System and method for awarding an incentive award

• US 20060058099A1
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Gaming Incorporated (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Gaming Incorporated (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: George, Jeffrey, Sutherland, Steve, Soukup, Thomas E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,956,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

System and system award a player of a gaming machine an incentive award. The gaming machine has first and second playable games. A computer is connected to the machine. The player chooses to play one of the first and second games and play on the gaming machine is tracked. The incentive award is awarded as a function of the tracked play on the gaming machine and a set of predetermined award criteria.

Claims

1. A method for awarding a player of a gaming machine an incentive award, the gaming machine having first and second playable games, the player having a player account stored in a computer connected to the machine, including the steps of:

allowing the player to play one of the first and second games;

tracking play on the gaming machine; and

,

responsively awarding the incentive award as a function of the tracked play on the gaming machine and a set of predetermined award criteria.

2. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of tracking play on the gaming machine includes the step of tracking which one of the first and second games the player has played.

3. A method, as set forth in claim 2, the predetermined award criteria including a pre-selected one of the first and second games, the step of awarding the incentive award includes the step of awarding the incentive award to the player if the one of the first and second games the player has played matches the pre-selected one of the first and second games.

4. A method, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the player account has an associated number of bonus points, the predetermined award criteria including a pre-selected one of the first and second games and a bonus triggering amount, the step of awarding the incentive award includes the step of awarding the incentive award to the player if the one of the first and second games the player has played matches the pre-selected one of the first and second games and the number of bonus points in the player account has a predetermined relationship with the bonus triggering number.

5. A method, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the predetermined relationship is one of the number of bonus points in the player account being:

(a) less than, (b) less than or equal to, (c) greater than;

(d) greater than or equal to;

or (e) equal to the bonus triggering amount.

6. A method, as set forth in claim 1, including the steps of:

tracking a level of play of the first game on the gaming machine by the player; and

,

tracking a level of play of the second game on the gaming machine by the player.

7. A method, as set forth in claim 6, the predetermined award criteria including a triggering level of play associated with at least one of the first and second games, the incentive award being awarded to the player if the level of play on the at least one of the first and second games has a predetermined relationship with the triggering level of play.

8. A method, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the predetermined relationship is one of the level of play on the at least one of the first and second games being:

(a) less than, (b) less than or equal to, (c) greater than;

(d) greater than or equal to;

or (e) equal to the triggering level of play.

9. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the set of predetermined award criteria includes at least one criteria associated with one of the first and second games.

10. A method, as set forth in claim 1, the award criteria including a predetermined one of the first and second games, the incentive award being awarded to the player if the one of the first and second games played by the player matches the pre-selected one of the first and second games.

11. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the predetermined award criteria includes at least one of:

a pre-selected one of the first and second games, a bonus triggering amount, and a triggering level of play.

12. A method, as set forth in claim 11, the player account having an associated number of bonus points, the predetermined award criteria includes at least one of:

the player having played the pre-selected one of the first and second games, the number of bonus points in the player account having a predetermined relationship with the bonus triggering amount, and a level of play of the one of the first and second games played by the player having a predetermined relationship with the triggering level of play.

13. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the incentive award has an associated number of bonus points.

14. A method, as set forth in claim 13, including the steps of:

assigning the bonus points to a voucher; and

assigning the voucher to the player account.

15. A method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein the bonus points are incentive points.

16. A method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein the bonus points are credits.

17. A method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein the bonus points may be converted to credits for play at the gaming machine.

18. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the incentive award may be redeemed for gifts and/or services.

19. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the incentive award is associated with an electronic voucher assigned to the player account.

20. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first game is played according to a first set of rules and the second game is played according to a second set of rules.

21. A method, as set forth in claim 1, including the step of accepting a wager from the player to play either of the first and second games.

22. A method, as set forth in claim 21, wherein the wager is in the form of credits.

23. A method, as set forth in claim 22, wherein credits have an associated first cost in the first game and a second cost associated cost in the second game.

33. A method, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the predetermined relationship is one of the level of play on the at least one of the first and second games being:

(a) less than, (b) less than or equal to, (c) greater than;

(d) greater than or equal to;

or (e) equal to the triggering level of play.

44. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the incentive award is associated with an electronic voucher assigned to the player account.

24. A method for awarding a player of at least one of first and second gaming machines an incentive award, the first and second gaming machines having first and second playable games, the player having a player account stored in a computer connected to the first and second gaming machines, including the steps of:

tracking play by the player of the first game on the first gaming machine;

tracking play by the player of the second game on the first gaming machine;

tracking play by the player of the first game on the second gaming machine;

tracking play by the player of the second game on the second gaming machine; and

,

responsively awarding the incentive award to the player as a function of the tracked play on the first and second gaming machines and a set of predetermined award criteria.

25. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the step of awarding the incentive award includes the step awarding the incentive award to the player if play by the player of one of the first and second games reaches a triggering level.

26. A method, as set forth in claim 25, including the step of allowing a user to set the triggering level.

27. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the step of tracking play on the gaming machine includes the step of tracking which one of the first and second games the player has played.

28. A method, as set forth in claim 27, the predetermined award criteria including a pre-selected one of the first and second games, the step of awarding the incentive award includes the step of awarding the incentive award to the player if the one of the first and second games the player has played matches the pre-selected one of the first and second games.

29. A method, as set forth in claim 27, wherein the player account has an associated number of bonus points, the predetermined award criteria including a pre-selected one of the first and second games and a bonus triggering amount, the step of awarding the incentive award includes the step of awarding the incentive award to the player if the one of the first and second games the player has played matches the pre-selected one of the first and second games and the number of bonus points in the player account has a predetermined relationship with the bonus triggering number.

30. A method, as set forth in claim 29, wherein the predetermined relationship is one of the number of bonus points in the player account being:

(a) less than, (b) less than or equal to, (c) greater than;

(d) greater than or equal to;

or (e) equal to the bonus triggering amount.

31. A method, as set forth in claim 24, including the steps of:

tracking a level of play of the first game on either or both of the first and second gaming machines by the player; and

,

tracking a level of play of the second game on either or both of the first and second gaming machines by the player.

32. A method, as set forth in claim 31, the predetermined award criteria a triggering level of play associated with at least one of the first and second games, the incentive award being awarded to the player if the level of play on the at least one of the first and second games has a predetermined relationship with the triggering level of play.

34. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the set of predetermined award criteria includes at least one criteria associated with one of the first and second games.

35. A method, as set forth in claim 24, the award criteria including a predetermined one of the first and second games, the incentive award being awarded to the player if the one of the first and second games played by the player matches the pre-selected one of the first and second games.

36. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the predetermined award criteria includes at least one of:

a pre-selected one of the first and second games, a bonus triggering amount, and a triggering level of play.

37. A method, as set forth in claim 36, the player account having an associated number of bonus points, the predetermined award criteria includes at least one of:

the player having played the pre-selected one of the first and second games, the number of bonus points in the player account having a predetermined relationship with the bonus triggering amount, and the level of play at the one of the first and second games played by the player having a predetermined relationship with the triggering level of play.

38. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the incentive award has an associated number of bonus points.

39. A method, as set forth in claim 38, including the steps of:

assigning the bonus points to a voucher; and

assigning the voucher to the player account.

40. A method, as set forth in claim 38, wherein the bonus points are incentive points.

41. A method, as set forth in claim 38, wherein the bonus points are credits.

42. A method, as set forth in claim 38, wherein the bonus points may be converted to credits for play at the gaming machine.

43. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the incentive award may be redeemed for gifts and/or services.

45. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the first game is played according to a first set of rules and the second game is played according to a second set of rules.

46. A method, as set forth in claim 24, including the step of accepting a wager from the player to play either of the first and second games.

49. A method, as set forth in claim 25, including the steps of:

adding play of the first game at the second gaming machine to the play of the first game at the first gaming machine; and

,

adding play of the second game at the second gaming machine to the play of the second game at the first gaming machine.

50. A method, as set forth in claim 25, wherein the first triggering level and the second triggering level may be met through play at the first gaming machine and/or play at a second gaming machine.

51. A method, as set forth in claim 25, wherein the first triggering level and the second triggering level may be met through play at the first gaming machine plus play at a second gaming machine.

52. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the incentive award has an associated number of bonus points.

53. A method, as set forth in claim 52, including the steps of:

assigning the bonus points to a voucher; and

assigning the voucher to the player account.

54. A method, as set forth in claim 52, wherein the bonus points are incentive points.

55. A method, as set forth in claim 52, wherein the bonus points are credits.

56. A method, as set forth in claim 52, wherein the bonus points may be converted to credits for play at the gaming machine.

57. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the incentive award may be redeemed for gifts and/or services.

58. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the incentive award is associated with an electronic voucher assigned to the player account.

59. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the first game is played according to a first set of rules and the second game is played according to a second set of rules.

60. A method, as set forth in claim 24, including the step of accepting a wager from the player to play either of the first and second games.

61. A method, as set forth in claim 60, wherein the wager is in the form of credits.

62. A method, as set forth in claim 61, wherein credits have an associated first cost in the first game and a second cost associated cost in the second game.

113. A system, as set forth in claim 25, wherein the first triggering level and the second triggering level may be met through play at the first gaming machine plus play at a second gaming machine.

47. A method, as set forth in claim 47, wherein the wager is in the form of credits.

48. A method, as set forth in claim 48, wherein credits have an associated first cost in the first game and a second cost associated cost in the second game.

