Central determination gaming system with a central controller providing a game outcome and a gaming terminal determining a presentation of the provided game outcome

• US 20060094509A1
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wolf, Bryan D., Michaelson, Richard E., Bansemer, Mark W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,070,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A central determination gaming system with a central controller providing a game outcome to an individual gaming terminal and the gaming terminal determining the presentation of the provided game outcome. In one embodiment of the present invention, a gaming terminal receives a predetermined game outcome from a central controller. The gaming terminal determines a game outcome presentation, (i.e., how the game outcome is displayed or presented to the player) for the provided game outcome by selecting a game outcome presentation seed for the received game outcome. The gaming terminal utilizes the selected game outcome presentation seed to determine a game outcome presentation. The determined game outcome presentation is displayed to the player and the received game outcome is provided to the player.

Claims

1. A gaming device operable under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a first game controlled by the processor;

a plurality of game outcome presentations associated with the first game;

a second game controlled by the processor;

a plurality of different game outcome presentations associated with the second game; and

a display device;

wherein the processor is programmed to control a play of the first game and the second game by;

(a) enabling a player to initiate the first game or the second game;

(b) receiving a game outcome from a central controller;

(c) if the player initiated the first game;

(i) selecting one of the game outcome presentations associated with the first game, wherein said selected game outcome presentation is based on the received game outcome, and

(ii) displaying the selected game outcome presentation associated with the first game;

(d) if the player initiated the second game;

(i) selecting one of the different game outcome presentations associated with the second game, wherein said selected game outcome presentation is based on the received game outcome, and

(ii) displaying the selected game outcome presentation associated with the second game; and

(e) providing the received game outcome to the player.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein for each play of the game, said received game outcome is a win outcome, a lose outcome or a secondary game triggering outcome.

3. The gaming device of claim 2, wherein if the received game outcome is a secondary game triggering outcome, the processor provides a play of at least one secondary game.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the gaming device selects the game outcome presentation associated with the first game from a cache of first game outcome presentations associated with the first game, said cache stored in a memory storage device of the gaming device.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the gaming device selects the game outcome presentation associated with the second game from a cache of second game outcome presentations associated with the second game, said cache stored in a memory storage device of the gaming device.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the first game is a card game and the second game is a reel slot game.

7. A gaming system comprising:

a game outcome set including a plurality of predetermined game outcomes;

a central controller operable to select at least one of said game outcomes from the game outcome set, to flag said selected game outcome and to output the selected game outcome; and

at least one gaming device controlled by a gaming terminal processor, said gaming device including;

a first game controlled by the gaming device processor;

a plurality of game outcome presentations associated with the first game;

a second game controlled by the gaming device processor; and

a display device;

wherein the gaming device processor is programmed to control a play of the first game and the second game by;

(a) enabling a player to initiate the first game or the second game;

(b) receiving the selected game outcome output from the central controller;

(c) if the player initiated the first game;

(i) selecting one of the game outcome presentations associated with the first game, wherein said selected game outcome presentation is based on the received game outcome, and

(ii) displaying the selected game outcome presentation associated with the first game;

(d) if the player initiated the second game;

(i) selecting one of the different game outcome presentations associated with the second game, wherein said selected game outcome presentation is based on the received game outcome, and

(ii) displaying the selected game outcome presentation associated with the second game; and

(e) providing the received game outcome to the player.

8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein for each play of the game, said received game outcome is a win outcome, a lose outcome or a secondary game triggering outcome.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein if the received game outcome is a secondary game triggering outcome, the gaming device processor provides a play of at least one secondary game.

10. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the gaming device processor selects the game outcome presentation associated with the first game from a cache of first game outcome presentations associated with the first game, said cache stored in a memory storage device of the gaming device.

11. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the gaming device processor selects the game outcome presentation associated with the second game from a cache of second game outcome presentations associated with the second game, said cache stored in a memory storage device of the gaming device.

12. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the first game is a card game and the second game is a reel slot game.

13. The gaming system of claim 7, which includes a plurality of gaming devices.

14. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein each individual gaming device is controlled by an individual gaming device processor.

15. A gaming system comprising

a controller;

a plurality of game outcomes maintained by the central controller;

a first gaming device in communication with the controller, said first gaming device operable to play a first game operable after a first primary game wager by a first player, wherein after placement of the first primary game wager, the first gaming device;

(a) receives a first one of the plurality of game outcomes from the controller;

(b) selects a first game outcome presentation based on said received first game outcome;

(c) displays the selected first game outcome presentation; and

(d) provides the received first game outcome to the first player; and

a second gaming device in communication with the controller, said second gaming device operable to play a second, different game operable after a second primary game wager by a second player, wherein after placement of the second primary game wager, the second gaming device;

(a) receives the first one of the plurality of game outcomes from the controller;

(b) selects a second game outcome presentation based on said received first game outcome, wherein said second game outcome presentation is different than the first game outcome presentation;

(c) displays the selected second game outcome presentation; and

(d) provides the received first game outcome to the second player.

16. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the first gaming device selects the first game outcome presentation from a cache of first game outcome presentations associated with the first game, said cache stored in a memory storage device of the first gaming device.

17. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the second gaming device selects the second game outcome presentation from a cache of second game outcome presentations associated with the second game, said cache stored in a memory storage device of the second gaming device.

18. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the first game is a card game and the second game is a reel slot game.

19. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to initiate a first game or a second game, wherein a plurality of game outcome presentations are associated with the first game and a plurality of different game outcome presentations are associated with the second game;

(b) receiving a game outcome from a central controller;

(c) if the player initiated the first game;

(i) selecting one of the game outcome presentations associated with the first game, wherein said selected game outcome presentation is based on the received game outcome, and

(ii) displaying the selected game outcome presentation associated with the first game;

(d) if the player initiated the second game;

(i) selecting one of the different game outcome presentations associated with the second game, wherein said selected game outcome presentation is based on the received game outcome, and

(ii) displaying the selected game outcome presentation associated with the second game; and

(e) providing the received game outcome to the player.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein for each play of the game, said received game outcome is a win outcome, a lose outcome or a secondary game triggering outcome.

21. The method of claim 20, which includes providing a play of at least one secondary game if the received game outcome is a secondary game triggering outcome.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the game outcome presentation associated with the first game is selected from a cache of first game outcome presentations associated with the first game.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the game outcome presentation associated with the second game is selected from a cache of second game outcome presentations associated with the second game.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the first game is a card game and the second game is a reel slot game.

25. The method of claim 19, which is provided through a data network.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the data network is an internet.

27. A method of operating a gaming system, said gaming system including a controller in communication with at least one gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to place a wager at a first one of the gaming devices;

(b) causing the controller to;

(i) select at least one game outcome from a game outcome set maintained by the controller;

(ii) flag said selected game outcome; and

(iii) output the selected game outcome to the first one of the gaming machines;

(c) causing the first one of the gaming devices to;

(i) enable a player to initiate a first game or a second game, wherein a plurality of game outcome presentations are associated with the first game and a plurality of different game outcome presentations are associated with the second game;

(ii) receive the selected game outcome output from the central controller;

(iii) if the player initiated the first game;

(1) select one of the game outcome presentations associated with the first game, wherein said selected game outcome presentation is based on the received game outcome, and

(2) display the selected game outcome presentation associated with the first game;

(iv) if the player initiated the second game;

(1) select one of the different game outcome presentations associated with the second game, wherein said selected game outcome presentation is based on the received game outcome, and

(2) display the selected game outcome presentation associated with the second game; and

(v) provide the received game outcome to the player.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein for each play of the game, said received game outcome is a win outcome, a lose outcome or a secondary game triggering outcome.

29. The method of claim 28, which includes providing a play of at least one secondary game if the received game outcome is a secondary game triggering outcome.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the game outcome presentation associated with the first game is selected from a cache of first game outcome presentations associated with the first game.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the game outcome presentation associated with the second game is selected from a cache of second game outcome presentations associated with the second game.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the first game is a card game and the second game is a reel slot game.

33. The method of claim 27, which is provided through a data network.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the data network is an internet.

35. A method of operating a gaming system, said gaming system including a controller in communication with at two gaming devices, said method comprising:

(a) causing the controller to maintain a plurality of game outcomes;

(b) enabling a first player to place a first primary game wager on a first primary game at a first one of the gaming devices;

(c) if the first player places the first primary game wager on the first primary game at the first one of the gaming devices, causing the first one of the gaming devices to;

(i) receive a first one of the plurality of game outcomes maintained by the controller;

(ii) select a first game outcome presentation based on said received first game outcome;

(iii) display the selected first game outcome presentation; and

(iv) provide the received first game outcome to the first player;

(d) enabling a second player to place a second primary game wager on a second, different primary game at a second one of the gaming devices; and

(e) if the second player places the second primary game wager on the second primary game at the second one of the gaming devices, causing the second one of the gaming devices to;

(i) receive the first one of the plurality of game outcomes maintained by the controller;

(ii) select a second game outcome presentation based on said received first game outcome, wherein said second game outcome presentation is different than the first game outcome presentation;

(iii) display the selected second game outcome presentation; and

(iv) provide the received first game outcome to the second player.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the first game outcome presentation is selected from a cache of first game outcome presentations associated with the first game.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the second game outcome presentation is selected from a cache of second game outcome presentations associated with the second game.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the first game is a card game and the second game is a reel slot game.

39. The method of claim 35, which is provided through a data network.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the data network is an internet.