Progressive jackpot gaming system with enhanced accumulator

A progressive accumulator for use in a progressive jackpot gaming system in which a plurality of gaming machines are adapted to receive coins-in and to have one or more jackpot groups whose respective jackpot values are determined based upon the coins-in and the jackpot-wins at the gaming machines, said gaming machines developing coins-in information including information related to each coin-in and jackpot-win information including information related to each jackpot-win and being adapted to make said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information available to the accumulator;

• the accumulator comprising:
• first means for:
• receiving the jackpot-win information and the coins-in information developed by the gaming machines;
• for developing jackpot values for said jackpot groups based on said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information;
• said first means including programming means containing a program for operating said first means and data storage means;
• second means adapted to connect to an external device which is other than a gaming machine for allowing the external device to transmit messages to said first means for accessing said first means for preselected purposes;
• said first means responding to a message for accessing said first means for a particular preselected purpose only if the message contains one or more of a device identification and a message identification;
• and third means enabling said established jackpot values to be made available for supply to said gaming machines.

A progressive accumulator for use in a progressive jackpot gaming system in which a plurality of gaming machines are adapted to receive coins-in and to have a plurality of jackpot groups whose respective jackpot values are determined based upon the coins-in and the jackpot-wins at the gaming machines, said gaming machines developing coins-in information including information related to each coin-in and jackpot-win information including information related to each jackpot-win and being adapted to make said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information available to the accumulator;

• the accumulator comprising:
• means for receiving said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information;
• means responsive to said receiving means:
• for allocating the jackpot-win information to said jackpot groups;
• for permitting, but not requiring, allocation of the information in the coins-in information related to a particular coin-in to more than one but less than all of the jackpot groups;
• and for establishing a jackpot value for each particular jackpot group based upon the coins-in information and jackpot-win information allocated to that particular jackpot group;
• and means enabling said established jackpot values to be made available for supply to said gaming machines.

A progressive accumulator for use in a progressive jackpot gaming system in which a plurality of gaming machines are adapted to receive coins-in and to have one or more jackpot groups whose respective jackpot values are determined based upon the coins-in and the jackpot-wins at the gaming machines, said gaming machines developing coins-in information including information related to each coin-in and jackpot-win information including information related to each jackpot-win and being adapted to make said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information available to the accumulator, the accumulator comprising:

• means for receiving coins-in information and jackpot-win information;
• and means responsive to said receiving means:
• for allocating the jackpot-win information and the coins-in information to the jackpot groups;
• for establishing a jackpot value for a particular jackpot group based upon the information related to each coin-in in the coins-in information and the jackpot-win information allocated to that particular group, said establishing including the capability of establishing at one of a plurality of levels the contribution of a particular coin-in to a particular jackpot value depending upon the information in said coins-in information related to the particular coin-in;
• and means for enabling said established jackpot values to be made available for supply to said gaming machines.

A progressive accumulator for use in a progressive jackpot gaming system in which a plurality of gaming machines are adapted to receive coins-in and to have one or more jackpot groups whose respective jackpot values are determined based upon the coins-in and the jackpot-wins at the gaming machines, said gaming machines developing coins-in information including information related to each coin-in and jackpot-win information including information related to each jackpot-win and being adapted to make said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information available to the accumulator, the accumulator comprising:

• means for receiving coins-in information and jackpot-win information from said gaming devices,
• means responsive to said receiving means for establishing jackpot values for said jackpot groups based upon the coins-in information and jackpot-win information;
• means for enabling said established jackpot values to be made available for supply to said gaming machines;
• a memory stack having a plurality of positions each for storing the information in said jackpot-win information related to one jackpot-win;
• and means for clearing from said stack the information related to a jackpot-win immediately and regardless of the position in said memory stack in which said information is stored, upon receipt from the gaming machine at which the jackpot-win has occurred of a signal indicating that the jackpot-win has been cleared and for reshuffling the stack to compress the information related to other jackpot-wins in the stack and thus eliminate isolated empty stack positions.

A progressive jackpot gaming system comprising:

• a plurality of gaming machines adapted to receive coins-in and one or more having jackpot groups whose respective jackpot values are determined based upon the coins-in and the jackpot-wins at the gaming machines, said gaming machines developing coins-in information including information related to each coin-in and jackpot-win information including information related to each jackpot-win and being adapted to make said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information available to a progressive accumulator;
• and a progressive accumulator responsive to said gaming machines for determining said jackpot values comprising:
• a real time clock;
• means responsive to said real time clock:
• for receiving said coins-in and jackpot-win information from said gaming machines;
• for electronically tagging each jackpot-win in said jackpot-win information with a time and date of receipt;
• and for establishing jackpot values for said gaming machines based on said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information;
• means for storing each said electronically tagged jackpot-win;
• and means for enabling said established jackpot values to be made available for supply to said gaming machines.

A progressive jackpot gaming system comprising:

• a plurality of gaming machines adapted to receive coins-in and one or more having jackpot groups whose respective jackpot values are determined based upon the coins-in and the jackpot-wins at the gaming machines, said gaming machines developing coins-in information including information related to each coin-in and jackpot-win information including information related to each jackpot-win and being adapted to make said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information available to a progressive accumulator;
• and a progressive accumulator responsive to said gaming machines for developing said jackpot values comprising:
• first means for:
• receiving the jackpot-win information and the coins-in information developed by the gaming machines;
• for developing jackpot values for said jackpot groups based on said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information;
• said first means including programming means containing a program for operating said first means and data storage means;
• second means adapted to connect to an external device which is other than a gaming machine for allowing the external device to transmit messages to said first means for accessing said first means for preselected purposes;
• said first means responding to a message for accessing said first means for a particular preselected purpose only if the message contains one or more of a device identification and a message identification;
• and third means enabling said established jackpot values to be made available for supply to said gaming machines.

A progressive jackpot gaming system comprising:

• a plurality of gaming machines adapted to receive coins-in and one or more having a plurality of jackpot groups whose respective jackpot values are determined based upon the coins-in and the jackpot-wins at the gaming machines, said gaming machines developing coins-in information including information related to each coin-in and jackpot-win information including information related to each jackpot-win and being adapted to make said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information available to a progressive accumulator;
• and a progressive accumulator responsive to said gaming machines for developing said jackpot values comprising:
• means for receiving said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information;
• means responsive to said receiving means:
• for allocating the jackpot win information to said jackpot groups;
• for permitting, but not requiring, allocation of the information in the coins-in information related to a particular coin-in to more than one but less than all of the jackpot groups;
• and for establishing a jackpot value for each particular jackpot group based upon the coins-in information and jackpot-win information allocated to that particular jackpot group;
• and means enabling said established jackpot values to be made available for supply to said gaming machines.

A progressive jackpot gaming system comprising:

• a plurality of gaming machines adapted to receive coins-in and having one or more jackpot groups whose respective jackpot values are determined based upon the coins-in and the jackpot-wins at the gaming machines, said gaming machines developing coins-in information including information related to each coin-in and jackpot-win information including information related to each jackpot-win and being adapted to make said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information available to a progressive accumulator;
• and a progressive accumulator responsive to said gaming machines for developing said jackpot values comprising:
• means for receiving coins-in information and jackpot-win information;
• means responsive to said receiving means:
• for allocating the jackpot win information and the coins-in information to the jackpot groups;
• for establishing a jackpot value for a particular jackpot group based upon the information related to each coin-in in the coins-in information and the jackpot-win information allocated to that particular group, said establishing including the capability of establishing at one of a plurality of levels the contribution of a particular coin-in to a particular jackpot value depending upon the information in said coins-in information related to the particular coin-in;
• and means for enabling said established jackpot values to be made available for supply to said gaming machines.

A progressive jackpot gaming system comprising:

• a plurality of gaming machines adapted to receive coins-in and having one or more jackpot groups whose respective jackpot values are determined based upon the coins-in and the jackpot-wins at the gaming machines, said gaming machines developing coins-in information including information related to each coin-in and jackpot-win information including information related to each jackpot-win and being adapted to make said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information available to a progressive accumulator;
• and a progressive accumulator responsive to said gaming machines for developing said jackpot values comprising:
• means for receiving coins-in information and jackpot-win information from said gaming machines;
• means responsive to said receiving means for establishing jackpot values for said jackpot groups based upon the coins-in information and jackpot-win information;
• means for enabling said established jackpot values to be made available for supply to said gaming machines;
• a memory stack having a plurality of positions each for storing the information in said jackpot-win information related to one jackpot-win;
• and means for clearing from said stack the information related to a jackpot-win immediately and regardless of the position in said memory stack in which said information is stored, upon receipt from the gaming machine at which the jackpot-win has occurred of a signal indicating that the jackpot-win has been cleared and for reshuffling the stack to compress the information related to other jackpot-wins in the stack and thus eliminate isolated empty stack positions.

