US 7,097,562 B2 · Peer-to-peer distributed gaming application network

Abstract

A method and a system of using a gaming network having a server in communication with a plurality of gaming terminals to share gaming applications directly between selected gaming terminals using a peer-to-peer type communications architecture. The method and system are a combination of hardware and software, that controls the initiation of a shared game, determines the gaming terminals eligible to participate in the game, accepts or rejects their participation, and subsequently establishes virtual communication network directly between participating gaming terminals. The virtual communication network is established allow a gaming terminal to act as a server of the shared application to all other participating gaming terminals. Once the application has been run to completion, the server terminates the session and returns each gaming terminal back to its normal operating mode.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method of using a gaming network to serve a shared gaming application, the network having a server in communication with a plurality of gaming terminals, the method comprising:

sending a session initiation signal from one of the plurality of gaming terminals to the server to initiate a shared gaming session;
creating, at the server, an association to define the gaming terminals participating in the shared gaming session, wherein the server is not one of the gaming terminals participating in the shared gaming session;
communicating the association from the server to the ones of the gaming terminals defined by the association;
establishing, by the server, a virtual communication network between the ones of the gaming terminals defined by the association;
serving the shared gaming application from one of the gaming terminals defined by the association to others of the gaming terminals defined by the association;
and
determining, at one of the gaming terminals participating in the shared gaming session, an outcome for the shared gaming application.

4 more elements

A method of using a gaming network to serve a shared gaming application, the network having a server in communication with a plurality of gaming terminals through a carousel controller, the method comprising:

sending a session initiation signal from one of the plurality of gaming terminals to the server to initiate a shared gaming session;
creating, by the server, an association to define gaming terminals participating in the shared gaming session, wherein the server is not one of the gaming terminals participating in the shared gaming session;
communicating the association from the server to the carousel controller;
establishing, by the server, a virtual communication network between the carousel controller and ones of the gaming terminals defined by the association;
serving the shared gaming application from one of the gaming terminals defined by the association to others of the gaming terminals defined by the association;
and
determining, at one of the gaming terminals participating in the shared gaming session, an outcome for the shared gaming application.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Peer-to-peer distributed gaming application network

Life of this patent

Peer-to-peer distributed gaming application network

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23