Local Game-Area Network Method
AssigneeBally Gaming, Inc.
InventorsRobert Crowder, Pravinkumar Patel, Joshua Larsen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A local game-area network includes a plurality of gaming devices and local game-area servers. Each local game-area server is associated with a corresponding gaming device. Each local game-area server in the local game-area network is operatively associated with every other local game-area server in the local game-area network. Additionally, one of the local game-area servers is a host local game-area server while the remaining gaming devices and associated local game-area servers are clients. Furthermore, the host status of the host local game-area server moves dynamically to an available local game-area server in the local game-area network in response to the host local game-area server becoming non-operational.
Claims43
A method of using a local game-area network in a casino environment, wherein the local game-area network does not require support from a large casino floor network or back-end server system to enable group gaming, the method comprising:
- connecting a plurality of gaming devices in the local game-area network;
- connecting a plurality of local game-area servers to the local game-area network, wherein each local game-area server is associated with a corresponding gaming device, wherein each local game-area server in the local game-area network is operatively associated with every other local game-area server in the local game-area network;
- connecting a plurality of local game-area data storage mediums to the local game-area network, wherein each local game-area data storage medium is associated with a corresponding local game-area server;
- designating one of the local game-area servers as an active local game-area server that acts as host status while the remaining local game-area servers act as clients;
- and
- in response to the active local game-area server becoming non-operational, dynamically moving the host status of the active local game-area server to an available local game-area server acting as a client in the local game-area network;
- thereby facilitating sustained operation of the local game-area network when the active local game-area server having host status becomes non-operational.
A method of using a local game-area network in a casino environment, wherein the local game-area network enable group gaming without assistance from a large casino floor network or back-end server system, the method comprising:
- connecting a plurality of gaming devices in the local game-area network;
- connecting a plurality of local game-area servers to the local game-area network, wherein each local game-area server is associated with a corresponding gaming device, wherein each local game-area server in the local game-area network is operatively associated with every other local game-area server in the local game-area network;
- designating one of the local game-area servers as an active local game-area server that acts as host status while the remaining local game-area servers act as clients;
- and
- in response to the active local game-area server becoming non-operational, dynamically moving the host status of the active local game-area server to an available local game-area server acting as a client in the local game-area network;
- thereby facilitating sustained operation of the local game-area network when the active local game-area server having host status becomes non-operational.
A method of using gaming system having multiple networks in a casino environment, the method comprising:
- providing a casino floor network, wherein the casino floor network is selected from the group consisting of a legacy casino floor network, an Ethernet casino floor network, and a IP-based casino floor network;
- and
- providing a local game-area network, wherein the local game-area network enables group gaming without assistance from the casino floor network or a back-end server system, connecting a plurality of gaming devices to the local game-area network;
- connecting a plurality of local game-area servers to the local game-area network, wherein each local game-area server is associated with a corresponding gaming device, wherein each local game-area server in the local game-area network is operatively associated with every other local game-area server in the local game-area network;
- designating one of the local game-area servers as an active local game-area server that acts as host status while the remaining local game-area servers act as clients;
- and
- in response to the active local game-area server becoming non-operational, dynamically moving the host status of the active local game-area server to an available local game-area server acting as a client in the local game-area network;
- thereby facilitating sustained operation of the local game-area network when the active local game-area server having host status becomes non-operational.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.