Networked gaming system communication protocols and methods

• US 9,053,610 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2008
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Kelly, Bryan M, Lockard, Dennis, Tallcott, Jeffrey, Kroeckel, John, Soliterman, Gennady, Rupanagudi, Reddy
• Primary Examiner(s): RENWICK, REGINALD A
• Application Number:
  US12/291,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20090227363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,400 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/42
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 method, comprising:

receiving player identification data from a gaming device at a networked rewards server;

receiving player PIN data from the gaming device at the rewards server;

sending player identification data and player PIN data from the rewards server to a networked player tracking server which is separate from the rewards server;

receiving authentication at the rewards server of the player identification data based on the player PIN data from the player tracking server;

providing from the rewards server personalized base game data to the gaming device responsive to the authentication, wherein the personalized base game data includes one or more of base game data comprising pay tables, personal game settings, and available games for the authenticated player;

communicating base game data with the gaming device from a networked slot accounting server separate from the rewards server and the player tracking server;

receiving base game data from the gaming device at the rewards server; and

accumulating player rewards at the rewards server responsive to base game data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the base game data includes data reflecting achievement of a personalized threshold for a bonus game based on results of the base game data.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving bonus points from the player tracking server at the rewards server.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

requesting bonus points at the rewards server from the player tracking server for the bonus game.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

triggering the bonus game at the gaming device responsive to a personalized threshold achieved based on results of the base game and responsive to receiving the bonus points from the player tracking server.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

the bonus game is a personalized bonus game.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the bonus game is a collective bonus game including the gaming device and another gaming device.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving player identification data from a plurality of gaming devices at a rewards server;

receiving player PIN data from the plurality of gaming devices at the rewards server;

sending player identification data and player PIN data from the rewards server to a player tracking server which is separate from the rewards server;

receiving authentication at the rewards server of the player identification data based on the player PIN data from the player tracking server;

providing from the rewards server personalized base game data to the plurality of gaming devices responsive to the authentication, wherein the personalized base game data includes one or more of base game data comprising pay tables, personal game settings, and available games for the authenticated player;

communicating base game data with the plurality of gaming devices from a networked slot accounting server separate from the rewards server and the player tracking server; and

receiving base game data from the plurality of gaming devices at the rewards server.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining the base game data includes data reflecting achievement of a personalized threshold for a bonus game based on results of the base game data of two or more gaming devices of the plurality of gaming devices.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

requesting bonus points at the rewards server from the player tracking server for the bonus game for each player associated with achievement of a threshold.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving bonus points from the player tracking server at the rewards server.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

triggering the bonus game selectively at each gaming device of the plurality of gaming devices responsive to a personalized threshold achieved based on results of the base game at the selected gaming devices of the plurality of gaming devices and responsive to receiving the bonus points from the player tracking server.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the bonus game is a collective bonus game including each selected gaming device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

results of the bonus game include bonus points for a player of the bonus game having a winning result of the bonus game.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

sending the bonus points for the player having the winning result of the bonus game to the player tracking server.