Electronic Card Table

Abstract

An electronic card table and method provides an electronic card game to a plurality of players. The electronic card table includes a table, a plurality of electronic player interaction areas, a central display area and a game computer. The table has a table top with a playing surface. The electronic player interaction areas are located around a periphery of the table top. Each electronic player interaction area provides a player interface for interaction with one of the players. The central display area is located in a central location of the table top for displaying information to the players. The game computer is coupled to the plurality of electronic player interaction areas and the central display area for dealing a hand of the electronic card game composed of electronic cards, displaying the electronic cards on the electronic player interaction areas and/or the central display area, and administering the electronic card game using electronic chips and the electronic cards. The game computer determines a winner from among the players and awards a pot to the winner at the end of the hand.

1 .- 39 . (canceled)  
   
   
       40 . An electronic poker table for providing an electronic poker game to a plurality of players, comprising: 
 a table having a table top with a playing surface;    a plurality of touchscreen displays located around a periphery of the table top for providing a player interface for interaction with one of the players and for displaying at least one hole card to the player;    a central display for displaying information related to the electronic poker game and at least one common card to the players; and,    a game computer coupled to the plurality of touchscreen displays and to the central display for administering the electronic poker game using electronic chips and electronic cards, each player interface including a plurality of game buttons implemented on the touchscreen display, at least one of the game buttons on one of the touchscreen displays being active only during the respective player's turn.    
   
   
       41 . An electronic poker table, as set forth in claim  1 , wherein the game computer administers the electronic poker game by initializing a hand of the electronic poker game, electronically shuffling a deck of electronic cards, dealing the electronic cards to the players in accordance with the rules of the poker game being played, managing wagers made by the players utilizing the player interface, managing the pot based on the players' wagers, and awarding the pot to a winner of the hand of the electronic poker game.  
   
   
       42 . An electronic poker table, as set forth in claim  1 , wherein the at least one of the game buttons is displayed only when active and is not displayed when inactive.  
   
   
       43 . An electronic poker table, as set forth in claim  1 , wherein the game buttons include a fold button, a call button, and a raise button.  
   
   
       44 . An electronic poker table, as set forth in claim  1 , wherein one or more other of the game buttons may be inactive during a player's turn based on the rules and status of the electronic poker game.  
   
   
       45 . An electronic poker table, as set forth in claim  1 , wherein all of the game buttons are inactive on the one of the electronic player interaction areas when it is not the respective player's turn.  
   
   
       46 . A method of providing an electronic poker game to a plurality of players, comprising: 
 providing a table having a table top with a playing surface;    providing a plurality of touchscreen displays located around a periphery of the table top for providing a player interface for interaction with one of the players on the touchscreen display and for displaying at least one hole card to the player;    providing a central display for displaying information related to the electronic poker game and at least one common card to the players;    administering, by a game computer coupled to the plurality of electronic player interactive areas and to the central display, the electronic poker game using electronic chips and electronic cards;    providing a plurality of game buttons implemented on the touchscreen display of each player interface; and,    activating at least one of the game buttons on one of the touchscreen displays only during the respective player's turn.    
   
   
       47 . A method, as set forth in claim  7 , wherein the step of administering the electronic poker game, includes the steps of 
 initializing a hand of the electronic poker game;    electronically shuffling a deck of electronic cards;    dealing the electronic cards to the players in accordance with the rules of the poker game being played;    managing wagers made by the players utilizing the player interface;    managing the pot based on the players' wagers; and,    awarding the pot to a winner of the hand of the electronic poker game.    
   
   
       48 . A method, as set forth in claim  7 , including the steps of displaying the at least one of the game buttons only when it is active and not displaying the at least one of the game buttons when it is inactive.  
   
   
       49 . A method, as set forth in claim  7 , including the step of providing a fold button, a call button, and a raise button.  
   
   
       50 . A method, as set forth in claim  7 , including the step of making one or more other of the game buttons inactive during a player's turn based on the rules and status of the electronic poker game.  
   
   
       51 . A method, as set forth in claim  7 , including the step of making all of the game buttons inactive on the one of the touchscreen displays when it is not the respective player's turn.  
   
   
       52 . A method of providing an electronic poker game to a plurality of players, comprising: 
 providing a table having a table top with a playing surface;    providing a plurality of touchscreen displays located around a periphery of the table top and including a touchscreen display, each electronic player interaction area for providing a player interface for interaction with one of the players on the touchscreen display, each electronic player interaction area for displaying at least one hole card to the player;    providing a central display for displaying information related to the electronic poker game and at least one common card to the players; and,    initializing a hand of the electronic poker game;    electronically shuffling a deck of electronic cards;    dealing the electronic cards to the players in accordance with the rules of the poker game being played;    managing wagers made by the players utilizing the player interface;    managing the pot based on the players' wagers; and,    awarding the pot to a winner of the hand of the electronic poker game;    providing a plurality of game buttons implemented on the touchscreen display of each player interface; and,    activating at least one of the game buttons on one of the electronic player interaction areas only during the respective player's turn.    
   
   
       53 . A method, as set forth in claim  7 , including the steps of displaying the at least one of the game buttons only when it is active and not displaying the at least one of the game buttons when it is inactive.  
   
   
       54 . A method, as set forth in claim  7 , including the step of providing a fold button, a call button, and a raise button.  
   
   
       55 . A method, as set forth in claim  7 , including the step of making one or more other of the game buttons inactive during a player's turn based on the rules and status of the electronic poker game.  
   
   
       56 . A method, as set forth in claim  7 , including the step of making all of the game buttons inactive on the one of the electronic player interaction areas when it is not the respective player's turn.  
   
   
       57 . An electronic poker table for providing an electronic poker game to a plurality of players, comprising: 
 a table having a table top with a playing surface;    a plurality of touchscreen displays located around a periphery of the table top for providing a player interface for interaction with one of the players and for displaying at least one hole card to the player;    a central display for displaying information related to the electronic poker game and at least one common card to the players; and,    a game computer coupled to the plurality of touchscreen displays and to the central display for administering the electronic poker game using electronic chips and electronic cards, each player interface including a plurality of game buttons implemented on the touchscreen display, at least one of the game buttons on one of the touchscreen displays being displayed only during the respective player's turn.    
   
   
       58 . A method of providing an electronic poker game to a plurality of players, comprising: 
 providing a table having a table top with a playing surface;    providing a plurality of touchscreen displays located around a periphery of the table top for providing a player interface for interaction with one of the players on the touchscreen display and for displaying at least one hole card to the player;    providing a central display for displaying information related to the electronic poker game and at least one common card to the players;    administering, by a game computer coupled to the plurality of electronic player interactive areas and to the central display, the electronic poker game using electronic chips and electronic cards;    providing a plurality of game buttons implemented on the touchscreen display of each player interface; and,    displaying at least one of the game buttons on one of the touchscreen displays only during the respective player's turn.