GB2397250A - Gaming System incorporating Player-specific Information - Google Patents

Abstract

A gaming apparatus for use with a master display 110 and a plurality of slave displays 115 including a master device 102 and one or more slave devices 112, the master device 102 being usually associated with the main display 110 and each slave device 112 being usually associated with its own respective display 115 and further including a data transfer component 118 configured to read data on an external data store 120 in the form of a smart or magnetic card associated with the or each slave device 115, wherein the card 120 stores data relating to the player, who is possession of the card, including one or more of a player name/identifier data and game type/character preferences.

Description

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Gaming System incorporating Player-specific Information The present invention relates to a gaming system.

A known gaming system includes a number of "slave" devices that are interlinked to a "master top box" device. The player inserts cash or tokens into one of the slave devices in order to participate in a game mainly based on the slave device. Following a trigger event, which may be, for example, a particular winning combination in a fruit-machine type game, the player is allowed to play a game or series of games mainly based on the master top box. This game or games can award increased winnings.

The choice of game played involving the master top box is usually determined by the system itself. Furthermore, players are unable to have their preferences regarding various aspects of the game stored for future games. For example, each time a player starts the game he or she may be asked to enter his name, which can become tedious (especially if it has to be input without a standard keyboard) and this can make a player somewhat reluctant to play.

According to one aspect the invention consists in a gaming apparatus for use with a master display and a plurality of slave displays including a master device and one or more slave devices, the master device being usually associated with the main display and each slave device being usually associated with its own respective display and further including a data transfer component configured to read data on an external data store in the form of a smart or magnetic card associated with the or each slave device, wherein the card stores data relating to the player, who is possession of the card, including one or more of a player name/identifier data and game type/character preferences.

Data read from the card can be used in a game played on the master device and displayed on the main display.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of playing a gaming apparatus. The method can include a step of playing a game mainly based on a slave device. A trigger event in the slave device game can then allow the player to participate in a game mainly based on the master device. The player may be provided with a data store storing data associated with the player. The player may present the data storage component to a data transfer component associated with the apparatus, typically with a slave device.

The data stored on the storage component can be read by the data transfer device and transferred to the gaming apparatus. The transferred data can then be incorporated into the game being played on the apparatus.

Preferably, the transferred data can be incorporated in the -tame by linking the data to a character or feature of the gaming system.

It is envisaged that the gaming system may include a number of characters that the player can selectively chose. If the selected character is unavailable, because the character has already been chosen by another player, then the player is given the option of selecting a different character. If again this further selected character is already associated with a player, then the gaming system can search to see which characters are not in use and provide the player with the option of using the nonused character.

It is envisaged that the master device can interact with an individual slave device to enable play between the two devices. The master device may allow a player to select a particular character, or if unavailable, another character is allocated to that player so that gaming can occur between the master and slave device.

Preferably, the master device includes a viewing screen, e.g. a plasma screen or even hologram that the player of a slave device can watch while they are playing the slave device and input from the slave device can be shown on the plasma screen. Such an arrangement not only allows the player to follow gaming but also spectators can watch play as well.

it is envisaged that play is allowed between the master and an individual slave device. Alternatively, play may be allowed between the master device and several slave devices, either sequentially or simultaneously. If multi-playing occurs, the viewing screen may be partitioned so that each player that is gaming can watch and interact or take commands shown on the screen for their character.

In a preferred embodiment, the master device includes data concerning one or more characters, preferably a number of different characters that a player may select as he or she wishes. It may be that a player selects a character and continues to play future games using that character because the character has been chosen as a role-play character. In such a situation, it is envisaged that the master device can store information about the character, such as for example, the point that the character has reached in a particular game at a particular time, or the credits or totals that have accrued for that character during play as a result of winning points, or even if penalty points have been awarded against that character during play.

When information about a character is stored by a gaming system, the player can resume playing future games at the point that he or she left off playing the last game. In such a situation, where there are multiple players, each having their own character, the players can be positioned when they restart gaming at positions relative to one another, taking into account the status of the previous game played, the time of play or even the number of previous games played. For example, if the game being played is one involving a race between a number of characters that have been selected by players, one character may enter the game at the start point of the race, if this character is being controlled by a new player. A second player may enter the game as well either again at the start point if this point is selected, or possibly, if there have been previous games involving that character, at a point some way along the race. The point along the race may be determined taking into account the position that the player reached when they last played the game as well as other features about previous plays.

