Computer network and method for changing the pay schedules of gaming devices

• US 8,172,682 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2004
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Acres, John F., Ginsburg, Alec, Wiebenson, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Application Number:
  US10/932,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20050032573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,806 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 27, 463 41- 43, 273/138.1, 273/139
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

Electronic gaming devices are connected by a network to a host computer. The gaming devices award winners based on a first pay schedule. The pay schedule at a selected one or more of the machines is changed by sending information over the network. This change is accomplished by causing additional payouts, over and above the device pay table, or by changing the device pay table.

Claims

1. A method of operating electronic gaming machines interconnected by a computer network to a host computer comprising:

allowing play to occur on the gaming machines;

paying to each machine in accordance with a first payout schedule after each game;

sending a reconfiguration command from the host computer to one of said gaming machines over the network;

receiving the reconfiguration command at said one gaming machine;

reconfiguring the gaming machine payout schedule in accordance with the received reconfiguration command;

allowing additional play to occur on the gaming machines; and

after each game, paying at said one gaming machine based on an outcome of a game played at said one gaming machine and in accordance with the reconfigured payout schedule of said one gaming machine.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein reconfiguring the gaming machine payout schedule in accordance with the received reconfiguration command comprises sending data from the host computer to a network interface in said one gaming machine.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein reconfiguring the gaming machine payout schedule comprises transmitting the data to the gaming machine electronics via a gaming machine electronics interface.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said method further includes storing the data in a memory after it is received in the network interface and before it is transmitted to the gaming machine electronics.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein such data comprises a pay command.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the pay command comprises a pay from hopper command.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the pay command comprises a pay to credit meter command.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein such data comprises a gaming machine pay table.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein such data comprises a gaming machine pay table.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein such data comprises a gaming machine pay table.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first payout schedule comprises a first gaming machine pay table and wherein the reconfigured payout schedule comprises a second gaming machine pay table.

12. The method of claim 2 wherein the first payout schedule comprises a first gaming machine pay table and wherein the reconfigured payout schedule comprises a second gaming machine pay table.

13. The method of claim 3 wherein the first payout schedule comprises a first gaming machine pay table and wherein the reconfigured payout schedule comprises a second gaming machine pay table.

14. The method of claim 4 wherein the first payout schedule comprises a first gaming machine pay table and wherein the reconfigured payout schedule comprises a second gaming machine pay table.

38. The method of claim 1 further including activating a bonus payout schedule in accordance with the reconfiguration command.

39. The method of claim 1 further including:

preselecting less than all of the gaming machines interconnected to the host computer responsive to action by the host computer;

detecting the amount of money played on the gaming machines;

creating a bonus pool comprising a predetermined percentage of the money played;

transmitting the reconfiguration command to one of the preselected gaming machines after a bonus level exceeds a predetermined amount;

receiving the reconfiguration command transmitted to a gaming machine; and

reconfiguring the gaming machine responsive to the received reconfiguration command wherein the gaming machine pays a bonus in accordance with the received reconfiguration command.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein preselecting less than all of the gaming machines comprises preselecting a first group of gaming machines and wherein the method further includes preselecting a second group of gaming machines responsive to action by the host computer and generating a reconfiguration command includes generating different reconfiguration commands, each of which is directed to a gaming machine in a different one of said groups.

41. The method of claim 40 further including selecting one of the reconfiguration commands for transmission to a selected gaming machine in one of said groups.

42. The method of claim 41 further including selecting different ones of the reconfiguration commands for transmission to all of the gaming machines in different groups.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein a first one of the reconfiguration commands effects a bonus payment when the gaming machine to which it is transmitted has not won a jackpot.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein a second one of the reconfiguration commands effects a bonus payment equal to a multiple of a jackpot won by said gaming machine.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein a third one of the reconfiguration commands effects a bonus payment equal to a progressive jackpot won by a gaming machine to which the reconfiguration command is transmitted.

46. The method of claim 1 further including randomly selecting a gaming machine to which the host computer transmits a reconfiguration command.

15. A method of operating electronic gaming machines interconnected by a computer network to a host computer, each gaming machine having a payout schedule associated therewith, said method comprising:

permitting players to play the gaming machines;

awarding jackpots according to the payout schedule;

generating data that includes information related to a different payout schedule for at least one of the gaming machines;

storing the data on the network;

downloading the data from the network to one of the gaming machines;

modifying the payout schedule of said one gaming machine according to the downloaded data;

permitting further play of the gaming machines; and

awarding jackpots at said one gaming machine based on an outcome of a game played at said one gaming machine and according to the modified payout schedule of said one gaming machine.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein downloading the data from the network to one the gaming machines comprises sending data from the host computer to a network interface in said one gaming machine.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein modifying the payout schedule of said one gaming machine according to the downloaded data comprises transmitting the data to the gaming machine electronics via a gaming machine electronics interface.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said method further includes storing the data in a memory after it is received in the network interface and before it is transmitted to the gaming machine electronics.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein such data comprises a pay command.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the pay command comprises a pay from hopper command.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the pay command comprises a pay to credit meter command.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein such data comprises a gaming machine pay table.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein such data comprises a gaming machine pay table.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein such data comprises a gaming machine pay table.

