Gaming system with individualized centrally generated random number generator seeds

• US 6,533,664 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2000
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Game Technology
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Crumby, Hardy Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/519,947
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/9-13, 463/16-20, 463/22, 463/25, 463/29, 463/40-42, 700/91-93, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/139, 273/292, 273/293, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/006 electronically
• 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

Abstract

A gaming system is provided in which a plurality of gaming terminals have gaming outcomes that are provided in response to a game outcome seed sent, to the gaming terminals, from a central computer. The game outcome seeds are individualized in the sense that not all gaming terminals in the system use the same seed at the same time. Preferably, seeds are addressed to individual gaming terminals or groups of terminals. Seeds may be transmitted to terminals in response to seed requests output by terminals. In one approach, seeds are generated as needed and/or substantially continuously. In another approach, batches, pools or lists of seeds are generated and a seed request is responded to by drawing a seed from a pre-defined list, until the list is depleted, whereupon a new list or batch is generated. In one approach, one or more lists are generated for each type of game or pay table. Preferably game outcome seeds are associated with tags or other information which can be used for verifying game outcomes and/or avoiding errors or cheating.

Claims

1. A method for operating a gaming system which includes a central computer coupled by a communication link to at least first and second gaming terminals including the steps of:

generating, in a first gaming terminal, a request for a first random number seed from a central computer;

outputting the first random number seed from the central computer addressed to the first gaming terminal;

generating, in a second gaming terminal, a request for a second random number seed from the central computer;

outputting, from the central computer the second random number seed addressed to the second gaming terminal;

generating, in the first gaming terminal, a first gaming output in response to the first random number seed; and

generating in the second gaming terminal, a second gaming output different from the first gaming output in response to the second random number seed.

2. The gaming apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first random number seed request includes a terminal address, a terminal type code and a game type code.

3. The gaming apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first random number seed includes a random number seed field that includes an address, a function code, game type code, a random number seed, a seed identification tag number, a game play win/loss result or an error detection/correction field.

4. The gaming apparatus of claim 3 wherein the random number seed field is embedded in a 112 bit-wide field.

5. A method for using a gaming system including the steps of:

providing a central computer;

coupling the central computer to at least a first gaming terminal having a terminal processor configured for playing a game;

generating, in the first gaming terminal, a request for a first game outcome seed;

transmitting, from the central computer, the first game outcome seed addressed to the first gaming terminal;

initiating play at the first gaming terminal by calculating a first random number in response to a user action occurring at a first time, wherein the first number is based on the first game outcome seed;

generating, in the first gaming terminal, a request for a second game outcome seed;

transmitting, from the central computer, the second game outcome seed to the first gaming terminal; and

initiating play at the first gaming terminal by calculating a second random number in response to a user action occurring at a second time, wherein the second random number is based on the second game outcome seed.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the transmitting of at least the first game outcome seed is performed in response to the first game outcome seed request and the transmission including a terminal address, type of terminal or type of game.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the first game outcome seed is specific to a game type of the first gaming terminal.

8. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the central computer is coupled to a second game terminal and the method further includes the steps of:

generating, in the second gaming terminal, a request for a third outcome seed;

transmitting, from the central computer, the third outcome seed addressed to the second gaming terminal; and

initiating play at the second gaming terminal by calculating a third random number in response to a user action wherein the third random number is different from the first and the second random number.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the games of at least two of the plurality of gaming terminals are different.

10. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the step of transmitting at least the first game outcome seed includes transmitting over a communication link selected from among coaxial, telephone cable, fiber optics, microwave links, and infrared links.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the communication link is used for transmitting a second type of information different from the game outcome seed.

12. A method as claimed in claim 5 further comprising detecting loss of a communication link between the central computer and the gaming terminal.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 further comprising suspending game play in response to the step of detecting loss of a communication link.

14. Apparatus for a gaming system comprising:

a central computer;

a plurality of gaming terminals coupled to the central computer by communication links, each terminal having a terminal processor configured for playing a game;

the central computer being programmed to transmit, upon request from a requesting terminal having a game type, a random number seed from the central computer and addressed to a specific requesting gaming terminal;

the terminal processor of each gaming terminal being programmed to calculate at least a first random number in a range selected for the game of the gaming terminal in response to a user action based on the random number seed requested and received from the central computer.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the random number seed includes a field including the game type.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the random number seed includes a field including a terminal address.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the random number seed includes a field including a function code.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the random number seed includes a field including a seed identification tag number.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the random number seed includes a field including a game play win/loss result.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the random number seed includes a field including an error detection/correction field.

21. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the request includes a game type code.

22. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the request includes a terminal address.

23. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the request includes a terminal type.

24. Apparatus for using a gaming system comprising:

a central computer;

a plurality of gaming terminals means, each terminal means having a terminal processor means configured for playing a game;

means for coupling the central computer to the plurality of the gaming terminals in either a banked or non-banked mode of operation;

means for transmitting a first random number seed from the central computer to an addressed gaming terminal;

means, in the addressed gaming terminal, for initiating play by calculating a first random number in response to a user action occurring at a first time, wherein in the banked mode the first random number is based on the first random number seed requested and received at the addressed gaming terminal from the central computer substantially at the first time;

and in the non-banked mode the first random number is based on the first random number seed requested and received in addition to a quantity of user picks to match the user action received at the addressed gaming terminal from the central computer substantially at the first time.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 24 further comprising:

means for transmitting a second random number seed from the central computer to the addressed gaming terminal;

means in the addressed gaming terminal for initiating play by calculating a second random number in response to a user action occurring at a second time, wherein the second random number is based on the second random number seed requested and received at the addressed gaming terminal from the central computer at substantially the second time.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the means for transmitting includes a processor in the central computer and a stored program.

27. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the means for transmitting includes a processor and a stored program in the addressed gaming terminal.

28. A method for using a gaming system including the steps of:

providing a central computer;

providing a plurality of non-banked gaming terminals;

transmitting requested random number seeds from the central computer to at least some of the plurality of gaming terminals;

wherein during at least a first time period, a first gaming terminal receives a first random number seed and a second gaming terminal receives a second, different random number seed;

receiving a user input at the first gaming terminal at the first time period; and

calculating a first random number at the first gaming terminal based on the received random number seed provided by the central computer so that game results of the first gaming terminal are substantially randomly selected from a predetermined pool of game outcomes.

29. The method of using a gaming system of claim 28 further including the steps of:

receiving a user input at the second gaming terminal at the first time period; and

calculating a second, different random number at the second gaming terminal based on the received second random number seed provided by the central computer so that game results of the second gaming terminal are substantially randomly selected from a predetermined pool of game outcomes.