Jackpot system

• US 6,712,695 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2001
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GTECH Germany GmbH
• Original Assignee: Atronic International AG
• Inventors: Lang, Peter, Lechner, Franz, Berger, Dominik, Mothwurf, Ewald
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/761,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20010036857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 463/10, 463/13, 463/16-22, 463/25, 463/26, 463/27-29, 463/30, 463/31, 463/37, 463/40, 463/42, 463/43, 273/138.1, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00167 with a jackpot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

A jackpot system used in casinos for allocating the wins from at least one jackpot to players playing at a plurality of gaming positions. The gaming positions are associated with a computer network including a computing engine having a memory for receiving inputs from the gaming positions and at least one output for communicating information to the players. At least one paytable is stored in that memory or in another memory associated with the computer network. The paytable can be configured by an operator and has a plurality of possible winning entries and wins associated with the winning entries. A selection generator is triggered at least once, via the computer network, by a trigger input generated in response to the playing of each game of a group of selected games to generate a selection. The selection is compared with the paytable and if the selection corresponds to a winning entry, the associated win is transferred to at least one player associated with the gaming position which triggered the selection, and/or to another jackpot.

Claims

1. A jackpot system for an allocation of jackpot awards from at least one jackpot to players playing at a plurality of gaming positions, comprising a computer network associated with said gaming positions, said computer network including a computing engine having both a memory for receiving inputs from the gaming positions and at least one output for communicating information to said players, at least one paytable stored in said memory or in another memory associated with said computer network, said paytable being capable of being configured by an operator and having a plurality of possible winning entries and jackpot awards associated with said winning entries, a selection generator which is triggered at least once, via said computer network, by a trigger input generated in response to the playing of each game of a group of selected games to generate a selection, means for comparing the selection generated with the paytable, and, in the event of the selection generated corresponding to one of said winning entries, initiating a transfer of an associated jackpot award to at least one of at least one player associated with the gaming position which triggered the selection, and to another jackpot, said jackpot system further comprising means for periodically simulating an event affecting at least some of said gaming positions by varying respective entries in a probability matrix associated with said selection generator, and a plurality of devices for informing patrons of a casino of an impending occurrence of said event and for subsequently displaying a simulation of said event.

2. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said computing engine is a centralized computing engine.

3. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said computing engine is a distributed computing engine.

4. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said paytable includes an input operatable by at least one of an operator or a manufacturer for inputting information relating to at least one of the winning entries and jackpot awards associated with said winning entries.

5. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said inputs from said gaming positions comprise at least one of the following items of information:

a value related to an amount bet at each game at the gaming position,

information relating to the time at which each game is played,

an indication of the identity of the gaming positions,

information relating to the geographical location of the gaming position,

information relating to one or more player attributes such as the identity of the player,

player activity level,

information on the type of game played,

achievement of a specific winning combination at the gaming position,

information relating to an external event being at least one of a manual input from an operator, an input from another jackpot game and an input from another jackpot system,

information whether the gaming position is in operation,

information on at least one of a number of patrons entering the casino and a number of patrons leaving the casino.

6. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one output comprises at least one of the following:

an output to one or more jackpot displays,

an output to one or more of said multimedia devices,

outputs to displays or indicators associated with one or more of said gaming positions.

7. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said entries in said paytable comprise at least one of the following:

a sequence of consecutive numbers each associated with a respective jackpot award or no jackpot award or with a plurality of like jackpot awards,

a plurality of random numbers each associated with at least one respective jackpot award and a plurality of like jackpot awards,

an indication of how many like jackpot awards associated with a winning entry are left, if any,

a plurality of dissimilar jackpot awards in a given sequence associated with one winning entry.

8. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said jackpot awards comprise at least one of the following:

a fixed sum of money,

a sum of money related to a jackpot amount,

a physical prize,

a non-physical prize,

a casino complementary.

9. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said selection generator comprises a counter for counting the total number of trigger inputs generated in response to the playing of each game of a group of selected games and used in conjunction with a plurality of random numbers defining said winning entries in the paytable.

10. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said selection generator comprises a random number generator optionally used with a said paytable having a sequence of consecutive numbers defining said winning entries or a plurality of random numbers defining said winning entries.

11. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 10, wherein means is provided for varying the probability of a jackpot award in response to at least one of the following inputs:

time of day,

geographic location of a respective gaming position,

instantaneous jackpot value,

amount of bet,

player attributes,

player activity level,

player contribution to the jackpot,

minimum possible bet amount,

level of activity in casino,

system generated functions of at least one of time, location and any combination of the above listed inputs,

predetermined patterns.

12. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said means for varying the probability of a jackpot award comprises means for varying a range of random numbers capable of generation by said selection generator in response to each trigger input.

13. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said means for varying the probability of a jackpot award comprises means for varying the associated entry in a dynamic probability matrix, which can be the same or different for all gaming positions.

14. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said means for varying a respective entry in a probability matrix comprises means for forming a combination of said inputs.

15. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said inputs define a dynamic probability matrix controlling said selection generator.

16. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transfer of the associated jackpot award to a at least one player takes place in accordance with at least one of the following possibilities:

small jackpot awards credited to a gaming position meter,

small jackpot awards paid out immediately at the gaming position,

small jackpot awards credited to one of a cashless card and a cashless account in a casino data base,

small jackpot awards credited to a player tracking bonus points account associated with the player,

larger jackpot awards by crediting player account at casino bank,

larger jackpot awards in cash at a casino cage,

major jackpot awards by special presentation to a player to maximize publicity effect and enhance player interest,

major jackpot awards by payment to one of a cashless account in a casino data base and to a cashless card,

jackpot award paid out in accordance with a value dependent table.

17. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transfer of the associated jackpot award takes place to a plurality of players in accordance with at least one of the following schemes:

a jackpot award of a fixed value to a player at a gaming station which triggered the jackpot award and a jackpot award of a second value or further values to one or more associated players,

a jackpot award of a first value to a player at a gaming position which triggered the jackpot award and a jackpot award of a second value or further values to other members of a predefined group.

18. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1 and comprising a plurality of jackpot games, wherein a proportional payment is made from each bet wagered in one jackpot game of a jackpot system into a further jackpot game.

19. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1 and comprising a plurality of jackpot games, wherein a proportional payment is made from each bet wagered in one jackpot game of a jackpot system into a further jackpot game, wherein said further jackpot game comprises at least one of the following:

a jackpot game in a jackpot system configured in accordance with claim 1,

a further jackpot game associated with the selected group of games,

a further jackpot game associated with a different group of selected games,

a further jackpot game associated with a different casino.

20. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1 and comprising a plurality of jackpot games, wherein a jackpot award associated with one of said jackpot games triggers a payment into a further jackpot game.

21. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1 and comprising a plurality of jackpot games, wherein a jackpot award associated with one of said jackpot games triggers a payment into a further jackpot game, wherein said further jackpot game comprises at least one of the following:

a jackpot game in a jackpot system configured in accordance with claim 1,

a further jackpot game associated with the group of selected games,

a further jackpot game associated with a different group of selected games,

a further jackpot game associated with a different casino.

22. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1 and comprising a plurality of jackpot games, wherein a jackpot award associated with one of said jackpot games triggers at least one trigger input in a further jackpot game.

23. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1 and comprising a plurality of jackpot games, wherein a jackpot award associated with one of said jackpot games triggers at least one trigger input in a further jackpot game, wherein said further jackpot game comprises at least one of the following:

a jackpot game in a jackpot system configured in accordance with claim 1,

a further jackpot game associated with the group of selected games,

a further jackpot game associated with a different group of selected games,

a further jackpot game associated with a different casino.

24. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said computing engine comprises at least one jackpot memory for accumulating a record of inputs into a said jackpot game and for debiting jackpot awards from a jackpot award associated with said jackpot game when allocated to one or more players.

25. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising means for operating said devices to explain to the patrons in a casino the cost of the event to the casino.

26. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said devices form a part of said computer network.

27. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1 including means for statistically pre-evaluating or simulating the cost of a said event to the casino.

28. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1 including means for varying the selection criteria in accordance with at least one of operator determined inputs and manufacturer determined inputs.

29. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1 and comprising at least one parallel computer system duplicating or multiplicating said jackpot system in the sense of carrying out in parallel all computer operations of the jackpot system and means for continuously or repeatedly comparing the results of the jackpot system and the at least one parallel computer system, and means for at least one of indicating a fault in the event of discrepancies and for taking majority decisions.

30. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said jackpot system is configured as a software program configured for operation using said computer network.

31. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for varying a respective entry in a probability matrix comprises means for producing system generated functions of at least one of time and location.

32. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for varying a respective entry in a probability matrix comprises a predetermined pattern.

33. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said event is selected from the group comprising:

a tornado moving through a casino,

a hurricane affecting a casino,

winds gusting in a casino at certain points of the casino and at certain times,

a tidal wave,

a volcanic eruption,

a piece of music played by one of a band and a musician and

a ride in an air balloon taking a route through a casino.

34. A jackpot system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the devices inform patrons that the event provides an enhanced opportunity of winning the jackpot awards.

35. A jackpot in accordance with claim 1 wherein the devices comprise multimedia devices.