UNIVERSAL GAMING ENGINE

• US 20080287181A1
• Filed: 04/08/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1994
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Legal Igaming Incorporated
• Inventors: Carlson, Rolf E.
• Application Number:
  US12/099,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20080287181A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/58 Random or pseudo-random number generators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/582 Pseudo-random number generators
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

An apparatus for implementing a game having a deterministic component and a non-deterministic component wherein a player uses the game through at least one player interface unit. Each player interface unit generates a player record indicating player-initiated events. A random number generator provides a series of pseudo-random numbers and a rules library stores indexed rules for one or more games. An interface registry stores mapping records where the mapping records are used to associate the player-initiated events to pre-selected rules in the rules library. A control means is coupled to the player interface to receive the output of the player interface unit, coupled to the interface registry, the rules library, and the random number generator. The control means processes the player record and returns an output record to the player interface unit where the output record is determined by executing the game'"'"'s rules with reference to the pseudo-random numbers and predefined combinatorial algorithms for selecting sets of the pseudo-random numbers.

Claims

1. A method of playing a game of chance on a gaming device, the method comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of games;

generating a player record responsive to input on a player interface;

communicating, via a network, the player record to a gaming engine;

receiving, via the network, a game play result from the gaming engine, wherein the game play result is based upon the player record, a verified random number generated by the gaming engine, and game rules for the selected game; and

displaying the game play results on the player interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of games from which one is selected is configured via an operator interface of the gaming engine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of games is all games for which game rules are stored in the gaming engine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a game is performed responsive to input on the player interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the game rules are implemented as computer code that is executed by the gaming engine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

7. A method of playing a game of chance, the method comprising:

receiving, via a network, one or more player records from one or more gaming devices responsive to player action initiated game events;

storing game rules for a plurality of games;

generating verified random numbers;

generating a game result for each of the one or more player records, wherein the game results are based upon the player records, the verified random numbers, and the game rules for a game being played; and

communicating the game results, via the network to the one or more gaming devices.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising communicating a message, via the network, to the one or more gaming devices indicating games which may be played.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a message, via the network, from the one or more gaming devices indicating which of the games which may be played is to be played at a particular gaming device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the games which may be played are the plurality of games for which game rules are stored.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the game rules are stored as executable computer instructions.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the game results are generated by the execution of the game rule computer instructions.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

14. A method of playing a game, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of game rules, wherein the game rules comprise computer executable instructions that have been certified by a gaming authority;

storing the game rules in a computer readable memory;

generating one or more verified random numbers;

receiving a player record responsive to player input on a player interface;

selecting one or more game rules for execution;

executing the one or more selected game rules on a processor to generate a game result based upon the player record, one or more verified random numbers, and the one or more selected game rules; and

outputting the game result;

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the game result is output via a network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the player record is received over a network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

19. An electronic device for playing a game of chance, the device comprising:

means for receiving input from a user, wherein the means for receiving input further comprises means for selecting one of a plurality of games;

means for generating a player record responsive to input received from a user;

means for communicating, via a network, the player record to a gaming engine;

means for receiving from the gaming engine, via the network, a game play result based upon the player record, a verified random number generated by the gaming engine, and game rules for the game being played; and

means for displaying the game result to a user.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the plurality of games from which one is selected is configured via an operator interface of the gaming engine.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the plurality of games is all games for which game rules are stored in the gaming engine.

22. The device of claim 19, wherein the game rules are implemented as computer code that is executed by the gaming engine.

23. The device of claim 19, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

24. A device for playing a game of chance, the device comprising:

means for receiving, via a network, one or more player records from one or more gaming devices responsive to player action initiated game events;

means for storing game rules for a plurality of games;

means for generating verified random numbers;

means for generating a game result for each of the one or more player records, wherein the game results are based upon the player records, the verified random numbers, and the game rules for a game being played; and

means for communicating the game results, via the network to the one or more gaming devices.

25. The device of claim 24, further comprising means for communicating a message, via the network, to the one or more gaming devices indicating games which may be played.

26. The device of claim 25, further comprising means receiving a message, via the network, from the one or more gaming devices indicating which of the games which may be played is to be played at a particular gaming device.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein the games which may be played are the plurality of games for which game rules are stored.

28. The device of claim 24, wherein the game rules are stored as executable computer instructions.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the game results are generated by the execution of the game rule computer instructions.

30. The device of claim 24, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

31. A device for playing a game, the device comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of game rules, wherein the game rules comprise computer executable instructions that have been certified by a gaming authority;

means for storing the game rules to a computer readable memory;

means for generating one or more verified random numbers;

means for receiving a player record responsive to player input on a player interface;

means for selecting one or more game rules for execution;

means for executing the one or more selected game rules to generate a game result based upon the player record, one or more verified random numbers, and the one or more selected game rules; and

means for outputting the game result;

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the game result is output via a network.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

34. The device of claim 31, wherein the player record is received over a network.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

36. An electronic device for playing a game of chance, the device comprising:

a user interface further comprising a display and at least one input mechanism, wherein the input mechanism is configured to allow a user to select one of a plurality of games;

a processor, communicatively connected to the user interface, configured to generate a player record responsive to input from the user interface;

a network interface, communicatively connected to the processor, configured to transmit, via a network, the player record to a gaming engine;

wherein the network interface is also configured to receive from the gaming engine, via the network, a game play result based upon the player record, a verified random number generated by the gaming engine, and game rules for the game being played; and

wherein the user interface is configured to display the game result to a user on the display.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein the plurality of games from which one is selected is configured via an operator interface of the gaming engine.

38. The device of claim 36, wherein the plurality of games is all games for which game rules are stored in the gaming engine.

39. The device of claim 36, wherein the game rules are implemented as computer code that is executed by the gaming engine.

40. The device of claim 36, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

41. A device for playing a game of chance, the device comprising:

a network interface configured to receive, via a network, one or more player records from one or more gaming devices responsive to player action initiated game events;

a memory configured to store game rules for a plurality of games;

a verified random number generator;

a processor, communicatively connected to the network interface, the memory, and the number generator, configured to generate a game result for each of the one or more player records, wherein the game results are based upon the player records, the verified random numbers, and the game rules for a game being played; and

wherein the network interface is further configure to communicate the game results, via the network, to the one or more gaming devices.

42. The device of claim 41, wherein the network interface is further configured to communicate a message, via the network, to the one or more gaming devices indicating games which may be played.

43. The device of claim 42, wherein the network interface is further configured to receive a message, via the network, from the one or more gaming devices indicating which of the games which may be played is to be played at a particular gaming device.

44. The device of claim 42, wherein the games which may be played are the plurality of games for which game rules are stored.

45. The device of claim 41, wherein the game rules are stored as executable computer instructions.

46. The device of claim 45, wherein the game results are generated by the execution of the game rule computer instructions.

47. The device of claim 41, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

48. A device for playing a game, the device comprising:

a first interface configured to receive a plurality of game rules, wherein the game rules comprise computer executable instructions that have been certified by a gaming authority;

a computer readable memory, communicatively connected to the first interface, configured to store the game rules;

a verified random number generator;

a second interface configured to receive a player record responsive to player input on a player interface;

a processor, communicatively connected with the first and second interfaces, the memory, and the random number generator, wherein the processor is configured to select one or more game rules for execution; and

wherein the processor is configured generate a game result based upon the player record, one or more verified random numbers, and the one or more selected game rules; and

wherein the processor is configured to output the game result;

49. The device of claim 48, wherein the game result is output via a network.

50. The device of claim 49, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

51. The device of claim 48, wherein the player record is received over a network.

52. The device of claim 51, wherein the network comprises the Internet.