SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROMOTING GAME PLAY FREQUENCY

• US 20140274385A1
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roxor Gaming Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Gamesys, Ltd.
• Inventors: Elias, Hans, Aicken, Thomas David James, Reeves, Robeson Mandela, Young, Alexander Sandford Todd
• Granted Patent: US 9,511,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

The present invention provides methods, systems and apparatus for promoting game play frequency of online games. Embodiments include displaying a plurality of positioned game elements, wherein each positioned game element is associated with a game time period; displaying a game indicia associated with a positioned game element if a player has acquired a game piece during the game time period associated with the positioned game element; selecting one or more positioned game elements after a game duration; and awarding one or more prizes if the selected positioned game elements are associated with a game indicia. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of promoting game play frequency, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of positioned game elements, wherein each positioned game element is associated with a game time period;

displaying a game indicia associated with a positioned game element if a player has acquired a game piece during the game time period associated with the positioned game element;

selecting one or more positioned game elements after a game duration; and

awarding one or more prizes if the selected positioned game elements are associated with a game indicia.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the positioned game elements are grid positions.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the grid positions correspond to a calendar.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the game time period is at least one of an hour, a day, a week, and a month.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein a player can acquire a game piece by accessing or playing a game.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the selected positioned game elements that include an associated game indicia and displaying the selected positioned game elements that do not include an associated game indicia.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a graphical user interface control that allows the player to reveal prizes for the selected positioned game elements that include an associated game indicia.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein awarding one or more prizes comprises at least one of the following:

awarding a prize multiplier in response to determining that the player acquired a respective game piece for each of at least two consecutive game time periods; and

awarding a prize multiplier in response to determining that the player acquired a respective game piece for at least one special game time period.

9. A system for promoting game play frequency, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions, the instructions adapted to execute on the processor to;

display a plurality of positioned game elements, wherein each positioned game element is associated with a game time period;

display a game indicia associated with a positioned game element if a game piece is acquired during the game time period associated with the positioned game element;

select one or more positioned game elements after a game duration; and

award one or more prizes if the selected positioned game elements are associated with a game indicia.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the positioned game elements are grid positions.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the grid positions correspond to a calendar.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the game time period is at least one of an hour, a day, a week, and a month.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein a game piece can be acquired by accessing or playing a game.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the instructions are further adapted to display the selected positioned game elements that include associated game indicia and to display the selected positioned game elements that do not include associated game indicia.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the instructions are further adapted to provide a graphical user interface control that allows a player to reveal prizes for the selected positioned game elements that include associated game indicia.

16. A method for promoting game play frequency, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of positioned game elements, wherein each positioned game element is associated with a game time period;

providing a free-to-play game wherein a player can acquire a game piece during each game time period;

displaying a game indicia associated with a positioned game element if the player has acquired a game piece during the game time period associated with the positioned game element;

selecting one or more positioned game elements after a game duration; and

awarding one or more prizes if the selected positioned game elements are associated with a game indicia, wherein the prizes are associated with a pay-to-play game.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the positioned game elements are grid positions.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the grid positions correspond to a calendar.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the game time period is at least one of an hour, a day, a week, and a month.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising displaying the selected positioned game elements that include associated game indicia and displaying the selected positioned game elements that do not include associated game indicia.

21. The method of claim 16 further comprising providing a graphical user interface control that allows the player to reveal prizes for the selected positioned game elements that include associated game indicia.