Abstract:
Systems and methods consistent with the present invention allow a player to play a game of chance. In some embodiments, the method can include communicating, by the central controller, with the game terminals; receiving, by the central controller, requests for verification of account identifiers and player authentication information; verifying to the game terminals, by the central controller, that the account identifiers and the player authentication information are valid; receiving, by the central controller, game information from the game terminals for games for which wager amounts were received by the game terminals; and based on the game information, adjusting, by the central controller, player account information associated with the account identifiers.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application No. 08/877,375, filed Jun. 17, 1997 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,328; which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application No. 08/719,651, filed Sep. 25, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,128; which in turn is a continuation of U.S. patent application No. 08/391,509, filed Feb. 21, 1995, now abandoned. The contents of all the aforesaid applications are hereby incorporated by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
   This invention relates generally to the field of computer-controlled games, and more particularly to the field of control of banks of gaming devices and automated player tracking. 
   Electronic gambling is a popular activity. The parent application discusses a gambling system with terminals enabling players to choose from several games. Additionally, it keeps track of information deemed important by gaming establishments. The accumulated game information may be used to generate standard or customized reports for the gaming establishments. Periodic reports provide valuable information to the gaming establishments. 
   As in other businesses, comprehensive customer information such as player demographics and player activities are of great value to gaming establishments. Player information may be used for a wide array of purposes. The most ubiquitous application is marketing. Another is providing up-to-date information about each player at anytime. Gaming establishments may, for example, grant special incentives electronically to players exhibiting certain playing habits during the player&#39;s game. Additionally, instantaneous information would help gaming establishments detect fraud while it is occurring by reviewing comprehensive and current gaming information of a suspected player. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Systems and methods consistent with embodiments of the invention allow a player to play a game of chance. In embodiments, the method can include communicating, by the central controller, with the game terminals; receiving, by the central controller, requests for verification of account identifiers and player authentication information; verifying to the game terminals, by the central controller, that the account identifiers and the player authentication information are valid; receiving, by the central controller, game information from the game terminals for games for which wager amounts were received by the game terminals; and based on the game information, adjusting, by the central controller, player account information associated with the account identifiers. In some embodiments, the method can include receiving, at one of the game terminals, an account identifier and player authentication information associated with the account identifier; requesting, by the one of the game terminals, verification of the account identifier and the player authentication information from the central controller; receiving, at the one of the game terminals, verification of the account identifier and the player authentication information from the central controller; receiving, at the one of the game terminals, a wager amount for a game and a request associated with the account identifier to play the game; determining, at the one of the game terminals, a result of the game using random numbers; and transmitting, by the one of the game terminals, game information associated with the game and the account identifier to the central controller for the game for which the wager amount was received. In some embodiments, the system includes a plurality of game terminals configured to s receive account identifiers and player authentication information associated with the account identifiers, to request verification of the account identifiers and the player authentication information, and to transmit game information associated with the account identifiers for each game for which a wager amount associated with the account identifiers is received; and a central controller, connected to each of the plurality of game terminals, and including a database configured to store player account information for a plurality of players; an interface configured to receive account identifiers, the player authentication information, and the game information from the plurality of game terminals; and a processor configured to verify the account identifiers and the player authentication information, and to update the player account information, based on the received game information. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred implementations of the invention. Together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, the drawings explain the principles of the invention. 
     In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a system for operating several electronic games for several players in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a player terminal in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a game server in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a central control network in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  are process flow diagrams illustrating a method of operating a video game system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
   Reference will now be made in detail to the construction and operation of preferred implementations of the present invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In those drawings, like elements and operations are designated with the same reference numbers when possible. 
   The following description of the preferred implementations of the present invention is only exemplary of the invention. The present invention is not limited to these implementations, but may be realized by other implementations. 
     FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a coinless video game system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the system generally comprises a plurality of player terminals  100   a - 100   n,  a game server  102  connected to each of the player terminals  100   a - 100   n,  and a central control network  104  connected to each player terminal for administering and controlling the player terminals  100  and for maintaining player accounts. Game server  102  preferably connects to the player terminals  100  via a daisy-chain connection  106  and communicates via the RS-422 protocol. The central control network  104  connects to each player terminal  100  via a hub network  108  and a terminal server  110 . 
