1. A communications apparatus for communicating sub-channel data using at least one of a potentially faulty first main channel and a potentially faulty second main channel between a first network node and a second network node, the apparatus comprising:
a data store for temporarily storing sub-channel data;
a processing resource capable of supporting, when in use, a monitor module and a diagnostic module; wherein
the monitor module is arranged to monitor first data for communication between the first network node and the second network node;
the diagnostic module is arranged to use at least part of the monitored first data to generate diagnostic data for identifying an operational status of at least one of the potentially faulty first and second main channels, the sub-channel data comprising the diagnostic data; and
the processing resource is arranged to intervene in communication of second data communicated on at least one of the first and second channels in order to provide at least temporarily a suitable channel condition on at least one of the first and second main channels for initiating transmission of the sub-channel data.
2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least part of the second data has a reserved status for control of at least one of the potentially faulty first and second main channels, the processing resource being further arranged to identity the second data, and to send the sub-channel data in place of the at least part of the second data.
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least part of the second data corresponds to a duration that is at least a predetermined suitable minimum duration to support the initiation of transmission of the sub-channel data.
4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing resource is arranged to determine first control data for establishing at least one of the first and second main channels, and to send the first control data to the first network node.
5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the processing resources is arranged to suppress temporarily control data andor non-control data sent by the second network node, thereby preventing interference with the first control data.
6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing resource is arranged to participate in an auto-negotiation procedure with the first network node on behalf of the second network node.
7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processing resource is arranged to determine second control data for establishing at least one of the first and second main channels, and to send the second control data to the second network node.
8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the processing resource is arranged to suppress temporarily control data andor non-control data sent by the first network node, thereby preventing interference with the second control data.
9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the processing resource is arranged to participate in an auto-negotiation procedure with the second network node on behalf of the first network node.
10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing resource is arranged to replace temporarily the second network node and establish communications with the first network node in order to send the sub-channel data.
11. The apparatus as claimed claim 1, wherein the processing resource is arranged to replace temporarily the first network node and establish communications with the second network node in order to send the sub-channel data.
12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second data is idle data.
13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diagnostic data comprises data associated with a fault condition.
14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing resource is arranged to buffer communications between the first network node and the second network node in order to compensate for duplex mismatch.
15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing resource is arranged to compensate for a configuration incompatibility between the first network node and the second network node.
16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
memory operable to hold an extra packet constituting the sub-channel data;
memory operable to hold a parallel datastream while the extra packet is being sent; and
control logic for controlling transmission of the sub-channel data in place of the at least part of the second data.
17. A method of communicating sub-channel data using at least one of a potentially faulty first main channel and a potentially faulty second main channel between a first network node and a second network node, the method comprising:
monitoring first data for communication between the first network node and the second network node;
using at least part of the monitored first data to generate diagnostic data for identifying an operational status of at least one of the potentially faulty first and second main channels;
temporarily storing sub-channel data, the sub-channel data comprising the diagnostic data; and
intervening in communication of second data communicated on the at least one of the first and second channels in order to provide at least temporarily a suitable channel condition on the at least one of the first and second main channels for initiating transmission of the sub-channel data.
18. A computer program element comprising computer program code means to make a computer execute the method of claim 17.
19. A communications system, comprising:
a first network node capable of communicating with a second network node and supporting a first main channel and a second main channel therebetween, the first and second main channels being potentially faulty; and
a network monitoring apparatus for communicating sub-channel data using at least one of the potentially faulty first and second main channels, the apparatus comprising a data store for temporarily storing sub-channel data, and a processing resource capable of supporting a monitor module and a diagnostic module; wherein
the monitor module is arranged to monitor, when in use, first data for communication between the first network node and the second network node;
the diagnostic module is arranged to use, when in use, at least part of the monitored first data to generate diagnostic data for identifying an operational status of at least one of the potentially faulty first and second main channels, the sub-channel data comprising the diagnostic data; and
the processing resource is arranged to intervene, when in use, in communication of second data communicated on the at least one of the first and second channels in order to provide at least temporarily a suitable channel condition on the at least one of the first and second main channels for initiating transmission of the sub-channel data.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of operating a wagering game comprising:
receiving a primary wager from a player via at least one input device;
updating, by at least one of one or more processors, an eligibility counter for the player by adding a first time amount to the counter, the eligibility counter decreasing over time at a deterioration rate;
displaying on at least one display device a randomly selected outcome of a primary wagering game;
displaying on the at least one display device at least one progressive jackpot;
incrementing, by at least one of the one or more processors, the at least one progressive jackpot by an increment rate, the increment rate comprising a first increment amount every X seconds, wherein the increment rate is a function of the deterioration rate; and
in response to a triggering event, awarding, by at least one of the one or more processors, the at least one progressive jackpot.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the eligibility counter is decremented by a first decrement amount each second and the at least one progressive jackpot is incremented by the first increment amount each second.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one progressive jackpot comprises an award of a number of free spins.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first increment amount comprises a fraction of a free spin.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time amount equals N seconds.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein X is less than or equal to N.
7. A gaming system comprising:
at least one input device;
at least one display device;
at least one processor;
at least one memory device storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the gaming system to:
receive a primary wager from a player;
update an eligibility counter for the player by adding a first time amount to the counter, the eligibility counter decreasing over time at a deterioration rate;
display on the at least one display device a randomly selected outcome of a primary wagering game;
display on the at least one display device at least one progressive jackpot;
increment the at least one progressive jackpot by an increment rate, the increment rate comprising a first increment amount every X seconds, wherein the increment rate is a function of the deterioration rate; and
in response to a triggering event, award the at least one progressive jackpot.
8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the eligibility counter decrements by a first decrement amount each second and the at least one progressive jackpot increments by the first increment amount each second.
9. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the at least one progressive jackpot includes an award of a number of free spins.
10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the first increment amount includes a fraction of a free spin.
11. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the first time amount equals N seconds.
12. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein X is less than or equal to N.
13. One or more machine-readable non-transitory storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving a primary wager from a player;
updating an eligibility counter for the player by adding a first time amount to the counter, the eligibility counter decreasing over time at a deterioration rate;
displaying a randomly selected outcome of a primary wagering game;
displaying at least one progressive jackpot;
incrementing the at least one progressive jackpot by an increment rate, the increment rate comprising a first increment amount every X seconds, wherein the increment rate is a function of the deterioration rate; and
in response to a triggering event, awarding the at least one progressive jackpot.
14. The machine-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 13, wherein the eligibility counter is decremented by a first decrement amount each second and the at least one progressive jackpot is incremented by the first increment amount each second.
15. The machine-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 13, wherein the at least one progressive jackpot includes an award of a number of free spins.
16. The machine-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 15, wherein the first increment amount includes a fraction of a free spin.
17. The machine-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 13, wherein the first time amount equals N seconds.
18. The machine-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 17, wherein X is less than or equal to N.