System and Method for Streaming Games and Services to Gaming Devices

Abstract

A gaming system providing a game and/or gaming services to a player or user at a gaming or gaming services device. The device receives streaming audio-video representing the game or gaming services and plays streaming audio-video at a device. The device also receives input related to the play of the game or the gaming services from the user/player and relays the input to the gaming system. The system includes a storage device and a controller. The storage device stores elements of the game and/or gaming services. The game controller receives the input from the user/player and responsively retrieving the elements of the game and/or gaming services from the storage device, dynamically creates an audio-video stream as a function of the retrieved elements and the input, and broadcasts the audio-video stream to the gaming and/or gaming services device.

1 . A gaming system for providing a game to a player at a gaming device, the gaming device for receiving streaming audio-video representing the game and playing streaming audio-video on a display and for receiving input related to the play of the game from the player and relaying the player input to the gaming system, comprising:
 a storage device for storing elements of the game; and,   a game controller coupled to the storage device and the gaming device for receiving the player input from the player and responsively retrieving the elements of the game from the storage device, for playing the game, determining an outcome of the game, and awarding the player an award if the outcome of the game is a winning outcome, and responsively, dynamically creating an audio-video stream as a function of the retrieved elements, the player input, the outcome of the game, and the award, if any, and for broadcasting the audio-video stream to the gaming device.   
   
   
       2 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the elements of the game include one or more of game application executable code, game graphics, sound data, and a configuration properties file. 
   
   
       3 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the elements of the game further include gaming device location data. 
   
   
       4 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the gaming device location data includes a type of location and an identification of the location of the game device. 
   
   
       5 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the gaming device includes a display, the configuration properties file including one or more of the following: screen resolution of the display, display coordinates for images and/or animations, color depth of the display, game hold percentages, game denominations, game specific parameters, and maximum payout thresholds. 
   
   
       6 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 2 , the configuration properties file defining attributes of the gaming device. 
   
   
       7 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the gaming device is of one of first type and a second type, the configuration properties file being associated with the first type, the set of elements of the gaming including a second configuration properties file associated with the second type. 
   
   
       8 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 1 , whether the game device is one of a terminal networked to the game controller, a wireless device wirelessly networked to the game controller, or a remote device connected to the game controller via the internet. 
   
   
       9 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 1 , the game controller including a game contents storage server, the storage device being embodied in a database on the game contents storage server. 
   
   
       10 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 9 , the game controller including a game control component and an audio-video stream creating component coupled to the game contents storage server, the game control component for playing the game, the audio-video stream creating component being in communication with the game control component and the game contents storage server for creating the audio-video stream. 
   
   
       11 . A gaming system, as set in  claim 10 , the game controller including an audio-video stream broadcasting component for broadcasting the audio-video stream to the game device. 
   
   
       12 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 1 , the gaming being adapted to provide a game to a second player at a second gaming device, the storage device for storing elements of a second game. 
   
   
       13 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 12 , the elements of the first and second games including first and second game application executable code, respectively, the game controller for loading the first game application executable code and running a first instance of the first game application executable code. 
   
   
       14 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 13 , the game controller for running a second instance of the first game application executable code. 
   
   
       15 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 13 , the game controller for loading the second game application executable code and running a first instance of the second game application executable code. 
   
   
       16 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the dynamically created audio-video stream is a series of digital images displayed in rapid succession to give the appearance of motion. 
   
   
       17 . A gaming system, comprising:
 a gaming service device for providing a gaming service in response to input from the user;   a storage device for storing elements of the gaming service; and,   a gaming services controller coupled to the gaming device, the gaming service device, and the storage device for receiving the player input from the player and responsively retrieving the elements of the gaming service from the storage device, for dynamically creating an audio-video stream as a function of the retrieved elements and the player input, and for broadcasting the audio-video stream to the gaming service device.   
   
   
       18 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the gaming service is one of player tracking, including, but not limited to, comps, cashless gaming, hotel portfolio, dinner and show reservations, bonus games, progressive jackpots, entertainment and other video/audio services. 
   
   
       19 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the elements of the gaming service include one or more of service application executable code, service graphics, sound data, and a configuration properties file. 
   
   
       20 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the elements of the gaming service further include game device location data. 
   
   
       21 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein the gaming device location device includes a type of location and an identification of the location of the game device. 
   
   
       22 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the gaming service device includes a display, the configuration properties file including one or more of the following: screen resolution of the display, display coordinates for images and/or animations, and color depth of the display. 
   
