Progressive controller and TCP/IP in a gaming system

• US 8,371,944 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2012
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Kelly, Bryan M., Kelly, Matthew F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar
• Assistant Examiner(s): TORIMIRO, ADETOKUNBO OLUSEGUN
• Application Number:
  US13/568,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20120302330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 190 Days
• Field of Search: 463/39, 463/40, 463/41, 463/42, 463/43
• US Class Current: 463/43
• 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A gaming system is disclosed herein that provides game play in exchange for monetary input per game played. The gaming system includes: a game server, a plurality of game units connected to the game server via a network, and a progressive controller. The progressive controller enables time based progressive gaming in which a progressive award is incremented by time unit. The progressive controller manages the progressive award that is incremented over time at random intervals rather than being incremented by coin input.

Claims

1. A tournament gaming system that provides game play in exchange for monetary input per game played, the gaming system comprising:

a tournament game server;

a plurality of game units connected to the tournament game server via a network; and

wherein a first game unit and a second game unit communicate with each other using TCP/IP protocol over the Internet;

wherein the gaming system utilizes websites or web pages to provide redemption of prize credits or merchandise prizes earned in a tournament game selected from a plurality of tournament games.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first game unit is configured to send information in TCP/IP packets to a URL of the second game unit, and wherein the second game unit is configured to send information in TCP/IP packets to a URL of the first game unit.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising a game points controller, wherein the game points controller enables game points awarded to a player to be used as currency.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising an additional processor attached to the game unit, wherein the additional processor enables a game process to be implemented in association with the game unit.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising a credit betting selector, wherein the credit betting selector allows a player to bet additional game credits for a game to potentially increase the number of prize credits won for a game.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein each time a player selects a credit selector, game credits applied to a particular game are increased by one credit.

7. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein two game credits applied to a game that normally only requires one game credit, doubles a player'"'"'s prize credits won for a particular game score.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising a network controller, wherein the network controller enables gaming network topology that allows game units to operate in a stand-alone configuration, as an intra-site network, or an inter-site network.