Applications for gaming devices in a networked environment

• US 9,489,800 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2008
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Ellenthal, Matthew P.
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weatherford, Syvila
• Application Number:
  US12/251,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20090098933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,946 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 463/25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• 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 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A method comprises receiving a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play comprising a plurality of game plays to be played, and transmitting to the gaming device an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a server, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one server processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to receive a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play including a plurality of game plays to be played for a player who purchased said session of game play for a monetary value following receipt of a first physical item by an acceptor of the gaming device, said first physical item being associated with the monetary value;

b) after receiving the request and prior to initiating any of the plurality of game plays to be played, without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the monetary value associated with the received first physical item, causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to transmit to the gaming device a first amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device without causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to transmit to the gaming device any amount of credit required to initiate any subsequent game play of the session on the gaming device;

(c) causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to transmit to the gaming device a session counter indicating a number of the plurality of game plays remaining in the session;

(d) causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether to transmit an additional amount of credit to the gaming device to enable at least one of the plurality of game plays remaining to be played; and

(e) if it is determined to transmit the additional amount of credit to the gaming device, causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to transmit to the gaming device the additional amount of credit required to enable the at least one of the plurality of game plays remaining to be played without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the monetary value.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional amount of credit includes a promotional credit.

3. The method of claim 2 further including causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause a benefit to be awarded to the player for game plays enabled by the promotional credit.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the benefit includes at least one player point.

5. The method of claim 1 further including causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to transmit a message to the player if the at least one server processor determines not to transmit the additional amount of credit.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a server processor to perform a method comprising:

(a) receiving a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play including a plurality of game plays to be played for a player who purchased said session of game play for a monetary value following receipt of a first physical item by an acceptor of the gaming device, said first physical item being associated with the monetary value;

b) after receiving the request and prior to initiating any of the plurality of game plays to be played, without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the monetary value associated with the received first physical item, transmitting to the gaming device a first amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device without transmitting to the gaming device any amount of credit required to initiate any subsequent game play of the session on the gaming device;

(c) determining whether to transmit an additional amount of credit to the gaming device to enable at least one of the plurality of game plays remaining to be played; and

(d) if it is determined to transmit the additional amount of credit to the gaming device, transmitting to the gaming device the additional amount of credit required to enable the at least one of the plurality of game plays remaining to be played without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the monetary value.

7. A server comprising:

at least one server processor; and

at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one server processor, cause the at least one server processor to;

(a) receive a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play including a plurality of game plays to be played for a player who purchased said session of game play for a monetary value following receipt of a first physical item by an acceptor of the gaming device, said first physical item being associated with the monetary value;

b) after receiving the request and prior to initiating any of the plurality of game plays to be played, without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the monetary value associated with the received first physical item, transmit to the gaming device a first amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device without transmitting to the gaming device any amount of credit required to initiate any subsequent game play of the session on the gaming device;

(c) determine whether to transmit an additional amount of credit to the gaming device to enable at least one of the plurality of game plays remaining to be played; and

(d) if it is determined to transmit the additional amount of credit to the gaming device, transmit to the gaming device the additional amount of credit required to enable the at least one of the plurality of game plays remaining to be played without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the monetary value.

8. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) receiving, via an acceptor of the gaming device, a physical item associated with a first monetary value;

b) receiving, via at least one input device of the gaming device and from a player, a payment of a second monetary value, said second monetary value being deducted from the first monetary value associated with the received physical item;

(c) causing at least one gaming device processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to, in response to receiving the payment, transmit to a server a request from the gaming device to initiate a session of game play including a plurality of game plays to be played for the player;

(d) after receiving the request and prior to initiating any of the plurality of game plays to be played, without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the payment of the second monetary value, causing the at least one gaming device processor to execute the plurality of instructions to receive, from the server, a first amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device without causing the at least one gaming device processor to receive, from the server, any amount of credit required to initiate any subsequent game play of the session on the gaming device;

(e) causing the at least one gaming device processor to execute the plurality of instructions to receive, from the server, a session counter indicating a number of the plurality of game plays remaining in the session;

(f) causing the at least one gaming device processor to execute the plurality of instructions to transmit to the server a requirement for an additional amount of credit to enable at least one of the plurality of game plays remaining to be played; and

(g) causing the at least one gaming device processor to execute the plurality of instructions to receive, from the server, the additional amount of credit required to enable the at least one of the plurality of game plays remaining to be played without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the second monetary value.

