Networked gaming system communication protocols and methods

• US 9,466,170 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2013
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• 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., Soliterman, Gennady I., Rupanagudi, Reddy, Lockard, Dennis, Tallcott, Jeffery C., Kroeckel, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): RENWICK, REGINALD A
• Application Number:
  US14/065,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20140141868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 17/3267 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:

communicating base game data based on play of a base game from a game management unit of a first gaming device via a network to a first server using a first protocol;

receiving the base game data from the game management unit at the first server;

integrating the base game data into a slot accounting system of the first server;

sending base game data from the game management unit to a system processor of a rewards module of the first gaming device using a second protocol;

receiving the base game data at the rewards module of the first gaming device;

communicating rewards game data from the system processor of the rewards module of the first gaming device via the network to a rewards server using a third protocol;

receiving the rewards game data at the rewards server;

analyzing the rewards game data at the rewards server;

tracking and updating threshold points data at the rewards server, the threshold points used as currency for achieving a bonus game threshold, the threshold points data changed responsive to the rewards game data;

tracking and updating play points data at the rewards server, the play points used as currency for playing a bonus game, the play points data changed responsive to the rewards game data;

sending a bonus game trigger from the rewards server to the first gaming device via the network using the third protocol, the trigger for the bonus game sent responsive to achieving sufficient threshold points;

sending play points to the first gaming device from the rewards server via the network using the third protocol responsive to sending the bonus game trigger;

receiving from the rewards server the bonus game trigger and play points at the first gaming device; and

activating the bonus game at the first gaming device responsive to receiving the bonus game trigger and play points.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein rewards game data includes base game data and player identification data.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein base game data includes game results.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the bonus game is triggered responsive to a threshold achieved based on results of the base game, the threshold tracked through use of threshold points.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the rewards server implements a player rewards system.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising accumulating player rewards at the rewards server responsive to base game data, the player rewards tracked in the form of at least one of threshold points and play points.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, further comprising receiving player identification data from a rewards card of the player.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising verifying the player identification data of the rewards card with identification input by the player at the first gaming device.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

communicating base game data based on play of a base game from a game management unit of a second gaming device via the network to the first server using the first protocol;

receiving the base game data from the game management unit of the second gaming device at the first server;

integrating the base game data of the second gaming device into the slot accounting system of the first server;

sending base game data from the game management unit of the second gaming device to a system processor of a rewards module of the second gaming device using the second protocol;

receiving the base game data of the second gaming device at the rewards module of the second gaming device;

communicating rewards game data from the system processor of the rewards module of the second gaming device via the network to the rewards server using the third protocol;

receiving the rewards game data of the second gaming device at the rewards server from the second gaming device;

analyzing rewards game data of the second gaming device at the rewards server;

tracking and updating threshold points data at the rewards server, the threshold points used as currency for achieving a bonus game threshold of the second gaming device, the threshold points data of the second gaming device changed responsive to the rewards game data of the second gaming device;

tracking and updating play points data at the rewards server, the play points used as currency for playing a bonus game of the second gaming device, the play points data changed responsive to the rewards game data of the second gaming device;

sending bonus game trigger from the rewards server to the second gaming device via the network using the third protocol, the trigger for the bonus game of the second gaming device sent responsive to achieving sufficient threshold points;

sending play points to the second gaming device from the rewards server via the network using the third protocol responsive to sending the bonus game trigger to the second gaming device;

receiving from the rewards server the bonus game trigger and play points at the second gaming device; and

activating the bonus game at the second gaming device responsive to receiving the bonus game trigger and play points.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the bonus game is a collective bonus game including the first gaming device and the second gaming device.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the bonus game is a poker game.

12. A method, comprising:

communicating base game data from a game management unit of a gaming device via a network to a first server using a first protocol;

sending base game data from the game management unit to a system processor of a rewards module of the gaming device using a second protocol;

communicating rewards game data from the rewards module of the gaming device via the network to a rewards server using a third protocol;

receiving the rewards game data at the rewards server;

analyzing the rewards game data at the rewards server;

tracking and updating threshold points data at the rewards server, the threshold points used as currency for achieving a bonus game threshold of the gaming device, the threshold points data of the gaming device changed responsive to the rewards game data;

tracking and updating play points data at the rewards server, the play points used as currency for playing a bonus game of the gaming device, the play points data changed responsive to the rewards game data;

sending a bonus game trigger from the rewards server to the gaming device via the network using the third protocol, the trigger for the bonus game of the gaming device sent responsive to achieving sufficient threshold points;

sending play points to the gaming device from the rewards server via the network using the third protocol responsive to sending the bonus game trigger to the gaming device;

receiving from the rewards server a bonus game trigger and play points, the bonus game trigger based on threshold points tracked at the rewards server reaching a predetermined threshold at the rewards server, the play points separate from the threshold points; and

activating the bonus game at the gaming device responsive to receiving the bonus game trigger and play points.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein rewards game data includes base game data and player identification data.

14. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein base game data includes game results.

15. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the bonus game is triggered responsive to a threshold achieved based on results of the base game, the threshold tracked based on threshold points.

16. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the first server implements a slot accounting system.

17. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the rewards server implements a player rewards system.

18. A method, comprising:

communicating base game data from game management units of a plurality of gaming devices via a network to a first server using a first protocol;

sending base game data from the game management unit to a system processor of a rewards module using a second protocol in each of the plurality of gaming devices;

communicating rewards game data from the rewards module of each of the plurality of gaming devices via the network to a rewards server using a third protocol;

sending triggers for bonus games and play points from the rewards server to gaming devices of the plurality of gaming devices via the network using the third protocol;

receiving from the rewards server bonus game triggers and play points at one or more gaming devices of the plurality of gaming devices, the bonus game triggers based on threshold points tracked at the rewards server reaching predetermined thresholds at the second server, the play points separate from the threshold points; and

activating the bonus games at the one or more gaming devices of the plurality of gaming devices responsive to receiving the bonus game triggers and play points.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the triggers for bonus games are sent selectively to gaming devices of the plurality of gaming devices where threshold points indicate rewards thresholds have been met.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the bonus games are collective games played among gaming devices of the plurality of gaming devices receiving the triggers for bonus games.