Server-less cashless gaming systems and methods

• US 20050187013A1
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Cyberview Technology, Inc. (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Gatto, Jean-Marie, Brunet De Courssou, Thierry
• Granted Patent: US 7,618,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3281 wherein game attributes are transferred between players, e.g. points, weapons, avatars

Abstract

Methods and systems that enable cashless gaming dispense with the need to set up and operate a complex centrally controlled system or dispense with the need to distribute expensive smart cards. The patrons'"'"' gaming session meters (including, for example, a measure of winning and/or available credit) are distributed amongst an estate of peer networked gaming terminals.

Claims

1-49. -49. (canceled)

50. A method for metering games played by a player on a network including a plurality of networked gaming terminals, the method comprising the steps of:

storing meters in a first gaming terminal of the plurality of networked gaming terminals on which the player initiates a game;

updating the stored meters according to an outcome of the game on the first gaming terminal;

carrying out a direct transfer of the updated stored meters from the first gaming terminal directly to a second gaming terminal of the plurality of networked gaming terminals responsive to the player initiating a game on the second gaming terminal.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the direct transfer in the carrying out step is requested by the second gaming terminal upon the player initiating the game on the second gaming terminal.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the carrying out step is preceded by a step of the second gaming terminal broadcasting a query to the plurality of networked gaming terminals to determine which of the plurality of networked gaming terminals currently stores the meters.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein the direct transfer in the carrying out step is a transaction that is initiated and carried out solely by and between the first and second gaming terminals.

54. The method of claim 50, wherein the first and second gaming terminals are the only ones of the plurality of gaming terminals that are involved in a determination of whether and when to carry out the direct transfer of the meters.

55. The method of claim 50, wherein the step of storing meters in a first gaming terminal includes acceptance of an initial credit received from the player via a direct payment instrument.

56. The method of claim 50, wherein the step of updating the stored meters includes updating in accordance with further credits received from the player via a direct payment instrument.

57. The method of claim 50, wherein the step of carrying a direct transfer of the updated meters from the first gaming terminal to a second gaming terminal is followed, if successful, by a step of canceling the meters on the first gaming terminal.

58. The method of claim 51, wherein the carrying out step is preceded by a step of the second gaming terminal querying an index server on the network that monitors play activity on the network in order to determine which of the plurality of networked gaming terminals currently stores the meters.

59. A method for metering game sessions played by a player on a network including a plurality of networked gaming terminals, the method comprising the steps of:

storing meters in a first gaming terminal of the plurality of networked gaming terminals on which the player initiates a game session;

updating the stored meters according to an outcome of the game on the first gaming terminal;

carrying out a direct transfer of the updated stored meters from the first gaming terminal directly to a second gaming terminal of the plurality of networked gaming terminals responsive to the player resuming a game session on the second gaming terminal.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein the direct transfer in the carrying out step is requested by the second gaming terminal upon the player resuming the game session on the second gaming terminal.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the carrying out step is preceded by a step of the second gaming terminal broadcasting a query to the plurality of networked gaming terminals to determine which of the plurality of networked gaming terminals currently stores the meters associated to the current game session.

62. The method of claim 59, wherein the direct transfer in the carrying out step is a transaction that is initiated and carried out solely by and between the first and second gaming terminals.

63. The method of claim 59, wherein the first and second gaming terminals are the only ones of the plurality of gaming terminals that are involved in a determination of whether and when to carry out the direct transfer of the meters.

64. The method of claim 59, wherein the step of storing meters in a first gaming terminal includes acceptance of an initial credit received from the player via a direct payment instrument.

65. The method of claim 59, wherein the step of updating the stored meters includes updating in accordance with further credits received from the player via a direct payment instrument.

66. The method of claim 59, wherein the step of carrying a direct transfer of the updated meters from the first gaming terminal to a second gaming terminal is followed, if successful, by a step of canceling the meters on the first gaming terminal.

67. The method of claim 60, wherein the carrying out step is preceded by a step of the second gaming terminal querying an index server on the network that monitors play activity on the network in order to determine which of the plurality of networked gaming terminals currently stores the meters for the current game session.

