Adventure sequence activities

• US 20080020848A1
• Filed: 07/23/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Muir, David, Nguyen, Binh
• Granted Patent: US 9,147,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

Some implementations of the invention provide methods and devices for various types of adventure sequences that preferably involve, at least in part, wagering games. Such sequences may involve wagering and/or other games at a plurality of gaming devices, tables and/or gaming establishments. Some implementations provide a virtual gaming experience wherein one or more other environments (e.g., environments that include gaming establishments) are simulated at a single location. Accordingly, adventure sequences described herein may comprise stages in one or more virtual environments, stages in one or more real environments or a combination of the two. Virtual players, also referred to herein as player game agents (“PGAs”), may act on behalf of real players. A PGA may be able to play games autonomously, e.g., when the associated player is at a different location and/or is not aware of the PGA'"'"'s current activities. PGAs may be enabled to negotiate on behalf of real players, e.g., for comps, better pay table percentages, etc.

Claims

1. A gaming method, comprising:

determining gaming characteristics of a player; and

configuring a player gaming agent for autonomous gaming operations according to the gaming characteristics of the player.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises:

providing a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

); and

receiving data regarding gaming characteristics of the player that are input via the GUI.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises at least one of (a) recording gaming characteristic information while the player is playing games and (b) analyzing player tracking data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming agent is configured to perform gaming operations that have previously been identified by the player.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming agent is configured to perform autonomous gaming operations by applying a set of rules based on the gaming characteristics of the player.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming agent is configured to perform gaming operations in a first location when the player is in a second location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming agent performs gaming operations more effectively if a predetermined criterion is satisfied.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming agent is configured to negotiate with super game agents that are configured to act on behalf of gaming establishments.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming agent is configured to access funds that the player has made available for gaming.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the autonomous gaming operations are constrained according to at least one predetermined control criterion.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a digital certificate for the gaming agent;

storing the digital certificate; and

authenticating the gaming agent according to the stored digital certificate prior to the gaming agent'"'"'s autonomous gaming operations.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

saving the first results of a first session of autonomous gaming operations involving a first portion of an activity sequence at a first time;

retrieving the first results at a second time; and

performing a second session of autonomous gaming operations involving a second portion of the activity sequence.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the first location is within a first jurisdiction having a first set of gaming regulations and the second location is within a second jurisdiction having a second set of gaming regulations.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the gaming agent is configured to transmit gaming data to the player.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined criterion is at least one of a number of games played, a time of performing gaming operations, an amount of money wagered by the gaming agent, an average balance of an account accessible by the gaming agent and a minimum balance of an account accessible by the gaming agent.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the gaming agent performs gaming operations more effectively due to an improved pay table percentage.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein the gaming agent is part of a team of gaming agents and wherein the predetermined criterion is a measure of the team'"'"'s progress.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein one predetermined control criterion is an amount of money that the gaming agent is permitted to spend within a predetermined time period.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the gaming operations are legal according to the first set of gaming regulations but are not legal according to the second set of gaming regulations.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the gaming data comprise gaming result data.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the gaming data comprise a reproduction of at least part of a gaming session.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the gaming agent'"'"'s team exceeds the predetermined criterion, further comprising the step of advancing the gaming agent'"'"'s team in an activity sequence.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining and configuring steps are performed within the first jurisdiction.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the reproduction is at least one of a video, a still image and an audio clip.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the reproduction is received at a first time, further comprising:

storing the reproduction; and

reproducing the reproduction at a second time.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the reproduction comprises a video and wherein the reproducing step comprises playing the video.

27. A gaming method, comprising:

forming a communication link between a device and a server;

enabling a player to participate in an sequence of activities performed in more than one location and based, at least in part, on information received from the server, the sequence of activities comprising at least one wagering game; and

awarding a prize to at least one player who completes the sequence of activities, the prize being in addition to any prize obtainable by completing only an individual activity of the sequence of activities.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein at least one location is a virtual location and wherein the sequence of activities comprises at least one virtual activity in the virtual location.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the enabling step comprises presenting at least a portion of the sequence of activities on a gaming machine.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the enabling step comprises presenting a sequence of games at a single gaming machine.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the enabling step comprises enabling the player to participate in a team that attempts to complete the sequence of activities.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the sequence of activities further comprises at least one role playing adventure.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the information received from the server comprises information regarding the player'"'"'s progress in the sequence of activities.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the virtual activity involves a virtual player having an unique ID.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein at least one wagering game comprises generating a random number, further comprising the step of saving the random number in a local storage device accessible by the gaming machine and also in a remote storage device accessible by the server.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the role playing adventure comprises at least one of a military adventure, a financial district adventure or a daredevil adventure.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the information received from the server comprises information regarding the player'"'"'s progress during a current gaming session.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the information received from the server comprises information regarding the player'"'"'s progress during a previous gaming session.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the unique ID and virtual player parameters are stored in a remote storage device accessible by the server.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the virtual player parameters comprise at least one of information regarding the virtual player'"'"'s progress in the sequence of activities, virtual player abilities, an upgrade cost for upgrading virtual player abilities, types of activities in which a virtual player can participate, a cost of participation in such activities and virtual player experience level.

41. A gaming device, comprising:

means for determining gaming characteristics of a player; and

means for configuring a player gaming agent for autonomous gaming operations according to the gaming characteristics of the player.

42. The gaming device of claim 41, wherein the determining means comprises:

means for providing a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

); and

means for receiving data regarding gaming characteristics of the player that is input via the GUI.

43. The gaming device of claim 41, wherein the determining means comprises means for recording gaming characteristic information while the player is playing games.

44. The gaming device of claim 41, wherein the determining means comprises means for determining gaming characteristics of a player from player tracking data.

45. A gaming device, comprising:

at least one network interface; and

at least one logic device configured to determine gaming characteristics of a player and to configure a player gaming agent for autonomous gaming operations according to the gaming characteristics of the player.

46. The gaming device of claim 45, wherein a logic device determines the gaming characteristics, at least in part, by analyzing player tracking data.

47. The gaming device of claim 45, wherein a logic device determines the gaming characteristics, at least in part, by receiving data input by a player.

48. The gaming device of claim 45, wherein a logic device determines the gaming characteristics, at least in part, by analyzing player tracking data.

49. The gaming device of claim 45, wherein the gaming device comprises at least one of a server, a host device and a gaming machine.

50. Software stored in a machine readable medium, the software including instructions for controlling at least one device in a gaming network to perform gaming operations by applying a set of rules based on gaming characteristics of a player.

51. The software of claim 50, further comprising instructions for obtaining funds from an account of a financial institution.

52. The software of claim 50, further comprising rules for controlling the obtaining of funds from an account of a financial institution.

53. A gaming method, comprising:

receiving first registration data regarding a first plurality of player gaming agents configured for autonomous gaming operations;

storing the first registration data;

receiving a first request regarding an identity of a player gaming agent;

authenticating a first requester that transmitted the first request; and

determining whether the first registration data include first requested registration data responsive to the first request.

54. The gaming method of claim 53, further comprising the step of providing first requested registration data to the requester when it is determined that the first registration data include first requested registration data responsive to the first request.

55. The gaming method of claim 53, further comprising:

receiving second registration data regarding a second plurality of super gaming agents configured for interaction with player gaming agents;

storing the second registration data;

receiving a second request regarding an identity of a super gaming agent;

authenticating a second requester that transmitted the second request; and

determining whether the second registration data include second requested registration data responsive to the second request.

56. The gaming method of claim 55, further comprising the step of providing second requested registration data to the second requester when it is determined that the second registration data include second requested registration data responsive to the second request.