Gaming system allowing jackpot system selection

Abstract

In a gaming system according to the present invention, a server monitors jackpot values and the availability of a plurality of jackpot systems, and thereby produces list outputs of the jackpot values and the available gaming machines. The gaming system provides players with the lists displayed in a screen, and allows each player to select one of the available gaming machines in accordance with the jackpot values. When the jackpot systems are separated from each other and the server, the server reserves the gaming machine selected by a player by using the lists. The selected gaming machine is locked unless the server verifies customer ID data entered into the selected gaming machine. When the server virtually constructs all the jackpot systems, the server will link a virtual gaming machine, which a player has selected by using the lists, to a gaming terminal that the player actually operates.

1 . A gaming system comprising a plurality of gaming machines, a plurality of jackpot controllers, a gaming machine reservation terminal, and a server that are interconnected therebetween to communicate with each other, wherein:
 the gaming machines each comprise
 a jackpot checking unit configured to inform one of the jackpot controllers of a bet from a player, and to access the jackpot controller to check whether or not a jackpot has been won; 
 a player tracking unit configured to detect the availability of the gaming machine and then inform the server of the availability thereof, and configured to receive customer ID data from the player and then send the customer ID data to the server; and 
 a reservation checking unit configured to decide whether or not to allow the player to play a game in accordance with an instruction from the server; 
   the jackpot controllers are each configured to decide whether or not one of the gaming machines has won a jackpot under a lottery process in response to a bet placed by the player on the gaming machine;   the gaming machine reservation terminal is configured to display a list of jackpot values that are controlled by the respective jackpot controllers and a list of the available gaming machines, and then allow a customer to select one of the available gaming machines, and inform the server of a linkage of customer ID data of the customer and the selected gaming machine; and   the server comprises
 a jackpot value monitoring unit configured to monitor the value of the jackpot of each of the jackpot controllers; 
 an available gaming machine monitoring unit configured to monitor the availability of each of the gaming machines through the player tracking units of the gaming machines; 
 a gaming machine selection controller configured to produce list output of the jackpot values and the available gaming machines; and 
 a gaming machine reservation controller configured to register the linkage of the gaming machines and the customer ID data of customers who have selected one of the gaming machines by using the gaming machine reservation terminal, and configured to instruct each of the gaming machines whether or not to allow the player to play a game based on a comparison between the customer ID data of the player that is received from the gaming machine and the registered customer ID data that has been linked to the gaming machine. 
   
   
   
       2 . A gaming system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 one or more of the jackpot controllers increment the value of a jackpot each time the player places a bet on a gaming machine.   
   
   
       3 . A gaming system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the gaming machines includes the gaming machine reservation terminal. 
   
   
       4 . A gaming system according to  claim 1 , wherein the server further comprises a customer management unit comprising
 a player tracking controller configured to authenticate the player of the gaming machine, based on customer ID data received from the gaming machine; and   a customer database configured to store customer information linked to customer ID data.   
   
   
       5 . A gaming system comprising a plurality of gaming terminals and a server that are interconnected therebetween to communicate each other, wherein:
 the gaming terminals are each configured to display game content and jackpot values in accordance with data sent from the server, and inform the server of data that a player enters into the gaming terminal; and   the server comprises
 a plurality of virtual gaming machines each configured to run a game program, and then send game content to one of the gaming terminals that is linked to the virtual gaming machine and receive the player's response from the gaming terminal; 
 a plurality of virtual jackpot controllers each configured to decide whether or not one of the virtual gaming machines has won a jackpot under a lottery process, in response to a bet placed by the player on the virtual gaming machine; 
 a jackpot value monitoring unit configured to monitor the value of a jackpot that is controlled by each of the virtual jackpot controllers; 
 an available virtual gaming machine monitoring unit configured to monitor the availability of each of the virtual gaming machines; and 
 a virtual gaming machine selection controller configured to provide list output of the jackpot values to one of the gaming terminals, allow the player who uses the gaming terminal to select an available, virtual gaming machine based on the jackpot values displayed by the gaming terminal, and allow the selected, virtual gaming machine to be linked to the gaming terminal. 
   
   
   
       6 . A gaming system according to the  claim 5 , wherein
 one or more of the virtual jackpot controllers increment the value of the jackpot each time the player places a bet on a virtual gaming machine.