63. A system for awarding a player an incentive award, comprising:

a gaming machine playable by the player and having first and second playable games;

a computer coupled to the machine for tracking a player account and; and

,

a database, on the computer, for storing player account data in the player account, the computer for tracking play by the player on the first gaming machine and awarding the incentive award as a function of the tracked play on the gaming machine and a set of predetermined award criteria.

64. A system, as set forth in claim 63, wherein the computer tracks which one of the first and second games the player has played.

65. A system, as set forth in claim 64, the predetermined award criteria including a pre-selected one of the first and second games, the computer for awarding the incentive award to the player if the one of the first and second games the player has played matches the pre-selected one of the first and second games.

66. A system, as set forth in claim 64, wherein the player account has an associated number of bonus points, the predetermined award criteria including a pre-selected one of the first and second games and a bonus triggering amount, the computer for awarding the incentive award to the player if the one of the first and second games the player has played matches the pre-selected one of the first and second games and the number of bonus points in the player account has a predetermined relationship with the bonus triggering number.

67. A system, as set forth in claim 66, wherein the predetermined relationship is one of the number of bonus points in the player account being:

(a) less than, (b) less than or equal to, (c) greater than;

(d) greater than or equal to;

or (e) equal to the bonus triggering amount.

68. A system, as set forth in claim 63, the computer for tracking a level of play of the first game on the gaming machine by the player and tracking a level of play of the second game on the gaming machine by the player.

69. A system, as set forth in claim 68, the predetermined award criteria including a triggering level of play associated with at least one of the first and second games, the incentive award being awarded to the player if the level of play on the at least one of the first and second games has a predetermined relationship with the triggering level of play.

70. A system, as set forth in claim 69, wherein the predetermined relationship is one of the level of play on the at least one of the first and second games being:

(a) less than, (b) less than or equal to, (c) greater than;

(d) greater than or equal to;

or (e) equal to the triggering level of play.

71. A system, as set forth in claim 63, wherein the set of predetermined award criteria includes at least one criteria associated with one of the first and second games.

72. A system, as set forth in claim 63, the award criteria including a predetermined one of the first and second games, the incentive award being awarded to the player if the one of the first and second games played by the player matches the pre-selected one of the first and second games.

73. A system, as set forth in claim 63, wherein the predetermined award criteria includes at least one of:

a pre-selected one of the first and second games, a bonus triggering amount, and a triggering level of play.

74. A system, as set forth in claim 73, the player account having an associated number of bonus points, the predetermined award criteria includes at least one of:

the player having played the pre-selected one of the first and second games, the number of bonus points in the player account having a predetermined relationship with the bonus triggering amount, and a level of play of the one of the first and second games played by the player having a predetermined relationship with the triggering level of play.

75. A system, as set forth in claim 63, wherein the incentive award has an associated number of bonus points.

76. A system, as set forth in claim 75, the computer for assigning the bonus points to a voucher and assigning the voucher to the player account.

77. A system, as set forth in claim 76, wherein the bonus points are incentive points.

78. A system, as set forth in claim 76, wherein the bonus points are credits.

79. A system, as set forth in claim 76, wherein the bonus points may be converted to credits for play at the gaming machine.

80. A system, as set forth in claim 63, wherein the incentive award may be redeemed for gifts and/or services.

81. A system, as set forth in claim 63, wherein the incentive award is associated with an electronic voucher assigned to the player account.

82. A system, as set forth in claim 63, wherein the first game is played according to a first set of rules and the second game is played according to a second set of rules.

83. A system, as set forth in claim 63, the first and second gaming machines for accepting a wager from the player to play either of the first and second games.

84. A system, as set forth in claim 83, wherein the wager is in the form of credits.

85. A system, as set forth in claim 83, wherein credits have an associated first cost in the first game and a second cost associated cost in the second game.

86. A system for awarding an incentive award to a player, comprising:

a first gaming machine playable by the player, first and second playable games being playable on the first gaming machine;

a second gaming machine playable by the player, the first and second playable games being playable on the second gaming machine;

a computer coupled to the machine for tracking a player account; and

,

a database, on the computer, for storing player account data in the player account, the computer for tracking play by the player of the first game on the first gaming machine, tracking play by the player of the second game on the first gaming machine, tracking play by the player of the first game on the second gaming machine, and tracking play by the player of the second game on the second gaming machine and for responsively awarding the incentive award to the player as a function of the tracked play on the first and second gaming machines and a set of predetermined award criteria.

87. A system, as set forth in claim 86, the computer for awarding the incentive award to the player if play by the player of one of the first and second games reaches a triggering level.

88. A system, as set forth in claim 87, the computer for allowing a user to set the triggering level.

89. A system, as set forth in claim 88, the computer for tracking which one of the first and second games the player has played.

