Tournament gaming systems

• US 8,317,620 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2008
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Kelly, Bryan M., Crowder, Robert W. Jr., Patel, Pravinkumar, Green, Anthony E., Link, John E., Soliterman, Gennady, Allen, Jeffrey L., Lockard, Dennis, Tallcott, Jeffrey C., Larsen, Joshua D., Scott, Thomas, Barton, Christopher D., Vemuri, Sudheer, Reddy, Mettu R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsu, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US12/268,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20090131175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/25, 463/29, 463/31, 463/42, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/143.R, 700/90
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• 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 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

Various embodiments are directed to gaming systems, gaming devices, and methods for presenting tournament games. According to one embodiment, a gaming system for presenting tournament games includes a plurality of gaming devices in communication with a tournament server as well as a plurality of tournament displays positioned throughout a gaming establishment. Each gaming device is configured to enable concurrent play of a base game and an on-demand tournament game in which the on-demand tournament game is player initiated. The tournament server manages play of the on-demand tournament game, and the tournament server determines a location of active and eligible players for the on-demand tournament game. The plurality of tournament displays are positioned throughout a gaming establishment, and the tournament displays are also in communication with the tournament server. The tournament server sends tournament information to the tournament displays near the location of active and eligible players of the tournament game.

Claims

1. A tournament gaming system, comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device configured to enable concurrent play of a base game and an on-demand tournament game, wherein the on-demand tournament game is player initiated, and wherein a player can select multiple tournament games from two or more tournament games for immediate initiation of tournament game play on-demand, and wherein the tournament game is separate from the base game;

a tournament server in communication with the plurality of gaming devices, wherein the tournament server manages play of the on-demand tournament game, and the tournament server determines a location of active and eligible players for the on-demand tournament game; and

a plurality of tournament displays positioned throughout a gaming establishment that are in communication with the tournament server, wherein the tournament server sends tournament information to the tournament displays near the location of active and eligible players of the tournament game,

wherein the tournament gaming system continues to receive player wagers for base game play while the tournament games are automatically played on a secondary display.

2. The tournament gaming system of claim 1, wherein the base game is presented on a main display and the tournament game is presented on a secondary device having a display and a processor, wherein the secondary device is operatively associated with the gaming device.

3. The tournament gaming system of claim 1, wherein the tournament information is advertisements for one or more tournament games.

4. The tournament gaming system of claim 1, wherein the tournament information is a leader board of the tournament game in which the active players are participants.

5. The tournament gaming system of claim 1, wherein the tournament information is player-specific messages for eligible tournament games available to the player.

6. The tournament gaming system of claim 1, wherein the tournament information is a number of seats available for a tournament game.

7. The tournament gaming system of claim 1, wherein the tournament information is a time remaining before a tournament game is closed.

8. A tournament gaming system, comprising:

a tournament gaming server in communication with a plurality of gaming devices, wherein the tournament gaming server manages and configures the gaming devices for one or more player-initiated tournament games, wherein a player can select multiple tournament games from two or more tournament games for immediate initiation of tournament game play on-demand, and wherein the tournament game is separate from the base game; and

a management console in communication with the tournament server, wherein the management console includes a user display and a user interface having a plurality of fields for user input, the plurality of fields used to configure one or more player-initiated tournament games,

wherein the tournament gaming system continues to receive player wagers for base game play while the tournament games are automatically played.

9. The tournament gaming system of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of tournament displays positioned throughout a gaming establishment that are in communication with the tournament gaming server, wherein the tournament gaming server sends tournament information to the tournament displays near the location of active and eligible players of the tournament game.

10. The tournament gaming system of claim 8, wherein the gaming devices are dedicated tournament gaming devices, a player tracking user interface having a display and a processor embedded in the gaming device, mobile gaming devices, or any combination thereof.

11. The tournament gaming system of claim 8, wherein each of the gaming devices include a main display for presenting a base game and a secondary device for presenting a tournament game, the secondary device having a display and a processor, wherein the secondary device is operatively associated with the gaming device.

12. The tournament gaming system of claim 8, wherein the fields for user input configure player eligibility for the tournament game, duration of the tournament game, scoring methodology, award structure for the tournament game, award types, display settings for tournament signage.

13. A tournament gaming system, comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device configured to enable concurrent play of a base game on a main display of the gaming device and a tournament game on a secondary display of the gaming device, wherein a player can select multiple tournament games from two or more tournament games for immediate initiation of tournament game play on-demand, and wherein the tournament game is separate from the base game; and

a tournament server in communication with the plurality of gaming devices, wherein the tournament server manages the tournament game on the plurality of gaming devices, and the tournament server determines a location of active and eligible players for the tournament game,

wherein the tournament gaming system continues to receive player wagers for base game play while the tournament games are automatically played.

14. The tournament gaming system of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of tournament displays positioned throughout a gaming establishment that are in communication with the tournament server, wherein the tournament server sends tournament information to the tournament displays near active and eligible players of the tournament game.

15. The tournament gaming system of claim 14, wherein the tournament information is advertisements for one or more tournament games.

16. The tournament gaming system of claim 14, wherein the tournament information is a leader board of the tournament game in which the active players are participants.

17. The tournament gaming system of claim 14, wherein the tournament information is player-specific messages for eligible tournament games available to the player.

18. The tournament gaming system of claim 14, wherein the tournament information is a number of seats available for a tournament game.

19. The tournament gaming system of claim 14, wherein the tournament information is a time remaining before a tournament game is closed.

20. The tournament gaming system of claim 13, wherein the secondary display includes an embedded processor that is separate and distinct from a processor for the gaming device.