Automated play gaming device

• US 6,244,957 B1
• Filed: 11/09/1999
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Sparico, Thomas M., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gerrity, Stephen F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARADISO, JOHN ROGER
• Application Number:
  US09/437,204
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/17, 463/40, 273/292, 273/293, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A method and device for automated, repetitive play of a gaming device, such as a slot machine. A player enters player identifying information and player parameter selections at a gaming device. The gaming device stores the player parameter selections and proceeds to initiate automated play of the gaming device. Such automated play occurs while the gaming device is unattended by the player, while a remote communications device, such as a pager, transmits certain results to the player. Furthermore, no other player may use the gaming device during such automated play. The automated play session ends upon occurrence of a limiting criterion such as the expiration of funds, or upon the manual termination of the automated play session by an external action.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving first data representative of at least one of a lock end time, maximum number of plays, total payout, total losses, maximum payout, current credit balance, number of plays without a win, number of plays without a loss, rate of losing, and rate of winning;

transmitting locking data to a gaming device;

initiating automated play of the gaming device; and

terminating automated play of the gaming device based upon the received first data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first data further includes a start lock time.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of initiating automated play occurs at the start lock time.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first data includes a delay period.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein automated play is paused for the delay period between plays of the gaming device.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the delay period is equal to zero.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first data includes a play rate.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the automated play occurs at the play rate.

9. The method of claim 1 further including the step of transmitting second data representative of at least one of balance information, status information, actual limiting values, and audit information.

10. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

transmitting second data representative of payout amounts per play; and

simulating play outcome information based upon the second data.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein payouts are awarded for winning outcomes and wherein the amount of the payouts varies based upon at least one of a time of day, a day of the week, and an amount of gaming activity occurring on associated gaming devices.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein payouts awarded for winning outcomes are determined based on at least one of a plurality of payout tables and further including the step of:

selecting the at least one payout table based upon at least one of a time of day, a day of the week, and an amount of gaming activity occurring on associated gaming devices.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the payout tables include different payout amounts relative to each other.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein a payout table having relatively higher payout amounts is selected during off peak hours.

15. The method of claim 1 further including the step of storing a record of the automated play.

16. The method of claim 15 further including the step of transmitting second data representative of the record of the automated play.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the first data further includes at least one decision rule.

18. The method of claim 1 further including the step of adjusting a balance of an account for each play of the automated play.

19. The method of claim 18 further including the step of receiving third data representative of at least one of funds transfer instructions into the account and funds transfer instructions out of the account.

20. The method of claim 18 further including the step of adding to the balance of the account via a casino cashier while the automated play continues.

21. The method of claim 18 further including the step of subtracting from the balance of the account via a casino cashier while the automated play continues.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver operative to receive first data representative of at least one of a lock end time, maximum number of plays, total payout, total losses, maximum payout, current credit balance, number of plays without a win, number of plays without a loss, rate of losing, and rate of winning and operative to receive locking data; and

a gaming device coupled to the receiver and operative to play automatically until a play termination condition, as indicated by the first data, exists.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first data further includes a start lock time.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the gaming device is operative to initiate automated play at the start lock time.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first data includes a delay period.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the gaming device is operative to pause automated play between plays for the delay period.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the delay period is equal to zero.

28. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first data includes a play rate.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the gaming device is operative to automatically play at the play rate.

30. The apparatus of claim 22 further including a transmitter coupled to the gaming device and operative to transmit second data representative of at least one of balance information, status information, actual limiting values, and audit information.

31. The apparatus of claim 22 further including:

a transmitter coupled to the gaming device and operative to transmit second data representative of payout amounts per play; and

a device operative to receive the second data and simulate play outcome information based upon the second data.

32. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the gaming device is operative to award payouts for winning outcomes and wherein an amount of the payouts varies based upon at least one of a time of day, a day of the week, and an amount of gaming activity occurring on associated gaming devices.

33. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the gaming device is operative to award payouts for winning outcomes and wherein the payouts are based upon at least one of a plurality of payout tables and wherein the at least one payout table is selected based upon at least one of a time of day, a day of the week, and an amount of gaming activity occurring on associated gaming devices.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the payout tables include different payout amounts relative to each other.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the gaming device is operative to select a payout table having relatively higher payout amounts during off peak hours.

36. The apparatus of claim 22 further including a storage device operative to store a record of the automated play.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 further including a transmitter coupled to the gaming device and operative to transmit second data representative of the record of the automated play.

38. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first data further includes at least one decision rule.

39. The apparatus of claim 22 further including a server coupled to the gaming device, the server including a balance associated with a player of the gaming device and wherein the gaming device is operative to adjust the balance in the server in response to each play of the gaming device.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the receiver is further operative to receive third data representative of at least one of funds transfer instructions into the server and funds transfer instructions out of the server.

41. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the accounting system includes an interface operative to allow transfer of funds to and from the balance in the server while the automated play continues.

42. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable medium having a computer readable instructions embodied thereon, the computer readable instructions comprising means for receiving first data representative of at least one of a lock end time, maximum number of plays, total payout, total losses, maximum payout, current credit balance, number of plays without a win, number of plays without a loss, rate of losing, and rate of winning;

means for initiating automated play of a gaming device;

means for receiving locking data; and

means for terminating automated play of the gaming device based upon the received first data.

43. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable medium having a computer readable program code embodied thereon, said computer readable program code operable to execute on a processor to receive first data representative of at least one of a lock end time, maximum number of plays, total payout, total losses, maximum payout, current credit balance, number of plays without a win, number of plays without a loss, rate of losing, and rate of winning;

receive locking data;

initiate automated play of a gaming device; and

terminate automated play of the gaming device based upon the received first data.

44. A transmission medium for transmitting a signal representative of processing instructions for controlling a processor to receive first data representative of at least one of a lock end time, maximum number of plays, total payout, total losses, maximum payout, current credit balance, number of plays without a win, number of plays without a loss, rate of losing, and rate of winning;

receive locking data;

initiate automated play of a gaming device; and

terminate automated play of the gaming device based upon the received first data.

45. A transmission medium for transmitting a signal representative of processing instructions for controlling a processor to execute the steps of:

receiving first data representative of at least one of a lock end time, maximum number of plays, total payout, total losses, maximum payout, current credit balance, number of plays without a win, number of plays without a loss, rate of losing, and rate of winning;

receiving locking data;

initiating automated play of a gaming device; and

terminating automated play of the gaming device based upon the received first data.

46. An apparatus comprising:

means for processing first data representative of at least one of a lock end time, maximum number of plays, total payout, total losses, maximum payout, current credit balance, number of plays without a win, number of plays without a loss, rate of losing, and rate of winning;

means for transmitting locking data to a gaming device;

means for automatically playing the gaming device; and

means for halting automated play of the gaming device based upon the first data.