CONTROLLING WAGERING TRANSACTIONS FOR MULTI-PROVIDER GAME CONTENT

• US 20110009188A1
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Agarwal, Vijay K., Parra, Jacqueline F., Burke, Mary M., Pace, Mark C., Pryor, David M., Grabiec, Jacek A., Dinovo, Timothy F., Gangadharan, Magesh, Halprin, James S., Buchholz, Dale R., Adiraju, Srinivyasa M., Ward, Matthew J.
• Application Number:
  US12/918,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20110009188A1
• 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 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

Described herein are processes and devices that control wagering transactions for multi-provider game content. One of the devices described is a wagering game system. The wagering game system can process a plurality of wagering games from multiple wagering game providers on a single wagering game machine during a single wagering game session. The system can communicate wagering transaction information for the plurality of wagering games between the wagering game machine and an account server. The wagering game system can synchronize a session funds balance on the wagering game machine with an account balance on the account server. The system can utilize different modes of synchronizing the account information for the multiple wagering games.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

tracking wagering transactions, for primary wagering game content, using a first funds tracking mode, wherein the primary wagering game content is provided to a wagering game machine by a first wagering game provider;

detecting a request to process secondary wagering game content on the wagering game machine, wherein the secondary wagering game content is provided by a second wagering game provider, and wherein the secondary wagering game content uses a second funds tracking mode different from the first funds tracking mode;

transitioning the tracking of the wagering transactions for the primary wagering game content from the first funds tracking mode to the second funds tracking mode; and

tracking wagering transactions for both the primary wagering game content and the secondary wagering game content using the second funds tracking mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wagering game provider is a first wagering game manufacturer store and the secondary wagering game provider is a second wagering game manufacturer store.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first funds tracking mode is any one or more of a cash-based funds tracking mode and a ticket-based funds tracking mode, and the second funds tracking mode is an account-based funds tracking mode.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the transitioning the tracking of the wagering transactions for the primary wagering game content comprises performing, before transitioning into an account-based funds tracking mode, any one or more of transferring funds on the wagering game machine to an account and cashing out funds on the wagering game machine for the primary game.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking wagering transactions for both the primary wagering game content and the secondary wagering game content uses an account-based funds tracking mode, and wherein the tracking comprises:

reporting wagers for both the primary wagering game content and the secondary wagering game content to an account server;

receiving a verification message from the account server that a player account has sufficient funds to place the wagers;

subtracting the wagers from a funds meter on the wagering game machine that tracks an account balance;

activating the primary wagering game content and secondary wagering game content;

determining wagering game outcomes for both the primary wagering game content and the secondary wagering game content; and

adding win amounts from any one or more of the primary wagering game content and the secondary wagering game content to the funds meter on the wagering game machine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking wagering transactions for both the primary wagering game content and the secondary wagering game content comprises:

storing a plurality of wagering transactions for both the primary wagering game content and the secondary wagering game content on the wagering game machine for a plurality of game plays; and

reconciling the plurality of wagering transactions with an account server to update a player account balance after the plurality of game plays.

7. One or more machine-readable media having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a set of one or more processors causes the set of one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

detecting a request to process a plurality of wagering games from multiple wagering game providers on a wagering game machine during a single wagering game session;

communicating wagering transactions for the plurality of wagering games to a wagering game player account stored on an account server; and

synchronizing a session funds balance on the wagering game machine with an account balance for the wagering game player account.

8. The machine-readable media of claim 7, wherein the communicating and synchronizing comprises:

communicating the wagering transactions for the plurality of wagering games to the account server after every wagering game outcome during the wagering game session; and

restricting wagering game play on the wagering game machine until the session funds balance and the account balance are synchronized after every wagering game outcome.

9. The machine-readable media of claim 7, wherein the communicating and coordinating comprises:

communicating the wagering transactions for the plurality of wagering games to the account server after every wager and after every wagering game outcome during the wagering game session; and

restricting wagering game play on the wagering game machine until the session funds balance and the account balance are synchronized after every wager and wagering game outcome.