   In a preferred embodiment, the system also includes a terminal server  110  connected to each player terminal  100  and communicates via the RS-232 protocol. Terminal server  110  converts information from the player terminals  100  to the TCP-IP protocol and communicates the converted messages to the central control network  104  via the hub network  108 . Hub network  108  preferably comprises an Ethernet network. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , a group of player terminals  100   a - 100   n  are serviced by a single game server  102  and a single terminal server  110 . In a preferred embodiment, a single game server  102  and single terminal server  110  service up to thirty-two player terminals. Additional groups of player terminals (not shown) are connected to the central control network  104  via the hub network  108 . As with the group of player terminals  100   a - 100   n,  any additional groups of player terminals are also preferably serviced by a single game server and are connected to the hub network via a single terminal server. Thus, in accordance with the present invention, a gaming system may comprise hundreds or thousands of player terminals. A single game server and a single terminal server service a group of player terminals, and central control network  104  controls all the groups of player terminals. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of a player terminal  100  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Player terminals  100  differ from conventional electronic slot machine-type video game terminals because they do not receive coins and do not pay off winners with coins. Rather, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, player terminals  100  accept a magnetic card or key (referred to generically as magnetic card), and communicate with the central control network  104  to debit and credit a player&#39;s account based on amounts wagered by the player for each game. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , player terminal  100  comprises a controller  200 , player interface  202 , game player  204 , magnetic card reader  206 , keypad  208 , counter  210 , and video display  212 . Player interface  202  preferably comprises a software application for displaying attract mode graphics to attract a player to the player terminal. Game player  204  preferably comprises software applications running electronic games of chance, such as lotto, keno, bingo, etc. These games are preferably conventional video games of chance except that, as described below, they receive a random number from the external game server  102  and base a win/lose result on that random number and the player&#39;s selection. In accordance with the invention, each player terminal  100  plays any one of several games independently of the others. Thus, within a group of player terminals such as player terminals  100   a - 100   n,  several players may be playing keno while others play lotto and still others play video poker. Regardless of the game, the player terminals  100  look to the game server  102  for the random number to determine a result. 
   Magnetic card reader  206  preferably comprises a conventional magnetic card reader capable of reading a credit card- or smart card-type player identification card. The type of card will dictate the type of card reader. 
   Keypad  208  preferably comprises a conventional alphanumeric or numeric key entry device. Keypad  208  permits a player to enter a personal identification number (“PIN”) to verify the player at the player terminal  100 . 
   Video display  212  preferably comprises a conventional touch screen video monitor for displaying video graphics and receiving player inputs. A touch screen is not necessary, however, since player inputs can be made through keypad  208 . 
   The counter  210  preferably comprises a conventional digital counting device for counting a predetermined interval between game plays. The counter  210  helps synchronize operation. 
   As described above, electronic games of chance rely on randomly generated numbers to determine wins and losses. Although the video games are preferably played by game player  204  at the player terminals, the random number from which the games player  204  determines wins and loses at each player terminal is generated by the game server  102  servicing those player terminals  100 . 
   Thus, as shown in  FIG. 3 , game server  102  preferably comprises a random number generator  300  and a counter  302 . Game server  102  preferably generates random numbers once during a predetermined period, e.g., every few seconds, as determined by counter  302 . During a given predetermined period, if a players at player terminal  100  enters a wager and presses the “Play” button, the player must await the display of the next set of winning numbers. In the meantime, as soon as the “Play” button is selected, player terminal  100  notifies game server  102  and game server  102  enrolls that player terminal  100  in the next game. 
   Upon expiration of the predetermined period, game server  102  generates a set of random numbers for each type of game offered at player terminals  100  that it services. Game server  102  then sends the set of random numbers corresponding to the selected game at enrolled player terminal  100 . Player terminal  100  receives the corresponding set of random numbers and determines the win or loss of that game. This eliminates the duplicative need for each player terminal  100  to convert the random number for the particular game being played, and simplifies the programming necessary at player terminal  100 . 
   Each number in the generated set of random number may represent the winning number. For example, if keno is selected at player terminal  100  that is enrolled for the next game, game server  102  generates a set of twenty winning numbers. If the result of the game depends on a graphical figure, for example, Lucky Gem where three consecutive diamonds result in a winning jackpot, a predetermined number represents a certain shape of gem. To ensure proper randomization, however, game server  102  changes randomly or periodically the number corresponding to a certain graphical figure. 
