Central determination gaming system where the same seed is used to generate the outcomes for a primary game and a secondary game

• US 20040166923A1
• Filed: 02/21/2003
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Michaelson, Richard E., Bansemer, Mark W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,329,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A central determination gaming system wherein the same random number or game play seed is used to generate a primary or base game outcome and a secondary or bonus game outcome. The present invention includes a central computing system in communication with a plurality of gaming devices. The central computing system maintains one or more predetermined pools or sets of random number or game play seeds. In one embodiment, each game play seed is deterministic of a primary wagering game outcome and a secondary game outcome. That is, each gaming device is operable to utilize a game play seed to determine both the primary wagering game outcome and the secondary game outcome.

Claims

1. A central determination gaming system comprising:

a seed set, wherein said seed set includes a plurality of predetermined game play seeds; and

a central computer operable to store said seed set, to randomly select a game play seed from said seed set, to prevent said selected game play seed in said seed set from further selection from said seed set, and to output said selected game play seed to at least one gaming device in communication with said central computer, wherein said gaming device includes a processor operable to enable a player to initiate a primary wagering game, to receive said outputted game play seed, to determine a primary wagering game outcome based on said outputted game play seed, to determine a secondary game outcome based on said outputted game play seed and to provide said determined game outcomes to the player.

2. The central determination gaming system of claim 1, which includes a plurality of seed sets.

3. The central determination gaming system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of gaming devices are in communication with said central computer.

4. The central determination gaming system of claim 3, wherein said primary wagering game of at least two of said plurality of gaming devices are different.

5. The central determination gaming system of claim 1, wherein said central computer outputs a game play seed in response to a request for a game play seed from said gaming device.

6. The central determination gaming system of claim 1, wherein each game play seed is deterministic of a primary wagering game outcome.

7. The central determination gaming system of claim 6, wherein a plurality of game play seeds are deterministic of a secondary game outcome.

8. The central determination gaming system of claim 1, wherein each game play seed is deterministic of both a primary wagering game outcome and a secondary game outcome.

9. The central determination gaming system of claim 1, wherein the processor of the gaming device is operable to generate a plurality of random numbers based on said outputted game play seed.

10. The central determination gaming system of claim 9, wherein the processor of the gaming device is operable to determine said primary wagering game outcome based on at least one of said generated random numbers.

11. The central determination gaming system of claim 10, wherein the processor of the gaming device is operable to determine a presentation of said determined primary wagering game outcome based on at least one of said generated random numbers.

12. The central determination gaming system of claim 9, wherein the processor of the gaming device is operable to determine said secondary game outcome based on at least one of said generated random numbers.

13. The central determination gaming system of claim 12, wherein the processor of the gaming device is operable to determine a presentation of said determined secondary game outcome based on at least one of said generated random numbers.

14. A central determination gaming system comprising:

a set of game play seeds, wherein said set includes a plurality of predetermined game play seeds and a plurality of said game play seeds are deterministic of a primary wagering game outcome and a secondary game outcome; and

a central computer operable to randomly select a game play seed from said set of game play seeds, to prevent said selected game play seed from further selection from said set of game play seeds and to communicate said selected game play seed to at least one gaming device, wherein said gaming device includes a processor operable to enable a player to initiate a primary wagering game, to receive said selected game play seed, to determine a primary wagering game outcome for said primary wagering game based on said selected game play seed, to initiate at least one secondary game if said determined primary wagering game outcome contains a secondary game triggering event, to determine a secondary game outcome based on said selected game play seed and to provide the player said determined game outcomes.

15. The central determination gaming system of claim 14, wherein the processor of the gaming device is operable to initiate a plurality of secondary games if said determined primary wagering game outcome contains a secondary game triggering event.

16. The central determination gaming system of claim 14, wherein the processor of the gaming device is operable to initiate at least one additional secondary game if said determined secondary game outcome contains a secondary game triggering event.

17. A gaming device comprising:

a primary wagering game operable upon a wager by a player;

a display device; and

a processor in communication with said display device operable to enable the player to initiate the primary wagering game, to receive a game play seed from a central computing system, to determine a primary wagering game outcome for said primary wagering game based on said received game play seed, to determine a secondary game outcome based on said received game play seed and to provide said determined game outcomes to the player.

18. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein each game play seed is deterministic of a primary wagering game outcome.

19. The gaming device of claim 18, wherein a plurality of received game play seeds are deterministic of a secondary game outcome.

20. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein each received game play seed is deterministic of both a primary wagering game outcome and a secondary game outcome.

21. A gaming device comprising:

a primary wagering game operable upon a wager by a player a display device; and

a processor in communication with said display device operable to enable the player to initiate a primary wagering game, to receive a game play seed from central computing system, to determine a primary wagering game outcome based on said received game play seed, to initiate at least one secondary game if said determined primary wagering game outcome contains a secondary game triggering event, to determine a secondary game outcome based on said received game play seed and to provide the player said determined game outcomes.

22. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein each game play seed is deterministic of a primary wagering game outcome.

23. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein a plurality of received game play seeds are deterministic of a secondary game outcome.

24. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein each received game play seed is deterministic of both a primary wagering game outcome and a secondary game outcome.

25. A gaming device comprising:

a primary wagering game operable upon a wager by a player;

a display device; and

a processor in communication with said display device operable to enable the player to initiate the primary wagering game, to receive a game play seed from a central computing system, to generate a plurality of random numbers based on said received game play seed, to determine a primary wagering game outcome for said primary wagering game based on at least one of said generated random numbers, to determine a secondary game outcome based on at least one of said generated random numbers and to provide said determined game outcomes to the player.

26. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the processor is operable to determine said primary wagering game outcome for said primary wagering game based on a plurality of said generated random numbers.

27. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the processor is operable to determine said secondary game outcome based on a plurality of said generated random numbers.

28. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the processor is operable to determine a presentation of said determined primary wagering game outcome based on at least one of said generated random numbers.

29. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the processor is operable to determine a presentation of said determined primary wagering game outcome based on a plurality of said generated random numbers.

30. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the processor is operable to determine a presentation of said determined secondary game outcome based on at least one of said generated random numbers.

31. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the processor is operable to determine a presentation of said determined secondary game outcome based on a plurality of said generated random numbers.

32. A method for operating a gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) enabling a player to initiate a primary wagering game;

(b) receiving a game play seed from a central computing system;

(c) determining a primary wagering game outcome based on said received game play seed;

(d) providing said primary wagering game outcome, if any, to said player;

(e) determining a secondary game outcome based on said received game play seed, if said primary wagering game outcome is a secondary game triggering event;

(f) providing said secondary game outcome, if any, to the player; and

(g) terminating said operation of said gaming device.

33. A method for operating a gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) enabling a player to initiate a primary wagering game;

(b) receiving a game play seed from a central computing system;

(c) calculating a plurality of random numbers based on said received game play seed;

(d) determining a primary wagering game outcome based on at least one of said calculated random numbers;

(e) providing said primary wagering game outcome, if any, to said player;

(f) determining a secondary game outcome based on at least one of said calculated random number, if said primary wagering game outcome is a secondary game triggering event;

(g) providing said secondary game outcome, if any, to the player; and

(h) terminating said operation of said gaming device.