Gaming system having multiple gaming machines which provide bonus awards

• US 20060040736A1
• Filed: 08/15/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Baerlocher, Anthony J., Vasquez, James A., Ching, Erick T., Peterson, Tonja M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,607,976 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/27
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3283 wherein the number of active machines is limited
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3286 Type of games
• 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 system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines and a plurality of bonus awards. The central server monitors wagers on the gaming machines. Based at least in part on the wagers the central server determines when bonus events will occur and which gaming machine(s) will provide the bonus awards. In one embodiment, the central server determines which gaming machine will provide a primary bonus award and any secondary bonus awards. In one embodiment, the number of secondary bonus awards is determined based on the number of active gaming machines. The selected gaming machine then determines a component of or the amount of the bonus award to be provided to the gaming machine selected by the central server.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising

a controller;

a plurality of gaming machines in communication with the controller, each gaming machine including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player;

an accumulated wager pool maintained by the controller, said accumulated wager pool based at least in part on the wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines; and

a plurality of bonus awards, each bonus award adapted to be displayed and provided to the player of one of the gaming machines selected by the controller based on the accumulated wager pool and independent of any event in or of any play of any of the primary games of the gaming machines, said bonus award selected from said plurality of bonus awards by said selected gaming machine independent of the accumulated wager pool;

wherein the controller is programmed to;

(a) for each gaming machine, maintain a total of the wagers placed on the primary game of said gaming machine during a bonus event accumulation period for the bonus award;

(b) maintain the accumulated wager pool including a total of the wagers on the primary games of all of gaming machines during the bonus event accumulation period for the bonus award;

(c) determine at designated intervals during the bonus event accumulation period if a bonus event will occur; and

(d) if the bonus event is determined to occur;

(i) determine which of the gaming machines were in an active state during a bonus event qualification period for said bonus event, and

(ii) select at least one of the gaming machines in the active state.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to select at least one of the gaming machines in the active state based on the total wagers placed during the bonus event accumulation period for each gaming machine in the active state relative to a total of the wagers placed for all of said gaming machines in the active state during the bonus event accumulation period.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period by determining for each gaming machine if a wager was placed on the primary game of that gaming machine during the bonus event qualification period.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period by determining for each gaming machine if a designated level wager was placed on the primary game of that gaming machine during the bonus event qualification period.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period by determining for each gaming machine if a designated number of wagers were placed on the primary game of that gaming machine during the bonus event qualification period.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein if at least two of the gaming machines are each in the active state, the controller is programmed to select at least one of the gaming machines in the active state to provide a secondary bonus award, wherein said selection excludes the gaming machine selected to provide the bonus award.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein if at least two gaming machines are each in the active state, the controller is programmed to determine a number of secondary bonus awards based on the number of gaming machines in the active state.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a processor of one of the gaming machines functions as the controller.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each bonus award includes a value component.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the value component is determined by the selected gaming machine.

11. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the value component is determined in a secondary game played on the selected gaming machine.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least two of said primary games of at least two of the plurality of gaming machines are different.

13. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the designated intervals are time based.

14. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the designated intervals are based on the accumulated wager pool.

15. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player; and

a controller in communication with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to;

(a) for each gaming machine, maintain a total of the wagers placed on the primary game of said gaming machine during a bonus event accumulation period;

(b) maintain a total of the wagers placed on the primary games of all of gaming machines during the bonus event accumulation period;

(c) determine at designated intervals during the bonus event accumulation period if a bonus event will occur; and

(d) if the bonus event is determined to occur;

(i) determine which of the gaming machines were in an active state during a bonus event qualification period for said bonus event,

(ii) select at least one of the gaming machines in the active state based on the total wagers placed during the bonus event accumulation period for each of the gaming machines in the active state relative to the total wagers placed for all of the gaming machines in the active state during the bonus event accumulation period, and

(iii) send a signal to the selected gaming machine to provide a bonus award to the player of said gaming machine, wherein said selected gaming machine at least in part determines the bonus award to display and provide to the player.

16. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the bonus event accumulation period begins at the occurrence of a previous bonus event and ends at the occurrence of the bonus event.

17. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the bonus event accumulation period begins at the issuance of a previous bonus award and ends at the issuance of the bonus award.

18. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the bonus event qualification period is a designated period of time before the end of the bonus event accumulation period.

19. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the bonus event qualification period is a designated period of time before the bonus event is determined to occur.

20. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period by determining for each gaming machine if a wager was placed on the primary game of that gaming machine during the bonus event qualification period.

21. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in the active during the bonus event qualification period by determining for each gaming machine if a designated level wager was placed on the primary game of that gaming machine during the bonus event qualification period.

22. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period by determining for each gaming machine if a designated number of wagers were placed on the primary game of that gaming machine during the bonus event qualification period.

23. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the bonus award includes a value component.

24. The gaming system of claim 23, wherein the value component is determined by the selected gaming machine.

25. The gaming system of claim 23, wherein the value component is determined in a secondary game played on the selected gaming machine.

26. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the bonus award includes a modifier component.

27. The gaming system of claim 26, wherein the modifier component is determined by the controller.

28. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein if at least two of the gaming machines are each in the active state, the controller is programmed to select at least one of the gaming machines in the active state to provide a secondary bonus award wherein said selection excludes the gaming machine selected to provide the bonus award.

29. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein if at least two gaming machines are each in the active state, the controller is programmed to determine a number of secondary bonus awards based on the number of gaming machines in the active state.

30. The gaming system of claim 15, which includes an accumulated wager pool which includes at least the total amounts of the wagers placed on the primary games of all gaming machines during the bonus event accumulation period.

31. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein a processor of one of the gaming machines functions as the controller.

32. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein at least two of said primary games of at least two of the plurality of gaming machines are different.

33. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the designated intervals are time based.

34. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the designated intervals are based on the accumulated wager pool.

35. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein said gaming machine selected to provide the bonus award determines at least part, but not all of the bonus award to display and provide to the player of the selected gaming machine.

36. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player; and

a controller in communication with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to;

(a) for each gaming machine, maintain a total of the wagers placed on the primary game of said gaming machine during a bonus event accumulation period;

(b) maintain a total of the wagers placed on the primary games of all of gaming machines during the bonus event accumulation period;

(c) determine at designated intervals during the bonus event accumulation period if a bonus event will occur;

(d) if the bonus event is determined to occur;

(i) determine which of the gaming machines were in an active state during a bonus event qualification period for said bonus event accumulation period by determining for each gaming machine if a wager was placed on the primary game of that gaming machine during the bonus event qualification period, wherein the bonus event qualification period is a designated period of time before the occurrence of the bonus event,

(ii) select at least one of the gaming machines in the active state based on the total wagers placed during the bonus event accumulation period for each of the gaming machines in the active state relative to the total wagers placed for all of the gaming machines in the active state during the bonus event accumulation period, and

(iii) send at least one signal to the selected gaming machine to provide a bonus award to the player of said selected gaming machine, wherein said signal includes a multiplier component for the bonus award and wherein said selected gaming machine determines a value component for the bonus award.

37. The gaming system of claim 36, wherein the bonus event accumulation period ends at an occurrence of a bonus event.

38. The gaming system of claim 36, wherein if at least two of the gaming machines are each in the active state, the controller is programmed to select at least one of the gaming machines in the active state to provide a secondary bonus award, wherein said selection excludes the gaming machine selected to provide the bonus award.

39. The gaming system of claim 36, wherein if at least two gaming machines are each in the active state, the controller is programmed to determine a number of secondary bonus awards based on the number of gaming machines in the active state.

40. The gaming system of claim 36, which includes an accumulated wager pool which includes at least the total amounts of the wagers placed on the primary games of all gaming machines during the bonus event accumulation period.

41. The gaming system of claim 36, wherein a processor of one of the gaming machines functions as the controller.

42. The gaming system of claim 36, wherein the value component is determined by the selected gaming machine.

43. The gaming system of claim 36, wherein the value component is determined in a secondary game played on the selected gaming machine.

44. The gaming system of claim 36, wherein at least two of said primary games of at least two of the plurality of gaming machines are different.

45. The gaming system of claim 36, wherein the designated intervals are time based.

46. The gaming system of claim 36, wherein the designated intervals are based on the accumulated wager pool.