US Patent No: 6,254,483
Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000
Method and apparatus for controlling the cost of playing an electronic gaming device
Stats
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Jul 3, 2001
Issued date -
May 29, 1998
filing date -
09/086,964
serial no -
In Force
status
Importance
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Abstract
Electronic gaming machines, such as slot machines or video poker machines are interconnected by a computer network. The behavior of each machine is controlled by configuring selected parameters such as game speed, payback percentage, or game appearance. As the machines are played, any of the selected parameters may be changed responsive to commands issued over the network. The commands are issued in response to predetermined changes in variables such as rate of play, player status, and the time of the day, week, or month. The payback percentage may be changed by implementing a new pay table at the selected machine or machines or by implementing a bonus period during which a percentage of all money played on the selected machines accrues in a bonus pool. During the bonus period, the selected machines are eligible for bonus awards that may be random or related to jackpots paid based on the pay tables in the selected machines.
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First Claim
Related Publications
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International Classification(s)
- [Classification Symbol]
- [Patents Count]
Cited Art
| Patent Info | (Count) | # Cites | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
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| 4,837,728 Multiple progressive gaming system that freezes payouts at start of game | 511 | 1984 | |
| 4,948,138 Device for maintaining game state audit trail upon instantaneous power failure | 74 | 1985 | |
| 5,344,144 Progressive jackpot gaming system with enhanced accumulator | 442 | 1990 | |
| 5,265,874 Cashless gaming apparatus and method | 438 | 1992 | |
| 5,280,909 Gaming system with progressive jackpot | 386 | 1992 | |
| 5,326,104 Secure automated electronic casino gaming system | 472 | 1992 | |
| 5,655,961 Method for operating networked gaming devices | 717 | 1994 | |
| 5,722,891 Slot machine having two distinct sets of reels | 543 | 1995 | |
| 5,702,304 Method and apparatus for operating networked gaming devices | 273 | 1995 | |
| 5,741,183 Method and apparatus for operating networked gaming devices | 392 | 1995 | |
| 5,820,459 Method and apparatus for operating networked gaming devices | 388 | 1995 | |
| 5,758,875 Dynamic rate control method and apparatus for electronically played games and gaming machines | 149 | 1996 | |
| 5,854,542 Flashing and diming fluorescent lamps for a gaming device | 79 | 1996 | |
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| 4,624,459 Gaming device having random multiple payouts | 580 | 1985 | |
| 5,179,517 Game machine data transfer system utilizing portable data units | 475 | 1988 | |
| 4,991,848 Gaming machine with a plateaued pay schedule | 454 | 1989 | |
| 5,123,649 Gaming machine with dynamic pay schedule | 256 | 1991 | |
| 5,429,361 Gaming machine information, communication and display system | 610 | 1991 | |
| 5,371,345 Gaming machine change system | 205 | 1992 | |
| 5,249,800 Progressive gaming control and communication system | 268 | 1992 | |
| 5,524,888 Gaming machine having electronic circuit for generating game results with non-uniform probabilities | 339 | 1994 | |
| 5,470,079 Game machine accounting and monitoring system | 349 | 1994 | |
| 5,494,287 Gaming machine having dynamic payout amounts | 134 | 1994 | |
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| 5,242,163 Casino game system | 247 | 1992 | |
| 5,586,936 Automated gaming table tracking system and method therefor | 270 | 1994 | |
| 5,766,076 Progressive gaming system and method for wide applicability | 271 | 1996 | |
| 5,902,983 Preset amount electronic funds transfer system for gaming machines | 304 | 1996 | |
| 5,851,148 Game with bonus display | 457 | 1996 | |
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| 5,611,730 Progressive gaming system tailored for use in multiple remote sites: apparatus and method | 484 | 1995 | |
| 6,077,162 Cooperative group gaming system: apparatus and method | 229 | 1997 | |
| 6,039,648 Automated tournament gaming system: apparatus and method | 251 | 1997 | |
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| 5,116,055 Progressive jackpot gaming system linking gaming machines with different hit frequencies and denominations | 462 | 1991 | |
| 5,580,309 Linked gaming machines having a common feature controller | 312 | 1994 | |
| 6,012,982 Bonus award feature in linked gaming machines having a common feature controller | 404 | 1996 | |
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| 5,038,022 Apparatus and method for providing credit for operating a gaming machine | 276 | 1989 | |
| 5,559,312 Gaming machine system operable with general purpose charge cards | 165 | 1995 | |
| 5,811,772 Gaming machine system operable with general purpose charge cards | 91 | 1996 | |
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| 5,292,127 Arcade game | 214 | 1992 | |
| 5,743,523 Multi-game system with progressive bonus | 108 | 1996 | |
| 5,816,918 Prize redemption system for games | 625 | 1996 | |
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| 5,752,882 Method and apparatus for operating networked gaming devices | 342 | 1995 | |
| 5,836,817 Method and apparatus for operating networked gaming devices | 417 | 1995 | |
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| 4,764,666 On-line wagering system with programmable game entry cards | 415 | 1987 | |
| 4,882,473 On-line wagering system with programmable game entry cards and operator security cards | 384 | 1988 | |
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| 5,410,590 Monitoring system for remote devices | 34 | 1992 | |
| 5,651,057 Method of communicating data from remote devices to a central computer via a telecommunications link | 29 | 1992 | |
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| 5,577,959 Game apparatus and game system | 82 | 1994 | |
| 5,839,956 Game play media lending machine and gaming house management system | 100 | 1995 | |
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| 5,078,405 Apparatus for progressive jackpot gaming | 171 | 1989 | |
| 5,550,359 Time and attendance system and method therefor | 70 | 1994 | |
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| 4,582,324 Illusion of skill game machine for a gaming system | 594 | 1984 | |
| 4,652,998 Video gaming system with pool prize structures | 564 | 1984 | |
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| 5,472,194 Progressive gaming apparatus | 200 | 1993 | |
| 5,536,016 Progressive system for a match number game and method therefor | 394 | 1994 | |
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| 5,511,781 Stop play award wagering system | 358 | 1993 | |
| 5,833,540 Cardless distributed video gaming system | 238 | 1996 | |
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| 5,007,649 Gaming system with system base station and gaming boards | 156 | 1989 | |
| 5,043,887 Automatic electronic downloading of bingo cards | 51 | 1989 | |
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| 5,488,411 Interactive system for a closed cable network | 148 | 1994 | |
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| 4,839,640 Access control system having centralized/distributed control | 98 | 1988 | |
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| 4,636,951 Poker machine communication system | 437 | 1984 | |
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| 5,197,094 System for remotely crediting and billing usage of electronic entertainment machines | 143 | 1990 | |
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| 4,964,638 Control apparatus for game machines | 244 | 1989 | |
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| 4,775,937 Combined fixed price and expected dividend betting system | 70 | 1986 | |
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| 4,335,809 Entertainment machines | 393 | 1980 | |
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| 5,332,219 Apparatus and method for playing an electronic poker game | 189 | 1992 | |
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| 5,919,091 Combined cashless/cash gaming machine | 189 | 1997 | |
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| 5,321,241 System and method for tracking casino promotional funds and apparatus for use therewith | 195 | 1993 | |
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| 5,287,269 Apparatus and method for accessing events, areas and activities | 323 | 1990 | |
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| 4,230,265 Adaptive threshold optical reader | 41 | 1979 | |
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| 5,351,970 Methods and apparatus for playing bingo over a wide geographic area | 329 | 1992 | |
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| 5,586,937 Interactive, computerised gaming system with remote terminals | 340 | 1994 | |
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| 4,575,622 Electronic access control system for coin-operated games and like selectively accessible devices | 154 | 1983 | |
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| 4,669,596 Vending machine accessory permitting dual mode machine operation with either money or coded cards | 129 | 1985 | |
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| 5,096,195 Electronic gaming apparatus | 150 | 1988 | |
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| 5,345,379 System for controlling access to subsystems | 57 | 1991 | |
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| 5,668,950 Network service system and communication unit for game machine and game machine capable of using said network service system | 45 | 1994 | |
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| 5,103,081 Apparatus and method for reading data encoded on circular objects, such as gaming chips | 118 | 1990 | |
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| 5,580,310 Games machine with mechanical counters as laid down by regulations, and with electronic payment mechanism | 66 | 1995 | |
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| 4,760,247 Optical card reader utilizing area image processing | 174 | 1986 | |
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| 5,761,647 National customer recognition system and method | 444 | 1996 | |
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| 4,409,656 Serial data bus communication system | 105 | 1981 | |
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| 5,224,706 Gambling game and apparatus with uneven passive banker | 143 | 1991 | |
