SYSTEM FOR COMPUTERIZED MULTIPLAYER TOURNAMENT GAMING AND A METHOD THEREOF

• US 20100210356A1
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Playtech Software Ltd. (Playtech Plc)
• Original Assignee: Playtech Software Ltd. (Playtech Plc)
• Inventors: Losica, Idan
• Application Number:
  US12/676,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20100210356A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/26
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

The present invention discloses a computerized gaming system for multiplayer tournaments, a method of operating the system, a module to be used in conjunction with the system, and a method of playing the game. The method of operating the system comprises a) setting and accommodating a configuration comprising one or more predefined and/or configurable rules for multiplication of stakes and/or a winning pool, conditions thereof, one or more parameters of said multiplication, and one or more tournament limits; b) facilitating obtaining a multiplication proposal from a player; c) obtaining game-related and/or player-related data from the gaming server and/or the billing unit and/or the storage unit, and providing automated authorization of the proposal in accordance with said obtained data and said accommodated configuration; d) presenting the authorized proposal to one or more other players and facilitating obtaining one or more respective replies, e) automated informing the game server and/or the billing unit with regard to the multiplication proposal and reply thereof; and f) automated executing the game rules corresponding to the obtained replies.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A method of operating a computerized multiplayer tournament gaming system comprising a gaming server operatively coupled to a billing unit and a storage unit, the method comprising:

a) setting and accommodating a configuration comprising one or more predefined and/or configurable rules for multiplication of stakes and/or a winning pool, conditions thereof, one or more parameters of said multiplication, and one or more tournament limits;

b) facilitating obtaining a multiplication proposal from a player;

c) obtaining game-related and/or player-related data from at least one element from a group comprising the gaming server, the billing unit and the storage unit; and

providing automated authorization of the proposal in accordance with said obtained data and said accommodated configuration;

d) presenting the authorized proposal to one or more other players and facilitating obtaining one or more respective replies,

e) automated informing the game server and/or the billing unit with regard to the multiplication proposal and reply thereof; and

f) automated executing the game rules corresponding to the obtained replies.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the configuration comprises a multiplication parameter predefined as a constant throughout the game or a plurality of predefined multiplication parameters corresponding to different points of a game flow.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the multiplication parameter is provided by a player together with the multiplication proposal and/or with reply thereof.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the tournament limits comprise a multiplication guarantee limit defined for each player and/or certain groups of players and/or globally to the game.

29. The method of claim 25 further comprising re-configuring at least one tournament limit in accordance with obtained multiplication proposal and/or reply thereof and/or data obtained from at least one element from the group comprising the gaming server, the billing unit and the storage unit.

30. The method of claim 25 further comprising automated triggering of a multiplication proposal option, thus facilitating a player to provide the multiplication proposal.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the automated triggering comprises automated recognition of a certain point in the game flow where the multiplication is allowed by the accommodated and automated verifying if this point meets the accommodated conditions for automated triggering, said verification provided in accordance with accommodated configuration and data obtained from at least one element from the group comprising the gaming server, the billing unit and the storage unit.

32. The method of claim 25 wherein the automated authorization comprises verifying at least one of the following:

a) if respective player is allowed to provide the multiplication proposal;

b) if the winning pool resulting from the obtained multiplication proposal fits the tournament limits,

c) if the multiplication guarantee obtained from the respective player fits the tournament pre-defined value,

wherein said verification is provided in accordance with accommodated configuration and data obtained from at least one element from the group comprising the gaming server, the billing unit and the storage unit.

33. The method of claim 25 further comprising automated defining the players who shall reply to the multiplication proposal in accordance with accommodated configuration and data obtained from at least one element from the group comprising the gaming server, the billing unit and the storage unit;

and presenting the multiplication proposal accordingly.

34. A computer program comprising computer program code means for performing all the steps of claim 25 when said program is run on a computer.

35. A computer program as claimed in claim 34 embodied on a computer readable medium.

43. The system of claim 35 wherein the automated authorization comprises verifying at least one of the following:

a) if respective player is allowed to provide the multiplication proposal;

b) if the winning pool resulting from the obtained multiplication proposal fits the tournament limits,

c) if the multiplication guarantee obtained from the respective player fits the tournament pre-defined value,

wherein said verification is provided in accordance with accommodated configuration and data obtained from at least one element from the group comprising the gaming server, the billing unit and the storage unit.

36. A computerized multiplayer tournament gaming system comprising a gaming server operatively coupled to a billing unit and a storage unit, wherein the system further comprises:

a) a multiplier module operatively coupled to at least one element of a group comprising the gaming server, the billing unit and the storage unit;

b) at least one element of said group is configured to provide game-related data and/or player-related data to the multiplier module;

c) the multiplier module is configured;

i) to accommodate a configuration comprising one or more predefined and/or configurable rules for multiplication of stakes and/or a winning pool, and/or conditions thereof, and/or one or more parameters of said multiplication, and/or one or more tournament limits;

ii) to obtain game-related data and/or player-related data from at least one element of said group;

iii) to facilitate obtaining a multiplication proposal from a player;

iv) to process the obtained data and the obtained multiplication proposal in accordance with the accommodated rules and conditions in order to provide an automated authorization of the proposal,

v) to facilitate presenting the authorized proposal to one or more other players and obtaining one or more respective replies, and

vi) to inform the game server and/or the billing unit with regard to the multiplication proposal and reply thereof.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the configuration comprises a multiplication parameter predefined as a constant throughout the game or a plurality of predefined multiplication parameters corresponding to different points of a game flow.

38. The system of claim 36 wherein the multiplication parameter is provided by a player together with the multiplication proposal and/or with reply thereof.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein the tournament limits comprise a multiplication guarantee limit defined for each player and/or certain groups of players and/or globally to the game.

40. The system of claim 36 wherein the multiplier module is further configured to re-configure at least one tournament limit in accordance with obtained multiplication proposal and/or reply thereof and/or data obtained from at least one element from the group comprising the gaming server, the billing unit and the storage unit.

41. The system of claim 36 wherein the multiplier module is further configured to trigger a multiplication proposal option, thus facilitating a player to provide the multiplication proposal.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein:

a) at least one element from the group comprising the gaming server, the billing unit and the storage unit is configured to recognize a certain point in the game flow where the multiplication is allowed and to provide respective data to the multiplier module accordingly;

b) the multiplier module is configured to verify if this point meets the accommodated conditions for automated triggering, said verification to be provided in accordance with accommodated configuration and said provided respective data.

44. The system of claim 36 wherein the multiplier module is further configured to define the players who shall reply to the multiplication proposal in accordance with accommodated configuration and data obtained from at least one element from the group comprising the gaming server, the billing unit and the storage unit;

and to facilitate presenting the multiplication proposal accordingly.

45. A multiplier module configured for use with a computerized multiplayer tournament gaming system comprising a gaming server operatively coupled to a billing unit and a storage unit, wherein said multiplier module is operatively coupled to at least one element of a group comprising the gaming server, the billing unit and the storage unit and configured:

a) to accommodate a configuration comprising one or more predefined and/or configurable rules for multiplication of stakes and/or a winning pool, conditions thereof, one or more parameters of said multiplication, and one or more tournament limits;

b) to obtain game-related data and/or player-related data from at least one element of said group;

c) to facilitate obtaining a multiplication proposal from a player;

d) to process the obtained data and the obtained multiplication proposal in accordance with the accommodated rules and conditions in order to provide an automated authorization of the proposal,

e) to facilitate presenting the authorized proposal to one or more other players and obtaining one or more respective replies, and

f) to inform the game server and/or the billing unit with regard to the multiplication proposal and reply thereof.

46. The multiplier module of claim 45 further configured to obtain data from at least one element of said group in a pull mode.

47. The multiplier module of claim 45 further configured to obtain data from at least one element from said group in a push mode upon occurring a certain predefined event.

48. A method of playing a computerized multiplayer tournament game, the method comprising:

a) setting one or more rules for multiplication of stakes and/or a winning pool, conditions thereof, one or more parameters of said multiplication, and one or more tournament limits;

b) facilitating obtaining a multiplication proposal from a player;

c) automated authorization of the proposal in accordance with said rules and conditions;

d) presenting the authorized proposal to one or more other players and facilitating obtaining one or more respective replies,

automated executing the game rules corresponding to the obtained replies.