Server based gaming system and method for selectively providing one or more different tournaments
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A gaming system comprising:
- at least one central controller; and
a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine configured to communicate with the at least one central controller, said at least one central controller and said gaming machines configured to;
(a) enable a plurality of players to play non-tournament games at the gaming machines;
(b) provide tournament play by enabling each of a plurality of qualified tournament players to play tournament games in a tournament on said plurality of gaming machines and for each said tournament game played, provide a tournament game outcome based on a first paytable;
(c) upon a random occurrence of a triggering event during the tournament at one of the tournament player'"'"'s gaming machines, for each of a designated number of other tournament players, for each tournament game played by said other tournament player after the occurrence of the triggering event, provide a tournament game outcome based on a second paytable, said designated number being greater than one and less than a total number of said other tournament players;
(d) at an end of the tournament, determine a tournament winner;
(e) notify said tournament winner that the tournament winner wins an award; and
(f) display an indication of the award to be provided to said tournament winner.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A gaming system includes a central server or controller operable to communicate a plurality of different commands to a plurality of gaming machines to provide non-tournament game play and to provide tournament game play on the same gaming machines.
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Citations
53 Claims
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1. A gaming system comprising:
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at least one central controller; and a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine configured to communicate with the at least one central controller, said at least one central controller and said gaming machines configured to; (a) enable a plurality of players to play non-tournament games at the gaming machines; (b) provide tournament play by enabling each of a plurality of qualified tournament players to play tournament games in a tournament on said plurality of gaming machines and for each said tournament game played, provide a tournament game outcome based on a first paytable; (c) upon a random occurrence of a triggering event during the tournament at one of the tournament player'"'"'s gaming machines, for each of a designated number of other tournament players, for each tournament game played by said other tournament player after the occurrence of the triggering event, provide a tournament game outcome based on a second paytable, said designated number being greater than one and less than a total number of said other tournament players; (d) at an end of the tournament, determine a tournament winner; (e) notify said tournament winner that the tournament winner wins an award; and (f) display an indication of the award to be provided to said tournament winner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A gaming system comprising:
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at least one central controller; and a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine configured to communicate with the at least one central controller, said at least one central controller and said gaming machines configured to; (a) enable a plurality of players to play non-tournament games at the gaming machines; (b) provide tournament play to enable each of a plurality of qualified tournament players to play tournament games in a tournament on said plurality of gaming machines; (c) upon a random occurrence of a triggering event during the tournament at one of the tournament player'"'"'s gaming machines, for each of a designated number of other tournament players, change a tournament game function of at least one tournament game to be played by said other tournament player in the tournament, said designated number being greater than one and less than a total number of said other tournament players; (d) at an end of the tournament, determine a tournament winner; and (e) display an indication of an award to be provided to said tournament winner. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A gaming system comprising:
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at least one central controller; and a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine configured to communicate with the at least one central controller, said at least one central controller and said gaming machines configured to; (a) enable a plurality of players to play non-tournament games at the gaming machines; (b) provide tournament play to enable each of a plurality of tournament players to play tournament games in a tournament on said plurality of gaming machines; (c) upon a random occurrence of a triggering event during the tournament at one of the tournament player'"'"'s gaming machines, for each of a designated number of other tournament players, transfer an amount accumulated by said other tournament player in the tournament and provide at least part of said amount to the gaming machine which had the occurrence of the triggering event, said designated number being greater than one and less than a total number of said other tournament players; (d) at an end of the tournament, determine a tournament winner; (e) notify said tournament winner that the tournament winner wins an award; and (f) display an indication of the award to be provided to said tournament winner. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification