Central determination gaming system with a gaming terminal assisting the central controller in the generation of a game outcome

• US 20040224770A1
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wolf, Bryan D., Michaelson, Richard E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,628,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A central determination gaming system with a gaming terminal assisting a central controller in the generation of a game outcome. In one embodiment of the present invention, upon a player initiating a game play at one of a plurality of gaming terminals, the processor of the gaming terminal generates a random number. The generated random number is communicated to the central controller. The central controller uses the generated random number to select an available game outcome from a set or pool of predetermined game outcomes. The central controller marks or flags the selected game outcome in the pool as unavailable for subsequent selections and communicates the selected game outcome to the gaming terminal. The gaming terminal then provides the player the game outcome with the associated value, if any, for the selected game outcome.

Claims

1. A central determination gaming system comprising:

at least one game outcome set, wherein said game outcome set includes a plurality of predetermined game outcomes and at least two of said game outcomes are different; and

a central controller operable to receive a gaming terminal generated random number from a gaming terminal, to select one of said game outcomes from said game outcome set based on said gaming terminal generated random number, to prevent said selected game outcome from further selection from said game outcome set and to output said selected game outcome to said gaming terminal.

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

3. The central determination gaming system of claim 1, wherein said central controller is operable to receive a plurality of gaming terminal generated random numbers from a plurality of gaming terminals and to select a plurality of said game outcomes from said game outcome set based on said gaming terminal generated random numbers.

4. The central determination gaming system of claim 1, wherein said central controller is operable to receive a game outcome request from said gaming terminal wherein said game outcome request includes said gaming terminal generated random number.

5. The central determination gaming system of claim 1, wherein said central controller includes at least one game outcome seed set, wherein said game outcome seed set includes a plurality of predetermined game outcome seeds and each game outcome seed is deterministic of a game outcome.

6. The central determination gaming system of claim 5, wherein said central controller is operable to select one of said game outcome seeds from said game outcome seed set based on said gaming terminal generated random number, to prevent said selected game outcome seed from further selection from said game outcome seed set and to output said selected game outcome seed to said gaming terminal.

7. A central determination gaming system comprising:

a game outcome set, wherein said game outcome set includes a plurality of predetermined game outcomes and at least two of said game outcomes are different; and

a central controller operable to receive a random number from a gaming terminal, to select one of said game outcomes for a primary wagering game from said game outcome set based on said random number, to prevent said selected game outcome from further selection from said game outcome set and to communicate said selected game outcome to said gaming terminal, wherein said gaming terminal includes a display device and a processor in communication with said display device operable to enable a player to initiate said primary wagering game, to generate said random number, to communicate said random number to said central controller, to receive said selected game outcome from said central controller and to provide said game outcome to the player for said primary wagering game.

8. The central determination gaming system of claim 7, which includes a plurality of game outcome sets.

9. The central determination gaming system of claim 7, wherein said central controller is operable to receive a random number from each of a plurality of gaming terminals and to select one of said game outcomes for a primary wagering game from said game outcome set based on each received random number from each gaming terminal.

10. A central determination gaming system comprising:

a game outcome set, wherein said game outcome set includes a plurality of predetermined game outcomes and at least two of said game outcomes are different;

a central controller operable to receive a random number, to select one of said game outcomes from said game outcome set based on said random number, to prevent said selected game outcome from further selection from said game outcome set and to output said selected game outcome; and

at least one gaming terminal including a display device and a processor in communication with said display device operable to enable a player to initiate a primary wagering game, to generate said random number, to communicate said generated random number to said central controller, to receive said selected game outcome from said central controller and to provide said game outcome to the player for said primary wagering game.

11. The central determination gaming system of claim 10, which includes a plurality of game outcome sets.

12. The central determination gaming system of claim 10, wherein said central controller is operable to receive a random number from each of a plurality of gaming terminals.

13. A central determination gaming system comprising:

at least one game outcome set, wherein said game outcome set includes a plurality of predetermined game outcomes and at least two of said game outcomes are different; and

a central controller operable to receive a gaming terminal generated random number from a gaming terminal, to determine if said game outcome set includes at least one game outcome based on said random number, to select one of said game outcomes from said game outcome set based on said random number, to prevent said selected game outcome from further selection from said game outcome set and to output said selected game outcome to said gaming terminal.

14. The central determination gaming system of claim 13, wherein said central controller is operable to discard said gaming terminal generated random number if said game outcome set does not include at least one game outcome based on said random number.

15. The central determination gaming system of claim 14, wherein said central controller is operable to receive at least one additional gaming terminal generated random number from said gaming terminal if said game outcome set does not include at least one game outcome based on said random number.

16. The central determination gaming system of claim 13, which includes a plurality of game outcome sets.

17. The central determination gaming system of claim 13, wherein said central controller is operable to receive a game outcome request from said gaming terminal wherein said game outcome request includes said gaming terminal generated random number.

