US20160358418A1 - Interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode - Google Patents

Abstract

An interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode is provided. The interleaved wagering system includes an interactive controller constructed to communicate with an application controller, a wager controller constructed to communicate with the application controller; and the application controller operatively connecting the interactive controller and the wager controller. The interactive controller is constructed to receive first interactive application interaction data from the interactive controller, determine a supplemental mode from the interactive application data, instruct the interactive controller to provide the supplementary mode to a user, receive second interactive application interactive data from the interactive controller. and determine a reward of an amount of credits to award to the user based on the second interactive application interactive data.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/171,653, filed Jun. 5, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• 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
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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
• Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention provide a communication and data processing system constructed for a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode.
• In an aspect of an embodiment of the invention, an 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.
• 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode to operate more efficiently over a large range of scaling.
• 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.
• 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.
• In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, data communicated between the controllers may be encrypted to increase security of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode.
• In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, an 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.
• 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 an 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.
• In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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 an application controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode are in a common location and communicate with an external wager controller. In some embodiments, an application controller and a wager controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode are in a common location and communicate with an external interactive controller. In many embodiments, an interactive controller, an application controller, and a wager controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode are located in a common location. In some embodiments, a session/management controller is located in a common location with an 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode is executed as a system in a virtualized space such as, but not limited to, where a wager controller and an 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode may communicate using a networking protocol or other type of device-to-device communications protocol.
• 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary modes can use.
• 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 an application controller across various interleaved wagering system with supplementary modes.
• 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.
• In another embodiment, an interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode is provided. The interleaved wagering system includes an interactive controller constructed to communicate with an application controller, a wager controller constructed to communicate with the application controller; and the application controller operatively connecting the interactive controller and the wager controller. The interactive controller is constructed to receive first interactive application interaction data from the interactive controller, determine a supplemental mode from the interactive application data, instruct the interactive controller to provide the supplementary mode to a user, receive second interactive application interactive data from the interactive controller. and determine a reward of an amount of credits to award to the user based on the second interactive application interactive data.
• In yet another embodiment, 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.
• In yet another embodiment, 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.
• In yet another embodiment, the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode includes 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.
• 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 a wager based on a communication received from the application controller; update the credit meter based on a 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.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1A is a diagram of a structure of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
• FIG. 1B is a diagram of an electronic gaming machine configuration of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
• FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D are illustrations of interactive controllers of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
• FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are diagrams of distributed interleaved wagering system with supplementary modes in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
• FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams of a structure of an interactive controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
• FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams of a structure of a wager controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
• FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams of a structure of an application controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
• FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams of a structure of a session/management controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
• FIG. 8A is a sequence diagram of interactions between components of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
• FIG. 8B is a sequence diagram of interactions between components of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
• FIG. 9 is a collaboration diagram for components of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
• FIG. 10 is a diagram of the structure of an interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
• FIG. 11 is a flow chart of interactions between components of an interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
• FIG. 12 is a flow chart of interactions between components of an interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• A interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode interleaves wagering with non-wagering activities. In some embodiments of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, an interactive application executed by an interactive controller provides non-wagering interactive components of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode. The interactive controller is operatively connected to an 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Many different types of interactive applications may be utilized with the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode. 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.
• 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.
• In some embodiments, the interactive application is a tool used to achieve some useful goal.
• 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.
• 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.
• In various embodiments, the wagers may be made using one or more credits (Cr).
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 an 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• In accordance with some embodiments of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode to automatically trigger a wager.
• In several embodiments, a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode can utilize an 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode can be controlled by the application controller based upon the wager outcome.
• 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode interactive application use, a result from a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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.
• In numerous embodiments, an interactive application instruction is an instruction by an 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 an 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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.
• In several embodiments, an application controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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.
• In some embodiments, asynchronous communications provided for by a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode may reduce an amount of idle waiting time by an interactive controller of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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.
• In some embodiments, a wager controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode.
• In some embodiments, a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode including an 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.
• In various embodiments, a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode including an 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.
• In some embodiments, a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode including an 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 random number generator 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 random number processing.
• In various embodiments, a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode including an 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.
• In some embodiments, a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode including an 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. An application controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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.
Wagering Interleaved Systems
• FIG. 1A is a diagram of a structure of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. The interleaved wagering system withsupplementary mode128 includes aninteractive controller120, anapplication controller112, and awager controller102. Theinteractive controller120 is operatively connected to, and communicates with, theapplication controller112. Theapplication controller112 is also operatively connected to, and communicates with, thewager controller102.
• In some embodiments, a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode includes a session/management controller150 operatively connected to one or more other components of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode.
• In many embodiments, a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode includes acredit processing system198 operatively connected to one or more other components of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode.
• In various embodiments, thewager controller102 includes one or more interfaces, such asinterfaces168,169 and190, that operatively connect thewager controller102 to one or more session management servers, such as session/management controller150, to one or more application controllers, such asapplication controller112, and/or to acredit processing system198, by their respective interfaces.
• In some embodiments, one or more of the wager controller interfaces implement a wager controller interprocess communication protocol so that thewager controller102 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• In several embodiments, thewager controller102 is a controller for providing one or more wagering propositions provided by the interleaved wagering system withsupplementary mode128 and automatically executes wagers in accordance with the wagering propositions as instructed by theapplication controller112. 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.
• In many embodiments, thewager controller102 includes one or more random number generators (RNG)106 for generating random results, one or more paytables108 for determining a wager outcome from the random results, and one ormore credit meters110 for storing data about amounts of stored, wagered and won credits.
• In several embodiments, thewager controller102 is operatively connected to thecredit processing system198 viainterface190. Thewager controller102 communicates with thecredit processing system198 to receiveincoming credit data194 from thecredit processing system198. Thewager controller102 uses theincoming credit data194 to transfer credits into the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode and onto the one ormore credit meters110. Thewager controller102 communicatesoutgoing credit data192 to thecredit processing system198 to transfer credits off of the one ormore credit meters110 and out of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode.
• In many embodiments, thecredit processing system198 includes one or more credit input devices for generatingincoming credit data192 from a credit input. Credit inputs can include, but are not limited to, credit items used to transfer credits. Theincoming credit data194 are communicated to thewager controller102. 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.
• In various embodiments, thecredit processing system198 includes one or more credit output devices for generating a credit output based onoutgoing credit data192 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.
• In some embodiments, thecredit processing system198 are operatively connected to, and communicate with, a TITO controller or the like to determineincoming credit data194 representing amounts of credits to be transferred into the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode and to determineoutgoing credit data192 representing amounts of credits to be transferred out of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode. In operation, thecredit processing system198 communicate 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. Thecredit processing system198 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 thecredit processing system198, and thus to thewager controller102 of the interleaved wagering system withsupplementary mode128. The TITO controller communicates the amount of credits to thecredit processing system198. Thecredit processing system198 communicates the amount of credits asincoming credit data194 to thewager controller102 and thewager controller102 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 interleaved wagering system withsupplementary mode128.
• In many embodiments, thecredit processing system198 includes a bill validator/ticket scanner as one of the one or more credit input devices. Thecredit processing system198 communicates with the bill validator/ticket scanner to scan currency used as a credit input to determine an amount of credits asincoming credit data194 to transfer credit to one ormore credit meters110 associated with one or more users. Thewager controller102 credits the one ormore credit meters110 with the amount of credits so that the credits can be used when a user makes wagers using the interleaved wagering system withsupplementary mode128.
• In some embodiments, thecredit processing system198 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, thecredit processing system198 communicates, asoutgoing credit data192, 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 thecredit processing system198. Thecredit processing system198 uses the ticket or voucher printer to print indicia of the credit account data onto a TITO ticket as a credit output.
• In various embodiments, thecredit processing system198 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 generatingincoming credit data194 as a credit input andoutgoing credit data192 as a credit output.
• In several embodiments, during operation, thewager controller102 communicates with thecredit processing system198 to receiveincoming credit data194 from thecredit processing system198 and adds credits onto the one ormore credit meters110 at least partially on the basis of theincoming credit data194. The one or morerandom number generators106 execute processes that generate random results. The wager controller uses the one or more paytables108 to map the random results to a wager outcome. Thewager controller102 adds credits to, or deducts credits from, the one ormore credit meters110 based in part on the wager outcome. For example, in some embodiments, thewager controller102 adds an amount of credits to the one ormore credit meters110 when the wager outcome indicates a win and deducts an amount of credits from the one ormore credit meters110 when the wager outcome indicates a loss or a partial win. At an end of a wagering session, thewager controller102 transfers credits off of the one ormore credit meters110 and out of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode by communicatingoutgoing credit data192 to thecredit processing system198.
• In various embodiments, thewager controller102 includes one or more paytables108. The one ormore paytables108 are used to implement one or more wagering propositions in conjunction with one or more random outputs of the one or more random number generators.
• In many embodiments, thewager controller102 generates random numbers by continuously generating pseudo random numbers using a pseudo random number generator. A most current pseudo random number is stored in a buffer thus constantly refreshing the buffer. In many embodiments, the buffer is refreshed at a rate exceeding 100 times per second. When thewager controller102 receives a request for a random outcome, thewager controller102 retrieves the stored most current pseudo random number from the buffer. As timing between requests for a random outcome is not deterministic, the resulting output from the buffer is a random number. The random number is used along with a paytable that the wager controller selects from the one or more paytables108. The selected paytable includes a mapping of values in a range of values of the random number to specified multipliers to be applied to an amount of credits to determine an amount of credits to be added to one or more credit meters associated with the wagering proposition. A multiplier is selected from the paytable based on the random number and the selected multiplier is used along with an amount of credits to determine a wager outcome as an amount of credits.
• 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode use and a type and amount of Cr, AC and/or interactive application objects wagered. A multiplier taken from the on ore more paytables108 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.
• In some embodiments, a range of the value of the random number is 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 the one or more paytables108. In one such embodiment, a random number is mapped to a virtual card of a deck of virtual cards. In another such embodiment, the random number is mapped to a virtual face of a virtual die. In yet another such embodiment, the random number is mapped to symbol of a virtual reel strip on a virtual reel slot machine. In yet another such embodiment, the random number is mapped to a pocket of a virtual roulette wheel. In some embodiments, two or more random numbers are mapped to appropriate symbols to represent a completed wagering proposition. In one such embodiment, two or more random numbers 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 random numbers are mapped to virtual cards from a virtual deck of cards without replacement. In yet another such embodiment, two or more random numbers are mapped to two or more virtual reel strips to create stop positions for a virtual multi-reel slot machine.
• 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 an 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.
• 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 an 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.
• In various embodiments, theinteractive controller120 executes aninteractive application143 and provides one or more user interface input andoutput devices103 so that a user can interact with theinteractive application143. 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. Theinteractive controller120 provides for user interactions with theinteractive application143 by executing theinteractive application143 that generates anapplication interface105 that utilizes the userinterface input devices103 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.
• 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 userinterface output devices103.
• Theinteractive controller120 is operatively connected to, and communicates with, theapplication controller112. The interactive controller communicatesapplication telemetry data124 to theapplication controller112 and receives application instruction andresource data136 from theapplication controller112. Via the communication of application instruction andresource data136, theapplication controller112 can control the processing of the interactive controller by communicating interactive application commands and resources including control parameters to theinteractive application143 during the interactive application's execution by theinteractive controller120.
• In some embodiments, during execution of theinteractive application143 by theinteractive controller120, theinteractive controller120 communicates, asapplication telemetry data124, user interactions with theapplication user interface105 of the interactive application to theapplication controller112. Theapplication telemetry data124 includes, but is not limited to, utilization of the interactive elements in theinteractive application143.
• In some embodiments, theinteractive application143 is a skill-based interactive application. In such embodiments, execution of the skill-basedinteractive application143 by theinteractive controller120 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-basedinteractive application143 during the user's skillful interaction with the skill-basedinteractive application143. In such an embodiment, theapplication controller112 communicates with theinteractive controller120 in order to allow the coupling of the skill-basedinteractive application143 to wagers made in accordance with a wagering proposition of thewager controller102.
• In some embodiments, theinteractive controller120 includes one ormore sensors138 that sense various aspects of the physical environment of theinteractive controller120. 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 data133 is communicated by the interactive controller to theapplication controller112 as part of theapplication telemetry data124. Theapplication controller112 receives thesensor telemetry data133 and uses the sensor telemetry data to make wager decisions.
• In many embodiments, theinteractive controller120 includes awagering user interface148 used to display wagering data, via one or more of the user interface input andoutput devices103, to one or more users.
• In various embodiments, anapplication control interface131 resident in theinteractive controller120 provides an interface between theinteractive controller120 and theapplication controller112.
• In some embodiments, theapplication control interface131 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, theapplication control interface131 provides application programming interfaces that are used by theinteractive processing application143 of theinteractive controller120 to communicate outgoing data and receive incoming data by passing parameter data to another process or application.
• In some embodiments, theapplication control interface131 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, theapplication control interface131 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, theapplication control interface131 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.
• In various embodiments, theapplication controller112 includes one or more interfaces,162,163 and164, that operatively connect theapplication controller112 to one or more interactive controllers, such asinteractive controller120, to one or more session management servers, such as session/management controller150, and/or to one or more wager controllers, such aswager controller102, respectively.
• In some embodiments, one or more of the application controller interfaces implement an 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.
• In some embodiments, one or more of the application controller interfaces implement an 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 an 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.
• In many embodiments,application controller112 provides an interface between theinteractive application143 provided by theinteractive controller120 and a wagering proposition provided by thewager controller102.
• Theapplication controller112 includes a rule-baseddecision engine122 that receives telemetry data, such asapplication telemetry data124 andsensor telemetry data133, from theinteractive controller120. The rule-baseddecision engine122 uses the telemetry data, along withwager logic126 to generate wager execution commands129 that are used by theapplication controller112 to command thewager controller102 to execute a wager. The wager execution command data is communicated by theapplication controller112 to thewager controller102. Thewager controller102 receives the wagerexecution command data129 and automatically executes a wager in accordance with the wagerexecution command data129.
• In an embodiment, theapplication telemetry data124 used by thedecision engine122 encodes data about the operation of theinteractive application143 executed by theinteractive controller120. In some embodiments, theapplication telemetry data124 encodes interactions of a user, such as a user's interaction with an interactive element of theinteractive application143. In many embodiments, theapplication telemetry data124 includes a state of theinteractive application143, such as values of variables that change as theinteractive application143 is executed. Thedecision engine122 includes one or more rules as part ofwager logic126 used by thedecision engine122 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 theapplication controller112 using thedecision engine122 to one or more variable values encoded in theapplication telemetry data124. Each rule also includes one or more actions that are to be taken if the pattern is matched. Actions can include automatically generating wagerexecution command data129 and communicating the wagerexecution command data129 to thewager controller102, thus commanding the wager controller to automatically execute a wager as described herein. During operation, thedecision engine122 receivesapplication telemetry data124 from theinteractive controller124 via interface160. Thedecision engine122 performs a matching process of matching the variable values encoded in theapplication telemetry data124 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 theapplication controller112 performs the action of the matched rule.
• In some embodiments, theapplication telemetry data124 includes, but is not limited to, application environment variables that indicate a state of theinteractive application143, interactive controller data indicating a state of theinteractive controller120, and interactions with theinteractive application143 during execution of theinteractive application143 by theinteractive controller120. The wagerexecution command data129 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.
• In some embodiments, theapplication controller112 receiveswager outcome data130 from thewager controller102. Thedecision engine122 uses thewager outcome data130, in conjunction with thetelemetry data124 andapplication logic132, to automatically generate interactive application instruction andresource data136 that theapplication controller112 communicates to theinteractive controller120 viainterfaces160 and131.
• In an embodiment, thewager outcome data130 used by a decision engine encodes data about the execution of a wager executed by thewager controller102. In some embodiments, thewager outcome data130 encodes values of variables including an amount of credits wagered, an amount of credits won and values of credits stored in the one ormore meters110 of the wager controller. In many embodiments, the wager outcome data includes a state of thewager controller102, such as values of variables that change as thewager controller102 executes wagers. Thedecision engine122 includes one or more rules as part ofapplication logic132 used by thedecision engine122 to automatically generate the interactive application instruction andresource data136 that is then communicated to theinteractive controller120. Each rule includes one or more variable values constituting a pattern that is to be matched to one or more variable values encoded in thewager outcome data130. Each rule also includes one or more actions that are to be automatically taken by theapplication controller112 if the pattern is matched. Actions can include automatically generating interactive application instruction andresource data136 and using the interactive application instruction andresource data136 to control theinteractive controller120 to affect execution of theinteractive application143 as described herein. During operation, theapplication controller112 receives thewager outcome data130 from thewager controller102 viainterface162. Theapplication controller112 uses thedecision engine122 to match the variable values encoded in the wager outcome data to one or more patterns of one or more rules of theapplication logic132. 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, theapplication controller112 uses theapplication telemetry data124 received from theinteractive controller120 in conjunction with thewager outcome data130 to generate the interactive application instruction andresource data136.
• The interactive controller receives the interactive application commands andresource data136 and automatically uses the interactive application instruction andresource data136 to configure and command the processes of theinteractive application143.
• In some embodiments, theinteractive application143 operates utilizing a scripting language. Theinteractive application143 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, theapplication controller112 automatically generates interactive application instruction andresource data136 in the form of scripts written in the scripting language that are communicated to theinteractive controller120 during execution of theinteractive application143. Theinteractive controller120 receives the scripts and passes them to theinteractive application143. Theinteractive application143 receives the scripts, parses the scripts and automatically executes the commands and sets the variable values as encoded in the scripts.
• In many embodiments, theinteractive application143 automatically performs processes as instructed by commands communicated from theapplication controller112. The commands command theinteractive application143 to perform specified operations such as executing specified commands and/or setting the values of variables utilized by theinteractive application143. In operation of such embodiments, theapplication controller112 automatically generates commands that are encoded into the interactive application instruction andresource data136 that are communicated to theinteractive controller120. Theinteractive controller120 passes the application instruction andresource data136 to theinteractive application143. 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 andresource data136.
• In many embodiments, theapplication controller112 includes a pseudo random or random result generator used to generate random results that are used by thedecision engine122 to generate portions of the interactive application instruction andresource data136.
• In various embodiments, theapplication controller112 uses the rule-baseddecision engine122 to automatically determine an amount of AC to award based at least in part on interactions with theinteractive application143 of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode as determined by theapplication controller112 from theapplication telemetry data124. In some embodiments, theapplication controller112 mays also use thewager outcome data130 to determine the amount of AC that should be awarded.
• In numerous embodiments, theinteractive application143 is a skill-based interactive application and the AC is awarded for skillful interaction with the interactive application.
• In some embodiments, the interactive application instruction andresource data136 are communicated to a wageringuser interface generator144. The wageringuser interface generator144 also receiveswager outcome data130. The application controller uses the wageringuser interface generator144, the interactive application instruction andresource data136 and thewager outcome data130 to automatically generate wager telemetry commands146 used by theapplication controller112 to command theinteractive controller120 to automatically generate awagering user interface148 describing a state of wagering and credit accumulation and loss for the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode. In some embodiments, thewager telemetry data146 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 thewager outcome data130 and the one ormore meters110.
• In some embodiments, thewager outcome data130 also includes data about one or more game states of a wagering proposition as executed by thewager controller102. In various such embodiments, the wageringuser interface generator144 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 thewager telemetry data146 that is communicated to theinteractive controller120. The wagering process display and/or wagering state display is automatically displayed by theinteractive controller120 using thewagering user interface148. In other such embodiments, the one or more states of the wagering proposition are communicated to theinteractive controller120 and theinteractive controller120 is instructed to automatically generate the wagering process display and/or wagering state display of thewagering user interface148 using the one or more states of the wagering proposition for display.
• In some embodiments, thewager outcome data130 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. In an example embodiment, 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.
• In some embodiments, theinteractive controller120 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 an 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.
• 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 an 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.
• 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 an 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.
• 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.
• In many embodiments, an 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.
• When a user interacts with thewagering user interface148, wagering userinterface telemetry data149 is generated by thewagering user interface148 and communicated by theinteractive controller120 to theapplication controller112 usinginterfaces131 and160.
• Theapplication controller112 can further operatively connect to thewager controller102 to determine an amount of credit or interactive elements available and other wagering metrics of a wagering proposition. Thus, theapplication controller112 may affect an amount of Cr in play for participation in the wagering events of a wagering proposition provided by thewager controller102 in some embodiments. Theapplication controller112 may additionally include various audit logs and activity meters. In some embodiments, theapplication controller112 can also couple to a centralized session and/ormanagement controller150 for exchanging various data related to the user and the activities of the user during game play of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode.
• In many embodiments, one or more users can be engaged in using theinteractive application143 executed by theinteractive controller120. In various embodiments, a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode can include aninteractive application143 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, theinteractive application143 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.
• In some embodiments, the operation of theapplication controller112 does not affect the provision of a wagering proposition by thewager controller102 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.
• In various embodiments,wager outcome data130 communicated from thewager controller102 can also be used to convey a status operation of thewager controller102.
• In a number of embodiments, communication of the wager execution commands129 between thewager controller102 and theapplication controller112 can further be used to communicate various wagering control factors that thewager controller102 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.
• In some embodiments, theapplication controller112 utilizes thewagering user interface148 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 thewager controller102.
• In some embodiments, theapplication controller112 utilizes thewagering user interface148 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.
• In a number of embodiments, thewager controller102 can accept wager proposition factors from theapplication controller112, 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 thewager controller102 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, thewager controller102 can communicate a number of factors back and forth to theapplication controller112, 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.
• In some embodiments, a session/management controller150 is used to regulate a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode session.
• In various embodiments, the session/management controller150 includes one or more interfaces,165,166 and167 that operatively connect the session/management controller150 to one or more interactive controllers, such asinteractive controller120, to one or more application controllers, such asapplication controller112, and/or to one or more wager controllers, such aswager controller102, through their respective interfaces.
• 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 an 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.
• 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.
• In various embodiments, theapplication controller112 communicatesoutgoing session data152 to the session/management controller. Thesession data152 may include, but is not limited to, user, interactive controller, application controller and wager controller data from theapplication controller112. The session/management controller150 uses the user, interactive controller, application controller and wager controller data to regulate a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode session.
• In some embodiments, the session/management controller150 may also assert control of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode session by communicatingsession control data154 to the application controller. Such control may include, but is not limited to, commanding theapplication controller112 to end a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode session, initiating wagering in a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode session, ending wagering in a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode session but not ending a user's use of the interactive application portion of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, and changing from real credit wagering in a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode to virtual credit wagering, or vice versa.
• In many embodiments, the session/management controller150 manages user profiles for a plurality of users. The session/management controller150 stores and manages data about users in order to provide authentication and authorization of users of the interleaved wagering system withsupplementary mode128. In some embodiments, the session/management controller150 also manages geolocation information to ensure that the interleaved wagering system withsupplementary mode128 is only used by users in jurisdictions were wagering is approved. In various embodiments, the session/management controller150 stores application credits that are associated with the user's use of the interactive application of the interleaved wagering system withsupplementary mode128.
• In some embodiments, the session/management controller150 communicates user andsession management data155 to the user using amanagement user interface157 of the interactive controller. The user140 interacts with themanagement user interface157 and the management user interface generatesmanagement telemetry data159 that is communicated to the session/management controller150.
• In some embodiments, thewager controller102 communicateswager session data153 to the session/management controller150. In various embodiments, the session/management controller communicates wagersession control data151 to thewager controller102.
• In some embodiments, an 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.
• 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode to operate over a large range of scaling.
• 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.
• 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.
• In several embodiments, data communicated between the controllers may be encrypted to increase security of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode.
• In some embodiments, an 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.
• In various embodiments, an interactive application may require extensive processing resources from an interactive controller leaving few processing resources for the functions performed by an 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.
• In many embodiments, a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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 some embodiments, one or more components of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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 an application controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode are in a common location and communicate with an external wager controller. In some embodiments, an application controller and a wager controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode are in a common location and communicate with an external interactive controller. In many embodiments, an interactive controller, an application controller, and a wager controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode are located in a common location. In some embodiments, a session/management controller is located in a common location with an 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode is executed as a system in a virtualized space such as, but not limited to, where a wager controller and an 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode may communicate using a networking protocol or other type of device-to-device communications protocol.
• In some embodiments, a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode is deployed over a local area network or a wide area network in an interactive configuration. An interactive configuration of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode includes an interactive controller operatively connected by a network to an application controller and a wager controller.
• In some embodiments, a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode is deployed over a local area network or a wide area network in a mobile configuration. A mobile configuration of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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 interleaved wagering system withsupplementary mode194 includes an interactive controller operatively connected by a wireless network to an application controller and a wager controller.
• 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary modes can use.
• 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 an application controller across various interleaved wagering system with supplementary modes.
• 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.
• FIG. 1B is a diagram of an electronic gaming machine configuration of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. Electronic gaming machine configurations of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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 interleaved wagering system withsupplementary mode170 includes aninteractive controller171, anapplication controller172 and awager controller173 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode and commands and controls the user output devices to provide a user interface to one or more users of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode as described herein. The wager controller communicates with the user credit processing systems to transfer credits into and out of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode as described herein.
• In many embodiments, theapplication controller172 is operatively connected to an external session/management controller (not shown).
• In various embodiments, thewager controller173 is operatively connected to acredit processing system175. In many embodiments, thecredit processing system175 includes one or morecredit input devices180 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 thewager controller173. 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.
• In various embodiments, thecredit processing system175 includes one or morecredit output devices182 for generating a credit output based on outgoing credit data communicated from thewager controller173. 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.
• In some embodiments, thecredit processing system175 is operatively connected to, and communicates with, a TITO controller (not shown) or the like to determine incoming credit data representing amounts of credits to be transferred into the interleaved wagering system withsupplementary mode170 and to determine outgoing credit data representing amounts of credits to be transferred out of the interleaved wagering system withsupplementary mode170. In operation, thecredit processing system175 communicates with one of a the one or more connectedcredit input devices180, 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. Thecredit processing system175 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 thecredit processing system175, and thus to thewager controller173 of the interleaved wagering system withsupplementary mode128. The TITO controller communicates the amount of credits to thecredit processing system175. Thecredit processing system175 communicates the amount of credits as incoming credit data to thewager controller173 and thewager controller173 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 interleaved wagering system withsupplementary mode170.
• In many embodiments, thecredit processing system175 includes a bill validator/ticket scanner as one of the one or morecredit input devices180. Thecredit processing system175 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. Thewager controller173 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 interleaved wagering system withsupplementary mode170.
• In some embodiments, thecredit processing system175 can use a TITO controller along with a ticket or voucher printer as one of the one or morecredit output devices182 to generate a TITO ticket as a credit output for a user. In operation, thecredit processing system175 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 thecredit processing system175. Thecredit processing system175 uses the ticket or voucher printer to print indicia of the credit account data onto a TITO ticket as a credit output.
• 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.
• In some embodiments, thewager controller173 is further operatively connected to a central determination controller (not shown). In operation, when thewager controller173 needs to determine a wager outcome, thewager controller173 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 thewager controller173. Thewager controller173 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.
• FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D are illustrations of interactive controllers of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. An interactive controller, such asinteractive controller120 ofFIG. 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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 asapplication control interface131 ofFIG. 1A, and/or through the use of an interactive application, such asinteractive application143 ofFIG. 1A.
• In some embodiments, an interactive controller may be constructed from or configured using anelectronic gaming machine200 as shown inFIG. 2A. Theelectronic gaming machine200 may be physically located in various types of gaming establishments.
• In many embodiments, an interactive controller may be constructed from or configured using aportable device202 as shown inFIG. 2B. Theportable device202 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.
• In some embodiments, an interactive controller may be constructed from or configured using agaming console204 as shown inFIG. 2C.
• In various embodiments, an interactive controller may be constructed from or configured using apersonal computer206 as shown inFIG. 2D.
• In some embodiments, a device, such as the devices ofFIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and2D, may be used to construct a complete interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode and may be operatively connected using a communication link to a session and/or management controller, such as session and/ormanagement controller150 ofFIG. 1A.
• Some interleaved wagering system with supplementary modes 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary modes in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. Turning now toFIG. 3A, one or more interactive controllers of a distributed interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, such as but not limited to, a mobile orwireless device300, agaming console302, apersonal computer304, and anelectronic gaming machine305, are operatively connected with awager controller306 of a distributed interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode using acommunication link308.Communication link308 is a communications link that allows processing systems to communicate with each other and to share data. Examples of thecommunication link308 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 an application controller as described herein are executed on the individualinteractive controllers300,302,304 and305 while one or more processes of a wager controller as described herein can be executed by thewager controller306.
• In many embodiments, a distributed interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode and may be operatively connected using a communication link to a session and/ormanagement controller307, that performs the processes of a session and/or management controller as described herein.
• In several embodiments, a distributed interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode and may be operatively connected using a communication link tocredit processing system306, that performs the processes of one or more credit processing systems as described herein.
• A distributed interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode in accordance with another embodiment of the invention is illustrated inFIG. 3B. As illustrated, one or more interactive controllers of a distributed interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, such as but not limited to, a mobile orwireless device310, agaming console312, apersonal computer314, and anelectronic gaming machine315, are operatively connected with awager controller316 and anapplication controller318 over acommunication link320.Communication link320 is a communication link that allows processing systems to communicate and share data. Examples of thecommunication link320 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 individualinteractive controllers310,312,314 and315. One or more processes of a wager controller as described herein are executed by thewager controller316, and one or more processes of an application controller as described herein are executed by theapplication controller318.
• In many embodiments, a distributed interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode and may be operatively connected using a communication link to a session and/ormanagement controller319, that performs the processes of a session and/or management controller as described herein.
• In several embodiments, a distributed interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode and may be operatively connected using a communication link tocredit processing system311, that performs the processes of one or more credit processing systems as described herein.
• A distributed interleaved wagering system with supplementary modes in accordance with still another embodiment of the invention is illustrated inFIG. 3C. As illustrated, one or more interactive controllers of a distributed interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, such as but not limited to, amobile device342, agaming console344, apersonal computer346, and anelectronic gaming machine340 are operatively connected with awager controller348 and anapplication controller350, and aninteractive application server352 using acommunication link354.Communication link354 is a communications link that allows processing systems to communicate and to share data. Examples of thecommunication link354 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 individualinteractive controllers340,342,344 and346. One or more processes of a wager controller as described herein can be executed by thewager controller348. One or more processes of an application controller as described herein can be executed by theapplication controller server350 and one or more processes of an interactive controller excluding the display and user interfaces can be executed by theinteractive application server352.
• In many embodiments, a distributed interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode and may be operatively connected using a communication link to a session and/ormanagement controller353, that performs the processes of a session and/or management controller as described herein.
• In several embodiments, a distributed interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode and may be operatively connected using a communication link tocredit processing system355, that performs the processes of one or more credit processing systems as described herein.
• 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary modes 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary modes.
• Although various distributed interleaved wagering system with supplementary modes are described herein, interleaved wagering system with supplementary modes 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, such as an application controller, wager controller, interactive controller, or other servers that perform services for an application controller, wager controller and/or interactive controller, can be distributed in different configurations for a specific distributed interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode application.
• FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams of a structure of an interactive controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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.
• Referring now toFIG. 4A, aninteractive controller400, suitable for use asinteractive controller120 ofFIG. 1A, provides an execution environment for aninteractive application402 of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode. In several embodiments, aninteractive controller400 of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode provides aninteractive application402 that generates anapplication interface404 for interaction with by a user. Theinteractive application402 generates auser presentation406 that is presented to the user through theapplication interface404. Theuser presentation406 may include audio features, visual features or tactile features, or any combination of these features. In various embodiments, theapplication interface404 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'sinteractions408 are included by theinteractive application402 inapplication telemetry data410 that is communicated byinteractive controller400 to various other components of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode as described herein. Theinteractive application402 receives application commands andresources412 communicated from various other components of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode as described herein.
• In some embodiments, various components of theinteractive application402 can read data from anapplication state414 in order to provide one or more features of the interactive application. In various embodiments, components of theinteractive application402 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 theinteractive application402. 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.
• During operation, the interactive application reads and writesapplication resources416 stored on a data store of the interactive controller host. Theapplication resources416 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 theuser presentation406; 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.
• In operation, components of theinteractive application402 read portions of theapplication state414 and generate theuser presentation406 for the user that is presented to the user using theuser interface404. The user perceives the user presentation and providesuser interactions408 using the user input devices. The corresponding user interactions are received as user actions or inputs by various components of theinteractive application402. Theinteractive application402 translates the user actions into interactions with the virtual objects of the application environment stored in theapplication state414. Components of the interactive application use the user interactions with the virtual objects of the interactive application and theinteractive application state414 to update theapplication state414 and update theuser presentation406 presented to the user. The process loops continuously while the user interacts with the interactive application of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode.
• Theinteractive controller400 provides one ormore interfaces418 between theinteractive controller400 and other components of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, such as, but not limited to, an application controller and a session/management controller. Theinteractive controller400 and the other interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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, theinteractive controller400 and an application controller communicate application commands andenvironment resources412 andapplication telemetry data410. In some embodiments, the communications include requests by the application controller that theinteractive controller400 update theapplication state414 using data provided by the application controller.
• In many embodiments, a communication by an application controller includes a request that theinteractive controller400 update one ormore resources416 using data provided by the application controller. In a number of embodiments, theinteractive controller400 provides all or a portion of the application state to the application controller. In some embodiments, theinteractive controller400 may also provide data about one or more of theapplication resources416 to the application controller. In some embodiments, the communication includes user interactions that theinteractive controller400 communicates to the application controller. The user interactions may be low level user interactions with theuser interface404, 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 theapplication state414 orgame resources416 resulting from the user's interactions taken in the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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.
• In some embodiments, theinteractive controller400 includes awagering user interface420 used to provide interleaved wagering system with supplementarymode telemetry data422 to and from the user. The interleaved wagering system with supplementarymode telemetry data422 from the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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.
• In some embodiments, theinteractive controller400 includes an administration interface430 used to provide interleaved wagering system with supplementary modeadministration telemetry data432 to and from the user.
• In some embodiments, the interactive controller includes one ormore sensors424. 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). Theinteractive controller400 communicatessensor telemetry data426 to one or more components of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode.
• Referring now toFIG. 4B,interactive controller400 includes abus502 that provides an interface for one ormore processors504, random access memory (RAM)506, read only memory (ROM)508, machine-readable storage medium510, one or moreuser output devices512, one or moreuser input devices514, and one or morecommunication interface devices516.
• The one ormore processors504 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.
• In the example embodiment, the one ormore processors504 and the random access memory (RAM)506 form an interactivecontroller processing unit599. 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).
• Examples ofoutput devices512 include, but are not limited to, display screens; light panels; and/or lighted displays. In accordance with particular embodiments, the one ormore processors504 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 ormore processors504 are operatively connected to tactile output devices like vibrators, and/or manipulators.
• Examples ofuser input devices514 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.
• The one or morecommunication interface devices516 provide one or more wired or wireless interfaces for communicating data and commands between theinteractive controller400 and other devices that may be included in a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode. 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.
• The machine-readable storage medium510 stores machine-executable instructions for various components of the interactive controller, such as but not limited to: anoperating system518; one or more device drivers522; one or more application programs520 including but not limited to an interactive application; and interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode interactive controller instructions anddata524 for use by the one ormore processors504 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 anddata526 for use by the one ormore processors504 to provide the features of an application control interface/application control interface as described herein.
• In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium510 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.
• In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded intomemory506 from the machine-readable storage medium510, theROM508 or any other storage location. The respective machine-executable instructions are accessed by the one ormore processors504 via thebus502, and then executed by the one ormore processors504. Data used by the one ormore processors504 are also stored inmemory506, and the one ormore processors504 access such data during execution of the machine-executable instructions. Execution of the machine-executable instructions causes the one ormore processors504 to control theinteractive controller400 to provide the features of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode interactive controller as described herein
• 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 thestorage medium510 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, thestorage medium510 can be accessed by the one ormore processors504 through one of thecommunication interface devices516 or using a communication link. Furthermore, any of the user input devices or user output devices can be operatively connected to the one ormore processors504 vione of thecommunication interface devices516 or using a communication link.
• In some embodiments, theinteractive controller400 can be distributed across a plurality of different devices. In many such embodiments, an interactive controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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.
• In various embodiments, theinteractive controller400 may be used to construct other components of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode as described herein.
• In some embodiments, components of an interactive controller and an application controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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 an application controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.
• FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams of a structure of a wager controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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.
• Referring now toFIG. 5A, in various embodiments, awager controller604, suitable for use aswager controller102 ofFIG. 1A, includes a random number generator (RNG)620 to produce random results; one or more paytables623 which includes a plurality of factors indexed by the random result to be multiplied with an amount of Cr, AC, interactive elements, or objects committed in a wager; and awagering control module622 whose processes may include, but are not limited to, generating random results, 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 objectmeters626. The various wager controller components can interface with each other via aninternal bus625 and/or other appropriate communication mechanism.
• In some embodiments, aninterface628 allows thewager controller604 to operatively connect to, and communicate with, an external device, such as one or more application controllers as described herein. Theinterface628 provides for communication of wager execution commands629 from the external device that is used to specify wager parameters and/or trigger execution of a wager by thewager controller604 as described herein. Theinterface628 may also provide for communicatingwager outcome data631 to an external device as described herein. In numerous embodiments, theinterface628 between thewager controller604 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.
• In various embodiments, aninterface630 allows thewager controller604 to operatively connect to an external system or device, such as one or more credit processing systems, as described herein. Theinterface630 provides for communication ofincoming credit data632 from the external system or device that is used to add credits to the one ormore meters626 as described herein. Theinterface630 may also provide for communicatingoutgoing credit data634 to an external system or device, such as a credit processing system, as described herein. In numerous embodiments, theinterface630 between thewager controller604 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.
• In various embodiments, aninterface640 allows thewager controller604 to operatively connect to an external system or device, such as one or more session/management controllers, as described herein. Theinterface640 provides for communication ofincoming session data642 from the external system or device as described herein. Theinterface640 may also provide for communicatingoutgoing session data644 to an external system or device, such as a session/management controller, as described herein. In numerous embodiments, theinterface640 between thewager controller604 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.
• In various embodiments, awager controller604 may use a random number generator provided by an external system. The external system may be connected to thewager controller604 by a suitable communication network such as a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN). In some embodiments, the external random number generator is a central determination system that provides random results to one or more connected wager controllers.
• During operation of the wager controller, the external system communicates wager execution commands629 to thewager controller604. Thewager controller604 receives the wager execution commands and uses the wager execution commands to trigger execution of a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition. Thewager controller604 executes the wager and determines a wager outcome for the wager. The wager controller communicateswager outcome data631 of the wager outcome to the external system.
• In some embodiments, the wager controller uses the wager execution commands to select apaytable628 to use and/or an amount of Cr, AC, interactive elements, or objects to wager.
• 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.
• 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 ormore meters626.
• 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.
• In various embodiments, thewagering control module622 determines an amount of a wager and a paytable to use from the one or more paytables623. In such embodiments, in response to the wager execution commands triggering execution of the wager, thewager control module622 executes the wager by requesting a random number generator result from therandom number generator620; retrieving a paytable from the one or more paytables623; adjusting the one ormore credit meters626 for an amount of the wager; applying the random number generator result to the retrieved paytable; multiplying the resultant factor from the paytable by an amount wagered to determine a wager outcome; updating the one ormore meters626 based on the wager outcome; and communicating the wager outcome to the external device.
• In various embodiments, an external system communicates a request for a random number generator result from thewager controller604. In response, thewager controller604 returns a random number generator result as a function of an internal random number generator or a random number generator external to the external system to which thewager controller604 is operatively connected.
• In some embodiments, a communication exchange between thewager controller604 and an external system relate to the external system support for coupling a random number generator result to a particular paytable contained in thewager controller604. In such an exchange, the external system communicates to thewager controller604 as to which of the one or more paytables623 to use, and requests a result whereby the random number generator result would be associated with the requestedpaytable623. 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode to conduct wagering.
• In some embodiments, thewager controller604 may also include storage for statuses, wagers, wager outcomes, meters and other historical events in astorage device616.
• In some embodiments, an authorization access module provides a process to permit access and command exchange with thewager controller604 and access to the one ormore credit meters626 for the amount of Cr, AC, interactive elements, or objects being wagered by the user in the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode.
• In numerous embodiments, communication occurs between various types of a wager controller and anexternal system630, 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• In numerous embodiments, communication occurs between various components of awager controller604 and an external system, such as an application controller. In some of these embodiments, the purpose of thewager controller604 is to manage wagering on wagering events and to provide random (or pseudo random) results from a random number generator.
• Referring now toFIG. 5B,wager controller604 includes abus732 that provides an interface for one ormore processors734, random access memory (RAM)736, read only memory (ROM)738, machine-readable storage medium740, one or moreuser output devices742, one or moreuser input devices744, and one or more communication interface and/ornetwork interface devices746.
• The one ormore processors734 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.
• In the example embodiment, the one ormore processors734 and the random access memory (RAM)736 form a wagercontroller processing unit799. 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).
• Examples ofoutput devices742 include, but are not limited to, display screens, light panels, and/or lighted displays. In accordance with particular embodiments, the one ormore processors734 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 ormore processors734 are operatively connected to tactile output devices like vibrators, and/or manipulators.
• Examples ofuser input devices734 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 thewager controller604.
• The one or more communication interface and/ornetwork interface devices746 provide one or more wired or wireless interfaces for exchanging data and commands between thewager controller604 and other devices that may be included in a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode. 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.
• The machine-readable storage medium740 stores machine-executable instructions for various components of a wager controller, such as but not limited to: anoperating system748; one or more application programs750; one or more device drivers752; and interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode wager controller instructions anddata754 for use by the one ormore processors734 to provide the features of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode wager controller as described herein.
• In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium740 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.
• In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded intomemory736 from the machine-readable storage medium740, theROM738 or any other storage location. The respective machine-executable instructions are accessed by the one ormore processors734 via thebus732, and then executed by the one ormore processors734. Data used by the one ormore processors734 are also stored inmemory736, and the one ormore processors734 access such data during execution of the machine-executable instructions. Execution of the machine-executable instructions causes the one ormore processors734 to control thewager controller604 to provide the features of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode wager controller as described herein
• Although thewager controller604 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 thestorage medium740 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, thestorage medium740 can be accessed by the one ormore processors734 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 ormore processors734 vione of the interfaces or using a communication link.
• In various embodiments, thewager controller604 may be used to construct other components of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode as described herein.
• In some embodiments, components of a wager controller and an application controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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 an application controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.
• It should be understood that there may be many embodiments of awager controller604 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 awager controller604.
• FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams of a structure of an application controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. An 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, an 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.
• Referring now toFIG. 6A, in many embodiments, anapplication controller860, suitable for use asapplication controller112 ofFIG. 1A, manages operation of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, with a wager controller and an interactive controller being support units to theapplication controller860. Theapplication controller860 provides an interface between the interactive application, provided by an interactive controller, and a wagering proposition, provided by a wager controller.
• In some embodiments, theapplication controller860 includes aninteractive controller interface800 to an interactive controller. Theinteractive controller interface800 provides for communication of data between an interactive controller and theapplication controller860, including but not limited to wagertelemetry data802, application instructions andresources804,application telemetry data806, andsensor telemetry data810 as described herein.
• In various embodiments, theapplication controller860 includes awager controller interface812 to a wager controller. Thewager controller interface812 provides for communication of data between theapplication controller860 and a wager controller, including but not limited to wageroutcomes814 and wager execution commands816 as described in.
• In some embodiments, theapplication controller860 includes a session/management controller interface818 to a session/management controller. The session/management controller interface818 provides for communication of data between theapplication controller860 and a session/management controller, including but not limited tosession control data820 and session telemetry data822 as described herein.
• Theapplication controller860 includes a rule-based decision engine824 that receives telemetry data, such as application telemetry data and sensor telemetry data, from an interactive controller. The rule-based decision engine824 uses the telemetry data, along withwager logic826 to generate wager execution commands used to trigger a wager in a wager controller.
• 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.
• In some embodiments, the rule-based decision engine824 also receives wager outcome data from a wager controller. The decision engine824 uses the wager outcome data, in conjunction with telemetry data and application logic828 to generateapplication decisions830 communicated to anapplication resource generator832. Theapplication resource generator832 receives the application decisions and uses the application decisions to generate application commands and application resources to be communicated to an interactive application.
• In many embodiments, theapplication controller860 includes a pseudo random or random result generator used to generate random results that are communicated to theapplication resource generator832. 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.
• In various embodiments, the rule-based decision engine824 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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.
• 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.
• In some embodiments, the application decisions and wager outcome data are communicated to a wageringuser interface generator834. The wageringuser interface generator834 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode. In some embodiments, thewager telemetry data146 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.
• In some embodiments, thewager outcome data814 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 wageringuser interface generator834 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.
• Theapplication controller860 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, theapplication controller860 may potentially affect an amount of Cr in play for participation in the wagering events of a wagering proposition provided by the wager controller. Theapplication controller860 may additionally include various audit logs and activity meters. In some embodiments, theapplication controller860 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode.
• In some embodiments, the operation of theapplication controller860 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.
• In a number of embodiments, communication of wager execution commands between a wager controller and theapplication controller860 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.
• In some embodiments, theapplication controller860 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.
• In some embodiments, theapplication controller860 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.
• 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, theapplication controller860 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.
• Referring now toFIG. 6B,application controller860 includes abus861 providing an interface for one ormore processors863, random access memory (RAM)864, read only memory (ROM)865, machine-readable storage medium866, one or moreuser output devices867, one or moreuser input devices868, and one or more communication interface and/ornetwork interface devices869.
• The one ormore processors863 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.
• Examples ofoutput devices867 include, include, but are not limited to: display screens; light panels; and/or lighted displays. In accordance with particular embodiments, the one ormore processors863 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 ormore processors863 are operatively connected to tactile output devices like vibrators, and/or manipulators.
• In the example embodiment, the one ormore processors863 and the random access memory (RAM)864 form an applicationcontroller processing unit870. 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).
• Examples ofuser input devices868 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 theapplication controller860.
• The one or more communication interface and/ornetwork interface devices869 provide one or more wired or wireless interfaces for exchanging data and commands between theapplication controller860 and other devices that may be included in a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode. 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.
• The machine-readable storage medium866 stores machine-executable instructions for various components of theapplication controller860 such as, but not limited to: anoperating system871; one or more applications872; one or more device drivers873; and interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode application controller instructions anddata874 for use by the one ormore processors863 to provide the features of an application controller as described herein.
• In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium870 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.
• In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded intomemory864 from the machine-readable storage medium866, theROM865 or any other storage location. The respective machine-executable instructions are accessed by the one ormore processors863 via thebus861, and then executed by the one ormore processors863. Data used by the one ormore processors863 are also stored inmemory864, and the one ormore processors863 access such data during execution of the machine-executable instructions. Execution of the machine-executable instructions causes the one ormore processors863 to control theapplication controller860 to provide the features of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode application controller as described herein.
• Although theapplication controller860 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 thestorage medium866 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, thestorage medium866 may be accessed byprocessor863 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 ormore processors863 vione of the interfaces or using a communication link.
• In various embodiments, theapplication controller860 may be used to construct other components of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode as described herein.
• In some embodiments, components of an interactive controller and an application controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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 an application controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.
• FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams of a structure of a session/management controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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.
• Referring now toFIG. 7A, in various embodiments, a session/management controller1104, suitable for use as session/management controller150 ofFIG. 1A, includes a user management andsession control module1106 whose processes may include, but are not limited to, registering users of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, validating users of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode using user registration data, managing various types of sessions for users of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, and the like.
• The session/management controller1104 may further include adatastore1108 storing user data used to manage user registration and validation. The session/management controller1104 may further include adatastore1110 storing session data used to manage one or more sessions.
• The various session/management controller components can interface with each other via aninternal bus1112 and/or other appropriate communication mechanism.
• Aninterface1114 allows the session/management controller1104 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 receivingsession telemetry data1116 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. Theinterface1114 may also provide for communicatingsecession control data1118 used to manage a session as described herein.
• 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.
• 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.
• Referring now toFIG. 7B, session/management controller1104 includes abus1132 that provides an interface for one ormore processors1134, random access memory (RAM)1136, read only memory (ROM)1138, machine-readable storage medium1140, one or moreuser output devices1142, one or moreuser input devices1144, and one or more communication interface and/ornetwork interface devices1146.
• The one ormore processors1134 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.
• In the example embodiment, the one ormore processors1134 and the random access memory (RAM)1136 form a session/managementcontroller processing unit1199. 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).
• Examples ofoutput devices1142 include, but are not limited to, display screens, light panels, and/or lighted displays. In accordance with particular embodiments, the one ormore processors1134 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 ormore processors1134 are operatively connected to tactile output devices like vibrators, and/or manipulators.
• Examples ofuser input devices1144 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 controller1104.
• The one or more communication interface and/ornetwork interface devices1146 provide one or more wired or wireless interfaces for exchanging data and commands between the session/management controller1104 and other devices that may be included in a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode. 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.
• The machine-readable storage medium1140 stores machine-executable instructions for various components of a session/management controller, such as but not limited to: anoperating system1148; one or more application programs1150; one or more device drivers1152; and interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode session/management controller instructions anddata1154 for use by the one ormore processors1134 to provide the features of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode session/management controller as described herein.
• In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium1140 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.
• In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded intomemory736 from the machine-readable storage medium1140, theROM1138 or any other storage location. The respective machine-executable instructions are accessed by the one ormore processors1134 via thebus1132, and then executed by the one ormore processors1134. Data used by the one ormore processors1134 are also stored inmemory1136, and the one ormore processors1134 access such data during execution of the machine-executable instructions. Execution of the machine-executable instructions causes the one ormore processors1134 to control the session/management controller1104 to provide the features of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode session/management controller as described herein
• Although the session/management controller1104 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 thestorage medium1140 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, thestorage medium1140 can be accessed by the one ormore processors1134 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 ormore processors1134 vione of the interfaces or using a communication link.
• In various embodiments, the session/management controller1104 may be used to construct other components of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode as described herein.
• In some embodiments, components of a session/management controller and an application controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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 an application controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.
• In some embodiments, components of a session/management controller and a wager controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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 an application controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.
• It should be understood that there may be many embodiments of a session/management controller1104 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 controller1104.
• In numerous embodiments, any of a wager controller, an 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode processes described herein have been attributed to a wager controller, an 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, an application controller, and/or an interactive controller within a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode without deviating from the spirit of the invention.
• Although various components of interleaved wagering system with supplementary modes are discussed herein, interleaved wagering system with supplementary modes 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, such as a session/management controller, an application controller, a wager controller, and/or an interactive controller, can be configured in different ways for a specific interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode.
