System gaming

• US 9,214,058 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2014
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• 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., Lockard, Dennis, Luciano, Robert A. Jr., Tallcott, Jeffrey C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liddle, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsu, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US14/278,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20140248953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/25, 463/42, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• 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

A gaming system for displaying real-time pushed data of tournament scores is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of gaming machines connected to a network each having a display capable of presenting a game, wherein each gaming machine enables play of chat-based games. The system also includes a gaming server and a chat server that are connected to the network. The gaming server is in communication with the plurality of gaming machines via the network. The chat server pushes real-time tournament data to the first and second gaming machines for presenting tournament data and on the display to facilitate competition between the first and second gaming machines.

Claims

1. A device-enabled gaming system for displaying real-time pushed data of tournament scores, comprising:

a physical network that connects and enables communication between components in the gaming device-enabled gaming system;

a plurality of gaming machines each connected to the physical network, each gaming machine having a display capable of presenting a game, wherein each gaming machine enables play of chat-based games, and wherein at least a first gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines enables, via a processor, play of a first base game that has a first theoretical payout percentage, and wherein at least a second gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines enables, via another processor, play of a second base game that has a second theoretical payout percentage, the plurality of gaming machines each comprising;

(i) at least one display device;

(ii) a plurality of input devices including;

(a) an acceptor of a first physical item associated with a first monetary value; and

(b) a cashout button actuatable to cause an initiation of a payout associated with a credit balance;

(iii) at least one gaming machine processor;

(iv) an output device comprising a currency dispenser, a ticket dispenser, a physical prize dispenser, or combinations thereof that dispense currency, a paper ticket, or a physical prize, respectively; and

(v)

at least one gaming machine memory device storing gaming machine game code that enables game play;

a tournament gaming server connected to the physical network and in communication with the plurality of gaming machines via the physical network, the tournament gaming server enabling, via a tournament server processor, tournaments on the plurality of gaming machines; and

a chat server connected to the network, the chat server having a chat server processor, wherein the chat server pushes, via the chat server processor, real-time tournament data to the first and second gaming machines for presenting tournament data and on the display to facilitate competition between the first and second gaming machines, the tournament data pushed to each gaming machine including data from game play on another gaming machine, wherein calculation of each tournament score is determined with the theoretical payout percentage from the first and second base game, respectively.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a user configurable feature is a setup chat group preferences feature.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein multiple scores are combined at one of the gaming machines to a tournament score and the tournament score is relayed to one or more other gaming machines of players in the tournament using the chat server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the same engine is used for chat and high score leader board capabilities as is used to send tournament data to a database server that calculates the winners of the tournament.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a user interface enables player chat and instant messaging with other players.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of gaming machines is a portable computer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of gaming machines is wirelessly connected to the system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of gaming machines is a computer that is connected to the system via the Internet.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of gaming machines is a cell phone.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein system employs geo-location techniques to identify the location of the player.

11. A gaming system for displaying real-time pushed data of tournament scores, comprising:

a physical network that connects and enables communication between components in the gaming device-enabled gaming system;

a plurality of gaming machines each connected to the physical network, each gaming machine having a display capable of presenting a game, wherein each gaming machine enables play of chat-based games, and wherein at least a first gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines enables, via a processor, play of a first base game that has a first theoretical payout percentage, and wherein at least a second gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines enables, via another processor, play of a second base game that has a second theoretical payout percentage, the plurality of gaming machines each comprising;

(i) at least one display device;

(ii) a plurality of input devices including;

(a) an acceptor of a first physical item associated with a first monetary value; and

(b) a cashout button actuatable to cause an initiation of a payout associated with a credit balance;

(iii) at least one gaming machine processor;

(iv) an output device comprising a currency dispenser, a ticket dispenser, a physical prize dispenser, or combinations thereof that dispense currency, a paper ticket, or a physical prize, respectively; and

(v)

at least one gaming machine memory device storing gaming machine game code that enables game play;

a tournament gaming server connected to the physical network and in communication with the plurality of gaming machines via the physical network, the tournament gaming server enabling, via a tournament server processor, tournaments on the plurality of gaming machines; and

a chat server connected to the network, the chat server having a chat server processor, wherein the chat server pushes, via the chat server processor, real-time tournament data to the first and second gaming machines for presenting tournament data and on the display to facilitate competition between the first and second gaming machines, wherein calculation of each tournament score is determined with the theoretical payout percentage from the first and second base game, respectively.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein a user configurable feature is a setup chat group preferences feature.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein multiple scores are combined at one of the gaming machines to a tournament score and the tournament score is relayed to one or more other gaming machines of players in the tournament using the chat server.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the same engine is used for chat and high score leader board capabilities as is used to send tournament data to a database server that calculates the winners of the tournament.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein a user interface enables player chat and instant messaging with other players.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of gaming machines is a portable computer.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of gaming machines is wirelessly connected to the system.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of gaming machines is a computer that is connected to the system via the Internet.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of gaming machines is a cell phone.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein system employs geo-location techniques to identify the location of the player.