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| 5,507,489 Electronic game-of-chance device | 132 | 1993 | |
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| 5,257,159 Electronically monitored and controlled electrostatic discharge flooring system | 1 | 1991 | |
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| 5,275,400 Pari-mutuel electronic gaming | 452 | 1992 | |
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| 4,926,996 Two way communication token interrogation apparatus | 94 | 1987 | |
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| 6,048,269 Coinless slot machine system and method | 434 | 1993 | |
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| 5,324,035 Video gaming system with fixed pool of winning plays and global pool access | 394 | 1992 | |
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| 5,135,224 Pattern matching game machine of prepaid card system | 70 | 1991 | |
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| 4,922,420 Video game software selection data processing system | 132 | 1987 | |
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| 5,370,306 Coin-operated entertainment machine | 81 | 1993 | |
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| 5,674,128 Cashless computerized video game system and method | 304 | 1996 | |
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| 5,533,727 Audit and pricing system for coin-operated games | 63 | 1994 | |
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| 5,159,549 Multiple player game data processing system with wager accounting | 139 | 1987 | |
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| 4,926,327 Computerized gaming system | 367 | 1988 | |
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| 5,398,932 Video lottery system with improved site controller and validation unit | 354 | 1993 | |
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| 4,258,838 Automatic phonograph bonus award system | 59 | 1979 | |
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| 5,551,692 Electronic game promotion device | 141 | 1994 | |
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| 5,286,023 Video lottery game | 197 | 1991 | |
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| 4,805,907 Slot machine | 379 | 1986 | |
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| 4,679,143 Control device for game machine | 156 | 1983 | |
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| 5,370,399 Game apparatus having incentive producing means | 104 | 1992 | |
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| 4,283,709 Cash accounting and surveillance system for games | 284 | 1980 | |
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| 5,851,149 Distributed gaming system | 442 | 1995 | |
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| 5,042,810 Roulette apparatus | 84 | 1990 | |
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| 5,216,613 Segmented asynchronous operation of an automated assembly line | 41 | 1992 | |
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| 5,564,700 Proportional payout method for progressive linked gaming machines | 418 | 1995 | |
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| 5,542,669 Method and apparatus for randomly increasing the payback in a video gaming apparatus | 498 | 1994 | |
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| 5,603,659 Gaming machine | 41 | 1994 | |
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| 5,401,024 Keno type video gaming device | 265 | 1994 | |
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| 5,072,381 Automatic electronic downloading of bingo cards with algorithm for generating bingo cards | 58 | 1990 | |
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| 4,856,787 Concurrent game network | 681 | 1988 | |
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| 4,467,424 Remote gaming system | 343 | 1982 | |
| 4,669,730 Automated sweepstakes-type game | 317 | 1984 | |
| 4,760,527 System for interactively playing poker with a plurality of players | 338 | 1986 | |
| 4,815,741 Automated marketing and gaming systems | 338 | 1987 | |
| 4,832,397 Convertible top for automobiles | 6 | 1987 | |
| 4,844,464 Coin-released gaming machine | 51 | 1987 | |
| 4,880,237 Tokenless slot machine system | 222 | 1987 | |
| 5,016,880 Coin or token-released gaming machine | 97 | 1990 | |
| 5,129,652 Casino drawing/lottery game and case/prize management system | 125 | 1991 | |
| 5,217,224 Prize award system for coin laundry | 83 | 1991 | |
| 5,770,533 Open architecture casino operating system | 656 | 1994 | |
| 5,477,040 Structure for a method of facilitating charge transactions | 197 | 1994 | |
| 5,473,144 Credit card with digitized finger print and reading apparatus | 96 | 1994 | |
| 5,816,917 Floppy-disk entertainment and gambling system for personal computers | 111 | 1995 | |
Patent Citation Ranking
Maintenance Fees
| Fee | Large entity fee | small entity fee | micro entity fee | due date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.5 Year Payment | $7400.00 | $3700.00 | $1850.00 | Jan 3, 2013 |
| Fee | Large entity fee | small entity fee | micro entity fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surcharge - 11.5 year - Late payment within 6 months | $160.00 | $80.00 | $40.00 |
| Surcharge after expiration - Late payment is unavoidable | $700.00 | $350.00 | $175.00 |
| Surcharge after expiration - Late payment is unintentional | $1,640.00 | $820.00 | $410.00 |