18. The central determination gaming system of claim 13, wherein said central controller is operable to receive a plurality of gaming terminal generated random numbers from a plurality of gaming terminals, to determine if said game outcome set includes a game outcome based on each of said plurality of random numbers and to select said plurality of game outcomes from said game outcome set for said plurality of gaming terminals.

19. A central determination gaming system comprising:

a game outcome set, wherein said game outcome set includes a plurality of predetermined game outcomes and at least two of said game outcomes are different; and

a central controller operable to receive at least one random number from a gaming terminal, to determine if said game outcome set includes at least one game outcome based on said random number, to select one of said game outcomes for a primary wagering game from said game outcome set based on said random number if said game outcome set includes said game outcome, to prevent said selected game outcome from further selection from said game outcome set and to communicate said selected game outcome to said gaming terminal, wherein said gaming terminal includes a display device and a processor in communication with said display device operable to enable a player to initiate said primary wagering game, to generate said random number, to communicate said random number to said central controller, to receive said selected game outcome from said central controller and to provide said game outcome to the player for said primary wagering game.

20. The central determination gaming system of claim 19, which includes a plurality of game outcome sets.

21. The central determination gaming system of claim 19, wherein said central controller is operable to discard said random number if said game outcome set does not include at least one game outcome based on said random number.

22. The central determination gaming system of claim 19, wherein said central controller is operable to receive at least one random number from each of a plurality of gaming terminals and to determine if said game outcome set includes an game outcome based on the random number for each gaming terminal.

23. A central determination gaming system comprising:

a game outcome set, wherein said game outcome set includes a plurality of predetermined game outcomes and at least two of said game outcomes are different;

a central controller operable to receive at least one random number, to determine if said game outcome set includes at least one game outcome based on said random number, to select one of said game outcomes from said game outcome set based on said random number if said game outcome set includes said game outcome, to prevent said selected game outcome from further selection from said game outcome set, to output said selected game outcome and to discard said random number if said game outcome set does not include said game outcome based on said random number; and

at least one gaming terminal including a display device and a processor in communication with said display device operable to enable a player to initiate a primary wagering game, to generate said random number, to communicate said generated random number to said central controller, to receive said selected game outcome from said central controller and to provide said game outcome to the player for said primary wagering game.

24. The central determination gaming system of claim 23, which includes a plurality of game outcome sets.

25. The central determination gaming system of claim 23, wherein said central controller is operable to receive a plurality of random numbers from a plurality of gaming terminals.

26. A central determination gaming system comprising:

a game outcome seed set, wherein said game outcome seed set includes a plurality of predetermined game outcome seeds, each game outcome seed is deterministic of a game outcome and at least two game outcome seeds are deterministic of different game outcomes; and

a central controller operable to receive a random number from a gaming terminal, to select one of said game outcome seeds for a wagering game from said game outcome seed set based on said random number, to prevent said selected game outcome seed from further selection from said game outcome seed set and to communicate said selected game outcome seed to said gaming terminal, wherein said gaming terminal includes a display device and a processor in communication with said display device, operable to enable a player to initiate said wagering game, to generate said random number, to communicate said random number to said central controller, to receive said selected game outcome seed from said central controller, to determine a game outcome based on said selected game outcome seed and to provide said determined game outcome to the player for said wagering game.

27. The central determination gaming system of claim 26, which includes a plurality of game outcome seed sets.

28. The central determination gaming system of claim 26, wherein said central controller is operable to receive at least one random number from each of a plurality of gaming terminals and to select a game outcome seed based on each random number for each gaming terminal.

29. The central determination gaming system of claim 26, wherein said central controller is operable to determine if said game outcome seed set includes at least one game outcome seed based on said random number.

30. The central determination gaming system of claim 29, wherein said central controller is operable to discard said random number if said game outcome seed set does not include at least one game outcome seed based on said random number.

31. A central determination gaming system comprising:

a game outcome seed set, wherein said game outcome seed set includes a plurality of predetermined game outcome seeds, each game outcome seed is deterministic of a game outcome and at least two game outcome seeds are deterministic of different game outcomes;

a central controller operable to receive at least one random number, to select one of said game outcome seeds from said game outcome seed set based on said random number, to prevent said selected game outcome seed from further selection from said game outcome seed set and to output said selected game outcome seed; and

at least one gaming terminal including a display device and a processor in communication with said display device operable to enable a player to initiate a wagering game, to generate said random number, to communicate said generated random number to said central controller, to receive said selected game outcome seed from said central controller, to determine a game outcome based on said selected game outcome seed and to provide said determined game outcome to the player for said wagering game.

32. The central determination gaming system of claim 31, which includes a plurality of game outcome seed sets.

33. The central determination gaming system of claim 31, wherein said central controller is operable to determine if said game outcome seed set includes at least one game outcome seed based on said random number.