90. A system, as set forth in claim 89, the predetermined award criteria including a pre-selected one of the first and second games, the computer for awarding the incentive award to the player if the one of the first and second games the player has played matches the pre-selected one of the first and second games.

91. A system, as set forth in claim 89, wherein the player account has an associated number of bonus points, the predetermined award criteria including a pre-selected one of the first and second games and a bonus triggering amount, the computer for awarding the incentive award to the player if the one of the first and second games the player has played matches the pre-selected one of the first and second games and the number of bonus points in the player account has a predetermined relationship with the bonus triggering number.

92. A system, as set forth in claim 91, wherein the predetermined relationship is one of the number of bonus points in the player account being:

(a) less than, (b) less than or equal to, (c) greater than;

(d) greater than or equal to;

or (e) equal to the bonus triggering amount.

93. A system, as set forth in claim 86, the computer for tracking a level of play of the first game on either or both of the first and second gaming machines by the player and tracking a level of play of the second game on either or both of the first and second gaming machines by the player.

94. A system, as set forth in claim 93, the predetermined award criteria a triggering level of play associated with at least one of the first and second games, the incentive award being awarded to the player if the level of play on the at least one of the first and second games has a predetermined relationship with the triggering level of play.

95. A system, as set forth in claim 94, wherein the predetermined relationship is one of the level of play on the at least one of the first and second games being:

(a) less than, (b) less than or equal to, (c) greater than;

(d) greater than or equal to;

or (e) equal to the triggering level of play.

96. A system, as set forth in claim 86, wherein the set of predetermined award criteria includes at least one criteria associated with one of the first and second games.

97. A system, as set forth in claim 86, the award criteria including a predetermined one of the first and second games, the incentive award being awarded to the player if the one of the first and second games played by the player matches the pre-selected one of the first and second games.

98. A system, as set forth in claim 86, wherein the predetermined award criteria includes at least one of:

a pre-selected one of the first and second games, a bonus triggering amount, and a triggering level of play.

99. A system, as set forth in claim 98, the player account having an associated number of bonus points, the predetermined award criteria includes at least one of:

the player having played the pre-selected one of the first and second games, the number of bonus points in the player account having a predetermined relationship with the bonus triggering amount, and the level of play at the one of the first and second games played by the player having a predetermined relationship with the triggering level of play.

100. A system, as set forth in claim 86, wherein the incentive award has an associated number of bonus points.

101. A system, as set forth in claim 100, the computer for assigning the bonus points to a voucher and assigning the voucher to the player account.

102. A system, as set forth in claim 100, wherein the bonus points are incentive points.

103. A system, as set forth in claim 100, wherein the bonus points are credits.

104. A system, as set forth in claim 100, wherein the bonus points may be converted to credits for play at the gaming machine.

105. A system, as set forth in claim 86, wherein the incentive award may be redeemed for gifts and/or services.

106. A system, as set forth in claim 86, wherein the incentive award is associated with an electronic voucher assigned to the player account.

107. A system, as set forth in claim 86, wherein the first game is played according to a first set of rules and the second game is played according to a second set of rules.

108. A system, as set forth in claim 86, the computer for accepting a wager from the player to play either of the first and second games.

109. A system, as set forth in claim 108, wherein the wager is in the form of credits.

110. A system, as set forth in claim 109, wherein credits have an associated first cost in the first game and a second cost associated cost in the second game.

111. A system, as set forth in claim 87, the computer for adding play of the first game at the second gaming machine to the play of the first game at the first gaming machine and adding play of the second game at the second gaming machine to the play of the second game at the first gaming machine.

112. A system, as set forth in claim 87, wherein the first triggering level and the second triggering level may be met through play at the first gaming machine and/or play at a second gaming machine.

114. A system, as set forth in claim 86, wherein the incentive award has an associated number of bonus points.

116. A system, as set forth in claim 114, wherein the bonus points are incentive points.

117. A system, as set forth in claim 114, wherein the bonus points are credits.

118. A system, as set forth in claim 114, wherein the bonus points may be converted to credits for play at the gaming machine.

119. A system, as set forth in claim 86, wherein the incentive award may be redeemed for gifts and/or services.

120. A system, as set forth in claim 86, wherein the incentive award is associated with an electronic voucher assigned to the player account.

121. A system, as set forth in claim 86, wherein the first game is played according to a first set of rules and the second game is played according to a second set of rules.

122. A system, as set forth in claim 86, the first and second gaming machines for accepting a wager from the player to play either of the first and second games.

123. A system, as set forth in claim 122, wherein the wager is in the form of credits.

124. A system, as set forth in claim 123, wherein credits have an associated first cost in the first game and a second cost associated cost in the second game.

115. A system, as set forth in claim 1114, the computer for assigning the bonus points to a voucher and assigning the voucher to the player account.