Apparatus and method for facilitating team play of slot machines

• US 20040204235A1
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Fincham, Magdalena M., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Tedesco, Robert C., Walker, Jay S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,364,510 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/008 adapted for being playable on a screen
• 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 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A method for team play of slot machines, including determining a first result corresponding to a first player on a team, determining a second result corresponding to a second player, determining whether the second player is on the team, and determining a result based on the first result and the second result if the second player is on the team. Various embodiments further include awarding comp points to the team based on the play of the first player and the second player. Various embodiments further include joint participation in a bonus round by members of a team.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a first number of comp points that have been earned by a player at a gaming device;

determining a team with which the player is associated;

providing a second number of comp points to the player; and

providing a third number of comp points to the team,

in which the sum of the second number and the third number is not greater than the first number.

2. The method of 1 in which the sum of the second number and the third number is equal to the first number.

3. A method comprising:

receiving an indication that one player has earned a number of comp points;

incrementing an account based on the number of comp points; and

decrementing the account based on redemptions by a plurality of players.

4. A method comprising:

receiving an indication that a plurality of players have collectively earned a number of comp points;

incrementing an account based on the number of comp points; and

decrementing the account based on redemptions by only one player.

5. A method comprising:

receiving an indication that a plurality of players have collectively earned a number of comp points;

incrementing an account based on the number of comp points; and

decrementing the account based on redemptions by the plurality of players.

6. A method comprising:

receiving an indication that a first number of comp points has been earned; and

awarding the first number of comp points to an entity, in which the entity is not an individual person.

7. The method of 6 in which receiving includes receiving an indication that the first number of comp points is due to be awarded.

8. The method of 6 in which the entity is an account corresponding to a team of two or more people.

9. The method of 8 in which receiving includes receiving an indication that a first person has earned the first number of comp points, in which the first person is a member of the team.

10. The method of 9 further including:

receiving an indication that a second person has earned a second number of comp points; and

awarding the second number of comp points to the account.

11. The method of 10 in which the second person is a member of the team.

12. The method of 6 in which awarding includes:

accessing a database record corresponding to the entity; and

updating a field in the record, in which the field stores a third number of comp points associated with the entity.

13. The method of 6 in which receiving includes receiving an indication that at least one play has been completed at a gaming device.

14. A method comprising:

receiving an indication that a tracking card is inserted into a first gaming device;

receiving from the first gaming device an indication of a selection of a second gaming device,

in which the second gaming device does not contain a tracking card;

receiving an indication that a number of comp points has been earned for play at the second gaming device; and

awarding the number of comp points to an account associated with the tracking card.

15. A method comprising:

receiving a first input from a first player at a first gaming device;

receiving a second input from a second player at a second gaming device; and

generating, based on both the first input and the second input, an outcome comprising a plurality of indicia.

16. A. The method of 15 in which the outcome comprises a plurality of symbols, the symbols derived from the reels of the first and second gaming devices.

17. The method of 15 in which receiving the first input includes receiving a first input to initialize the spinning of the reels of the first gaming device;

and

in which receiving the second input includes receiving a second input to halt the spinning of the reels of the first gaming device.

18. A method comprising:

receiving an indication that a first player has achieved at a first gaming device an outcome providing entry into a first bonus round;

determining a second player at a second gaming device, in which the second player and the first player are on a team; and

transmitting instructions to the second gaming device to provide entry into a second bonus round.

19. A method comprising:

determining a type of symbol required for entry into a bonus round;

determining a threshold number of such symbols required for entry into the bonus round;

receiving an indication of a first number of the type of symbol obtained by a first player at a first gaming device;

receiving an indication of a second number of the type of symbol obtained by a second player at a second gaming device;

determining a sum of the first number and the second number;

determining whether the sum is not less than the threshold number of symbols; and

instructing, based on the sum not being less than the threshold number of symbols, the first gaming device to provide entry for the first player into the bonus round at the first gaming device.

20. The method of 19, further including:

instructing, based on the sum not being less than the threshold number of symbols, the second gaming device to provide entry for the second player into the bonus round at the second gaming device.

21. A method comprising:

receiving a first input from a first player at a first gaming device;

receiving a second input from a second player at a second gaming device;

determining a first state of a game based on the first input;

determining a second state of the game based on the second input;

instructing the first gaming device to display the first state to the first player;

instructing the second gaming device to display the first state to the second player;

determining a final state of the game based on at least one of the first state, the second state, the first input, and the second input;

determining first compensation for the first player based on the final state; and

determining second compensation for the second player based on the final state.

22. The method of 21 in which determining a first state includes determining a first state of a bonus game.

23. The method of 21 in which receiving a first input includes receiving an indication that the first player has pressed a button of the first gaming device.

24. The method of 21 in which determining a first state of the game includes determining a credit balance.

25. The method of 21 in which determining a first state of the game includes determining a position of a game character.

26. The method of 21 in which determining the first state of the game includes determining a state in which a restriction is placed upon the first player as to his future inputs into the game.

27. The method of 26 in which determining the first state of the game includes determining a state in which the first player has been eliminated from the game.

28. The method of 26 in which determining the second state of the game includes determining a state in which the restriction has been lifted.

29. The method of 28 in which:

determining the first state of the game includes determining a state in which the first player has been eliminated; and

determining the second state includes determining a state in which the second player has reached a new stage of the game and in which the first player has been restored to the game after having been eliminated.

30. The method of 21 in which determining the final state of the game includes determining:

a first credit balance representative of credits accumulated by the first player during the game; and

a second credit balance representative of credits accumulated by the second player during the game.

31. The method of 30 in which determining first compensation for the first player includes determining the greater of the first credit balance and the second credit balance.

32. The method of 30 in which determining first compensation for the first player includes determining the sum of the first credit balance and the second credit balance.

33. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of a first row of symbols from a first gaming device,

in which the first row of symbols comprises a set of symbols that are displayed in a horizontal band across a display screen of the first gaming device;

receiving an indication of a second row of symbols from a second gaming device;

combining the first row and the second row to form a two-dimensional grid of symbols comprising at least two rows;

determining a payline on the two-dimensional grid, the payline comprising a plurality of symbols, in which the payline is not a row of the grid; and

determining a payout based on the plurality of symbols.

34. The method of 33, further including transmitting instructions to the first gaming device to provide the payout.