Communication control for progressive game controller to prevent near-concurrent wins

• US 20060079320A1
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Igt Canada Solutions Ulc (GTECH SpA)
• Original Assignee: Igt Canada Solutions Ulc (GTECH SpA)
• Inventors: Erickson, Robert Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,406,188 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for preventing near-concurrent wins in a progressive gaming system controlled by Jackpot Controller are disclosed. A VLT player may send a “win” combination to the Jackpot Controller to determine whether the “win” awards the accumulating progressive jackpot. The Jackpot Controller may evaluate the “win” message. If the “win” message is valid, the “win” of the accumulating progressive jackpot may be confirmed. Other VLTs may be blocked from submitting “win” messages for that same progressive jackpot. The VLT may then distribute the proceeds to the player. The Jackpot Controller may initiate other progressive jackpot status communications to insure against a loss of data should an interruption event occur. Individual VLTs may initiate status messages to the Jackpot Controller should they remain inactive for a predetermined period.

Claims

1. A method for preventing near-concurrent wins in a progressive gaming system, comprising:

determining the outcome of a play initiated by a player;

determining whether the outcome is a progressive game win;

if the outcome is a progressive game win, communicating the outcome to a centralized controller;

determining whether the result will award a progressive jackpot;

awarding the progressive jackpot amount to the communicated result; and

preventing other wins to the awarded jackpot.

2. The method from claim 1, further comprising:

advertising the award of the progressive jackpot on a display.

3. The method from claim 1, further comprising:

periodically broadcasting a message across the network, the message containing status information regarding the incrementing progressive jackpot amount.

4. The method from claim 3, further comprising:

recovering at the central controller progressive jackpot information upon the occurrence of an interruption event.

5. The method from claim 1, further comprising:

periodically sending individual messages from individual machines to the centralized controller after an individual machine is inactive for a predetermined period.

6. The method from claim 5, further comprising:

responsive to the centralized controller no receiving a status message, disconnecting a malfunctioning machine from the network.

7. The method from claim 1, wherein

the communicating to the central controller occurs after the deposit of credit at the machine but before the game is played.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recovering progressive jackpot information by the central controller upon the occurrence of an interruption event.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending messages sent from individual machines to the centralized controller after an individual machine is inactive for a first predetermined period.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

disconnect a malfunctioning machine from the network should the centralized controller not receive a status message during a second predetermined period.

11. A method for preventing near-concurrent wins in a progressive gaming system, comprising:

determining at a terminal the outcome of a play initiated by a player, wherein play is initiated when credits are registered;

communicating the outcome to a centralized controller;

determining whether the outcome will result in the award of a progressive jackpot;

preventing other wins of the awarded jackpot; and

sending a communication from the central controller awarding the jackpot amount in response to the communicated outcome before onscreen play of the game is initiated at the terminal.

12. A method for preventing near-concurrent wins in a progressive gaming system and for maintaining the operability of the progressive gaming system, comprising:

sending individual status messages from a centralized controller to each of a plurality of individual machines making up the progressive gaming system when the individual machines have been inactive for a predetermined period of time;

upon initiation of a play by a player, determining the outcome of the play wherein initiation occurs when credits are registered;

communicating the outcome to a centralized controller;

determining whether the outcome will award a progressive jackpot;

awarding the progressive jackpot amount in response to the communicated outcome;

preventing other wins of the awarded jackpot; and

receiving a communication from the central controller in response to the communicated outcome before onscreen play of the game is initiated.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

If the central controller does not receive a status message from a game terminal during a predetermined interval, disconnecting the machine from the network.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

periodically broadcasting status information regarding the incrementing progressive jackpot amount;

storing the broadcast amount at an individual game terminal.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

Recovering progressive jackpot information from the individual game terminal after occurrence of an interruption event.

16. A system for progressive gaming, comprising:

a plurality of game terminals configured to determine outcomes for player-initiated plays, the outcomes including outcomes for a progressive jackpot game, the plurality of game terminals including

a first game terminal in the plurality of game terminals, the first game terminal configured to determine a first outcome of a first player-initiated play and to display a first play result to a first player;

a second game terminal in the plurality of game terminals, the second game terminal configured to determine a second outcome of a second player-initiated play and to display a second play result to a second player;

a jackpot controller in communication with the plurality of game terminals;

a progressive jackpot, the progressive jackpot receiving a portion of wagers from player-initiated plays made at the plurality of game terminals;

a first game terminal outcome message received by the jackpot controller and communicating that the first outcome is a progressive jackpot winning outcome;

a second game terminal outcome message received by the jackpot controller and communicating that the second outcome is a progressive jackpot winning outcome;

a first jackpot message sent by the jackpot controller in response to the first game terminal outcome message and received by the first terminal prior to the display of the first play result and communicating a first awarded jackpot; and

a second jackpot message sent by the jackpot controller in response to the second game terminal outcome message and received by the second terminal prior to the display of the second play result and communicating a second awarded jackpot,

wherein, when the first play result is a progressive jackpot winning outcome, the first game terminal is configured to display the first play result only after receiving the first jackpot message, and wherein when the second play result is a progressive jackpot winning outcome, the second game terminal is configured to display the second play result only after receiving the second jackpot message.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein, when the first jackpot message is received before the second jackpot message but close in time, the jackpot controller is configured to award the full progressive jackpot in the first jackpot message and to award a re-seeded progressive jackpot in the second message.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein, when the first jackpot message is received before the second jackpot message but close in time, and the second jackpot message has an earlier timestamp than the first jackpot message, the jackpot controller is configured to award the full progressive jackpot in the second jackpot message and to award a re-seeded jackpot in the first jackpot message.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of game terminals are configured to lock and not begin play if a jackpot message is not received in response to a jackpot winning message before the expiration of a timeout period.

20. A method for preventing near-concurrent wins in a progressive gaming system comprising:

determining the outcome of a player-initiated play at a game terminal, the outcome including a result for a progressive jackpot game;

if the outcome is a progressive game win, communicating the outcome to a centralized controller;

awarding a current progressive jackpot amount to the communicated result; and

whenever the outcome is a progressive game win, waiting for a positive acknowledgment from the centralized controller before displaying the outcome to the player at the game terminal.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

locking the game terminal if the positive acknowledgement from the centralized controller is not received before the expiration of a timeout interval.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising

registering player credit for the play of the game;

in response to locking the game terminal, releasing the player credit.