Peer-to-peer distributed gaming application network

• US 7,097,562 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2003
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Gagner, Mark B.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US10/453,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20040248651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 463 39- 40, 463 42- 43, 463/25, 463/29
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/404 characterized by a local network connection
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3283 wherein the number of active machines is limited

Abstract

A method and a system of using a gaming network having a server in communication with a plurality of gaming terminals to share gaming applications directly between selected gaming terminals using a peer-to-peer type communications architecture. The method and system are a combination of hardware and software, that controls the initiation of a shared game, determines the gaming terminals eligible to participate in the game, accepts or rejects their participation, and subsequently establishes virtual communication network directly between participating gaming terminals. The virtual communication network is established allow a gaming terminal to act as a server of the shared application to all other participating gaming terminals. Once the application has been run to completion, the server terminates the session and returns each gaming terminal back to its normal operating mode.

Claims

1. A method of using a gaming network to serve a shared gaming application, the network having a server in communication with a plurality of gaming terminals, the method comprising:

sending a session initiation signal from one of the plurality of gaming terminals to the server to initiate a shared gaming session;

creating, at the server, an association to define the gaming terminals participating in the shared gaming session, wherein the server is not one of the gaming terminals participating in the shared gaming session;

communicating the association from the server to the ones of the gaming terminals defined by the association;

establishing, by the server, a virtual communication network between the ones of the gaming terminals defined by the association;

serving the shared gaming application from one of the gaming terminals defined by the association to others of the gaming terminals defined by the association; and

determining, at one of the gaming terminals participating in the shared gaming session, an outcome for the shared gaming application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, at the server, eligibility of ones of the plurality of gaming terminals to participate in the shared gaming session, wherein the association only includes gaming terminals eligible to participate in the shared gaming application.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

monitoring, at the server, eligibility of ones of the gaming terminals defined by the association during the shared gaming session;

creating, at the server, a revised association that excludes gaming terminals defined by the association that are no longer eligible for the shared gaming session;

communicating the revised association from the server to ones of the gaming terminals defined by the revised association; and

modifying, by the server, the virtual communication network in accordance with the revised association.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

monitoring the eligibility of each gaming terminal in the plurality of gaming terminals during the shared game session;

creating, at the server, a revised association that includes gaming terminals that become eligible during the shared gaming session that are not defined by the association;

communicating the revised association from the server to ones of the gaming terminals defined by the revised association; and

modifying, by the server, the virtual communication network in accordance with the revised association.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending an add signal from one of the plurality of gaming terminals to the server after the shared gaming session has begun;

verifying at the server, eligibility of the one of the plurality of gaming terminals sending the add signal;

if the gaming terminal is eligible, creating, at the server, a revised association that includes the one of the plurality of gaming terminals sending the add signal in the revised association;

communicating the revised association from the server to ones of the gaming terminals defined by the revised association; and

modifying, by the server, the virtual communication network, the modifying in accordance with the revised association.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the server, whether an add signal is received from each one of the plurality of gaming terminals, wherein the association only includes gaming terminals from which the add signal is received.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a drop signal from one of the gaming terminals defined by the association to the server;

creating, at the server, a revised association that excludes the gaming terminal sending the drop signal from the revised association;

communicating the revised association from the server to each gaming terminal defined by the revised association; and

modifying, by the server, the virtual communication network, the modifying in accordance with the revised association, wherein the modification includes removing, from the shared gaming session, the gaming terminal sending the drop signal.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a session termination signal from the server gaming terminal to the server; and

terminating, by the server, the shared gaming session.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming terminal sending the session initiation signal serves the shared gaming application.

10. A method of using a gaming network to serve a shared gaming application, the network having a server in communication with a plurality of gaming terminals through a carousel controller, the method comprising:

sending a session initiation signal from one of the plurality of gaming terminals to the server to initiate a shared gaming session;

creating, by the server, an association to define gaming terminals participating in the shared gaming session, wherein the server is not one of the gaming terminals participating in the shared gaming session;

communicating the association from the server to the carousel controller;

establishing, by the server, a virtual communication network between the carousel controller and ones of the gaming terminals defined by the association;

serving the shared gaming application from one of the gaming terminals defined by the association to others of the gaming terminals defined by the association; and

determining, at one of the gaming terminals participating in the shared gaming session, an outcome for the shared gaming application.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining, by the server, eligibility of ones of the plurality of gaming terminals to participate in the shared gaming session, wherein the association only includes gaming terminals that are eligible to participate in the shared gaming session.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