A method for used in a progressive jackpot gaming system in which a plurality of gaming machines are adapted to receive coins-in and to have one or more jackpot groups whose respective jackpot values are determined based upon the coins-in and the jackpot-wins at the gaming machines, said gaming machines developing coins-in information including information related to each coin-in and jackpot-win information including information related to each jackpot-win and being adapted to make said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information available;

• the method comprising:
• receiving from said gaming machines said coins-in and jackpot win information;
• developing said jackpot values for said gaming machines using said received coins-in information and jackpot-win information;
• electronically tagging each jackpot-win in said received jackpot-win information from the gaming machines with a time and date of receipt;
• storing each said electronically tagged jackpot-win;
• and enabling said developed jackpot values to be made available to said gaming machines.

A method for use in a progressive jackpot gaming system in which a plurality of gaming machines are adapted to receive coins-in and to have one or more jackpot groups whose respective jackpot values are determined based upon the coins-in and the jackpot-wins at the gaming machines, said gaming machines developing coins-in information including information related to each coin-in and jackpot-win information including information related to each jackpot-win and being adapted to make said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information available the method comprising:

• receiving from said gaming machines said coins-in and jackpot-win information;
• using programming means containing programs for operating a first means and using data storage means contained in said first means, developing with said first means said jackpot values for said jackpot groups from said received jackpot-win information and coins-in information;
• allowing an external device which is other than a gaming machine to transmit messages to said first means for accessing said first means for preselected purposes;
• permitting said first means to respond to a message for accessing said first means for a particular preselected purpose only if the message contains one or more of a device identification and a message identification;
• and enabling said developed jackpot values to be made available to said gaming machines.

A method for use in a progressive jackpot gaming system in which a plurality of gaming machines are adapted to receive coins-in and to have a plurality of jackpot groups whose respective jackpot values are determined based upon the coins-in and the jackpot-wins at the gaming machines, said gaming machines developing coins-in information including information related to each coin-in and jackpot-win information including information related to each jackpot-win and being adapted to make said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information available, said method comprising:

• receiving said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information;
• allocating the jackpot-win information to said jackpot groups;
• permitting, but not requiring, allocation of the information in the coins-in information related to a particular coin-in to more than one but less than all of the jackpot groups;
• establishing a jackpot value for each particular jackpot group based upon the coins-in information and jackpot-win information allocated to that particular jackpot group;
• and enabling said established jackpot values to be made available to said gaming machines.

A method for use in a progressive jackpot gaming system in which a plurality of gaming machines are adapted to receive coins-in and to have one or more jackpot groups whose respective jackpot values are determined based upon the coins-in and the jackpot-wins at the gaming machines, said gaming machines developing coins-in information including information related to each coin-in and jackpot-win information including information related to each jackpot-win and being adapted to make said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information available, said method comprising:

• receiving coins-in information and jackpot-win information;
• allocating the jackpot-win information and the coins-in information to the jackpot groups;
• establishing a jackpot value for a particular jackpot group based upon the information related to each coin-in in the coins-in information and the jackpot-win information allocated to that particular group, said establishing including the capability of further establishing at one of a plurality of levels the contribution of a particular coin-in to a particular jackpot value depending upon the information in said coins-in information related to the particular coin-in;
• and enabling said established jackpot values to be made available for supply to said gaming machines.

A method for use in a progressive jackpot gaming system in which a plurality of gaming machines are adapted to receive coins-in and to have one or more jackpot groups whose respective jackpot values are determined based upon the coins-in and the jackpot-wins at the gaming machines, said gaming machines developing coins-in information including information related to each coin-in and jackpot-win information including information related to each jackpot-win and being adapted to make said coins-in information and said jackpot-win information available, said the method comprising:

• receiving coins-in information and jackpot-win information from said gaming devices,
• establishing jackpot values for said jackpot groups based upon the coins-in information and jackpot-win information;
• enabling said established jackpot values to be made available to said gaming machines;
• providing a memory stack having a plurality of positions each for storing the information in said jackpot-win information related to one jackpot-win;
• and clearing from said stack the information related to a jackpot-win immediately and regardless of the position in said memory stack at which said information is stored, upon receipt from the gaming machine at which the jackpot-win has occurred of a signal indicating that the jackpot has been cleared and reshuffling the stack to compress the information related to the jackpot-wins in the stack and thus eliminate isolated empty stack positions.