25. The method of claim 15 wherein the gaming machine payout schedule comprises a first gaming machine pay table and wherein the modified payout schedule comprises a second gaming machine pay table.

26. The method of claim 16 wherein the gaming machine payout schedule comprises a first gaming machine pay table and wherein the modified payout schedule comprises a second gaming machine pay table.

27. The method of claim 17 wherein the gaming machine payout schedule comprises a first gaming machine pay table and wherein the modified payout schedule comprises a second gaming machine pay table.

28. The method of claim 18 wherein the gaming machine payout schedule comprises a first gaming machine pay table and wherein the modified payout schedule comprises a second gaming machine pay table.

29. A system for operating a plurality of electronic gaming machines, the system comprising:

a host computer programmed to generate a reconfiguration command;

a network interconnecting the gaming machines to the host computer;

a payout schedule associated with each gaming machine, each machine paying in accordance with its payout schedule after each game;

an interface in each gaming machine, said interface being connected to the network and further being constructed and arranged to receive the messages over the network and transmit the messages to the gaming machine electronics of a gaming machine; and

the electronics in each gaming machine constructed and arranged to receive a message and to make a determination as to whether the message includes a reconfiguration command and reconfigure the payout schedule of a gaming machine in accordance therewith such that payment is made at the gaming machine based on an outcome of a game played at the gaming machine and in accordance with the reconfigured payout schedule of the gaming machine.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein such a reconfiguration command comprises a pay command.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the pay command comprises a pay from hopper command.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein the pay command comprises a pay to credit meter command.

33. The system of claim 29 wherein the payout schedule reconfigured in accordance with the reconfiguration command comprises a gaming machine pay table.

34. The system of claim 29 wherein at least a portion of said reconfiguration command comprises data stored in a network memory.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the data comprises information for modifying the payout schedule.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein such data comprises a gaming machine pay table.

37. The method of claim 29 wherein the payout schedule comprises a first gaming machine pay table and wherein the payout schedule reconfigured in accordance with the reconfiguration command comprises a second gaming machine pay table.

47. The system of claim 29 further including:

a user-operated input device connected to the host computer and wherein the host computer is configured to preselect less than all of the gaming machines interconnected to the host computer responsive to action by the host computer; and

wherein a gaming machine pays a bonus in accordance with the received reconfiguration command.

48. The system of claim 29 wherein the host computer is configured to transmit a reconfiguration command to a gaming machine responsive to a player'"'"'s identity information.

49. The system of claim 29 wherein the host computer comprises at least one floor controller.

50. The system of claim 49 wherein the host computer comprises a file server.

51. The system of claim 50 wherein the network comprises:

a current loop network coupled between the floor controller and a plurality of associated gaming machines; and

a high-speed network coupled between the floor controller and the file server.

52. The system of claim 51 wherein the network includes a plurality of current loop networks, and

wherein the floor controller includes a communication board having a plurality of current loop interfaces for coupling to the plurality of current loop networks, the communication board having a plurality of microprocessors, and a current loop driver interposed between the plurality of microprocessors and the plurality of current loop networks.

53. The system of claim 29 wherein each gaming machine includes a data communication node for receiving a reconfiguration command, the data communication node being coupled to the network and to a serial interface of an associated gaming machine, wherein the data communication node monitors the transmissions on the network and determines which transmission is transmitted to an associated gaming machine.

54. The system of claim 53 wherein the data communication node includes:

a controller; and

a serial machine interface coupled between the controller and the serial interface of the associated gaming machine.

55. The system of claim 29 further including a non-volatile memory within each gaming machine for storing a unique gaming machine identification number.

56. The system of claim 55 wherein each gaming machine is configured to read the unique gaming identification number and transmit the unique gaming identification number to the host computer.

57. The system of claim 55 including a machine configuration circuit.

58. The system of claim 29 wherein the reconfiguration command includes data representing a predetermined time period and wherein each gaming machine is reconfigurable only during the predetermined time period responsive to a received reconfiguration command, wherein the gaming machine pays a bonus only during the predetermined time period in accordance with the received reconfiguration command.

59. The system of claim 29 wherein the host computer is configured to substantially simultaneously transmit a reconfiguration command to each of a number of preselected gaming machines and wherein the preselected gaming machines are configured to pay a multiple of a jackpot won by a gaming machine for so long as it remains reconfigured.

60. The system of claim 29 wherein the host computer is configured to prevent transmission of a reconfiguration command to a selected one of the gaming machines unless the level of play meets a stored criteria.

61. The system of claim 60 wherein said stored criteria relates to the number of coins played for each game.

62. The system of claim 60 wherein said stored criteria relates to the rate at which coins are played.

63. The system of claim 29 wherein the host computer includes data stored therein defining criteria related to the timing of transmitting reconfiguration commands.

64. The system of claim 29 further including:

a plurality of card readers each of which is associated with a different gaming machine;

a plurality of unique player identification cards;

a plurality of player accounts maintained by the host computer, each account being associated with a different player identification card; and

wherein data relating to activity of a gaming machine is associated with a corresponding player account when the gaming machine card reader has a player identification card inserted therein.

65. The system of claim 29 wherein the host computer is configured to randomly select a gaming machine to which it transmits a reconfiguration command.