Gaming device having progressive awards and supplemental awards

• US 20070054733A1
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Baerlocher, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,597,621 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. 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(s) will provide progressive awards and/or supplemental bonus awards, wherein the number of provided supplemental awards is determined based on the number of active gaming machines. Each supplemental bonus award provided by each gaming device is based on any accumulated wagers placed at that gaming device.

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, wherein each gaming machine is associated with an accumulated supplemental award pool which is based, at least in part, on the wagers placed at said gaming machine;

a plurality of supplemental award bonus event threshold amounts; and

at least one bonus event, wherein each bonus event is triggered if the wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines reaches one of the supplemental award bonus event threshold amounts;

wherein upon a triggering of each bonus event, at least one gaming machine in an active state provides a supplemental award, wherein the supplemental award provided by each gaming machine is based, at least in part, on the accumulated supplemental award pool of said gaming machine.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein upon the triggering of each bonus event, each of a plurality of the active gaming machines provides a supplemental award, wherein each supplemental award is based, at least in part, on the accumulated supplemental award pool of said respective gaming machine.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein upon the triggering of each bonus event, each active gaming machine provides a supplemental award, wherein each supplemental award is based, at least in part, on the accumulated supplemental award pool of said respective gaming machine.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the determination that the bonus event will occur is independent of any displayed event in any play of any primary game or of any plays of any secondary game of the gaming machines.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein if the bonus event is determined to occur, the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in an active state during a bonus event qualification period for said bonus event.

6. 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, wherein each gaming machine is associated with an accumulated supplemental award pool which is based, at least in part, on the wagers placed at said gaming machine;

at least one progressive award maintained by the controller, wherein said progressive award is funded, at least in part, based on the wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines; and

a bonus event associated with each progressive award, wherein upon a triggering of each bonus event;

(a) the controller selects one of the gaming machines to provide the progressive award associated with the triggered bonus event; and

(b) at least one remaining gaming machine in an active state provides a supplemental award, wherein the supplemental award provided by each gaming machine is based, at least in part, on the accumulated supplemental award pool of said gaming machine.

7. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the determination that the bonus event will occur is independent of any displayed event in any play of any primary game or of any plays of any secondary game of the gaming machines.

8. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein if the bonus event is determined to occur, the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in an active state during a bonus event qualification period for said bonus event.

9. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein upon the triggering of each bonus event, each of a plurality of the remaining active gaming machines provides a supplemental award.

10. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein upon the triggering of each bonus event, each remaining active gaming machine provides a supplemental award.

11. 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 by a player;

an accumulated supplemental award pool associated with each of said plurality of gaming machines, said supplemental award pool based at least in part on the wagers at said associated gaming machine;

at least one bonus award pool maintained by the controller, wherein said bonus award pool is based at least in part on the wagers at a plurality of said gaming machines;

a supplemental award event; and

a bonus award event;

wherein upon a triggering of the supplemental award event;

(a) the controller determines at least one of said plurality of gaming machines to provide a supplemental award; and

(b) each gaming machine determined to provide a supplemental award;

(i) determines the supplemental award based at least in part on the supplemental award pool associated with said gaming machine;

(ii) provides said determined supplemental award to the player of said gaming machine;

(iii) resets the supplemental award pool associated with said gaming machine;

wherein upon a triggering of the bonus award event;

(a) the controller determines a bonus award based at least in part on the at least one bonus pool;

(b) the controller determines a gaming machine to provide the determined bonus award; and

(c) the determined gaming machine provides the bonus award to the player of said gaming machine.

12. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the supplemental award event and the bonus award event are configured to occur simultaneously.

13. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the supplemental award event and the bonus award event are configured to occur separately.

14. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the supplemental award event is determined to occur by the controller.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the determination of the triggering of the supplemental award event is based at least in part on wagers at a plurality of said gaming machines.

16. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the determination of the triggering of the supplemental award event is based at least in part on a random determination.

17. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to check at predetermined intervals whether the supplemental award event is to occur.

18. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the at least one bonus award pool is a progressive award pool.

19. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the at least one bonus award pool is a plurality of progressive award pools.

20. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the triggering of the bonus award event is determined to occur by the controller.

21. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein each supplemental award pool is maintained by the associated gaming machine.

22. A method of operating a gaming system, said gaming system including a controller in communication with a plurality of gaming machines wherein each gaming machine includes a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player, said method comprising:

(a) maintaining an accumulated supplemental award pool associated with each gaming machine, wherein each accumulated supplemental award pool for each gaming machine is based, at least in part, on the wagers placed at said gaming machine;

(b) determining if a bonus event is triggered, wherein said bonus event is triggered if the wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines reaches one of a plurality of supplemental award bonus event threshold amounts; and

(c) if the bonus event is triggered, providing at least one of said gaming machines in an active state a supplemental award, wherein the supplemental award provided by each gaming machine is based, at least in part, on the accumulated supplemental award pool of said gaming machine.

