GAMING SYSTEM, GAMING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING MULTI-LEVEL PROGRESSIVE AWARDS

• US 20090124362A1
• Filed: 11/08/2007
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cuddy, Ryan W., Satterlie, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 10,699,524 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 17/3244 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

Abstract

A gaming system and method which provides and tracks bonus sequence eligibility points accumulated by players playing the gaming devices in the gaming system. The gaming system maintains, for one or more players, a plurality of progressive awards, wherein for a specific player, one or more of the progressive awards is based, at least in part, on the quantity of accumulated bonus sequence eligibility points associated with or accumulated by that player. If a player forfeits a bonus sequence eligibility point (due to player inactivity) or otherwise loses a bonus sequence eligibility point (due to not winning a provided bonus sequence), the gaming system contributes at least part of a value of such forfeited or lost bonus sequence eligibility points to increase a bonus sequence award maintained by the gaming system.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device including at least one input device;

at least one display device associated with at least one of said gaming devices; and

at least one controller configured to operate with each of said gaming devices and said at least one display device to;

(a) accumulate a first quantity of bonus sequence eligibility points for a first player at a first one of said gaming devices if a first bonus sequence eligibility point accumulation event occurs in association with the first one of said gaming devices;

(b) accumulate a second, different quantity of bonus sequence eligibility points for a second player at a second one of said gaming devices if a second bonus sequence eligibility point accumulation event occurs in association with the second one of said gaming devices;

(c) maintain and display a first progressive award for the first player at the first one of said gaming devices, wherein said first progressive award for the first player is based on the first quantity of bonus sequence eligibility points accumulated for the first player, a base amount and an incremental amount;

(d) maintain and display a second, different progressive award for the second player at the second one of said gaming devices, wherein said second, different progressive award for the second player is based on the second, different quantity of bonus sequence eligibility points accumulated for the second player, the base amount and the incremental amount; and

(e) if a triggering event occurs, provide one of said progressive awards to one of the players at one of said gaming devices, wherein the triggering event is associated with the first one of said gaming devices and the second one of said gaming devices.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to maintain and display:

(i) a plurality of progressive awards for the first player at the first one of said gaming devices, wherein each of said plurality of progressive awards are based on the first quantity of bonus sequence eligibility points accumulated for the first player, and (ii) a plurality of different progressive awards for the second player at the second one of said gaming devices, wherein each of said plurality of different progressive awards are based on the second, different quantity of bonus sequence eligibility points accumulated for the second player.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each bonus sequence eligibility point accumulation event occurs independent of any displayed events in plays of primary games of the gaming devices.

4. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device including at least one input device;

at least one display device associated with at least one of said gaming devices; and

at least one controller configured to operate with each of said gaming devices and said at least one display device to;

(a) for at least one of said gaming devices, accumulate a quantity of bonus sequence eligibility points for a player at said gaming device if a bonus sequence eligibility point accumulation event occurs in association with said gaming device, wherein each bonus sequence eligibility point has a value;

(b) determine whether to cause any of said accumulated bonus sequence eligibility points to be forfeited;

(c) if any of said bonus sequence eligibility points are determined to be forfeited, redistribute at least part of the value of each forfeited bonus sequence eligibility point to a bonus sequence award; and

(d) provide the bonus sequence award to one of the players at one of said gaming devices.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein each bonus sequence eligibility point accumulation event occurs independent of any displayed events in plays of primary games of the gaming devices.

6. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the quantity of bonus sequence eligibility points accumulated is based on a wager placed by the player.

7. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein if any of said bonus sequence eligibility points are determined to be forfeited, the at least one controller is configured to redistribute at least part, but not all, of the value of each forfeited bonus sequence eligibility point to a bonus sequence award

8. A gaming system comprising:

at least one gaming device including at least one input device;

at least one display device associated with said at least one gaming device; and

at least one controller configured to operate with said at least one gaming device and said at least one display device to;

(a) accumulate a first quantity of bonus sequence eligibility points for a player at said at least one gaming device if a bonus sequence eligibility point accumulation event occurs in association with said at least one gaming device;

(b) at a first point in time, display a progressive award for the player, wherein a first value of said progressive award is based, at least in part, on the first quantity of bonus sequence eligibility points;

(c) determine a second, different quantity of bonus sequence eligibility points for the player if any of said accumulated bonus sequence eligibility points are forfeited; and

(d) at a second, different point in time, display said progressive award for the player, wherein a second, lower value of said progressive award is based on the second, different quantity of bonus sequence eligibility points.

9. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device including at least one input device;

at least one display device associated with at least one of said gaming devices; and

at least one controller configured to operate with each of said gaming devices and said at least one display device to;

(a) accumulate a quantity of bonus sequence eligibility points for a player at said at least one gaming device if a bonus sequence eligibility point accumulation event occurs in association with said at least one gaming device, wherein each bonus sequence eligibility point has an associated value;

(b) randomly determine whether to provide the player the associated value of at least one of said accumulated bonus sequence eligibility points; and

(c) if the determination is to provide the player the associated value of at least one of said accumulated bonus sequence eligibility points, display the associated value of at least one of said accumulated bonus sequence eligibility points.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein if one of said gaming devices is determined to be in an inactive state, said at least one controller is configured to cause at least one of any accumulated bonus sequence eligibility points accumulated for the player at said gaming device to be forfeited, and contribute at least part of the associated value of each forfeited bonus sequence eligibility point to a first bonus sequence award.

11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the at least one controller is configured to provide at least part of the associated value of each forfeited bonus sequence eligibility point.

12. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein if the player at one of said gaming devices participates in a bonus sequence and is not provided a second bonus sequence award, said at least one controller is configured to contribute at least part of the associated value of each of the accumulated bonus sequence eligibility points accumulated for the player at said gaming device to a first bonus sequence award.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein if the player at said gaming device participates in the bonus sequence and is not provided the second bonus sequence award, the at least one controller is configured to provide at least part of the associated value of each of the player'"'"'s accumulated bonus sequence eligibility points to the player.

14. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the first bonus sequence award and the second bonus sequence award are the same.

15. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein each bonus sequence eligibility point accumulation event occurs independent of any displayed events in plays of primary games of said gaming devices.

16. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein if a bonus sequence triggering event occurs and at least one bonus sequence eligibility point is accumulated for at least one of the players at said gaming devices, said at least one controller is configured to select one of the players to provide a bonus sequence award, wherein each player'"'"'s chance of being selected is based on said player'"'"'s accumulated bonus sequence eligibility points relative to a total quantity of bonus sequence eligibility points accumulated for all of the players.

17. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the at least one controller is configured to provide the selected player a progressive award which is based, at least in part, on the player'"'"'s accumulated bonus sequence eligibility points.

18. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein if the bonus sequence triggering event occurs and at least one bonus sequence eligibility point is accumulated for a plurality of the players at said gaming devices, for at least one player not selected to provide the bonus sequence award, the at least one controller is configured to contribute at least part of the associated value of each of said player'"'"'s accumulated bonus sequence eligibility points to the bonus sequence award.

19. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device including at least one input device;

at least one display device associated with at least one of said gaming devices; and

at least one controller configured to operate with each of said gaming devices and said at least one display device to;

(a) maintain a plurality of progressive awards;

(b) if a bonus sequence triggering event occurs, display a competitive group bonus game to a plurality of the players at a plurality of said gaming devices;

(c) display and provide a first bonus sequence award to a first one of the players to which the competitive group bonus game is displayed; and

(d) enable the first one of the players to participate in an event for at least one of said maintained progressive awards.

20. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein the first one of the players is determined based on a weighted ranking determined from a previous event.