Local game-area network method
View Patent ↗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.
1. 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:
providing a plurality of gaming device sub-systems in the local game-area network, each gaming device sub-system including a gaming device and a corresponding local game-area server, wherein each local game-area server is associated with a corresponding gaming device in each gaming device sub-system;
designating one of the local game-area servers as an active local game-area server that has host status while the remaining local game-area servers act as clients, wherein only a single local game-area server is used to support the plurality of gaming device sub-systems, and the other local game-area servers in the plurality of gaming device sub-systems are inactive; 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.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the local game-area network is non-operating system-dependent.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: designating one of the local game-area servers is a back-up local game-area server.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising using the back-up local game-area server to help prevent data loss if the active local game-area server becomes non-operational.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising connecting the local game-area network to a larger casino floor network that includes additional gaming devices.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the larger casino floor network is a serial network.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the larger casino floor network is Ethernet.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the larger casino floor network is an IP-based network.
9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the local game-area network is operational without support from the larger casino floor network.
10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the local game-area network is operational as a back-up network if the larger casino floor network becomes non-operational.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the local game-area network enables group gaming among the plurality of gaming devices in the local game-area network.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the group gaming includes tournament gaming.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the group gaming includes progressive gaming.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the group gaming includes head-to-head competitive gaming.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the group gaming includes collaborative gaming.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the local game-area network enables local downloads among the plurality of gaming devices in the local game-area network without assistance from a larger casino floor network or a back-end system.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the local game-area network enables diagnostic testing.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the local game-area network is at least partially comprised of wireless connections.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the local game-area network enables synchronization of sounds, lights, video, pictures, graphics, reels, or combinations thereof, within the gaming devices in the local game-area network.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the local game-area network enables local data storage of group gaming data without assistance from a larger casino floor network or a back-end system.
21. A method of using a local game-area network in a casino environment, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of gaming device sub-systems in the local game-area network, each gaming device sub-system including a gaming device and a corresponding local game-area server;
providing a plurality of additional gaming devices connected to the local game-area network;
designating one of the local game-area servers as an active local game-area server that has host status while the remaining local game-area servers act as clients, wherein only a single local game-area server is used to support the plurality of gaming device sub-systems, and the other local game-area servers in the plurality of gaming device sub-systems are inactive; 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.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the local game-area network is non-operating system-dependent.
23. The method of claim 21 , further comprising designating one of the local game-area servers as a back-up local game-area server.
24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising using the back-up local game-area server to help prevent data loss if the host local game-area server becomes non-operational.
25. The method of claim 21 , further comprising connecting the local game-area network to a larger casino floor network.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the larger casino floor network is a serial network.
27. The method of claim 25 , wherein the larger casino floor network is an Ethernet.
28. The method of claim 25 , wherein the larger casino floor network is an IP-based network.
29. The method of claim 25 , wherein the local game-area network is operational without support from the larger casino floor network.
30. The method of claim 25 , wherein the local game-area network is operational as a back-up network if the larger casino floor network becomes non-operational.
31. The method of claim 21 , wherein the local game-area network supports group gaming among the plurality of gaming devices in the local game-area network.
32. The method of claim 21 , wherein the group gaming includes tournament gaming.
33. The method of claim 21 , wherein the group gaming includes progressive gaming.
34. The method of claim 21 , wherein the group gaming includes head-to-head competitive gaming.
35. The method of claim 21 , wherein the group gaming includes collaborative gaming.
36. The method of claim 21 , wherein the local game-area network supports local downloads among the plurality of gaming devices in the local game-area network without assistance from a larger casino floor network or a back-end system.
37. The method of claim 21 , wherein the local game-area network supports diagnostic testing.
38. The method of claim 21 , wherein the local game-area network is at least partially comprised of wireless connections.
39. The method of claim 21 , wherein the local game-area network supports synchronization of sounds, lights, video, pictures, graphics, reels, or combinations thereof, within the gaming devices in the local game-area network.
40. The method of claim 21 , wherein the local game-area network supports local data storage of group gaming data without assistance from a larger casino floor network or a back-end system.
41. 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 an IP-based casino floor network;
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;
providing a plurality of gaming device sub-systems connected to the local game-area network, each gaming device sub-system including a gaming device and a corresponding local game-area server;
designating one of the local game-area servers as an active local game-area server that has host status while the remaining local game-area servers act as clients, wherein only a single local game-area server is used to support the plurality of gaming device sub-systems, and the other local game-area servers in the plurality of gaming device sub-systems are inactive; 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.
42. The method of claim 41 , wherein the local game-area network is a physical network, and not merely a virtual network.
43. The method of claim 41 , wherein at least one gaming device includes an Alpha Game Kit kernel.