34. The central determination gaming system of claim 33, wherein said central controller is operable to discard said random number if said game outcome seed set does not include at least one game outcome seed based on said random number.

35. A central determination gaming system comprising:

a game outcome set, wherein said game outcome set includes a plurality of predetermined game outcomes and at least two of said game outcomes are different;

a central controller operable to receive at least one random number, to determine a game outcome based on said random number, to determine if said game outcome set includes at least one game outcome based on said determined game outcome, to output said random number if said game outcome set includes said determined game outcome, to prevent said determined game outcome from further outputs if said game outcome set includes said determined game outcome, to discard said random number and said determined game outcome if said game outcome set does not include said determined game outcome; and

at least one gaming terminal including a display device and a processor in communication with said display device operable to enable a player to initiate a wagering game, to generate said random number, to communicate said generated random number to said central controller, to receive said outputted random number from said central controller, to generate a game outcome based on said outputted random number and to provide said generated game outcome to the player for said wagering game.

36. A gaming terminal comprising:

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

a display device; and

a processor operable with said display device to enable the player to initiate said primary wagering game, to generate at least one random number, to output said generated random number to a central controller, to receive a game outcome from said central controller wherein said game outcome is based on said generated random number and to provide said game outcome to the player for said wagering game.

37. A gaming terminal comprising:

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

a display device; and

a processor operable with said display device to enable the player to initiate said wagering game, to generate at least one random number, to output said generated random number to a central controller, to receive a game outcome seed from said central controller wherein said game outcome seed is based on said random number, to determine a game outcome based on said game outcome seed and to provide said game outcome to the player for said wagering game.

38. A method of operating a central determination gaming system comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a random number from a gaming terminal;

(b) selecting a game outcome from a game outcome set wherein said selected game outcome is based on said random number;

(c) preventing said selected game outcome from further selection from said game outcome set; and

(d) communicating said selected game outcome to said gaming terminal.

39. A method of operating a central determination gaming system comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at least one random number from a gaming terminal;

(b) determining if a game outcome set includes at least one game outcome based on said random number;

(c) selecting one of said game outcomes from said game outcome set based on said random number, if said game outcome set includes at least one game outcome based on said random number;

(d) preventing said selected game outcome from further selection from said game outcome set, if said game outcome set includes at least one game outcome based on said random number;

(e) communicating said selected game outcome to said gaming terminal, if said game outcome set includes at least one game outcome based on said random number;

(f) discarding said random number if said game outcome set does not include at least one game outcome based on said random number; and

(g) repeating steps (a) to (f), if said game outcome set does not include at least one game outcome based on said random number.

40. A method of operating a central determination gaming system comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a random number from a gaming terminal;

(b) selecting a game outcome from a game outcome seed set wherein said selected game outcome is based on said random number;

(c) preventing said selected game outcome from further selection from said game outcome seed set; and

(d) communicating said selected game outcome to said gaming terminal.

41. A method of operating a central determination gaming system comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at least one random number from a gaming terminal;

(b) determining if a game outcome seed set includes at least one game outcome based on said random number;

(c) selecting one of said game outcomes from said game outcome seed set based on said random number, if said game outcome seed set includes at least one game outcome based on said random number;

(d) preventing said selected game outcome from further selection from said game outcome seed set, if said game outcome seed set includes at least one game outcome based on said random number;

(e) communicating said selected game outcome to said gaming terminal, if said game outcome seed set includes at least one game outcome based on said random number;

(f) discarding said random number if said game outcome seed set does not include at least one game outcome based on said random number; and

(g) repeating steps (a) to (f), if said game outcome seed set does not include at least one game outcome based on said random number.

42. A method of operating a central determination gaming system comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at least one random number from a gaming terminal;

(b) determining a game outcome based on said random number;

(c) determining if a game outcome set includes said determined game outcome;

(d) selecting said determined outcome from said game outcome set if said game outcome set includes said determined game outcome;

(e) preventing said selected game outcome from further selection from said game outcome set if said game outcome set includes said determined game outcome;

(f) communicating said selected game outcome to said gaming terminal if said game outcome set includes said determined game outcome;

(g) discarding said random number if said game outcome set does not include said determined game outcome;

(h) discarding said determined game outcome if said game outcome set does not include said determined game outcome;

(i) repeating steps (a) to (h), if said game outcome set does not include said determined game outcome.

43. A method of operating a gaming terminal comprising the steps of:

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

(b) generating at least one random number;

(c) communicating said random number to a central controller;

(d) receiving a game outcome from said central controller wherein said game outcome is based on said random number; and

(e) providing said game outcome to said player for said wagering game.

44. A method of operating a gaming terminal comprising the steps of:

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

(b) generating at least one random number;

(c) communicating said random number to a central controller;

(d) receiving a game outcome seed from said central controller wherein said game outcome seed is based on said random number;

(e) determining a game outcome based on said game outcome seed; and

(f) providing said determined game outcome to said player for said wagering game.