METHOD OF ENABLING RESTORATION OF GAMES AND A METHOD OF RESTORING GAMES

• US 20110151979A1
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Boesen, John Leslie, Chim, Chi We
• Granted Patent: US 10,453,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• 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 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

There is disclosed a method for enabling restoration of games. The method comprises receiving a request for subsequent restoration of a game at a gaming device, selecting one of a plurality of game state identifiers associated with respective ones of a plurality of game states based on a current game state presented at the gaming device, and issuing the game state identifier. There is also disclosed a method for restoring games. The method comprises receiving a game state identifier, and restoring a game at a gaming device to one of a plurality of game states associated with respective ones of a plurality of game state identifiers based on the game state identifier.

Claims

1. A method for enabling restoration of games, comprising:

receiving a request for subsequent restoration of a game at a gaming device;

selecting one of a plurality of game state identifiers associated with respective ones of a plurality of game states based on a current game state presented at the gaming device; and

issuing the game state identifier.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each game state corresponds to a stage of the game.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each game state is associated with a game state identifier by mapping the game state to the game state identifier.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein issuing the game state identifier comprises printing a ticket comprising the game state identifier.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein issuing the game state identifier comprises transmitting a Short Messaging Service (SMS) message comprising the game state identifier.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

making a request for a session identifier from a server; and

issuing the session identifier.

7. A game controller for a gaming device, the game controller configured to:

receive a request for subsequent restoration of a game at the gaming device;

select one of a plurality of game state identifiers associated with respective ones of a plurality of game states based on a current game state presented at the gaming device; and

issue the game state identifier.

8. A game controller as claimed in claim 7, wherein each game state corresponds to a stage of the game.

9. A game controller as claimed in claim 7, wherein each game state is associated with a game state identifier by a game mapper configured to map a game state to a game state identifier.

10. A game controller as claimed in claim 7, wherein the game controller is further configured to communicate with a ticket printer for printing a ticket comprising the game state identifier.

11. A game controller as claimed in claim 7, wherein the game controller is further configured to communicate with an identifier transmitter for transmitting a Short Messaging Service (SMS) message comprising the game state identifier.

12. A game controller as claimed in claim 7, wherein the game controller is further configured to:

make a request for a session identifier from a server; and

issue the session identifier.

13. A method for restoring games, comprising:

receiving a game state identifier; and

restoring a game at a gaming device to one of a plurality of game states associated with respective ones of a plurality of game state identifiers based on the game state identifier.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein each game state corresponds to a stage of the game.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein each game state is associated with a game state identifier by mapping the game state to the game state identifier.

16. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein receiving a game state identifier comprises reading a ticket comprising the game state identifier.

17. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein receiving a game state identifier comprises receiving input comprising the game state identifier.

18. A method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

communicating a session identifier to a server; and

receiving a communication in respect of whether the session identifier has been used previously to restore a game.

19. A game controller for a gaming device, the game controller configured to:

receive a game state identifier; and

restore a game at the gaming device to one of a plurality of game states associated with respective ones of a plurality of game state identifiers based on the game state identifier.

20. A game controller as claimed in claim 19, wherein a game state corresponds to a stage of the game.

21. A game controller as claimed in claim 19, wherein each game state is associated with a game state identifier by a game mapper configured to map a game state to a game state identifier.

22. A game controller as claimed in claim 19, wherein the game controller is further configured to communicate with a ticket reader for reading a ticket comprising the game state identifier.

23. A game controller as claimed in claim 19, wherein the game controller is further configured to communicate with a keypad for receiving input comprising the game state identifier.

24. A game controller as claimed in claim 19, wherein the game controller is further configured to:

communicate with an interface for communicating a session identifier to a server; and

receive a communication in respect of whether the session identifier has been used previously to restore a game.

25. A gaming system comprising:

a display for presenting play of a game to a player; and

a game controller configured to;

receive a request for subsequent restoration of a game;

select one of a plurality of game state identifiers associated with respective ones of a plurality of game states based on a current game state presented at the gaming system; and

issue the game state identifier.

26. A gaming system comprising:

a display for presenting play of a game to a player; and

a game controller configured to;

receive a game state identifier; and

restore the game to one of a plurality of game states associated with respective ones of a plurality of game state identifiers based on the game state identifier.

27. A gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet;

a display mounted within the cabinet for presenting play of a game to a player;

one or more input devices operable by a player to place a wager and initiate play of the game; and

a game controller in data communication with the one or more input devices and the display, the game controller comprising a processor arranged to execute program code stored in a memory in order to conduct the game in response to operation of the one or more input devices, the program code including instructions such that in at least occasionally, the game controller, will as part of game play;

receive a request for subsequent restoration of the game;

select one of a plurality of game state identifiers associated with respective ones of a plurality of game states based on a current game state presented at the gaming machine; and

issue the game state identifier.

28. A gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet;

a display mounted within the cabinet for presenting play of a game to a player;

one or more input devices operable by a player to place a wager and initiate play of the game; and

a game controller in data communication with the one or more input devices and the display, the game controller comprising a processor arranged to execute program code stored in a memory in order to conduct the game in response to operation of the one or more input devices, the program code including instructions such that in at least occasionally, the game controller, will as part of game play;

receive a game state identifier; and

restore the game to one of a plurality of game states associated with respective ones of a plurality of game state identifiers based on the game state identifier.

29. A gaming system comprising:

means for displaying play of a game to a player;

means for receiving a request for subsequent restoration of the game;

means for selecting one of a plurality of game state identifiers associated with respective ones of a plurality of game states based on a current game state presented at the gaming system; and

means for issuing the game state identifier.

30. A gaming system comprising:

means for displaying play of a game to a player;

means for receiving a game state identifier;

means for restoring the game to one of a plurality of game states associated with respective ones of a plurality of game state identifiers based on the game state identifier.

31. A game controller for a gaming system, comprising:

a restoration request receiver arranged to receive a request for subsequent restoration of a game at the gaming device;

a game state identifier selector arranged to select one of a plurality of game state identifiers associated with respective ones of a plurality of game states based on a current game state presented at the gaming device; and

a game state issuer arranged to issue the game state identifier.

32. A game controller for a gaming system, comprising:

a game state identifier receiver arranged to receive a game state identifier; and

a game state restorer arranged to restore a game at the gaming device to one of a plurality of game states associated with respective ones of a plurality of game state identifiers based on the game state identifier.

33. A tangible computer readable medium comprising computer program code which, when executed, implements a method for enabling restoration of games, comprising:

receiving a request for subsequent restoration of a game at a gaming device;

selecting one of a plurality of game state identifiers associated with respective ones of a plurality of game states based on a current game state presented at the gaming device; and

issuing the game state identifier.

34. A tangible computer readable medium comprising computer program code which, when executed, implements a method for restoring games, comprising:

receiving a game state identifier; and

restoring a game at a gaming device to one of a plurality of game states associated with respective ones of a plurality of game state identifiers based on the game state identifier.