SERVER BASED GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTIVELY PROVIDING ONE OR MORE DIFFERENT TOURNAMENTS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A gaming system comprising:
- at least one central controller; and
a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine configured to communicate with the at least one central controller, said at least one central controller and said gaming machines configured to;
(a) enable a plurality of players to play non-tournament games at the gaming machines; and
(b) upon an occurrence of a tournament triggering event determined by the at least one central controller;
(i) determine which players at the gaming machines are qualified to play a tournament;
(ii) enable said gaming machines being played by qualified players to provide tournament play;
(iii) enable said qualified players to play said tournament at the gaming machines within a designated time period, wherein said play of the tournament includes a plurality of players of at least one tournament game played by the qualified players at said gaming machines, each said tournament game play resulting in a displayed tournament game outcome;
(iv) determine at least one tournament winner based on results of displayed tournament game outcomes for the qualified players; and
(v) display an indication of an award to be provided to the at least one tournament winner.
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Abstract
A gaming system includes a central server or controller operable to communicate a plurality of different commands to a plurality of gaming machines to provide non-tournament game play and to provide tournament game play on the same gaming machines.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A gaming system comprising:
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at least one central controller; and
a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine configured to communicate with the at least one central controller, said at least one central controller and said gaming machines configured to;
(a) enable a plurality of players to play non-tournament games at the gaming machines; and
(b) upon an occurrence of a tournament triggering event determined by the at least one central controller;
(i) determine which players at the gaming machines are qualified to play a tournament;
(ii) enable said gaming machines being played by qualified players to provide tournament play;
(iii) enable said qualified players to play said tournament at the gaming machines within a designated time period, wherein said play of the tournament includes a plurality of players of at least one tournament game played by the qualified players at said gaming machines, each said tournament game play resulting in a displayed tournament game outcome;
(iv) determine at least one tournament winner based on results of displayed tournament game outcomes for the qualified players; and
(v) display an indication of an award to be provided to the at least one tournament winner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A gaming system comprising:
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at least one central controller; and
a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine configured to communicate with the at least one central controller, said at least one central controller and said gaming machines configured to;
(a) enable a plurality of players to play non-tournament games at the gaming machines; and
(b) enable any qualified player at one of the gaming machines to make a designated input that the player desires to play a round of a tournament, said tournament including a plurality of different rounds, wherein a plurality of said rounds are each playable at a plurality of different times, and wherein said player is required to play a designated number of rounds to complete the tournament;
for each gaming machine, upon the designated input at said gaming machine, said at least one central controller and said gaming machine are configured to;
(a) cause said gaming machine to provide tournament play; and
(b) cause said gaming machine to enable any qualified player to play one of the rounds of the tournament at said gaming machine, and wherein each round includes a plurality of tournament games played at said gaming machine, each tournament game play resulting in a displayed tournament game outcome;
said at least one central controller and said gaming machines configured to;
(a) after a time period for the last round, determine at least one tournament winner based on results associated with tournament game outcomes displayed to the qualified players; and
(b) display an indication of an award to be provided to the at least one tournament winner. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification