GAMING DEVICE HAVING PROGRESSIVE AWARDS AND SUPPLEMENTAL AWARDS
First Claim
1. A gaming system comprising:
- a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including;
at least one input device;
at least one display device;
at least one processor; and
at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to enable a player to place at least one wager on at least one play of a primary game; and
a controller configured to operate with the gaming machines to;
(a) for each of said plurality of gaming machines, maintain a separate accumulated supplemental award pool for said gaming machine, said maintained accumulated supplemental award pool for each gaming machine based, at least in part, on wagers placed at said gaming machine; and
(b) upon an occurrence of a bonus event associated with an award and occurring in association with a first one of the gaming machines, for each of at least one of the other gaming machines;
(i) determine a supplemental award based on the accumulated supplemental award pool of said gaming machine and a selected supplemental award percentage, said selected supplemental award percentage being greater than zero, and(ii) cause said gaming machine to provide the determined supplemental award.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A gaming system comprising:
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a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including; at least one input device; at least one display device; at least one processor; and at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to enable a player to place at least one wager on at least one play of a primary game; and a controller configured to operate with the gaming machines to; (a) for each of said plurality of gaming machines, maintain a separate accumulated supplemental award pool for said gaming machine, said maintained accumulated supplemental award pool for each gaming machine based, at least in part, on wagers placed at said gaming machine; and (b) upon an occurrence of a bonus event associated with an award and occurring in association with a first one of the gaming machines, for each of at least one of the other gaming machines; (i) determine a supplemental award based on the accumulated supplemental award pool of said gaming machine and a selected supplemental award percentage, said selected supplemental award percentage being greater than zero, and (ii) cause said gaming machine to provide the determined supplemental award. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A gaming system comprising:
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a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including; at least one input device; at least one display device; at least one processor; and at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device; and a controller configured to operate with the gaming machines to; (a) for each of a plurality of players, maintain a separate accumulated supplemental award pool for said player, said accumulated supplemental award pool maintained for each player based, at least in part, on wagers placed by said player at said plurality of gaming machines; and (b) upon an occurrence of a bonus event associated with an award and occurring in association with a first one of the gaming machines, for each of at least one of the other gaming machines; (i) determine a supplemental award based on the accumulated supplemental award pool maintained for said player at said gaming machine and a selected supplemental award percentage, said selected supplemental award percentage being greater than zero, and (ii) cause said gaming machine to provide the determined supplemental award to said player at said gaming machine. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A gaming system comprising:
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a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including; at least one input device; at least one display device; at least one processor; and at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device; and a controller configured to operate with the gaming machines to; (a) for each of a plurality of players, maintain a separate accumulated supplemental award pool for said player, wherein said accumulated supplemental award pool maintained for each player is based, at least in part, on wagers placed by said player at said gaming machines; (b) additionally maintain at least one progressive award, wherein said at least one progressive award is separate from the plurality of accumulated supplemental award pools, and said at least one progressive award is funded, at least in part, based on wagers placed on any primary games of the gaming machines; and (c) upon a triggering of a bonus event associated with each progressive award; (i) select one of the gaming machines, (ii) cause the selected gaming machine to provide the progressive award associated with the triggered bonus event, (iii) cause at least one of the other gaming machines to provide a supplemental award, wherein for each of said at least one of the other gaming machines, the supplemental award provided by said gaming machine is based, at least in part, on the accumulated supplemental award pool maintained for said player at said gaming machine, and (iv) if a value of the accumulated supplemental award pool maintained for a first of said players is different than a value of the accumulated supplemental award pool maintained for a second of said players, a value of the supplemental award provided to the first of said players is different than a value of the supplemental award provided to the second of said players. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of operating a gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines and a controller, said method comprising:
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(a) for each of the plurality of gaming machines; (i) enabling a player to place at least one wager on at least one play of a primary game, and (ii) maintaining a separate accumulated supplemental award pool for said gaming machine, said maintained accumulated supplemental award pool for each gaming machine based, at least in part, on wagers placed at said gaming machine; and (b) upon an occurrence of a bonus event associated with an award and occurring in association with a first one of the gaming machines, for each of at least one of the other gaming machines; (i) determining a supplemental award based on the accumulated supplemental award pool of said gaming machine and a selected supplemental award percentage, said selected supplemental award percentage being greater than zero, and (ii) causing said gaming machine to provide the determined supplemental award. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of operating a gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines and a controller, said method comprising:
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(a) for each of a plurality of players, maintaining a separate accumulated supplemental award pool for said player, said accumulated supplemental award pool maintained for each player based, at least in part, on wagers placed by said player at said plurality of gaming machines; and (b) upon an occurrence of a bonus event associated with an award and occurring in association with a first one of the gaming machines, for each of at least one of the other gaming machines; (i) determining a supplemental award based on the accumulated supplemental award pool maintained for said player at said gaming machine and a selected supplemental award percentage, said selected supplemental award percentage being greater than zero, and (ii) causing said gaming machine to provide the determined supplemental award to said player at said gaming machine. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method of operating a gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines and a controller, said method comprising:
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(a) for each of a plurality of players, maintaining a separate accumulated supplemental award pool for said player, wherein said accumulated supplemental award pool maintained for each player is based, at least in part, on wagers placed by said player at said gaming machines; (b) additionally maintaining at least one progressive award, wherein said at least one progressive award is separate from the plurality of accumulated supplemental award pools, and said at least one progressive award is funded, at least in part, based on wagers placed on any primary games of the gaming machines; and (c) upon a triggering of a bonus event associated with each progressive award; (i) selecting one of the gaming machines, (ii) causing the selected gaming machine to provide the progressive award associated with the triggered bonus event, (iii) causing at least one of the other gaming machines to provide a supplemental award, wherein for each of said at least one of the other gaming machines, the supplemental award provided by said gaming machine is based, at least in part, on the accumulated supplemental award pool maintained for said player at said gaming machine, and (iv) if a value of the accumulated supplemental award pool maintained for a first of said players is different than a value of the accumulated supplemental award pool maintained for a second of said players, a value of the supplemental award provided to the first of said players is different than a value of the supplemental award provided to the second of said players. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification