GAMING SYSTEM AND A METHOD OF MANAGING USAGE OF GAMING MACHINES

• US 20090191973A1
• Filed: 01/28/2009
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Freele, Blake Timothy James
• Granted Patent: US 8,241,132 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 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system

Abstract

A gaming system is disclosed which comprises a plurality of gaming machines and a communications network arranged to facilitate communications to and from the gaming machines. Each gaming machine is arranged to implement a game, and to generate status information indicative of whether the gaming machine is vacant or occupied, and the system is arranged to display availability information derived from the status information indicative of whether at least some of the gaming machines are vacant or occupied. A corresponding method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines; and

a communications network arranged to facilitate communications to and from the gaming machines;

each gaming machine being arranged to implement a game, and to generate status information indicative of whether the gaming machine is vacant or occupied;

the system being arranged to display availability information derived from the status information indicative of whether at least some of the gaming machines are vacant or occupied.

2. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the availability information is received and displayed at a gaming machine.

3. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the availability information is received and displayed at a display location separate to the gaming machines.

4. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gaming system is arranged to generate gaming machine layout information, the layout information being indicative of the locations of the gaming machines relative to each other.

5. A gaming system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the layout information includes the availability information.

6. A gaming system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the layout information includes information indicative of the name of the or each of the games implementable by the gaming machines associated with the gaming system, and/or the denominations associated with the implementable games.

7. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the availability information is arranged so as to graphically indicate whether a gaming machine is vacant or occupied.

8. A gaming system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the availability information is arranged so as to graphically indicate whether a gaming machine is vacant or occupied by representing vacant gaming machines with a first colour and representing occupied gaming machines with a second colour.

9. A gaming system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the availability information is arranged so as to graphically indicate whether a gaming machine is vacant or occupied by causing representations of the occupied gaming machines or the vacant gaming machines to flash.

10. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gaming system is arranged to receive a game request from a player indicative of a gaming machine or a game desired to be played by the player.

11. A gaming system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the game request is received in response to player selection of a gaming machine using the layout information.

12. A gaming system as claimed in claim 10, wherein each gaming machine is arranged to receive a game request from a player.

13. A gaming system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the gaming system is arranged to receive a game request using a game request device separate to the gaming machines.

14. A gaming system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the gaming system is arranged to receive a game request from a mobile communications device.

15. A gaming system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the mobile communications device is a mobile phone.

16. A gaming system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the gaming system is arranged to generate a machine fi-ee notification when the requested gaming machine is vacant using the status information generated by the requested gaming machine.

17. A gaming system as claimed in claim 16, wherein information indicative of the machine free notification is communicated to the player at a gaming machine.

18. A gaming system as claimed in claim 16, wherein information indicative of the machine free notification is communicated to the player by displaying the information at a display location separate to the gaming machines.

19. A gaming system as claimed in claim 16, wherein information indicative of the machine fi-ee notification is communicated to the player by sending the information to a mobile communications device associated with the player.

20. A gaming system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the mobile communications device is a mobile phone.

21. A gaming system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the system is arranged such that the requested game is reserved for play by the player if the player commences game play at the requested gaming machine within a specific period of time.

22. A gaming system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the gaming system is arranged to generate an identifier when a machine free notification is generated, the identifier being usable by a requested gaining machine to identify the player associated with the game request and thereby make a requested gaming machine available for game play.

23. A gaming system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the identifier is communicated to a player by displaying the identifier on a screen.

24. A gaming system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the identifier is stored on a storage medium readable by the requested gaming machine.

25. A gaming system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the identifier is incorporated into or on a ticket readable by the requested gaming machine.

26. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each gaming machine is arranged to communicate directly with other gaming machines.

27. A gaming system as claimed in claim 26, wherein each gaming machine has an associated notification module arranged to receive status information from the gaming machines, and to communicate the status information to the other gaming machines.

28. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gaming system comprises a notification system arranged to communicate with the gaming machines through the communications network, the notification system comprising a game status receiver arranged to receive status information from the gaming machines, and to communicate the status information to the gaming machines.

29. A gaming system as claimed in claim 28, wherein the notification system comprises a layout server arranged to generate layout information indicative of the locations of the gaming machines relative to each other, the availability information, and information indicative of the name of the or each of the games implementable by the gaming machines associated with the gaming system, and/or the denominations associated with the implementable games.

