Games rewarding systems

• US 20070298867A1
• Filed: 06/09/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: American Alpha, Inc.
• Original Assignee: American Alpha, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Sming
• Application Number:
  US11/450,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20070298867A1
• 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 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

A system including provision of predetermined reward points based upon a portion of a player'"'"'s “entry fee”, wager, play, ticket purchase price, or other such fixed amount for provision to the player separately from credits awarded for game play including a monitor and a button panel, with a card reader, bill-ticket validator and a ticket printer. The monitor displays the game and other information that may include the amount of bet, win, credit, Comps rewarded and Comps balance to show total amounts. The button panel includes display Comps and collect buttons. The card reader is used to transfer credits and reward points. The bill-ticket validator collects money or tickets. The ticket printer prints the credits and reward points. A wager of money, credits, tokens, game score, game value, or equivalents is placed in a first process, and a second process operates a game program in relation to a game activity and game outcome. A third process calculates a reward value as a predetermined portion of the credits wagered, and a fourth process records the reward value issued. A visual display provides the second region on the game machine for presenting the reward value to the user with the user interface. The system may be connected with other systems electronically, which may be connected to a server using a network, etc. Reward points can be withdrawn from the machine and used by the player for rewards, independently or in combination with credits.

Claims

1. An information processing method for a game machine, comprising:

a first process for a wager of credits comprising one or more of money, tokens, game score, game value, sweepstakes play, or equivalents and representations thereof to be placed;

a second process following the placement of said wager for a game program operating in relation to a game activity and game outcome;

a third process for a reward program calculating a reward value as a predetermined portion of the credits wagered; and

a fourth process to record the reward value issued by the reward program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said third process for a reward program calculating a reward value as a predetermined portion of the credits wagered is independent of the game activity and any outcome of any game activity described in the second process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said third process for a reward program calculating a reward value as a predetermined portion of the credits wagered is at least partially dependent on the game activity and/or any outcome of any game activity described in the second process.

4. The method in claim 1 comprising a visual display for presenting the reward value to a user.

5. The method in claim 1 comprising a sensory mechanism including audible, visual or tactile output for presenting the reward value to a user.

6. The method in claim 1 comprising an automatic dispensing of the reward value issued in the form of merchandise or other goods, money, tickets, tokens or representations of value.

7. The method in claim 1 comprising a manually operated dispensing of the reward value issued in the form of merchandise or other goods, money, tickets, tokens or representations of value.

8. The method in claim 1 wherein said first process for a wager of credits and said fourth process providing for receipt of the reward value issued comprises a user interface.

9. The method in claim 8 wherein said user interface comprises a wireless user interface.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said second process for the game program comprises one or more games of skills and/or games of random chance.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said third process for a reward program calculating the reward value as a predetermined portion of the wager amount is linked electronically with at least one other information processing game machine system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said third process being linked electronically with at least one other information processing game machine system comprises a server to download programs to a client configured information processing game machine system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said third process comprises said reward value comprises progressive reward points.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said third process for a reward program calculating the reward value as a predetermined portion of the wager amount is based on a fixed rate of the wager amount as the reward.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said third process for a reward program calculating the reward value as a predetermined portion of the wager amount is based on a variable rate of the wager amount as the reward.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said third process for a reward program calculating the reward value as a predetermined portion of the wager amount is based on the wager amount and the reward value balance.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said third process for a reward program calculating the reward value as a predetermined portion of the wager amount is based on the wager amount and the number of games played.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said third process for a reward program calculating the reward value as a predetermined portion of the wager amount is based on the wager amount and the duration of time played.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the rates can be selected by the machine operation management.

