Networked gaming system communication protocols and methods

• US 8,992,326 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2008
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Kroeckel, John, Soliterman, Gennady, Rupanagudi, Reddy, Lockard, Dennis, Tallcott, Jeffrey, Kelly, Bryan M
• Primary Examiner(s): RENWICK, REGINALD A
• Application Number:
  US12/291,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20090197671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,330 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/17, 463/42, 463/25
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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

Abstract

A system, method and apparatus for a gaming system is provided. The gaming system includes a rewards server and a separate gaming or slot accounting server. The system may further include a separate player tracking server. The system further includes one or more game machines. The game machines may include a base game, rewards tracking module, and a game management module. Further details will be apparent from the description, drawings and claims.

Claims

1. A gaming system, comprising:

a first gaming device having a first base game processor to control play of a base game, the first gaming device having one or more system processors, having a game monitoring module to monitor play of the base game and having a rewards system module to control play of a bonus game on the first gaming device, the bonus game being available on the first gaming device only through play of the base game, the rewards system module implemented by one or more of the one or more system processors of the first gaming device;

a first server having an accounting system, the first server to send bonuses to the game monitoring module; and

a second server having a rewards system to track rewards responsive to play of the base game and a threshold responsive to play of the base game, the rewards to provide currency used to play the bonus game on the first gaming device and the threshold to provide the amount of rewards being needed to enable play of the bonus game on the first gaming device, the second server to send bonuses to the rewards system module of the first gaming device;

wherein the rewards system module and the game monitoring module communicate bonus information;

wherein the second server further to send an enabling message for bonuses to the first gaming device, the second server to send the enabling message responsive to determining a user of the first gaming device and the rewards system has achieved a predetermined threshold of rewards as tracked by the rewards system; and

wherein determining whether a user has achieved the predetermined threshold of rewards further checks the frequency of play of bonus games by a user against business rules of the rewards system controlling bonus play prior to enabling bonus play.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the bonuses of the first server are tied to activity of the first gaming device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the bonuses of the second server are tied to activity of an identified player at the first gaming device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the second server and the rewards system module further communicate player identification authentication data.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the second server and the rewards system module communicate reward threshold data and the rewards system module and the game monitoring module communicate reward threshold data.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the second server triggers bonus games at the first gaming device responsive to achievement of reward thresholds by the player.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the first server provides progressive bonuses.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices each having a first base game processor, each gaming device having one or more system processors, each gaming device having a game monitoring module and having a rewards system module, the rewards system module of each gaming device implemented by one or more of the one or more system processors of each first gaming device;

the first server further to send bonuses to the game monitoring module of each gaming device of the plurality of gaming devices; and

the second server further to send bonuses to a system processor of the each of the plurality of gaming devices;

wherein the system processor and the game monitoring module of each gaming device communicate bonus data.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the second server is to trigger bonus games collectively on the first gaming device and one or more of the plurality of gaming devices.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the bonus games are triggered selectively on gaming devices based on reward threshold counts; and

payouts of bonus games are paid out by hand if a payout at a gaming device is requested and such payout exceeds a predetermined level.