68. A network of gaming terminals, comprising:

a network;

a first gaming terminal coupled to the network, and configured to store and update meters depending upon an outcome of a game played on the first gaming terminal;

a second gaming terminal coupled to the network, and configured to store and update meters depending upon an outcome of a game played on the second gaming terminal;

a third gaming terminal coupled to the network, and configured to store and update meters depending upon an outcome of a game played on the third gaming terminal,

wherein each of the gaming terminals is also configured to determine which one of the first, second or third gaming terminals currently stores a player'"'"'s meters and to obtain the player'"'"'s meters through a direct transfer from the determined one of the first, second or third gaming terminal.

69. The network of gaming terminals of claim 68, wherein each of the gaming terminals is configured to initiate the direct transfer of the player'"'"'s meters when the player changes game play from one of the first, second or third gaming terminal to another one of the first, second or third gaming terminals.

70. The network of gaming terminals of claim 68, wherein each of the first, second and third gaming terminals is configured to broadcast a request for the player'"'"'s meters to other ones of the first, second and third gaming terminals, and each of the gaming terminals is further configured to respond to the request only if the player'"'"'s meters are stored therein.

71. The network of gaming terminals of claim 68, wherein each of the first, second and third gaming terminals is configured to initiate and carry out the direct transfer such that the direct transfer is a transaction that is initiated and carried out solely by and between two of the first, second and third gaming terminals.

72. The network of gaming terminals of claim 68, wherein each of the first, second and third gaming terminals is configured to determine whether and when obtain the player'"'"'s meters.

73. The network of gaming terminals of claim 68, wherein each of the first, second and third gaming terminals is configured for storing an initial and/or further credit received from the player.

74. A gaming terminal, comprising:

communication means for communicating with a network;

storage means for storing a player'"'"'s meters;

user interaction and processing means for enabling game play with a user and for updating the player'"'"'s stored meters depending upon an outcome of the game play;

means for requesting and obtaining the player'"'"'s meters stored on an other gaming terminal directly from the other gaming terminal via the communication means, the requesting and obtaining means being configured to activate when the player first initiates the game play.

75. The gaming terminal of claim 74, wherein the requesting and obtaining means are further configured to store newly obtained meters in the storage means.

76. The gaming terminal of claim 74, wherein the requesting and obtaining means are further configured to broadcast over the network a request for the player'"'"'s meters to other gaming terminals coupled to the network and to selectively respond to requests for meters from other gaming terminals coupled to the network.

77. The gaming terminal of claim 76, wherein the requesting and obtaining means are further configured to only respond to requests for meters if the requested meters are stored in the storage means.

78. The gaming terminal of claim 76, wherein the requesting and obtaining means are further configured for querying an index server on the network that monitors play activity on the network in order to determine which of the plurality of networked gaming terminals to forward the request for meters.

79. The gaming terminal of claim 76, wherein the storage means are configured for accepting initial or further credits received from the player via a direct payment instrument, and updating the meters accordingly.

80. A method of metering games played by a player on a network including a plurality of networked gaming terminals, the player being provided with an ID instrument, the method comprising the steps of:

reading the ID instrument submitted by the player by one of the plurality of networked gaming terminals;

enabling the player to initiate game play on the gaming terminal to which the ID instrument is submitted;

encoding an identity of the gaming terminal on which the player initiated game play on the submitted ID instrument;

storing meters in the gaming terminal on which the player initiate game play and updating the stored meters depending upon an outcome of the game play, and

requesting and obtaining the meters directly from the gaming terminal whose identity is encoded on the player'"'"'s ID instrument when the player submits the ID instrument to an other one of the plurality of networked gaming terminals.

81. The method of claim 80, wherein the requesting and obtaining step is initiated and carried out by the gaming terminal to which the player last submitted the ID instrument.

82. The method of claim 80, wherein the requesting and obtaining step is carried out such that the requested meters are directly transferred between the gaming machine in which the meters are stored and the gaming machine to which the player last submitted the ID instrument.

83. The method of claim 80, further including a broadcasting step to broadcast a request for meters when the gaming terminal whose identity is encoded on the player'"'"'s ID instrument does not respond.