Electronic amusement device offering secondary game of chance and method for operating same

• US 20040142741A1
• Filed: 01/06/2004
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: James Jorasch, Jay S. Walker, Magdalena Mik, Robert Raymond Lech, Stephen C. Tulley
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tulley, Stephen C., Lech, Robert R., Walker, Jay S., Mik, Magdalena
• Granted Patent: US 6,843,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00

Abstract

An electronic amusement device and a method for operating the device are disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, a slot machine server controls a secondary game of chance played at a client slot machine. The server receives a player identifier corresponding to a player and a client identifier corresponding to a client slot machine. The server retrieves registration data relating to a secondary game of chance corresponding to the player identifier and the client identifier. The server further receives an outcome from the client slot machine and analyzes the outcome based on game requirements associated with the secondary game of chance, thereby determining whether the outcome satisfies at least one of the game requirements. Once all of the game requirements have been satisfied, the server updates a session status indicating the completion of the game requirements.

Claims

1. A method for directing a computing device to register a player to play a secondary game of chance at a slot machine, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request to register the player to play the secondary game of chance, the request to register including a player identifier;

determining a secondary game identifier corresponding to the secondary game of chance, the secondary game identifier associated with a plurality of client identifiers, each client identifier corresponding to a slot machine configured to facilitate a primary game of chance and the secondary game of chance; and

storing the player identifier, the secondary game identifier and the plurality of client identifiers, thereby registering the player for the secondary game of chance.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining further includes determining at least one completion parameter associated with the secondary game of chance.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one completion parameter defines a maximum number of plays in which to successfully complete the secondary game of chance.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one completion parameter defines a maximum duration of time in which to play the secondary game of chance.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one completion parameter comprises a set of game requirements.

6. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

selecting at least one of the plurality of client identifiers; and

outputting a description of the at least one slot machine corresponding to the at least one selected client identifier.

7. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

determining a minimum number of client machines on which the player must play to receive a secondary game bonus.

8. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

determining a maximum number of client machines on which the player may play to receive a secondary game bonus.

9. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

receiving pre-payment for the secondary game of chance.

10. The method of claim 9 further including the step of:

receiving pre-payment for the primary game of chance.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving further includes receiving a second player identifier corresponding to a second player, the player and the second player comprising a team, and the step of storing further including storing the second player identifier.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

communicating a plurality of secondary games of chance to the player; and

receiving a player selection identifying one of the plurality of secondary games of chance.

13. A method for directing a computing device to conduct a secondary game of chance at a client slot machine, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a player identifier corresponding to a player;

retrieving registration data including;

a secondary game identifier, the secondary game identifier corresponding to game requirements for determining a winner of the secondary game of chance, the secondary game identifier further corresponding to a plurality of eligible client identifiers, and

a session status;

receiving a client identifier corresponding to the client slot machine;

determining whether the client identifier is associated with one of the plurality of eligible client identifiers;

receiving an outcome;

analyzing the outcome based on the game requirements, thereby determining whether the outcome satisfies at least one of the game requirements; and

updating the session status based on the step of analyzing.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the game requirements for determining a winner of the secondary game of chance define a plurality of outcomes.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the plurality of outcomes are mutually exclusive from a plurality of outcomes which qualify for an award according to a primary game of chance.

16. The method of claim 13 further including storing the outcome if the outcome satisfies at least one of the game requirements.

17. The method of claim 16. further including the step of:

storing a timestamp associated with the outcome.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein at least one game requirement defines a minimum number of client slot machines required to successfully complete the secondary game of chance.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein at least one game requirement defines an order in which the slot machines corresponding to at least two eligible client identifiers must be played.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of analyzing is performed for every received outcome.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein at least one game requirement defines a time during which an outcome must be received in order to satisfy the game requirement.

22. The method of claim 13 further including the step of outputting a description of a slot machine associated with at least one eligible client identifier.

23. The method of claim 13 further including the step of outputting a description of at least one game requirement.

24. A method for directing a computing device to award winnings associated with a secondary game of chance, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a player identifier corresponding to a player;

retrieving player data including;

a secondary game bonus amount representing an amount to be awarded to the player; and

a secondary game status;

determining whether the player is eligible for the secondary game bonus based on the secondary game status;

transmitting a signal directing the secondary game bonus to be awarded;

outputting the secondary game bonus amount; and

updating the secondary game status to reflect an award of the secondary bonus.

