Class II/Class III hybrid gaming machine, system and methods

• US 8,133,113 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh, Stockdale, James, Wolf, Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCLELLAN, JAMES S
• Application Number:
  US10/995,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20060111168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,668 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/18, 463/19, 463/20, 463/21, 463/24, 463/25, 463/29, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

The present invention provides a gaming machine that can play both Class II and Class III games. Some implementations provide a gaming machine that has certain features (e.g., a true random number generator or “RNG”) enabled for Class III play and disabled for Class II play. Some aspects of the invention provide methods for determining when a Class III game is available. Other aspects of the invention allow a player to “line up” for a desired Class III game while playing another game, such as a Class II game or another Class III game, on the same gaming machine until the desired Class III game is available. Some such implementations grant higher priority to certain players according to their gaming history, e.g., as indicated by player tracking/player loyalty data. Alternative aspects of the invention allocate available Class III games in other ways, e.g., by playing a Class II game for a chance to play a Class III game, by lottery, or otherwise. Player tracking information may be shared and/or combined for Class II and Class III game play and may be used to determine gaming history.

Claims

1. A combination Class II and Class III gaming machine, comprising:

means for providing Class III gaming;

means for receiving a request to provide the Class III gaming;

means for determining, in response to the request, that a Class III game license from a pool of Class III game licenses is unavailable; and

means for providing Class II gaming, wherein the gaming machine is configured to;

provide the Class II gaming until the Class III game license becomes available, and

provide the Class III gaming when the Class III game license becomes available.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein:

the request is associated with a priority level, and

the Class III game license is unavailable until Class III game licenses have been made available responsive to a first quantity of other requests for Class III game licenses, the first quantity based on the priority level of the request.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the means for determining that a Class III game license is unavailable comprises means for determining whether the number of gaming machines enabled for Class III gaming would exceed the number of Class III game licenses in the pool of Class III game licenses were Class III gaming to be enabled on the gaming machine.

4. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the gaming machine is further configured to accept payment of a fee which increases the priority level.

5. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the means for providing Class III gaming is enabled when the Class III game license becomes available.

6. A method for providing Class II and Class III gaming on a single gaming machine, the method comprising:

receiving a request that Class III gaming be provided on the gaming machine at a first time;

determining that a Class III game license from a pool of Class III game licenses is unavailable, the determining performed by a master gaming controller associated with the gaming machine;

providing Class II gaming on the gaming machine at a second time, the second time after the first time;

determining that the Class III game license from the pool of Class III game licenses is available, the determining performed by the master gaming controller and at a third time, the third time after the second time and;

providing Class III gaming on the gaming machine at a fourth time, the fourth time after the third time, responsive to determining that the Class III game license is available.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining that the Class III game license is available comprises determining that a maximum number of gaming machines providing Class III gaming would be exceeded were the gaming machine to provide Class III gaming.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

assigning a priority level to the request; and

determining that the Class III game license is unavailable until Class III game licenses have been made available responsive to a first quantity of other requests for Class III game licenses, the first quantity based on the priority level of the request.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising altering the priority level in response to the other requests that Class III gaming be provided.

10. A computer program embodied in a machine-readable medium, the computer program including instructions for controlling a gaming machine to:

receive a request that Class III gaming be provided on a gaming machine at a first time;

determine, responsive to the request, that a Class III game license from a pool of Class III game licenses is unavailable

provide Class II gaming on the gaming machine at a second time, the second time after the first time;

determine, at a third time, that the Class III game license from the pool of Class III game licenses is available, the third time after the second time;

provide the Class III gaming on the gaming machine at a fourth time, the fourth time after the third time, responsive to the determination that the Class III game license from the pool of Class III game licenses is available.

11. The computer program of claim 10, wherein the determination that a Class III game license is unavailable is based on determining that a maximum number of gaming machines providing Class III gaming would be exceeded were Class III gaming to be provided by the gaming machine.

12. The computer program of claim 10, wherein:

the request is associated with a priority level, and

the Class III game license is unavailable until Class III game licenses have been made available responsive to a first quantity of other requests for Class III game licenses, the first quantity based on the priority level associated with the request.

13. The computer program of claim 12, wherein the priority level may be increased if a payment of a fee is received by the gaming machine.

14. A gaming machine comprising:

a memory device, wherein Class III software routines are stored;

a gaming controller, wherein the gaming controller is configured for transmitting an access request for access to the Class III software routines stored on the memory device;

an address decoder, wherein the address decoder is configured for receiving the access request generated by the gaming controller and transmitting a device select signal and a hardware control select signal in response thereto;

a hardware control register, wherein the hardware control register is configured for receiving the hardware control select signal, determining whether to permit access to the Class III software routines stored on the memory device, and transmitting a control signal for access to the memory device in response to the hardware control select signal if the hardware control register determines that access to the memory device should be permitted, wherein the permission to access the memory device is determined, at least in part, according to whether a Class III gaming license is currently available from a pool of Class III gaming licenses; and

a combiner configured for receiving the control signal and the device select signal, combining the control signal and the device select signal into a device enable signal, transmitting the device enable signal to the memory device, thereby enabling the memory device to make the Class III software routines stored thereon available for access by the gaming controller, wherein the gaming machine is configured to;

receive, at a first time, a provisioning request to provide a Class III game routine;

determine, in response to the provisioning request, that the Class III gaming license is unavailable;

provide Class II gaming at a second time, the second time after the first time

determine, at a third time, that the Class III gaming license from the pool of Class III gaming licenses is available, the third time after the second time and

provide access to the Class III software routines at a fourth time, the fourth time after the third time, responsive to the determination that the Class III gaming license from the pool of Class III gaming licenses is available.

15. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein Class II software routines are also stored in the memory device and wherein the hardware control register permits access to the memory device for accessing the Class II software routines even if access to the Class III software routines is unavailable.