Peer-to-peer gaming system

• US 7,270,605 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2003
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: G T Corporation
• Inventors: Russell, Glen Keith, Jordan, R. Jeffrey, Shelby, Michael B., Norton, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US10/615,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20050009607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: 463/40, 463 42- 43, 463/47
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects

Abstract

A gaming system is disclosed. The gaming system includes at least two gaming components. Each gaming component includes a controller and a communications interface. The gaming system also includes a communication link to allow the controllers of the gaming components to communicate with other controllers of other gaming components on a peer-to-peer basis through the communication interfaces.

Claims

1. A gaming system, comprising:

a hostless communications link;

at least three gaming components, each gaming component comprising;

a controller, and

a communications interface; and

a connector for connecting each interface to the communications link,

the hostless communications link allowing each controller of other gaming components to communicate with each of the other controllers of other gaming components on a peer-to-peer basis without a master controller to control communications through the communications interfaces.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein one of the at least three gaming components comprises a game processing unit.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said at least three gaming components comprises three gaming components operable to communicate directly with one another without processing or transmitting by a game processing unit.

4. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the link to allow communications between the other components without any interaction of the game processing unit.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said at least three gaming components are selected from the group comprised of:

a gaming processing unit, a camera, a printer, a storage device, a coin hopper, a light display, a button panel, a ticket reader, a bill validator, a speaker, a microphone, a card reader, a biometric device, and a keypad.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the link to allow communications between the other components without any interaction of a game processing unit.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, the gaming system further comprising a second hostless communications link, wherein one of either the hostless communications link or the second hostless communications link is used by the gaming components arranged in a cabinet and the other of the links is used for communications between each of the gaming components arranged in the cabinet and components located outside of the cabinet.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, the hostless communications link further to allow the gaming components to be added and removed while power is on.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, the hostless communications link further to provide power to at least one gaming component.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, the hostless communications link further comprising a link compliant with IEEE 1394.

11. A gaming system, comprising:

at least three gaming components, at least two being arranged in a cabinet and at least one being located outside the cabinet, each gaming component comprising;

a controller, and

a communications interface;

an interior hostless communications link to allow each of the controllers in the gaming components arranged in the cabinet to communicate with each of the other components arranged in the cabinet in a peer-to-peer fashion without a host;

an exterior hostless communications link to allow each of the controllers in the gaming components arranged in the cabinet to communicate with the controller of the gaming component located outside the cabinet in a peer-to-peer fashion without a host; and

a bridge to provide connection between the interior hostless communications link and the exterior hostless communications link.

12. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein one of said at least two gaming components arranged in the cabinet comprises a game processing unit.

13. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein said at least two gaming components arranged in the cabinet comprise at least two gaming components operable to communicate directly with one another without processing or transmitting by a game processing unit.

14. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the interior hostless communications link comprises an IEEE 1394 backplane communications bus.

15. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the exterior hostless communications link further comprises an IEEE 1394 cabled communications bus.

16. The gaming system of claim 11, the exterior hostless communications link further to provide to at least one gaming component remote from the cabinet.

17. The gaming system of claim 11, the gaming component outside the cabinet comprising a card reader.

18. The gaming system of claim 11, the gaming component outside the cabinet comprising a video light panel.

19. The gaming system of claim 11, the gaming component outside the cabinet comprising a video camera.

20. The gaming system of claim 11, the gaming component outside the cabinet comprising external data storage.