25. A method for determining eligible client identifiers associated with a secondary game of chance, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving historic data associated with a plurality of slot machines, each slot machine having a corresponding client identifier;

ranking the slot machines based on the historic data;

identifying a subset of the ranked slot machines as eligible client slot machines; and

generating a list of the eligible client identifiers corresponding to the identified subset of ranked slot machines.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the historical data represents a number of plays.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the historical data represents an amount of winnings.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the historical data represents an amount of coins received.

29. A registration kiosk, comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected to said processor storing a program to control the operation of said processor;

said processor operative with said program in said memory to;

receive a request to register the player to play the secondary game of chance, the request to register including a player identifier,

determine a secondary game identifier corresponding to the secondary game of chance, the secondary game identifier associated with a plurality of client identifiers, each client identifier corresponding to a slot machine configured to facilitate a primary game of chance and the secondary game of chance, and

store the player identifier, the secondary game identifier and the plurality of client identifiers, thereby registering the player for the secondary game of chance.

30. A slot machine server, comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected to said processor storing a program to control the operation of said processor;

said processor operative with said program in said memory to;

receive a player identifier corresponding to a player;

retrieve registration data including;

a secondary game identifier, the secondary game identifier corresponding to game requirements for determining a winner of the secondary game of chance, the secondary game identifier further corresponding to a plurality of eligible client identifiers, and

a session status,

receive a client identifier corresponding to the client slot machine,

determine whether the client identifier is associated with one of the plurality of eligible client identifiers,

receive an outcome,

analyze the outcome based on the game requirements, thereby determining whether the outcome satisfies at least one of the game requirements, and

update the session status based on the step of analyzing.

31. A kiosk, comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected to said processor storing a program to control the operation of said processor;

said processor operative with said program in said memory to;

receive a player identifier corresponding to a player,

retrieve player data including;

a secondary game bonus amount representing an amount to be awarded to the player, and

a secondary game status,

determine whether the player is eligible for the secondary game bonus based on the secondary game status,

transmit a signal directing the secondary game bonus to be awarded,

output the secondary game bonus amount, and

update the secondary game status to reflect an award of the secondary bonus.

32. A slot machine server, comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected to said processor storing a program to control the operation of said processor;

said processor operative with said program in said memory to;

receive historic data associated with a plurality of slot machines, each slot machine having a corresponding client identifier,

rank the slot machines based on the historic data,

identify a subset of the ranked slot machines as eligible client slot machines, and

generate a list of the eligible client identifiers corresponding to the identified subset of ranked slot machines.

33. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for directing a computing device to register a player to play a secondary game of chance at a slot machine, said processing instructions for directing a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving a request to register the player to play the secondary game of chance, the request to register including a player identifier;

determining a secondary game identifier corresponding to the secondary game of chance, the secondary game identifier associated with a plurality of client identifiers, each client identifier corresponding to a slot machine configured to facilitate a primary game of chance and the secondary game of chance; and

storing the player identifier, the secondary game identifier and the plurality of client identifiers, thereby registering the player for the secondary game of chance.

34. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for directing a computing device to conduct a secondary game of chance at a client slot machine, said processing instructions for directing a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving a player identifier corresponding to a player;

retrieving registration data including;

a secondary game identifier, the secondary game identifier corresponding to game requirements for determining a winner of the secondary game of chance, the secondary game identifier further corresponding to a plurality of eligible client identifiers, and

a session status;

receiving a client identifier corresponding to the client slot machine;

determining whether the client identifier is associated with one of the plurality of eligible client identifiers;

receiving an outcome;

analyzing the outcome based on the game requirements, thereby determining whether the outcome satisfies at least one of the game requirements; and

updating the session status based on the step of analyzing.

35. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for directing a computing device to award winnings associated with a secondary game of chance, said processing instructions for directing a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving a player identifier corresponding to a player;

retrieving player data including;

a secondary game bonus amount representing an amount to be awarded to the player; and

a secondary game status;

determining whether the player is eligible for the secondary game bonus based on the secondary game status;

transmitting a signal directing the secondary game bonus to be awarded;

outputting the secondary game bonus amount; and

updating the secondary game status to reflect an award of the secondary bonus.

36. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for determining eligible client identifiers associated with a secondary game of chance, said processing instructions for directing a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving historic data associated with a plurality of slot machines, each slot machine having a corresponding client identifier;

ranking the slot machines based on the historic data;

identifying a subset of the ranked slot machines as eligible client slot machines; and

generating a list of the eligible client identifiers corresponding to the identified subset of ranked slot machines.