During gaming, each player may use a win feature such as a dice to determine how far along the game they can move, so that the players can race one another using their selected character. The players may use a dice, which is individual to their selected character, or a common dice can be used by a number of players in turn, when it is the turn of their character to be played. This arrangement would enable several players to use the system for gaming, allowing them to play against one another on a real time basis but also taking into account past gaming using a character that has been selected.

It is envisaged that the information about the character may be collated and stored by the master device itself. However, it may be that character information relating to a player's game is stored on or transferred to a magnetic card from either the master or the slave devices that are associated with the master device.

Preferably, the magnetic card would hold information about the players preferred character. However, it is envisaged that information about several characters, each of which can used by the card-holder for the same or different games may be stored. It could be that the card is holds information about a number of characters so that if a player tries to play a gaming system using the preferred character but cannot do so at the time because another player is using that character, a sub-character may be selected according to information stored on the card and the availability of that character on the system. If the sub characters are not available, the system can allocate the player a character until the preferred character becomes available.

It is further envisaged that information about multiple characters may be stored on a magnetic card, and this is used with a gaming system that can allow for multiple games to be played. It may be that several games can be played simultaneously, each game using a different character. For example, a player may use one character to play a race game, while during the time that player is logged into the gaming system, he or she may use another character to play roulette type game, possibly with another set of players. If play occurs with an individual character, it is envisaged that the gaming system is set up whereby the master device allows play with a single slave device that has selected a character. Gaming for other slave devices associated with the master device will be terminated while the one player is gaming so that the other players can watch play and become involved in audience participation during gaming, so increasing the playing atmosphere. Alternatively, one character may be used to play several games at once and in this arrangement, if a player makes a move in one game the moves by that character will affect play in another game that the player is involved in.

It is envisaged that the gaming system can hold and collate data concerning a number of games that may be selected by a player and interrelate the plays by individual players so that if several games are played, then the progress of the player may be recorded as an aggregate total of the games played. Examples of games that may be held are arcade games such as roulette, card games, races or even role-playing games.

The gaming system of the present invention is particularly suited to AWP (awards with prizes) type gaming systems. However, if a skill based element is included in a game to be played, for example, the player has to perform tasks, for example answering a question, before proceeding with gaming, the system is also applicable to a SWP (skills with prizes) based system. Further, club machines, paying out jackpots may be used in the present invention or even a continuation of the aforementioned gaming systems. The gaming system allows for a step up in level of play, for example a player may start gaming using an AWP system, which may have a lower prize value pay out, the player may then go on to select a SWP system as the game progresses to achieve a larger prize pay out and at a top level of play, the player may select playing using a club machine which can award even higher value prizes. The selection of the type of gaming, whether AWP. SWP or club machine gaming, may be made through and controlled by the master device which coordinates the type of gaming occurring at associated slave devices.

Whilst the invention has been described above, it extends to any inventive combination of the features set out above or in the following

description.

The invention may be performed in various ways, and, by way of example only, an embodiment thereof will now be described, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates schematically gaming apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention, and Figure 2 illustrates schematically steps that can be performed during use of the gaming apparatus.

The gaming apparatus of Figure 1 includes a master device 102. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that such a device can be implemented in several ways, but will typically include a processor 104, a memory 106, a communications interface 108 and a display 110. It will also be apparent to the skilled person that the configuration of the various components can vary, e.g. the communications interface 108 may be based on wireless or Internet Protocol technology, or may simply allow data to be transmitted via an appropriate cable.

The display 110 (which may be a plasma screen) is intended to be viewable by several players located near slave devices 112.

The master device 102 communicates via the interface 108 with one or more substantially identical slave devices 112, each slave device normally being used by one player to participate in a game. Two slave devices 112A, 112B are shown in the example of Figure 1, but it will be understood that any reasonable number of slave devices could be used. Again, the skilled person will understand that the slave devices can be implemented in various ways.

Typically, each slave device includes a user interface (normally including a display 115 and a user input component 1 16 such as electro- mechanical buttons or a touch-screen) that the player uses to participate in the game and a communications interface 117 that the slave device uses to transfer data to/from the master device 102. Each slave device may include its own processor/memory arrangement that is used to execute the game on the device itself, or it may simply be used as a display/user interface for game code executing by means of the processor 104 and memory 106 of the master device 102.

