Local Game-Area Network Method

• US 20070191109A1
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Patel, Pravinkumar, Larsen, Joshua, Crowder, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,065,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A local game-area network includes a plurality of gaming devices and local game-area servers. Each local game-area server is associated with a corresponding gaming device. Each local game-area server in the local game-area network is operatively associated with every other local game-area server in the local game-area network. Additionally, one of the local game-area servers is a host local game-area server while the remaining gaming devices and associated local game-area servers are clients. Furthermore, the host status of the host local game-area server moves dynamically to an available local game-area server in the local game-area network in response to the host local game-area server becoming non-operational.

Claims

1. A method of using a local game-area network in a casino environment, wherein the local game-area network does not require support from a large casino floor network or back-end server system to enable group gaming, the method comprising:

connecting a plurality of gaming devices in the local game-area network;

connecting a plurality of local game-area servers to the local game-area network, wherein each local game-area server is associated with a corresponding gaming device, wherein each local game-area server in the local game-area network is operatively associated with every other local game-area server in the local game-area network;

connecting a plurality of local game-area data storage mediums to the local game-area network, wherein each local game-area data storage medium is associated with a corresponding local game-area server;

designating one of the local game-area servers as an active local game-area server that acts as host status while the remaining local game-area servers act as clients; and

in response to the active local game-area server becoming non-operational, dynamically moving the host status of the active local game-area server to an available local game-area server acting as a client in the local game-area network;

thereby facilitating sustained operation of the local game-area network when the active local game-area server having host status becomes non-operational.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the local game-area network is non-operating system-dependent.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

designating one of the local game-area servers and associated local game-area data storage medium is a back-up local game-area server and back-up associated local game-area data storage medium.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

using the back-up local game-area server and back-up associated local game-area data storage medium to help prevent data loss if the active local game-area server and active associated local game-area data storage medium become non-operational.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

connecting the local game-area network to a larger casino floor network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the larger casino floor network is a serial network.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the larger casino floor network is Ethernet.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the larger casino floor network is an IP-based network.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the local game-area network is operational without support from the larger casino floor network.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the local game-area network is operational as a back-up network if the larger casino floor network becomes non-operational.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the local game-area network enables group gaming among the plurality of gaming devices in the local game-area network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the group gaming includes tournament gaming.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the group gaming includes progressive gaming.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the group gaming includes head-to-head competitive gaming.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the group gaming includes collaborative gaming.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the local game-area network enables local downloads among the plurality of gaming devices in the local game-area network without assistance from any larger casino floor network or back-end system.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the local game-area network enables diagnostic testing.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the local game-area network is at least partially comprised of wireless connections.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the local game-area network enables synchronization of sounds, lights, video, pictures, graphics, reels, or combinations thereof, within the gaming devices in the local game-area network.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the local game-area network enables local data storage of group gaming data without assistance from any larger casino floor network or back-end system.

21. A method of using a local game-area network in a casino environment, wherein the local game-area network enable group gaming without assistance from a large casino floor network or back-end server system, the method comprising:

connecting a plurality of gaming devices in the local game-area network;

connecting a plurality of local game-area servers to the local game-area network, wherein each local game-area server is associated with a corresponding gaming device, wherein each local game-area server in the local game-area network is operatively associated with every other local game-area server in the local game-area network;

designating one of the local game-area servers as an active local game-area server that acts as host status while the remaining local game-area servers act as clients; and

in response to the active local game-area server becoming non-operational, dynamically moving the host status of the active local game-area server to an available local game-area server acting as a client in the local game-area network;

thereby facilitating sustained operation of the local game-area network when the active local game-area server having host status becomes non-operational.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the local game-area network is non-operating system-dependent.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

designating one of the local game-area servers as a back-up local game-area server.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

using the back-up local game-area server and an associated local game-area data storage medium to help prevent data loss if the host local game-area server becomes non-operational.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

connecting the local game-area network to a larger casino floor network.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the larger casino floor network is a serial network.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the larger casino floor network is Ethernet.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the larger casino floor network is an IP-based network.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the local game-area network is operational without support from the larger casino floor network.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the local game-area network is operational as a back-up network if the larger casino floor network becomes non-operational.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the local game-area network supports group gaming among the plurality of gaming devices in the local game-area network.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the group gaming includes tournament gaming.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein the group gaming includes progressive gaming.

34. The method of claim 21, wherein the group gaming includes head-to-head competitive gaming.

35. The method of claim 21, wherein the group gaming includes collaborative gaming.

36. The method of claim 21, wherein the local game-area network supports local downloads among the plurality of gaming devices in the local game-area network without assistance from any larger casino floor network or back-end system.

37. The method of claim 21, wherein the local game-area network supports diagnostic testing.

38. The method of claim 21, wherein the local game-area network is at least partially comprised of wireless connections.

39. The method of claim 21, wherein the local game-area network supports synchronization of sounds, lights, video, pictures, graphics, reels, or combinations thereof, within the gaming devices in the local game-area network.

40. The method of claim 21, wherein the local game-area network supports local data storage of group gaming data without assistance from any larger casino floor network or back-end system.

41. A method of using gaming system having multiple networks in a casino environment, the method comprising:

providing a casino floor network, wherein the casino floor network is selected from the group consisting of a legacy casino floor network, an Ethernet casino floor network, and a IP-based casino floor network; and

providing a local game-area network, wherein the local game-area network enables group gaming without assistance from the casino floor network or a back-end server system, connecting a plurality of gaming devices to the local game-area network;

connecting a plurality of local game-area servers to the local game-area network, wherein each local game-area server is associated with a corresponding gaming device, wherein each local game-area server in the local game-area network is operatively associated with every other local game-area server in the local game-area network;

designating one of the local game-area servers as an active local game-area server that acts as host status while the remaining local game-area servers act as clients; and

in response to the active local game-area server becoming non-operational, dynamically moving the host status of the active local game-area server to an available local game-area server acting as a client in the local game-area network;

thereby facilitating sustained operation of the local game-area network when the active local game-area server having host status becomes non-operational.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the local game-area network is a physical network, and not merely a virtual network.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein at least one gaming device includes an Alpha Game Kit kernel.