Randomized marble racing game and remote play of the same

Abstract

An amusement game comprising a track to facilitate game elements to race from a start to an end of the track. The game elements are ranked in a final order of the race. Randomization elements randomize an initial order of the game elements. A server may accept, from user devices, guesses of the final order. The server device sends an indication to each user device based on the final order and a guess associated with the user device. A presentation mechanism located at the end of the track preserves the final order after completion of the race. A reset mechanism transports the plurality of game elements from the presentation mechanism to an area at the start of the track to facilitate another race. A plurality of cameras capture live video images of the game elements as they move within the track and of the final order. A server controls operation of the amusement game and processing the captured live video images for transmission to one or more user devices so that the one or more user devices participate in the amusement game by guessing the final order.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 an amusement game comprising a track to facilitate a plurality of game elements to engage in a race from a start of the track to an end of the track, wherein the plurality of game elements are ranked in a final order of completing the race;   one or more randomization elements configured to randomize an initial order of the plurality of game elements;   a server device configured to accept, from one or more user devices participating in the amusement game, one or more guesses of the final order of the plurality of game elements before establishment of the final order occurs, wherein the server device is further configured to send an indication to each user device of the one or more user devices based on the final order and a guess associated with the user device;   a presentation mechanism located at the end of the track and configured to preserve the final order of the plurality of game elements for a period of time; and   a reset mechanism configured to transport the plurality of game elements from the presentation mechanism to an area at the start of the track to facilitate engagement of another race.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of cameras configured to capture live video of the amusement game, in which each camera captures live video of a different portion of the track, wherein the server device is configured to cause presentation of the live video of the amusement game to the one or more user devices participating in the amusement game. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more randomization elements comprise at least one hidden randomization area, wherein all of the plurality of game elements are configured to pass through the hidden randomization area to cause randomization of the initial order of the plurality of game elements. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more randomization elements are situated after the end of the track and before the start of the track to facilitate randomization of the initial order of the plurality of game elements in between each race. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more randomization elements are situated in between the start of the track and the end of the track to facilitate randomization of the initial order of the game elements during each race. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the server device is configured to accept guesses from the one or more user devices at least one of before the game begins or after the game begins but before the plurality of game elements interact with a last randomization element of the one or more randomization elements. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the amusement game further comprises one or more optical recognition cameras to optically recognize the final order of the game elements and to send a plurality of signals to the server device, wherein the server device is configured to present the final order of the plurality of game elements. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of game elements are each embedded with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, further comprising an RFID reader configured to determine, based on each RFID tag, the final order of the plurality of game elements, wherein the RFID reader is configured to cause transmission of the final order to the server device, and wherein the server device is configured to present the final order of the plurality of game elements. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more user devices are located proximate to the amusement game or remotely from the amusement game. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more user devices comprise at least one of a gaming player station, a phone, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet, or a gaming device. 
     
     
         11 . A method, comprising:
 operating an amusement game comprising a track to facilitate a plurality of game elements to engage in a race from a start of the track to an end of the track, wherein the plurality of game elements are ranked in a final order of completing the race;   randomizing, via one or more randomization elements, an initial order of the plurality of game elements;   receiving, by a server device and from one or more user devices, one or more guesses of the final order of the plurality of game elements before establishment of the final order occurs, wherein the server device is configured to send an indication to each user device of the one or more user devices based on the final order and a guess associated with the user device;   presenting, via a presentation mechanism located at the end of the track, the final order of the plurality of game elements for a period of time; and   resetting, via a reset mechanism configured to transport the plurality of game elements from the presentation mechanism to an area at the start of the track, the amusement game to facilitate engagement of another race.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising capturing, by a plurality of cameras, live video of the amusement game, in which each camera captures live video of a different portion of the track, and wherein the server device is configured to cause presentation of the live video of the amusement game to the one or more user devices participating in the amusement game. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more randomization elements comprise at least one hidden randomization area, wherein all of the plurality of game elements are configured to pass through the hidden randomization area to cause randomization of the initial order of the plurality of game elements. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more randomization elements are situated after the end of the track and before the start of the track to facilitate randomization of the initial order of the plurality of game elements in between each race. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more randomization elements are situated in between the start of the track and the end of the track to facilitate randomization of the initial order of the game elements during each race. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the server device is configured to accept guesses from the one or more user devices at least one of before the game begins or after the game begins but before the plurality of game elements interact with a last randomization element of the one or more randomization elements. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the amusement game further comprises one or more optical recognition cameras to optically recognize the final order of the game elements, further comprising:
 sending, to the server device, a plurality of signals indicating the final order; and   presenting, by the server device, the final order of the plurality of game elements.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of game elements are each embedded with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, further comprising:
 determining, by an RFID reader and based on each RFID tag, the final order of the plurality of game elements; and   causing transmission of the final order to the server device, wherein the server device is configured to present the final order of the plurality of game elements.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the one or more user devices are located proximate to the amusement game or remotely from the amusement game. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more user devices comprise at least one of a gaming player station, a phone, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet, or a gaming device. 
     