30. A gaming system as claimed in claim 28, wherein the notification system comprises a game request receiver arranged to receive game request information from the gaming machines indicative of a game desired to be played by a player and/or a particular gaming machine desired to be played by a player, and a notification controller arranged to send a machine free notification to a gaming machine associated with the game request to the gaming machine.

86. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1, and further including a computer program arranged when loaded into a computer to instruct the computer to operate in accordance with a gaming system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 30.

87. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1, and further including a computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein.

31. A method of managing usage of gaming machines, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of gaming machines; and

enabling communications to and from the gaming machines;

arranging each gaming machine to generate status information indicative of whether the gaming machine is vacant or occupied; and

receiving availability information derived from the status information indicative of whether at least some of the gaming machines are vacant or occupied.

32. A method as claimed in claim 31, comprising receiving and displaying the availability information at a gaming machine.

33. A method as claimed in claim 31, comprising receiving and displaying the availability information at a display location separate to the gaming machines.

34. A method as claimed in claim 31, comprising generating gaming machine layout information, the layout information being indicative of the locations of the gaming machines relative to each other.

35. A method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the layout information includes the availability information.

36. A method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the layout information includes information indicative of the name of the or each of the games implementable by the gaming machines associated with the method, and/or the denominations associated with the implementable games.

37. A method as claimed in claim 31, graphically indicating in the availability information whether a gaming machine is vacant or occupied.

38. A method as claimed in claim 37, comprising representing vacant gaming machines with a first colour and representing occupied gaming machines with a second colour.

39. A method as claimed in claim 37, comprising causing representations of the occupied gaming machines or the vacant gaming machines to flash.

40. A method as claimed in claim 31, comprising receiving a game request from a player indicative of a gaming machine or a game desired to be played by the player.

41. A method as claimed in claim 40, comprising receiving a game request in response to player selection of a gaming machine using the layout information.

42. A method as claimed in claim 40, comprising receiving a game request from a gaming machine.

43. A method as claimed in claim 40, comprising receiving a game request from a game request device separate to the gaming machines.

44. A method as claimed in claim 40, comprising receiving a game request from a mobile communications device.

45. A method as claimed in claim 44, comprising receiving a game request from a mobile phone.

46. A method as claimed in claim 40, comprising generating a machine free notification when the requested gaming machine is vacant using the status information generated by the requested gaming machine.

47. A method as claimed in claim 46, comprising communicating information indicative of the machine free notification to the player at a gaining machine.

48. A method as claimed in claim 46, comprising communicating information indicative of the machine free notification by displaying the information at a display location separate to the gaming machines.

49. A method as claimed in claim 46, comprising communicating information indicative of the machine free notification to the player by sending the information to a mobile communications device associated with the player.

50. A method as claimed in claim 49, wherein the mobile communications device is a mobile phone.

51. A method as claimed in claim 40, comprising reserving the requested game is reserved for play by the player for a specific period of time.

52. A method as claimed in claim 51, comprising generating an identifier when a machine free notification is generated, the identifier being usable by a requested gaming machine to identify the player associated with the game request and thereby make a requested gaming machine available for game play.

53. A method as claimed in claim 52, comprising communicating the identifier to a player by displaying the identifier on a screen.

54. A method as claimed in claim 52, comprising storing the identifier on a storage medium readable by the requested gaming machine.

55. A method as claimed in claim 52, comprising incorporating the identifier into or on a ticket readable by the requested gaming machine.

56. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines;

a game server arranged to cooperate with each gaming machine so as to implement a game; and

a communications network arranged to facilitate communications between the gaming machines and the game server;

the game server being arranged to generate status information indicative of whether the gaming machines are vacant or occupied; and

the system being arranged to display availability information derived from the status information indicative of whether at least some of the gaming machines are vacant or occupied.

57. A gaming system as claimed in claim 56, wherein the availability information is received and displayed at a gaming machine.

58. A gaming system as claimed in claim 56, wherein the availability information is received and displayed at a display location separate to the gaming machines.

59. A gaming system as claimed in claim 56, wherein the gaming system is arranged to generate gaming machine layout information, the layout information being indicative of the locations of the gaming machines relative to each other.

60. A gaming system as claimed in claim 59, wherein the layout information includes the availability information.

61. A gaming system as claimed in claim 56, wherein the availability information is arranged so as to graphically indicate whether a gaming machine is vacant or occupied.

62. A gaming system as claimed in 56, wherein the gaming system is arranged to receive a game request from a player indicative of a gaming machine or a game desired to be played by the player.

63. A gaming system as claimed in claim 62, wherein the game request is received in response to player selection of a gaming machine using the layout information.

64. A gaming system as claimed in claim 62, wherein each gaming machine is arranged to receive a game request from a player.

65. A gaming system as claimed in claim 62, wherein the gaming system is arranged to receive a game request using a game request device separate to the gaming machines.

66. A gaming system as claimed in claim 62, wherein the gaming system is arranged to receive a game request from a mobile communications device.

67. A gaming system as claimed in claim 62, wherein the gaming system is arranged to generate a machine free notification when the requested gaming machine is vacant using the status information.

68. A gaming system as claimed in claim 67, wherein information indicative of the machine free notification is communicated to the player at a gaming machine.

69. A gaming system as claimed in claim 67, wherein information indicative of the machine free notification is communicated to the player by displaying the information at a display location separate to the gaming machines.

70. A gaming system as claimed in claim 67, wherein information indicative of the machine free notification is communicated to the player by sending the information to a mobile communications device associated with the player.

71. A gaming system as claimed in claim 62, wherein the system is arranged such that the requested game is reserved for play by the player if the player commences game play at the requested gaming machine within a specific period of time.

76. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 62, wherein the gaming machine is arranged to reserve the requested gaming machine or a gaming machine associated with the requested game if a player associated with the request commences game play at the requested gaming machine within a specific period of time.

85. A notification system as claimed in claim 67, wherein the notification system is arranged to send the machine free notification to a gaming machine associated with the notification system.

72. A gaming machine comprising:

a status determiner arranged to generate status information indicative of whether the gaming machine is vacant or occupied;

a network interface arranged to facilitate communications from the gaming machine;

the gaming machine being arranged to send the status information through the network interface, the status information being usable by a gaming system to generate availability information indicative of whether the gaming machine is vacant or occupied.

73. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 72, wherein the gaming machine is arranged to receive the availability information.

74. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 72, wherein the gaming machine is associated with a gaming system comprising a plurality of gaming machines and the gaming machine is arranged to receive a game request from a player indicative of another gaining machine associated with the gaming system desired to be played by the player, or a game desired to be played by the player implemented by another gaming machine associated with the gaming system.

75. A gaming machine as claimed in claim 72, wherein the gaming machine is arranged to receive a machine free notification indicative that the requested gaming machine or game is vacant and to communicate the machine free notification to the player.

77. A game server arranged to cooperate with at least one gaming machine so as to implement at least one game, and arranged to facilitate network communications from the game server;

the game server being arranged to generate status information indicative of whether the gaming machines are vacant or occupied; and

the status information being usable to generate availability information indicative of whether at least one gaming machine in communication with the game server is vacant or occupied.

78. A game server as claimed in claim 77, wherein the game server is arranged to send the availability information to at least one gaming machine in communication with the game server.

79. A notification system for a gaming system, said notification system comprising:

a network interface arranged to facilitate communications with at least one networked gaming machine associated with the notification system;

a game status receiver arranged to receive status information indicative of whether the or each gaming machine associated with the notification system is vacant or occupied; and

a display arranged to display availability information derived from the status information indicative of whether at least some of the gaining machines associated with the notification system are vacant or occupied.

80. A notification system as claimed in claim 79, comprising a layout generator arranged to generate gaming machine layout information, the layout information being indicative of the locations of the gaming machines relative to each other.

81. A notification system as claimed in claim 80, wherein the layout information includes the availability information.

82. A notification system as claimed in claim 79, wherein the availability information is arranged so as to graphically indicate whether a gaming machine is vacant or occupied.

83. A notification system as claimed in claim 79, comprising a game request receiver arranged to receive a game request from a player indicative of a gaming machine or a game desired to be played by the player.

84. A notification system as claimed in claim 79, comprising a notification controller arranged to generate a machine free notification when the requested gaming machine is vacant using the status information.