The slave device further includes a data transfer component 118 that can be used to transfer data from (and optionally to) an external data store. In the example shown, the external data store comprises a smart card 120, but it will be understood that other forms of storage devices could be used, e.g. a CD ROM, a cartridge or a memory stick.

Turning to Figure 2, there is shown a sequence of steps that can be performed during use of the gaming apparatus. It will be appreciated that steps of Figure 2 are exemplary only and that the order, duration and repetition of many of the steps can vary depending on the actions of the player and game events. At step 202 a player uses one of the slave devices 112 to play a game.

Normally, the game played at this step will be based mainly or entirely on the slave device 1 12. For example, the game is displayed on the screen 115 of the slave device 112 and the player perceives that he is interacting with the slave device 112 only (and concentrates on that interaction) rather than with the master device 102.

Step 204 represents a trigger event occurring in the game being played.

Such an event depends on the nature of the game, e.g. it could be a winning combination in a fruit-machine type game, or a particular score being achieved.

At this point the player is allowed to take part in a game mainly displayed on the display 110 of the master device 102. The player will usually perceive that he is interacting with the master device 102 (mainly with its associated display 110) when playing this game, rather than only with the slave device 112. The master device game may commence immediately after the trigger event, or the player may be given the option of activating the game later. Alternatively, the master device game may not start until a trigger event has taken place in a game being played on one or more of the other slave devices.

At step 206 the player inserts his card into the data transfer component 118 on the slave device. It will be appreciated that step 206 (and step 208 below) may be performed at various times during use of the system, e. g. when before the player first starts using the gaming apparatus, and do not necessarily have to be done immediately after the trigger event. Data on the card is read by the component 118 and can then be transferred to the master device 102.

Examples of the data stored on the card 120 include, but are not limited by, the following: Player's name/nickname Player's date of birth Site name Serial number/identifier In one embodiment, players apply in writing to the game manufacturer for a card and so at least some of the data to be stored on the card may be supplied in this way. However, it will be understood that other approaches may be used, e.g. an internet or telephone-based application process, or direct use by the potential player of a device with card-writing capabilities.

At step 208 the data transferred at step 206 is incorporated into the master device game. It will be appreciated that this can be done in various ways. For example, the player's name stored on the card can be associated with an on-screen character. The player's preferences for which character to use in the master device game may be stored on the card. One embodiment of the master device game involves a simulated board game in which various characters (e.g. cowboy, nurse, pirate) move around the board and can collect prizes. If the player's preferred characters have already been selected by other players, then a character may be selected at random by the system. In another embodiment, the actual type (for instance, board game, roulette, card game (e.g. poker), etc) of master device game to be played may be selected by the player.

In another example, the current date is checked to see if it coincides with the player's birthday and if it does then a birthday message is shown (possibly with musical accompaniment).

After the game has been set up in this way the master device game is played at step 210. It will be appreciated that data could be read from the card during the actual playing of the master device game and this could be incorporated into the game whilst it is being played. Depending on the actual game, the player(s) may return to playing their slave device-based games following completion of the master device game.

The embodiments described above provide players with the facility of having their preferences incorporated into a game without having to select various features every time they play. Players can therefore feel more of an association with the game and may be more likely to play it on subsequent occasions. v

Claims (8)

1. A gaming apparatus for use with a master display and a plurality of slave displays including a master device and one or more slave devices, the master device being usually associated with the main display and each slave device being usually associated with its own respective display and further including a data transfer component configured to read data on an external data store in the form of a smart or magnetic card associated with the or each slave device, wherein the card stores data relating to the player, who is possession of the card, including one or more of a player name/identifier data and game type/character preferences.

2. Apparatus as claimed claim 1 wherein the data stored on the external data store is used in a game played on a master device and displayed on the main display.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 further including a master 1 5 display.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one slave device includes a slave display.

5. A method of playing a gaming apparatus including a master device and one or more slave devices, including the step of playing a game mainly based on the slave device and wherein a trigger event in the slave device game allows the player to participate in a game mainly based on the master device.

6. A method claimed as in claim 5 wherein the player is provided with a data store storing data associated with the player.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein the stored data can be incorporated into a game being played on the apparatus.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the stored data is incorporated in a game by linking the data to a character or feature of the gaming system.