METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING PLAY OF A GAMING DEVICE

• US 20060025207A1
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: GELMAN, Geoffrey M., TEDESCO, Daniel E., TULLEY, Stephen C., JORASCH, James A., WALKER, Jay S., SANTISI, Steven M., GILMAN, Norman C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,172,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided allowing a player to play a gaming device and receive a predetermined number of outcomes in exchange for a payment. The gaming device generates at least the predetermined number of outcomes, and adjusts a balance of the player device based on the outcomes. The player can continue playing regardless of whether the balance is less than zero.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating play at a gaming device, comprising:

receiving a selection of a contract for a plurality of plays to be played on a gaming device,

wherein the contract defines a price for the plurality of game plays and a duration of the contract;

allowing play of the gaming device under terms of the contract, wherein play of the gaming device includes executing the plurality of game plays

determining an end of the play under the terms of the contract;

determining a number of credits reflected in a credit meter balance of the gaming device at the end of the play;

determining whether the number is a positive number or a negative number; and

if the number is a positive number, providing an amount of money based on the number and

if the number is a negative number, discontinuing the play without requiring payment based on the negative number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the contract has a price associated therewith, each of the game plays has a wager amount associated therewith, and further wherein the price is less than a sum of the wager amounts.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, prior to allowing play, a payment of a price for the contract.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

setting, after receiving the payment and before allowing play, the credit meter balance to an amount of credits that is not equal to the price.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the amount of credits that is not equal to the price is zero.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining, for each game play executed during the play of the gaming device under terms of the contract, a wager amount for the game play;

determining, for each game play executed during the play of the gaming device under terms of the contract, an outcome;

determining, for each outcome, a payout that corresponds to the outcome;

adding, if the payout is greater than zero, an amount of credits comprising the payout to the credit meter balance; and

subtracting the wager amount from the credit meter balance.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the wager amount is a term of the contract, such that determining the wager amount comprises determining the contract selected.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the credit meter balance may result in a number less than zero and the play may be allowed to continue despite the credit meter balance being a number less than zero.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining, for at least one of the outcomes, that the payout comprises a number of credits to be subtracted from the credit meter balance; and

subtracting the number of credits from the credit meter balance.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the duration of the contract comprises a period of time during which play of the gaming device will be allowed without requiring payment for a game play executed during the period of time, other than a payment for the contract.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the period of time ends once a predetermined amount of time passes after a beginning time at which the play commences.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the period of time ends once a predetermined number of game plays have been executed after a beginning time at which the play commences.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

outputting, during the play and via a display device, an indication of a number of game plays remaining under the contract.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining, during the play, that a game play has been initiated; and

decrementing by one the number of game plays remaining under the contract, as output via the display device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to end the play prior to an end of the duration of the contract;

determining a penalty for ending the play prior to the end of the duration of the contract; and

applying the penalty in exchange for allowing the end of the play.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming device comprises a video poker device and wherein allowing play of the gaming device comprises allowing play of a video poker game on the video poker device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a selection of a contract comprises:

determining that a button of a plurality of buttons of the gaming device has been actuated, each of the buttons being associated with a contract of the plurality of contracts.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the button comprises an area of a touch screen.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the button comprises an electromechanical button of a player interface of the gaming device.

20. A gaming device comprising:

a processor;

a memory operatively connected to the processor; and

communication means operatively connected to the processor for transmitting and receiving data communications via a network;

the processor operative with a program to;

adjust a credit meter balance of the gaming device, during play of the gaming device and based on events during play of the gaming device,

wherein the credit meter balance is decremented by an amount of credits equaling a wager amount upon an initiation of a game play, and further

wherein the credit meter balance is incremented by an amount of credits equal to a payout corresponding to a result of a game play;

display a number of credits available for wagering at any given time, wherein the number may be a number less than zero; and

allow play of the gaming device even when the credit meter balance is the number less than zero.

21. The gaming device of claim 20, wherein the processor being operative with the program to allow play of the gaming device even when the credit meter balance is a number less than zero comprises the processor being operative with the program to allow play of the gaming device even when the credit meter balance is a number less than zero without requiring any additional payment in exchange for allowing the play.

22. A gaming device, comprising:

a processor, the processor operable to facilitate a wagering game on the gaming device;

a memory operatively connected to the processor;

a display device operatively connected to the processor; and

a menu displayed by the display device,

the menu including an indication of a plurality of contracts available for purchase, wherein each contract of the plurality of contracts defines a duration and a price in exchange for which the gaming device may be played for the duration, and further wherein a duration of a contract spans at least two game plays,

the menu further including means for allowing a player to select a contract from a plurality of contracts, wherein a player'"'"'s selection of a contract is stored in the memory.

23. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine that a contract has been selected;

determine that a payment of a price corresponding to the contract has been received; and

allow play of the gaming device for the duration of the contract, wherein play of the gaming device is continued to be allowed even if a credit meter balance of the gaming device is a negative number.

24. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the processor is further operative to:

receive a request from a player to view a selection of contracts available for purchase; and

cause the display device to display the menu in response to receiving the request.

25. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the gaming device comprises a video poker device and wherein the wagering game comprises a video poker game.

26. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the processor is further operative to:

receive, from a server device, an indication that a price of a contract of the plurality of contracts has been updated, thereby receiving an indication that the price has been changed from a first price to a second price; and

cause information displayed on the menu to be adjusted to reflect the change from the first price to the second price.

27. A gaming device, comprising:

a processor, the processor operable to facilitate a wagering game on the gaming device;

a memory operatively connected to the processor;

a display device operatively connected to the processor; and

a plurality of electromechanical buttons of a player interface,

each button of the plurality of electromechanical buttons being associated with a respective contract available for purchase via the gaming device, wherein each contract of the plurality of contracts defines a duration and a price in exchange for which the gaming device may be played for the duration, and further wherein a duration of a contract spans at least two game plays,

wherein the processor is further operable to;

determine that a button of the plurality of electromechanical buttons has been actuated;

facilitate purchase of the contract associated with the actuated button.

28. The gaming device of claim 27, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine that a contract has been selected;

determine that a payment of a price corresponding to the contract has been received; and

allow play of the gaming device for the duration of the contract, wherein play of the gaming device is continued to be allowed even if a credit meter balance of the gaming device is a negative number.

29. The gaming device of claim 27, wherein the processor is further operative to:

receive, from a server device, an indication that a price of a contract of the plurality of contracts has been updated, thereby receiving an indication that the price has been changed from a first price to a second price; and

cause information displayed on the button associated with the contract to be adjusted to reflect the change from the first price to the second price.

30. The gaming device of claim 27, wherein the gaming device comprises a video poker device and wherein the wagering game comprises a video poker game.