to a wagering game content provider, and

means for determining a wagering game result based on the wager amount.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the means for processing the one or more wagering game play instructions based on the player customized values comprises,

means for determining one or more game result indicators indicated by the player customized values,

means for presenting a notification when a game result occurs that matches the one or more game result indicators, and

means for pausing performance of the automated actions.

18. A system comprising:

at least one input device configured to receive an indication of a wager to play a wagering game;

at least one display device configured to display the wagering game;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device configured to store instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform operation to,

present one or more toolbar objects in a browser, wherein the one or more toolbar objects include one or more wagering game play elements that graphically represent game play on a wagering game toolbar,

determine an activation of a wagering game control that begins a wagering game on the wagering game toolbar,

obtain a wagering game result from a wagering game content provider,

process the one or more wagering game play elements to change appearance on the one or more toolbar objects according to game play instructions that perform the wagering game, and

present the wagering game result using a graphical display of the one or more toolbar objects on the wagering game toolbar.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform further operations to

determine a wager amount from a wager setting associated with the one or more toolbar objects, and

provide the wager amount to the wagering game content provider to generate the wagering game result based on the wager amount.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform further operations to

determine one or more pay line setting values included in the one or more toolbar objects,

provide the one or more pay line setting values to the wagering game content provider,

receive additional wagering game results for the one or more pay line setting values, and

present the additional wagering game results using the one or more toolbar objects.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the operation to present the additional wagering game results includes an operation to present a wrap-around pay line on the one or more wagering game play elements.

22. The system of claim 18 , wherein the instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform further operations to

determine a secondary input that toggles the one or more toolbar objects from a wagering mode to a non-wagering mode.

23. The system of claim 18 , wherein the instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform further operations to

determine a bonus award from the wagering game content provider, and

present a bonus award display using the one or more toolbar objects.

24. The system of claim 18 , wherein the instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform further operations to

present a secondary game meter indicating a secondary game associated with the wagering game.

Assignments (8)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE NUMBERS 7963843, 8016666, 9076281, AND 9257001 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 051642 FRAME: 0910. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Mar 21, 2023
From: BALLY GAMING, INC.
To: SG GAMING, INC.
Reel/Frame 063122/0307 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 21, 2022
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: SCIENTIFIC GAMES INTERNATIONAL, INC.; WMS GAMING INC.; BALLY GAMING, INC.; DON BEST SPORTS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059756/0397 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 19, 2020
From: BALLY GAMING, INC.
To: SG GAMING, INC.
Reel/Frame 051642/0910 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (RELEASES REEL/FRAME 034530/0318) Recorded Nov 5, 2018
From: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS
To: SCIENTIFIC GAMES INTERNATIONAL, INC.; BALLY GAMING, INC.; WMS GAMING INC.
Reel/Frame 047924/0701 →
MERGER Recorded Jul 29, 2015
From: WMS GAMING INC.
To: BALLY GAMING, INC.
Reel/Frame 036225/0464 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 4, 2014
From: BALLY GAMING, INC; SCIENTIFIC GAMES INTERNATIONAL, INC; WMS GAMING INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 034530/0318 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 18, 2013
From: SCIENTIFIC GAMES INTERNATIONAL, INC.; WMS GAMING INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031847/0110 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 8, 2013
From: ANDERSON, PETER R.; BARCLAY, BRIAN J.; ENGLMAN, ALLON G.; GUINN, ANDREW C.; LOUIE, DANIEL P.; MANNING, BRIAN D.; PACEY, LARRY J.; SCHWARTZ, RICHARD T.; THOMAS, ALFRED
To: WMS GAMING, INC.
Reel/Frame 029779/0953 →