Method and system for distributed syndicate gaming

• US 20040266534A1
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Byng, Stephen William
• Granted Patent: US 8,308,553 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 17/3274 wherein the players cooperate, e.g. team-play
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3281 wherein game attributes are transferred between players, e.g. points, weapons, avatars
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

A gaming system comprising gaming machine terminal means operable by at least one member of a syndicate of members, server means for monitoring interactions on the gaming machine terminal means, wherein the gaming machine terminal means and the server means are linked by a communications network and a syndicate member is able to communicate with another syndicate member using the gaming machine terminal means. A syndicate member is identified to the system through a member identification means and is able to operate the gaming machine terminal means using the member identification means.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

gaming machine terminal means operable by at least one member of a syndicate of members;

server means for monitoring interactions on the gaming machine terminal means;

wherein the gaming machine terminal means and the server means are linked by a communications network and a syndicate member is able to communicate with another syndicate member using the gaming machine terminal means;

wherein a syndicate member is identified to the system through a member identification means and is able to operate the gaming machine terminal means using the member identification means.

2. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the gaming machine terminal means is one or more gaming machine terminals and the syndicate member is able to operate any number of gaming machine terminals using the member identification means.

3. A gaming system as claimed in claim 2 further comprising data storage means for storing and updating a syndicate account for the syndicate members, the syndicate account enabling any syndicate member to deposit a monetary value or withdraw a monetary value for use in game play on the one or more gaming machine terminals.

4. A gaming system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the member identification means is stored or imprinted on a token means.

5. A gaming system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the token means is read by a gaming machine terminal of the one or more gaming machine terminals to indicate that the syndicate member identified by the member identification means is operating the gaming machine terminal that read the token means.

6. A gaming system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the syndicate member transfers a monetary value from the syndicate account to a gaming machine terminal used in game play by the syndicate member in order to create a session account at the gaming machine terminal.

7. A gaming system as claimed in claim 6 wherein each syndicate member playing simultaneously on respective gaming machine terminals has session balances of other concurrent playing syndicate members displayed on the respective gaming machine terminal.

8. A gaming system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the session balance of a syndicate member is increased by the syndicate member inserting a monetary value at the gaming machine terminal.

9. A gaming system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the session balance of a syndicate member is increased by the syndicate member transferring a monetary value from the syndicate account.

10. A gaming system as claimed in claim 8 wherein at the end of a session of play by the syndicate member, any residual amount of monetary value in the session account is transferred to the syndicate account.

11. A gaming system as claimed in claim 9 wherein at the end of a session of play by the syndicate member, any residual amount of monetary value in the session account is transferred to the syndicate account.

12. A gaming system as claimed in claim 11 wherein any one of the syndicate members has a member account representative of a single player syndicate.

13. A gaming system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the syndicate is identified by a syndicate identification means, such as a code.

14. A gaming system as claimed in claim 13 wherein each syndicate member is identified to the system through the syndicate identification means.

15. A gaming system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the data storage means stores the member identification means and the syndicate identification means.

16. A gaming system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the data storage means stores interactions monitored by the server means, the interactions being associated with the identity of each syndicate member through the respective member identification means and syndicate identification means.

17. A gaming system as claimed in claim 16 wherein each gaming machine terminal has terminal identification means linked to a member identification means to identify at which terminal the member identified through the member identification means is playing or has played.

18. A gaming system as claimed in claim 17 wherein each game played by a respective syndicate member has game identification means linked to the member identification means of the syndicate member to identify which games the syndicate member is playing or has played.

19. A gaming system as claimed in claim 18 wherein syndicate members transmit information over the communications network to other syndicate members using respective gaming machine terminals.

20. A gaming system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the information is any one or more of a message, shared experience or the transfer of a monetary value from one syndicate member to another syndicate member.

21. A gaming system as claimed in claim 20 wherein syndicate members transmit information over the communications network to the server means for access by other syndicate members.

22. A gaming system as claimed in claim 21 further comprising a kiosk to enable a monetary amount to be withdrawn or deposited between system accounts for syndicates and syndicate members.

23. A method of syndicate game play in a gaming system that has gaming machine terminal means linked to a server means via a communications network, the method comprising steps of:

enabling game play on the gaming machine terminal means by at least one member of a syndicate of members;

monitoring interactions on the gaming machine terminals means;

enabling a syndicate member to communicate with another syndicate member over the communications network using the gaming machine terminal means;

identifying to the system a syndicate member through a member identification means whereby the syndicate member operates the gaming machine terminal means using the member identification means.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23 wherein the gaming machine terminal means is one or more gaming machine terminals and the syndicate member is able to operate any number of gaming machine terminals using the member identification means.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24 further comprising the step of storing and updating a syndicate account of the syndicate members, the syndicate account enabling any syndicate member to deposit a monetary value or withdraw a monetary value for use in game play on the one or more terminals.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25 further comprising the step of providing token means having the member identification means.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26 further comprising the step of providing a gaming machine terminal reading the token means to provide access to play on the terminal and to identify to the system that a particular syndicate member is using the terminal.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27 further comprising the step of transferring a monetary value by a syndicate member from the syndicate account to the gaming machine terminal that the syndicate member is using in order to create a session account at that gaming machine terminal.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28 further comprising the step displaying session balances of other syndicate members on respective gaming machine terminals simultaneously.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29 further comprising the step of increasing the session balance of a syndicate member by inserting a monetary value at the respective gaming machine terminal of the syndicate member.

31. A method as claimed in claim 29 further comprising the step of increasing the session balance of a syndicate member by transferring a monetary value from the syndicate account.

32. A method as claimed in claim 31 further comprising the step of transferring any residual amount of monetary value in the session account from the respective gaming machine terminal to the syndicate account at the conclusion of a session of play by a syndicate member.