9. The method of claim 8 further including causing the at least one gaming device processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one display device to display the session counter on the gaming device.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the additional amount of credit includes a promotional credit.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a gaming device processor to perform a method comprising:

(a) receiving, via an acceptor of the gaming device, a physical item associated with a first monetary value;

(b) receiving, via at least one input device of the gaming device and from a player, a payment of a second monetary value, said second monetary value being deducted from the first monetary value associated with the received physical item;

(c) in response to receiving the payment, transmitting to a server a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play including a plurality of game plays to be played for the player;

(d) after receiving the request and prior to initiating any of the plurality of game plays to be played, without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the payment of the second monetary value, receiving from the server a first amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device without receiving from the server any amount of credit required to initiate any subsequent game play of the session on the gaming device;

(e) transmitting to the server a requirement for an additional amount of credit to enable at least one of the plurality of game plays remaining to be played; and

(f) receiving, from the server, the additional amount of credit required to enable the at least one of the plurality of game plays remaining to be played without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the second monetary value.

12. A gaming device comprising:

at least one gaming device processor;

a plurality of input devices including an acceptor; and

at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one gaming device processor, cause the at least one gaming device processor to operate with the plurality of input devices to;

(a) receive, via the acceptor, a physical item associated with a first monetary value;

(b) receive, from a player, a payment of a second monetary value, said second monetary value being deducted from the first monetary value associated with the received physical item;

(c) in response to receiving the payment, transmit to a server a request from the gaming device to initiate a session of game play including a plurality of game plays to be played for the player;

(d) after receiving the request and prior to initiating any of the plurality of game plays to be played, without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the payment of the second monetary value, receive from the server a first amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device without receiving from the server any amount of credit required to initiate any subsequent game play of the session on the gaming device;

(e) transmit to the server a requirement for an additional amount of credit to enable at least one of the plurality of game plays remaining to be played; and

(f) receive, from the server, the additional amount of credit required to enable the at least one of the plurality of game plays remaining to be played without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the second monetary value.

13. A method of operating a server, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one server processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to receive a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play including a predetermined duration for a player who purchased said session of game play for a monetary value following receipt of a first physical item by an acceptor of the gaming device;

(b) after receiving the request and prior to initiating any of the plurality of game plays to be played, without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the monetary value associated with the received first physical item, causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to transmit to the gaming device a first amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device without causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to transmit to the gaming device any amount of credit required to initiate any subsequent game play of the session on the gaming device;

(c) causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to transmit to the gaming device a session timer indicating an amount of time remaining in the session;

(d) causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if the predetermined period of time has expired; and

(e) causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to transmit to the gaming device an additional amount of credit required to enable game play if the predetermined duration has not expired without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the monetary value.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the additional amount of credit includes a promotional credit.

15. The method of claim 14 further including causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause a benefit to be awarded to the player for game plays enabled by the promotional credit.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the benefit includes at least one player point.

17. The method of claim 13 further including causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to transmit a message to the player if it is determined not to transmit the additional amount of credit.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a server processor to perform a method comprising:

(a) receiving a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play including a predetermined duration for a player who purchased said session of game play for a monetary value following receipt of a first physical item by an acceptor of the gaming device;

(b) after receiving the request and prior to initiating any of the plurality of game plays to be played, without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the monetary value associated with the received first physical item, transmitting to the gaming device a first amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device without transmitting to the gaming device any amount of credit required to initiate any subsequent game play of the session on the gaming device

(c) determining if the predetermined period of time has expired; and

(d) transmitting to the gaming device an additional amount of credit required to enable game play if the predetermined duration has not expired without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the monetary value.

19. A server comprising:

at least one server processor; and

at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one server processor, cause the at least one server processor to;

(a) receive a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play including a predetermined duration for a player who purchased said session of game play for a monetary value following receipt of a first physical item by an acceptor of the gaming device;

(b) after receiving the request and prior to initiating any of the plurality of game plays to be played, without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the monetary value associated with the received first physical item, transmit to the gaming device a first amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device without transmitting to the gaming device any amount of credit required to initiate any subsequent game play of the session on the gaming device

(c) determine if the predetermined period of time has expired; and

(d) transmit to the gaming device an additional amount of credit required to enable game play if the predetermined duration has not expired without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the monetary value.

20. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) receiving, via an acceptor of the gaming device, a physical item associated with a first monetary value;

(b) receiving, via at least one input device of the gaming device and from a player, a payment of a second monetary value, said second monetary value being deducted from the first monetary value associated with the received physical item;

(c) in response to receiving the payment, causing at least one gaming device processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to transmit to a server a request from the gaming device to initiate a session of game play including a predetermined duration for the player;

(d) after receiving the request and prior to initiating any of the plurality of game plays to be played, without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the payment of the second monetary value, causing the at least one gaming device processor to execute the plurality of instructions to receive, from the server, a first amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device without causing the at least one gaming device processor to execute the plurality of instructions to receive, from the server, any amount of credit required to initiate any subsequent game play of the session on the gaming device;

(e) causing the at least one gaming device processor to execute the plurality of instructions to receive, from the server, a session timer indicating an amount of time remaining in the session;

(f) causing the at least one gaming device processor to execute the plurality of instructions to transmit to the server a requirement for an additional amount of credit to enable at least one remaining game play; and

(g) receiving, from the server, the additional amount of credit required to enable the at least one remaining game play to be played without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the second monetary value.