monitoring, by the server, eligibility of ones of the gaming terminals defined by the association;

creating, by the server, a revised association that excludes gaming terminals no longer eligible for the shared gaming session;

communicating the revised association from the server to the carousel controller; and

modifying, by the server, the virtual communication network in accordance with the revised association.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining, by the server, whether an add signal is received from ones of the plurality of gaming terminals, wherein the association only includes gaming terminals from which the add signal is received.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending a drop signal from one of the gaming terminals defined by the association to the server;

creating, by the server, a revised association that excludes the gaming terminal sending the drop signal;

communicating the revised association from the server to the carousel controller; and

modifying, by the server, the communication network between the carousel controller and the gaming terminals, the modifying in accordance with the revised association, wherein the modification includes removing the gaming terminal sending the drop signal from the shared gamming session.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending an add signal from one of a the plurality of gaming terminals to the server after the shared gaming session has already begun;

verifying, by the server, eligibility of the gaming terminal sending the add signal;

if the gaming terminal is eligible creating, by the server, a revised association that includes the gaming terminal sending the add signal in the revised association;

communicating the revised association from the server to the carousel controller; and

modifying, by the server, the communication network, the modification in accordance with the revised association.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending a session termination signal from the gaming terminal serving the shared gaming application to the server; and

terminating, by the server, the shared gaming session.

17. A gaming network comprising:

a plurality of gaming terminals having a shared gaming application, the shared gaming application initiated by one of the plurality of gaming terminals;

a server in communication with the gaming terminals, the server to determine an association of gaming terminals participating in the shared gaming application, the server further to communicate the association to each participating gaming terminal to establish a virtual communication network, wherein the server is not one of the gaming terminals participating in the shared gaming session; and

a server gaming terminal for serving the shared gaming application to ones of the gaming terminal in the association, the shared gaming application having an outcome determined by at least one gaming terminal in the association, wherein the server gaming terminal is one of the plurality of gaming terminals.

18. The gaming network of claim 17, wherein the server is further to determine eligibility of the gaming terminals to participate in the shared gaming application.

19. The gaming network of claim 18 wherein the gaming terminals eligible to participate have an add signal, the add signal sent to the server to participate in the shared gaming application, the server using the add signal to add the gaming terminal to the association.

20. The gaming network of claim 19, wherein the server is further to monitor, during the shared gaming session, eligibility of ones of the gaming terminals in the association, and based on the monitoring, the server to create a revised association that excludes gaming terminals that are no longer eligible to participate in the shared gaming session, the server further to communicate the revised association to ones of the gaming terminals defined by the revised association.

21. The gaming network of claim 17, one of the gaming terminals to send a drop signal to the server, the drop signal for withdrawing from the shared gaming application, the server to create a revised association based on the drop signal, the server further to communicate the revised association to ones of the gaming terminals defined by the revised association.

22. A gaming network comprising:

a plurality of gaming terminals having a shared gaming application, the shared gaming application triggered by one of the plurality of gaming terminals;

a server linked to a carousel controller, the carousel controller linked to the plurality of gaming terminals, the server to define an association of gaming terminals to participate in the shared gaming application, wherein the server is not one of the gaming terminals to participate in the shared gaming session, the server further to communicate the association to the carousel controller, the carousel controller for establishing a virtual communications network between the gaming terminals defined by the association; and

one of said plurality of gaming terminals for serving the shared gaming application to each gaming terminal defined by the association, the shared gaming application having an outcome for the shared gaming application determined by at least one gaming terminal in the association.

23. A method of using a gaming network to serve a shared gaming application, the network having a server in communication with a plurality of gaming terminals, the method comprising:

sending a session initiation signal from one of the plurality of gaming terminals to the server to initiate a shared gaming session;

creating, by the server, an association to define gaming terminals participating in the shared gaming session, wherein one of the gaming terminals defined by the association is a server gaming terminal, wherein others of the gaming terminals defined by the association are client gaming terminals, and wherein the server is not one of the gaming terminals participating in the shared gaming session;

communicating the association from the server to the server gaming terminal;

establishing, by the server, a virtual communication network between the server gaming terminal and the client gaming terminals defined by the association;

serving the shared gaming application from the server gaming terminal through the virtual communication network to ones of the client gaming terminals defined by the association; and

determining, by at least one of the gaming terminals defined by the association, an outcome for the shared gaming application.