Centralized game board system and method for enhanced network-enabled features in a gaming environment

Abstract

A centralized gaming system and associated method are provided. Included is a plurality of gaming clients each including a display and at least one input device. Further included is a centralized repository of computer processing units. Each of the computer processing units is connected to at least one of the game clients for executing a gaming application for play by a user utilizing the gaming client.

1 . A centralized gaming system, comprising: 
 a plurality of gaming clients each including a display and at least one input device; and    a centralized repository of computer processing units, each of the computer processing units connected to at least one of the gaming clients for executing a gaming application for play by a user utilizing the at least one of the gaming clients.    
   
   
       2 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming clients include electronic gaming machines.  
   
   
       3 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming clients include processing capabilities.  
   
   
       4 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming clients include storage capabilities.  
   
   
       5 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the computer processing units is connected to at least one of the gaming clients via a network.  
   
   
       6 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 5 , wherein the network utilizes a wireless transport medium.  
   
   
       7 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 5 , wherein the network utilizes a fiber optic cable transport medium.  
   
   
       8 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 5 , wherein the network includes a daisy chain configuration of the gaming clients.  
   
   
       9 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 5 , wherein the network includes a tapped configuration of the gaming clients.  
   
   
       10 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 5 , wherein the network includes a star-type network.  
   
   
       11 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 5 , wherein the network utilizes an Internet protocol.  
   
   
       12 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the computer processing units is dedicated to only one of the gaming clients.  
   
   
       13 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the centralized repository is located separate from the gaming clients.  
   
   
       14 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the centralized repository includes a rack for stacking computer boards associated with the computer processing units.  
   
   
       15 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 14 , wherein the rack includes a plurality of interfaces for interfacing the computer processing units.  
   
   
       16 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 14 , wherein the rack is situated in an impenetrable housing with a security door for preventing access to the computer processing units.  
   
   
       17 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer processing units are in communication with a server computer via a network.  
   
   
       18 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the server computer includes a back-end server.  
   
   
       19 . The centralized gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the centralized repository limits access to the computer processing units.  
   
   
       20 . A centralized gaming method, comprising: 
 connecting a gaming client to a computer processing unit in a central repository over a network; and    executing a gaming application for play by a user utilizing the computer processing unit and the gaming client.