Gaming system and method enabling player participation in selection of seed for random number generator

• US 8,226,467 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2008
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Weber, Reid M., Oberberger, Michael M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Kevin Y
• Application Number:
  US12/269,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20100120497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20, 708/250
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming system which utilizes a random number generator where the process of selecting one or more seeds for the random number generator includes participation of a player. In one embodiment, the player picks one of a plurality of displayed selections at a gaming device. Each selection is associated with a different external seeding source of data not controlled by the gaming system. A gaming system gathers the data from the external seeding sources associated with the different seeds. The gaming system uses the data gathered from the seeding source associated with the player'"'"'s picked selection to determine one or more seeds. The determined seeds are used to initialize a random number generator, which generates one or more numbers and at least in part determine the outcome of the game.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a gaming device having at least one input device and at least one display device; and

a central server configured to operate with the gaming device to;

(a) obtain data from at least one external seeding source not controlled by the gaming system;

(b) display a plurality of selections, wherein each of the plurality of selections indicates at least one external seeding source, and each of the plurality of selections is associated with the respective external seeding source(s);

(c) enable a player to pick one of the plurality of selections to determine what data associated with the at least one external seeding source will be used to determine a seed for play of a game;

(d) use the determined seed as an input to a random number generator to generate at least one number for said play of the game;

(e) use the at least one generated number to determine an outcome for said play of the game;

(f) evaluate the outcome for any awards for said play of the game; and

(g) provide any awards to the player for said play of the game.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one external seeding source includes data related to naturally occurring phenomena.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the gaming device is configured to display the plurality of selections at the beginning of a gaming session which includes said play of the game.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the gaming device is configured to display a selection which enables a player to pick a new seeding source.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central server is configured to determine said seed and send said seed to the gaming device.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the central server is configured to determine said seed by generating a plurality of numerical values based on the external seeding source data associated with the selection picked.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central server is configured to use said determined seed as an input to the random number generator to generate said at least one number for said play of the game.

8. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the central server is configured to determine said seed before the beginning of a gaming session including said play of the game.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, which includes a seed source server configured to provide the central server with the data from the at least one external seeding source.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the central server determines said seed by identifying the data obtained from the seed source server corresponding to the external seeding source associated with the selection picked.

11. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the seed source server is configured to update the data obtained from the at least one external seeding source at different points selected from the group consisting of:

as the data changes;

in real time;

periodically;

or after a time delay.

12. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the central server is configured to communicate to the gaming device the plurality of selections to be displayed to the player.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of selections to be displayed to the player is based upon which seeding sources are accessible by the seed source server.

14. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the gaming device is configured to choose which selections to display from the plurality of selections communicated by the central server.

15. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the central server is configured to communicate to the gaming device the plurality of selections to be displayed to the player before the beginning of a gaming session including said play of the game.

16. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the central server is configured to communicate to the gaming device the plurality of selections to be displayed to the player when the gaming device communicates the identified seeding source to the central server.

17. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the central server is configured to operate with at least one random number generator.

18. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the central server is configured to determine the one or more seeds using the external seeding source data associated with the selection picked to input into a first of said at least one random number generators.

19. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein the central server is configured to send the one or more determined seeds to the gaming device when the gaming device communicates the identified seeding source to the central server.

20. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein the central server is configured to send the one or more determined seeds to the gaming device before the beginning of a gaming session including said play of the game.

21. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein the central server is configured to generate the one or more numbers using said determined one or more seeds to input into a second of said at least one random number generators.

22. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein the central server is configured to send the one or more generated numbers to the gaming device when the gaming device communicates the identified seeding source to the central server.

23. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein the central server is configured to send the one or more generated numbers to the gaming device before the beginning of a gaming session including said play of the game.

24. A gaming system comprising:

a gaming device having at least one input device and at least one display device;

a seed source server including a plurality of external seed sources each associated with a seed selection and corresponding to a requestable seed; and

a central server configured to operate with the gaming device and the seed source server to;

(a) cause the gaming device to request a seed from the central server for a play of a game;

(b) contact the seed source server for the seed selection corresponding to the request for said play of the game;

(c) check an external seeding source associated with said seed corresponding to the request for data for said play of the game;

(d) determine an order of arranging the data obtained from the external seeding source for said play of the game;

(e) arrange the data in said determined order to determine a seed for said play of the game;

(f) use the determined seed to generate at least one number for said play of the game;

(g) use the at least one generated number to generate an outcome for said play of the game;

(h) evaluate the outcome for any awards for said play of the game; and

(i) provide any awards to the player for said play of the game.

25. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein the gaming device is configured to request the seed from the central server.

26. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein the central server is configured to contact the seed source server for the seed corresponding to the request.

27. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein the seed source server is configured to check the external seeding source associated with said seed corresponding to the request for data.

28. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein the central server is configured to determine said order of arranging the data obtained from the external seeding source.

29. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein the central server is configured to arrange the data obtained from the external seeding source to determine said seed.

30. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein the seed source server is configured to determine said order of arranging the data obtained from the external seeding source.

31. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein the seed source server is configured to arrange the data obtained from the external seeding source to determine said seed.

32. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein the gaming device is configured to use the at least one generated number to generate said outcome for said play of the game.