Apparatus and method for generating a pool of seeds for a central determination gaming system

• US 6,866,584 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2003
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Michaelson, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US10/371,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20040166921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 463 20- 25, 463/29, 463/42, 708/250, 708/254
• US Class Current: 463/21
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/582 Pseudo-random number generators
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

An apparatus and method for generating one or more pools or sets of seeds for use in a central determination gaming system. In one embodiment of the present invention, a processor of the apparatus or seed generator randomly generates a predetermined number of random number seeds. After the predetermined number of seeds are generated, the processor simulates the game outcome value that each generated seed ultimately determines. Having simulated a game outcome value for each generated seed, the processor determines if the set of seeds satisfies a required condition or criteria. If the required conditions or criteria are satisfied, the set is complete and ready for use in a central determination gaming system. If the required conditions or criteria are not satisfied, the processor modifies the generated set of seeds until the required conditions or criteria are satisfied.

Claims

1. A seed set generator for a central determination gaming system, said seed set generator comprising:

a data storage device;

at least one criteria for a seed set; and

a processor operable with the data storage device to obtain said criteria for the seed set, to randomly generate the seed set, wherein each seed is deterministic of a game outcome value, to simulate the game outcome value for each seed, to determine if the obtained criteria is satisfied, to store the generated seed set for distribution to the central determination gaming system if the obtained criteria is satisfied by said seed set, to select at least one seed if the obtained criteria is not satisfied by said seed set, to remove the selected seed from the seed set, to generate at least one new seed and to replace the removed seed with the new seed.

2. The seed set generator of claim 1, wherein said criteria is obtained from the data storage device.

3. The seed set generator of claim 1, wherein said criteria is obtained from an input device.

4. The seed set generator of claim 1, which includes a plurality of criteria.

5. The seed set generator of claim 1, wherein said processor is operable to generate a plurality of seed sets.

6. The seed set generator of claim 5, wherein each seed set is different.

7. The seed set generator of claim 1, wherein said criteria includes a number of seeds in said seed set.

8. The seed set generator of claim 1, wherein said criteria includes a sum of all the simulated game outcome values.

9. The seed set generator of claim 1, wherein said criteria is selected from the group consisting of:

a minimum number of seeds that are deterministic for a game outcome value;

a maximum number of seeds that are deterministic for a game outcome value;

a minimum number of seeds that are deterministic for a plurality of game outcome values and a maximum number of seeds that are deterministic for a plurality of game outcome values.

10. The seed set generator of claim 1, wherein said criteria includes a number of seeds that are deterministic for each game outcome value.

11. The seed set generator of claim 1, wherein said criteria includes an average payout of the game outcome values that are determined by the seeds in the generated seed set.

12. The seed set generator of claim 1, wherein said criteria includes a number of seeds that provide a bonus or secondary game outcome.

13. The seed set generator of claim 1, wherein said generated seed set is stored at an intermediate memory device.

14. The seed set generator of claim 1, wherein said seed set is generated based on a plurality of probabilities.

15. The seed set generator of claim 1, wherein said processor is in communication with said central determination gaming system.

16. The seed set generator of claim 1, wherein said processor is operable to randomly select at least one seed if the obtained criteria is not satisfied.

17. A seed set generator for a central determination gaming system, said seed set generator comprising:

a data storage device; and

a processor operable with the data storage device to obtain a predetermined sum and at least one criteria for the seed set, to randomly generate the seed set, wherein each seed is deterministic of a game outcome value, to simulate the game outcome value for each seed, to determine an initial sum of all the game outcome values, to compare the sum of all the game outcome values to a predetermined sum, to store the generated seed set for distribution to the central determination gaming system, if the sum of all the game outcome values is equal to or within an acceptable range of the predetermined sum and the obtained criteria is satisfied by said seed set, to select at least one generated seed, if the sum of all the game outcome values is not equal to or within an acceptable range of the predetermined sum or the obtained criteria is not satisfied by said seed set, to remove the selected seed from the seed set, to generate at least one new seed, to simulate the game outcome value for the new seed, to determine a modified sum of the simulated game outcome value for the new seed and the remaining simulated game outcome values, to discard the new generated seed if the modified sum is not closer to the predetermined sum than the initial sum and to add the new generated seed to the seed set if the modified sum is closer to the predetermined sum than the initial sum.

18. The seed set generator of claim 17, wherein said processor is operable to flag each new generated seed added to the seed set.

19. The seed set generator of claim 18, wherein each flagged seed remains in said seed set.

20. The seed set generator of claim 17, wherein said processor is operable to randomly select at least one generated seed, if the sum of all the game outcome values is not equal to or within an acceptable range of the predetermined sum or the obtained criteria is not satisfied by said seed set.

21. The seed set generator of claim 17, wherein said processor is operable to replace a plurality of seeds from said seed set with a plurality of predetermined seeds.

22. The seed set generator of claim 17, wherein said processor is operable to enable an operator to manually replace a plurality of seeds from said seed set with a plurality of operator inputted seeds.

23. A seed set generator for a central determination gaming system comprising:

a data storage device; and

a processor operable with the data storage device to obtain a predetermined sum for the seed set, to randomly generate the seed set, wherein each seed is deterministic of a game outcome value, to simulate the game outcome value for each seed, to determine an initial sum of all the game outcome values, to compare the sum of all the game outcome values to a predetermined sum, to store the generated seed set for distribution to the central determination gaming system if the sum of all the game outcome values is equal to or within an acceptable range of the predetermined sum, to select at least one generated seed if the sum of all the game outcome values is not equal to or within an acceptable range of the predetermined sum, to remove the selected seed from the seed set, to generate at least one new seed, to simulate the game outcome value for the new seed, to determine a modified sum of the simulated game outcome value for the new seed and the remaining simulated game outcome values, to discard the new generated seed if the modified sum is not closer to the predetermined sum than the initial sum and to add the new generated seed to the seed set if the modified sum is closer to the predetermined sum than the initial sum.

24. The seed set generator of claim 23, wherein said processor is operable to randomly select at least one generated seed, if the sum of all the game outcome values is not equal to or within an acceptable range of the predetermined sum.

25. The seed set generator of claim 23, wherein said processor is operable to replace a plurality of seeds from said seed set with a plurality of predetermined seeds.

26. The seed set generator of claim 23, wherein said processor is operable to enable an operator to manually replace a plurality of seeds from said seed set with a plurality of operator inputted seeds.