Shake Responsive Portable Computing Device for Simulating a Randomization Object Used In a Game Of Chance

Abstract

An apparatus, method and computer program product for a shake responsive portable computing device used in simulating a randomization object for playing a game of chance. The portable computing device includes a processor, a motion sensor functionally coupled to the processor and configured to detect shaking motions imparted on the portable computing device by a user, a display coupled to the processor, a memory coupled to the processor and a simulation program operatively loaded into the memory. The simulation program includes instructions executable by the processor to identify deliberately imparted characteristic shaking motions from the detected shaking motions, generate a randomized gaming result in dependence on the identified characteristic shaking motion signals and output the randomized gaming result to the display as a graphical representation of a randomization object.

1 . A shake responsive portable computing device for simulating a randomization object used in a game of chance comprising: 
 a processor;    a motion sensor functionally coupled to the processor and configured to detect shaking motions imparted on the portable computing device by a user;    a display coupled to the processor;    a memory coupled to the processor;    a simulation program operatively loaded into the memory including instructions executable by the processor to;    identify deliberately imparted characteristic shaking motions from the detected shaking motions;    generate a randomized gaming result in dependence on the identified characteristic shaking motion signals; and,    output the randomized gaming result to the display as a graphical representation of the randomization object.    
   
   
       2 . The portable computing device according to  claim 1  wherein the randomization object comprises one or more simulated dice and wherein the simulation program further includes instructions to simulate a tumbling movement of the one or more simulated dice in dependence on the identified characteristic shaking motions.  
   
   
       3 . The portable computing device according to  claim 2  wherein the simulation program further includes instructions to simulate the tumbling movement of the one or more simulated dice in approximate coordination with the identified characteristic shaking motions.  
   
   
       4 . The portable computing device of  claim 4  wherein the simulation program further includes instructions to dynamically depict the tumbling movement of the one or more simulated dice coming to rest to reveal the generated gaming result.  
   
   
       5 . The portable computing device according to  claim 1  wherein the display is encompassed by a housing in common with the processor.  
   
   
       6 . The portable computing device according to  claim 1  wherein the display is associated with a separate processor in processing communications over a wireless link with the processor.  
   
   
       7 . The portable computing device according to  claim 4  wherein the simulation program depicts the tumbling movement of the simulated dice coming to rest in response to a detected cessation of the identified characteristic shaking motions.  
   
   
       8 . The portable computing device according to  claim 1  wherein the portable computing device is one of, a personal data assistant, a cellular telephone, a portable media player and a handheld game player.  
   
   
       9 . The portable computing device of  claim 1  wherein the generated gaming result is one of; a number, a word, a sentence, a phrase, a color, an image and any combination thereof.  
   
   
       10 . The portable computing device of  claim 1  wherein the generated gaming result is used to update a status of play in the game of chance.  
   
   
       11 . The portable computing device of  claim 1  wherein the generated gaming result is dependent upon at least one dynamic characteristic of the identified characteristic shaking motion.  
   
   
       12 . The portable computing device of  claim 11  wherein the dynamic characteristic of the identified characteristic shaking motion is one of, a time duration, a magnitude, a number of distinct shake events, a frequency of the distinct shake events and any combination thereof.  
   
   
       13 . A method for providing a shake responsive portable computing device for simulating a randomization object used in a game of chance comprising: 
 coupling a motion sensor to a processor associated with the portable computing device;    configuring the motion sensor to detect shaking motions imparted on the portable computing device by a user;    loading a simulation program into a memory coupled to the processor, the simulation program including instructions executable by the processor for;    identifying deliberately imparted characteristic shaking motions from detected shaking motions;    generating a randomized gaming result in dependence on the identified characteristic shaking motion signals; and,    outputting the randomized gaming result to a display coupled to the processor as a graphical representation of the randomization object.    
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the randomization object comprises one or more simulated dice and wherein the simulation program further includes instructions executable by the processor for simulating a tumbling movement of the one or more simulated dice in dependence on the identified characteristic shaking motions.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 14  wherein the simulation program further includes instructions executable by the processor for simulating the tumbling movement of the one or more dice in approximate coordination with the identified characteristic shaking motions.  
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 14  wherein the simulation program further includes instructions executable by the processor for dynamically depicting the tumbling movement of the one or more simulated dice coming to rest to reveal the gaming result.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the simulation program further includes instructions executable by the processor for generating the randomized gaming result in dependence upon one or more dynamic characteristics of the identified characteristic shaking motions selected from the group consisting essentially of; a time duration, a magnitude, a number of distinct shake events, a frequency of distinct shake events and any combination thereof.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein the simulation program further includes instructions executable by the processor for depicting the tumbling movement of the simulated dice coming to rest in response to a detected cessation of the identified characteristic shaking motions.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the display is associated with a separate processor in processing communications over a wireless link with the processor.  
   
   
       20 . A computer program product embodied in a tangible form comprising instructions executable by a processor associated with a shake responsive portable computing device to; 
 receive shaking motion signals from an operatively coupled motion sensor;    identify deliberately imparted characteristic shaking motions from the detected shaking motions signals;    generate a randomized gaming result in dependence on the identified characteristic shaking motion signals; and,    output the randomized gaming result on an operatively coupled display as a graphical representation of a randomization object.    
   
   
       21 . The computer program product according to  claim 20  wherein the randomization object comprises one or more simulated dice and wherein the computer program product further including instructions executable by the processor to simulate a tumbling movement of one or more simulated dice in dependence on the identified characteristic shaking motions.  
   
   
       22 . The computer program product according to  claim 21  further including instructions executable by the processor for simulating the tumbling movement of the one or more dice in approximate coordination with the identified characteristic shaking motions.  
   
   
       23 . The computer program product according to  claim 21  further including instructions executable by the processor to dynamically depict the tumbling movement of the one or more simulated dice coming to rest to reveal the gaming result.  
   
   
       24 . The computer program product according to  claim 20  wherein the tangible form is one of; a logical media, a magnetic media and an optical media.