Controller-based linked gaming machine bonus system
First Claim
1. A method for providing bonus jackpot payoffs during a bonus mode time period in a system of linked gaming machines interconnected to a controller, said method comprising the steps of:
- determining eligible gaming machines at the time the bonus time period starts, providing bonus rounds in the controller wherein each bonus round has a different bonus multiplier and wherein each bonus round has a different predetermined number of bonus multiplier opportunities corresponding to the bonus multiplier for each bonus round, randomly selecting in the controller eligible gaming machines in each bonus round, issuing at most the predetermined number of bonus multiplier opportunities during each bonus round from the controller to the randomly selected eligible gaming machines, the controller awarding each randomly selected eligible gaming machine a bonus jackpot payoff based on (1) the issued bonus multiplier opportunity and (2) a game payoff resulting from play of a game in each aforesaid gaming machine only when the play of the game results in a game payoff.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for providing bonus jackpot payoffs during a bonus mode time period in a system of linked gaming machines interconnected to a controller. Eligible gaming machines are determined at the time the bonus time period starts. Once the bonus mode time period starts, a portion of the eligible gaming machines are randomly selected for multiple jackpot bonus payoff opportunities. The random selection determines the rate the opportunities are issued and the average length of the bonus mode time period. Once gaming machines are selected they are allowed to complete the game they are currently involved in and should the play result in a winning combination, then the game payoff is multiplied by a bonus multiplier. The underlying gaming machine is responsible, in a conventional fashion, for paying the game payoff and the controller then authorizes a further jackpot bonus payoff of the bonus multiplier less one times the game payoff. The bonus pool value is then decremented by the amount paid by the controller. This process repeats until the bonus mode multiplier opportunities for each bonus multiplier in each bonus round is completed or until the bonus pool value drops below zero.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method for providing bonus jackpot payoffs during a bonus mode time period in a system of linked gaming machines interconnected to a controller, said method comprising the steps of:
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determining eligible gaming machines at the time the bonus time period starts, providing bonus rounds in the controller wherein each bonus round has a different bonus multiplier and wherein each bonus round has a different predetermined number of bonus multiplier opportunities corresponding to the bonus multiplier for each bonus round, randomly selecting in the controller eligible gaming machines in each bonus round, issuing at most the predetermined number of bonus multiplier opportunities during each bonus round from the controller to the randomly selected eligible gaming machines, the controller awarding each randomly selected eligible gaming machine a bonus jackpot payoff based on (1) the issued bonus multiplier opportunity and (2) a game payoff resulting from play of a game in each aforesaid gaming machine only when the play of the game results in a game payoff. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for providing bonus payoffs during a bonus mode time period in a system of linked gaming machines interconnected to a controller, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a fixed number of bonus rounds, assigning a bonus multiplier for each of the fixed number of bonus rounds, providing a predetermined number of bonus multiplier opportunities for each of said fixed number of bonus rounds, each bonus multiplier opportunity corresponding to the bonus multiplier assigned for each bonus round, starting the bonus mode time period with a bonus pool of monetary value, determining eligible gaming machines in the linked gaming machines at the time the bonus mode time period starts, each bonus round comprising the following steps;
(a) detecting when an eligible gaming machine starts a game, (b) randomly selecting the detected eligible gaming machine to receive a bonus multiplier opportunity, (c) awarding the randomly selected gaming machine a bonus jackpot payoff based on (1) the bonus multiplier assigned to the received bonus multiplier opportunity and (2) a game payoff resulting from play of the game, (d) deducting the awarded bonus jackpot payoff value from the monetary value of the bonus pool, (e) ending the aforesaid bonus round when all of the predetermined number of bonus multiplier opportunities are received by the selected gaming machines, ending the bonus mode time period when all of the fixed number of bonus rounds have occurred or when the monetary value in the bonus pool drops below a predetermined low value. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for providing bonus payoffs during a bonus mode time period in a system of linked gaming machines interconnected to a controller, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing in the controller a fixed number of bonus rounds, assigning in the controller a bonus multiplier for each of the fixed number of bonus rounds, providing in the controller a predetermined number of bonus multiplier opportunities for each of said fixed number of bonus rounds, each bonus multiplier opportunity corresponding to the bonus multiplier assigned for each bonus round, wherein the bonus multiplier increases for each successive bonus round and wherein the predetermined number of bonus multiplier opportunities decreases for each successive bonus round, starting the bonus mode time period with a bonus pool of monetary value, determining eligible gaming machines at the time the bonus mode time period starts, each bonus round comprising the following steps;
(a) detecting when an eligible gaming machine starts a game, (b) randomly selecting the detected eligible gaming machine to receive a bonus multiplier opportunity in response to the start of the game, (c) awarding the randomly selected gaming machine a bonus jackpot payoff determined by;
(the bonus multiplier assigned to the received bonus multiplier opportunity minus one) times (a game payoff resulting from play of the game),(d) deducting the awarded bonus jackpot payoff value from the monetary value of the bonus pool, (e) ending the aforesaid bonus round when all of the predetermined number of bonus multiplier opportunities are received by the selected gaming machines, ending the bonus mode time period when all of the fixed number of bonus rounds have occurred or when the monetary value in the bonus pool drops below zero, continuing play of any selected gaming machines when the bonus mode time period ends, and performing only steps (c) and (d) in the event such continued play results in a game payoff. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of controlling the length of the average bonus mode time period for a bonus game having a plurality of linked eligible gaming machines interconnected to a controller, said bonus mode time period funded by a bonus pool of monetary value, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing to the controller at least the following values;
(1) a fixed number of bonus rounds, (2) a bonus multiplier for each of the fixed number of bonus rounds, (3) a predetermined number of bonus multiplier opportunities for each of the fixed number of bonus rounds, each bonus multiplier opportunity corresponding to the bonus multiplier assigned for each bonus round, and (4) a random selection rate for each bonus round for delivering a bonus multiple opportunity to each eligible gaming machine at the start of a game in the aforesaid each eligible gaming machine, the aforesaid values controlling the average length of the bonus mode time period,playing the bonus game from the controller by issuing bonus multiplier opportunities to each eligible gaming machine at the start of each game so as to be sure the predetermined number of bonus multiplier opportunities for each bonus round is the fixed number of bonus rounds, ending the bonus mode time period when all of the fixed number of bonus rounds have occurred or when the monetary value in the bonus pool drops below a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method for awarding bonus jackpot payoffs to winning gaming machines during a bonus mode time period, each of the plurality of gaming machines having a pay table of winning combinations with game payoffs, said method comprising the steps of:
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selecting winning combinations with game payoffs in the pay table having game payoffs below a predetermined value, providing bonus multiples of the game payoffs corresponding to the selected winning combinations as the bonus jackpot payoffs, awarding the provided bonus mode jackpot payoffs to the winning gaming machines with the selected winning combinations.
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47. A method of controlling the length of the average bonus mode time period for a bonus game having a plurality of linked eligible gaming machines interconnected to a controller, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a predetermined number of bonus multiplier opportunities, each bonus multiplier opportunity having an assigned multiplier, and delivering the bonus multiplier opportunities at a random selection rate from the controller to the eligible gaming machines wherein only the randomly selected ones of the eligible gaming machines receive multiples of their game payoffs so as to control the average length of the bonus mode time period, ending the bonus mode time period at least when all of the bonus multiplier opportunities have been delivered. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49)
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Specification