   In another embodiment consistent with the present invention, game server  102  may generate a single set of random numbers and transmit them to player terminals  100 . Player terminals  100  would then convert the single set of random numbers to game-specific numbers corresponding to the selected game at that terminal. This simplifies the tasks at game server  102  by generating only a single set of random numbers regardless of what games are selected at player terminals  100 . Additionally, this embodiment alleviates the need for game server  102  to maintain enrollment information of player terminals  100 . Player terminals  100  would, however, need to perform additional computation in converting the set of random numbers to game-specific numbers. In any event, the centralization of the random number generation provides an efficient and effective means for controlling the games, increases the average number of games played, and helps reduce fraud. 
   Because of the predetermined interval between generations of random numbers, a player who makes a “play” during that interval, must wait until that interval expires before the player terminal  100  receives the random number and determines a win or loss for that “play.” The interval can, of course, be selected to be any predetermined interval to accommodate players and a provider of the system and games. 
   In accordance with the present invention, central controller network  104  provides a centralized control means for monitoring and administering all video games and player accounts. Central controller network  104  tracks each player activity, preferably on a per-game basis, to maintain current and comprehensive information about the players at any time during the player&#39;session at player terminals  100 .  FIG. 4  provides a block diagram of the central control network  104  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
   Central control network  104  preferably comprises an account server  400  running control applications  402  to provide the administrative and service functions described in this application. Account server  400  stores players&#39; account information in an account files database  404 , stores player card information in a player card information database  406 , and stores game result information in a game information database  408 . In addition, account server  400  preferably controls a cashier station  410  and a customer service station  412 . 
   Cashier station  410  preferably comprises an operator terminal  414 , connected to the account server via an Ethernet connection, a magnetic card reader  416 , and a keypad  418 . Customer service station  412  preferably comprises an operator terminal  420 , connected to account server  400  via an RS-232 connection, a magnetic card issue system  422 , and a keypad  424 . Magnetic card reader  416  and issue system  422  preferably comprise conventional devices for reading and generating credit card-type magnetic cards. Likewise, keypads  418  and  424  preferably comprise conventional alphanumeric or numeric keypads, and terminals  414  and  420  preferably comprise conventional PC or networked data entry terminals. 
   Although the account server  400  is shown as a single element of the central control network  104 , in a preferred embodiment account server  400  comprises a fault tolerant configured paired STRATUS R55 computer. 
   In addition to administering games and customer accounts, central control network  104  also provides reports on both using a report server  426 . Account server  400  preferably trickles information from its transaction log file in its databases  404 ,  406 , and  408  to the report server  426 , which in turn generates customized or standardized reports in accordance with a service providers&#39; requirements. Report server  426  may comprise, for example, a RS-6000 computer and/or an A/S  400 . Each entry of the transaction log file preferably contains header information such as message type, transmission number, transaction code, and player account number to identify the type of message and transaction. 
   The transfer of information from account server  400  to report server  426  preferably occurs in real-time. Although only one physical connection may exist between account server  400  and report server  426 , account server  400  may transfer the information in multiple logical units in parallel. This approach is desirable during peak times when transaction volume is high. 
   At service station  412 , a player wishing to use a player terminal  100  can establish an account and receive a magnetic I.D. card to operate the player terminal  100 . Preferably, a player provides an operator with some identifying information, and the operator uses terminal  420  to transmit this information to account server  400 . Account server  400  establishes an account file for the player in account files database  404  and assigns a corresponding account number to that player. In addition, the operator may ask the customer to select a PIN via keypad  424 . The player identifier information, the account number, and an encrypted version of the PIN is then stored on a magnetic strip on a magnetic I.D. card issued by the magnetic card issue system  422 . Although not shown, customer service station  412  may also include a scanning device for scanning and storing a player&#39;s signature or photograph. Likewise, customer service station  412  may include a camera for photographing the player and including a picture on the player&#39;s I.D. card. Account server  400  stores the player&#39;s identification information in the player card information database  406 . Such information may include the player&#39;s name, address, gender, birthday, and phone number. Any scanned information may be stored in a separate file server. Finally, the customer server status  412  may include a printer device to print, for example, customer receipts. 
   After receiving an I.D. card, the player proceeds to a cashier station  410  to deposit money into his or her account. An operator swipes the card through the magnetic card reader  416  to credit the account via the keypad  418  after receiving payment from the player. Account server  400  stores the player&#39;s account information in the account files database  404 , preferably including the time, date, and amount of deposit as well as the resulting account balance. 