   
       23 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 17 , whether the gaming service device is one a separate player tracking device associated with the gaming device and an integrated device with the gaming device. 
   
   
       24 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 17 , the gaming service controller including a gaming service contents storage server, the storage device being embodied in a database on the gaming service contents storage server. 
   
   
       25 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 24 , the gaming service controller including a gaming service control server and an audio-video stream creating component coupled to the gaming service contents storage server, the gaming service control server for providing the gaming service, the audio-video stream creating component being in communication with the gaming service control server and the gaming service contents storage server for creating the audio-video stream. 
   
   
       26 . A gaming system, as set in  claim 25  the gaming service controller including an audio-video stream broadcasting component for broadcasting the audio-video stream to the gaming service device. 
   
   
       27 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the gaming services device is associated with a gaming device, the gaming device for providing a game to a player. 
   
   
       28 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein the gaming services device is a player tracking device. 
   
   
       29 . A gaming system, as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the dynamically created audio-video stream is a series of digital images displayed in rapid succession to give the appearance of motion. 
   
   
       30 . A gaming system for providing a game and gaming services to a player at a gaming device, the gaming device for receiving streaming audio-video representing the game and gaming service on a display and for receiving input from the player and relaying the player input to the gaming system, comprising:
 a storage device for storing elements of the game and elements of the gaming service; and,   a controller coupled to the gaming device and the storage device for receiving the player input from the player and responsively retrieving the elements of the game from the storage device and for playing the game, for responsively retrieving elements of the gaming service from the storage device as a function of the player input, and dynamically creating an audio-video stream as a function of the retrieved elements of the game and the gaming service and the player input, and for broadcasting the audio-video stream to the gaming device, the audio-video stream containing elements of the game and/or elements of the gaming services.   
   
   
       31 . A gaming system for providing a game to a player at a gaming device, comprising:
 a storage device for storing elements a plurality of a plurality of games in first and second libraries, each library include at least one game; and,   a game controller for selectively enabling one of the first and second libraries based on a library parameter, for receiving the player input from the player and responsively retrieving the elements of one of the games in the enabled library from the storage device, for playing the one of the games and dynamically creating an audio-video stream as a function of the retrieved elements and the player input, and for broadcasting the audio-video stream to the gaming device.   
   
   
       32 . A gaming system for providing a game and/or gaming service to a player at a gaming device, the gaming device for receiving streaming audio-video representing the game and/or gaming service on a display and for receiving input from the player and relaying the player input to the gaming system, comprising:
 a storage device for storing elements of the game and/or elements of the gaming services;   a player data storage device for storing information related to a plurality of players;   a gaming services device for receiving input from the player related to the identification of the player; and,   a controller coupled to the gaming device, the gaming services device, the player data storage device, and the storage device for receiving the information related to the identification of the player and responsively retrieving player information from the player data storage device, for receiving the player input from the player and responsively retrieving the elements of the game and/or game service from the storage device, and dynamically creating an audio-video stream related to the game and/or gaming services as a function of the retrieved elements of the game and/or the gaming service and the player input, at least a portion of the audio-video stream incorporating the player information, and for broadcasting the audio-video stream to the gaming device, the audio-video stream containing both elements of the game and elements of the gaming services.   
   
   
       33 . A gaming system for providing a plurality of games to a player, comprising:
 a gaming device having a display and a set of user controls, the user controls for receiving player input, the gaming device for receiving streaming audio-video representing the games and playing the streaming audio-video on the display, the display including multiple game play sections, wherein each game is displayed within its own section of the display;   a storage device for storing elements of the game; and,   a game controller coupled to the storage device and the gaming device for receiving the player input from the player device and responsively retrieving the elements of the game from the storage device, for playing the games, and responsively, dynamically creating a single audio-video stream as a function of the retrieved elements, the player input, game and for broadcasting the audio-video stream to the gaming device, the audio-video stream representing the games.   
   
   
       34 . A gaming system, comprising:
 a gaming service device for providing a gaming service, the gaming service being a system or controller based progressive jackpot;   a storage device for storing elements of the gaming service; and,   a gaming services controller coupled to the gaming device, the gaming service device, and the storage device for retrieving the elements of the gaming service from the storage device, for dynamically creating an audio-video stream as a function of the retrieved elements, and for broadcasting the audio-video stream to the gaming service device.