System and method for permitting a tournament game on different computing platforms

• US 8,591,338 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2003
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T., Paulsen, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US10/642,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20050043094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,753 Days
• Field of Search: 463/22, 463/25, 463/266, 463/29, 463/42, 463/43, 463/26
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

In an embodiment of a gaming method, a fee from a player to play in a tournament may be received, and data indicative of a gaming unit on which the player has chosen to play in the tournament may be received. Gaming software may be loaded to the chosen gaming unit after the player has chosen the gaming unit, wherein the gaming software is to configure the chosen gaming unit for playing in the tournament. The chosen gaming unit may be enabled for playing in the tournament. A winning player of the tournament, if any, may be determined and, if the winning player of the tournament is determined, data indicative of a value payout to be awarded to the winning player may be generated.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving data indicative of a gaming unit on which a player has chosen to play a selected one or more games in a tournament, wherein the chosen gaming unit is not configured for playing the one or more selected games in the tournament and gaming software for the one or more selected games is not stored on the chosen gaming unit when the data is received;

obtaining the gaming software for the one or more selected games comprising a pay table or a plurality of seeds for a random number generator to be implemented by the gaming unit and configuration data for configuring the chosen gaming machine for playing the selected one or more games in the tournament, wherein the gaming software can effectively configure the chosen gaming unit for playing the one or more games in a tournament;

after the player has chosen the gaming unit, loading the gaming software for the one or more selected games and the configuration data to the chosen gaming unit, thereby effectively configuring the chosen gaming machine for participation in the tournament play of the one or more selected games and enabling the player to use the chosen gaming machine to play the one or more games in the tournament;

after loading said gaming software and configuration data, receiving an indication from said chosen gaming unit that a fee from a player to play in the tournament has been submitted to said gaming unit;

i) determining a single winning player of the tournament, if any;

and if the winning player of the tournament is determined, generating data indicative of a value payout to be awarded to the winning player;

or

ii) determining a plurality of winning players of the tournament and generating data indicative of a plurality of respective value payouts to be awarded to the plurality of winning players, wherein the plurality of respective value payouts comprises a plurality of shares of a jackpot.

2. A gaming method according to claim 1, wherein loading gaming software to the chosen gaming unit comprises transmitting the gaming software to the gaming unit via a network.

3. A gaming method according to claim 1, wherein loading gaming software to the chosen gaming unit comprises loading the gaming software from at least one of a floppy disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD, a PC card, a smart card, and a portable memory device.

4. A gaming method according to claim 1, further comprising confirming that the gaming software was loaded to the gaming unit successfully.

5. A gaming method according to claim 1, further comprising authenticating the gaming software after loading the gaming software to the gaming unit.

6. A gaming method according to claim 1, wherein the gaming software comprises an executable file.

7. A gaming method according to claim 1, wherein the gaming software comprises a configuration file.

8. A gaming method according to claim 1, wherein the gaming software comprises a data file.

9. A gaming method according to claim 1, further comprising randomly or pseudo-randomly generating the plurality of seeds.

10. A tournament server, comprising:

a network interface operatively coupled to a network;

a controller operatively coupled to the network interface, the controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to the processor, the controller configured to;

receive, via the network interface, data indicative of a gaming unit on which a player has chosen to play one or more games in a tournament wherein the gaming unit is not configured for playing the one or more games in the tournament, and gaming software for the one or more games is not stored on the chosen gaming unit when the data is received;

after the player has chosen the gaming unit, load the gaming software for the one or more games comprising a pay table or a plurality of seeds for a random number generator to be implemented by the gaming unit to the chosen gaming unit thereby effectively configuring the chosen gaming machine for participation in the tournament enabling the player to use the chosen gaming machine to play the one or more games in the tournament;

after said gaming software has been loaded to said chosen gaming unit, receive an indication that a fee from a player to play in a tournament has been submitted to said gaming unit;

i) determine a winning player of the tournament, if any; and

if the winning player of the tournament is determined, generate data indicative of a value payout to be awarded to the winning player;

or

ii) determine a plurality of winning players of the tournament and generate data indicative of a plurality of respective value payouts to be awarded to the plurality of winning players, wherein the plurality of respective value payouts comprises a plurality of shares of a jackpot.

11. A tournament server according to claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine whether the chosen gaming unit is already configured for playing in the tournament; and

load gaming software to the chosen gaming unit only if the gaming unit is not already configured for playing in the tournament.

12. A tournament server according to claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to confirm that the gaming software was loaded to the gaming unit successfully.

13. A tournament server according to claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to authenticate the gaming software loaded to the gaming unit.

14. A tournament server according to claim 10, wherein the gaming software comprises an executable file.

15. A tournament server according to claim 10, wherein the gaming software comprises a configuration file.

16. A tournament server according to claim 10, wherein the gaming software comprises a data file.

17. A tournament server according to claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to randomly or pseudo-randomly generate the plurality of seeds.

18. A tournament server according to claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a plurality of indicators of outcomes of games to the gaming unit.