U.S. patent application number 17/131719 was filed with the patent office on 2021-04-15 for pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system.
The applicant listed for this patent is Gamblit Gaming, LLC. Invention is credited to Miles Arnone, Frank Cire, Eric Meyerhofer, Caitlyn Ross, Marcus Yoder.
Application Number | 20210110656 17/131719 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005303595 |
Filed Date | 2021-04-15 |
View All Diagrams
United States Patent
Application |
20210110656 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Arnone; Miles ; et
al. |
April 15, 2021 |
PARI-MUTUEL INTERLEAVED WAGERING SYSTEM
Abstract
An electronic gaming machine for pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering. Operation of the electronic gaming machine includes
receiving pari-mutuel wagering parameters for a wager from a
pari-mutuel server, generating an interactive thematic graphical
display using the pari-mutuel wagering parameters, displaying the
thematic graphical display to a user, receiving a placement of a
wager from the user, communicating the placement of the wager as a
wager request to a pari-mutuel server, receiving from the
pari-mutuel server, a pari-mutuel gambling outcome of the wager,
determining a wager outcome from the pari-mutuel gambling outcome,
generating interactive application resources and events using the
wager outcome, and generating the interactive thematic graphical
display using the interactive application resources and events.
Inventors: |
Arnone; Miles; (Cambridge,
MA) ; Meyerhofer; Eric; (Pasadena, CA) ; Cire;
Frank; (Monrovia, CA) ; Yoder; Marcus;
(Monrovia, CA) ; Ross; Caitlyn; (Watertown,
MA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Gamblit Gaming, LLC |
Monrovia |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005303595 |
Appl. No.: |
17/131719 |
Filed: |
December 22, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
16553127 |
Aug 27, 2019 |
10872497 |
|
|
17131719 |
|
|
|
|
15954094 |
Apr 16, 2018 |
10395479 |
|
|
16553127 |
|
|
|
|
15161174 |
May 20, 2016 |
9947180 |
|
|
15954094 |
|
|
|
|
62164350 |
May 20, 2015 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3211 20130101;
G07F 17/3225 20130101; G07F 17/3223 20130101; G07F 17/3258
20130101 |
International
Class: |
G07F 17/32 20060101
G07F017/32 |
Claims
1. An electronic gaming machine for pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering, comprising: at least one processor; a memory connected to
the at least one processor, the memory storing executable
instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause
the at least one processor to: receive pari-mutuel wagering
parameters for a wager from a pari-mutuel server; generate an
interactive thematic graphical display using the pari-mutuel
wagering parameters; display the interactive thematic graphical
display to a user; receive a placement of a wager from the user;
communicate the placement of the wager as a wager request to a
pari-mutuel server; receive from the pari-mutuel server, a
pari-mutuel gambling outcome of the wager; determine a wager
outcome from the pari-mutuel gambling outcome; generate interactive
application resources and events using the wager outcome; and
update the interactive thematic graphical display using the
interactive application resources and events.
2. The electronic gaming machine for pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering of claim 1, further comprising: an enclosure constructed
to mount: a user input device operatively connected to the at least
one processor; a user output device operatively connected to the at
least one processor; a credit input device operatively connected to
the at least one processor; and a credit output device operatively
connected to the at least one processor.
3. The electronic gaming machine for pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering of claim 2, wherein the executable instructions when
executed by the at least one processor further cause the at least
one processor to: communicate with the credit input device to
receive a credit input; credit a credit meter with credits based on
the incoming credit data; update the credit meter based on the
wager outcome; and communicate with the credit output device to
generate a credit output based on credits transferred off of the
credit meter.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 16/553,127, filed Aug. 27, 2019, which is a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/954,094, filed
Apr. 16, 2018, which claims priority to U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 15/161,174, filed May 20, 2016, which claims priority to
U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/164,350, filed May 20, 2015,
the entire contents of each of which are incorporated by reference
herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Embodiments of the invention are generally related to
communications within data processing systems. More particularly,
the invention relates to the communication and processing of
wagering data.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The gaming industry has traditionally developed electronic
gaming machines (EGMs) that implement simple wagering propositions.
The communication and processing needs for these simple wagering
propositions are easily met using conventional EGMs.
[0004] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,405 to McClintic describes
a conventional gaming device provided with a central processor
(CPU) operably coupled to input logic circuitry and output logic
circuitry. The input logic circuitry is employed to operably couple
the CPU to input devices such as, for example, a touch screen
segment or physical button, a coin acceptor, a bill acceptor, a
user tracking card reader or a credit/debit card reader. The output
logic circuitry is employed to operably couple the CPU with output
devices such as, for example, a hopper, a video monitor, meter
displays, and a printer. The CPU is also operably coupled to
controlling software memory, which includes assigned memory
locations storing game software and system software. Such
controlling software memory dictates when selected graphics or
messages are displayed to a user, as well as when play sequences
begin and end and management of wager input and award output. The
CPU is also operably coupled to a second memory, which is employed
to store data indicative of game statistics, number of plays,
number of wins, etc. Controlling software memory, a second memory,
or other, ancillary memory store data indicative of winning
results, such as data representative of one or more symbol
combinations, including winning combinations. Second memory may
also be used, for example, to store a bit map of the symbol pattern
depicted as a matrix display on video monitor. In operation of the
gaming device the CPU carries out instructions of the system
software to implement an initial display pattern on the video
monitor and to enable the input devices. After a wager is received
a user activates an initiator interactive element such as a handle,
the physical button or the touch screen to initiate a play
sequence. At this point, the game software, in conjunction with a
random number generator, generates a random symbol configuration at
for a random final outcome comprised of a pattern of symbols for
depiction on video monitor. System software then animates the video
monitor by simulating the movement of visible representations of
symbol carriers including symbols thereon so that the user
perceives symbol carrier rotational "movement" of each symbol
carrier as well as, optionally, rotational movement of the entire
group of symbol carriers about a common axis. Once the visible
representations of the symbol carriers have stopped, all of the
generated, displayed symbols comprising a winning combination or
combinations in the matrix display are identified or flagged. The
displayed results (pattern of symbols depicted on the video
monitor, which may include symbols received from a remote location,
is compared with data stored in game software representing winning
combinations to determine if any displayed combination on an active
pay line is a winning combination. Any identified winning
combination or combinations of symbols are then associated with
winnings to be distributed to the user according to a paytable of
the game software associated with the various possible winning
combinations. The various pay line configurations and required
combinations of the various indicia for a winning combination
within each pay line reside within the game software and are
retrieved for comparison to the randomly generated pattern of
indicia depicted on the video monitor.
[0005] Operation of another conventional computer gaming system is
described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,602 issued to Wiltshire et al. A
game program is executed on server/host computer. It is then
determined whether an image is to be displayed on a screen of a
client/terminal computer. If so, an image is sent from the
server/host computer to client/terminal computer. The image may
include any type of graphical information including a bitmap, a
JPEG file, a TIFF file or even an encoded audio/video stream such
as a compressed video MPEG stream. The image is generated by game
computer program and passed to server/host interface program. In
turn, the image is transferred over communication pathways to
client/terminal computer via the network services provided by
server operating system. The image is received by a client/terminal
program executing on the client/terminal computer via the network
services provided by client operating system. The client/terminal
program then causes the image to be displayed on a screen of the
client/terminal computer. It is then determined whether an input
command has been entered by the patron using the client/terminal
computer. The input command may be a keystroke, movement or
clicking of the mouse, a voice activated command or even the
clicking of a "virtual button" on a touch screen. The
client/terminal program causes the input command to be transmitted
back to server/host computer via communication pathways, again
using network services provided by the client operating system on
one end and server operating system on the other. The command is
thus received by the server/host interface program that in turn,
passes the command back to the game program. The game program
processes the input command and updates the state of the game
accordingly.
[0006] However, more complicated wagering processes need
communication and processing systems that are better suited for
implementing these more complicated wagering processes. Various
aspects of embodiments of the invention meet such a need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the
invention provide a communication and data processing system
constructed for a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system.
[0008] In an aspect of an embodiment of the invention, a
application controller operates as an interface between an
interactive controller and a wager controller. By virtue of this
aspect, the wager controller is isolated from the interactive
controller allowing the interactive controller to operate in an
unregulated environment while allowing the wager controller to
operate in a regulated environment, thus providing for more
efficient management of the operations of such a system.
[0009] In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, a
single wager controller may provide services to two or more
interactive controllers and/or two or more application controllers,
thus allowing a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system to operate
more efficiently over a large range of scaling.
[0010] In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention,
multiple types of interactive controllers using different operating
systems may be interfaced to a single type of application
controller and/or wager controller without requiring customization
of the application controller and/or the wager controller, thus
improving the efficiency of the application controller and or the
wager controller by reducing complexity associated with maintaining
separate application controllers and/or wager controllers for each
type of interactive controller.
[0011] In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, an
interactive controller may be provided as a user device under
control of a user while maintaining the wager controller in an
environment under the control of a regulated operator of wagering
equipment, thus providing for a more economical system as the
regulated operator need not expend capital to purchase interactive
controllers.
[0012] In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention,
data communicated between the controllers may be encrypted to
increase security of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system.
[0013] In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, a
application controller isolates wager logic and application logic
as unregulated logic from a regulated wager controller, thus
allowing errors in the application logic and/or wager logic to be
corrected, new application logic and/or wager logic to be used, or
modifications to be made to the application logic and/or wager
logic without a need for time-consuming regulatory approval.
[0014] In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, an
interactive application may require extensive processing resources
from an interactive controller leaving few processing resources for
the functions performed by a application controller and/or a wager
controller. By virtue of an architecture of the embodiments of the
invention, processing loads may be distributed across multiple
devices such that operations of the interactive controller may be
dedicated to the interactive application and the processes of the
application controller and/or wager controller are not burdened by
the requirements of the interactive application.
[0015] In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system operates with its
components being distributed across multiple devices. These devices
can be connected by communication channels including, but not
limited to, local area networks, wide area networks, local
communication buses, and/or the like. The devices may communicate
using various types of protocols, including but not limited to,
networking protocols, device-to-device communications protocols,
and the like. In many such embodiments, one or more components of a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system are distributed in close
proximity to each other and communicate using a local area network
and/or a communication bus. In several embodiments, an interactive
controller and a application controller of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system are in a common location and
communicate with an external wager controller. In some embodiments,
a application controller and a wager controller of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system are in a common location and
communicate with an external interactive controller. In many
embodiments, an interactive controller, a application controller,
and a wager controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system
are located in a common location. In some embodiments, a
session/management controller is located in a common location with
a application controller and/or a wager controller. In various
embodiments, these multiple devices can be constructed from or
configured using a single device or a plurality of devices such
that a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system is executed as a
system in a virtualized space such as, but not limited to, where a
wager controller and a application controller are large scale
centralized servers in the cloud operatively connected to widely
distributed interactive controllers via a wide area network such as
the Internet or a local area network. In such embodiments, the
components of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system may
communicate using a networking protocol or other type of
device-to-device communications protocol.
[0016] In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, a
centralized wager controller is operatively connected to, and
communicates with, one or more application controllers using a
communication link. The centralized wager controller can generate
wager outcomes for wagers in accordance with one or more wagering
propositions. The centralized wager controller can execute a number
of simultaneous or pseudo-simultaneous wagers in order to generate
wager outcomes for a variety of wagering propositions that one or
more distributed pari-mutuel interleaved wagering systems can
use.
[0017] In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, a
centralized application controller is operatively connected to one
or more interactive controllers and one or more wager controllers
using a communication link. The centralized application controller
can perform the functionality of a application controller across
various pari-mutuel interleaved wagering systems.
[0018] In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, an
interactive application server provides a host for managing
head-to-head play operating over a network of interactive
controllers connected to the interactive application server using a
communication link. The interactive application server provides an
environment where users can compete directly with one another and
interact with other users.
[0019] In an embodiment, a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system
includes an interactive controller constructed to communicate with
a application controller. The interactive controller is constructed
to: receive a thematic graphical display from the application
controller; display the thematic graphical display to a user;
receive a placement of a wager from the user; and communicate the
placement of the wager to the application controller. The
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system further includes a wager
controller constructed to communicate with the application
controller, wherein the wager controller includes an abstraction
module constructed to receive pari-mutuel wagering parameters for a
wager from a pari-mutuel server; communicate the wagering
parameters to the application controller; receive a wager request
from the application controller; communicate the wager request to a
pari-mutuel server; receive from the pari-mutuel server, a
pari-mutuel gambling outcome of the wager; determine a wager
outcome from the pari-mutuel gambling outcome; and communicate the
wager outcome to the application controller. The application
controller operatively connects the interactive controller and the
wager controller, wherein the application controller is constructed
to: receive the pari-mutuel wagering parameters from the
abstraction module of the wager controller; determine the thematic
graphical display using the pari-mutuel wagering parameters;
communicate the thematic graphical display to the interactive
controller; receive from the interactive controller the placement
of the wager; communicate the placement of the wager as a wager
request to the abstraction module of the wager controller; and
receive from the abstraction module of the wager controller the
wager outcome.
[0020] In some embodiments, the interactive controller and the
application controller are constructed from the same device, and
the application controller is operatively connected to the wager
controller using a communication link.
[0021] In various embodiments, the wager controller and the
application controller are constructed from the same device, and
the application controller is operatively connected to the
interactive controller using a communication link.
[0022] In many embodiments, the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system incudes an enclosure constructed to mount: a user input
device operatively connected to the interactive controller; a user
output device operatively connected to the interactive controller;
a credit input device operatively connected to the wager
controller; and a credit output device operatively connected to the
wager controller.
[0023] In some embodiments, the wager controller is further
constructed to: communicate with the credit input device to receive
a credit input; credit a credit meter with credits based on the
incoming credit data; execute the wager based on a communication
received from the application controller; update the credit meter
based on the wager outcome of the wager; and communicate with the
credit output device to generate a credit output based on credits
transferred off of the credit meter.
[0024] In an embodiment, an electronic gaming machine for
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering is provided. The electronic gaming
machine includes at least one processor, a memory connected to the
at least one processor, the memory storing executable instructions
that when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least
one processor to: receive pari-mutuel wagering parameters for a
wager from a pari-mutuel server; generate an interactive thematic
graphical display using the pari-mutuel wagering parameters;
display the interactive thematic graphical display to a user;
receive a placement of a wager from the user; communicate the
placement of the wager as a wager request to a pari-mutuel server;
receive from the pari-mutuel server, a pari-mutuel gambling outcome
of the wager; determine a wager outcome from the pari-mutuel
gambling outcome; generate interactive application resources and
events using the wager outcome; and update the interactive thematic
graphical display using the interactive application resources and
events.
[0025] In yet another embodiment, an electronic gaming machine for
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering includes an enclosure constructed
to mount: a user input device operatively connected to the at least
one processor; a user output device operatively connected to the at
least one processor; a credit input device operatively connected to
the at least one processor; and a credit output device operatively
connected to the at least one processor.
[0026] In yet another embodiment, in an electronic gaming machine
for parimutuel interleaved wagering, the executable instructions
when executed by the at least one processor further cause the at
least one processor to: communicate with the credit input device to
receive a credit input; credit a credit meter with credits based on
the incoming credit data; update the credit meter based on the
wager outcome; and communicate with the credit output device to
generate a credit output based on credits transferred off of the
credit meter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] FIG. 1A is a diagram of a structure of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments
of the invention.
[0028] FIG. 1B is a diagram of an electronic gaming machine
configuration of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system in
accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
[0029] FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D are illustrations of interactive
controllers of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system in
accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
[0030] FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are diagrams of distributed pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering systems in accordance with various embodiments
of the invention.
[0031] FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams of a structure of an
interactive controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system
in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
[0032] FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams of a structure of a wager
controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system in
accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
[0033] FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams of a structure of a application
controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system in
accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
[0034] FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams of a structure of a
session/management controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
[0035] FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram of interactions between
components of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system in
accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
[0036] FIG. 9 is a collaboration diagram for components of a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system in accordance with various
embodiments of the invention.
[0037] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a wagering process of a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system that incorporates an
abstraction module in accordance with various embodiments of the
invention.
[0038] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a wager abstraction process of a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system that incorporates an
abstraction module in accordance with various embodiments of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0039] A pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system interleaves
wagering with non-wagering activities. In some embodiments of a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system, an interactive application
executed by an interactive controller provides non-wagering
interactive components of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system. The interactive controller is operatively connected to a
application controller that manages and configures the interactive
controller and the interactive application, and determines when
wagers should be interleaved with the operations of the interactive
application. The application controller is further operatively
connected to a wager controller that provides one or more wagering
propositions for one or more wagers.
[0040] In some embodiments, the interactive controller also
provides a wagering user interface that is used to receive commands
and display data for a wagering process, including but not limited
to a wager outcome of a wager made in accordance with a wagering
proposition. The content of the wagering user interface is
controlled by the application controller and includes content
provided by the wager controller.
[0041] In various embodiments, an interactive controller provides a
management user interface used to manage a user profile including
an electronic wallet for deposit and withdrawals of credits used
for wagering.
[0042] Many different types of interactive applications may be
utilized with the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system. In some
embodiments, the interactive application reacts to the physical
activity of a user. In these embodiments, the interactive
application senses user interactions with the interactive
application through one or more sensors that monitor the user's
physical activities. Such sensors may include, but are not limited
to, physiological sensors that monitor the physiology of the user,
environmental sensors that monitor the physical environment of the
interactive controller, accelerometers that monitor changes in
motion of the interactive controller, and location sensors that
monitor the location of the interactive controller such as global
positioning sensors.
[0043] In some embodiments, the interactive application implements
a skill-based game and interacts with the user by sensing skillful
interactions with an interactive display generated by the
interactive application.
[0044] In some embodiments, the interactive application is a tool
used to achieve some useful goal.
[0045] In operation, the interactive application generates various
types of interactive elements in an interactive application
environment. In some embodiments, these interactive elements are
interactive application resources utilized within the interactive
application environment to provide an interactive experience for a
user. Wagers of credits or interactive elements are made in
accordance with a wagering proposition as automatically triggered
by interaction with one or more of the interactive elements of the
interactive application. Wager outcomes of wagers of credits or
interactive elements made in accordance with the wagering
proposition can cause consumption, loss or accrual of credits or
interactive elements.
[0046] In accordance with some embodiments, wager outcomes of
wagering events can influence interactive elements in the
interactive application environment such as, but not limited to,
automatically providing one or more new interactive elements,
automatically restoring one or more consumed interactive elements,
automatically causing the loss of one or more interactive elements,
and automatic restoration or placement of one or more fixed
interactive elements.
[0047] In various embodiments, the wagers may be made using one or
more credits (Cr).
[0048] In some embodiments, Cr can be one or more credits that are
purchased using, and redeemed in, a real world currency having a
real world value.
[0049] In many embodiments, Cr can be one or more credits in a
virtual currency. Virtual currency is an alternate currency that
can be acquired, purchased or transferred by or to a user, but does
not necessarily directly correlate to a real world currency. In
many such embodiments, Cr in a virtual currency are allowed to be
purchased using a real world currency but are prevented from being
redeemed in a real world currency having a real world value.
[0050] In several embodiments, interaction with the interactive
elements of the interactive application, application environment
credit (AC) can be optionally consumed and/or accrued within the
interactive application as a result of interaction with the
interactive elements. AC can be in the form of, but is not limited
to, application environment credits, experience points, and points
generally.
[0051] In various embodiments, AC is awarded on the basis of
skillful interactions with the interactive elements of a
skill-based interactive application. The skill-based interactive
application can have one or more scoring criteria, embedded within
a application controller and/or an interactive controller that
provides the skill-based interactive application, that can be used
to determine performance against one or more goals of the
skill-based interactive application.
[0052] In many embodiments, AC can be used to purchase
in-application items, including but not limited to, application
interactive elements that have particular properties, power ups for
existing items, and other item enhancements.
[0053] In some embodiments, AC may be used to earn entrance into a
sweepstakes drawing, to earn entrance in a tournament with prizes,
to score in the tournament, and/or to participate and/or score in
any other game event.
[0054] In several embodiments, AC can be stored on a user-tracking
card or in a network-based user tracking system where the AC is
attributed to a specific user.
[0055] In many embodiments, a wagering proposition includes a wager
of AC for a wager outcome of a randomly generated payout of
interactive application AC, interactive elements, and/or
interactive application objects in accordance with a wagering
proposition.
[0056] In a number of embodiments, a wager of an amount of Cr
results in a wager outcome of a payout of AC, interactive elements,
and/or interactive application objects that have a Cr value if
cashed out.
[0057] In some embodiments, such as when an interactive application
is a skill-based interactive application, interactive application
objects include in-application objects that may be utilized to
enhance interactions with the skill-based interactive application.
Such objects include, but are not limited to, power-ups, enhanced
in-application items, and the like. In some embodiments, the
interactive application objects include objects that are
detrimental to interactions with the skill-based interactive
application such as, but not limited to, obstructions in the
skill-based interactive application space, a temporary handicap, an
enhanced opponent, and the like.
[0058] In some embodiments, interactive elements in an interactive
application include, but are not limited to, enabling interactive
elements (EIE) that are interactive application environment
resources utilized during interaction with an interactive
application and whose utilization automatically triggers execution
of a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition. In some
embodiments, interactive elements in an interactive application
include, but are not limited to, a reserve enabling interactive
element (REIE), that is an interactive element that is
automatically converted into one or more enabling interactive
elements upon occurrence of a release event during an interactive
session of an interactive application. In yet another embodiment,
interactive elements in an interactive application include, but are
not limited to, an actionable interactive element (AIE) that is an
interactive element that is acted upon during a session of the
interactive application to automatically trigger a wager in
accordance with a wagering proposition and may or may not be
restorable during normal interaction with the interactive
application. In yet another embodiment, interactive elements in an
interactive application include a common enabling interactive
element (CEIE) that is an interactive element that the interactive
application shares between two or more users and causes a wagering
event and associated wager to be automatically triggered in
accordance with the wagering proposition when interacted with
during a session. In some embodiments, a user can utilize
interactive elements during interactions with a controlled entity
(CE) provided by an interactive application to a user.
[0059] In accordance with some embodiments of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system, the triggering of the wagering event
and/or wager can be dependent upon an interactive application
environment variable such as, but not limited to, a required object
(RO), a required environmental condition (REC), or a controlled
entity characteristic (CEC). A RO is a specific interactive
application object in an interactive application acted upon for an
AE to be completed. A non-limiting example of an RO is a specific
key needed to open a door. An REC is an interactive application
state present within an interactive application for an AE to be
completed. A non-limiting example of an REC is daylight whose
presence enables a character to walk through woods. A CEC is a
status of a controlled entity (CE) within an interactive
application for an AE to be completed. A non-limiting example of a
CEC is requirement that a CE have full health points before
entering battle. Although various interactive application resources
such as, but not limited to, the types of interactive application
interactive elements as discussed herein may be used to
automatically trigger a wager in accordance with a wagering
proposition, one skilled in the art will recognize that any
interactive application resource can be utilized in a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system to automatically trigger a wager.
[0060] In several embodiments, a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system can utilize a application controller to continuously monitor
use of the interactive application executed by an interactive
controller in order to detect a trigger of a wagering event and
automatically trigger a wager based on the wagering event. The
trigger for the wagering event can be detected by the application
controller from the utilization of the interactive application in
accordance with at least one wagering event occurrence rule. The
trigger of the wagering event can be communicated to a wager
controller. In response to notification of the trigger, the wager
controller executes a wager in accordance with a wagering
proposition. In addition, use of an interactive application in a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system can be controlled by the
application controller based upon the wager outcome.
[0061] In several embodiments, a wagering event occurrence can be
determined from one or more application environment variables
within an interactive application environment that are used to
trigger a wager and/or associated wager in accordance with a
wagering proposition. Application environment variables can
include, but are not limited to, passage of a period of time during
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system interactive application
use, a result from a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system
interactive application session (such as, but not limited to,
achieving a goal or a particular score), consumption of an
interactive element, or an interaction that achieves a combination
of interactive elements to be associated with a user profile.
[0062] In numerous embodiments, an interactive application
instruction is an instruction by a application controller to an
interactive controller and/or an interactive application of the
interactive controller to modify a state of an interactive
application or modify one or more interactive application resources
or interactive elements. In some embodiments, the interactive
application commands may be automatically generated by the
application controller using one or more of a wager outcome and/or
application environment variables. An interactive application
instruction can be used by a application controller control many
processes of an interactive application, such as, but not limited
to, an causing an addition of a period of time available for a
current interactive application session for the interactive
application, an addition of a period of time available for a future
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system interactive application
session or any other modification to the interactive application
interactive elements that can be utilized during an interactive
application session. In some embodiments, an interactive
application instruction can be used by the application controller
to modify a type of interactive element whose consumption triggers
a wagering event occurrence. In many embodiments, an interactive
application instruction can be used by the application controller
to modify a type of interactive element whose consumption is not
required in a wagering event occurrence.
[0063] In several embodiments, a application controller of a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system may provide for a
communications interface for asynchronous communications between a
wager controller and an interactive application provided by an
interactive controller, by operatively connecting the interactive
controller, and thus the interactive controller's interactive
application, with the wager controller.
[0064] In some embodiments, asynchronous communications provided
for by a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system may reduce an
amount of idle waiting time by an interactive controller of the
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system, thus increasing an amount
of processing resources that the interactive controller may provide
to an interactive application or other processes of the interactive
controller. In many embodiments, asynchronous communications
provided for by a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system reduces
an amount of idle waiting time by a wager controller, thus
increasing an amount of processing resources that the wager
controller may provide to execution of wagers to determine wager
outcomes, and other processes provided by the wager controller.
[0065] In some embodiments, a wager controller of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system may be operatively connected to a
plurality of interactive controllers through one or more
application controllers and the asynchronous communications
provided for by the one or more application controllers allows the
wager controller to operate more efficiently by providing wager
outcomes to a larger number of interactive controllers than would
be achievable without the one or more application controllers of
the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system.
[0066] In some embodiments, a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system including a application controller operatively connected to
a wager controller and operatively connected to an interactive
controller may provide for simplified communication protocols for
communications of the interactive controller as the interactive
controller may communicate interactions with an interactive
application provided by the interactive controller to the
application controller without regard to a nature of a wagering
proposition to be interleaved with processes of the interactive
application.
[0067] In various embodiments, a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system including a application controller operatively connected to
a wager controller and operatively connected to an interactive
controller may provide for simplified communication protocols for
communications of the wager controller as the wager controller may
receive wager requests and communicate wager outcomes without
regard to a nature of an interactive application provided by the
interactive controller.
[0068] In some embodiments, a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system including a application controller operatively connecting a
wager controller to an interactive controller may provide for
reduced processing requirement for the interactive controller by
offloading the execution of a wager outcome determination from the
interactive controller to the wager controller. In various such
embodiments, additional processing resources may be made available
to graphics processing or other processing intensive operations by
the interactive controller because of the offloaded wager outcome
processing.
[0069] In various embodiments, a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system including a application controller operatively connecting a
wager controller to an interactive controller provides for
operation of the interactive controller in an unsecure location or
manner, while providing for operation of the wager controller in a
secure location or manner.
[0070] In some embodiments, a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system including a application controller operatively connecting a
wager controller to an interactive controller allows the
interleaved wagering system to have regulated components coupled to
unregulated components in a heterogeneous regulated environment.
For example, in several such embodiments, the interactive
controller may be a device that is not regulated by a wagering
regulatory agency whereas the wager controller is regulated by the
wagering regulatory agency. A application controller of a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system may provide for isolation
of the processing of the interactive controller from the processing
of the wager controller. In such a heterogeneous regulatory
environment, the application controller may or may not be itself a
regulated by the wagering regulatory authority. In addition,
components of an interactive application executed by the
interactive controller may be either regulated or unregulated by
the wagering regulatory agency.
Pari-Mutuel Wagering Interleaved Systems
[0071] FIG. 1A is a diagram of a structure of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments
of the invention. The pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system 128
includes an interactive controller 120, a application controller
112, and a wager controller 102. The interactive controller 120 is
operatively connected to, and communicates with, the application
controller 112. The application controller 112 is also operatively
connected to, and communicates with, the wager controller 102.
[0072] In some embodiments, a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system includes a session/management controller 150 operatively
connected to one or more other components of the pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system.
[0073] In many embodiments, a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system includes a credit processing system operatively connected to
one or more other components of the pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system.
[0074] In various embodiments, the wager controller 102 includes
one or more interfaces, such as interfaces 168, 169 and 190, that
operatively connect the wager controller 102 to one or more session
management servers, such as session/management controller 150, to
one or more application controllers, such as application controller
112, and/or to a credit processing system, by their respective
interfaces.
[0075] In some embodiments, one or more of the wager controller
interfaces implement a wager controller interprocess communication
protocol so that the wager controller 102 and one or more
application controllers, one or more credit processing systems
and/or one or more session/management controllers may be
implemented on the same device. In operation, the wager controller
interfaces provide application programming interfaces or the like
that are used by the wager controller to communicate outgoing data
and receive incoming data by passing parameter data to another
process or application running on the same device.
[0076] In some embodiments, one or more of the wager controller
interfaces implement a wager controller communication protocol
employing an interdevice communication protocol so that the wager
controller may be implemented on a device separate from one or more
application controllers, one or more credit processing systems
and/or one or more session/management controllers. The interdevice
protocol may utilize a wired communication bus or wireless
connection as a physical layer.
[0077] In various embodiments, one or more of the wager controller
interfaces implement a wager controller communication protocol
employing a networking protocol so that the wager controller may be
operatively connected to one or more session/management
controllers, one or more credit processing systems and/or one or
more application controllers by a network. The networking protocol
may utilize a wired communication bus or wireless connection as a
physical layer. In many such embodiments, the networking protocol
operates over a computer network and/or a telephone network or the
like. During operation, the one or more wager controller interfaces
communicate outgoing data to an external device or server by
encoding the data into a signal and transmitting the signal to the
external device or server. The one or more wager controller
interfaces receive incoming data from an external device or server
by receiving a signal transmitted by the external device or server
and decoding the signal to obtain the incoming data.
[0078] In several embodiments, the wager controller 102 is a
controller for providing one or more wagering propositions provided
by the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system 128 and
automatically executes wagers in accordance with the wagering
propositions as instructed by the application controller 112. Types
of value of a wager can be one or more of several different types.
Types of value of a wager can include, but are not limited to, a
wager of an amount of Cr corresponding to a real currency or a
virtual currency, a wager of an amount of AC earned through
interaction with an interactive application, a wager of an amount
of interactive elements of an interactive application, and a wager
of an amount of objects used in an interactive application. A wager
outcome determined for a wager in accordance with a wagering
proposition can increase or decrease an amount of the type of value
used in the wager, such as, but not limited to, increasing or
decreasing an amount of Cr for a wager of Cr. In various
embodiments, a wager outcome determined for a wager in accordance
with a wagering proposition can increase or decrease an amount of a
type of value that is different than a type of value of the wager,
such as, but not limited to, increasing an amount of an object of
an interactive application for a wager of Cr.
[0079] In many embodiments, the wager controller 102 includes one
or more abstraction modules for determining a wager outcome from
the wagering results received from a pari-mutuel server results,
and one or more credit meters 110 for storing data about amounts of
stored, wagered and won credits.
[0080] In several embodiments, the wager controller 102 is
operatively connected to the credit processing system via an
interface. The wager controller 102 communicates with the credit
processing system to receive incoming credit data from the credit
processing system. The wager controller 102 uses the incoming
credit data to transfer credits into the pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system and onto the one or more credit meters 110. The
wager controller 102 communicates outgoing credit data to the
credit processing system to transfer credits off of the one or more
credit meters 110 and out of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system.
[0081] In many embodiments, the credit processing system includes
one or more credit input devices for generating incoming credit
data from a credit input. Credit inputs can include, but are not
limited to, credit items used to transfer credits. The incoming
credit data are communicated to the wager controller 102. In
various embodiments, the one or more credit input devices and their
corresponding credit items include, but are not limited to: card
readers for reading cards having magnetic stripes, RFID chips,
smart chips, and the like; scanners for reading various types of
printed indicia printed on to various types of media such as
vouchers, coupons, ticket-in-ticket-out (TITO) tickets, rewritable
cards, or the like; and bill and/or coin validators that receive
and validate paper and/or coin currency or tokens.
[0082] In various embodiments, the credit processing system
includes one or more credit output devices for generating a credit
output based on outgoing credit data communicated from the wager
controller. Credit outputs can include, but are not limited to,
credit items used to transfer credits. Types of credit output
devices and their corresponding credit items may include, but are
not limited to: writing devices that are used to write to cards
having magnetic stripes, smart chips or the like; printers for
printing various types of printed indicia onto vouchers, coupons,
TITO tickets, vouchers, rewritable cards or the like; and bill
and/or coin hoppers that output paper and/or coin currency or
tokens.
[0083] In some embodiments, the credit processing system are
operatively connected to, and communicate with, a TITO controller
or the like to determine incoming credit data representing amounts
of credits to be transferred into the pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system and to determine outgoing credit data representing
amounts of credits to be transferred out of the pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system. In operation, the credit processing
system communicates with a connected credit input device, such as a
bill validator/ticket scanner, used to scan a credit input in the
form of a TITO ticket having indicia of credit account data of a
credit account of the TITO controller. The credit processing system
communicates the credit account data to the TITO controller. The
TITO controller uses the credit account data to determine an amount
of credits to transfer to the credit processing system, and thus to
the wager controller 102 of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system 128. The TITO controller communicates the amount of credits
to the credit processing system. The credit processing system
communicates the amount of credits as incoming credit data to the
wager controller 102 and the wager controller 102 credits one or
more credit meters with the amount of credits so that the credits
can be used when a user makes wagers using the pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system 128.
[0084] In many embodiments, the credit processing system includes a
bill validator/ticket scanner as one of the one or more credit
input devices. The credit processing system communicates with the
bill validator/ticket scanner to scan currency used as a credit
input to determine an amount of credits as incoming credit data to
transfer credit to one or more credit meters 110 associated with
one or more users. The wager controller 102 credits the one or more
credit meters 110 with the amount of credits so that the credits
can be used when a user makes wagers using the pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system 128.
[0085] In some embodiments, the credit processing system can use a
TITO controller along with a ticket or voucher printer as one of
the one or more credit output devices to generate a TITO ticket as
a credit output for a user. In operation, the credit processing
system communicates, as outgoing credit data, data of an amount of
credits to be credited to a credit account on the TITO controller.
The TITO controller receives the amount of credits and creates the
credit account and credits the credit account with the amount of
credits. The TITO controller generates credit account data for the
credit account and communicates the credit account data to the
credit processing system. The credit processing system uses the
ticket or voucher printer to print indicia of the credit account
data onto a TITO ticket as a credit output.
[0086] In various embodiments, the credit processing system
provides an interface to an electronic payment management system
(not shown) such an electronic wallet or the like. The electronic
payment system provides credit account data that is used for
generating incoming credit data as a credit input and outgoing
credit data as a credit output.
[0087] In several embodiments, during operation, the wager
controller 102 communicates with the credit processing system to
receive incoming credit data from the credit processing system and
adds credits onto the one or more credit meters 110 at least
partially on the basis of the incoming credit data. The wager
controller 102 communicates with a pari-mutuel server to place
wagers in one or more wagering events and receives one or more
pari-mutuel gambling outcomes of the one or more wagering events.
The wager controller 102 determines one or more wager outcomes from
the pari-mutuel gambling outcomes of the one or more pari-mutuel
wagering events using an abstraction module. The wager controller
102 adds credits to, or deducts credits from, the one or more
credit meters 110 based in part on the wager outcome. For example,
in some embodiments, the wager controller 102 adds an amount of
credits to the one or more credit meters 110 when the wager outcome
indicates a win and deducts an amount of credits from the one or
more credit meters 110 when the wager outcomes indicate a loss or a
partial win. At an end of a wagering session, the wager controller
102 transfers credits off of the one or more credit meters 110 and
out of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system by communicating
outgoing credit data to the credit processing system.
[0088] In various embodiments, the wager controller 102 includes
one or more paytables (not shown). The one or more paytables are
used to implement one or more wagering propositions in conjunction
with one or more wager outcomes.
[0089] In various embodiments, the wager outcome can include, but
is not limited to, an amount of Cr, AC, and/or interactive elements
or objects won as a function of the pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system use and a type and amount of Cr, AC and/or
interactive application objects wagered. A multiplier taken from
the on ore more paytables is applied to the amount of Cr, AC and/or
interactive application objects wagered and the resultant outcome
is a wager outcome for a wagering proposition.
[0090] In some embodiments, one or mores ranges of one or more
values of one or more pari-mutuel gambling outcomes are mapped to
one or more symbols representing one or more random elements of a
traditional wagering proposition, and the mapped to one or more
symbols are used in conjunction with a paytable selected from one
or more paytables. In one such embodiment, a wagering parameter is
mapped to a virtual card of a deck of virtual cards. In another
such embodiment, a wagering parameter is mapped to a virtual face
of a virtual die. In yet another such embodiment, a wagering
parameter is mapped to symbol of a virtual reel strip on a virtual
reel slot machine. In yet another such embodiment, a wagering
parameter is mapped to a pocket of a virtual roulette wheel. In
some embodiments, two or more pari-mutuel gambling outcomes are
mapped to appropriate symbols to represent a completed wagering
proposition. In one such embodiment, two or more pari-mutuel
gambling outcomes are mapped to faces of two or more virtual dice
to simulate a random outcome generated by throwing two or more
dice. In another such embodiment, multiple pari-mutuel gambling
outcomes are mapped to virtual cards from a virtual deck of cards
without replacement. In yet another such embodiment, two or more
pari-mutuel gambling outcomes are mapped to two or more virtual
reel strips to create stop positions for a virtual multi-reel slot
machine.
[0091] In some embodiments, a wager controller executes a wager in
accordance with a wagering proposition by executing wager execution
commands that define processes of a wagering proposition where the
wager execution commands are formatted in a scripting language. In
operation, a decision engine of a application controller generates
the wager execution commands in the form of a script written in the
scripting language. The script includes the wager execution
commands that describe how the wager controller is to execute the
wagering proposition. The completed script is encoded as wager
execution command data and communicated to the wager controller by
the application controller. The wager controller receives the wager
execution command data and parses the script encoded in the wager
execution command data and executes the commands included in the
script to execute the wager.
[0092] In some embodiments, a wager controller executes a wager in
accordance with a wagering proposition by executing wager execution
commands that define processes of the wagering user interface. In
operation, a decision engine of a application controller generates
the wager execution commands and encodes the wager execution
commands into wager execution command data that are communicated to
the wager controller by the application controller. The wager
controller receives the wager execution command data and executes
the commands encoded in the wager execution command data to execute
the wager.
[0093] In various embodiments, the interactive controller 120
executes an interactive application 143 and provides one or more
user interface input and output devices 103 so that a user can
interact with the interactive application 143. In various
embodiments, user interface input devices include, but are not
limited to: buttons or keys; keyboards; keypads; game controllers;
joysticks; computer mice; track balls; track buttons; touch pads;
touch screens; accelerometers; motion sensors; video input devices;
microphones; and the like. In various embodiments, user interface
output devices include, but are not limited to: audio output
devices such as speakers, headphones, earbuds, and the like; visual
output devices such as lights, video displays and the like; and
tactile devices such as rumble pads, hepatic touch screens,
buttons, keys and the like. The interactive controller 120 provides
for user interactions with the interactive application 143 by
executing the interactive application 143 that generates an
application interface that utilizes the user interface input
devices 103 to detect user interactions with the interactive
controller and generates an interactive user interface that is
presented to the user utilizing the user interface output
devices.
[0094] In some embodiments, one or more components an interactive
controller are housed in an enclosure such as a housing, cabinet,
casing or the like. The enclosure further includes one or more user
accessible openings or surfaces that constructed to mount the user
interface input devices and/or the user interface output devices
103.
[0095] The interactive controller 120 is operatively connected to,
and communicates with, the application controller 112. The
interactive controller communicates application telemetry data 124
to the application controller 112 and receives application
instruction and resource data 136 from the application controller
112. Via the communication of application instruction and resource
data 136, the application controller 112 can control the processing
of the interactive controller by communicating interactive
application commands and resources including control parameters to
the interactive application 143 during the interactive
application's execution by the interactive controller 120.
[0096] In some embodiments, during execution of the interactive
application 143 by the interactive controller 120, the interactive
controller 120 communicates, as application telemetry data 124,
user interactions with the application user interface of the
interactive application to the application controller 112. The
application telemetry data 124 includes, but is not limited to,
utilization of the interactive elements in the interactive
application 143.
[0097] In some embodiments, the interactive application 143 is a
skill-based interactive application. In such embodiments, execution
of the skill-based interactive application 143 by the interactive
controller 120 is based on a user's skillful interaction with the
skill-based interactive application, such as, but not limited to,
the user's utilization of the interactive elements of the
skill-based interactive application 143 during the user's skillful
interaction with the skill-based interactive application 143. In
such an embodiment, the application controller 112 communicates
with the interactive controller 120 in order to allow the coupling
of the skill-based interactive application 143 to wagers made in
accordance with a wagering proposition of the wager controller
102.
[0098] In some embodiments, the interactive controller 120 includes
one or more sensors 138 that sense various aspects of the physical
environment of the interactive controller 120. Examples of sensors
include, but are not limited to: global positioning sensors (GPSs)
for sensing communications from a GPS system to determine a
position or location of the interactive controller; temperature
sensors; accelerometers; pressure sensors; and the like. Sensor
telemetry data 139 is communicated by the interactive controller to
the application controller 112 as part of the application telemetry
data 124. The application controller 112 receives the sensor
telemetry data 139 and uses the sensor telemetry data to make wager
decisions.
[0099] In many embodiments, the interactive controller 120 includes
a wagering user interface 148 used to display wagering data, via
one or more of the user interface input and output devices 103, to
one or more users.
[0100] In various embodiments, an application control interface 131
resident in the interactive controller 120 provides an interface
between the interactive controller 120 and the application
controller 112.
[0101] In some embodiments, the application control interface 131
implements an interactive controller to application controller
communication protocol employing an interprocess communication
protocol so that the interactive controller and the application
controller may be implemented on the same device. In operation, the
application control interface 131 provides application programming
interfaces that are used by the interactive processing application
143 of the interactive controller 120 to communicate outgoing data
and receive incoming data by passing parameter data to another
process or application.
[0102] In some embodiments, the application control interface 131
implements an interactive controller to application controller
communication protocol employing an interdevice communication
protocol so that the interactive controller and the application
controller may be implemented on different devices. The interdevice
protocol may utilize a wired communication bus or wireless
connection as a physical layer. In various embodiments, the
application control interface 131 implements an interactive
controller to application controller communication protocol
employing a networking protocol so that the interactive controller
and the application controller may be implemented on different
devices connected by a network. The networking protocol may utilize
a wired communication bus or wireless connection as a physical
layer. In many such embodiments, the network includes a cellular
telephone network or the like and the interactive controller is a
mobile device such as a smartphone or other device capable of using
the telephone network. During operation, the application control
interface 131 communicates outgoing data to an external device by
encoding the data into a signal and transmitting the signal to an
external device. The application control interface receives
incoming data from an external device by receiving a signal
transmitted by the external device and decoding the signal to
obtain the incoming data.
[0103] In various embodiments, the application controller 112
includes one or more interfaces, 160, 162 and 164, that operatively
connect the application controller 112 to one or more interactive
controllers, such as interactive controller 120, to one or more
session management servers, such as session/management controller
150, and/or to one or more wager controllers, such as wager
controller 102, respectively.
[0104] In some embodiments, one or more of the application
controller interfaces implement a application controller to device
or server communication protocol employing an interprocess
communication protocol so that the application controller and one
or more of an interactive controller, a wager controller, and/or a
session/management controller may be implemented on the same
device. In operation, the application controller interfaces provide
application programming interfaces or the like that are used by the
application controller to communicate outgoing data and receive
incoming data by passing parameter data to another process or
application running on the same device.
[0105] In some embodiments, one or more of the application
controller interfaces implement a application controller
communication protocol employing an interdevice communication
protocol so that the application controller may be implemented on a
device separate from the one or more interactive controllers, the
one or more session/management controllers and/or the one or more
wager controllers. The interdevice protocol may utilize a wired
communication bus or wireless connection as a physical layer. In
various embodiments, one or more of the application controller
interfaces implement a application controller communication
protocol employing a networking protocol so that the application
controller may be operatively connected to the one or more
interactive controllers, the one or more session/management
controllers, and/or the one or more wager controllers by a network.
The networking protocol may utilize a wired communication bus or
wireless connection as a physical layer. In many such embodiments,
the network includes a cellular telephone network or the like and
the one or more interactive controllers include a mobile device
such as a smartphone or other device capable of using the telephone
network. During operation, the one or more application controller
interfaces communicate outgoing data to an external device or
server by encoding the data into a signal and transmitting the
signal to the external device or server. The one or more
application controller interfaces receive incoming data from an
external device or server by receiving a signal transmitted by the
external device or server and decoding the signal to obtain the
incoming data.
[0106] In many embodiments, application controller 112 provides an
interface between the interactive application 143 provided by the
interactive controller 120 and a wagering proposition provided by
the wager controller 102.
[0107] The application controller 112 includes a rule-based
decision engine 122 that receives telemetry data, such as
application telemetry data 124 and sensor telemetry data 139, from
the interactive controller 120. The rule-based decision engine 122
uses the telemetry data, along with wager logic 126 to generate
wager execution commands 129 that are used by the application
controller 112 to command the wager controller 102 to execute a
wager. The wager execution command data is communicated by the
application controller 112 to the wager controller 102. The wager
controller 102 receives the wager execution command data 129 and
automatically executes a wager in accordance with the wager
execution command data 129.
[0108] In an embodiment, the application telemetry data 124 used by
the decision engine 122 encodes data about the operation of the
interactive application 143 executed by the interactive controller
120. In some embodiments, the application telemetry data 124
encodes interactions of a user, such as a user's interaction with
an interactive element of the interactive application 143. In many
embodiments, the application telemetry data 124 includes a state of
the interactive application 143, such as values of variables that
change as the interactive application 143 is executed. The decision
engine 122 includes one or more rules as part of wager logic 126
used by the decision engine 122 to determine when a wager should be
automatically triggered. Each rule includes one or more variable
values constituting a pattern that is to be matched by the
application controller 112 using the decision engine 122 to one or
more variable values encoded in the application telemetry data 124.
Each rule also includes one or more actions that are to be taken if
the pattern is matched. Actions can include automatically
generating wager execution command data 129 and communicating the
wager execution command data 129 to the wager controller 102, thus
commanding the wager controller to automatically execute a wager as
described herein. During operation, the decision engine 122
receives application telemetry data 124 from the interactive
controller 124 via interface 160. The decision engine 122 performs
a matching process of matching the variable values encoded in the
application telemetry data 124 to one or more variable patterns of
one or more rules. If a match between the variable values and a
pattern of a rule is determined, then the application controller
112 performs the action of the matched rule.
[0109] In some embodiments, the application telemetry data 124
includes, but is not limited to, application environment variables
that indicate a state of the interactive application 143,
interactive controller data indicating a state of the interactive
controller 120, and interactions with the interactive application
143 during execution of the interactive application 143 by the
interactive controller 120. The wager execution command data 129
may include, but are not limited to, an amount and type of the
wager, a trigger of the wager, and a selection of a paytable to be
used when executing the wager.
[0110] In some embodiments, the application controller 112 receives
wager outcome data 130 from the wager controller 102. The decision
engine 122 uses the wager outcome data 130, in conjunction with the
telemetry data 124 and application logic 132, to automatically
generate interactive application instruction and resource data 136
that the application controller 112 communicates to the interactive
controller 120 via interfaces 160 and 131.
[0111] In an embodiment, the wager outcome data 130 used by a
decision engine encodes data about the execution of a wager
executed by the wager controller 102. In some embodiments, the
wager outcome data 130 encodes values of variables including an
amount of credits wagered, an amount of credits won and values of
credits stored in the one or more meters 110 of the wager
controller. In many embodiments, the wager outcome data includes a
state of the wager controller 102, such as values of variables that
change as the wager controller 102 executes wagers. The decision
engine 122 includes one or more rules as part of application logic
132 used by the decision engine 122 to automatically generate the
interactive application instruction and resource data 136 that is
then communicated to the interactive controller 120. Each rule
includes one or more variable values constituting a pattern that is
to be matched to one or more variable values encoded in the wager
outcome data 130. Each rule also includes one or more actions that
are to be automatically taken by the application controller 112 if
the pattern is matched. Actions can include automatically
generating interactive application instruction and resource data
136 and using the interactive application instruction and resource
data 136 to control the interactive controller 120 to affect
execution of the interactive application 143 as described herein.
During operation, the application controller 112 receives the wager
outcome data 130 from the wager controller 102 via interface 162.
The application controller 112 uses the decision engine 122 to
match the variable values encoded in the wager outcome data to one
or more patterns of one or more rules of the application logic 132.
If a match between the variable values and a pattern of a rule is
found, then the application controller automatically performs the
action of the matched rule. In some embodiments, the application
controller 112 uses the application telemetry data 124 received
from the interactive controller 120 in conjunction with the wager
outcome data 130 to generate the interactive application
instruction and resource data 136.
[0112] The interactive controller receives the interactive
application commands and resource data 136 and automatically uses
the interactive application instruction and resource data 136 to
configure and command the processes of the interactive application
143.
[0113] In some embodiments, the interactive application 143
operates utilizing a scripting language. The interactive
application 143 parses scripts written in the scripting language
and executes commands encoded in the scripts and sets variable
values as defined in the scripts. In operation of such embodiments,
the application controller 112 automatically generates interactive
application instruction and resource data 136 in the form of
scripts written in the scripting language that are communicated to
the interactive controller 120 during execution of the interactive
application 143. The interactive controller 120 receives the
scripts and passes them to the interactive application 143. The
interactive application 143 receives the scripts, parses the
scripts and automatically executes the commands and sets the
variable values as encoded in the scripts.
[0114] In many embodiments, the interactive application 143
automatically performs processes as instructed by commands
communicated from the application controller 112. The commands
command the interactive application 143 to perform specified
operations such as executing specified commands and/or setting the
values of variables utilized by the interactive application 143. In
operation of such embodiments, the application controller 112
automatically generates commands that are encoded into the
interactive application instruction and resource data 136 that are
communicated to the interactive controller 120. The interactive
controller 120 passes the application instruction and resource data
136 to the interactive application 143. The interactive application
parses the application instruction and resource data and
automatically performs operations in accordance with the commands
encoded in the interactive application instruction and resource
data 136.
[0115] In many embodiments, the application controller 112 includes
a pseudo random or random result generator used to generate random
results that are used by the decision engine 122 to generate
portions of the interactive application instruction and resource
data 136.
[0116] In various embodiments, the application controller 112 uses
the rule-based decision engine 122 to automatically determine an
amount of AC to award based at least in part on interactions with
the interactive application 143 of the pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system as determined by the application controller 112
from the application telemetry data 124. In some embodiments, the
application controller 112 mays also use the wager outcome data 130
to determine the amount of AC that should be awarded.
[0117] In numerous embodiments, the interactive application 143 is
a skill-based interactive application and the AC is awarded for
skillful interaction with the interactive application.
[0118] In some embodiments, the interactive application instruction
and resource data 136 are communicated to a wagering user interface
generator 144. The wagering user interface generator 144 also
receives wager outcome data 130. The application controller uses
the wagering user interface generator 144, the interactive
application instruction and resource data 136 and the wager outcome
data 130 to automatically generate wager telemetry commands 146
used by the application controller 112 to command the interactive
controller 120 to automatically generate a wagering user interface
148 describing a state of wagering and credit accumulation and loss
for the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system. In some
embodiments, the wager telemetry data 146 may include, but is not
limited to, amounts of AC and interactive elements earned, lost or
accumulated through interaction with interactive application, and
Cr, AC and interactive elements amounts won, lost or accumulated as
determined from the wager outcome data 130 and the one or more
meters 110.
[0119] In some embodiments, the wager outcome data 130 also
includes data about one or more game states of a wagering
proposition as executed by the wager controller 102. In various
such embodiments, the wagering user interface generator 144
generates a wagering process display and/or wagering state display
using the one or more states of the wagering proposition. The
wagering process display and/or wagering state display is included
in the wager telemetry data 146 that is communicated to the
interactive controller 120. The wagering process display and/or
wagering state display is automatically displayed by the
interactive controller 120 using the wagering user interface 148.
In other such embodiments, the one or more states of the wagering
proposition are communicated to the interactive controller 120 and
the interactive controller 120 is instructed to automatically
generate the wagering process display and/or wagering state display
of the wagering user interface 148 using the one or more states of
the wagering proposition for display.
[0120] In some embodiments, the wager outcome data 130 includes
game state data about execution of the wagering proposition,
including but not limited to a final state, intermediate state
and/or beginning state of the wagering proposition. For example, in
a wagering proposition that is based on slot machine math, the
final state of the wagering proposition may be reel positions, in a
wagering proposition that is based on roulette wheel math, the
final state may be a pocket where a ball may have come to rest, in
a wagering proposition that is a based on card math, the beginning,
intermediate and final states may represent a sequence of cards
being drawn from a deck of cards, etc.
[0121] In some embodiments, the interactive controller 120
generates a wagering user interface by executing commands that
define processes of the wagering user interface where the commands
are formatted in a scripting language. In operation, a wagering
user interface generator of a application controller generates
commands in the form of a script written in the scripting language.
The script includes commands that describe how the interactive
controller is to display wager outcome data. The completed script
is encoded as wager telemetry data and communicated to the
interactive controller by the application controller. The
interactive controller receives the wager telemetry data and parses
the script encoded in the wager telemetry data and executes the
commands included in the script to generate the wagering user
interface.
[0122] In many embodiments, an interactive controller generates a
wagering user interface based on a document written in a document
markup language that includes commands that define processes of the
wagering user interface. In operation, a wagering user interface
generator of a application controller generates a document composed
in the document markup language. The document includes commands
that describe how the interactive controller is to display wager
outcome data. The completed document is encoded as wager telemetry
data and communicated to the interactive controller by the
application controller. The interactive controller receives the
wager telemetry data and parses the document encoded in the wager
telemetry data and executes the commands encoded into the document
to generate the wagering user interface.
[0123] In some embodiments, an interactive controller generates a
wagering user interface by executing commands that define processes
of the wagering user interface. In operation, a wagering user
interface generator of a application controller generates the
commands and encodes the commands into wager telemetry data that is
communicated to the interactive controller by the application
controller. The interactive controller receives the wager telemetry
data and executes the commands encoded in the wager telemetry data
to generate the wagering user interface.
[0124] In various embodiments, an interactive controller includes a
data store of graphic and audio display resources that the
interactive controller uses to generate a wagering user interface
as described herein.
[0125] In many embodiments, a application controller communicates
graphic and audio display resources as part of wager telemetry data
to an interactive controller. The interactive controller uses the
graphic and audio display resources to generate a wagering user
interface as described herein.
[0126] When a user interacts with the wagering user interface 148,
wagering user interface telemetry data is generated by the wagering
user interface 148 and communicated by the interactive controller
120 to the application controller 112 using interfaces 131 and
160.
[0127] The application controller 112 can further operatively
connect to the wager controller 102 to determine an amount of
credit or interactive elements available and other wagering metrics
of a wagering proposition. Thus, the application controller 112 may
affect an amount of Cr in play for participation in the wagering
events of a wagering proposition provided by the wager controller
102 in some embodiments. The application controller 112 may
additionally include various audit logs and activity meters. In
some embodiments, the application controller 112 can also couple to
a centralized session and/or management controller 150 for
exchanging various data related to the user and the activities of
the user during game play of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system.
[0128] In many embodiments, one or more users can be engaged in
using the interactive application 143 executed by the interactive
controller 120. In various embodiments, a pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system can include an interactive application 143 that
provides a skill-based interactive application that includes
head-to-head play between a single user and a computing device,
between two or more users against one another, or multiple users
playing against a computer device and/or each other. In some
embodiments, the interactive application 143 can be a skill-based
interactive application where the user is not skillfully playing
against the computer or any other user such as skill-based
interactive applications where the user is effectively skillfully
playing against himself or herself.
[0129] In some embodiments, the operation of the application
controller 112 does not affect the provision of a wagering
proposition by the wager controller 102 except for user choice
parameters that are allowable in accordance with the wagering
proposition. Examples of user choice parameters include, but are
not limited to: wager terms such as but not limited to a wager
amount; speed of game play (for example, by pressing a button or
pulling a handle of a slot machine); and/or agreement to wager into
a bonus round.
[0130] In various embodiments, wager outcome data 130 communicated
from the wager controller 102 can also be used to convey a status
operation of the wager controller 102.
[0131] In a number of embodiments, communication of the wager
execution commands 129 between the wager controller 102 and the
application controller 112 can further be used to communicate
various wagering control factors that the wager controller 102 uses
as input. Examples of wagering control factors include, but are not
limited to, an amount of Cr, AC, interactive elements, or objects
consumed per wagering event, and/or the user's election to enter a
jackpot round.
[0132] In some embodiments, the application controller 112 utilizes
the wagering user interface 148 to communicate certain interactive
application data to the user, including but not limited to, club
points, user status, control of the selection of choices, and
messages which a user can find useful in order to adjust the
interactive application experience or understand the wagering
status of the user in accordance with the wagering proposition in
the wager controller 102.
[0133] In some embodiments, the application controller 112 utilizes
the wagering user interface 148 to communicate aspects of a
wagering proposition to the user including, but not limited to,
odds of certain wager outcomes, amount of Cr, AC, interactive
elements, or objects in play, and amounts of Cr, AC, interactive
elements, or objects available.
[0134] In a number of embodiments, the wager controller 102 can
accept wager proposition factors from the application controller
112, including, but not limited to, modifications in the amount of
Cr, AC, interactive elements, or objects wagered on each individual
wagering event, a number of wagering events per minute the wager
controller 102 can resolve, entrance into a bonus round, and other
factors. An example of a varying wager amount that the user can
choose can include, but is not limited to, using a more difficult
interactive application level associated with an amount of a wager.
These factors can increase or decrease an amount wagered per
individual wagering proposition in the same manner that a standard
slot machine user can decide to wager more or less credits for each
pull of the handle. In several embodiments, the wager controller
102 can communicate a number of factors back and forth to the
application controller 112, via an interface, such that an
increase/decrease in a wagered amount can be related to the change
in user profile of the user in the interactive application. In this
manner, a user can control a wager amount per wagering event in
accordance with the wagering proposition with the change mapping to
a parameter or component that is applicable to the interactive
application experience.
[0135] In some embodiments, a session/management controller 150 is
used to regulate a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system
session.
[0136] In various embodiments, the session/management controller
150 includes one or more interfaces that operatively connect the
session/management controller 150 to one or more interactive
controllers, such as interactive controller 120, to one or more
application controllers, such as application controller 112, and/or
to one or more wager controllers, such as wager controller 102,
through their respective interfaces.
[0137] In some embodiments, one or more of the session/management
controller interfaces implement a session/management controller to
device or server communication protocol employing an interprocess
communication protocol so that the session/management controller
and one or more of an interactive controller, a wager controller,
and/or a application controller may be implemented on the same
device. In operation, the session/management controller interfaces
provide application programming interfaces or the like that are
used by the session/management controller to communicate outgoing
data and receive incoming data by passing parameter data to another
process or application running on the same device.
[0138] In some embodiments, one or more of the session/management
controller interfaces implement a session/management controller
communication protocol employing an interdevice communication
protocol so that the session/management controller may be
implemented on a device separate from the one or more interactive
controllers, the one or more application controllers and/or the one
or more wager controllers. The interdevice protocol may utilize a
wired communication bus or wireless connection as a physical layer.
In various embodiments, one or more of the session/management
controller interfaces implement a session/management controller
communication protocol employing a networking protocol so that the
process session/management controller may be operatively connected
to the one or more interactive controllers, the one or more
application controllers, and/or the one or more wager controllers
by a network. The networking protocol may utilize a wired
communication bus or wireless connection as a physical layer. In
many such embodiments, the network includes a cellular telephone
network or the like and the one or more interactive controllers
include a mobile device such as a smartphone or other device
capable of using the telephone network. During operation, the one
or more session/management controller interfaces communicate
outgoing data to an external device or server by encoding the data
into a signal and transmitting the signal to the external device or
server. The one or more session/management controller interfaces
receive incoming data from an external device or server by
receiving a signal transmitted by the external device or server and
decoding the signal to obtain the incoming data.
[0139] In various embodiments, the application controller 112
communicates outgoing session data 152 to the session/management
controller. The session data 152 may include, but is not limited
to, user, interactive controller, application controller and wager
controller data from the application controller 112. The
session/management controller 150 uses the user, interactive
controller, application controller and wager controller data to
regulate a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system session.
[0140] In some embodiments, the session/management controller 150
may also assert control of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system session by communicating session control data 154 to the
application controller. Such control may include, but is not
limited to, commanding the application controller 112 to end a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system session, initiating
wagering in a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system session,
ending wagering in a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system
session but not ending a user's use of the interactive application
portion of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system, and
changing from real credit wagering in a pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system to virtual credit wagering, or vice versa.
[0141] In many embodiments, the session/management controller 150
manages user profiles for a plurality of users. The
session/management controller 150 stores and manages data about
users in order to provide authentication and authorization of users
of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system 128. In some
embodiments, the session/management controller 150 also manages
geolocation information to ensure that the pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system 128 is only used by users in jurisdictions were
wagering is approved. In various embodiments, the
session/management controller 150 stores application credits that
are associated with the user's use of the interactive application
of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system 128.
[0142] In some embodiments, the session/management controller 150
communicates user and session management data to the user using a
management user interface of the interactive controller. The user
140 interacts with the management user interface and the management
user interface generates management telemetry data that is
communicated to the session/management controller 150.
[0143] In some embodiments, the wager controller 102 communicates
wager session data to the session/management controller 150. In
various embodiments, the session/management controller communicates
wager session control data to the wager controller 102.
[0144] In some embodiments, a application controller operates as an
interface between an interactive controller and a wager controller.
By virtue of this construction, the wager controller is isolated
from the interactive controller allowing the interactive controller
to operate in an unregulated environment while allowing the wager
controller to operate in a regulated environment.
[0145] In some embodiments, a single wager controller may provide
services to two or more interactive controllers and/or two or more
application controllers, thus allowing a pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system to operate over a large range of scaling.
[0146] In various embodiments, multiple types of interactive
controllers using different operating systems may be interfaced to
a single type of application controller and/or wager controller
without requiring customization of the application controller
and/or the wager controller.
[0147] In many embodiments, an interactive controller may be
provided as a user device under control of a user while maintaining
the wager controller in an environment under the control of a
regulated operator of wagering equipment.
[0148] In several embodiments, data communicated between the
controllers may be encrypted to increase security of the
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system.
[0149] In some embodiments, a application controller isolates wager
logic and application logic as unregulated logic from a regulated
wager controller, thus allowing errors in the application logic
and/or wager logic to be corrected, new application logic and/or
wager logic to be used, or modifications to be made to the
application logic and/or wager logic without a need for regulatory
approval.
[0150] In various embodiments, an interactive application may
require extensive processing resources from an interactive
controller leaving few processing resources for the functions
performed by a application controller and/or a wager controller. By
virtue of the architecture described herein, processing loads may
be distributed across multiple devices such that operations of the
interactive controller may be dedicated to the interactive
application and the processes of the application controller and/or
wager controller are not burdened by the requirements of the
interactive application.
[0151] In many embodiments, a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system operates with its components being distributed across
multiple devices. These devices can be connected by communication
channels including, but not limited to, local area networks, wide
area networks, local communication buses, and/or the like. The
devices may communicate using various types of protocols, including
but not limited to, networking protocols, device-to-device
communications protocols, and the like.
[0152] In some embodiments, one or more components of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system are distributed in close proximity to
each other and communicate using a local area network and/or a
communication bus. In several embodiments, an interactive
controller and a application controller of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system are in a common location and
communicate with an external wager controller. In some embodiments,
a application controller and a wager controller of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system are in a common location and
communicate with an external interactive controller. In many
embodiments, an interactive controller, a application controller,
and a wager controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system
are located in a common location. In some embodiments, a
session/management controller is located in a common location with
a application controller and/or a wager controller.
[0153] In various embodiments, these multiple devices can be
constructed from or configured using a single device or a plurality
of devices such that a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system is
executed as a system in a virtualized space such as, but not
limited to, where a wager controller and a application controller
are large scale centralized servers in the cloud operatively
connected to widely distributed interactive controllers via a wide
area network such as the Internet or a local area network. In such
embodiments, the components of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system may communicate using a networking protocol or other type of
device-to-device communications protocol.
[0154] In some embodiments, a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system is deployed over a local area network or a wide area network
in an interactive configuration. An interactive configuration of a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system includes an interactive
controller operatively connected by a network to a application
controller and a wager controller.
[0155] In some embodiments, a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system is deployed over a local area network or a wide area network
in a mobile configuration. A mobile configuration of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system is useful for deployment over wireless
communication network, such as a wireless local area network or a
wireless telecommunications network. A mobile configuration of a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system includes an interactive
controller operatively connected by a wireless network to a
application controller and a wager controller.
[0156] In many embodiments, a centralized wager controller is
operatively connected to, and communicates with, one or more
application controllers using a communication link. The centralized
wager controller can generate wager outcomes for wagers in
accordance with one or more wagering propositions. The centralized
wager controller can execute a number of simultaneous or
pseudo-simultaneous wagers in order to generate wager outcomes for
a variety of wagering propositions that one or more distributed
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering systems can use.
[0157] In several embodiments, a centralized application controller
is operatively connected to one or more interactive controllers and
one or more wager controllers using a communication link. The
centralized application controller can perform the functionality of
a application controller across various pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering systems.
[0158] In numerous embodiments, an interactive application server
provides a host for managing head-to-head play operating over a
network of interactive controllers connected to the interactive
application server using a communication link. The interactive
application server provides an environment where users can compete
directly with one another and interact with other users.
[0159] FIG. 1B is a diagram of an electronic gaming machine
configuration of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system in
accordance with various embodiments of the invention. Electronic
gaming machine configurations of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system include, but are not limited to, electronic gaming machines
such as slot machines, table games, video arcade consoles and the
like. An electronic gaming machine configuration of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system 170 includes an interactive controller
171, a application controller 172 and a wager controller 173
contained in an enclosure such as a housing, cabinet, casing or the
like. The enclosure may further include one or more user accessible
openings or surfaces that may be used to mount one or more user
accessible user input devices, one or more user accessible user
output devices, and one or more user accessible credit processing
systems. The interactive controller communicates with the user
input devices to detect user interactions with the pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system and commands and controls the user
output devices to provide a user interface to one or more users of
the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system as described herein.
The wager controller communicates with the user credit processing
systems to transfer credits into and out of the pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system as described herein.
[0160] In many embodiments, the application controller 172 is
operatively connected to an external session/management controller
168.
[0161] In various embodiments, the wager controller 173 is
operatively connected to a credit processing system. In many
embodiments, the credit processing system includes one or more
credit input devices 180 for generating incoming credit data from a
credit input. Credit inputs can include, but are not limited to,
credit items used to transfer credits. The incoming credit data are
communicated to the wager controller 173. In various embodiments,
the one or more credit input devices and their corresponding credit
items include, but are not limited to: card readers for reading
cards having magnetic stripes, RFID chips, smart chips, and the
like; scanners for reading various types of printed indicia printed
on to various types of media such as vouchers, coupons, vouchers,
coupons, TITO tickets, rewritable cards, or the like; and bill
and/or coin validators that receive and validate paper currency
and/or coin currency or tokens.
[0162] In various embodiments, the credit processing system
includes one or more credit output devices 182 for generating a
credit output based on outgoing credit data communicated from the
wager controller 173. Credit outputs can include, but are not
limited to, credit items used to transfer credits. Types of credit
output devices and their corresponding credit items may include,
but are not limited to: writing devices that are used to write to
cards having magnetic stripes, smart chips or the like; printers
for printing various types of printed indicia onto TITO tickets,
vouchers, coupons, rewritable cards or the like; and bill and/or
coin hoppers that output paper and/or coin currency or tokens.
[0163] In some embodiments, the credit processing system is
operatively connected to, and communicates with, a TITO controller
166 or the like to determine incoming credit data representing
amounts of credits to be transferred into the pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system 170 and to determine outgoing credit
data representing amounts of credits to be transferred out of the
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system 170. In operation, the
credit processing system communicates with one of a the one or more
connected credit input devices 180, such as a bill validator/ticket
scanner, used to scan a credit input in the form of a TITO ticket
having indicia of credit account data of a credit account of the
TITO controller. The credit processing system communicates the
credit account data to the TITO controller. The TITO controller
uses the credit account data to determine an amount of credits to
transfer to the credit processing system, and thus to the wager
controller 173 of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system 128.
The TITO controller communicates the amount of credits to the
credit processing system. The credit processing system communicates
the amount of credits as incoming credit data to the wager
controller 173 and the wager controller 173 credits one or more
credit meters with the amount of credits so that the credits can be
used when a user makes wagers using the pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system 170.
[0164] In many embodiments, the credit processing system includes a
bill validator/ticket scanner as one of the one or more credit
input devices 180. The credit processing system communicates with
the bill validator/ticket scanner to scan currency used as a credit
input to determine an amount of credits as incoming credit data to
transfer credit to one or more credit meters associated with one or
more users. The wager controller 173 credits the one or more credit
meters with the amount of credits so that the credits can be used
when a user makes wagers using the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system 170.
[0165] In some embodiments, the credit processing system can use a
TITO controller along with a ticket or voucher printer as one of
the one or more credit output devices 182 to generate a TITO ticket
as a credit output for a user. In operation, the credit processing
system communicates, as outgoing credit data, data of an amount of
credits to be credited to a credit account on the TITO controller.
The TITO controller receives the amount of credits and creates the
credit account and credits the credit account with the amount of
credits. The TITO controller generates credit account data for the
credit account and communicates the credit account data to the
credit processing system. The credit processing system uses the
ticket or voucher printer to print indicia of the credit account
data onto a TITO ticket as a credit output.
[0166] In various embodiments, the credit processing system
provides an interface to an electronic payment management system
(not shown) such an electronic wallet or the like. The electronic
payment system provides credit account data that is used for
generating incoming credit data as a credit input and outgoing
credit data as a credit output.
[0167] In some embodiments, the wager controller 173 is further
operatively connected to a central determination controller (not
shown). In operation, when the wager controller 173 needs to
determine a wager outcome, the wager controller 173 communicates a
request to the central determination controller for the wager
outcome. The central determination controller receives the wager
outcome request and generates a wager outcome in response to the
wager request. The central determination controller communicates
data of the wager outcome to the wager controller 173. The wager
controller 173 receives the data of the wager outcome and utilizes
the wager outcome as described herein. In some embodiments, the
wager outcome is drawn from a pool of pre-determined wager
outcomes. In some embodiments, the wager outcome is a random result
that is utilized by the wager controller along with paytables to
determine a wager outcome as described herein.
[0168] FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D are illustrations of interactive
controllers of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system in
accordance with various embodiments of the invention. An
interactive controller, such as interactive controller 120 of FIG.
1A, may be constructed from or configured using one or more
processing devices configured to perform the operations of the
interactive controller. An interactive controller in a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system may be constructed from or configured
using any processing device having sufficient processing and
communication capabilities that may be configured to perform the
processes of an interactive controller in accordance with various
embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the construction
or configuration of the interactive controller may be achieved
through the use of an application control interface, such as
application control interface 131 of FIG. 1A, and/or through the
use of an interactive application, such as interactive application
143 of FIG. 1A.
[0169] In some embodiments, an interactive controller may be
constructed from or configured using an electronic gaming machine
200 as shown in FIG. 2A. The electronic gaming machine 200 may be
physically located in various types of gaming establishments.
[0170] In many embodiments, an interactive controller may be
constructed from or configured using a portable device 202 as shown
in FIG. 2B. The portable device 202 is a device that may wirelessly
connect to a network. Examples of portable devices include, but are
not limited to, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant,
and a smartphone.
[0171] In some embodiments, an interactive controller may be
constructed from or configured using a gaming console 204 as shown
in FIG. 2C.
[0172] In various embodiments, an interactive controller may be
constructed from or configured using a personal computer 206 as
shown in FIG. 2D.
[0173] In some embodiments, a device, such as the devices of FIGS.
2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D, may be used to construct a complete pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system and may be operatively connected using
a communication link to a session and/or management controller,
such as session and/or management controller 150 of FIG. 1A.
[0174] Some pari-mutuel interleaved wagering systems in accordance
with many embodiments of the invention can be distributed across a
plurality of devices in various configurations. FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C
are diagrams of distributed pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
systems in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
Turning now to FIG. 3A, one or more interactive controllers of a
distributed pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system, such as but
not limited to, a mobile or wireless device 300, a gaming console
302, a personal computer 304, and an electronic gaming machine 305,
are operatively connected with a wager controller 306 of a
distributed pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system using a
communication link 308. Communication link 308 is a communications
link that allows processing systems to communicate with each other
and to share data. Examples of the communication link 308 can
include, but are not limited to: a wired or wireless interdevice
communication link, a serial or parallel interdevice communication
bus; a wired or wireless network such as a Local Area Network
(LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), or the link; or a wired or
wireless communication network such as a wireless
telecommunications network or plain old telephone system (POTS). In
some embodiments, one or more processes of an interactive
controller and a application controller as described herein are
executed on the individual interactive controllers 300, 302, 304
and 305 while one or more processes of a wager controller as
described herein can be executed by the wager controller 306.
[0175] In many embodiments, a distributed pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system and may be operatively connected using a
communication link to a session and/or management controller 307,
that performs the processes of a session and/or management
controller as described herein.
[0176] In several embodiments, a distributed pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system and may be operatively connected using
a communication link to credit processing system, that performs the
processes of one or more credit processing systems as described
herein.
[0177] A distributed pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system in
accordance with another embodiment of the invention is illustrated
in FIG. 3B. As illustrated, one or more interactive controllers of
a distributed pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system, such as but
not limited to, a mobile or wireless device 310, a gaming console
312, a personal computer 314, and an electronic gaming machine 315,
are operatively connected with a wager controller 316 and a
application controller 318 over a communication link 320.
Communication link 320 is a communication link that allows
processing systems to communicate and share data. Examples of the
communication link 320 can include, but are not limited to: a wired
or wireless interdevice communication link, a serial or parallel
interdevice communication bus; a wired or wireless network such as
a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), or the link;
or a wired or wireless communication network such as a wireless
telecommunications network or plain old telephone system (POTS). In
some embodiments, the processes of an interactive controller as
described herein are executed on the individual interactive
controllers 310, 312, 314 and 315. One or more processes of a wager
controller as described herein are executed by the wager controller
316, and one or more processes of a application controller as
described herein are executed by the application controller
318.
[0178] In many embodiments, a distributed pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system and may be operatively connected using a
communication link to a session and/or management controller 319,
that performs the processes of a session and/or management
controller as described herein.
[0179] In several embodiments, a distributed pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system and may be operatively connected using
a communication link to a credit processing system, that performs
the processes of one or more credit processing systems as described
herein.
[0180] A distributed pari-mutuel interleaved wagering systems in
accordance with still another embodiment of the invention is
illustrated in FIG. 3C. As illustrated, one or more interactive
controllers of a distributed pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system, such as but not limited to, a mobile device 342, a gaming
console 344, a personal computer 346, and an electronic gaming
machine 340 are operatively connected with a wager controller 348
and a application controller 350, and an interactive application
server 352 using a communication link 354. Communication link 354
is a communications link that allows processing systems to
communicate and to share data. Examples of the communication link
354 can include, but are not limited to: a wired or wireless
interdevice communication link, a serial or parallel interdevice
communication bus; a wired or wireless network such as a Local Area
Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), or the link; or a wired
or wireless communication network such as a wireless
telecommunications network or plain old telephone system (POTS). In
some embodiments, one or more processes of a display and user
interface of an interactive controller as described herein are
executed on the individual interactive controllers 340, 342, 344
and 346. One or more processes of a wager controller as described
herein can be executed by the wager controller 348. One or more
processes of a application controller as described herein can be
executed by the application controller server 350 and one or more
processes of an interactive controller excluding the display and
user interfaces can be executed by the interactive application
server 352.
[0181] In many embodiments, a distributed pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system and may be operatively connected using a
communication link to a session and/or management controller 353,
that performs the processes of a session and/or management
controller as described herein.
[0182] In several embodiments, a distributed pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system and may be operatively connected using
a communication link to credit processing system, that performs the
processes of one or more credit processing systems as described
herein.
[0183] In other embodiments, a number of other peripheral systems,
such as a user management system, a gaming establishment management
system, a regulatory system, and/or hosting servers are also
operatively connected with the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
systems using a communication link. Also, other servers can reside
outside the bounds of a network within a firewall of the operator
to provide additional services for network connected pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering systems.
[0184] Although various distributed pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering systems are described herein, pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering systems can be distributed in any configuration as
appropriate to the specification of a specific application in
accordance with embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments,
components of a distributed pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system, such as a application controller, wager controller,
interactive controller, or other servers that perform services for
a application controller, wager controller and/or interactive
controller, can be distributed in different configurations for a
specific distributed pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system
application.
[0185] FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams of a structure of an
interactive controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system
in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. An
interactive controller may be constructed from or configured using
one or more processing devices configured to perform the operations
of the interactive controller. In many embodiments, an interactive
controller can be constructed from or configured using various
types of processing devices including, but not limited to, a mobile
device such as a smartphone or the like, a personal digital
assistant, a wireless device such as a tablet computer or the like,
an electronic gaming machine, a personal computer, a gaming
console, a set-top box, a computing device, a controller, or the
like.
[0186] Referring now to FIG. 4A, an interactive controller 400,
suitable for use as interactive controller 120 of FIG. 1A, provides
an execution environment for an interactive application 402 of a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system. In several embodiments, an
interactive controller 400 of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system provides an interactive application 402 that generates an
application interface 404 for interaction with by a user. The
interactive application 402 generates a user presentation 406 that
is presented to the user through the application interface 404. The
user presentation 406 may include audio features, visual features
or tactile features, or any combination of these features. In
various embodiments, the application interface 404 utilizes one or
more user interface input and output devices so that a user can
interact with the user presentation. In various embodiments, user
interface input devices include, but are not limited to: buttons or
keys; keyboards; keypads; game controllers; joysticks; computer
mice; track balls; track buttons; touch pads; touch screens;
accelerometers; motion sensors; video input devices; microphones;
and the like. In various embodiments, user interface output devices
include, but are not limited to: audio output devices such as
speakers, headphones, earbuds, and the like; visual output devices
such as lights, video displays and the like; and tactile devices
such as rumble pads, hepatic touch screens, buttons, keys and the
like. The user's interactions 408 are included by the interactive
application 402 in application telemetry data 410 that is
communicated by interactive controller 400 to various other
components of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system as
described herein. The interactive application 402 receives
application commands and resources 412 communicated from various
other components of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system as
described herein.
[0187] In some embodiments, various components of the interactive
application 402 can read data from an application state 414 in
order to provide one or more features of the interactive
application. In various embodiments, components of the interactive
application 402 can include, but are not limited to: a physics
engine; a rules engine; an audio engine; a graphics engine and the
like. The physics engine is used to simulate physical interactions
between virtual objects in the interactive application 402. The
rules engine implements the rules of the interactive application
and a random number generator that may be used for influencing or
determining certain variables and/or outcomes to provide a
randomizing influence on the operations of the interactive
application. The graphics engine is used to generate a visual
representation of the interactive application state to the user.
The audio engine is used to generate an audio representation of the
interactive application state to the user.
[0188] During operation, the interactive application reads and
writes application resources 416 stored on a data store of the
interactive controller host. The application resources 416 may
include objects having graphics and/or control logic used to
provide application environment objects of the interactive
application. In various embodiments, the resources may also
include, but are not limited to, video files that are used to
generate a portion of the user presentation 406; audio files used
to generate music, sound effects, etc. within the interactive
application; configuration files used to configure the features of
the interactive application; scripts or other types of control code
used to provide various features of the interactive application;
and graphics resources such as textures, objects, etc. that are
used by a graphics engine to render objects displayed in an
interactive application.
[0189] In operation, components of the interactive application 402
read portions of the application state 414 and generate the user
presentation 406 for the user that is presented to the user using
the user interface 404. The user perceives the user presentation
and provides user interactions 408 using the user input devices.
The corresponding user interactions are received as user actions or
inputs by various components of the interactive application 402.
The interactive application 402 translates the user actions into
interactions with the virtual objects of the application
environment stored in the application state 414. Components of the
interactive application use the user interactions with the virtual
objects of the interactive application and the interactive
application state 414 to update the application state 414 and
update the user presentation 406 presented to the user. The process
loops continuously while the user interacts with the interactive
application of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system.
[0190] The interactive controller 400 provides one or more
interfaces 418 between the interactive controller 400 and other
components of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system, such as,
but not limited to, a application controller and a
session/management controller. The interactive controller 400 and
the other pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system components
communicate with each other using the interfaces. The interface may
be used to pass various types of data, and to communicate and
receive messages, status data, commands and the like. In certain
embodiments, the interactive controller 400 and a application
controller communicate application commands and environment
resources 412 and application telemetry data 410. In some
embodiments, the communications include requests by the application
controller that the interactive controller 400 update the
application state 414 using data provided by the application
controller.
[0191] In many embodiments, a communication by a application
controller includes a request that the interactive controller 400
update one or more resources 416 using data provided by the
application controller. In a number of embodiments, the interactive
controller 400 provides all or a portion of the application state
to the application controller. In some embodiments, the interactive
controller 400 may also provide data about one or more of the
application resources 416 to the application controller. In some
embodiments, the communication includes user interactions that the
interactive controller 400 communicates to the application
controller. The user interactions may be low level user
interactions with the user interface 404, such as manipulation of a
user input device, or may be high level interactions with game
objects as determined by the interactive application. The user
interactions may also include resultant actions such as
modifications to the application state 414 or game resources 416
resulting from the user's interactions taken in the pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system interactive application. In some
embodiments, user interactions include, but are not limited to,
actions taken by entities such as non-user characters (NPC) of the
interactive application that act on behalf of or under the control
of the user.
[0192] In some embodiments, the interactive controller 400 includes
a wagering user interface 420 used to provide pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system telemetry data 422 to and from the
user. The pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system telemetry data
422 from the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system include, but
are not limited to, data used by the user to configure Cr, AC and
interactive element wagers, and data about the wagering proposition
Cr, AC and interactive element wagers such as, but not limited to,
Cr, AC and interactive element balances and Cr, AC and interactive
element amounts wagered.
[0193] In some embodiments, the interactive controller 400 includes
an administration interface 430 used to provide pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system administration telemetry data 432 to
and from the user.
[0194] In some embodiments, the interactive controller includes one
or more sensors 424. Such sensors may include, but are not limited
to, physiological sensors that monitor the physiology of the user,
environmental sensors that monitor the physical environment of the
interactive controller, accelerometers that monitor changes in
motion of the interactive controller, and location sensors that
monitor the location of the interactive controller such as global
positioning sensors (GPSs). The interactive controller 400
communicates sensor telemetry data 426 to one or more components of
the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system.
[0195] Referring now to FIG. 4B, interactive controller 400
includes a bus 502 that provides an interface for one or more
processors 504, random access memory (RAM) 506, read only memory
(ROM) 508, machine-readable storage medium 510, one or more user
output devices 512, one or more user input devices 514, and one or
more communication interface devices 516.
[0196] The one or more processors 504 may take many forms, such as,
but not limited to: a central processing unit (CPU); a
multi-processor unit (MPU); an ARM processor; a controller; a
programmable logic device; or the like.
[0197] In the example embodiment, the one or more processors 504
and the random access memory (RAM) 506 form an interactive
controller processing unit 599. In some embodiments, the
interactive controller processing unit includes one or more
processors operatively connected to one or more of a RAM, ROM, and
machine-readable storage medium; the one or more processors of the
interactive controller processing unit receive instructions stored
by the one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage
medium via a bus; and the one or more processors execute the
received instructions. In some embodiments, the interactive
controller processing unit is an ASIC (Application-Specific
Integrated Circuit). In some embodiments, the interactive
controller processing unit is a SoC (System-on-Chip).
[0198] Examples of output devices 512 include, but are not limited
to, display screens; light panels; and/or lighted displays. In
accordance with particular embodiments, the one or more processors
504 are operatively connected to audio output devices such as, but
not limited to: speakers; and/or sound amplifiers. In accordance
with many of these embodiments, the one or more processors 504 are
operatively connected to tactile output devices like vibrators,
and/or manipulators.
[0199] Examples of user input devices 514 include, but are not
limited to: tactile devices including but not limited to,
keyboards, keypads, foot pads, touch screens, and/or trackballs;
non-contact devices such as audio input devices; motion sensors and
motion capture devices that the interactive controller can use to
receive inputs from a user when the user interacts with the
interactive controller; physiological sensors that monitor the
physiology of the user; environmental sensors that monitor the
physical environment of the interactive controller; accelerometers
that monitor changes in motion of the interactive controller; and
location sensors that monitor the location of the interactive
controller such as global positioning sensors.
[0200] The one or more communication interface devices 516 provide
one or more wired or wireless interfaces for communicating data and
commands between the interactive controller 400 and other devices
that may be included in a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system.
Such wired and wireless interfaces include, but are not limited to:
a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface; a Bluetooth interface; a
Wi-Fi interface; an Ethernet interface; a Near Field Communication
(NFC) interface; a plain old telephone system (POTS) interface, a
cellular or satellite telephone network interface; and the
like.
[0201] The machine-readable storage medium 510 stores
machine-executable instructions for various components of the
interactive controller, such as but not limited to: an operating
system 518; one or more device drivers 522; one or more application
programs 520 including but not limited to an interactive
application; and pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system
interactive controller instructions and data 524 for use by the one
or more processors 504 to provide the features of an interactive
controller as described herein. In some embodiments, the
machine-executable instructions further include application control
interface/application control interface instructions and data 526
for use by the one or more processors 504 to provide the features
of an application control interface/application control interface
as described herein.
[0202] In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium
510 is one of a (or a combination of two or more of) a hard drive,
a flash drive, a DVD, a CD, a flash storage, a solid state drive, a
ROM, an EIEPROM, and the like.
[0203] In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded
into memory 506 from the machine-readable storage medium 510, the
ROM 508 or any other storage location. The respective
machine-executable instructions are accessed by the one or more
processors 504 via the bus 502, and then executed by the one or
more processors 504. Data used by the one or more processors 504
are also stored in memory 506, and the one or more processors 504
access such data during execution of the machine-executable
instructions. Execution of the machine-executable instructions
causes the one or more processors 504 to control the interactive
controller 400 to provide the features of a pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system interactive controller as described herein
[0204] Although the interactive controller is described herein as
being constructed from or configured using one or more processors
and instructions stored and executed by hardware components, the
interactive controller can be constructed from or configured using
only hardware components in accordance with other embodiments. In
addition, although the storage medium 510 is described as being
operatively connected to the one or more processors through a bus,
those skilled in the art of interactive controllers will understand
that the storage medium can include removable media such as, but
not limited to, a USB memory device, an optical CD ROM, magnetic
media such as tape and disks. In some embodiments, the storage
medium 510 can be accessed by the one or more processors 504
through one of the communication interface devices 516 or using a
communication link. Furthermore, any of the user input devices or
user output devices can be operatively connected to the one or more
processors 504 vione of the communication interface devices 516 or
using a communication link.
[0205] In some embodiments, the interactive controller 400 can be
distributed across a plurality of different devices. In many such
embodiments, an interactive controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system includes an interactive application server
operatively connected to an interactive client using a
communication link. The interactive application server and
interactive application client cooperate to provide the features of
an interactive controller as described herein.
[0206] In various embodiments, the interactive controller 400 may
be used to construct other components of a pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system as described herein.
[0207] In some embodiments, components of an interactive controller
and a application controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system may be constructed from or configured using a single device
using processes that communicate using an interprocess
communication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components
of an interactive controller and a application controller of a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system may communicate by passing
messages, parameters or the like.
[0208] FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams of a structure of a wager
controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system in
accordance with various embodiments of the invention. A wager
controller may be constructed from or configured using one or more
processing devices configured to perform the operations of the
wager controller. In many embodiments, a wager controller can be
constructed from or configured using various types of processing
devices including, but not limited to, a mobile device such as a
smartphone or the like, a personal digital assistant, a wireless
device such as a tablet computer or the like, an electronic gaming
machine, a personal computer, a gaming console, a set-top box, a
computing device, a controller, or the like.
[0209] Referring now to FIG. 5, in various embodiments, a wager
controller 604, suitable for use as wager controller 102 of FIG.
1A, includes an abstraction module 620 to produce wager outcomes
from pari-mutuel gambling outcomes received from a pari-mutuel
server; one or more paytables 623 which include a plurality of
factors indexed 620 by the wagering parameter to be multiplied with
an amount of Cr, AC, interactive elements, or objects committed in
a wager; and a wagering control module 622 whose processes may
include, but are not limited to, receiving pari-mutuel gambling
outcomes, looking up factors in the paytables, multiplying the
factors by an amount of Cr, AC, interactive elements, or objects
wagered, and administering one or more Cr, AC, interactive element,
or object meters 626. The various wager controller components can
interface with each other via an internal bus 625 and/or other
appropriate communication mechanism.
[0210] In some embodiments, an interface 628 allows the wager
controller 604 to operatively connect to, and communicate with, an
external device, such as one or more application controllers as
described herein. The interface 628 provides for communication of
wager execution commands 629 from the external device that is used
to specify wager parameters and/or trigger execution of a wager by
the wager controller 604 as described herein. The interface 628 may
also provide for communicating wager outcome data 631 to an
external device as described herein. In numerous embodiments, the
interface 628 between the wager controller 604 and other
systems/devices may be a wide area network (WAN) such as the
Internet. However, other methods of communication may be used
including, but not limited to, a local area network (LAN), a
universal serial bus (USB) interface, and/or some other method by
which two electronic devices could communicate with each other.
[0211] In various embodiments, an interface 630 allows the wager
controller 604 to operatively connect to an external system or
device, such as one or more credit processing systems, as described
herein. The interface 630 provides for communication of incoming
credit data 632 from the external system or device that is used to
add credits to the one or more meters 626 as described herein. The
interface 630 may also provide for communicating outgoing credit
data 634 to an external system or device, such as a credit
processing system, as described herein. In numerous embodiments,
the interface 630 between the wager controller 604 and other
systems/devices may be a wide area network (WAN) such as the
Internet. However, other methods of communication may be used
including, but not limited to, a local area network (LAN), a
universal serial bus (USB) interface, and/or some other method by
which two electronic devices or systems could communicate with each
other.
[0212] In various embodiments, an interface 646 allows the wager
controller 604 to operatively connect to an external system or
device, such as one or more pari-mutuel servers, as described
herein. The interface 646 provides for communication of incoming
pari-mutuel gambling outcomes 648 from the external system or
device as described herein. The interface 646 may also provide for
communicating outgoing wager request data 649 to the external
system or device. In numerous embodiments, the interface 646
between the wager controller 604 and other systems/devices may be a
wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet. However, other
methods of communication may be used including, but not limited to,
a local area network (LAN), a universal serial bus (USB) interface,
and/or some other method by which two electronic devices or systems
could communicate with each other.
[0213] In various embodiments, an interface 640 allows the wager
controller 604 to operatively connect to an external system or
device, such as one or more session/management controllers, as
described herein. The interface 640 provides for communication of
incoming session data 642 from the external system or device as
described herein. The interface 640 may also provide for
communicating outgoing session data 644 to an external system or
device, such as a session/management controller, as described
herein. In numerous embodiments, the interface 640 between the
wager controller 604 and other systems/devices may be a wide area
network (WAN) such as the Internet. However, other methods of
communication may be used including, but not limited to, a local
area network (LAN), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and/or
some other method by which two electronic devices or systems could
communicate with each other.
[0214] During operation of the wager controller, an external system
communicates wager execution commands 629 to the wager controller
604. The wager controller 604 receives the wager execution commands
and uses the wager execution commands to trigger execution of a
wager in accordance with a wagering proposition. The wager
controller 604 executes the wager and determines a wager outcome
for the wager. The wager controller communicates wager outcome data
631 of the wager outcome to the external system.
[0215] In some embodiments, the wager controller uses the wager
execution commands to select a paytable 628 to use and/or an amount
of Cr, AC, interactive elements, or objects to wager.
[0216] In some embodiments, the wager outcome data may include, but
is not limited to, an amount of Cr, AC, interactive elements, or
objects won in the wager.
[0217] In various embodiments, the wager outcome data may include,
but is not limited to, an amount of Cr, AC, interactive elements,
or objects in the one or more meters 626.
[0218] In some embodiments, the wager outcome data includes state
data for the wagering proposition of the executed wager. The state
data may correspond to one or more game states of a wagering
proposition that is associated with the wagering proposition.
Examples of state data include, but are not limited to, reel strips
in an operation state or a final state for a reel-based wagering
proposition, one or more dice positions for a dice-based wagering
proposition, positions of a roulette wheel and roulette ball,
position of a wheel of fortune, or the like.
[0219] In various embodiments, the wagering control module 622
determines an amount of a wager and a paytable to use from the one
or more paytables 623. In such embodiments, in response to the
wager execution commands triggering execution of the wager, the
wager control module 622 executes the wager by requesting a
wagering parameter from a pari-mutuel server (not shown);
retrieving a paytable from the one or more paytables 623; adjusting
the one or more credit meters 626 for an amount of the wager;
applying the wagering parameter to the retrieved paytable;
multiplying the resultant factor from the paytable by an amount
wagered to determine a wager outcome; updating the one or more
meters 626 based on the wager outcome; and communicating the wager
outcome to the external device.
[0220] In some embodiments, a communication exchange between the
wager controller 604 and an external system relate to the external
system support for coupling a wagering parameter to a particular
paytable contained in the wager controller 604. In such an
exchange, the external system communicates to the wager controller
604 as to which of the one or more paytables 623 to use, and
requests a wager outcome whereby the wagering parameter would be
associated with the requested paytable 623. The result of the
coupling is returned to the external system. In such an exchange,
no actual Cr, AC, interactive element, or object wager is
conducted, but might be useful in coupling certain non-value
wagering interactive application behaviors and propositions to the
same final resultant wagering return which is understood for the
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system to conduct wagering.
[0221] In some embodiments, the wager controller 604 may also
include storage for statuses, wagers, wager outcomes, meters and
other historical events in a storage device 616.
[0222] In some embodiments, an authorization access module provides
a process to permit access and command exchange with the wager
controller 604 and access to the one or more credit meters 626 for
the amount of Cr, AC, interactive elements, or objects being
wagered by the user in the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system.
[0223] In numerous embodiments, communication occurs between
various types of a wager controller and an external system 630,
such as application controller. In some of these embodiments, the
purpose of the wager controller is to allocate wagers to pools,
detect occurrences of one or more events upon which the wagers were
made, and determine the wager outcomes for each individual wager
based on the number of winning wagers and the amount paid into the
pool.
[0224] In some embodiments, the wager controller manages accounts
for individual users wherein the users make deposits into the
accounts, amounts are deducted from the accounts, and amounts are
credited to the users' accounts based on the wager outcomes.
[0225] In some embodiments a wager controller is a pari-mutuel
wagering system such as used for wagering on an events such as
horse races, greyhound races, sporting events and the like. In a
pari-mutuel wagering system, user's wagers on the outcome of an
event are allocated to a pool. When the event occurs, wager
outcomes are calculated by sharing the pool among all winning
wagers.
[0226] In various embodiments, a wager controller is a central
determination system, such as but not limited to a central
determination system for a Class II wagering system or a wagering
system in support of a "scratch off" style lottery. In such a
wagering system, a user plays against other users and competes for
a common prize. In a given set of wager outcomes, there are a
certain number of wins and losses. Once a certain wager outcome has
been determined, the same wager outcome cannot occur again until a
new set of wager outcomes is generated.
[0227] In numerous embodiments, communication occurs between
various components of a wager controller 604 and an external
system, such as a application controller. In some of these
embodiments, the purpose of the wager controller 604 is to manage
wagering on wagering events and to provide wager outcomes from
pari-mutuel gambling outcomes received from a pari-mutuel
server.
[0228] Referring now to FIG. 5B, wager controller 604 includes a
bus 732 that provides an interface for one or more processors 734,
random access memory (RAM) 736, read only memory (ROM) 738,
machine-readable storage medium 740, one or more user output
devices 742, one or more user input devices 744, and one or more
communication interface and/or network interface devices 746.
[0229] The one or more processors 734 may take many forms, such as,
but not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a
multi-processor unit (MPU), an ARM processor, a controller, a
programmable logic device, or the like.
[0230] In the example embodiment, the one or more processors 734
and the random access memory (RAM) 736 form a wager controller
processing unit 799. In some embodiments, the wager controller
processing unit includes one or more processors operatively
connected to one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable
storage medium; the one or more processors of the wager controller
processing unit receive instructions stored by the one or more of a
RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium via a bus; and the
one or more processors execute the received instructions. In some
embodiments, the wager controller processing unit is an ASIC
(Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). In some embodiments, the
wager controller processing unit is a SoC (System-on-Chip).
[0231] Examples of output devices 742 include, but are not limited
to, display screens, light panels, and/or lighted displays. In
accordance with particular embodiments, the one or more processors
734 are operatively connected to audio output devices such as, but
not limited to speakers, and/or sound amplifiers. In accordance
with many of these embodiments, the one or more processors 734 are
operatively connected to tactile output devices like vibrators,
and/or manipulators.
[0232] Examples of user input devices 734 include, but are not
limited to, tactile devices including but not limited to,
keyboards, keypads, touch screens, and/or trackballs; non-contact
devices such as audio input devices; motion sensors and motion
capture devices that the wager controller can use to receive inputs
from a user when the user interacts with the wager controller
604.
[0233] The one or more communication interface and/or network
interface devices 746 provide one or more wired or wireless
interfaces for exchanging data and commands between the wager
controller 604 and other devices that may be included in a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system. Such wired and wireless
interfaces include, but are not limited to: a Universal Serial Bus
(USB) interface; a Bluetooth interface; a Wi-Fi interface; an
Ethernet interface; a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface; a
plain old telephone system (POTS) interface; a cellular or
satellite telephone network interface; and the like.
[0234] The machine-readable storage medium 740 stores
machine-executable instructions for various components of a wager
controller, such as but not limited to: an operating system 748;
one or more application programs 750; one or more device drivers
752; and pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system wager controller
instructions and data 754 for use by the one or more processors 734
to provide the features of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system wager controller as described herein.
[0235] In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium
740 is one of a (or a combination of two or more of) a hard drive,
a flash drive, a DVD, a CD, a flash storage, a solid state drive, a
ROM, an EIEPROM, and the like.
[0236] In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded
into memory 736 from the machine-readable storage medium 740, the
ROM 738 or any other storage location. The respective
machine-executable instructions are accessed by the one or more
processors 734 via the bus 732, and then executed by the one or
more processors 734. Data used by the one or more processors 734
are also stored in memory 736, and the one or more processors 734
access such data during execution of the machine-executable
instructions. Execution of the machine-executable instructions
causes the one or more processors 734 to control the wager
controller 604 to provide the features of a pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system wager controller as described herein
[0237] Although the wager controller 604 is described herein as
being constructed from or configured using one or more processors
and machine-executable instructions stored and executed by hardware
components, the wager controller can be composed of only hardware
components in accordance with other embodiments. In addition,
although the storage medium 740 is described as being operatively
connected to the one or more processors through a bus, those
skilled in the art of processing devices will understand that the
storage medium can include removable media such as, but not limited
to, a USB memory device, an optical CD ROM, magnetic media such as
tape and disks. In some embodiments, the storage medium 740 can be
accessed by the one or more processors 734 through one of the
interfaces or using a communication link. Furthermore, any of the
user input devices or user output devices can be operatively
connected to the one or more processors 734 vione of the interfaces
or using a communication link.
[0238] In various embodiments, the wager controller 604 may be used
to construct other components of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system as described herein.
[0239] In some embodiments, components of a wager controller and a
application controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system
may be constructed from or configured using a single device using
processes that communicate using an interprocess communication
protocol. In other such embodiments, the components of a wager
controller and a application controller of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system may communicate by passing messages,
parameters or the like.
[0240] It should be understood that there may be many embodiments
of a wager controller 604 which could be possible, including forms
where many modules and components of the wager controller are
located in various servers and locations, so the foregoing is not
meant to be exhaustive or all inclusive, but rather provide data on
various embodiments of a wager controller 604.
[0241] FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams of a structure of a application
controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system in
accordance with various embodiments of the invention. A application
controller may be constructed from or configured using one or more
processing devices configured to perform the operations of the
application controller. In many embodiments, a application
controller can be constructed from or configured using various
types of processing devices including, but not limited to, a mobile
device such as a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, a
wireless device such as a tablet computer or the like, an
electronic gaming machine, a personal computer, a gaming console, a
set-top box, a computing device, a controller, or the like.
[0242] Referring now to FIG. 6A, in many embodiments, a application
controller 860, suitable for use as application controller 112 of
FIG. 1A, manages operation of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system, with a wager controller and an interactive controller being
support units to the application controller 860. The application
controller 860 provides an interface between the interactive
application, provided by an interactive controller, and a wagering
proposition, provided by a wager controller.
[0243] In some embodiments, the application controller 860 includes
an interactive controller interface 800 to an interactive
controller. The interactive controller interface 800 provides for
communication of data between an interactive controller and the
application controller 860, including but not limited to wager
telemetry data 802, application instructions and resources 804,
application telemetry data 806, and sensor telemetry data 810 as
described herein.
[0244] In various embodiments, the application controller 860
includes a wager controller interface 812 to a wager controller.
The wager controller interface 812 provides for communication of
data between the application controller 860 and a wager controller,
including but not limited to wager outcomes 814 and wager execution
commands 816 as described in.
[0245] In some embodiments, the application controller 860 includes
a session/management controller interface 818 to a
session/management controller. The session/management controller
interface 818 provides for communication of data between the
application controller 860 and a session/management controller,
including but not limited to session control data 820 and session
telemetry data 822 as described herein.
[0246] The application controller 860 includes a rule-based
decision engine 824 that receives telemetry data, such as
application telemetry data and sensor telemetry data, from an
interactive controller. The rule-based decision engine 824 uses the
telemetry data, along with wager logic 826 to generate wager
execution commands used to trigger a wager in a wager
controller.
[0247] In some embodiments, the application telemetry data
includes, but is not limited to, application environment variables
that indicate the state of an interactive application being used by
a user, interactive controller data indicating a state of an
interactive controller, and user actions and interactions between a
user and an interactive application provided by an interactive
controller. The wagering and/or wager execution commands may
include, but are not limited to, an amount and type of the wager, a
trigger of the wager, and a selection of a paytable to be used when
executing the wager.
[0248] In some embodiments, the rule-based decision engine 824 also
receives wager outcome data from a wager controller. The decision
engine 824 uses the wager outcome data, in conjunction with
telemetry data and application logic 828 to generate application
decisions 830 communicated to an application resource generator
832. The application resource generator 832 receives the
application decisions and uses the application decisions to
generate application commands and application resources to be
communicated to an interactive application.
[0249] In many embodiments, the application controller 860 includes
a pseudo random or random result generator used to generate random
results that are communicated to the application resource generator
832. The application resource generator uses the random results to
generate application commands and application resources to be
communicated to an interactive controller for use by an interactive
application.
[0250] In various embodiments, the rule-based decision engine 824
also determines an amount of AC to award to a user based at least
in part on the user's use of an interactive application of the
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system as determined from
application telemetry data. In some embodiments, wager outcome data
may also be used to determine the amount of AC that should be
awarded to the user.
[0251] In numerous embodiments, an interactive application is a
skill-based interactive application and the AC is awarded to the
user for the user's skillful play of the skill-based interactive
application.
[0252] In some embodiments, the application decisions and wager
outcome data are communicated to a wagering user interface
generator 834. The wagering user interface generator 834 receives
the application decisions and wager outcome data and generates
wager telemetry data describing the state of wagering and credit
accumulation and loss for the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system. In some embodiments, the wager telemetry data 146 may
include, but is not limited to, amounts of AC and interactive
elements earned, lost or accumulated by the user through use of the
interactive application as determined from the application
decisions, and Cr amounts won, lost or accumulated as determined
from the wager outcome data and the one or more credit meters.
[0253] In some embodiments, the wager outcome data 814 also
includes data about one or more game states of a wagering
proposition executed in accordance with a wagering proposition by a
wager controller. In various such embodiments, the wagering user
interface generator 834 generates a wagering proposition process
display and/or wagering proposition state display using the one or
more game states of the wagering proposition. The wagering
proposition process display and/or wagering proposition state
display is included in wager telemetry data that is communicated to
an interactive controller. The wagering proposition process display
and/or a wagering proposition state display is displayed by a
wagering user interface of the interactive controller to a user. In
other such embodiments, the one or more game states of the wagering
proposition are communicated to an interactive controller and a
wagering user interface of the interactive controller generates a
wagering proposition process display and/or wagering proposition
state display using the one or more game states of the wagering
proposition for display to a user.
[0254] The application controller 860 can further operatively
connect to a wager controller to determine an amount of credit or
interactive elements available and other wagering metrics of a
wagering proposition. Thus, the application controller 860 may
potentially affect an amount of Cr in play for participation in the
wagering events of a wagering proposition provided by the wager
controller. The application controller 860 may additionally include
various audit logs and activity meters. In some embodiments, the
application controller 860 can also couple to a centralized server
for exchanging various data related to the user and the activities
of the user during game play of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system.
[0255] In some embodiments, the operation of the application
controller 860 does not affect the provision of a wagering
proposition by a wager controller except for user choice parameters
that are allowable in accordance with the wagering proposition.
Examples of user choice parameters include, but are not limited to:
wager terms such as but not limited to a wager amount; speed of
game play (for example, by pressing a button or pulling a handle of
a slot machine); and/or agreement to wager into a bonus round.
[0256] In a number of embodiments, communication of wager execution
commands between a wager controller and the application controller
860 can further be used to communicate various wagering control
factors that the wager controller uses as input. Examples of
wagering control factors include, but are not limited to, an amount
of Cr, AC, interactive elements, or objects consumed per wagering
event, and/or the user's election to enter a jackpot round.
[0257] In some embodiments, the application controller 860 utilizes
a wagering user interface to communicate certain interactive
application data to the user, including but not limited to, club
points, user status, control of the selection of user choices, and
messages which a user can find useful in order to adjust the
interactive application experience or understand the wagering
status of the user in accordance with the wagering proposition in
the wager controller.
[0258] In some embodiments, the application controller 860 utilizes
a wagering user interface to communicate aspects of a wagering
proposition to the user including, but not limited to, odds of
certain wager outcomes, amount of Cr, AC, interactive elements, or
objects in play, and amounts of Cr, AC, interactive elements, or
objects available.
[0259] In a number of embodiments, a wager controller can accept
wager proposition factors including, but not limited to,
modifications in the amount of Cr, AC, interactive elements, or
objects wagered on each individual wagering event, a number of
wagering events per minute the wager controller can resolve,
entrance into a bonus round, and other factors. In several
embodiments, the application controller 860 can communicate a
number of factors back and forth to the wager controller, such that
an increase/decrease in a wagered amount can be related to the
change in user profile of the user in the interactive application.
In this manner, a user can control a wager amount per wagering
event in accordance with the wagering proposition with the change
mapping to a parameter or component that is applicable to the
interactive application experience.
[0260] Referring now to FIG. 6B, application controller 860
includes a bus 861 providing an interface for one or more
processors 863, random access memory (RAM) 864, read only memory
(ROM) 865, machine-readable storage medium 866, one or more user
output devices 867, one or more user input devices 868, and one or
more communication interface and/or network interface devices
869.
[0261] The one or more processors 863 may take many forms, such as,
but not limited to: a central processing unit (CPU); a
multi-processor unit (MPU); an ARM processor; a programmable logic
device; or the like.
[0262] Examples of output devices 867 include, include, but are not
limited to: display screens; light panels; and/or lighted displays.
In accordance with particular embodiments, the one or more
processors 863 are operatively connected to audio output devices
such as, but not limited to: speakers; and/or sound amplifiers. In
accordance with many of these embodiments, the one or more
processors 863 are operatively connected to tactile output devices
like vibrators, and/or manipulators.
[0263] In the example embodiment, the one or more processors 863
and the random access memory (RAM) 864 form a application
controller processing unit 870. In some embodiments, the
application controller processing unit includes one or more
processors operatively connected to one or more of a RAM, ROM, and
machine-readable storage medium; the one or more processors of the
application controller processing unit receive instructions stored
by the one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage
medium via a bus; and the one or more processors execute the
received instructions. In some embodiments, the application
controller processing unit is an ASIC (Application-Specific
Integrated Circuit). In some embodiments, the application
controller processing unit is a SoC (System-on-Chip).
[0264] Examples of user input devices 868 include, but are not
limited to: tactile devices including but not limited to,
keyboards, keypads, foot pads, touch screens, and/or trackballs;
non-contact devices such as audio input devices; motion sensors and
motion capture devices that the application controller can use to
receive inputs from a user when the user interacts with the
application controller 860.
[0265] The one or more communication interface and/or network
interface devices 869 provide one or more wired or wireless
interfaces for exchanging data and commands between the application
controller 860 and other devices that may be included in a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system. Such wired and wireless
interfaces include, but are not limited to: a Universal Serial Bus
(USB) interface; a Bluetooth interface; a Wi-Fi interface; an
Ethernet interface; a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface; a
plain old telephone system (POTS), cellular, or satellite telephone
network interface; and the like.
[0266] The machine-readable storage medium 866 stores
machine-executable instructions for various components of the
application controller 860 such as, but not limited to: an
operating system 871; one or more applications 872; one or more
device drivers 873; and pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system
application controller instructions and data 874 for use by the one
or more processors 863 to provide the features of a application
controller as described herein.
[0267] In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium
870 is one of a (or a combination of two or more of) a hard drive,
a flash drive, a DVD, a CD, a flash storage, a solid state drive, a
ROM, an EIEPROM, and the like.
[0268] In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded
into memory 864 from the machine-readable storage medium 866, the
ROM 865 or any other storage location. The respective
machine-executable instructions are accessed by the one or more
processors 863 via the bus 861, and then executed by the one or
more processors 863. Data used by the one or more processors 863
are also stored in memory 864, and the one or more processors 863
access such data during execution of the machine-executable
instructions. Execution of the machine-executable instructions
causes the one or more processors 863 to control the application
controller 860 to provide the features of a pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system application controller as described herein.
[0269] Although the application controller 860 is described herein
as being constructed from or configured using one or more
processors and instructions stored and executed by hardware
components, the application controller can be composed of only
hardware components in accordance with other embodiments. In
addition, although the storage medium 866 is described as being
operatively connected to the one or more processors through a bus,
those skilled in the art of application controllers will understand
that the storage medium can include removable media such as, but
not limited to, a USB memory device, an optical CD ROM, magnetic
media such as tape and disks. Also, in some embodiments, the
storage medium 866 may be accessed by processor 863 through one of
the interfaces or using a communication link. Furthermore, any of
the user input devices or user output devices may be operatively
connected to the one or more processors 863 vione of the interfaces
or using a communication link.
[0270] In various embodiments, the application controller 860 may
be used to construct other components of a pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system as described herein.
[0271] In some embodiments, components of an interactive controller
and a application controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system may be constructed from or configured using a single device
using processes that communicate using an interprocess
communication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components
of an interactive controller and a application controller of a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system may communicate by passing
messages, parameters or the like.
[0272] FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams of a structure of a
session/management controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. A
session/management controller may be constructed from or configured
using one or more processing devices configured to perform the
operations of the session/management controller. In many
embodiments, a wager session can be constructed from or configured
using various types of processing devices including, but not
limited to, a mobile device such as a smartphone or the like, a
personal digital assistant, a wireless device such as a tablet
computer or the like, an electronic gaming machine, a personal
computer, a gaming console, a set-top box, a computing device, a
controller, a server, or the like.
[0273] Referring now to FIG. 7A, in various embodiments, a
session/management controller 1104, suitable for use as
session/management controller 150 of FIG. 1A, includes a user
management and session control module 1106 whose processes may
include, but are not limited to, registering users of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system, validating users of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system using user registration data, managing
various types of sessions for users of the pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system, and the like.
[0274] The session/management controller 1104 may further include a
datastore 1 storing user data used to manage user registration and
validation. The session/management controller 1104 may further
include a datastore 1110 storing session data used to manage one or
more sessions.
[0275] The various session/management controller components can
interface with each other via an internal bus 1112 and/or other
appropriate communication mechanism.
[0276] An interface 1114 allows the session/management controller
1104 to operatively connect to one or more external devices, such
as one or more application controllers, wager controllers and/or
interactive controllers as described herein. The interface provides
for receiving session telemetry data 1116 from the one more
external devices as described herein. The session telemetry data
includes, but is not limited to, amounts of AC earned by one or
more users, requests for entering into a session as described
herein, and telemetry data regarding the progress of one or more
users during a session. The interface 1114 may also provide for
communicating secession control data 1118 used to manage a session
as described herein.
[0277] In numerous embodiments, the interface between the
session/management controller and other systems/devices may be a
wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet. However, other
methods of communication may be used including, but not limited to,
a local area network (LAN), a universal serial bus (USB) interface,
and/or some other method by which two electronic devices could
communicate with each other.
[0278] During operation of the session/management controller, the
external system communicates session telemetry data to the
session/management controller. The session/management controller
receives the session telemetry data and uses the session telemetry
data to generate session control data as described herein. The
session/management controller communicates the session control data
to the external system.
[0279] Referring now to FIG. 7B, session/management controller 1104
includes a bus 1132 that provides an interface for one or more
processors 1134, random access memory (RAM) 1136, read only memory
(ROM) 1138, machine-readable storage medium 1140, one or more user
output devices 1142, one or more user input devices 1144, and one
or more communication interface and/or network interface devices
1146.
[0280] The one or more processors 1134 may take many forms, such
as, but not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a
multi-processor unit (MPU), an ARM processor, a controller, a
programmable logic device, or the like.
[0281] In the example embodiment, the one or more processors 1134
and the random access memory (RAM) 1136 form a session/management
controller processing unit 1199. In some embodiments, the
session/management controller processing unit includes one or more
processors operatively connected to one or more of a RAM, ROM, and
machine-readable storage medium; the one or more processors of the
session/management controller processing unit receive instructions
stored by the one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable
storage medium via a bus; and the one or more processors execute
the received instructions. In some embodiments, the
session/management controller processing unit is an ASIC
(Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). In some embodiments, the
session/management controller processing unit is a SoC
(System-on-Chip).
[0282] Examples of output devices 1142 include, but are not limited
to, display screens, light panels, and/or lighted displays. In
accordance with particular embodiments, the one or more processors
1134 are operatively connected to audio output devices such as, but
not limited to speakers, and/or sound amplifiers. In accordance
with many of these embodiments, the one or more processors 1134 are
operatively connected to tactile output devices like vibrators,
and/or manipulators.
[0283] Examples of user input devices 1144 include, but are not
limited to, tactile devices including but not limited to,
keyboards, keypads, touch screens, and/or trackballs; non-contact
devices such as audio input devices; motion sensors and motion
capture devices that the session/management controller can use to
receive inputs from a user when the user interacts with the
session/management controller 1104.
[0284] The one or more communication interface and/or network
interface devices 1146 provide one or more wired or wireless
interfaces for exchanging data and commands between the
session/management controller 1104 and other devices that may be
included in a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system. Such wired
and wireless interfaces include, but are not limited to: a
Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface; a Bluetooth interface; a
Wi-Fi interface; an Ethernet interface; a Near Field Communication
(NFC) interface; a plain old telephone system (POTS) interface; a
cellular or satellite telephone network interface; and the
like.
[0285] The machine-readable storage medium 1140 stores
machine-executable instructions for various components of a
session/management controller, such as but not limited to: an
operating system 1148; one or more application programs 1150; one
or more device drivers 1152; and pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system session/management controller instructions and data 1154 for
use by the one or more processors 1134 to provide the features of a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system session/management
controller as described herein.
[0286] In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium
1140 is one of a (or a combination of two or more of) a hard drive,
a flash drive, a DVD, a CD, a flash storage, a solid state drive, a
ROM, an EIEPROM, and the like.
[0287] In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded
into memory 736 from the machine-readable storage medium 1140, the
ROM 1138 or any other storage location. The respective
machine-executable instructions are accessed by the one or more
processors 1134 via the bus 1132, and then executed by the one or
more processors 1134. Data used by the one or more processors 1134
are also stored in memory 1136, and the one or more processors 1134
access such data during execution of the machine-executable
instructions. Execution of the machine-executable instructions
causes the one or more processors 1134 to control the
session/management controller 1104 to provide the features of a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system session/management
controller as described herein
[0288] Although the session/management controller 1104 is described
herein as being constructed from or configured using one or more
processors and machine-executable instructions stored and executed
by hardware components, the session/management controller can be
composed of only hardware components in accordance with other
embodiments. In addition, although the storage medium 1140 is
described as being operatively connected to the one or more
processors through a bus, those skilled in the art of processing
devices will understand that the storage medium can include
removable media such as, but not limited to, a USB memory device,
an optical CD ROM, magnetic media such as tape and disks. In some
embodiments, the storage medium 1140 can be accessed by the one or
more processors 1134 through one of the interfaces or using a
communication link. Furthermore, any of the user input devices or
user output devices can be operatively connected to the one or more
processors 1134 vione of the interfaces or using a communication
link.
[0289] In various embodiments, the session/management controller
1104 may be used to construct other components of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system as described herein.
[0290] In some embodiments, components of a session/management
controller and a application controller of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system may be constructed from or configured
using a single device using processes that communicate using an
interprocess communication protocol. In other such embodiments, the
components of a session/management controller and a application
controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system may
communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.
[0291] In some embodiments, components of a session/management
controller and a wager controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system may be constructed from or configured using a
single device using processes that communicate using an
interprocess communication protocol. In other such embodiments, the
components of a session/management controller and a application
controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system may
communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.
[0292] It should be understood that there may be many embodiments
of a session/management controller 1104 which could be possible,
including forms where many modules and components of the
session/management controller are located in various servers and
locations, so the foregoing is not meant to be exhaustive or all
inclusive, but rather provide data on various embodiments of a
session/management controller 1104.
[0293] In numerous embodiments, any of a wager controller, a
application controller, an interactive controller, or a
session/management controller as described herein can be
constructed from or configured using multiple processing devices,
whether dedicated, shared, or distributed in any combination
thereof, or can be constructed from or configured using a single
processing device. In addition, while certain aspects and features
of pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system processes described
herein have been attributed to a wager controller, a application
controller, an interactive controller, or a session/management
controller, these aspects and features can be provided in a
distributed form where any of the features or aspects can be
provided by any of a session/management controller, a wager
controller, a application controller, and/or an interactive
controller within a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system without
deviating from the spirit of the invention.
[0294] Although various components of pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering systems are discussed herein, pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering systems can be configured with any component as
appropriate to the specification of a specific application in
accordance with embodiments of the invention. In certain
embodiments, components of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system, such as a session/management controller, a application
controller, a wager controller, and/or an interactive controller,
can be configured in different ways for a specific pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system.
[0295] In some embodiments, components of a session/management
controller, an interactive controller, a application controller,
and/or a wager controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system may be constructed from or configured using a single device
using processes that communicate using an interprocess
communication protocol. In many embodiments, the components of a
session/management controller, an interactive controller, a
application controller and a wager controller of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system may communicate by passing messages,
parameters or the like.
[0296] In addition, while certain aspects and features of
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system processes described herein
have been attributed to a session/management controller, a wager
controller, a application controller, or an interactive controller,
these aspects and features can be provided in a distributed form
where any of the features or aspects can be provided by any of a
session/management controller, a wager controller, a application
controller, and/or an interactive controller within a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system.
Operation of Pari-Mutuel Interleaved Wagering Systems
[0297] FIG. 8A is a sequence diagram of interactions between
components of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system for a
wagering session in accordance with various embodiments of the
invention. The components of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system include a wager controller 902, such as wager controller 102
of FIG. 1A, a application controller 904, such as application
controller 112 of FIG. 1A, an interactive controller 906, such as
interactive controller 120 of FIG. 1A, and a credit processing
system, such as a credit processing system of FIG. 1A. At a
beginning of the wagering session, the process includes a credit
input to the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system with wager
controller 902 communicating with the credit processing system to
receive incoming credit. The wager controller 902 uses the incoming
credit data to transfer credits onto one or more credit meters
associated with one or more users of the pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system, thus transferring credits into the pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system and on to the one or more credit
meters. The interactive controller 906 detects a user performing a
user interaction in an application interface of an interactive
application provided by the interactive controller 906. The
interactive controller 906 communicates application telemetry data
908 to the application controller 904. The application telemetry
data includes, but is not limited to, the user interaction detected
by the interactive controller 906.
[0298] The application controller 904 receives the application
telemetry data 908. Upon determination by the application
controller 904 that the user interaction indicates a wagering
event, the application controller 904 generates wager execution
commands including a wager request 912 that the application
controller 904 uses to command the wager controller 902 to execute
a wager. The request for a wager event may include wager terms
associated with a wagering proposition. The application controller
904 communicates the wager execution commands to the wager
controller 902.
[0299] The wager controller 902 receives the wager execution
commands 912 and uses the wager execution commands to execute 913 a
wager in accordance with a wagering proposition. The wager
controller 902 updates 919 the one or more credit meters associated
with the one or more users based on a wager outcome of the executed
wagers. The wager controller 902 communicates data of the wager
outcome 914 of the executed wager to the application controller
904.
[0300] The application controller 904 receives the wager outcome
and generates 915 interactive application instruction and resource
data 916 for the interactive application. The application
controller 904 uses the interactive application instruction and
resource data 916 to command the interactive controller. The
application controller communicates the interactive application
instruction and resource data 916 to the interactive controller
906. The application controller also communicates wagering
telemetry data 920 including the wager outcome to the interactive
controller 906.
[0301] The interactive controller 906 receives the interactive
application instruction and resource data 916 and wagering
telemetry data 918. The interactive controller 906 incorporates the
received interactive application resources and executes the
received interactive application commands 918. The interactive
controller updates 922 an application interface of the interactive
application provided by the interactive controller using the
interactive application commands and the resources, and updates 922
a wagering user interface using the wagering telemetry data.
[0302] Upon determining that the wagering session is completed,
such as by receiving a cashout communication from one or more users
of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system, the wager
controller 902 transfers credits off of the one or more credit
meters, generates outgoing credit data on the basis of the credits
transferred off of the one or more credit meters, and communicates
the outgoing credit data to the credit processing system. The
credit processing system receives the outgoing credit data and
generates a credit output as described herein, thus transferring
credits off of the one or more credit meters and out of the
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system.
[0303] In accordance with various embodiments of the invention, the
components of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system include a
wager controller, such as wager controller 102 of FIG. 1A, a
application controller, such as application controller 112 of FIG.
1A, an interactive controller, such as interactive controller 120
of FIG. 1A, and a credit processing system, such as a credit
processing system of FIG. 1A. At a beginning of the wagering
session, the process includes a credit input to the pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system with wager controller communicating
with the credit processing system to receive incoming credit data.
The application controller receives an application credit input to
the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system with application
controller communicating with the credit processing system to
receive incoming application credit data.
[0304] The wager controller uses the incoming credit data to
transfer credits onto one or more credit meters associated with one
or more users of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system, thus
transferring credits into the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system and on to the one or more credit meters. The application
controller uses the incoming application credit data to transfer
credits onto one or more application credit meters associated with
the one or more users of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system, thus transferring application credits into the pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system and on to the one or more application
credit meters.
[0305] The interactive controller detects a user performing a user
interaction in an application interface of an interactive
application provided by the interactive controller. The interactive
controller communicates application telemetry data to the
application controller. The application telemetry data includes,
but is not limited to, data of the user interaction detected by the
interactive controller.
[0306] The application controller receives the application
telemetry data. The application controller determines, based on the
application telemetry data whether or not the user interaction
indicates a wager event. Upon determination by the application
controller that the user interaction indicates a wagering event,
the application controller generates wager execution command data
including a wager request that the application controller uses to
command the wager controller to execute a wager. The request for a
wager event may include wager terms associated with a wagering
proposition. The application controller communicates the wager
execution command data to the wager controller.
[0307] The wager controller receives the wager execution command
data and uses the wager execution commands to execute a wager in
accordance with a wagering proposition. The wager controller
updates the one or more credit meters associated with the one or
more users based on a wager outcome of the executed wagers. The
wager controller communicates data of the wager outcome of the
executed wager to the application controller.
[0308] The application controller receives the wager outcome data
and generates interactive application instruction data, interactive
application resource data, and application credit data for the
interactive application based in part on the wager outcome data and
the application telemetry data. The application controller uses the
application credit data to update the one or more application
credit meters. The application controller uses the interactive
application instruction data and interactive application resource
data to command the interactive controller. The application
controller communicates the interactive application instruction
data, interactive application resource data, and application credit
data to the interactive controller. The application controller
communicates wagering telemetry data including the wager outcome
data to the interactive controller.
[0309] The interactive controller receives the interactive
application instruction data, interactive application resource
data, application credit data and the wagering telemetry data. The
interactive controller incorporates the received interactive
application resources and executes the received interactive
application commands. The interactive controller updates a user
interface of the interactive application provided by the
interactive controller using the interactive application command
data, the interactive application resource data, and the
application credit data, and updates a wagering user interface of
the interactive controller using the wagering telemetry data.
[0310] Upon determining that the wagering session is completed,
such as by receiving a cashout communication from one or more users
of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system, the application
controller transfers application credits off of the one or more
application credit meters, generates outgoing application credit
data on the basis of the application credits transferred off of the
one or more application credit meters, and communicates the
outgoing application credit data to the credit processing system.
The credit processing system receives the outgoing application
credit data and generates a credit output for the application
credits as described herein, thus transferring application credits
off of the one or more application credit meters and out of the
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system. The wager controller
transfers credits off of the one or more credit meters, generates
outgoing credit data 955 on the basis of the credits transferred
off of the one or more credit meters, and communicates the outgoing
credit data to the credit processing system. The credit processing
system receives the outgoing credit data and generates a credit
output as described herein, thus transferring credits off of the
one or more credit meters and out of the pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system.
[0311] FIG. 9 is a collaboration diagram that illustrates how
resources such as application credits (AC), credits (Cr),
interactive elements, and objects are utilized in a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments
of the invention. In several embodiments, a user can interact with
a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system by using Cr for wagering
in accordance with a wagering proposition along with AC and
interactive elements in interactions with an interactive
application. Wagering can be executed by a wager controller while
an interactive application can be executed by an interactive
controller and managed with a application controller. The
collaboration diagram illustrates that Cr, interactive application
resources including interactive elements and objects 1004 and AC
1006 can be utilized by a user 1008 in interactions with a wager
controller 1010, such as wager controller 102 of FIG. 1A, a
application controller 1012, such as wager controller 112 of FIG.
1, and an interactive controller 1014, such as interactive
controller 120 of FIG. 1A, of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system. The contribution of interactive elements and objects such
as included in resources 1004, can be linked to a user's access to
credits, such as Cr and/or AC 1006. Electronic receipt of these
credits can come via a smart card, voucher or other portable media,
or as received using a communication link from a server. In some
embodiments, these credits can be drawn on demand from a user
profile located in a database locally on a pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system or in a remote server.
[0312] A user's actions and/or decisions can affect an interactive
application of interactive controller 1014 that consume and/or
accumulate AC 1006 and/or resources 1004 in an interactive
application executed by an interactive controller 1014, a wager
controller 101 and a application controller 1012. The application
controller 1012 can monitor the activities taking place within an
interactive application executed by an interactive controller 1014
for wagering event occurrences. The application controller 1012 can
also communicate the wagering event occurrences to the wager
controller 1010 that triggers a wager of Cr in accordance with a
wagering proposition executed by the wager controller 1010. The
wager controller generates one or more wager outcomes using an
abstraction module 1011 and one or more pari-mutuel gambling
outcomes received from a pari-mutuel server 1020 that correspond to
one or more pari-mutuel wagering events 1022.
[0313] In several embodiments, the user commences interaction with
the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system by contributing credit
to a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system such as, but not
limited to, Cr that may be credit in a real currency or may be
credit in a virtual currency that is not fungible with a real
currency, AC 1006 that may be application environment credits, and
specified types of interactive application interactive elements
and/or objects 1004. One or more of these contributions may be
provided directly as currency and/or transferred in electronically.
Electronic transfer may come via a smart card, voucher or other
portable media, or as transferred in using a communication link
from a user data server or pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system
session/management controller. In many embodiments, contributions
may be drawn on demand from user accounts located in servers
residing on the network or in the cloud on a real time basis as the
credits, interactive elements and/or object are committed or
consumed by the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system. Generally,
Cr is utilized and accounted for by the wager controller 1010; and
the resources 1004 and AC 1006 are utilized and accounted for by
the application controller 1012 and/or the interactive controller
1014.
[0314] The pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system receives (a)
credits Cr from a credit processing system. In some embodiments,
the credit processing system also provides AC 1006 to the
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system. The user interacts with an
interactive application provided by the interactive controller 1014
with the interaction representing an action by the user within the
context of the interactive application. The interactive controller
1014 receives the user interaction and communicates (b) the
interaction to the application controller 1012. The application
controller 1012 receives the interaction and determines from the
interaction whether or not a wager should be triggered. If a wager
should be triggered, the application controller 1012 commands (c)
the wager controller 1010 to execute a wager in accordance with a
wagering proposition associated with the interaction and thereby
triggers a wager. The wager controller receives the wager execution
commands and executes the wager in accordance with the wagering
proposition, and consumes (d) an appropriate amount of Cr for the
wager. The wager controller 1010 adjusts (e) the Cr based upon a
wager outcome of the wager and communicates (f) the wager outcome
to the application controller 1012 as to the outcome of the wager
triggered by the application controller 1012. The application
controller 1012 receives the wager outcome. The application
controller determines what resources 1004 should be provided to the
interactive controller, generates the resources 1004 and
application commands and commands (g) the interactive controller
1014 using the resources 1004 and application commands. The
interactive controller receives the resources 1004 and application
commands from the application controller 1012 and integrates them
into the execution of the interactive application provided by the
interactive controller 1014.
[0315] In some embodiments, the application controller 1012
communicates (h) data about the wager outcome to the interactive
controller. The interactive controller receives the wager outcome
and displays the wager outcome to the user 1008.
[0316] In some embodiments, the application controller 1012
determines what resources and commands to provide to the
interactive controller 1014 for use by the interactive application
provided by the interactive controller 1014 partially on the basis
of the wager outcome. In some such embodiments, resources are
provided in a case that the wager was a winning wager for the user.
In other such embodiments, fewer or no resources are provided in a
case of a losing wager.
[0317] In some embodiments, the application controller 1012
determines what resources to provide based on internal logic of the
application controller 1012. In some such embodiments, the
application controller 1012 employs a random result generator, such
as a random number generator, to generate a random result and the
random result is used to determine what resources are provided to
the interactive controller 1014.
[0318] In several embodiments, the application controller 1012
determines an increment or a decrement of an amount of AC 1006
using the interactions received from the interactive controller.
The increment or decremented amount is communicated (i) to the
interactive controller for display to the user.
[0319] In some embodiments, the application controller 1012
executes a wager of Cr as a virtual currency, AC, interactive
elements or objects. In some such embodiments, the application
controller 1012 employs a random result generator, such as a random
number generator, to generate a random result and the random result
is used to determine a wager outcome in Cr as a virtual currency,
AC, interactive elements or objects.
[0320] The following is description of an embodiment of the
described collaboration where an interactive application provided
by an interactive controller of a pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system is a first person shooter game. The process begins by a user
selecting a machine gun to use in the game and then fires a burst
of bullets at an opponent. The interactive controller can
communicate to the application controller of the user's choice of
weapon, that a burst of bullets was fired, and/or the outcome of
the burst. The application controller communicates to the wager
controller that 3 credits (Cr) are to be wagered on the outcome of
a wagering event to match the three bullets consumed. The wager
controller then performs the wagering event and determines the
result of the wager and may determine the winnings from a paytable.
The wager controller consumes 3 credits of Cr for the wager and
executes the specified wager. By way of example, the wager
controller may determine that the user hit a jackpot of 6 credits
and returns the 6 credits to the Cr and communicates to the
application controller that 3 net credits were won by the user.
[0321] The application controller communicates to the interactive
controller to add 3 bullets to an ammunition clip. The interactive
controller adds 3 bullets back to the ammo clip. The ammunition may
be added by directly adding the ammunition to the clip or by
allowing the user to find extra ammunition during use. The
application controller logs the new user score (AC) in the game (as
a function of the successful hit on the opponent) based on the
interactive controller communication, and adds 2 extra points to
the user score since a jackpot has been won. The application
controller then adds 10 points to the user score (AC) given the
success of the hit which in this example is worth 8 points, plus
the 2 extra point. Note that this example is only intended to
provide an illustration of how credits flow in a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system, but is not intended to be exhaustive
and only lists only one of numerous possibilities of how a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system may be configured to manage
its fundamental credits.
[0322] In many embodiments, session/management controller 1020,
such as user account controller 150 of FIG. 1A, of a pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system is used to store AC for use of the
user. In such an embodiment, AC is generated by the application
controller based on the user's use of the pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system and an amount of the AC is communicated to the
session/management controller 1020. The session/management
controller stores the amount of AC between sessions. In some
embodiments, the session/management controller communicates an
amount of AC to the application controller at the start of a
session for use by the user during a session.
[0323] When wagering is complete, the pari-mutuel interleaved
wagering system transfers (k) Cr off of the one or more credit
meters and out of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system using
the credit processing system. In some embodiments, the pari-mutuel
interleaved wagering system transfers AC 1006 off of the one or
more credit meters and out of the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system using the credit processing system 1016.
[0324] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a wagering process of a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system that incorporates an
abstraction module in accordance with various embodiments of the
invention. Specifically, the pari-mutuel interleaved wagering
system generates an interactive application that allows users to
place wagers through a thematic graphical interface and then
generate a reveal of wagering outcomes generated from pari-mutuel
gambling outcomes.
[0325] In an embodiment, a wagering process starts 1200 with an
interactive application of an interactive process device
communicating application telemetry data to a application
controller and wager controller having an abstraction module. The
abstraction module queries 1202 a pari-mutuel server for wagering
parameters 1202. The wagering parameters associated with whatever
wagering event forms the basis of the pari-mutuel betting pool of
the pari-mutuel server at the time of the query are communicated to
the abstraction module. The wager controller, using the abstraction
controller, generates 1206 wager propositions in accordance with
the type of wagering event associated with the pari-mutuel server.
A application controller receives the wagers of wager propositions
and generates 1208 graphical display elements to be used in
thematic graphical display depicting wagering propositions
available to the user and communicates the graphical display
elements as application resources to the interactive application of
the interactive process device. The interactive application uses
the application resources to display the thematic graphical display
to the user and receives 1210 from the user a placement of a wager
in accordance a wager proposition depicted in the thematic
graphical display. The interactive application transmits data of
the placed wager to the abstraction module and the abstraction
module communicates 1212 data of the placed wager to the
pari-mutuel server.
[0326] When the pari-mutuel wagering event transpires 1214, the
pari-mutuel gambling outcomes are communicated 1216 by the
pari-mutuel server to the abstraction module of the wager
controller. The abstraction module receives the pari-mutuel
gambling outcomes and generates wager outcomes using the
pari-mutuel gambling outcomes and communicates the wager outcomes
to the application controller. The application controller receives
the wager outcomes and generates 1218 interactive application
resources and events using the wager outcomes and communicates the
application resources and events to interactive application of the
interactive process device. The interactive process device receives
the application resources and the interactive application uses them
to generate an interactive display for a user as described herein.
At an end of a wagering session of one or more wagers being placed,
the interactive application 1220 ends.
[0327] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a wager abstraction process of a
pari-mutuel interleaved wagering system that incorporates an
abstraction module in accordance with various embodiments of the
invention. At a start 1300 of a wagering process in conjunction
with execution of an interactive application, an abstraction module
queries a pari-mutuel server for wagering parameters and receives
1302 one or more wagering options for wagers that may be placed
with the pari-mutuel server for one or more pari-mutuel wagering
events. The abstraction module communicates the one or more wager
options to a application controller. The application controller
receives the wager options and for each of the one or more wagers,
1304a, 1304b and 1304c, the application controller determines,
1306a, 1306b and 1306c, for each wagering option thematically
consistent graphical elements of a user interface for placing a
wager. The application controller uses the graphical elements to
generate, 1308a, 1308b, and 1308c, a thematic graphical display and
communicates the thematic graphical display to the interactive
application as application resources. The interactive application
receives the application resources and uses them to generate the
thematic graphical display for the user to place a wager.
Accordingly, the abstraction module operating within the wagering
controller translates pari-mutuel wagering event parameters, such
as odds, into a context appropriate for the interactive
application.
[0328] In an example embodiment, if the pari-mutuel wagering is
associated with a horse racing event, the abstraction module
receives the current line on the horses for an upcoming race. The
odds for that event would be isolated by the abstraction module.
The underlying pari-mutuel event would then be applied within the
interactive application available to the user in context that was
consistent with a theme of the interactive application.
[0329] In an example embodiment, wherein the interactive
application is a strategy game that requires the colonization of
planets, the abstraction module receives as part of the pari-mutuel
wagering parameters the information about the current line for the
underlying pari-mutuel event. The current line is then translated
into expected payouts for successfully colonizing certain planets.
The graphical display showing which planets may be selected for
colonization would be generated by the interactive application. The
user would then allocate colonists for one or more planets finalize
the selection, thus initiating one or more wagers.
[0330] In various embodiments, after the abstraction module
provides the expected payout information to the interactive
application, the user is provided a graphical display showing the
various options available. The time during which the options are
available may be limited. The information regarding the wagering
options and the time in which the user may place a wager is
generated by the interactive application.
[0331] In many embodiments, the wagering information is
communicated by the user through the interactive process device to
the abstraction module via the application controller. The
interactive process device communicates with the application
controller and creates the wagering information. The application
controller provides the information to the abstraction module would
then place the wagers on the user's behalf on the upcoming
event.
[0332] In some embodiments, after the pari-mutuel wager has been
placed, the abstraction module monitors the pari-mutuel server.
This may occur by the abstraction module querying the pari-mutuel
server at specific times, in regular intervals, or through a
dynamic updating system. In some embodiments, the user may request
a real-time query by the abstraction module to the pari-mutuel
server through an option available in the interactive process
device.
[0333] In may embodiments, once the pari-mutuel gambling outcomes
are available, the abstraction module would receive the pari-mutuel
gambling outcomes from the pari-mutuel server. The pari-mutuel
gambling outcomes are communicated by the abstraction module to the
interactive application which would translate the pari-mutuel
gambling outcomes into wager outcomes within the context of the
interactive application. Once these wager outcomes are defined, the
wager outcomes are associated with a database within the
application controller which then generates the graphical display
available for each result. In an example embodiment, wherein the
interactive application is a strategy game of planet colonization,
the user would receive information about the success or failures of
the colonists where the progress is associated with the wager
outcomes.
[0334] In some embodiments, not all events within the interactive
application must be associated with pari-mutuel events. Different
events within the interactive application may be associated with
different pari-mutuel events, such as separate horse races.
Additionally, there may be activity within the interactive
application that operates independently of the activity associated
with gambling outcomes. After the wager has been placed, the
interactive application may continue with other activities or
events. In an example embodiment, wherein the interactive
application is a strategy game of planet colonization, while some
planets or colonies may be associated with a pari-mutuel event,
other planets may be associated with other pari-mutuel events,
non-pari-mutuel wagers, or a random number generator associated
with the interactive application. Thus, while the interactive
application must receive information from the abstraction module to
resolve specific wagers and thus interactive application events,
the interactive application itself may continue without pause.
[0335] In some embodiments, there may be a plurality of wagering
outcomes associated with a single pari-mutuel gambling outcome or
pari-mutuel wagering event. The system may apply the results at the
same time within the interactive application. Alternatively, the
abstraction module may provide a queue of results available to the
interactive application that can be used to resolve events within
the interactive application. The order in which wagers results are
revealed may be randomized.
[0336] In some embodiments, a user may terminate their use of the
interactive application after placing a wager, but before the
pari-mutuel event is resolved. There are different ways that the
system may determine the results of the action. In some example
embodiments, a pari-mutuel wagering pool may not be finalized after
the wager is placed, and in some instances it may be possible to
cancel the wagers and refund the currency expended. In some
embodiments, the user may be required to pay a penalty or other fee
to cancel the wager.
[0337] In another embodiment, if the user terminates the
interactive application prior to the resolution of the pari-mutuel
event, the user may be provided with information regarding the
wagers placed external to the interactive application. For example,
if the user ends the session within the interactive application,
this is communicated by the interactive process device to the
application controller. The application controller then notifies
the wagering controller and the abstraction module may provide
betting slips, either virtual or printed, that allow the user to
claim any wagering results after the pari-mutuel event is resolved.
The user will receive any credits that had not yet been resolved
within the pari-mutuel server, but is not awarded any of the
interactive application resources that may have been associated
with the unresolved gambling outcomes.
[0338] In some embodiments, a user interface includes a plurality
of interactive application resources that may be awarded by the
application controller. These resources include interactive
application components that may be used within a session. These
resources further include the awarding of GWC coupled with the
reveal of a gambling result in the interactive application.
[0339] In some embodiments, the interactive application may use an
RPG style graphical interface. The user may take an action within
the interactive application such as choosing a specific location to
visit. This action would trigger a wager which would be
communicated to the wagering controller. After a period of time
during which the user travels within the interactive application,
the pari-mutuel event may be resolved. Then the wager outcomes are
revealed to the user within the context of the RPG application
without the user taking further action.
[0340] While the above description may include many specific
embodiments of the invention, these should not be construed as
limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as examples
of embodiments thereof. It is therefore to be understood that the
invention can be practiced otherwise than specifically described,
without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Thus,
embodiments of the invention described herein should be considered
in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.
* * * * *