Networked computerized wager-based game system

Abstract

A wager-based gaming system provides a wager-based game playable by a player from a player computer on the table. The player computer receives player inputs, including wagers, from the player and transmits them to a game server communicably connected thereto and which applies game logic defining the game and defined in a game logic module, to generate game outputs, including an outcome for the game for the player, which is displayed on the player computer. The game logic module is selectable and configurable from a backend server and which contains player data for the player, including an account balance from which the wagers may be placed. A card reader connected to the player computer reads a portion of the player data is validated against the player data on the backend to authorize or deny access to the player data.

1 . A wager-based gaming system comprising:
 at least one table having at least one respective player computer disposed thereupon for receiving respective player inputs for a player for a respective game for said table playable on said player computer and for displaying game outputs therefor, said respective player inputs comprising at least one wager and said game outputs comprising an outcome therefor;   for each player computer, a respective card reader communicably connected thereto for reading at least a portion of respective player data for said player from a respective microprocessor, on a respective smart card therefor when said smart card is inserted therein, said portion being store on said microprocessor;   at least on game server communicable connected to each player computer and storing game logic defining said game for applying said game logic to said respective player inputs and generating thereby said game outputs; and   a backend server to which each game server, and thereby said player computer, is communicably connected and upon which all said player data is stored for validating whether there is correspondence between said portion read by said card reader against player data stored thereon, said backend server authorizing access to said player data stored thereon from said player computer for playing said game if said correspondence is validated.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said player data comprises a respective account balance for said player and from which said wager may be placed said respective account balance being updated based on said outcome. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said respective player data is writable to said microprocessor by said card reader when said smart card is inserted therein and said correspondence is validated, said backend server transmitting said portion to said card reader when said portion is modified thereon for writing on said microprocessor to update said portion. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said portion is stored on said card reader in encrypted format, said portion being transmitted between said backend server and said card reader in said encrypted format. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein all of said player data is also stored on said microprocessor. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one server computer, each server computer being communicable connected to one another by at least one network and upon which said game server and said backend server reside, each game server residing on a respective server computer therefor communicably connected by said at least one network to said player computer. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising, for each player computer, a respective currency receiver communicably connected thereto for receiving a respective player deposit of currency and determining a deposit value therefor, said deposit value being creditable to said respective account balance by said backend server when updating said account balance. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said game server stores a respective session balance for each player computer while said player plays said game thereon, said game server initially setting said respective session balance to zero, updating said respective session balance based on said outcome, and crediting each said respective deposit value thereto, said game server, if said correspondence is validated for said player on said player computer, adding said respective account balance to said respective session balance and transmitting said respective session balance to said backend server which assigns said respective session balance to said respective account balance for said player, thereby updating said respective account balance. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said game server, when said correspondence is not validated and when requested by said player input, transmits said respective session balance to said backend server, said backend server generating a ticket output containing said respective session balance for printing as a ticket by a printer communicably connect to said player computer upon which said player is playing, said ticket being redeemable for one of money and credit to said session balance on any said gaming machine for playing said game thereupon. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said player computer is a panel personal computer having a touch screen upon which said respective player inputs may be entered for playing of said game and upon which said respective player inputs and game outputs are displayed. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said game is a selected game selectable from a plurality of games from said backend sever, said game server having, for each game of said plurality, a respective game logic module therefor stored thereon and comprising said game logic, each game logic module being selectively activatable and deactivateable on said game server from said backend server to respectively select and deselect said selected game. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said player computer comprises a game client module comprising a respective game interface for receiving said respective player inputs, said game client module transmitting said respective player inputs to said game server and receiving said game outputs therefrom, said game interface displaying said game by displaying at least a portion of said respective player inputs and said game outputs. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said game client module comprises a respective game specific interface elements module for said game interface that defines respective game specific interface elements specific to said selected game and a general client platform module containing common interface elements for said game interface and which are common to all said games of said plurality of games, said respective game-specific interface module being activated for said game interface when said respective game logic module for said selected game is activated to enable playing of said selected game. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said backend server comprises a remote configuration module for transmitting scheduling instructions designating a designated said respective game logic module for a designated said game to said game server, said game server deactivating said respective game logic module for said selected game once said game server determines said outcome for any instance of said selected game in progress when said scheduling instruction is received and subsequently activating said designated said respective game logic module, said designated said game thereby being selected as said selected game. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said game server transmits a message specifying said designated said game to said game client when said designated said game logic module is activated, said game client deactivating said respective game-specific interface elements module for said selected game and activating said respective game-specific interface elements module for said designated said game. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said back end server comprises a programmable schedule, said programmable schedule defining at least one programmed time at which a respective said scheduling instruction associated therewith is to be sent to said game server, said programmable schedule enabling automated and scheduled selection of said selected game. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein said scheduling instruction further comprises configuration information specifying a game configuration for said designated said game, said game server activating said designated said game logic module and configuring said designated said game in accordance with said game configuration. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising, for
 a respective table server computer therefor, said table server computer being securely housed in said table to prevent access by said player thereto and communicably connected to said game server and to each player computer on said table and providing communication of said player inputs and said game outputs therebetween; and   a common display unit disposed on said table and communicably connected to said table server computer, said table server computer having said game client resident thereon and displaying said game on said common display unit.   
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising, at least one monitoring computer communicably connected to said game server and having said game client module resident thereon, said game client module on said monitoring computer being configured for limiting use of said monitoring computer to displaying said game. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said backend server comprises a history module, said game server transmitting all player inputs entered into each said game client on each said player computer to play said game and all said game outputs generated to said backend server, said history module storing all said player inputs and said game outputs on said backend server. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein said game client is configured for receiving a replay request from a user thereof for replay of at least a portion of said player inputs and said game outputs for said game for at least one designated said player computer designated in said replay request on a requested computer designated in said replay request and having said game client module resident thereon, said game client module transmitting said replay request to said game server which transmits said replay request to said backend server, said history module retrieving said requested portion from said history module and transmitting said requested portion to said game server, said game server suspending said player inputs on said designated said personal computer, thereby suspending play of said game thereon and said game client on said requested computer displaying each player input and each game output of said requested portion in sequence, thereby replaying said portion. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said requested computer is at least one of said designated gaming computer, said monitoring computer, and said table server computer. 
   
