APPLICATIONS FOR GAMING DEVICES IN A NETWORKED ENVIRONMENT

• US 20090098933A1
• Filed: 10/15/2008
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Ellenthal, Matthew P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,489,800 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A method comprises receiving a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play comprising a plurality of game plays to be played, and transmitting to the gaming device an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play comprising a plurality of game plays to be played;

transmitting to the gaming device an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device; and

transmitting a session counter indicating a number of the plurality of games remaining in the session.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving an indication of payment by a player for the session.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether to transmit an additional amount of credit to enable at least one of the plurality of games remaining to be played; and

transmitting to the gaming device the additional amount of credit required to enable the at least one of the plurality of games remaining to be played.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the additional amount of credit comprises a promotional credit.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising awarding a benefit to a player for game plays enabled by the promotional credit.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the benefit comprises at least one player point.

7. The method of claim 3 further comprising transmitting a message to the player if it is determined not to transmit the additional amount of credit.

8. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play comprising a plurality of game plays to be played; and

transmitting to the gaming device an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor and storing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform a method comprising;

receiving a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play comprising a plurality of game plays to be played; and

transmitting to the gaming device an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device.

10. A method comprising:

transmitting a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play comprising a plurality of game plays to be played;

receiving at the gaming device an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device; and

receiving a session counter indicating a number of the plurality of games remaining in the session.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising transmitting from the gaming device an indication of payment by a player for the session.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising displaying the session counter on the gaming device.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

transmitting a requirement for an additional amount of credit to enable at least one of the plurality of games remaining to be played; and

receiving at the gaming device the additional amount of credit required to enable the at least one of the plurality of games remaining to be played.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the additional amount of credit comprises a promotional credit.

15. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to perform a method comprising:

transmitting a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play comprising a plurality of game plays to be played; and

receiving at the gaming device an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor and storing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform a method comprising;

transmitting a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play comprising a plurality of game plays to be played; and

receiving at the gaming device an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device.

17. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play comprising a predetermined duration;

transmitting to the gaming device an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device; and

transmitting a session timer indicating an amount of time remaining in the session.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising receiving an indication of payment by a player for the session.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

determining if the predetermined period of time has expired; and

transmitting to the gaming device an additional amount of credit required to enable game play if the predetermined duration has not expired.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the additional amount of credit comprises a promotional credit.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising awarding a benefit to a player for game plays enabled by the promotional credit.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprises transmitting a message to the player if it is determined not to transmit the additional amount of credit.

22. The method of claim 211 wherein the benefit comprises at least one player point.

24. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play comprising a predetermined duration; and

transmitting to the gaming device an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device.

25. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor and storing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform a method comprising;

receiving a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play comprising a predetermined duration; and

transmitting to the gaming device an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device.

26. A method comprising:

transmitting a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play comprising a predetermined duration;

receiving at the gaming device an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device; and

receiving a session timer indicating an amount of time remaining in the session.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising transmitting from the gaming device an indication of payment by a player for the session.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising displaying the session timer on the gaming device.

29. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

transmitting a requirement for an additional amount of credit to enable remaining game play; and

receiving at the gaming device the additional amount of credit required to enable the at least one one game remaining to be played.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the additional amount of credit comprises a promotional credit.

31. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to perform a method comprising:

transmitting a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play comprising a predetermined duration; and

receiving at the gaming device an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device.

32. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor and storing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform a method comprising;

transmitting a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play comprising a predetermined duration; and

receiving at the gaming device an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device.

33. A method comprising:

determining an amount of credit required to initiate a game play on a gaming device, thereby determining a first amount of credit;

determining an amount of credit available for initiating game plays on the gaming device, thereby determining a second amount of credit, the second amount of credit being stored in a memory of the gaming device;

if the second amount is less than the first amount, determining a third amount of credit necessary to make the second amount equal to the first amount; and

transmitting the third amount of credit to the gaming device.

34. The method of claim 32, in which determining the third amount comprises determining the third amount without receiving an indication of the third amount from a player playing the gaming device.

34-1. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to perform a method comprising:

determining an amount of credit required to initiate a game play on a gaming device, thereby determining a first amount of credit;

determining an amount of credit available for initiating game plays on the gaming device, thereby determining a second amount of credit, the second amount of credit being stored in a memory of the gaming device;

if the second amount is less than the first amount, determining a third amount of credit necessary to make the second amount equal to the first amount; and

transmitting the third amount of credit to the gaming device.

36. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor and storing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform a method comprising;

determining an amount of credit required to initiate a game play on a gaming device, thereby determining a first amount of credit;

determining an amount of credit available for initiating game plays on the gaming device, thereby determining a second amount of credit, the second amount of credit being stored in a memory of the gaming device;

if the second amount is less than the first amount, determining a third amount of credit necessary to make the second amount equal to the first amount; and

transmitting the third amount of credit to the gaming device.