Class II/Class III hybrid gaming machine, system and methods

• US 20060111168A1
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wolf, Bryan, Stockdale, James, Nguyen, Binh
• Granted Patent: US 8,133,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

The present invention provides a gaming machine that can play both Class II and Class III games. Some implementations provide a gaming machine that has certain features (e.g., a true random number generator or “RNG”) enabled for Class III play and disabled for Class II play. Some aspects of the invention provide methods for determining when a Class III game is available. Other aspects of the invention allow a player to “line up” for a desired Class III game while playing another game, such as a Class II game or another Class III game, on the same gaming machine until the desired Class III game is available. Some such implementations grant higher priority to certain players according to their gaming history, e.g., as indicated by player tracking/player loyalty data. Alternative aspects of the invention allocate available Class III games in other ways, e.g., by playing a Class II game for a chance to play a Class III game, by lottery, or otherwise. Player tracking information may be shared and/or combined for Class II and Class III game play and may be used to determine gaming history.

Claims

1. A combination Class II and Class III gaming machine, comprising:

means for providing Class II gaming;

means for providing Class III gaming; and

means for determining when Class III gaming will be enabled or disabled.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising means for enabling Class III gaming when the determining means determines that Class III gaming will be enabled.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising means for disabling the means for providing Class III gaming when the determining means determines that Class III gaming will be disabled.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the determining means comprises means for determining when a player has completed a session of Class III gaming.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the determining means comprises means for determining when a Class III game is available.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising means for alerting a player that a Class III gaming session will be terminated unless the player takes an action, wherein the determining means comprises means for determining when the player has taken the action.

7. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the means for determining when a player has completed a session of Class III gaming comprises means for determining a gaming account balance.

8. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the means for determining when a player has completed a session of Class III gaming comprises means for determining a proximity of a player.

9. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the means for determining when a player has completed a session of Class III gaming comprises means for determining whether a player has chosen another game.

10. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the means for determining when a player has completed a session of Class III gaming comprises means for determining whether a player has removed a player tracking card from the gaming machine.

11. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the means for determining when a player has completed a session of Class III gaming comprises means for determining that the player has not participated in the session of Class III gaming for a predetermined period of time.

12. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein the means for determining when a Class III game is available comprises means for evaluating license data for the Class III game.

13. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein the means for determining when a Class III game is available comprises means for determining whether a maximum number of Class III gaming machines has been exceeded.

14. The gaming machine of claim 5, further comprising means for making the Class III game available to a player of the gaming machine.

15. The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein the action comprises resuming the Class III gaming session.

16. The gaming machine of claim 6, further comprising means for providing a monetary credit to the combination Class H and Class III gaming machine, wherein the action comprises providing the monetary credit.

17. The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein the action comprises indicating that the player desires to continue the Class III gaming session on another gaming machine.

18. The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein the action comprises indicating that the player desires to continue the Class III gaming session on the combination Class II and Class III gaming machine at a later time.

19. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein the predetermined period of time is based, at least in part, on the player'"'"'s gaming history.

20. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein a maximum allowable later time is based, at least in part, on the player'"'"'s gaming history.

21. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein the means for providing Class III gaming is enabled when the player selects the available Class III game.

22. A method for providing Class II and Class III gaming on a single gaming machine, the method comprising:

providing Class II gaming on a gaming machine at a first time;

determining whether a Class III game can be played on the gaming machine; and

providing Class III gaming on the gaming machine at a second time when it is determined that the Class III game can be played on the gaming machine.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising disabling Class III gaming functionality at a third time when it is determined that no Class III game can be played on the gaming machine.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the determining step comprises determining when a player has completed a session of Class III gaming on another gaming machine.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the determining step comprises determining when a Class III game is available.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving an indication that a player has completed a session of Class III gaming; and

alerting the player that the session of Class III gaming will be terminated unless the player takes an action.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein determining when a Class III game is available comprises determining whether a maximum number of Class III gaming machines has been exceeded.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of making the Class III game available to a player of the gaming machine.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising determining whether the player has taken the action.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the indication that the player has completed a session of Class III gaming comprises an indication that a gaming account balance is below a predetermined threshold.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the indication that the player has completed a session of Class III gaming comprises an indication that the player has removed a player tracking card from the gaming machine.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the indication that the player has completed the session of Class III gaming comprises an indication that the player has not participated in the session of Class III gaming for a predetermined period of time.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein the indication that the player has completed the session of Class III gaming comprises an indication that the player has not been near another gaming machine for a predetermined period of time.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein the indication that the player has completed the session of Class III gaming comprises an indication that the player has selected another game.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein the action comprises resuming the Class III gaming session.