     
         21 . An amusement game system facilitating participation, comprising:
 an amusement game having a physical area over which a plurality of game elements move and compete with one another to finish a game in a final order and a plurality of shuffling elements that interact with the plurality of game elements to introduce randomness to the first and last order of the game;   a plurality of cameras situated about the physical area to capture live video images of the plurality of game elements as the plurality of game elements move within the physical area and of the final order of the game; and   a server for controlling operation of the amusement game and processing the captured live video images for transmission to one or more user devices so that the one or more user devices participate in the amusement game by guessing the final order of the game prior to the game finishing.   
     
     
         22 . The amusement game system of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of cameras include one or more fixed cameras mounted to supports and at least one moving camera configured to follow at least some of the plurality of game elements within the physical area. 
     
     
         23 . The amusement game system of  claim 21 , wherein the server streams the captured live video images in real-time to the one or more user devices. 
     
     
         24 . The amusement game system of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more user devices are collocated within a building housing the amusement game. 
     
     
         25 . The amusement game system of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more user devices are remotely located from a building housing the amusement game. 
     
     
         26 . The amusement game system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more user devices are a player station, a smartphone, a personal computer (PC), or other gaming device. 
     
     
         27 . The amusement game system of  claim 21 , wherein the amusement game is a marble racing game that includes a start, a finish and an extended track between the start and the finish, and wherein the plurality of game elements are marbles and each of the marbles has a unique identifier. 
     
     
         28 . The amusement game system of  claim 27 , wherein the plurality of cameras include one or more high speed cameras, and wherein the server includes image recognition configured to detect the unique identifier of each marble and track each marble from the captured live video images. 
     
     
         29 . The amusement game system of  claim 27 , wherein the unique identifier of each marble is a radio frequency identification (RFID), wherein the extended track includes multiple sensors for detecting each unique identifier and outputting sensor data, and wherein the server is configured to receive the sensor data and identify and track each marble. 
     
     
         30 . The amusement game system of  claim 21 , wherein guesses of the final order from the one or more user devices may be received by the server after the start of the game but before the last of the plurality of shuffling elements have interacted with the plurality of game elements. 
     
     
         31 . A method for facilitating participation in an amusement game, comprising:
 operating the amusement game, the amusement game having a physical area over which a plurality of game elements move and compete with one another to finish a game in a final order and a plurality of shuffling elements that interact with the plurality of game elements to introduce randomness to the first and last order of the game;   capturing live video images of the plurality of game elements as the plurality of game elements move within the physical area and of the final order of the game; and   controlling operation of the amusement game and processing the captured live video images for transmission to one or more user devices so that the one or more user devices participate in the amusement game by guessing the final order of the game prior to the game finishing.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the plurality of cameras include one or more fixed cameras mounted to supports and at least one moving camera configured to follow at least some of the plurality of game elements within the physical area. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein controlling operation of the amusement game includes streaming the captured live video images in real-time to the one or more user devices. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the one or more user devices are collocated within a building housing the amusement game. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the one or more user devices are remotely located from a building housing the amusement game. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more user devices are a player station, a smartphone, a personal computer (PC), or other gaming device. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the amusement game is a marble racing game that includes a start, a finish and an extended track between the start and the finish, and wherein the plurality of game elements are marbles and each of the marbles has a unique identifier. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the plurality of cameras include one or more high speed cameras, and controlling operation of the amusement game includes recognizing unique identifier of each marble and tracking each marble from the captured live video images. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the unique identifier of each marble is a radio frequency identification (RFID), wherein the extended track includes multiple sensors for detecting each unique identifier and outputting sensor data, and wherein controlling operation of the amusement game includes receiving the sensor data and identifying and tracking each marble. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein guesses of the final order from the one or more user devices may be received after the start of the game but before the last of the plurality of shuffling elements have interacted with the plurality of game elements.