Progressive gaming system

• US 5,855,515 A
• Filed: 09/30/1996
• Issued: 01/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Game Technology
• Original Assignee: International Game Technology
• Inventors: Reddicks, Chris D., Pease, Logan L., Crevelt, Dwight E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US08/722,374
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 463/40, 463/41, 463/42, 463/25, 463/26, 463/27, 463/29, 273/143 R, 273/410
• US Class Current: 463/27
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/0017 progressive jackpot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A progressive gaming system with wide applicability to a potentially large number of players is provided. A three-level hierarchy can be used in which a portion of wagers and individual terminals are earmarked for contribution to a progressive jackpot, each casino is allotted one chance at a prize for each threshold amount of contribution and a win/loss decision is made, for each such chance, by a central computer system.

Claims

1. Apparatus for a progressive gaming system comprising:

first and second pluralities of gaming terminals in first and second locations, each gaming terminal configured for receiving wagers from players, and having a card reader for reading a card which identifies a player at said gaming terminal;

first and second computer network systems coupled to said first and second pluralities of gaming terminals respectively;

each network system receiving from said coupled plurality of gaming terminals information related to the amount of wagers placed on said gaming terminals by said players and information indicating the identity of the players in accordance with the identities indicated by said card readers;

first and second computers coupled to said first and second networks and having a communication link to a central computer system;

said first and second computers configured to communicate to said central system, the magnitude of a contribution from said first and second pluralities of gaming terminals respectively towards a progressive prize;

said central computer system configured to periodically poll said first and second computers, wherein said first and second computers, in response to said polling, transmit to said central computer system an indication of said contribution, said central computer system adding said contributions to said progressive prize;

said central computer system generating a random number between 1 and a predetermined odds number comparing said random number to a stored winning number and, when said generated random number matches said stored winning number, said central system communicating a win decision to at least one of said first and second computers;

wherein said one computer, in response to receipt of said win decision, generates a signal to notify at least one of said players that said player has won said progressive prize;

wherein there is no direct communication between said gaming terminals and said central computer system.