36. The method of claim 26, wherein the action comprises providing a monetary credit.

37. The method of claim 26, wherein the action comprises indicating that the player desires to continue the Class III gaming session on another gaming machine.

38. The method of claim 26, wherein the action comprises indicating that the player desires to continue the Class III gaming session at a later time.

39. The method of claim 28, wherein Class III gaming is provided when the player selects the available Class III game.

40. The method of claim 30, wherein the predetermined period of time is based, at least in part, on the player'"'"'s gaming history.

41. The method of claim 37, further comprising the step of providing an authorization to continue the Class III gaming session on another gaming machine.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein a maximum allowable later time is based, at least in part, on the player'"'"'s gaming history.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the authorization to continue the Class III gaming session on another gaming machine is a temporary authorization.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the authorization to continue the Class III gaming session on another gaming machine is encoded in a cashless gaming instrument.

45. A method of gaming, comprising:

providing a first electronic bingo game;

providing electronic pulltab games after the first electronic bingo game is completed and before a second electronic bingo game has begun; and

providing the second electronic bingo game.

46. A method of providing a wagering game, the method comprising:

providing a first Class III wagering game to a player at a first time;

allowing the player to select a second Class III wagering game;

assigning a priority level to the player for the second Class III wagering game; and

offering the second Class III wagering game to the player at a second time.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the first Class III wagering game is provided to the player from the first time until the second time.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the allowing step comprises allowing the player to continue playing the first Class III wagering game after selecting the second Class III wagering game.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the priority level is based, at least in part, on the player'"'"'s gaming history.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein the offering step comprises offering the second Class III wagering game to the player for a period of time that is based, at least in part, on the player'"'"'s gaming history.

51. A gaming machine, comprising:

means for providing a first operational mode in which a game outcome is generated locally on the gaming machine using a random number generator after a game is initiated on the gaming machine by a player and in which choices made by the player during presentation of the game can influence the game outcome;

means for providing a second operational mode in which the game outcome is generated as part of a predetermined pool prior to the player initiating the game on the gaming machine and in which the choices made during the presentation of the game can not influence the game outcome; and

logic for determining when to switch the gaming machine between the first operational mode and the second operational mode.

52. A computer program embodied in a machine-readable medium, the computer program including instructions for controlling a gaming machine to perform the following steps:

providing Class II gaming on a gaming machine at a first time;

determining whether a Class III game can be played on the gaming machine; and

providing Class III gaming on the gaming machine at a second time when it is determined that the Class III game can be played on the gaming machine.

53. The computer program of claim 52, wherein the instructions further comprise disabling Class III gaming functionality at a third time when it is determined that no Class III game can be played on the gaming machine.

54. The computer program of claim 52, wherein the instructions further comprise determining when a player has completed a session of Class III gaming on another gaming machine.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein the instructions further comprise determining when a Class III game is available.

56. The computer program of claim 52, wherein the instructions further comprise:

receiving an indication that a player has completed a session of Class III gaming; and

alerting the player that the session of Class III gaming will be terminated unless the player takes an action.

57. The computer program of claim 55, wherein determining when a Class III game is available comprises determining whether a maximum number of Class III gaming machines has been exceeded.

58. The computer program of claim 55, wherein the instructions further comprise making the Class III game available to a player of the gaming machine.

59. The computer program of claim 56, wherein the instructions further comprise determining whether the player has taken the action.

60. The computer program of claim 56, wherein the indication that the player has completed a session of Class III gaming comprises at least one of the following:

an indication that a gaming account balance is below a predetermined threshold;

an indication that the player has removed a player tracking card from the gaming machine;

an indication that the player has not participated in the session of Class III gaming for a predetermined period of time;

an indication that the player has not been near another gaming machine for a predetermined period of time; and

an indication that the player has selected another game.

61. The computer program of claim 56, wherein the action comprises at least one of the following:

resuming the Class III gaming session;

providing a monetary credit;

indicating that the player desires to continue the Class III gaming session on another gaming machine; and

indicating that the player desires to continue the Class III gaming session at a later time.

62. The computer program of claim 58, wherein Class III gaming is provided when the player selects the available Class III game.

63. The computer program of claim 60, wherein the predetermined period of time is based, at least in part, on the player'"'"'s gaming history.

64. The computer program of claim 61, further comprising the step of providing an authorization to continue the Class III gaming session on another gaming machine.

65. The computer program of claim 61, wherein a maximum allowable later time is based, at least in part, on the player'"'"'s gaming history.

66. The computer program of claim 64, wherein the authorization to continue the Class III gaming session on another gaming machine is a temporary authorization.

67. The computer program of claim 64, wherein the authorization to continue the Class III gaming session on another gaming machine is encoded in a cashless gaming instrument.