Method and system for funding and awarding bonuses in a gaming environment
First Claim
1. A bonus system associated with a gaming system including at least one gaming device, the gaming device arranged to present at least one game for play thereon, comprising:
- a player tracking device associated with said gaming device, said player tracking device including a card reader, a keypad, and at least one display, said player tracking device configured to receive information regarding said gaming device;
a player tracking host arranged to store data regarding activities of one or more players of said gaming device;
a communications link between said player tracking device and said player tracking host over which information is transmitted; and
a bonus system host, said bonus system host arranged to determine the eligibility of a player to participate in a bonus event, to determine whether an eligible player has won a bonus, and to generate bonus information and transmit said bonus information over said communications link to said player tracking device to a player who has won a bonus.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for providing a bonus to a player of a game in a gaming environment are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises determining if a player is eligible to participate in a bonus event, such as by determining that a player is playing a game via a player tracking network. Next, it is determined if the player is a winner of a bonus of the bonus event, such as by meeting one or more bonus event criteria. The criteria are preferably independent of the specific outcome of the game played by the player. Bonus information is generated at provided to the player. In one embodiment, the bonus system includes a player tracking system comprising a player tracking device at a gaming machine, a remote player tracking host and a network by which information may be sent to and from the player tracking device and player tracking host. The bonus system includes a bonus system host associated with the network, the bonus system host capable of generating bonus event information which is transmitted to the player tracking device at via the network. In one embodiment, the player tracking device includes a player tracking device controller and one or more peripherals, such as a card reader, display and speakers. Bonus event information is displayed and audible information is generated in response to the sending of bonus event information from the bonus event host to the player tracking device controller.
221 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A bonus system associated with a gaming system including at least one gaming device, the gaming device arranged to present at least one game for play thereon, comprising:
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a player tracking device associated with said gaming device, said player tracking device including a card reader, a keypad, and at least one display, said player tracking device configured to receive information regarding said gaming device;
a player tracking host arranged to store data regarding activities of one or more players of said gaming device;
a communications link between said player tracking device and said player tracking host over which information is transmitted; and
a bonus system host, said bonus system host arranged to determine the eligibility of a player to participate in a bonus event, to determine whether an eligible player has won a bonus, and to generate bonus information and transmit said bonus information over said communications link to said player tracking device to a player who has won a bonus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of providing a bonus to a player of a game comprising:
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providing a player tracking device associated with said game, said player tracking device, said player tracking device in communication with a player tracking network permitting transmission of information to and from said player tracking device and at least one host device;
configuring bonus event information;
determining if said player is entitled to participate in said bonus event;
if said player is determined to be entitled to participate in said bonus event, determining if said player is a winner of said bonus event based upon one or more criteria for winning said bonus event, said one or more criteria being independent of a specific outcome of said game;
if said player is determined to be a winner of said bonus event, transmitting bonus information from said host to said player tracking device over said player tracking network; and
presenting a bonus event at said gaming machine with said player tracking device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19)
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17. A method of awarding a bonus to one or more players in a gaming environment comprising the steps of:
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determining that a player of a game is entitled to participate in a bonus event;
determining the one or more players who are entitled to a bonus based upon one or more criteria, said criteria being independent of the outcome of a specific game played by said player; and
transmitting information regarding said bonus to said one or more players who meet said criteria at said game.
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Specification