Local Game-Area Network System

• US 20080318686A1
• Filed: 06/22/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Patel, Pravinkumar, Larsen, Joshua D., Crowder, Robert W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,721,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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

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 local game-area network, the network comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices;

local game-area servers, wherein each local game-area server is associated with a corresponding gaming device; and

local game-area data storage mediums, wherein each local game-area data storage medium is associated with a corresponding local game-area server;

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;

wherein one of the local game-area servers is an active local game-area server that acts as a host while the remaining local game-area servers are inactive and act as clients; and

wherein host status of the active local game-area server moves dynamically to an available local game-area server in the local game-area network in response to the active local game-area server becoming non-operational.

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

3. The network of claim 1, wherein 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 network of claim 3, wherein the back-up local game-area server and back-up associated local game-area data storage medium 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 network of claim 1, wherein the local game-area network optionally connects to a larger casino floor network.

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

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

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

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

10. The network 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 network of claim 1, wherein the local game-area network supports group gaming among the plurality of gaming devices in the local game-area network.

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

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

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

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

16. The network of claim 1, 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.

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

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

19. The network of claim 1, 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.

20. The network of claim 1, 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.

21. A local game-area network, the network comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices;

local game-area servers, wherein each local game-area server is associated with a corresponding gaming device; and

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;

wherein 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; and

wherein 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.

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

23. The network of claim 21, wherein one of the local game-area servers and an 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.

24. The network of claim 23, wherein the back-up local game-area server and back-up associated local game-area data storage medium help prevent data loss if the host local game-area server becomes non-operational.

25. The network of claim 21, wherein the local game-area network optionally connects to a larger casino floor network.

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

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

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

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

30. The network 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 network 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 network of claim 31, wherein the group gaming includes tournament gaming.

33. The network of claim 31, wherein the group gaming includes progressive gaming.

34. The network of claim 31, wherein the group gaming includes head-to-head competitive gaming.

35. The network of claim 31, wherein the group gaming includes collaborative gaming.

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

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

39. The network 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 network 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 gaming system having multiple networks, the gaming system comprising:

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

a local game-area network, wherein the local game-area network is non-operating system-dependent, and wherein the local game-are network is physical separate from the casino floor network, the local game-area network comprising;

a plurality of gaming devices;

local game-area servers, wherein each local game-area server is associated with a corresponding gaming device; and

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 via communication links in the local game-area network;

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

wherein host status of the active local game-area server moves dynamically to an available local game-area server in the local game-area network in response to the active local game-area server becoming non-operational.

42. The gaming system of claim 41, wherein at least one gaming machine includes an Alpha Game Kit kernel.