Progressive jackpot communication techniques

Abstract

A gaming system ( 10 ) includes gaming machine groups (GR 1 -GR 16 ) arranged to receive input data and to generate output progressive jackpot data relating to two or more progressive jackpots. A central database ( 26 ) stores the input data relating to the progressive jackpots. A monitoring computer ( 40 ) includes a local database ( 46 ). The computer ( 40 ) obtains and temporarily stores the progressive jackpot output data.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In a gaming system, apparatus for processing a plurality of progressive jackpots in response to data from a plurality of gaming machines comprising: 
 a first plurality of gaming machines controlled by a first legal entity and located at a first site, the first plurality of gaming machines being arranged to generate first progressive jackpot data;    a second plurality of gaming machines controlled by the first legal entity and located at a second site geographically separated from the first site, the second plurality of gaming machines being arranged to generate second progressive jackpot data;    a third plurality of gaming machines controlled by a second legal entity different from the first legal entity and located at a third site geographically separated from the first site and the second site, the third plurality of gaming machines being arranged to generate third progressive jackpot data;    a fourth plurality of gaming machines within the first plurality of gaming machines controlled by the first legal entity, the fourth plurality of gaming machines being arranged to generate fourth progressive jackpot data;    a fifth plurality of gaming machines within the second plurality of gaming machines controlled by the first legal entity, the fifth plurality of gaming machines being arranged to generate fifth progressive jackpot data;    a sixth plurality of gaming machines within the third plurality of gaming machines controlled by the second legal entity, the sixth plurality of gaming machines being arranged to generate sixth progressive jackpot data;    a network arranged to transmit the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth progressive jackpot data; and    a progressive jackpot controller arranged to calculate a first progressive jackpot value at least in part in response to the first, second and third progressive jackpot data, to calculate a second progressive jackpot value at least in part in response to the first and second progressive jackpot data, to calculate a third progressive jackpot value at least in part in response to the third progressive jackpot data, to calculate a fourth progressive jackpot value at least in part in response to the fourth progressive jackpot data, to calculate a fifth progressive jackpot value at least in part in response to the fifth progressive jackpot data, and to calculate a sixth progressive jackpot value at least in part in response to the sixth progressive jackpot data.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the fourth plurality of gaming machines generates a portion of the first progressive jackpot data, the fifth plurality of gaming machines generates a portion of the second progressive jackpot data and the sixth plurality of gaming machines generates a portion of the third progressive jackpot data.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first plurality of gaming machines is located in a first gaming facility, the second plurality of gaming machines is located in a second gaming facility and the third plurality of gaming machines is located in a third gaming facility.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the fourth plurality of gaming machines comprises a first bank of gaming machines and a second bank of gaming machines, the fifth plurality of gaming machines comprises a third bank of gaming machines and a fourth bank of gaming machines, and wherein the sixth plurality of gaming machines comprises a fifth bank of gaming machines and a sixth bank of gaming machines.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  and further comprising a seventh plurality of gaming machines within the fourth plurality of gaming machines arranged to generate seventh progressive jackpot data, wherein the network is arranged to transmit the seventh progressive jackpot data and wherein the controller is arranged to calculate a seventh progressive jackpot value in response to the seventh progressive jackpot data.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the seventh plurality of gaming machines generates a portion of the fourth progressive jackpot data.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the seventh plurality of gaming machines comprises a single bank of gaming machines.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first and second legal entities comprise corporations.  
     
