Computer network for controlling and monitoring gaming devices

• US 6,257,981 B1
• Filed: 09/02/1997
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Acres Gaming Incorporated (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Acres, John F., Wiebenson, David, Ginsburg, Alec
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRISON, JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US08/922,046
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/25, 463/26, 463/27, 463/28, 463/42, 463/40
• US Class Current: 463/26
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

A system for monitoring and configuring gaming devices interconnected over a high-speed network is disclosed. The system can support a file server, one or more floor controllers, one or more pit terminals, and other terminals all interconnected over the network. Each gaming device includes an electronic module which allows the gaming device to communicate with a floor controller over a current loop network. The electronic module includes a player tracking module and a data communication node. The player tracking module includes a card reader for detecting a player tracking card inserted therein which identifies the player. The data communication node communicates with both the floor controller and the gaming device. The data communication node communicates with the gaming device over a serial interface through which the data communication node transmits reconfiguration commands. The gaming device reconfigures its payout schedule responsive to the reconfiguration commands to provide a variety of promotional bonuses such as multiple jackpot bonuses, mystery jackpot bonuses, progressive jackpot bonuses, or player specific bonuses.

Claims

1. A method of operating gaming devices interconnected by a computer network to a host computer having a user-generated input device comprising:

associating each gaming device with a unique address code;

selecting less than all of the gaming devices interconnected by the host computer responsive to a user-effected action at the input device which identifies the selected gaming devices with the respective associated address codes;

using the network to track the amount of money played on the selected gaming devices;

allocating a predefined percentage of the money played to a bonus pool;

providing data establishing at least one criterion to cause a bonus to be paid from the pool via at least one of said selected gaming devices upon the occurrence of a predefined event;

storing the data in a memory connected to a controller associated with only one of the gaming devices;

transmitting data indicative of gaming device activity from the gaming device to the controller;

transmitting a pay command from the controller to the gaming device upon the occurrence of the predefined event; and

paying money from the bonus pool via the gaming device responsive to receipt of the pay command.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the predefined event comprises a predefined transaction at the gaming device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said predefined transaction comprises making a wager at the gaming device.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said predefined transaction comprises a handle pull at the gaming device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein providing data establishing at least one criterion to cause a bonus to be paid from the pool via at least one of said selected gaming devices upon the occurrence of a predefined event comprises providing data causing money to be paid from the pool via at least one of said selected gaming devices only if predefined minimum gaming device play is achieved.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said predefined event comprises transmission of a pay command from the host computer to the controller.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said method further includes:

initiating a bonus period after the bonus pool exceeds a predefined level; and

transmitting the pay command only during a bonus period.

54. The method according to any of the preceding claims wherein said gaming devices comprise electronic gaming devices.

8. A method of operating gaming devices interconnected by a computer network to a host computer comprising:

using the network to detect wagers made at the gaming devices;

allocating a predetermined percentage of the wagers to a bonus pool;

determining the level of the pool;

establishing a predetermined pool level;

establishing a predetermined minimum level of gaming device play; and

initiating a bonus period when the pool exceeds the predetermined level during which gaming devices that exceed the minimum level of gaming device play at the start of the bonus period are eligible to be paid a bonus responsive to the occurrence of a predetermined event and gaming devices that do not exceed the minimum level of gaming device play at the start of the bonus period are not eligible for such a bonus.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said method further comprises transmitting a command over the network to the gaming devices when the bonus period is initiated.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the predetermined event comprises random selection of one of the gaming devices.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said method further comprises paying a bonus to the selected gaming device.

12. The method of claim 11 where in paying a bonus to the selected gaming device comprises transmitting a pay command over the network from the host computer to the selected gaming device.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein said method further comprises paying a bonus to a gaming device responsive to a pay command transmitted from the host computer over the network.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein paying a bonus to a gaming device responsive to a pay command transmitted from the host computer over the network further comprises advancing a credit meter on the gaming device.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein said method further includes indicating to a player of the gaming device whether or not the gaming device is eligible to be paid a bonus.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein using the network to detect wagers made at the gaming devices comprises transmitting coin-in information from the gaming devices to the host computer.

17. The method of claim 8 wherein establishing a predetermined minimum level of gaming device play comprises establishing a predetermined minimum rate of gaming device play.

18. The method of claim 8 wherein said method further includes a network transmission to the electronic gaming devices when the bonus period is initiated.

19. The method of claim 8 wherein said predetermined event comprises a predetermined number of wagers placed at the gaming devices.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said predetermined number of wagers is randomly selected.

21. The method of claim 8 wherein said method further comprises paying bonuses to the eligible gaming devices after initiating the bonus period.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said method further includes:

deducting bonuses paid from the bonus pool; and

ending the bonus period when the pool drops below a second predetermined level.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said second predetermined level is substantially the same as the first-mentioned predetermined level.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein paying bonuses to the eligible gaming devices after initiating the bonus period comprises paying bonuses to randomly selected gaming devices.

