Multi-area progressive gaming system
The system provides a control and management solution for linked gaming machines in a progressive game environment. The system can track multiple meters so that multiple progressive jackpots can be maintained for each game and/or for multiple participating business entities sharing in game revenue. Correspondingly, multiple progressive display meters can be controlled for each game machine. The system is scalable from near area progressive systems to wide area progressive systems. In the event that communication is lost with in a wide area progressive environment, one or more game machines may automatically switch to near area progressive behavior until communication is restored. The system is independent of currency and denomination limitations by employing and converting currency as units instead of particular denominations. Game machine population and participation can be remotely managed, updated, and changed from a central management location.
1. A game machine comprising:
memory for storing a plurality of dynamically changing progressive jackpots;
a module for switching from a wide area progressive environment to a near area progressive environment in response to an unintentional network failure or communications failure, wherein if communication is lost within the wide area progressive environment, the game machine automatically switches to near area progressive behavior until communication is restored, at which time the game machine switches back to the wide area progressive environment, wherein a local control module associated with the near area progressive environment collects betting information and game data when communication with the wide area progressive has failed, for eventual transmission to a central control module associated with the wide area progressive environment when communication with the wide area progressive environment is re-established; and
processing means for determining when one of the plurality of progressive jackpots is awarded;
wherein the game machine enables play of multiple concurrently played dynamically changing progressive jackpots;
wherein the memory comprises a plurality of memory locations for tracking the plurality of dynamically changing progressive jackpots, wherein the memory locations are incremented based on a progressive prize meter on the game machine, and wherein each memory location is incremented at a different rate of increase.
2. The game machine of claim 1 wherein the progressive prize meter is a wager.
3. The game machine of claim 1 wherein the progressive prize meter is incremented in correlation with money paid out.
4. The game machine of claim 1 wherein each of the memory locations may be associated with one or more of the progressive prize meter.
5. A gaming network comprising:
a plurality of gaming machines coupled to the network, each gaming machine having a memory for storing a plurality of dynamically changing progressive jackpots, wherein the memory includes a plurality of memory locations for tracking the plurality of dynamically changing progressive jackpots;
a module on each game machine for switching from a wide area progressive environment to a near area progressive environment in response to an unintentional network failure or communications failure, wherein if communication is lost within the wide area progressive environment, the game machine automatically switches to near area progressive behavior until communication is restored, at which time the game machine switches back to the wide area progressive environment, wherein a local control module associated with the near area progressive environment collects betting information and game data when communication with the wide area progressive has failed, for eventual transmission to a central control module associated with the wide area progressive environment when communication with the wide area progressive environment is re-established;
an initiator on each game machine for initiating a game on the game machine; and
processing means for determining when one of the plurality of progressive jackpots is awarded;
wherein the gaming machines enable play of multiple concurrently played dynamically changing progressive jackpots;
wherein the memory locations are incremented based on a progressive prize meter on any of the plurality of game machines, and wherein each memory location of a game machine is incremented at a different rate of increase.
6. The gaming network of claim 5 wherein the progressive prize meter is a wager.
7. The gaming network of claim 5 wherein the progressive prize meter is incremented in correlation with money paid out.
8. The gaming network of claim 5 further including a game machine module (GMM) coupled to each gaming machine.
9. The gaming network of claim 8 further including a casino control module ((CCM) coupled to a GMM.
10. The gaming network of claim 9 further including an operational control module (OCM) coupled to a CCM.
11. The gaming network of claim 10 further including a database coupled to the OCM.
12. The gaming network of claim 11 wherein wagers on the plurality of game machines are reported via the GMM and CCM to the OCM.
13. The gaming network of claim 12 wherein the value of each of the plurality of dynamically changing progressive jackpots is provided from the OCM to the game machines.
14. The gaming network of claim 13 wherein communication between the GMM and CCM is via Ethernet.
15. The gaming network of claim 14 wherein communication between the CCM and the OCM is via a message queuing system.
16. A method of controlling a game machine having a plurality of dynamically changing progressive jackpots comprising:
receiving a message containing meter related event data from a game machine;
converting currency and denominations used as a wager on the game machine into units;
updating the values of one or more of the plurality of dynamically changing progressive jackpots pursuant to the meter related event data, wherein the game machine includes a plurality of memory locations for tracking the plurality of dynamically changing progressive jackpots, wherein the memory locations are incremented based on a progressive prize meter on any of the plurality of game machines, and wherein each memory location of a game machine is incremented at a different rate of increase;
constructing a reply message to the game machine having updated values of each of the plurality of dynamically changing progressive jackpots; and
enabling play of multiple concurrently played dynamically changing progressive jackpots on the game machine, wherein each game machine includes a module for switching from a wide area progressive environment to a near area progressive environment in response to an unintentional network failure or communications failure, wherein if communication is lost within the wide area progressive environment, the game machine automatically switches to near area progressive behavior until communication is restored, at which time the game machine switches back to the wide area progressive environment, wherein a local control module associated with the near area progressive environment collects betting information and game data when communication with the wide area progressive has failed, for eventual transmission to a central control module associated with the wide area progressive environment when communication with the wide area progressive environment is re-established.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the game machine provides progressive prize meter data to a central controller via a network.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the central controller maintains a database of progressive prize meter data and other game information from the game machine.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the game machine communicates to the network via a game machine module (GMM).
20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising switching from a wide area progressive environment to a near area progressive environment if communication with the wide area progressive environment is lost.
21. The game machine of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of meters, each meter being associated with each progressive jackpot.
22. The gaming network of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of progressive jackpots is awarded for a non-maximum wager.
23. The gaming network of claim 5 , wherein each gaming machine includes a plurality of meters, each meter being associated with each progressive jackpot.
24. The gaming network of claim 5 , further comprising a module for converting currency and denominations used as a wager on the gaming machines into units, wherein the gaming network is independent of currency and denomination limitations.
25. The gaming network of claim 5 , wherein one of the plurality of progressive jackpots is awarded for a non-maximum wager.