Gaming machine-membership reward system

• US 20040038736A1
• Filed: 07/25/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Olive, Scott, Bryant, Natalie
• Granted Patent: US 7,318,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming machine is provided, which is arranged to play a game having 2 modes wherein the base game, when in the first mode, has a standard set of features and when in the second mode has an enhanced set of features which improve its attractiveness to players. The first game mode is available to all players and the second enhanced game mode is made available to players who have established membership in a group by inserting a members card.

Claims

1. A gaming console having a display means, player input means, and control means arranged to control images displayed on the display means in response to player inputs and game outcomes of games run on the console by the player, the console being characterised in that it is arranged to operate in at least two modes, including a first, normal mode and a second, loyalty enhanced mode, wherein the first mode is available to all players and the second mode is made available only to players who have established themselves as members of a special eligibility group.

2. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second mode is distinguished from the first mode by providing higher prizes.

3. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second mode is distinguished from the first mode by providing additional prizes.

4. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second mode is distinguished from the first mode by providing additional game features as standard features of the game.

5. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second mode is distinguished from the first mode by providing additional, purchasable, game features within a standard game.

6. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second, loyalty mode includes a feature which is related to a system event in a linked system.

7. The gaming console as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second, loyalty mode provides eligibility to a progressive jackpot.

8. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second mode is distinguished from the first mode by providing eligibility to an additional bonus.

9. The gaming console as claimed in claim 8, wherein the bonus is related to particular outcomes on the main game.

10. The gaming console as claimed in claim 9, wherein a main game available for play on the console is a spinning reel game in which a plurality of reel strips carrying symbols are spun and when the reel strips stop spinning part of each reel strip is displayed and prizes are awarded for predetermined combinations of symbols appearing together on the displayed parts of the reel strips.

11. The gaming console as claimed in claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the bonus comprises an additional feature game.

12. The gaming console as claimed in claim 11, wherein the additional feature game is an independent second screen game.

13. The gaming console as claimed in claim 10, wherein the bonus available in the second, loyalty mode comprises awarding a predetermined number of free games on the occurrence of a predetermined trigger occurring in a standard game.

14. The gaming console as claimed in claim 13, wherein the bonus comprises awarding 10 free games on the occurrence of the trigger.

15. The gaming console as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein the predetermined trigger is the occurrence of a predetermined combination of symbols spun up in the standard game.

16. The gaming console as claimed in claim 15, wherein the combination of symbols comprises a plurality of similar symbols.

17. The gaming console as claimed in claim 16, wherein the combination of symbols comprises scatter symbols.

18. The gaming console as claimed in claim 16, wherein the combination of symbols comprises substitute symbols.

19. The gaming console as claimed in claim 10, comprising a feature wherein, when a triggering event occurs, a bonus prize is awarded for every occurrence of a second predetermined symbol that appears in a subsequent predetermined number of games played.

20. The gaming console as claimed in claim 19, wherein the bonus prize is 5 credits.

21. The gaming console as claimed in claim 19 or 20, wherein the first predetermined symbol is an “

EYE”

symbol.

22. The gaming console as claimed in claim 19, 20 or 21, wherein the triggering event comprises the first predetermined symbol appearing at the same time on two reels in the main game.

23. The gaming console as claimed in claim 19, 20, 21 or 22, wherein the second predetermined symbol is a “

KING”

symbol.

24. The gaming console as claimed in claim 19, 20, 21, 22 or 23, wherein the number of subsequent games in which the player is eligible for the bonus prize is the next 20 games played.

25. The gaming console as claimed in claim 10, wherein the additional bonus in the second loyalty mode comprises awarding a second screen feature game to the player, and the feature game awarding a bonus prize.

26. The gaming console as claimed in claim 9, wherein the additional bonus feature provides additional prizes for outcomes over a predetermined level.

27. The gaming console as claimed in claim 9, wherein the additional bonus feature provides additional prizes for outcomes containing a predetermined indicia.

28. The gaming console as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the function of standard game features is altered when the console is operating in the second, loyalty enhanced mode.

29. The gaming console as claimed in claim 28, wherein a standard game feature comprises awarding a bonus on the occurrence of a predetermined trigger and in the second, loyalty enhanced mode the bonus is increased.

30. The gaming console as claimed in claim 29, wherein the bonus in the first, normal mode comprises awarding a first predetermined number of free games and the second, loyalty enhanced mode comprises awarding a second, predetermined number of free games, the second predetermined number of free games being a greater number than the first predetermined number of free games.

31. The gaming console as claimed in claim 30, wherein the second predetermined number of free games is double the first predetermined number of free games.

32. The gaming console as claimed in claim 30 or 31, wherein the first predetermined number of free games comprises 10 free games.

33. The gaming console as claimed in claim 30, 31 or 32, wherein the second predetermined number of free games comprises 20 free games.

34. The gaming console as claimed in claim 28 or 29, wherein the bonus comprises awarding a second screen feature.

35. The gaming console as claimed in claim 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 or 34, wherein the predetermined trigger is the occurrence of a predetermined combination of symbols in a standard game.

36. The gaming console as claimed in claim 35, wherein the predetermined combination of symbols comprises two similar symbols.

37. The gaming console as claimed in claim 35, wherein the predetermined combination of symbols comprises three similar symbols.

38. The gaming console as claimed in claim 35, 36 or 37, wherein the predetermined combination of symbols comprises scatter symbols.

40. The gaming console as claimed in claim 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 or 34, wherein the trigger required when the second, loyalty enhanced mode is enabled is easier to achieve than the trigger required when the first, normal mode of the game is operating.

48. The gaming console as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second mode is distinguished from the first mode by providing eligibility to additional jackpot prizes.

49. The gaming console as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 48, wherein the main game, or base game is a card game.

50. The gaming console as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the main game, or base game is a spinning reel game.

51. The gaming console as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 48, wherein the main game, or base game is a keno game.

52. The gaming console as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 48, wherein the main game, or base game is a bingo game.

53. The gaming console as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 48, wherein the main game, or base game includes additional feature games.

54. The gaming console as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 53, wherein membership of the eligible group is indicated to the console by use of special identification means.

55. The gaming console as claimed in claim 54, wherein the identification means is an identification card.

56. The gaming console as claimed in claim 54, wherein the identification means is a key.

57. The gaming console as claimed in claim 54, wherein the identification means is a password which must be entered into the console.

58. The gaming console as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 57, wherein the loyalty system is implemented on a “

stand alone”

console.

59. The gaming console as claimed in claim 58, wherein the console is provided with a card reader that reads a special membership card.

60. The gaming console as claimed in claim 59, wherein, when the card is inserted into the card reader, the console recognises the player as a member and the player will become eligible for the features of the second, loyalty-enhanced mode.

61. The gaming console as claimed in claim 60, wherein information on the card enables the console to establish the player'"'"'s identity, and play in the enhanced mode cannot commence until the console has identified the player.

62. The gaming console as claimed in claim 59, wherein information on the card enables the console to establish the player'"'"'s membership of the eligibility group without establishing the player'"'"'s identity, and play in the enhanced mode is enabled to commence when the player is recognised as a member of the class eligible for the enhanced mode.

63. The gaming console as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 57, wherein the loyalty system is implemented on a plurality of networked consoles.

64. The gaming console as claimed in claim 63, wherein player details are maintained on a network server.

65. The gaming console as claimed in claim 63, wherein player details are maintained on a dedicated loyalty system server.

66. The gaming console as claimed in claim 64 or 65, wherein the identification means are used only to identify the player to the system so that the player details can be retrieved.

39. The gaming console as claimed in 35, 36 or 37, wherein the predetermined combination of symbols comprises substitute symbols.

41. The gaming console as claimed in claim 39 or 40, wherein the trigger in the first, normal mode comprises the occurrence of a predetermined symbol a first predetermined number of times in a winning combination during a standard game.

42. The gaming console as claimed in claim 41, wherein the trigger in the second, loyalty enhanced mode comprises the occurrence of the predetermined symbol a second predetermined number of times in a winning combination during a standard game, the second predetermined number being less than the first predetermined number.

43. The gaming console as claimed in claim 42, wherein the second predetermined number is one less than the first predetermined number.

44. The gaming console as claimed in claim 42 or 43, wherein the second predetermined number is one.

45. The gaming console as claimed in claim 42 or 43, wherein the first predetermined number is three.

46. The gaming console as claimed in claim 42, 43, 44 or 45 wherein the predetermined symbol comprises a substitute symbol.

47. The gaming console as claimed in claim 42, 43, 44 or 45, wherein the predetermined symbol comprises a scatter symbol.