Electronic amusement device and method for propagating a performance adjustment signal

• US 20020042295A1
• Filed: 11/12/2001
• Published: 04/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Lech, Robert R., Walker, Jay S., Mik, Magdalena
• Granted Patent: US 6,648,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/008 adapted for being playable on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

An electronic amusement device and a method for operating the device are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a slot machine receives an initiation signal to initiate game play at the slot machine. The slot machine conducts a game in response to the initiation signal. The slot machine determines whether a propagation criteria has been achieved and outputs a propagation signal, indicating a performance adjustment, to at least one other slot machine. In accordance with a second embodiment, a slot machine that stores a performance level is disclosed. The slot machine receives a propagation signal indicating a performance adjustment, and the slot machine adjusts the performance level accordingly. A slot server and method for operating the server are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for directing a slot machine to propagate an indication of adjusted performance to at least one other slot machine, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an initiation signal to initiate a game play;

conducting the game play in response to the initiation signal;

determining whether a propagation criterion has been achieved; and

outputting a propagation signal to the at least one other slot machine, the propagation signal being an indication of adjusted performance.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

storing a performance level; and

adjusting the performance level.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of adjusting includes increasing the performance level.

4. The method of claim 2 further including the step of indicating the performance level.

5. A method for directing a slot machine to process an indication of adjusted performance, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a performance level;

receiving a propagation signal, the propagation signal representing an indication of adjusted performance; and

adjusting the performance level.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of adjusting includes increasing the performance level.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of indicating the performance level.

8. The method of claim 5 further including the steps of:

receiving an initiation signal to initiate a game play; and

conducting a game play in response to the initiation signal; and

wherein the step of adjusting the performance level is based on the steps of conducting a game play and receiving a propagation signal.

9. The method of claim 5 further including the steps of:

receiving an initiation signal to initiate a game play;

conducting a game play in response to the initiation signal, thereby determining an outcome; and

determining a payout amount based on the outcome and the performance level.

10. The method of claim 5 further including the steps of:

receiving an initiation signal to initiate a game play;

determining a probability of an outcome based on the performance level; and

conducting a game play in response to the initiation signal, thereby determining the outcome in accordance with the probability.

11. The method of claim 5 further including the step of determining a cost of play based on the performance level.

14. The slot machine of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

store a performance level; and

adjust the performance level.

15. The slot machine of claim 14 wherein the processor is further operative with the program to increase the performance level.

16. The slot machine of claim 14 wherein the processor is further operative with the program to indicate the performance level.

18. The slot machine of claim 17 wherein the processor is further operative with the program to increase the performance level.

19. The slot machine of claim 17 wherein the processor is further operative with the program to indicate the performance level.

20. The slot machine of claim 17 wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

receive an initiation signal to initiate a game play; and

conduct a game play in response to the initiation signal; and

wherein the performance level is adjusted based on the game play and the propagation signal.

21. The slot machine of claim 17 wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

receive an initiation signal to initiate a game play;

conduct a game play in response to the initiation signal, thereby determining an outcome; and

determine a payout amount based on the outcome and the performance level.

22. The slot machine of claim 17 wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

receive an initiation signal to initiate a game play;

determine a probability of an outcome based on the performance level; and

conduct a game play in response to the initiation signal, thereby determining the outcome in accordance with the probability.

23. The slot machine of claim 17 wherein the processor is further operative with the program to determine a cost of play based on the performance level.

26. The slot machine of claim 25 further comprising:

means for storing a performance level; and

means for adjusting the performance level.

27. The slot machine of claim 26 wherein the means for adjusting includes means for increasing the performance level.

28. The slot machine of claim 26 further comprising means for indicating the performance level.

30. The slot machine of claim 29, wherein the means for adjusting includes means for increasing the performance level.

31. The slot machine of claim 29, further comprising means for indicating the performance level.

32. The slot machine of claim 29, further comprising:

means for receiving an initiation signal to initiate a game play; and

means for conducting a game play in response to the initiation signal; and

wherein the means for adjusting the performance level operates based on the game play and the propagation signal.

33. The slot machine of claim 29, further comprising:

means for receiving an initiation signal to initiate a game play;

means for conducting a game play in response to the initiation signal, thereby determining an outcome; and

means for determining a payout amount based on the outcome and the performance level.

34. The slot machine of claim 29, further comprising:

means for receiving an initiation signal to initiate a game play;

means for determining a probability of an outcome based on the performance level; and

means for conducting a game play in response to the initiation signal, thereby determining the outcome in accordance with the probability.

35. The slot machine of claim 29, further comprising means for determining a cost of play based on the performance level.

12. A method for directing a slot server to communicate an indication of adjusted between at least two slot machines, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving game data from a source slot machine, the game data including a source machine identifier corresponding to the source slot machine;

determining whether a propagation criterion has been achieved by the source slot machine;

determining at least one recipient machine identifier, each of the at least one recipient machine identifier corresponding to a recipient slot machine; and

transmitting a propagation signal to each recipient slot machine corresponding to the at least one recipient machine identifier.

13. A slot machine for propagating an indication of adjusted performance to at least one other slot machine, the slot machine comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected to said processor storing a program to control the operation of said processor;

said processor operative with said program in said memory to;

receive an initiation signal to initiate a game play,

conduct the game play in response to the initiation signal,

determine whether a propagation criterion has been achieved, and

output a propagation signal to the at least one other slot machine, the propagation signal being an indication of adjusted performance.

17. A slot machine for processing an indication of adjusted performance, the slot machine comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected to said processor storing a program to control the operation of said processor;

said processor operative with said program in said memory to;

store a performance level,

receive a propagation signal, the propagation signal representing an indication of adjusted performance, and

adjust the performance level.

24. A slot machine server for commnunicating an indication of adjusted performance between at least two slot machines, the slot machine server comprising:

a processor; and

a memory connected to said processor storing a program to control the operation of said processor;

said processor operative with said program in said memory to;

receive game data from a source slot machine, the game data including a source machine identifier corresponding to the source slot machine,

determine whether a propagation criterion has been achieved by the source slot machine,

determine at least one recipient machine identifier, each of the at least one recipient machine identifier corresponding to a recipient slot machine, and

transmit a propagation signal to each recipient slot machine corresponding to the at least one recipient machine identifier.

25. A slot machine for propagating an indication of adjusted performance to at least one other slot machine, the slot machine comprising:

means for receiving an initiation signal to initiate a game play;

means for conducting the game play in response to the initiation signal;

means for determining whether a propagation criterion has been achieved; and

means for outputting a propagation signal to the at least one other slot machine, the propagation signal being an indication of adjusted performance.

29. A slot machine for directing a slot machine to process an indication of adjusted performance, the slot machine comprising:

means for storing a performance level;

means for receiving a propagation signal, the propagation signal representing an indication of adjusted performance; and

means for adjusting the performance level.

36. A slot machine server for directing a slot server to communicate an indication of adjusted between at least two slot machines, the slot machine server comprising:

means for receiving game data from a source slot machine, the game data including a source machine identifier corresponding to the source slot machine;

means for determining whether a propagation criterion has been achieved by the source slot machine;

means for determining at least one recipient machine identifier, each of the at least one recipient machine identifier corresponding to a recipient slot machine; and

means for transmitting a propagation signal to each recipient slot machine corresponding to the at least one recipient machine identifier.

37. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for directing a slot machine to propagate an indication of adjusted performance to at least one other slot machine, said processing instructions for directing a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving an initiation signal to initiate a game play;

conducting the game play in response to the initiation signal;

determining whether a propagation criterion has been achieved; and

outputting a propagation signal to the at least one other slot machine, the propagation signal being an indication of adjusted performance.

38. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for directing a slot machine to process an indication of adjusted performance, said processing instructions for directing a computer to perform the steps of:

storing a performance level;

receiving a propagation signal, the propagation signal representing an indication of adjusted performance; and

adjusting the performance level.

39. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for directing a slot server to communicate an indication of adjusted between at least two slot machines, said processing instructions for directing a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving game data from a source slot machine, the game data including a source machine identifier corresponding to the source slot machine;

determining whether a propagation criterion has been achieved by the source slot machine;

determining at least one recipient machine identifier, each of the at least one recipient machine identifier corresponding to a recipient slot machine; and

transmitting a propagation signal to each recipient slot machine corresponding to the at least one recipient machine identifier.