20. A game machine comprising:

a collection mechanism for receiving money or credit for operating the game machine;

a visual display on the game machine for displaying a first region for displaying a game activity;

an information processor operating a first process for a wager of credits comprising one or more of money, tokens, game score, game value, sweepstakes play, or equivalents and representations thereof to be placed;

said information processor operating a second process following the placement of said wager for a game program operating in relation to a game activity and game outcome displayed on the first region of the visual display, and a third process for a reward program calculating a reward value as a predetermined portion of the credits wagered;

said visual display providing a second region on the game machine for presenting the reward value to a user according to a fourth process to record the reward value issued by the reward program with said information processor; and

a user interface providing for receipt or credit of the reward value.

21. The game system of claim 20, wherein said user interface comprises receipt or credit of the reward value or a dispensing output mechanism to dispense the reward value issued in the form of merchandise or other goods, money, tickets, tokens or representations of value.

22. The game system of claim 20, wherein said collection mechanism comprises a collection input device and a ticket printer wherein when the player activates the collect input device, the reward value balance is transferred to the ticket printer to be printed.

23. The game system of claim 20, wherein said collection mechanism comprises a collection input device and a card reader wherein when the player activates the collect input device, the reward value balance is transferred to the card reader.

24. The game system of claim 20, wherein said collection mechanism comprises a collect input device that is only accessible by the machine operation management.

25. The game system of claim 20, wherein said third process for a reward program calculating the reward value as a predetermined portion of the money or credit received is based on a fixed or variable rate of the wager amount as the reward.

26. The game system of claim 25, wherein said third process for a reward program calculating the reward value as a predetermined portion of the money or credit received is based on the wager amount and one or more of the number of games played or the duration of time played.

27. The game system of claim 20, wherein said information processor operating said third process for a reward program calculating the reward value as a predetermined portion of the wager amount is linked electronically with at least one other game system.

28. The game system of claim 27, wherein said information processor operating said third process being linked electronically with at least one other information processing game machine system comprises a server to download programs to a client configured information processing game machine system.

29. The game system of claim 28, wherein said information processor operating said third process comprises progressive reward points.

30. The game system of claim 20, comprising an initial credit deposit mechanism comprising a deposit input device and a card reader for the reward value balance stored in the card being added to the reward value balance of the machine prior to the card insertion with the display of the reward value balance on the visual display being an updated reward value balance.

31. The game system of claim 30, comprising a deposit input device for activation with said initial credit deposit mechanism for at least a portion of the reward value balance stored in the card being added to the reward value balance of the machine for the updated reward value balance.

32. The game system of claim 20, wherein said user interface provides for receipt or credit of the reward value responsive to one or more of the operating management, the player or automatically based on the number of game plays or reward value balance at the completion of the transferring process.

33. The game system in claim 20 comprising a sensory mechanism including audible, visual or tactile output for presenting the reward value to a user.

34. An Intranet or Internet based game system comprising:

a visual display of the Internet terminal for displaying a first region for displaying a game activity;

an information processor operating a first process for a player wager of credits;

said information processor operating a second process for a game program in relation to the game activity displayed on the first region of the visual display;

said information processor operating a third process for a reward program calculating a reward value as a predetermined portion of the wager amount; and

said visual display providing a second region on the Internet terminal for presenting the reward value to a user.

35. The game system of claim 34, wherein said third process for a reward program calculating the reward value as a predetermined portion of the wager is based on a fixed or variable rate of the wager as the reward.

36. The game system of claim 34, wherein said third process for a reward program calculating the reward value as a predetermined portion of the wager is based on the wager and one or more of the number of games played or the duration of time played.

37. The game system of claim 34, wherein said information processor operating said third process for a reward program calculating the reward value as a predetermined portion of the wager is linked electronically with at least one other game system.

38. The game system of claim 34, comprising a sensory mechanism including audible, visual or tactile output for presenting the reward value to a user.

39. The game system of claim 37, wherein said information processor operating said third process being linked electronically with at least one other information processing game machine system comprises a server to download programs to a client configured information processing game machine system.

40. The game system of claim 39, wherein said information processor operating said third process comprises progressive reward points managed by the server.