Gaming machine system with shared display of game events

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing shared display of game events between a gaming machine and a secondary display server. Game events are initially displayed on a primary display of the gaming machine and, on the occurrence of a triggering event during play of the game on the gaming machine, a connection is established via a network protocol between the gaming machine and a secondary display server remotely located from the gaming machine. Display data is then transferred across the connection causing the game events to be displayed on the secondary display as well as the primary display.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 670,448 entitled Shared Display of Game Events, which was filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Apr. 12, 2005, the specification of which is hereby incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to electronic gaming machines and, more particularly, to gaming machines displaying certain game events on both a primary and secondary display. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Gaming machines such as mechanically driven slot machines have been a staple of the gaming and entertainment industries for years. With the advent of computers, electronic forms of gaming machines such as video slots, video bingo, video poker, video keno and video blackjack have emerged and become increasingly popular. Such electronic devices continue to grow in popularity with the development of enhanced computer...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the gaming machine includes at least one interface including a series of electromechanical buttons to control game events on the primary display of the gaming machine.

Problems solved by technology

With the recent growth in the electronic gaming machine market, competition between manufacturers to place their equipment in available venues has become fierce.

As such, in the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,567 the secondary game is common to all the gaming machines, which limits the variety of events on the display common to the gaming machines to entice spectators to become new players.

Such approaches are of minimal effectiveness to entice potential players to play the primary game and to continue to play for an extended period of time due to the limited exposure of the primary game that individual game devices offer spectators who represent potential players of the games.

Such limitations not only can lessen the effectiveness of attracting new players but can also lessen the effectiveness of retaining current players whose motivation and enthusiasm can be influenced by the viewing and reactions of spectators.

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