23. The method of claim 22, which includes a plurality of the active gaming machines each providing a supplemental award if the bonus event is triggered, wherein each supplemental award is based, at least in part, on the accumulated supplemental award pool of said respective gaming machine.

24. The method of claim 22, which includes each of the active gaming machines providing a supplemental award if the bonus event is triggered, wherein each supplemental award is based, at least in part, on the accumulated supplemental award pool of said respective gaming machine.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the determination that the bonus event will occur is independent of any displayed event in any play of any primary game or of any plays of any secondary game of the gaming machines.

26. The method of claim 22, which includes causing the controller to determine which of the gaming machines were in an active state during a bonus event qualification period for said bonus event, if the bonus event is determined to occur.

27. The method of claim 22, which is provided through a data network.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the data network is an internet.

29. A method of operating a gaming system, said gaming system including a controller in communication with a plurality of gaming machines wherein each gaming machine includes a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player, said method comprising:

(a) maintaining an accumulated supplemental award pool associated with each gaming machine, wherein each accumulated supplemental award pool for each gaming machine is based, at least in part, on the wagers placed at said gaming machine;

(b) maintaining at least one progressive award, wherein said progressive award is funded, at least in part, based on the wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines; and

(c) determining if a bonus event associated with each progressive award is triggered, wherein upon the triggering of each bonus event;

(i) causing the controller to select one of the gaming machines to provide the progressive award associated with the triggered bonus event; and

(ii) causing at least one remaining gaming machine in an active state to provide a supplemental award, wherein the supplemental award provided by each gaming machine is based, at least in part, on the accumulated supplemental award pool of said gaming machine.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the determination that the bonus event will occur is independent of any displayed event in any play of any primary game or of any plays of any secondary game of the gaming machines.

31. The method of claim 29, which includes causing the controller to determine which of the gaming machines were in an active state during a bonus event qualification period for said bonus event, if the bonus event is determined to occur.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein upon the triggering of each bonus event, each of a plurality of the remaining active gaming machines provides a supplemental award.

33. The method of claim 29, which includes causing each remaining active gaming machine to provide a supplemental award upon the triggering of each bonus event.

34. The method of claim 29, which is provided through a data network.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the data network is an internet.

36. A method of operating a gaming system, said gaming system including a controller in communication with a plurality of gaming machines wherein each gaming machine includes a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player, said method comprising:

(a) maintaining an accumulated supplemental award pool associated with each gaming machine, wherein each accumulated supplemental award pool for each gaming machine is based, at least in part, on the wagers placed at said gaming machine

(b) maintaining at least one bonus award pool, wherein said bonus award pool is based, at least in part, on the wagers at a plurality of said gaming machines;

(c) determining if a supplemental award event occurs;

(d) if the supplemental award event occurs;

(i) causing the controller to determine at least one of said plurality of gaming machines to provide a supplemental award;

(ii) causing each gaming machine determined to provide a supplemental award to;

(1) determine the supplemental award based at least in part on the supplemental award pool associated with said gaming machine;

(2) provide said determined supplemental award to the player of said gaming machine; and

(3) reset the supplemental award pool associated with said gaming machine;

(e) determining if a bonus award event occurs; and

(f) if the bonus award event occurs;

(i) causing the controller to determine a bonus award based at least in part on the at least one bonus pool;

(ii) causing the controller to determine a gaming machine to provide the determined bonus award; and

(iii) causing the determined gaming machine to provide the bonus award to the player of said gaming machine.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the supplemental award event and the bonus award event are configured to occur simultaneously.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the supplemental award event and the bonus award event are configured to occur separately.

39. The method of claim 36, which includes causing the controller to determine the occurrence of the supplemental award event.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the determination of if the supplemental award event occurs is based at least in part on wagers at a plurality of said gaming machines.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the determination of if the supplemental award event occurs is based at least in part on a random determination.

42. The method of claim 39, which includes causing the controller to check at predetermined intervals whether the supplemental award event is to occur.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein the at least one bonus award pool is a progressive award pool.

44. The method of claim 36, wherein the at least one bonus award pool is a plurality of progressive award pools.

45. The method of claim 36, which includes causing the controller to determine the occurrence of the bonus award event.

46. The method of claim 36, which includes causing each gaming machine to maintain said gaming machine'"'"'s respective supplemental award pool.

47. The method of claim 36, which is provided through a data network.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the data network is an internet.