GAMING SYSTEM HAVING MULTIPLE GAMING MACHINES WHICH PROVIDE BONUS AWARDS

• US 20100291991A1
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Baerlocher, Anthony J., Vasquez, James A., Ching, Erick T., Peterson, Tonja M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,727,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• 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 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3283 wherein the number of active machines is limited
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3286 Type of games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines and a plurality of bonus awards. 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 will provide a primary bonus award and any secondary bonus awards. In one embodiment, the number of secondary bonus awards is determined based on the number of active gaming machines. The selected gaming machine then determines a component of or the amount of the bonus award to be provided to the gaming machine selected by the central server.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player; and

a controller in communication with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to;

(a) determine at designated intervals if a bonus event will occur;

(b) if the bonus event is determined to occur;

(i) determine which of the gaming machines were in an active state during a bonus event qualification period for said bonus event,

(ii) select at least one of the active gaming machines, and

(iii) send a signal to the selected gaming machine to display and provide a bonus award to the player of said gaming machine, wherein said controller at least in part determines the bonus award based on amount of wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines and said selected gaming machine at least in part randomly determines the bonus award to display and provide to the player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bonus event qualification period is a designated period of time before the determination that the bonus event will occur.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period by determining for each gaming machine if a wager was placed on the primary game of that gaming machine during the bonus event qualification period.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period by determining for each gaming machine if a designated level wager was placed on the primary game of that gaming machine during the bonus event qualification period.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period by determining for each gaming machine if a designated number of wagers were placed on the primary game of that gaming machine during the bonus event qualification period.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bonus award includes a value component.

7. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the value component is determined by the selected gaming machine.

8. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the value component is determined in a secondary game played on the selected gaming machine.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bonus award includes a modifier component.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the modifier component is selected by the controller and sent to the selected gaming machine.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein if at least two of the gaming machines are each in the active state, the controller is programmed to select at least one of the gaming machines in the active state to provide a secondary bonus award, wherein said selection excludes the gaming machine selected to provide the bonus award.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein if at least two gaming machines are each in the active state, the controller is programmed to determine a number of secondary bonus awards based on the number of gaming machines in the active state.

13. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least two of said primary games of at least two of the plurality of gaming machines are different.

14. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the designated intervals are time based.

15. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the designated intervals are based on the accumulated wager pool.

16. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a processor of one of the gaming machines functions as the controller.

17. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said controller is programmed to determine at least part, but not all of the bonus award based on the amounts of wagers placed on the primary games.

18. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the bonus award is a progressive award.

19. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said controller randomly determines at least part, but not all of the bonus award to display and provide to the player.

20. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said controller is programmed to determine at least part, but not all of the bonus award based on the amount of wagers placed on the primary games and randomly determines at least part, but not all of the bonus award to display and provide to the player.

21. A gaming device operable under control of at least one processor, said gaming device comprising:

a game controlled by said at least one processor;

at least one display device including a plurality of reels, wherein each of said reels is associated with a different one of a plurality of maintained progressive awards;

a plurality of symbols on said reels;

at least one input device; and

said at least one processor programmed to operate with said at least one input device and said at least one display device to control a play of said game by;

(a) displaying said plurality of maintained progressive awards,

(b) generating and displaying a plurality of said symbols on said reels,

(c) determining if a designated one of said symbols is generated on any of said reels, and

(d) for each of any of said reels with at least one generated designated symbol, determining whether to provide a player the maintained progressive award associated with said reel.

22. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein at least one determination in the game is based on a communication received from at least one remote central controller.

23. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor includes a remote central controller.

24. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein each of said progressive awards are maintained by the gaming device.

25. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein at least one of said progressive awards is maintained by the gaming device.

26. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein determining whether to provide the player the maintained progressive award associated with said reel is associated with a one-hundred percent probability of providing said progressive award.

27. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein determining whether to provide the player the maintained progressive award associated with said reel is based on at least one additional random determination.

28. A gaming system comprising:

a central controller;

a plurality of gaming devices operable to communicate with the central controller, each of said gaming devices controlled by at least one processor and including;

a game controlled by said at least one processor;

at least one display device including a plurality of reels, wherein each of said reels is associated with a different one of a plurality of maintained progressive awards;

a plurality of symbols on said reels; and

at least one input device;

wherein said at least one processor is programmed to operate with said at least one input device and said at least one display device to control a play of said game by;

(a) displaying said plurality of maintained progressive awards,

(b) generating and displaying a plurality of said symbols on said reels,

(c) determining if a designated one of said symbols is generated on any of said reels, and

(d) for each of any of said reels with at least one generated designated symbol, determining whether to provide a player the maintained progressive award associated with said reel.

29. The gaming system of claim 28, wherein at least one determination in at least one of the games is based on a communication received from the central controller.

30. The gaming system of claim 28, wherein the at least one processor includes the central controller.

31. The gaming system of claim 28, wherein each of said progressive awards are maintained by at least one of said gaming devices.

32. The gaming system of claim 28, wherein at least one of said progressive awards is maintained by at least one of said gaming devices.

33. The gaming system of claim 28, wherein determining whether to provide the player the maintained progressive award associated with said reel is associated with a one-hundred percent probability of providing said progressive award.

34. The gaming system of claim 28, wherein determining whether to provide the player the maintained progressive award associated with said reel is based on at least one additional random determination.