Profile-driven network gaming and prize redemption system

• US 6,645,068 B1
• Filed: 11/03/1999
• Issued: 11/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Arcade Planet Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kelly, Matthew F., Petermeier, Norman B., Kelly, Bryan M., Kroeckel, John G., Link, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/433,516
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/9-13, 463/16-20, 463/25-29, 463/30, 463/36, 463/40-42, 463/43, 700/91-93, 273/292-293, 273/118.R, 273/121.B, 273/143.R, 273/236-237, 273/269, 273/139, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/429-432, 273/440, 273/454, 273/459-461, 340/323.R, 705/1, 705/14, 705/16-17, 705/26-27, 705/39, 705/41, 705/44
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A method and article of manufacture are provided for implementing a user profile-driven gaming and prize redeeming system. The user profile-driven gaming and prize redemption system allows for the tailoring of a user'"'"'s experience of playing a computer implemented game on a network gaming system by first receiving an identifier selected from a group of identifiers including a user identifier relating to the user (i.e., player) of the network gaming system, a game identifier relating to a particular game played by the user of the network gaming system, and a site identifier relating to the location (i.e. web site) from which the game is being played. The network gaming system then alters the computer-implemented game played by the user in a manner based upon the selected identifier. The foregoing technique may also be applied to a prize redemption system.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a profile-driven network gaming system, comprising:

receiving at a game server from a user game apparatus a user identifier and a game identifier, said game server and said user game apparatus connected via a network connection;

retrieving on said game server user identifier information associated with said user identifier;

modifying at least one aspect of a computer-implemented game based on said user identifier information, wherein the act of modifying comprises any one or more of;

modifying a cost of game credits;

modifying a value of prize credits awarded; and

modifying a number of prize credits awarded;

providing at said user game apparatus said computer-implemented game as modified.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 and further comprising:

precluding play of at least one portion of said computer-implemented game based on at least one of said user identifier, said game identifier, and said user identifier information.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the play of the at least one portion of the computer-implemented game is precluded based on regulations in a geographic location in which the user resides and at least one of said user identifier, and said user identifier information.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user is awarded at least one prize credit based on the outcome of said computer-implemented game.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 wherein said at least one prize credit corresponds to a specific prize that is determined based on at least one of said user identifier, said game identifier, and said user identifier information.

6. A method as recited in claim 4 wherein a number of the prize credits awarded is based on at least one of said user identifier, said game identifier, and said user identifier information.

7. A method as recited in claim 4 wherein a value of the prize credits awarded is based on at least one of said user identifier, said game identifier, and said user identifier information.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 and further comprising:

advertising during play of said computer-implemented game;

wherein said advertising is based on at least one of said user identifier, said game identifier, and said user identifier information.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 and further comprising:

modifying a category of prizes awarded.

10. A computer readable medium including program instructions for implementing a profile-driven network gaming system, comprising:

a code segment that receives at a game server from a user game apparatus a user identifier and a game identifier, said game server and said user game apparatus connecting via a network connection;

a code segment that retrieves on said game server user identifier information associated with said user identifier;

a code segment that modifies at least one aspect of a computer-implemented game based on said user identifier information, wherein said at least one aspect comprises one or more of;

a cost of game credits;

a value of prize credits awarded; and

a number of prize credits awarded; and

a code segment that provides at said user game apparatus said computer-implemented game as modified.

11. A computer readable medium including program instructions for implementing a profile-driven network gaming system as recited in claim 10 and further comprising:

a code segment that precludes play of at least one portion of said computer-implemented game based on at least one of said user identifier, said game identifier, and said user identifier information.

12. A computer readable medium including program instructions for implementing a profile-driven network gaming system as recited in claim 11 wherein the play of the at least one portion of the computer-implemented game is precluded based on regulations in a geographic location in which the user resides and at least one of said user identifier, and said user identifier information.

13. A computer readable medium including program instructions for implementing a profile-driven network gaming system as recited in claim 10 wherein the user is awarded at least one prize credit based on the outcome of said computer-implemented game.

14. A computer readable medium including program instructions as recited in claim 13 wherein said at least one prize credit corresponds to a specific prize that is determined based on at least one of said user identifier, said game identifier, and said user identifier information.

15. A computer readable medium including program instructions for implementing a profile-driven network gaming system as recited in claim 13 wherein a number of the prize credits awarded is based on at least one of said user identifier, said game identifier, and said user identifier information.

16. A computer readable medium including program instructions for implementing a profile-driven network gaming system as recited in claim 13 wherein a value of the prize credits awarded is based on at least one of said user identifier, said game identifier, and said user identifier information.

17. A computer as recited in claim 10 and further comprising:

a code segment that advertises during play of said computer-implemented game; and

wherein the advertising is based on at least one of said user identifier, said game identifier, and said user identifier information.

18. A computer readable medium including program instructions as recited in claim 10, wherein said at least one aspect comprises a category of prizes awarded.