   Cashier station  410  also serves to pay players having positive account balances at the end of their play sessions. To receive money, a player provides an operator at cashier station  410  with his/her I.D. card. The operator swipes the I.D. card to retrieve the account balance information verifies the player by requesting the player to input his/her PIN via keypad  418 , and pays the player any positive account balance. Account server  400  stores the player&#39;s account information in the account files database  404 , preferably including the time, date, and amount of withdrawal as well as the resulting account balance. Although shown as two separate stations, cashier station  410  and customer service station  414  may be combined as a single customer service/cashier station. 
   To help illustrate the operation of the cashless video game system of the present invention, a preferred method of operation and system process will now be explained with reference to the system elements in block diagrams in  FIGS. 1-4  and the process flow diagram shown in  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b.    
   Referring to  FIG. 5   a,  after opening a player account and obtaining a player I.D. card, a player logs onto a player terminal  100  by inserting the I.D. card into the magnetic card reader  206  (step  500 ). Alternatively, the system does not require player I.D. cards, so the player simply enters his/her assigned player account number using keypad  208 . 
   The player terminal  100 , which has been executing attract mode graphics, reads the information from the I.D. card, displays the player&#39;s name (step  502 ), sends the player account number to the account server  400 , and requests the account server  400  to verify the player&#39;s account number. Account server  400  receives the account number and, referring to the account file database  404 , determines whether the player account number is valid (step  504 ). If not, player terminal  100  informs the player and either requests the player to reenter the account number of terminates the session (step  506 ). 
   If account server  400  determines that the account number is valid, player terminal  100  requests the player to enter his/her PIN (step  508 ). Player terminal  100  preferably encrypts the PIN and forwards the encrypted PIN to the account server  400  (step  510 ). Account server  400  receives the PIN and determines whether the PIN is valid and corresponds to the player&#39;s account number (step  512 ). If the PIN is not valid or does not correspond to player&#39;s account number, player terminal  100  either requests the player reenter the PIN, or terminates the session (step  514 ). If the PIN is valid, player terminal  100  displays a graphical selection of video games on video display  212  (step  516 ). As described, the video games may include keno, lotto, bingo, etc. 
   Using the touch screen video display  212  or keypad  108 , the player then selects a desired game (step  518 ). The player terminal  100  displays the corresponding game graphics and requests the player to enter game choices corresponding to that game (step  520 ). For a particular game, a player may have to make certain selections required by the rules of each game including a selection of predetermined numbers, colors, and/or symbols. For example, if the player selects keno, video display  212  may display eighty numbers from which the player selects up to twenty numbers via the video display screen  212 . Player terminal  100  also displays the account balance during a player session. 
   The player then enters his/her game choices and a wager amount (step  522 ). In a preferred embodiment, video display  212  also displays the wager amount during each game. Player terminal  100  responds to the waged amount by requesting the account server  400  to verify that the player has a sufficient balance in his/her account to cover the wager. 
   When the account server  400  receives this request from the player terminals it makes the requested determination (step  524 ). If the player has insufficient funds to cover the wager, the player terminal  100  so informs the player and either requests the player to enter a new wager consistent with the player&#39;s account balance or terminates the session (step  526 ). If account server  100  determines that the account balance is sufficient to cover the wager, player terminal  400  informs the player that he/she is authorized to play and requests the player to select a “play” button on the video display  212  or keypad  208  (step  528 ). Once the player selects the “play” button, player terminal  100  passes control to counter  210  (step  530 ) and waits to receive a random number from the corresponding game server  102 . 
   Again, as explained above, because game server  102  is generating a random number at a predefined interval, the player who has selected the “play” button during the interval must wait until the player terminal  100  receives the random number to determine the results of the play. Counter  210  in player terminal  100  keeps track of this interval and, in one embodiment, may display the time remaining between the player&#39;s selection of the “play” button and the determination of a win or loss (step  532 ). 
   As explained above, at the end of the interval, game server  102  generates a set of random numbers corresponding to each of the plurality of games at player terminals  100 . Game server  102  transmits to each corresponding player terminal  100  the set of random numbers corresponding to the game being played to player terminal  100 . Player terminal  100  receives the random number from the game server (step  534 ) and determines whether the player has won or lost that game (step  536 ). If the player has lost, the player terminal  100  displays preselected loss graphics explaining the losing results (step  538 ). If the player wins, player terminal  100  displays preselected win graphics explaining the winning results (step  540 ). 
   Win or lose, player terminal  100  sends the game result and game information to account server  400  (step  542 ). Such information may include, for example, the player terminal number, game type code, game number, time, date, wager amount, and resulting account balance. In accordance with certain requirements, some or all of this information may be encrypted in accordance with conventional encrypting techniques. As described below, player terminal  100  also maintains the player&#39;s account balance during a player session. 
   The account server  400  responds to the data from the player terminal  100  by recording the game information in the game information database  408  (step  544 ) and crediting or debiting the player&#39;s account the waged account (step  546 ). Account server  400  then preferably returns the updated account balance to the player terminal  100  (step  548 ). Player terminal  100  determines whether the returned account balance matches the account balance being tracked by the player terminal  100  (step  550 ). This additional monitoring of the player&#39;s account balance helps protect the game service provider and the player by reducing fraud and detecting balance inconsistencies as early as possible, ideally on a per-game basis. If the account balances do not match, the player terminal  100  may prevent the player from continuing, and request service assistance (step  522 ). If the account balances match, player terminal  100  preferably prompts the player to choose whether to play again (step  554 ). 
   When a player has finished playing, he/she exits the player terminal using an appropriate touch screen command on video display  212  or key on the keypad  208  and returns to the cashier station  410  to settle his/her account. As described, using cashier terminal  414 , a cashier (not shown) requests the player account information from the account server  400  and redeems the balance of the player&#39;s account to the player. 
   In the preferred embodiment consistent with the present invention, player terminals  100  transmit real-time to account server  400  all player activity information input by the player. This information may include, for example, the player&#39;s account number, information on the game played, and the game choices selected by the player, the wager amount, the winning numbers provided by the game server  102 , and a credit or debit request for crediting or debiting the player&#39;s account the wager amount. Account server  400  stores player activity information at account files database  404  and player card information database  406 . The player card information includes player demographics data such as age, gender, and geographic location. Accordingly, central controller network  104  maintains a current and comprehensive player activity information and demographics of each player, which may be accessed at any time by authorized personnel. 
   Report server  426  may provide a report of varying specificity including a detailed listing of an individual player&#39;s activity for a specified time period, a summary of a player&#39;s activity over a period of time, actual number of games played by each player, and a summary of all players&#39; activity on a particular day or over a period of time. Report server  426  generates these reports periodically, for example, once every two minutes. Server  426  may then generate a player activity report outlining player gambling habits such as frequency of plays, favorite games, nomination of player terminals, and average amount of wagers. Such player tracking report is valuable to casinos and players. Based on such reports, for example, casinos may tailor the types, number, and wager amount of games offered at player terminals  100  to accommodate player demand. Player terminals  100  may be modified periodically or interactively based on current player demand. 
   Additionally, casinos may use the reports as a tool to identify players with certain characteristics for marketing purposes. One marketing tool may be to offer “free play” cards, which are unique player cards with non-redeemable, playable credits. Such cards may be used as an incentive to attract players to the casino. Casinos may also offer complimentary “free play” cards to players who spend a certain weekly amount playing games. Player&#39;s account number along with expiration date and time of the free play cards may be printed on the card. Upon expiration such date and time, player terminals  100  will not recognize the free play card. Additionally, casinos may program cashier stations  410  to restrict withdrawals on the free play cards to only amounts greater than the face value of the card. The redemption period may also be restricted, for example, as a predetermined number of days after the expiration date. 
   Central tracking of all player activity on a per-game basis helps better tailor player terminals  100  based on player use and demand, reduce fraud, and target marketing efforts to players with certain attributes. Additionally, instantaneous information provides greater flexibility for managing gaming establishments. For example, such information may enable gaming establishment to access information whether player habits qualify for special awards during the play. It also helps detect fraud while it is occurring, for example, by detecting wins that far exceed average statistical odds or a single player playing at multiple player terminals  100  simultaneously. Moreover, real-time maintenance of player activity enables accurate system recovery in emergency situations such as power outage. 
   This description describes the presently preferred embodiments and methods of the present invention, but those skilled in the art would recognize that various changes and modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the invention. 
   For example, the figures and description include a game server as a separate device for generating random numbers for the player terminals associated with that game server. Each player terminal could also maintain its own random number generator. In this embodiment, the random number generators in each player terminal would preferably be synchronized to provide a random number at a predetermined interval, just as described above for the separated random number generator in a game server. A random number generator could also be provided in the central control network  104  rather than in a separate game server. 
   In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular element, technique or implementation to the teachings of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, this invention should not be limited to the particular embodiments and methods disclosed herein, but that the invention include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.