Wagering Game With Asset Trading

• US 20100130276A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Helfer, Lisa M., Ward, Matthew J., Fiden, Daniel P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,425,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3281 wherein game attributes are transferred between players, e.g. points, weapons, avatars

Abstract

Method and system are disclosed for operating a wagering game terminal where players are allowed to transfer game assets that they may have accumulated to other players. The game assets may be transferred as part of an on-line auction won by one of the other players, as a gift to a preselected player, or as part of a trade with a preselected player. Neither the transferring player nor the receiving player is required to be present at a wagering game terminal at the time of the transfer. The transfer may be an anonymous transfer or it may be an identity-based transfer. For identity-based transfers, a predefined list of selected players may be used to facilitate the transfers.

Claims

1. A wagering game terminal with game asset transfer capability, comprising:

a display configured to display a randomly selected outcome from a wagering game, said randomly selected outcome being selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to receiving a wager input, said plurality of outcomes including at least one special event outcome; and

a network interface unit for connecting said wagering game terminal to a network of wagering game terminals;

wherein, in response to said randomly selected outcome being said at least one special event outcome, said wagering game terminal allowing a player to either play a special event game resulting from said at least one special event outcome or transfer said special event game to another wagering game terminal connected to said network of wagering game terminals.

2. The wagering game terminal according to claim 1, wherein said transfer of said special event game includes an auction in which players at several wagering game terminals connected to said network of wagering game terminals may participate.

3. The wagering game terminal according to claim 2, wherein said auction is only open for a predetermined amount of time.

4. The wagering game terminal according to claim 2, wherein said wagering game terminal further allows said player to specify a minimum monetary amount for said special event game.

5. The wagering game terminal according to claim 2, wherein said wagering game terminal further allows said player to select which players may participate in said auction from a predefined list of players.

6. The wagering game terminal according to claim 1, wherein said transfer of said special event game includes giving away said special event game to another player at another wagering game terminal connected to said network of wagering game terminals.

7. The wagering game terminal according to claim 1, wherein said transfer of said special event game includes trading said special event game with another player at another wagering game terminal connected to said network of wagering game terminals.

8. The wagering game terminal according to claim 1, wherein said special event results in one or more of game equipment, extra lives, wild cards, free spins, and bonus games.

9. The wagering game terminal according to claim 1, wherein said wagering game terminal is further configured to restore game assets accrued by said player in a previous game session.

10. A method of operating a wagering game terminal having a game-asset transfer capability, said wagering game terminal connected to a network of wagering game terminals, comprising:

displaying a randomly selected outcome from a wagering game on said wagering game terminal, said randomly selected outcome being selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to receiving a wager input, said plurality of outcomes including at least one special event outcome; and

in response to said randomly selected outcome being said at least one special event outcome, allowing a player to either play a special event game resulting from said at least one special event outcome or transfer said special event game to another wagering game terminal connected to said network of wagering game terminals.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said step of allowing said player to transfer said special event game includes allowing said player to auction said special event game to players at several wagering game terminals connected to said network of wagering game terminals.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising limiting an amount of time said auction is open.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising allowing said player to specify a minimum monetary amount for said special event game.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising allowing said player to select which players may participate in said auction from a predefined list of players.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein said step of allowing said player to transfer said special event game includes allowing said player to give away said special event game to another player at another wagering game terminal connected to said network of wagering game terminals.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein said step of allowing said player to transfer said special event game includes allowing said player to trade said special event game with another player at another wagering game terminal connected to said network of wagering game terminals.

17. The method according to claim 10, further comprising restoring game assets accrued by said player in a previous game session.

18. A system for reallocating game assets between wagering game terminals, comprising:

a first wagering game terminal having a game asset available to be transferred; and

a second wagering game terminal connected to said first wagering game terminal over a network;

wherein said first wagering game terminal is configured to transfer said game asset to said second terminal upon occurrence of a predetermined event.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said predetermined event includes an on-line auction won by a player at said second wagering game terminal.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein said predetermined event includes a transfer of monetary value from said second wagering game terminal to said first wagering game terminal.

21. The system according to claim 18, wherein said predetermined event includes a transfer of no monetary value from said second wagering game terminal to said first wagering game terminal.

22. The system according to claim 18, wherein said predetermined event includes said first wagering game terminal and said second wagering game terminal being played concurrently.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said second wagering game terminal is configured automatically transfer a predefined game asset to said first wagering game terminal.

24. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a server connected to said first wagering game terminal and to said second wagering game terminal, said server configured to control communication between said first wagering game terminal and said second wagering game terminal.

25. The system according to claim 18, wherein said game assets available to be transferred on said first wagering game terminal was restored to said first wagering game terminal from a previous game session.

26. A method of reallocating game assets between wagering game terminals on a network, comprising:

sending a notification message from a first wagering game terminal to a second wagering game terminal notifying said second wagering game terminal that said first wagering game terminal has a game asset available to be transferred; and

transferring said game asset from said first wagering game terminal to said second wagering game terminal upon occurrence of a predetermined event.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein said predetermined event includes an on-line auction won by a player at said second wagering game terminal.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein said predetermined event includes a transfer of monetary value from said second wagering game terminal to said first wagering game terminal.

29. The method according to claim 26, wherein said predetermined event includes a transfer of no monetary value from said second wagering game terminal to said first wagering game terminal.

30. The method according to claim 26, wherein said predetermined event includes said first wagering game terminal and said second wagering game terminal being played concurrently and said step of transferring said game assets occurs automatically.

31. A method of transporting game assets between wagering game terminals, comprising:

collecting information regarding said game assets in a first wagering game terminal;

storing said information regarding said game assets along with an identifier for said information; and

transferring said information regarding said game assets from said first wagering game terminal to a second wagering game terminal.

32. The system according to claim 31, wherein said step of transferring said information includes auctioning said information an on-line auction.

33. The system according to claim 32, wherein said on-line auction is an Internet-based auction.

34. The system according to claim 32, wherein said on-line auction is a private network-based auction.

35. The system according to claim 31, wherein said step of transferring said information includes purchasing said information from a game asset seller.

36. The system according to claim 31, wherein said step of transferring said information includes consigning said information to a game asset seller.

37. The system according to claim 31, wherein said step of transferring said information includes downloading said information from a website.

38. The method according to claim 31, wherein said first and second wagering game terminals are connected to a network server, said step of transferring said information includes sending said information from said first wagering game terminal to said second wagering game terminal via said network server using said identifier.

39. The method according to claim 31, wherein said step of storing occurs before said step of transferring.

40. The method according to claim 31, wherein said step of storing occurs after said step of transferring.