Asynchronous group play method for online casino game
First Claim
1. A method for facilitating asynchronous group play of an online casino game, comprising:
- initiating a group session of the online casino game over the Internet, the online casino game being provided by a website of an online casino, the website being hosted by at least one casino server computer, the group session defined to include communication over the Internet between the at least one casino server computer and a plurality of gaming devices respectively operated by a plurality of players, the at least one casino server computer configured to generate a random or pseudo-random number to determine an outcome and payout for the online casino game that provide a house advantage, and the at least one casino server computer tracking information about the group session using a group session database stored to a storage device;
defining at least one group objective for the group session, and storing the group objective to the group session database, wherein the group objective defines a requirement of two or more of the plurality of players achieving winning outcomes that result from initiation of player decisions occurring in relative proximity to each other;
for each player, storing outcomes of player decisions occurring during a period of gameplay to a current session database defined in the storage device, wherein the periods of gameplay of a first player and a second player of the plurality of players are asynchronous, such that the periods of gameplay of the first player and the second player do not occur at the same times;
analyzing, by the at least one casino server computer, the current session database to identify a portion of the outcomes of the first player and the second player occurring within a predefined number of player decisions of each other;
processing, by the at least one casino server computer, the portion of the outcomes to determine combined outcomes, and comparing the combined outcomes against the group objective, and if the combined outcomes meet the group objective, then administering a prize associated with the group objective.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for facilitating asynchronous group play of an online casino game is provided. A group session is initiated over the Internet, including a plurality of players. A group objective defines a requirement of two or more of the plurality of players achieving winning outcomes that result from initiation of player decisions occurring in relative proximity to each other. For each player, outcomes of player decisions occurring during a period of gameplay are stored to a current session database defined in a storage device, wherein the periods of gameplay of at least two of the plurality of players are asynchronous. The current session database is analyzed to identify outcomes of two or more of the plurality of players occurring within a predefined number of player decisions of each other. The identified outcomes are combined and compared against the group objective.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for facilitating asynchronous group play of an online casino game, comprising:
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initiating a group session of the online casino game over the Internet, the online casino game being provided by a website of an online casino, the website being hosted by at least one casino server computer, the group session defined to include communication over the Internet between the at least one casino server computer and a plurality of gaming devices respectively operated by a plurality of players, the at least one casino server computer configured to generate a random or pseudo-random number to determine an outcome and payout for the online casino game that provide a house advantage, and the at least one casino server computer tracking information about the group session using a group session database stored to a storage device; defining at least one group objective for the group session, and storing the group objective to the group session database, wherein the group objective defines a requirement of two or more of the plurality of players achieving winning outcomes that result from initiation of player decisions occurring in relative proximity to each other; for each player, storing outcomes of player decisions occurring during a period of gameplay to a current session database defined in the storage device, wherein the periods of gameplay of a first player and a second player of the plurality of players are asynchronous, such that the periods of gameplay of the first player and the second player do not occur at the same times; analyzing, by the at least one casino server computer, the current session database to identify a portion of the outcomes of the first player and the second player occurring within a predefined number of player decisions of each other; processing, by the at least one casino server computer, the portion of the outcomes to determine combined outcomes, and comparing the combined outcomes against the group objective, and if the combined outcomes meet the group objective, then administering a prize associated with the group objective. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for facilitating asynchronous group play of an online slots game, comprising:
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initiating a group session of the online slots game over the Internet, the online slots game being provided by a website of an online casino, the website being hosted by at least one casino server computer, the group session defined to include communication over the Internet between the at least one casino server computer and a plurality of gaming devices respectively operated by a plurality of players, the at least one casino server computer configured to generate a random or pseudo-random number to determine an outcome and payout for the online casino game that provide a house advantage, and the at least one casino server computer tracking information about the group session using a group session database stored to a storage device; defining at least one group objective for the group session, and storing the group objective to the group session database, wherein the group objective defines a requirement of two or more of the plurality of players achieving winning outcomes that result from initiation of spins in relative proximity to each other; for each player, storing outcomes of spins occurring during a period of gameplay to a current session database defined in a storage device, wherein the periods of gameplay of a first player and a second player of the plurality of players are asynchronous, such that the periods of gameplay of the first player and the second player do not occur at the same times, wherein storing the outcomes of the spins to the current session database includes numbering the outcomes; analyzing, by the at least one casino server computer, the current session database to identify a portion of the outcomes of the first player and the second player occurring within a predefined number of spins of each other; processing, by the at least one casino server computer, the portion of the outcomes to determine combined outcomes, and comparing the combined outcomes against the group objective, and if the combined outcomes meet the group objective, then administering a prize associated with the group objective. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions embodied thereon, the program instructions being configured when executed by at least one server computer to cause the at least one server computer to perform a method for facilitating asynchronous group play of an online casino game, including the following operations:
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initiating a group session of the online casino game over the Internet, the online casino game being provided by a website of an online casino, the website being hosted by at least one casino server computer, the group session defined to include communication over the Internet between the at least one casino server computer and a plurality of gaming devices respectively operated by a plurality of players, the at least one casino server computer configured to generate a random or pseudo-random number to determine an outcome and payout for the online casino game that provide a house advantage, and the at least one casino server computer tracking information about the group session using a group session database stored to a storage device; defining at least one group objective for the group session, and storing the group objective to the group session database, wherein the group objective defines a requirement of two or more of the plurality of players achieving winning outcomes that result from initiation of player decisions occurring in relative proximity to each other; for each player, storing outcomes of player decisions occurring during a period of gameplay to a current session database defined in a storage device, wherein the periods of gameplay of a first player and a second player of the plurality of players are asynchronous, such that the periods of gameplay of the first player and the second player do not occur at the same times; analyzing, by the at least one casino server computer, the current session database to identify a portion of the outcomes of the first player and the second player occurring within a predefined number of player decisions of each other; processing, by the at least one casino server computer, the portion of the outcomes to determine combined outcomes, and comparing the combined outcomes against the group objective, and if the combined outcomes meet the group objective, then administering a prize associated with the group objective. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification