Poker machine communication system

Claim 1

An apparatus for distributing information to gaming machines for individual game machine control of machine operation depending upon credit available, comprising in combination: a plurality of gaming machines adapted for independent operation with respect to one another; central means for recording and storing credit information; a communication means for individual ones of said plurality of gaming machines and transmitting conformation between said central means for storing and recording credit information; individual ones of said plurality of gaming machines each having a local means for recording and storing credit information; each said local means being capable of storing a plurality of credit balances, and of establishing credit, cancelling credit, and transferring credit information to a selected one of said individual ones of said plurality of gaming machines according to instructions from said central means; individual ones of said plurality of gaming machines each having a control means for enabling operation of the respective gaming machine; each said control means having a means for interrogating said local means, said control means selectively enabling operation of said respective gaming machine in response to information received regarding credit; said respective control means enabling operation of said respective gaming machine when a particular credit balance is at least equal to a predetermined amount; said individual ones of said plurality of gaming machines each having respective transmitter means and receiver means for communicating with said communication means; each said respective local means being interrogable and adjustable in response to commands from said central means; said individual ones of said plurality of gaming machines each having respective game cycles; each of said individual ones of said plurality of gaming machines being capable of enabling at least a plurality of gaming cycles without communicating with said central means depending upon the particular credit balance recorded by said respective local means; whereby each of said individual ones of said plurality of gaming machines are operable through a plurality of gaming cycles without interrogating said central means for each gaming cycle; said local means debiting the particular credit balance for each gaming cycle, the amount of debit being a wager; said local means being capable of transmitting particular credit balances to said central means when interrogated by said central means.

Claim 2

An apparatus for distributing information to gaming machines for individual game machine control of machine operation depending upon credit available, comprising in combination: a plurality of gaming machines adapted for independent operation with respect to one another; central means for recording and storing credit information; a communication means for individual ones of said plurality of gaming machines and transmitting conformation between said central means for storing and recording credit information; individual ones of said plurality of gaming machines each having a local means for recording and storing credit information; each said local means being capable of storing a plurality of credit balances, and of establishing credit, cancelling credit, and transferring credit information to a selected one of said individual ones of said plurality of gaming machines according to instructions from said central means; individual ones of said plurality of gaming machines each having a control means for enabling operation of the respective gaming machine; each said control means having a means for interrogating said local means, said control means selectively enabling operation of said respective gaming machine in response to information received regarding credit; said respective control means enabling operation of said respective gaming machine when a particular credit balance is at least equal to a predetermined amount; said individual ones of said plurality of gaming machines each having respective transmitter means and receiver means for communicating with said communication means; each said respective local means being interrogable and adjustable in response to commands from said central means; said individual ones of said plurality of gaming machines each having respective game cycles; each of said individual ones of said plurality of gaming machines being capable of enabling at least a plurality of gaming cycles without communicating with said central means depending upon the particular credit balance recorded by said respective local means; whereby each of said individual ones of said plurality of gaming machines are operable through a plurality of gaming cycles without interrogating said central means for each gaming cycle; said local means debiting the particular credit balance for each gaming cycle, the amount of debit being a wager; said local means being capable of transmitting particular credit balances to said central means when interrogated by said central means.