10. The machine-readable media of claim 7, wherein the communicating and coordinating comprises:

storing a plurality of wagering transactions on the wagering game server for a plurality of wagers and wagering game outcomes;

communicating the plurality of wagering transactions as a single communication to the account server; and

restricting wagering game play until the session funds balance and the account balance are synchronized.

11. The machine-readable media of claim 7, further comprising

detecting a long running wagering game, initiated during the wagering game session, that continues to run after the wagering game session has ended;

detecting a wagering game outcome for the long running game; and

updating the account balance with any winning amounts generated from the wagering game outcome.

12. A system comprising:

a primary wagering game server configured to provide primary wagering game content;

a secondary wagering game server configured to provide secondary wagering game content;

a wagering game machine configured to simultaneously process a first wagering game using the primary wagering game content and a second wagering game using the secondary wagering game content; and

an account server configured to track wagering account information related to both the first wagering game and the second wagering game.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the primary wagering game server is configured to serve wagering games created by a first wagering game manufacturer and the second wagering game server is configured to serve wagering games created by a second wagering game manufacturer.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a coordination unit configured to synchronize a wagering game session balance on the wagering game machine with a wagering player account balance on the account server during a wagering game session for both the first wagering game and the second wagering game.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the coordination unit is further configured to determine one or more synchronization modes for synchronizing the wagering game session balance and the wagering player account balance depending on any one or more of communication network bandwidth, player account preferences, system configuration settings, wagering game durations, and synchronization control rules.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising utilizing more than one synchronization mode during the wagering game session.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the wagering game machine comprises any one or more of meters and controls to control wagering activity for both the first wagering game and the second wagering game.

18. An apparatus comprising:

an account controller to control wagering transactions on a wagering game network;

an account store to store financial account information related to a wagering game player account; and

an account processor configured to

receive wagering transaction values for a plurality of wagering games during a wagering game session, wherein the plurality of wagering games originate from multiple wagering game providers and are processed on a single wagering game machine;

update a player account balance using the wagering transaction values for the plurality of wagering games, and

generate a verification message to send to the wagering game machine to indicate that the player account balance is updated.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the account processor is further configured to determine one or more synchronization modes for synchronizing the player account balance with a wagering game session balance on the wagering game machine based on synchronization control rules, wherein the synchronization control rules indicate a timing schedule for synchronizing the player account balance.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a

a content controller configured to provide control information for controlling the presentation of wagering game content for the plurality of wagering games, wherein the content controller is configured to generate control information to restrict presentation of the wagering game content until the account processor generates the verification message.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the account processor is further configured to provide access to a social network account, and

communicate social network account information generated while processing any one or more of the primary wagering game content and the secondary wagering game content.

22. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving primary wagering game content from a first wagering game provider;

means for receiving secondary wagering game content from a second wagering game provider;

means for detecting a wager amount for both the primary wagering game content and the secondary wagering game content;

means for restricting game play until the wager amount can be verified with an account server;

means for reporting the wager amount to the account server;

means receiving a first verification message from the account server that a player account has a sufficient balance to transact the wager amount;

means for subtracting the wager amount from a funds meter on the wagering game machine that tracks a wagering game session balance; and

means for unrestricting game play.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising

means for determining wagering game outcomes for both the primary wagering game content and the secondary wagering game content;

means for adding win amounts to the funds meter on the wagering game machine;

means for reporting the win amounts to the account server; and

means for receiving a second verification message from the account server that the account balance has been updated on the account server.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for receiving the primary wagering game content and the secondary wagering game content comprises

means for transitioning a cash-based funds tracking mode for the primary wagering game content to an account-based funds tracking mode;

and

means for tracking both the primary wagering game content and the secondary wagering game content using the account-based funds tracking mode.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein unrestricting game play comprises:

means for activating the primary wagering game content and secondary wagering game content simultaneously with a single activation instruction.