   
       23 . A method for providing wager-based gaming on a table, said method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a smart card having a microprocessor in a smart card reader situated at said table and communicably connected to at least one respective player computer for the table and upon which at least one respective game for said table is playable, said microprocessor having at least a portion of respective player data relating to said player stored thereupon, all said player data being stored on a backend server connected to said player computer;   reading said portion into said player computer with said card reader;   validating whether there is correspondence of said portion with said player data on said server computer;   if said correspondence is validated, authorizing use of said respective player data from said gaming computer while said player plays said game thereupon, generating game outputs by applying game logic defining said game to respective player inputs input by said player on said player, said respective player inputs comprising at least one respective wager made by said player, said respective game outputs comprising a respective outcome for said game for said player.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said player data comprises a respective account balance for said player and from which said respective wager may be placed, said method further comprising the step of, if said correspondence is validated, updating said respective account balance based on said respective outcome. 
   
   
       25 . The method of claim of  claim 23 , further comprising the steps of:
 assigning a respective session balance to said player computer and from which said respective wagers may be made;   accepting said wagers against said session balance while said player plays said game; and   updating said session balance based on said outcome.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising the steps of:
 receiving a respective player deposit of currency from said player in a currency receiver connected to said player computer;   determining a deposit value of said deposit; and   adding said deposit value to said session balance.   
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said player data comprises an account balance redeemable for money and from which said wager may be placed, said session balance being initially set to said account balance if said correspondence is validated, said session balance being otherwise initially set to 0. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein after said updating of said session balance for said player computer, said respective account balance for said player playing on said player computer is updated by assigning said session balance thereto if said correspondence has been validated. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said game is a selected game selected from a plurality of games, each game having a respective game logic module therefor stored on a game server connected to said backend server, said method further comprising the steps of:
 transmitting a scheduling instruction for actuating a designated said respective game logic module for a designated said game designated in said scheduling instruction to said game server; and   after said outcome, for any instance of said selected game in progress on said game server has been generated thereby, deactuating said game logic module for said selected game and actuating said game logic module for said designated said game, said designated said game thereby being selected and actuated as said selected game.   
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising the step of prior to said step of transmitting said scheduling instruction, consulting a schedule stored on said backend server which defines said scheduling instruction and a time for transmitting said scheduling instruction. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising the steps of:
 receiving a replay request requesting replay of at least a requested portion of said player inputs and game outputs for at least one designated player computer and specifying a requested computer for displaying said portion;   retrieving said requested portion from said backend server, all said player inputs and said game outputs being stored thereupon;   transmitting said requested portion retrieved to said requested computer;   suspending play of said game on said designated computer;   displaying said requested portion on said designated computer, thereby replaying said requested portion; and   re-enabling play of said game on said designated computer.