On-line, real-time game playing with search facility

Abstract

A gaming application is disclosed which is executable by a computer workstation such as a general purpose computer. The workstation is linked to a central gaming server over a network such as the Internet. The application includes a search facility whereby a player can enter search criteria (essentially player preferences) in order to identify available instances of games that have attributes of interest. The search criteria data is sent to the gaming server. The gaming server searches a database of current on-line game instances and responds by sending a datagram containing data for instances of games meeting the search criteria, which are then displayed on the workstation. In one form, the search facility includes a “quick start” feature whereby the user can request that they directly join an instance of a game in progress which meets the search criteria. If the player used the “quick start” feature, and the gaming server found a match, the player is taken directly to the game instance.

1 . A gaming application executable by a computer workstation for playing on-line games, the workstation linked to a central gaming server facilitating the playing of the on-line games over a network, the gaming application comprising a set of machine readable instructions stored on a memory device, said instructions comprising: 
 a) instructions for presenting on the workstation a search facility whereby a player can enter search criteria identifying attributes of on-line games of interest to the player;    b) instructions for transmitting the search criteria to the central gaming server, whereby the central gaming server may search a database of current game instances to identify a set of at least one game instances meeting the search criteria.    
   
   
       2 . The gaming application of  claim 1 , wherein the search criteria are stored in a memory in the workstation, and wherein the gaming application displays a search icon, and in the event that search criteria are stored in memory and the search icon is selected by the player, the instructions b) transmit the stored search criteria to the gaming server.  
   
   
       3 . The gaming application of  claim 1 , wherein the search facility further comprises a quick start feature whereby the user may indicate they wish to be directed automatically to a game instance.  
   
   
       4 . The gaming application of  claim 1 , wherein the search criteria comprise at least one of the following: a class of games, a game type, a pot size, bet limits, table stakes, a number of players in the instance of the game, and a number of seats in a game tournament.  
   
   
       5 . The gaming application of  claim 4 , wherein the search criteria comprises a class of games, and wherein the class of games comprises ring-type games and sit and go games.  
   
   
       6 . The gaming application of  claim 1 , wherein the game instances comprise wager games.  
   
   
       7 . The gaming application of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming server responds to the transmission of the search criteria by returning one or more pages of game instances meeting the search criteria.  
   
   
       8 . The gaming application of  claim 1 , wherein the search facility is presented on a lobby page of a virtual casino.  
   
   
       9 . The gaming application of  claim 3 , further comprising instructions for presenting on the display (1) a first field comprising a navigation tree wherein a player may select a type of game, (2) a second field comprising a display of virtual instances of games of the type selected in the first field, (3) an icon associated with the search facility, and (4) an icon associate with the quick start feature.  
   
   
       10 . A method of facilitating selection of games by remotely located player using a computer workstation, the workstation linked over a computer network to a central gaming server, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving at the gaming server a search request from the workstation, the search requests including search criteria data identifying attributes of on-line games of interest to the player;    the gaming server searching a database of current on-line game instances for instances meeting the search criteria; and    responsively providing to the workstation a datagram identifying one or more on-line game instances meeting the search criteria.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the search request includes a quick start feature indicating that the player wishes to be directed automatically to a game instance meeting the search criteria.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the search criteria comprise at least one of the following: a class of games, a game type, a pot size, bet limits, table stakes, a number of players in the instance of the game, and a number of seats in a game tournament.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the search criteria comprises a class of games, and wherein the class of games comprises ring-type games and sit and go games.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the game instances comprise wager games.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the datagram comprises or more pages of game instances meeting the search criteria.  
   
   
       16 . A method of automatically connecting a player with an on-line instance of a game, the player using a computer workstation linked to a central gaming server over a computer network, comprising the steps of: 
 presenting to the player a display on the workstation wherein the player may enter one or more player preferences identifying attributes of games of interest to the player;    sending a first datagram to the gaming server containing the player preferences;    receiving the first datagram at the gaming server and responsively searching through a database containing instances of on-line games to identify at least one game instance meeting the player preferences;    returning a second datagram to the workstation automatically directing the player to a game instance identified by the gaming server meeting the player preference.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein player preferences entered at the workstation are stored on the workstation, wherein the player may later select an icon indicating they wish to join an instance of a game meeting the stored player preferences and such selection causes a third datagram to be sent to the gaming server to prompt selection by the gaming server of an instance of a game meeting the player preferences.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of displaying a prompt to the player on the workstation seeking confirmation that the player wishes to join a game instance identified by the gaming server.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the player preferences comprise at least one of: a class of games, a game type, table type, desired bet limits, desired table stakes, buy-in amount, a number of players in the instance of the game, and a number of seats in a game tournament.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the display further comprises an icon that can be used by a player to determine what action the gaming server should take in the event that the gaming server does not find any instances of games that match the player preferences.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the icon indicates that the player wishes to be seated at an empty instance of a game meeting the player preferences.  
   
   
       22 . A central gaming system facilitating searching of on-line games for play by a player using a remotely located workstation, comprising: 
 a database storing data representing multiple instances of on-line games;    a gaming server comprising a processing unit executing machine readable instructions, wherein the processing unit searches the database in response to search criteria transmitted to the gaming sever from the workstation to identify instances of games of interest to the player as specified in the search criteria;    the gaming server transmitting a datagram to the workstation identifying at least one instance of a game meeting the search criteria.    
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the gaming server is operative to join the workstation to an instance of a game meeting the search criterion automatically.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the search criteria comprise at least one of the following: a class of games, a game type, a pot size, bet limits, table stakes, a number of players in the instance of the game, and a number of seats in a game tournament.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the search criteria comprises a class of games, and wherein the class of games comprises ring-type games and sit and go games.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the game instances comprise on-line wager games.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the gaming server responds to the transmission of the search criteria by returning one or more pages of game instances meeting the search criteria.