21. The method of claim 20 further including causing the at least one gaming device processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one display device to display the session timer on the gaming device.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the additional amount of credit includes a promotional credit.

23. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a gaming device processor to perform a method comprising:

(a) receiving, via an acceptor of the gaming device, a physical item associated with a first monetary value;

(b) receiving, via at least one input device of the gaming device and from a player, a payment of a second monetary value, said first physical item being associated with the monetary value;

(c) in response to receiving the payment, transmitting to a server a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play including a predetermined duration for the player;

(d) after receiving the request and prior to initiating any of the plurality of game plays to be played, without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the payment of the second monetary value, receiving from the server a first amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device without receiving from the server any amount of credit required to initiate any subsequent game play of the session on the gaming device;

(e) transmitting to the server a requirement for an additional amount of credit to enable at least one remaining game play; and

(f) receiving, from the server, the additional amount of credit required to enable the at least one remaining game play to be played without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the second monetary value.

24. A gaming device comprising:

at least one gaming device processor;

a plurality of input devices including an acceptor; and

at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one gaming device processor, cause the at least one gaming device processor to operate with the plurality of input devices to;

(a) receive, via the acceptor, a physical item associated with a first monetary value;

(b) receive, from a player, a payment of a second monetary value, said second monetary value being deducted from the first monetary value associated with the received physical item;

(c) in response to receiving the payment, transmit to a server a request from the gaming device to initiate a session of game play including a predetermined duration for the player;

(d) after receiving the request and prior to initiating any of the plurality of game plays to be played, without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the payment of the second monetary value, receive from the server a first amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device without receiving from the server any amount of credit required to initiate any subsequent game play of the session on the gaming device;

(e) transmit to the server a requirement for an additional amount of credit to enable at least one remaining game play; and

(f) receive, from the server, the additional amount of credit required to enable the at least one remaining game play to be played without receiving any funds from the player in addition to the second monetary value.

25. A method of operating a server comprising:

(a) causing at least one server processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to receive a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play including a plurality of game plays to be played following receipt of a first physical item associated with a monetary value by an acceptor of the gaming device;

(b) causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device, thereby determining a first amount of credit;

(c) causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an amount of credit available for initiating the first game play on the gaming device, thereby determining a second amount of credit, the second amount of credit being stored in a memory of the gaming device;

(d) if the second amount is less than the first amount, causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a third amount of credit necessary to be added to the second amount to cause a sum of the second amount and the third amount to equal to the first amount; and

(e) after receiving the request and prior to initiating any of the plurality of game plays to be played, causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to, without receiving the third amount of credit from a player of the gaming device, transmit the determined third amount of credit to the gaming device without causing the at least one server processor to execute the plurality of instructions to transmit any amount of credit in addition to the determined third amount of credit to the gaming device.

26. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a server processor to perform a method comprising:

(a) receiving a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play including a plurality of game plays to be played following receipt of a first physical item associated with a monetary value by an acceptor of the gaming device;

(b) determining an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device, thereby determining a first amount of credit;

(c) determining an amount of credit available for initiating a first game play on the gaming device, thereby determining a second amount of credit, the second amount of credit being stored in a memory of the gaming device;

(d) if the second amount is less than the first amount, determining a third amount of credit necessary to be added to the second amount to cause a sum of the second amount and the third amount to equal to the first amount; and

(e) after receiving the request and prior to initiating any of the plurality of game plays to be played, without receiving the third amount of credit from a player of the gaming device, transmitting the determined third amount of credit to the gaming device without transmitting any amount of credit in addition to the determined third amount of credit to the gaming device.

27. A server comprising:

at least one server processor; and

at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one server processor, cause the at least one server processor to;

(a) receive a request from a gaming device to initiate a session of game play including a plurality of game plays to be played following receipt of a first physical item associated with a monetary value by an acceptor of the gaming device;

(b) determine an amount of credit required to initiate a first game play of the session on the gaming device, thereby determining a first amount of credit;

(c) determine an amount of credit available for initiating a first game play on the gaming device, thereby determining a second amount of credit, the second amount of credit being stored in a memory of the gaming device;

(d) if the second amount is less than the first amount, determine a third amount of credit necessary to be added to the second amount to cause a sum of the second amount and the third amount to equal to the first amount; and

(e) after receiving the request and prior to initiating any of the plurality of game plays to be played, without receiving the third amount of credit from a player of the gaming device, transmit the determined third amount of credit to the gaming device without transmitting any amount of credit in addition to the determined third amount of credit to the gaming device.