25. A method of operating gaming devices configured to play a preselected game interconnected by a computer network to a host computer comprising:

permitting players to play the preselected game at the gaming devices;

paying via each device in accordance with a payout table stored in the device after each game;

monitoring the activity of the gaming devices;

detecting the amount of money played on the gaming devices;

allocating a predefined percentage of the money played to a bonus pool;

determining the level of the bonus pool;

initiating a bonus period after the bonus pool exceeds a predefined level;

permitting continued play of the preselected game at the gaming devices;

continuing to pay via each device in accordance with the payout table after initiating the bonus period; and

paying a bonus via at least one of the gaming devices responsive to the occurrence of a predefined event after initiating the bonus period.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said method further comprises:

detecting the amount of money paid as bonuses;

modifying the bonus pool by the amount of money paid as bonuses;

determining the level of the bonus pool; and

ending the bonus period after the bonus pool level falls below a turn-off level.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said turn-on level is above said turn-off level.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein initiating a bonus period comprises transmitting a command over the network to the gaming devices.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the predefined event comprises a jackpot paid via at least one of the gaming devices.

30. The method of claim 25 wherein the predefined event comprises random selection of one of the gaming devices.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said method further comprises indicating to the player of the gaming device whether or not the gaming device is eligible to be paid a bonus.

32. The method of claim 25 wherein paying a bonus via at least one of the gaming devices comprises paying a bonus via at least one gaming device responsive to a pay command transmitted from the host computer over the network.

33. The method of claim 25 wherein said method further includes:

defining at least one bonus eligibility criterion; and

paying a bonus only via gaming devices which meet the definition.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the criterion comprises a minimum level of gaming device play.

35. The method of claim 25 wherein said method further comprises:

determining the level of play for a gaming device;

preventing a bonus from being paid when the level of play falls below a predefined level.

36. A method of operating gaming devices interconnected by a computer network to a host computer having a user-operated input device comprising:

associating each gaming device with a unique address code;

selecting less than all of the gaming devices interconnected by the computer network responsive to a user-effected action at the input device which identifies the selected gaming devices with the respective associated address codes;

using the network to track activity of the selected gaming devices;

allocating a predefined percentage of the money wagered to a bonus pool;

determining a bonus award to be paid from the bonus pool via at least one of said selected gaming devices;

generating data indicating the amount of the bonus award;

transmitting the data over the network to said one gaming device; and

paying the bonus award via at least said one gaming device.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein selecting less than all of the gaming devices interconnected by the computer network responsive to a user-effected action at the input device which identifies the selected gaming devices with the respective associated address codes comprises creating a table having a list of the unique address codes for each gaming device.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein creating a table having a list of the unique address codes for each gaming device comprises sequentially adding each unique address code to the table.

39. The method of claim 36 wherein using the network to track activity of the selected gaming devices comprises detecting the amount wagered at each of the selected gaming devices.

40. The method of claim 36 wherein selecting less than all of the gaming devices responsive to a user-effected action at the input device comprises selecting a first group of gaming devices and wherein said method further comprises:

selecting a second group of the gaming devices responsive to a user-effected action at the input device which identifies the selected gaming devices with the respective associated address codes;

generating data indicating that amount of a second bonus award;

transmitting the data over the network to one of said gaming devices in the second group; and

paying the second bonus award via at least said one gaming device in the second group.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein said method further includes using the network to track the activity of all of the gaming devices in the network substantially simultaneously with all of the preceding steps.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein said gaming devices are each associated with a card reader which is operatively connected to said network and wherein said method further comprises:

detecting a player of the gaming devices responsive to entry of a unique player identification card into the card reader;

transmitting the amount of money played at each gaming device by the player from the gaming device to the host computer; and

creating a player account which tracks the activity of the player on the gaming devices.

43. The method of claim 36 wherein paying via at least said one gaming device comprises paying coins from a hopper at said one gaming device.

44. The method of claim 36 wherein paying via at least said one gaming device comprises applying credits to a credit meter at said one gaming device.

45. The method of claim 36 wherein said method further comprises paying the entire bonus pool via said one gaming device.

46. The method of claim 36 wherein said method further includes:

initiating a bonus period after the bonus pool exceeds a predefined level; and

paying the bonus award only during a bonus period.

48. The method of claim 42 wherein the predefined event comprises a predefined transaction at the gaming device.

50. The method of claim 48 wherein said predefined transaction comprises a jackpot at the gaming device.

51. The method of claim 48 wherein said predefined transaction comprises playing a game at the gaming device.

47. A method of operating gaming devices interconnected by a computer network to a host computer comprising:

providing data establishing at least one criterion to cause a bonus to be paid via at least one of the gaming devices upon the occurrence of a predefined event;

storing the data in a memory connected to a controller associated with only one of the gaming devices;

using the network to track the amount of money played on the gaming devices;

allocating a predefined percentage of the money played to a bonus pool;

transmitting data indicative of gaming device activity from the gaming device to the controller;

initiating a bonus period after the bonus pool exceeds a predefined level;

transmitting a pay command from the controller to the gaming device upon the occurrence of the predefined event; and

paying a bonus via the gaming device responsive to receipt of the pay command.

49. The method of claim 47 wherein said predefined transaction comprises making a wager at the gaming device.

52. The method of claim 47 wherein providing data establishing at least one criterion to cause a bonus to be paid via one of the gaming devices upon the occurrence of a predefined event comprises providing data causing the bonus to be paid only if predefined minimum gaming device activity is achieved.

53. The method of claim 47 wherein said predefined event comprises transmission of a pay command from the host computer to the controller.