Wide area program distribution and game information communication system

• US 20070197298A1
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Rowe, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,540,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are described for distributing gaming applications to a plurality of gaming sites located in a plurality of regulatory regions via a wide area network. Each regulatory region has a regulatory scheme associated therewith. A plurality of gaming applications are stored on at least one central server. A subset of the gaming applications are distributed from the at least one central server to at least one of the gaming sites located in one of regulatory regions via the wide area network, the subset of gaming applications being determined according to the associated regulatory scheme.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for distributing gaming applications to a plurality of gaming sites located in a plurality of regulatory regions via a wide area network, each regulatory region having a regulatory scheme associated therewith, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of gaming applications on at least one central server wherein the gaming applications include instances of gaming software designed or configured for one or more of i) determining a game outcome for a game played on a gaming terminal;

ii) determining a value amount available for dispensation based upon a wager made on the game and based upon the determined game outcome wherein the value amount is determined via execution of the gaming software;

or iii) displaying the game outcome at the gaming terminal via execution of the gaming software on the gaming terminal;

distributing a subset of the gaming applications including a first instance of the gaming software from the at least one central server at least one of the gaming sites located in a first one of regulatory regions via the wide area network, the subset of gaming applications being determined according to the associated regulatory scheme.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein distributing the subset of the gaming applications comprises:

uploading the subset of the gaming applications to at least one regional server associated with the first regulatory region; and

distributing a portion of the subset of gaming applications from the at least one regional server to the at least one gaming site.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one regional server comprises a plurality of regional servers.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising receiving a request for the portion of the subset of gaming applications from the at least one gaming site.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein distributing the subset of the gaming applications comprises determining the subset with reference to a representation of the regulatory scheme associated with the first regulatory region.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein determining the subset comprises selecting software objects associated with the gaming applications.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of gaming applications includes a plurality of versions of at least one game.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the plurality of versions of the at least one game each correspond to a specific one of the regulatory schemes.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein each of the versions comprises a unique combination of software objects associated with the plurality of gaming applications.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in response to a request for a first one of the gaming applications from a first one of the gaming sites, presenting a plurality of software objects associated with the first gaming application thereby enabling selection of a combination of the software objects by a user at the first gaming site.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the gaming applications comprises a combination of a plurality of software objects.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the plurality of software objects includes at least some of base game applications, pay tables, display data, and bonus game options.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the game played on the gaming terminal is selected from the group consisting of a slot game, a bingo game, a card game, a lottery game, a keno game and a checkers game.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming terminal is one of a portable device or a home computer.

15. A system for distributing gaming applications to a plurality of gaming sites located in a plurality of regulatory regions via a wide area network, each regulatory region having a regulatory scheme associated therewith, the system comprising

at least one central server for storing a plurality of gaming applications wherein the gaming applications include instances of gaming software designed or configured for one or more of i) determining a game outcome for a game played on a gaming terminal;

ii) determining a value amount available for dispensation based upon a wager made on the game and based upon the determined game outcome wherein the value amount is determined via execution of the gaming software;

or iii) displaying the game outcome at the gaming terminal via execution of the gaming software on the gaming terminal wherein the at least one central server is operable to distribute a subset of the gaming applications including a first instance of the gaming software from the at least one central server to a first server at least one of the gaming sites located in a first one of regulatory regions via the wide area network, the subset of gaming applications being determined according to the associated regulatory scheme;

the first server for storing the first instance of the gaming software wherein the gaming device is operable to distribute the first instance of the gaming software to at least the gaming terminal; and

the gaming terminal operable to receive the first instance of the gaming software from the first server and at least operable to i) execute the first instance of the gaming software to generate a first game outcome, ii) determine a first value amount available for dispensation from the gaming terminal, iii) execute the first instance of the gaming software to display the game outcome on the gaming terminal or iv) combinations thereof.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the game played on the gaming terminal is selected from the group consisting of a slot game, a bingo game, a card game, a lottery game, a keno game and a checkers game.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the gaming terminal is one of a portable device or a home computer.

18. An apparatus for distributing gaming applications to a plurality of gaming sites located in a plurality of regulatory regions via a wide area network, each regulatory region having a regulatory scheme associated therewith, the apparatus comprising:

a memory for storing a plurality of gaming applications on at least one central server wherein the gaming applications include instances of gaming software designed or configured for one or more of i) determining a game outcome for a game played on a gaming terminal;

ii) determining a value amount available for dispensation based upon a wager made on the game and based upon the determined game outcome wherein the value amount is determined via execution of the gaming software;

or iii) displaying the game outcome at the gaming terminal via execution of the gaming software on the gaming terminal; and

a logic device operable to distribute a subset of the gaming applications including a first instance of the gaming software from the at least one central server to at least one of the gaming sites located in a first one of regulatory regions via the wide area network, the subset of gaming applications being determined according to the associated regulatory scheme.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the game played on the gaming terminal is selected from the group consisting of a slot game, a bingo game, a card game, a lottery game, a keno game and a checkers game.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the gaming terminal is one of a portable device or a home computer.