Distributed account based gaming system

• US 20020132666A1
• Filed: 01/10/2002
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everi Games Inc. (Everi Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Multimedia Games Incorporated
• Inventors: Lind, Jefferson C., Enzminger, Joseph R., Lind, Clifton
• Granted Patent: US 6,969,320 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value

Abstract

A back office system is preferably located in a secure area and includes one or more central computers. Each central computer stores a number of game records with each game record representing a play in a game. A database computer included in the back office system maintains an account for each authorized player in the gaming system. A casino floor system is operatively connected for communication with the back office system and includes a number of player terminals through which players may participate in various games offered in the gaming system. Each player terminal in the casino floor system is serviced by one central computer in the back office system. Each player terminal allows a player to log in and make a request for a game play, and then communicates the entered game play request to the respective central computer servicing that particular player terminal. In response to the game play request from the player terminal, the central computer system reads a selected game record from the group of game records stored in the back office system and identifies the result associated with the game record. The central computer also directs the database computer to change the player'"'"'s account balance according to the game play request and result of the selected game record. The central computer also sends information regarding the game play result back to the player terminal, which then uses the information to notify the player of the result.

Claims

1. A gaming method utilizing a back office system at a restricted access location and a casino floor system in communication with the back office system, but located in a player access area, the gaming method including the steps of:

(a) storing a number of game records in the back office system, each game record being associated with a game result;

(b) storing an account for each of a number of players, each account being stored in the back office system and including an account balance;

(c) in response to a respective game play request received from the casino floor system for a respective player, reading a selected one of the stored game records in the back office system to determine the game result associated with the selected game record;

(d) in the back office system, modifying the account balance of the respective player'"'"'s account in accordance with the respective game play request and in accordance with the game result associated with the selected game record; and

(e) in the casino floor system, notifying the player of the game result associated with the selected game record.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of storing the number of game records in the back office system includes storing a group of game records at a central computer and the step of reading the selected one of the stored game records is performed at the central computer.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of storing the number of player accounts and the step of modifying the selected player account are each performed at a database computer in communication with the central computer.

4. The method of claim 2 further including the step of storing a set of game records at a manufacturing computer in communication with the central computer and wherein the group of game records stored at the central computer includes a first subset of game records selected from the set of game records at the manufacturing computer.

5. The method of claim 4 further including the steps of storing a reserve subset of game records at the central computer and reading a selected game record from the reserve subset in response to a game play request received after a certain amount of game play records from the first subset of game records have been used.

6. A gaming method utilizing a back office system at a restricted access location and a casino floor system in communication with the back office system, but located in a player access area, the gaming method including the steps of:

(a) storing a different group of game records in the back office system at each of a number of central computers, each game record being associated with a game result;

(b) storing an account for each of a number of players, each account being stored in the back office system and including an account balance;

(c) in response to a game play request received at a respective one of the central computers, reading a selected one of the stored game records at the respective central computer to determine the game result associated with the selected game record, the respective game play request being received from the casino floor system for a respective player;

(d) in the back office system, modifying the account balance of the respective player'"'"'s account in accordance with the respective game play request and in accordance with the game result associated with the selected game record; and

(e) in the casino floor system, notifying the player of the game result associated with the selected game record.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of storing the number of player accounts and the step of modifying the selected player account are each performed at a database computer in communication with each central computer.

8. The method of claim 6 further including the step of storing a set of game records at a manufacturing computer in communication with each central computer, and wherein the different group of game records stored at each central computer includes a respective first subset of game records selected from the set of game records at the manufacturing computer.

9. The method of claim 8 further including the steps of storing a different reserve subset of game records at each central computer and reading a selected game record from the respective reserve subset in response to a game play request received by the respective central computer after a certain amount of game play records from the respective first subset of game records have been used.

10. A gaming system including a back office system at a secure location and a casino floor system in communication with the back office system but located in a player access area, the gaming system including:

(a) a number of central computers included in the back office system, each central computer for storing a different group of game records with each game record being associated with a game result, each central computer also for responsing to a respective game play request by reading a selected one of the stored game records at the respective central computer to determine the game result associated with the selected game record, the respective game play request being received from the casino floor system for a respective player;

(b) a database computer included in the back office system and being in communication with each central computer, the database computer for storing an account for each of a number of players with each account including an account balance, the database computer also for modifying the account balance of the respective player'"'"'s account in accordance with the respective game play request and in accordance with the game result associated with the selected game record; and

(c) number of player terminal groups included in the casino floor system, each respective player terminal group including a number of player terminals with each player terminal in a particular group being in communication with a respective central computer assigned to the particular group, each player terminal for receiving a game result communication from the respective central computer in response to a game play request entered through the respective player terminal and for notifying a player of the result which is subject of the game result communication.