METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING A VIRTUAL WIN

• US 20090239604A1
• Filed: 03/18/2009
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acres Technology
• Original Assignee: Acres Technology
• Inventors: Acres, John F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,602,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• 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 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and apparatus for operating a gaming device having at least one winning event and at least one related award that is generated according to a set of rules associated with the game. The game is driven to present a predefined winning outcome and an award is generated as if the winning event and award were generated according to the rules. Also provided are rules and/or conditions for determining when to generate the predefined wining event, including rules that take into account player value to the casino and game volatility preference.

Claims

1. A method for operating an electronic gaming device having at least one game winning event and at least one related award that is generated according to a set of rules associated with the game, the method comprising:

driving the game to present a predefined winning event; and

generating the award as if the game winning event and award were generated according to the rules.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic gaming device has a plurality of game winning events and wherein the method further includes permitting a random number generator to select a winning event according to the rules.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the method further comprises:

displaying one of the winning events selected by the random number generator responsive to a first action by the player at the electronic gaming device; and

displaying the predefined winning event responsive to a second action by the player at the electronic gaming device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first action comprises play of a first game and the second action comprises play of a second game.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising driving the game to present a predefined winning event only if the selected winning event is not a winning event.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the electronic gaming device includes a plurality of winning events with different award values and wherein the method further comprises displaying the predefined winning event only if the predefined winning event has a greater or equal award value than the selected winning event.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic gaming device is operably connected to a network and wherein the method further comprises:

determining the predefined winning event external to the electronic gaming device; and

transmitting data identifying the predefined winning event to the electronic gaming device via the network.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic gaming device includes a process for determining the predefined winning event.

9. The method of claim 2 further comprising requiring the player to generate an input to the game prior to driving the game to a predefined winning event and paying the player.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising indicating to the player that an award may be collected if the player generates the input.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising preventing the award from being collected if the player fails to generate the input within a predefined length of time.

12. The method of claim 2 wherein the method further comprises:

allowing the game to present a winning event according to the game rules; and

changing the presented winning event to the predefined winning event.

13. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

determining the player'"'"'s preferred frequency of winning events;

tracking the player'"'"'s play on the electronic gaming device;

determining the deviation of the tracked play from the player'"'"'s preferred frequency; and

driving the game to present the predefined winning event as a function of the determined deviation.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

estimating the player'"'"'s potential worth; and

driving the game to present the predefined winning event as a function of the determined deviation.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

determining the player'"'"'s preferred value of at least one winning event;

tracking the player'"'"'s play on the electronic gaming device;

determining the deviation of the tracked play from the player'"'"'s preferred value; and

driving the game to present the predefined winning event as a function of the determined deviation.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining the player'"'"'s preferred value of at least one winning event;

tracking the player'"'"'s play on the electronic gaming device;

determining the deviation of the tracked play from the player'"'"'s preferred value; and

driving the game to present the predefined winning event as a function of the determined deviation.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

estimating the player'"'"'s potential worth; and

driving the game to present the predefined winning event as a function of the determined deviation.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the predefined winning event is associated with the preferred value.

19. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

establishing at least one criterion related to the frequency of occurrence of winning events on the electronic gaming device;

tracking the level of play on the gaming device;

determining the deviation of the tracked level of play from the established criterion; and

driving the game to present the predefined winning event as a function of the determined deviation.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising requiring the player to generate an input to the game prior to driving the game to a predefined winning event and paying the player.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising indicating to the player that an award may be collected if the player generates the input.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising preventing the award from being collected if the player fails to generate the input within a predefined length of time.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:

allowing the game to present a winning event according to the game rules; and

changing the presented winning event to the predefined winning event.

24. The method of claim 1 further comprising driving the game to present a predefined winning event only if the selected winning event is not a winning event.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic gaming device includes a plurality of winning events with different award values and wherein the method further comprises displaying the predefined winning event only if the predefined winning event has a greater or equal award value than the selected winning event.

26. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining the player'"'"'s preferred frequency of winning events;

tracking the player'"'"'s play on the electronic gaming device;

determining the deviation of the tracked play from the player'"'"'s preferred frequency; and

driving the game to present the predefined winning event as a function of the determined deviation.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

estimating the player'"'"'s potential worth; and

driving the game to present the predefined winning event as a function of the determined deviation.

28. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

establishing at least one criterion related to the frequency of occurrence of winning events on the electronic gaming device;

tracking the level of play on the gaming device;

determining the deviation of the tracked level of play from the established criterion; and

driving the game to present the predefined winning event as a function of the determined deviation.

29. A method of operating a plurality of networked electronic gaming devices each of which has a plurality of game winning events, including at least one winning event with a first award, and a random number generator for selecting at least one of the winning events, the method comprising:

displaying events selected by the random number generator;

displaying winning events that are not selected by the random number generators;

generating a second award for winning events that are not selected by the random number generator;

tracking the cumulative awards of the displayed winning events that are not selected by the random number generator; and

changing at least one of the second award and the displayed winning events that are not selected by the random number generators responsive to the tracked cumulative award value.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein displaying winning events that are not selected by the random number generators comprises driving at least one of the games to present predefined winning events.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising allocating a percentage of wagers made on at least one of the electronic gaming devices to a pool and paying at least one award that results from driving at least one of the games to present a predefined winning event from the pool.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein allocating a percentage of wagers made on at least one of the electronic gaming devices to a pool comprises allocating a percentage of wagers made on all of the electronic gaming devices to the pool.

33. The method of claim 30 further comprising paying at least one award that results from driving at least one of the games to present a predefined winning event from a budget established by a casino that operates the gaming devices.

34. An electronic gaming system having at least one winning event and an award associated with the winning event, the electronic gaming system comprising:

a set of game rules for generating a plurality of events including the winning event;

a first display for presenting the events;

a second display for indicating that a player of the gaming device has received an award associated with one of the events; and

a second set of rules constructed to;

generate the winning event based at least in part on the level of awards made according to the game rules;

present the winning event so generated on the first display; and

indicate that the player has received an award associated with the winning event on the second display.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the game rules and first and second displays are incorporated into an electronic gaming device.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein one of the displays is a player tracking display.

37. The system of claim 34 wherein the system comprises a network operatively connected to the electronic gaming device and wherein the second set of rules are implemented by a process that is operatively connected to the network.

38. The system of claim 34 wherein the game rules, the first and second displays, and the second set of rules are incorporated into an electronic gaming device.

39. The system of claim 34 wherein the system further includes a random number generator for generating the plurality of winning events.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the second set of rules are constructed to generate the winning event as a function of at least one of the value and frequency of occurrence of the winning event generated by the random number generator.