     
         9 . In a gaming system, apparatus for processing a first progressive jackpot and a second progressive jackpot comprising: 
 first gaming machines at a first gaming facility in a first location, arranged to play a first game and arranged to generate first jackpot data used at least in part to calculate the first progressive jackpot;    second gaming machines located at the first gaming facility, arranged to play a second game and arranged to generate second jackpot data used at least in part to calculate the second progressive jackpot;    third gaming machines located at a second gaming facility in a second location different from the first location, arranged to play a third game and arranged to generate third jackpot data used at least in part to calculate the first progressive jackpot;    fourth gaming machines located at the second gaming facility, arranged to play a fourth game and arranged to generate fourth jackpot data used at least in part to calculate the second progressive jackpot;    a progressive jackpot server at a location different from at least one of the first location and the second location arranged to calculate the amount of the first progressive jackpot and the amount of the second progressive jackpot;    a communication network arranged to transmit the first jackpot data, the second jackpot data, the third jackpot data and the fourth jackpot data;    a first monitoring computer coupled to the communication network and arranged to store the first jackpot data and the second jackpot data before calculation of the first and second jackpot amount by the server; and    a second monitoring computer coupled to the communication network and arranged to store the third jackpot data and the fourth jackpot data before calculation of the first and second jackpot amount by the server.    
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein server is located in a third location different from the first location and the second location.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the first monitoring computer and the second monitoring computer are located in the third location.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein first monitoring computer is located in the first location and wherein the second monitoring computer is located in the second location.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein at least one of the first communication network and the second communication network transmit data with TCP/IP protocol.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein at least one of the first communication network and the second communication network comprises a digital subscriber line.  
     
     
         15 . In a gaming system, a method of processing a plurality of progressive jackpots comprising: 
 generating first progressive jackpot data at a first gaming facility controlled by a first legal entity and located at a first site;    generating second progressive jackpot data at a second gaming facility controlled by the first legal entity and located at a second site geographically separated from the first site;    generating third progressive jackpot data at a third gaming facility controlled by a second legal entity different from the first legal entity and located at a third site geographically separated from the first site and the second site;    generating fourth progressive jackpot data at the first gaming facility;    generating fifth progressive jackpot data at the second gaming facility;    generating sixth progressive jackpot data at the third gaming facility;    transmitting the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth progressive jackpot data;    calculating a first progressive jackpot value at least in part in response to the first, second and third progressive jackpot data;    calculating a second progressive jackpot value at least in part in response to the first and second progressive jackpot data;    calculating a third progressive jackpot value at least in part in response to the third progressive jackpot data;    calculating a fourth progressive jackpot value at least in part in response to the fourth progressive jackpot data;    calculating a fifth progressive jackpot value at least in part in response to the fifth progressive jackpot data; and    calculating a sixth progressive jackpot value at least in part in response to the sixth progressive jackpot data.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the first gaming facility comprises a first plurality of banks of gaming machines, the second gaming facility comprises a second plurality of banks of gaming machines, wherein the third gaming facility comprises a third plurality of banks of gaming machines, wherein the first progressive jackpot data is generated from the first plurality of banks, wherein the second progressive jackpot data is generated from the second plurality of banks, wherein the third progressive jackpot data is generated from the third plurality of banks, wherein the fourth progressive jackpot data is generated from a subgroup of the first plurality of banks, wherein the fifth progressive jackpot data is generated from a subgroup of the second plurality of banks and wherein the sixth progressive data is generated from a subgroup of the third plurality of banks.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the first and second legal entities comprise corporations.  
     
     
         18 . In a gaming system, a method of processing a first progressive jackpot and a second progressive jackpot by using a communication network comprising: 
 generating first jackpot data used at least in part to calculate the first progressive jackpot at a first gaming facility in a first location;    generating second jackpot data used at least in part to calculate the second progressive jackpot at the first gaming facility;    generating third jackpot data used at least in part to calculate the first progressive jackpot at a second gaming facility in a second location different from the first location;    generating fourth jackpot data used at least in part to calculate the second progressive jackpot at the second gaming facility;    calculating at a location different from at least one of the first location and the second location the amount of the first progressive jackpot and the amount of the second progressive jackpot;    transmitting via the communication network the first jackpot data, the second jackpot data, the third jackpot data and the fourth jackpot data;    storing the first jackpot data and the second jackpot data before calculation of the first and second jackpot amount; and    storing the third jackpot data and the fourth jackpot data before calculation of the first and second jackpot amount.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the calculating is performed in a third location different from the first location and the second location.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the storing is performed in the third location.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein storing the first jackpot data and the second jackpot data is performed in the first location and wherein storing the third jackpot data and the fourth jackpot data is performed in the second location.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein at least a portion of the transmitting is performed with TCP/IP protocol.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18  wherein at least at portion of the transmitting is performed with a digital subscriber line.