Method and apparatus for controlling multiple games with one or more processors

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing two or more wagering events or gaming opportunities at two or more different locations to two or more different players at the same time or concurrently though multi-tasking or other shared processing arrangement of a shared control module or processor. In one embodiment a control module is configured with a processor, memory, and one or more interfaces configured to communicate with two or more game terminals. The two or more game terminals may be located remote from the control module or in close proximity. The game terminals may be configured with a display and player interfaces to receive input from a player. In one embodiment one or more video adapters are located with the control module or the game terminal. As an advantage over the prior art, controlling and enabling two or more game terminals with a shared control module or a shared processor reduces costs and the required space on a per game or per terminal basis.

1 . A system configured to offer a wagering event to a player comprising: 
 a first game terminal comprising; 
 a display configured to display wagering event information to a first player;  
 a player interface configured to receive input from the first player;  
 a monetary interface or card interface configured to accept a wager from the first player;  
   a second game terminal comprising; 
 a display configured to display wagering event information to a second player;  
 a player interface configured to receive input from the second player;  
 a monetary interface or card interface configured to accept a wager from the second player;  
   a memory configured to store machine readable game code; and    a processor configured to access the memory to execute the machine readable game code to concurrently offer a game to the first player at the first game terminal and the second player at the second game terminal.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a display comprises a flat panel touch screen display.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the flat panel touch screen is configured as the player interface.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory and processor are remote from the first game terminal and the second game terminal.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the processor is part of a control module that communicates with the first game terminal and the second game terminal via a network connection.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is part of a control module and the control module communicates with the first game terminal and the second game terminal utilizing a universal serial bus connection.  
   
   
       7 . A gaming system configured to simultaneously offer a first wagering event to a first player and a second wagering event to a second player comprising: 
 a control module having a processor, configured to execute software code, the software code configured to generate the first and second wagering events;    two or more game terminals configured to concurrently present the first wagering event to a first player and the second wagering event to a second player, the two or more game terminals configured to communicate with the control module through at least one communication interface; and    at least one communication interface connected to the control module, the at least one communication interface configured to send data to and receive data from a first game terminal and a second game terminal to thereby concurrently provide the first wagering event to a first player and a second wagering event to a second player.    
   
   
       8 . The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein the communication interface comprises a network interface card.  
   
   
       9 . The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the game terminals comprises a display configured to present a wagering event to a player, a player interface configured to receive input from a player in response to the wagering event, and a wager acceptor consisting of a wager acceptor selected from the group consisting of a coin acceptor, bill acceptor, and card reader.  
   
   
       10 . The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein the control module comprises a processor, a memory, one or more video adapters and one or more audio interfaces.  
   
   
       11 . The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the game terminals comprises a video adapter.  
   
   
       12 . The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein the control module and at least one of the game terminals communicate using an Ethernet communication protocol.  
   
   
       13 . The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein the game terminals are configured as and operate as remotely located player interfaces without use of a network communication protocol.  
   
   
       14 . The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein the two or more gaming terminals comprise a first gaming terminal and a second gaming terminal and the first gaming terminal is contained within the same housing as the second game terminal.  
   
   
       15 . A method for utilizing a processor to control two or more game terminals and present two or more games to two or more players: 
 providing a control module having a processor configured to read and execute game code stored on a memory;    executing the game code to generate a first wagering event;    executing the game code to generate a second wagering event;    sending the first wagering event to a first game terminal for presentation to a first player;    sending the second wagering event to a second game terminal for presentation to a second player;    receiving, at the control module input from the first player at the first game terminal in response to the first wagering event; and    receiving, at the control module, player input from the second game terminal in response to the second wagering event;    wherein the first player may be participating in the first wagering event and the second player may be participating in the second wagering event at the same time.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising receiving network input from a control module network to which the control module is connected via a network interface card.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the processor multi-tasks between the first wagering event and the second wagering event to thereby present the first wagering event and the second wagering event at the same time.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the control module comprises a personal computer and each game terminal comprises a display and a player interface.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein sending comprises sending video signals and audio signals.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the control module is configured to generate and send wagering events to more than two game terminals which in turn further reduces the cost and space on per player basis to present a wagering event to a player.