Central determination gaming system where the same seed is used to generate the outcomes for a primary game and a secondary game

• US 7,833,093 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• 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., Bansemer, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II; John M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsu; Ryan
• Application Number:
  US12/018,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20080113763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 16- 17, 463/20, 463/22, 463/25, 463/29, 463 40- 42, 2731381- 2, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A central determination gaming system wherein the same random number or game play seed is used to generate a primary or base game outcome and a secondary or bonus game outcome. The present invention includes a central computing system in communication with a plurality of gaming devices. The central computing system maintains one or more predetermined pools or sets of random number or game play seeds. In one embodiment, each game play seed is deterministic of a primary wagering game outcome and a secondary game outcome. That is, each gaming device is operable to utilize a game play seed to determine both the primary wagering game outcome and the secondary game outcome.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a central computer configured to randomly select a game play seed and to output said selected game play seed; and

at least one gaming device configured to communicate with said central computer, said at least one gaming device including at least one processor configured to;

(a) enable a player to initiate a play of a primary wagering game,

(b) receive said outputted game play seed,

(c) determine and display a primary wagering game outcome for the play of the primary game, said primary wagering game outcome based on said outputted game play seed,

(d) determine and display a secondary game outcome for a play of a separate secondary game, said secondary game outcome also based on said outputted game play seed, and

(e) provide said determined game outcomes to the player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of gaming devices are configured to communicate with said central computer.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein said primary wagering games of at least two of said plurality of gaming devices are different.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor of the at least one gaming device is configured to generate a plurality of random numbers based on said outputted game play seed.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the at least one processor of the at least one gaming device is configured to determine said primary wagering game outcome based on at least one of said generated random numbers.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor of the at least one gaming device is configured to determine a presentation of said determined primary wagering game outcome based on at least one of said generated random numbers.

7. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the at least one processor of the at least one gaming device is configured to determine said secondary game outcome based on at least one of said generated random numbers.

8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor of the at least one gaming device is configured to determine a presentation of said determined secondary game outcome based on at least one of said generated random numbers.

9. A gaming system comprising:

a central computer configured to randomly select a game play seed and to output said selected game play seed; and

at least one gaming device configured to communicate with said central computer, said at least one gaming device including at least one processor configured to;

(a) enable a player to initiate a play of a primary wagering game,

(b) receive said selected game play seed,

(c) determine and display a primary wagering game outcome for the play of said primary wagering game, said primary wagering game outcome based on said selected game play seed,

(d) provide the player said determined primary wagering game outcome, and

(e) if said determined primary wagering game outcome contains a secondary game triggering event;

(i) initiate at least one play of a separate secondary game,

(ii) determine and display a secondary game outcome for the play of the secondary game, said secondary game outcome also based on said selected game play seed, and

(iii) provide the player said determined secondary game outcome.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor of the at least one gaming device is configured to initiate a plurality of plays of a plurality of separate secondary games if said determined primary wagering game outcome contains a secondary game triggering event.

11. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the processor of the at least one gaming device is operable to initiate at least one play of at least one additional secondary game if said determined secondary game outcome contains a secondary game triggering event.

12. A gaming device comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) enable a player to initiate a play of a primary wagering game upon a wager,

(b) receive a game play seed from a central computing system,

(c) determine and display a primary wagering game outcome for said play of the primary wagering game, said primary wagering game outcome based on said received game play seed,

(d) determine and display a secondary game outcome for a play of a separate secondary game, said secondary game outcome also based on said received game play seed, and

(e) provide said determined game outcomes to the player.

13. A gaming device comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) enable a player to initiate a play of a primary wagering game upon a wager,

(b) receive a game play seed from central computing system,

(c) determine and display a primary wagering game outcome for the play of the primary wagering game, said primary wagering game outcome based on said received game play seed,

(d) provide the player said determined primary wagering game outcome, and

(e) if said determined primary wagering game outcome contains a secondary game triggering event;

(i) initiate at least one play of a separate secondary game,

(ii) determine and display a secondary game outcome for the play of the secondary game, said secondary game outcome also based on said received game play seed, and

(iii) provide the player said determined secondary game outcome.

14. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein each game play seed is deterministic of a primary wagering game outcome.

15. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein a plurality of received game play seeds are each deterministic of a secondary game outcome.

16. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein each received game play seed is deterministic of both a primary wagering game outcome and a secondary game outcome.

17. A gaming device comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) enable a player to initiate a play of a primary wagering game upon a wager,

(b) receive a game play seed from a central computing system,

(c) generate a plurality of random numbers based on said received game play seed,

(d) determine and display a primary wagering game outcome for said play of the primary wagering game, said primary wagering game outcome based on at least one of said generated random numbers,

(e) determine and display a secondary game outcome for a play of a separate secondary game, said secondary game outcome also based on at least one of said generated random numbers, and

(f) provide said determined game outcomes to the player.

18. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein when said instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor is caused to determine said primary wagering game outcome for said play of said primary wagering game based on a plurality of said generated random numbers.

19. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein when said instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor is caused to determine said secondary game outcome based on a plurality of said generated random numbers.

20. A method for operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to initiate a play of a primary wagering game;

(b) receiving a game play seed from a central computing system;

(c) determining and displaying a primary wagering game outcome for the play of the primary game, said primary wagering game outcome based on said received game play seed;

(d) providing said primary wagering game outcome to the player; and

(e) if said primary wagering game outcome includes a secondary game triggering event;

(i) determining and displaying a secondary game outcome for a play of a separate secondary game, wherein said secondary game outcome is also based on said received game play seed, and

(ii) providing any determined secondary game outcome to the player.

21. The method of claim 20, which is provided through a data network.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the data network is an internet.

23. A method for operating a gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) enabling a player to initiate a play of a primary wagering game;

(b) receiving a game play seed from a central computing system;

(c) calculating a plurality of random numbers based on said received game play seed;

(d) determining and displaying a primary wagering game outcome for the play of the primary game, said primary wagering game outcome based on at least one of said calculated random numbers;

(e) providing said primary wagering game outcome to the player; and

(f) if said primary wagering game outcome includes a secondary game triggering event;

(i) determining and displaying a secondary game outcome for a play of a separate secondary game, wherein said secondary game outcome is also based on at least one of said calculated random numbers, and

(ii) providing any determined secondary game outcome to the player.

24. The method of claim 23, which is provided through a data network.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the data network is an internet.

26. A method for operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to initiate a play of a primary wagering game;

(b) receiving a game play seed from a central computing system;

(c) determining and displaying a primary wagering game predetermined game outcome for the play of the primary game, said primary wagering game predetermined game outcome based on said received game play seed;

(d) determining and displaying a secondary game predetermined game outcome for a play of a separate secondary game, said secondary predetermined game outcome also based on said received game play seed; and

(e) providing said predetermined game outcomes to the player.

27. The method of claim 26, which is provided through a data network.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the data network is an internet.