• In some embodiments, components of a session/management controller, an interactive controller, an application controller, and/or a wager controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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, an application controller and a wager controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.
• In addition, while certain aspects and features of interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode processes described herein have been attributed to a session/management controller, a wager controller, an 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, an application controller, and/or an interactive controller within a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode.
• Operation of Interleaved Wagering System with Supplementary Modes
• FIG. 8A is a sequence diagram of interactions between components of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode for a wagering session in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. The components of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode include awager controller902, such aswager controller102 ofFIG. 1A, anapplication controller904, such asapplication controller112 ofFIG. 1A, aninteractive controller906, such asinteractive controller120 ofFIG. 1A, and acredit processing system903, such ascredit processing system198 ofFIG. 1A. At a beginning of the wagering session, the process includes acredit input909 to the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode withwager controller902 communicating with thecredit processing system903 to receiveincoming credit data905. Thewager controller902 uses the incoming credit data to transfer917 credits onto one or more credit meters associated with one or more users of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, thus transferring credits into the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode and on to the one or more credit meters. Theinteractive controller906 detects a user performing a user interaction in an application interface of an interactive application provided by theinteractive controller906. Theinteractive controller906 communicatesapplication telemetry data908 to theapplication controller904. The application telemetry data includes, but is not limited to, the user interaction detected by theinteractive controller906.
• Theapplication controller904 receives theapplication telemetry data908. Upon determination by theapplication controller904 that the user interaction indicates a wagering event, theapplication controller904 generates wager execution commands including awager request912 that theapplication controller904 uses to command thewager controller902 to execute a wager. The request for a wager event may include wager terms associated with a wagering proposition. Theapplication controller904 communicates the wager execution commands to thewager controller902.
• Thewager controller902 receives the wager execution commands912 and uses the wager execution commands to execute913 a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition. Thewager controller902updates919 the one or more credit meters associated with the one or more users based on a wager outcome of the executed wagers. Thewager controller902 communicates data of thewager outcome914 of the executed wager to theapplication controller904.
• Theapplication controller904 receives the wager outcome and generates915 interactive application instruction andresource data916 for the interactive application. Theapplication controller904 uses the interactive application instruction andresource data916 to command the interactive controller. The application controller communicates the interactive application instruction andresource data916 to theinteractive controller906. The application controller also communicates wageringtelemetry data920 including the wager outcome to theinteractive controller906.
• Theinteractive controller906 receives the interactive application instruction andresource data916 andwagering telemetry data918. Theinteractive controller906 incorporates the received interactive application resources and executes the received interactive application commands918. Theinteractive controller updates922 an application interface of the interactive application provided by the interactive controller using the interactive application commands and the resources, and updates922 a wagering user interface using the wagering telemetry data.
• Upon determining that the wagering session is completed, such as by receiving a cashout communication from one or more users of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, thewager controller902transfers923 credits off of the one or more credit meters, generatesoutgoing credit data924 on the basis of the credits transferred off of the one or more credit meters, and communicates theoutgoing credit data924 to thecredit processing system903. The credit processing system receives theoutgoing credit data924 and generates924 a credit output as described herein, thus transferring credits off of the one or more credit meters and out of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode.
• FIG. 8B is a sequence diagram of interactions between components of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode for a wagering session in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
• The components of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode include awager controller930, such aswager controller102 ofFIG. 1A, anapplication controller929, such asapplication controller112 ofFIG. 1A, aninteractive controller928, such asinteractive controller120 ofFIG. 1A, and acredit processing system931, such ascredit processing system198 ofFIG. 1A. At a beginning of the wagering session, the process includes a credit input932 to the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode withwager controller930 communicating with thecredit processing system931 to receiveincoming credit data933. Theapplication controller929 receives an application credit input932 to the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode withapplication controller929 communicating with thecredit processing system931 to receive incomingapplication credit data936.
• Thewager controller930 uses theincoming credit data933 to transfer934 credits onto one or more credit meters associated with one or more users of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, thus transferring credits into the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode and on to the one or more credit meters. Theapplication controller929 uses the incomingapplication credit data936 to transfer937 credits onto one or more application credit meters associated with the one or more users of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, thus transferring application credits into the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode and on to the one or more application credit meters.
• Theinteractive controller928 detects938 a user performing a user interaction in an application interface of an interactive application provided by theinteractive controller928. Theinteractive controller928 communicatesapplication telemetry data939 to theapplication controller929. The application telemetry data includes, but is not limited to, data of the user interaction detected by theinteractive controller928.
• Theapplication controller929 receives theapplication telemetry data939. Theapplication controller929 determines, based on theapplication telemetry data939 whether or not the user interaction indicates a wager event. Upon determination by theapplication controller929 that the user interaction indicates a wagering event, theapplication controller929 generates wagerexecution command data940 including a wager request that theapplication controller929 uses to command thewager controller930 to execute a wager. The request for a wager event may include wager terms associated with a wagering proposition. Theapplication controller929 communicates the wagerexecution command data940 to thewager controller930.
• Thewager controller930 receives the wagerexecution command data940 and uses the wager execution commands to execute941 a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition. Thewager controller930updates948 the one or more credit meters associated with the one or more users based on a wager outcome of the executed wagers. Thewager controller930 communicates data of the wager outcome942 of the executed wager to theapplication controller929.
• Theapplication controller929 receives the wager outcome data942 and generates943 interactive application instruction data, interactive application resource data, and application credit data944 for the interactive application based in part on the wager outcome data and the application telemetry data. Theapplication controller929 uses the application credit data to update950 the one or more application credit meters. Theapplication controller929 uses the interactive application instruction data and interactive application resource data944 to command theinteractive controller928. The application controller communicates the interactive application instruction data, interactive application resource data, and application credit data to theinteractive controller928. The application controller communicates wagering telemetry data945 including the wager outcome data942 to theinteractive controller928.
• Theinteractive controller928 receives the interactive application instruction data, interactive application resource data, application credit data944 and the wagering telemetry data945. Theinteractive controller928 incorporates the received interactive application resources and executes the received interactive application commands918. The interactive controller updates947 a user interface of the interactive application provided by theinteractive controller928 using the interactive application command data, the interactive application resource data, and the application credit data, and updates a wagering user interface of theinteractive controller928 using the wagering telemetry data945.
• Upon determining that the wagering session is completed, such as by receiving a cashout communication from one or more users of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, theapplication controller929transfers951 application credits off of the one or more application credit meters, generates outgoingapplication credit data952 on the basis of the application credits transferred off of the one or more application credit meters, and communicates the outgoingapplication credit data924 to thecredit processing system931. The credit processing system receives the outgoingapplication credit data931 and generates953 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode. Thewager controller930transfers954 credits off of the one or more credit meters, generatesoutgoing credit data955 on the basis of the credits transferred off of the one or more credit meters, and communicates theoutgoing credit data955 to thecredit processing system931. Thecredit processing system931 receives theoutgoing credit data955 and generates956 a credit output as described herein, thus transferring credits off of the one or more credit meters and out of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode.
• 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. In several embodiments, a user can interact with a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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 an application controller. The collaboration diagram1000 illustrates thatCr1002, interactive application resources including interactive elements andobjects1004 andAC1006 can be utilized by a user1008 in interactions with awager controller1010, such aswager controller102 ofFIG. 1A, anapplication controller1012, such aswager controller112 ofFIG. 1, and aninteractive controller1014, such asinteractive controller120 ofFIG. 1A, of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode. The contribution of interactive elements and objects such as included inresources1004, can be linked to a user's access to credits, such asCr1002 and/orAC1006. 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode or in a remote server.
• A user's actions and/or decisions can affect an interactive application ofinteractive controller1014 that consume and/or accumulateAC1004 and/orresources1004 in an interactive application executed by aninteractive controller1014, a wager controller101 and anapplication controller1012. Theapplication controller1012 can monitor the activities taking place within an interactive application executed by aninteractive controller1014 for wagering event occurrences. Theapplication controller1012 can also communicate the wagering event occurrences to thewager controller1010 that triggers a wager ofCr1002 in accordance with a wagering proposition executed by thewager controller1010.
• In several embodiments, the user commences interaction with the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode by contributing credit to a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode such as, but not limited to,Cr1002 that may be credit in a real currency or may be credit in a virtual currency that is not fungible with a real currency,AC1006 that may be application environment credits, and specified types of interactive application interactive elements and/or objects1004. 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode. Generally, Cr is utilized and accounted for by thewager controller1010; and theresources1004 andAC1006 are utilized and accounted for by theapplication controller1012 and/or theinteractive controller1014.
• The interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode receives (a) creditsCr1002 fromcredit processing system1016. In some embodiments, thecredit processing system1016 also providesAC1006 to the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode. The user interacts with an interactive application provided by theinteractive controller1014 with the interaction representing an action by the user within the context of the interactive application. Theinteractive controller1014 receives the user interaction and communicates (b) the interaction to theapplication controller1012. Theapplication controller1012 receives the interaction and determines from the interaction whether or not a wager should be triggered. If a wager should be triggered, theapplication controller1012 commands (c) thewager controller1010 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 ofCr1002 for the wager. Thewager controller1010 adjusts (e) theCr1002 based upon a wager outcome of the wager and communicates (f) the wager outcome to theapplication controller1012 as to the outcome of the wager triggered by theapplication controller1012. Theapplication controller1012 receives the wager outcome. The application controller determines whatresources1004 should be provided to the interactive controller, generates theresources1004 and application commands and commands (g) theinteractive controller1014 using theresources1004 and application commands. The interactive controller receives theresources1004 and application commands from theapplication controller1012 and integrates them into the execution of the interactive application provided by theinteractive controller1014.
• In some embodiments, theapplication controller1012 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 user1008.
• In some embodiments, theapplication controller1012 determines what resources and commands to provide to theinteractive controller1014 for use by the interactive application provided by theinteractive controller1014 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.
• In some embodiments, theapplication controller1012 determines what resources to provide based on internal logic of theapplication controller1012. In some such embodiments, theapplication controller1012 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 theinteractive controller1014.
• In several embodiments, theapplication controller1012 determines an increment or a decrement of an amount ofAC1006 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.
• In some embodiments, theapplication controller1012 executes a wager of Cr as a virtual currency, AC, interactive elements or objects. In some such embodiments, theapplication controller1012 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.
• The following is description of an embodiment of the described collaboration where an interactive application provided by an interactive controller of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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.
• 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, but is not intended to be exhaustive and only lists only one of numerous possibilities of how a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode may be configured to manage its fundamental credits.
• In many embodiments, session/management controller1020, such asuser account controller150 ofFIG. 1A, of a interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode 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 interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode and an amount of the AC is communicated to the session/management controller1020. 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.
• When wagering is complete, the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode transfers (k)Cr1002 off of the one or more credit meters and out of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode using thecredit processing system1016. In some embodiments, the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode transfersAC1006 off of the one or more credit meters and out of the interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode using thecredit processing system1016.
• FIG. 10 is a diagram of the structure of an interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. In an embodiment of an interleavedwagering system1200, aninteractive controller1202 is operatively connected to anapplication controller1204 and a bonus controller1206. Awager controller1208 is operatively connected to the application controller. The interactive controller may provide an interactive application. In some embodiments, the interactive application is an interactive game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a skill-based interactive game.
• The application controller further includes asupplementary mode module1210 and is also operatively connected to the bonus controller. The supplementary mode module triggers the supplementary mode, which may be referred to within the interactive system as a bonus round or boss round. In example embodiment, the supplementary mode module monitors various interactive skill-game parameters during the user's play of the skill-based interactive game, such as time spent by the user, user loss of credits, user earning of credits. When a monitored parameter meets a threshold value, the supplementary mode module triggers execution of the supplementary mode. In some embodiments, triggering of the supplementary mode includes communicating, to the interactive controller, an indication to provide a supplementary mode session. In various embodiments, the supplementary mode module may also trigger execution of the supplementary mode based on a condition other than monitored parameters. In an example embodiment, the condition may be a time-based trigger or receiving an indication from a third party source to trigger the supplementary mode.
• The interactive controller, upon receiving an indication to provide a supplementary mode session, provides to the user the supplementary mode session, such as a bonus round or a boss round. When the user successfully completes the supplementary mode session, benefits are received from the bonus controller and the supplementary mode session is concluded.
• The system further includes a bonus controller. As described herein, the bonus controller controls the rewards awarded to a user upon successful interaction with a supplementary mode of the interleaved wagering system. In an example embodiment, when a user succeeds within the supplementary mode, a query is communicated to the bonus controller, which may coordinate communication or transfer of the corresponding award amount to the user.
• In some embodiments, the bonus controller may further store the bonuses to be awarded to the user upon successful interaction with the supplementary mode. The bonus controller is operatively connected to the application controller and the interactive controller. In various embodiments, the bonus controller may be connected to the application controller and the interactive controller via a network connection.
• FIG. 11 is a flow chart of interactions between components of an interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. In an embodiment, the system includes aninteractive controller1302, anapplication controller1304, a bonus controller (not shown), and awager controller1306, as described herein.
• During operation, the interactive controller communicatesapplication telemetry data1304 containing data of an interactive application event to the application controller. The application telemetry is based on an interactive application provided by the interactive controller to a user. In some embodiments, the interactive application is an interactive game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a skill-based interactive game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a chance-based interactive game.
• The application controller receives the application telemetry data from the interactive controller. Based on the received application telemetry, the application controller determines whether a wager request should be triggered1312. When a wager request is triggered, the application controller communicates, to the wager controller, awager request1314.
• The wager controller receives the wager request from the application controller. In some embodiments, upon receiving a wager request from the application controller, the wager controller communicates an amount of benefit to the bonus controller. In an example embodiment, the wager controller may communicate a real world credit amount to the bonus controller that is a portion of an amount of credits of a wager amount associated with the wager request. The bonus controller receives the benefit contribution from the wager controller.
• Upon receiving the wager request, the wager controller also determines awager result1316 and communicates the wager result to the application controller. The application controller receives the wager result from the wager controller. These steps may be repeated any number of times, in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
• The interactive controller communicates, to the application controller, application telemetry. The application controller receives the application telemetry from the interactive controller. Upon receiving the application telemetry, the application controller determines whether to trigger asupplementary mode1320. As described herein, the determination of whether to trigger a supplementary mode may be performed by a supplementary mode module within the application controller. Also as described herein, the determination may be based on whether one or more parameters meet a threshold value or may be based on another trigger, such as a time-based trigger or receiving an indication from a third party source.
• When triggering a supplementary mode is determined, the application controller communicates a notification regarding the supplementary mode to the interactive controller. The notification regarding the supplementary mode may be an instruction to the interactive controller to enter asupplementary mode1322 and provide a supplementary mode to the user. As described herein, the supplementary mode may be a bonus round and/or a boss round. Otherwise, the interactive controller continues1324 to provide the interactive application to the user.
• The interactive controller receives a notification regarding the supplementary mode, from the application controller. Upon receiving the notification, the interactive controller provides the supplementary mode session. In an example embodiment, if the interactive application is a skill-based interactive game, and the supplementary mode is a boss round, the user may be required to defeat the boss through skillful play of the interactive game in order to complete the supplementary mode session.
• Upon completion of the supplementary mode session, the interactive controller communicates results of the supplementary mode session to the application controller. The application controller receives the results of the supplementary mode session from the interactive controller. The results of the supplementary mode session may be a score achieved by the user and may also include an indication of success or failure. In some embodiments, the application controller awards an amount of credits to the user based on the score achieved by the user.
• FIG. 12 is a flow chart of interactions between components of an interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. As illustrated inFIG. 12, an application controller determines1404 entry into a supplemental mode based on application interaction data1402 collected during a user's interactions with an interactive application of an interactive controller. The application controller compares the application interaction data to one or more parameters to determine if a supplementary mode is to be entered into. The one or more parameters may include, but are not limited to: a user's time of use of the interactive application; an event in the interactive application; and an amount of credit committed by the user while using the interactive application for wagering. When the application controller determines that a supplemental mode is to be entered, the application controller instructs an interactive controller to supply the supplementary mode to the user as described herein.
• The interactive controller generates a skill-basedoutcome1410 for the user's supplementary interactions during thesupplementary mode1408. Based on the results of the users supplementary mode session indicating that the user was successful during the supplemental mode, the application controller communicates a request for results to a bonus controller1412. The bonus controller receives the request for results from the application controller and generates a bonus reward that is awarded1416 to the user. In some embodiments the bonus controller determines the reward to the user in the form of application credits to be awarded to the user. In other embodiments, a reward awarded to the user is in the form of an amount of real credits. In some embodiments, the bonus controller uses a bonus pool1414 to determine an amount of credits, whether in application credits or in real credits, to award to the user.
• In some embodiments, the reward for success in the supplementary mode session is depicted graphically within the user interface. The bonus controller communicates the available reward to the application controller that then generates a dynamic graphical element within the interactive application.
• In some embodiments, the reward for success in the supplementary mode session may change over time. The reward for success is dependent on the actual moment the supplementary mode is completed. In these embodiments, the graphical display may change dynamically as different rewards are available. The length of time each reward is available may differ depending on the rewards available from the bonus pool. When a user successfully completed the supplementary mode, the success, and the time of the success, is included within the request that the bonus controller receives from the application controller.
• Based on the received request for reward, the bonus controller communicates the bonus reward to the application controller. The application controller receives the reward results from the bonus controller. The application controller communicates the received reward to the interactive controller. The interactive controller receives the reward from the application controller. In some embodiments, the bonus controller communicates the benefits to the interactive controller directly.
• 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.

Claims (5)

What is claimed:

1. An interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode, comprising:

an interactive controller constructed to communicate with an application controller;

a wager controller constructed to communicate with the application controller; and

the application controller operatively connecting the interactive controller and the wager controller, wherein the application controller is constructed to:

receive first interactive application interaction data from the interactive controller;

determine a supplemental mode from the interactive application data;

instruct the interactive controller to provide the supplementary mode to a user;

receive second interactive application interactive data from the interactive controller; and

determine a reward of an amount of credits to award to the user based on the second interactive application interactive data.

2. The interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode ofclaim 1,

wherein the interactive controller and the application controller are constructed from the same device, and

wherein the application controller is operatively connected to the wager controller using a communication link.

3. The interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode ofclaim 1,

wherein the wager controller and the application controller are constructed from the same device, and

wherein the application controller is operatively connected to the interactive controller using a communication link.

4. The interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode ofclaim 1, further comprising:

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.

5. The interleaved wagering system with supplementary mode ofclaim 4,

wherein 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 a wager based on a communication received from the application controller;

update the credit meter based on a 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.

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