METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING A TIME BASED AWARD

• US 20150287281A1
• Filed: 06/03/2015
• Published: 10/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James A., Zucker, David F., Suarez, Jose A., Tulley, Stephen C., Gelman, Geoffrey M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,792,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• 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 17/3244 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
• 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 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A method is provided for providing payments at a gaming device, where the payments may occur at predictable times and are of predictable amounts. In one or more embodiments, a gaming device may provide a guaranteed payment every hour on the hour, so long as a player meets one or more criteria. Criteria may include a total amount wagered, a total number of handle pulls completed, or a total amount of time spent at a gaming device. One or more embodiments provide a method for withholding value from a player in order that the value may delivered later in the form of a guaranteed payment. One or more embodiments provide a method whereby multiple gaming devices may provide payments simultaneously, thereby creating mutually reinforcing sounds and visual displays.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one input device;

at least one display device; 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;

(a) determine an outcome,

(b) display the determined outcome,

(c) determine a payout associated with the determined outcome,

(d) apportion the determined payout into a first payment and a second payment,

(e) at a first point in time, provide the first apportioned payment, and

(f) at a second point in time, provide the second apportioned payment.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to:

(i) randomly determine the first point in time, and

(ii) determine the second point in time based on the determined first point in time.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to apportion the determined payout into the first payment and the second payment based on a predetermined percentage.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, which includes a housing, and a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including:

(i) an acceptor, and (ii) a cashout device, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the plurality of input devices to;

if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, and if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first payment and the second payment is selected from the group consisting of:

a quantity of wagering credits, a quantity of non-wagering credits, a quantity of free games, a quantity of lives, and a quantity of points.

6. A gaming system server comprising:

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;

(a) determine an outcome,

(b) cause at least one display device to display the determined outcome,

(c) determine a payout associated with the determined outcome,

(d) apportion the determined payout into a first payment and a second payment,

(e) at a first point in time, cause the first apportioned payment to be provided, and

(f) at a second point in time, cause the second apportioned payment to be provided.

7. The gaming system server of claim 6, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to:

(i) randomly determine the first point in time, and

(ii) determine the second point in time based on the determined first point in time.

8. The gaming system server of claim 6, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to apportion the determined payout into the first payment and the second payment based on a predetermined percentage.

9. The gaming system server of claim 6, wherein at least one of the first payment and the second payment cause in an increase of a credit balance which is increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and decreasable via a cashout device.

10. The gaming system server of claim 6, wherein at least one of the first payment and the second payment is selected from the group consisting of:

a quantity of wagering credits, a quantity of non-wagering credits, a quantity of free games, a quantity of lives, and a quantity of points.

11. The gaming system server of claim 6, which transmits and receives data over a data network.

12. The gaming system server of claim 11, wherein the data network is an internet.

13. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one processor to determine an outcome,

(b) causing at least one display device to display the determined outcome,

(c) causing the at least one processor to determine a payout associated with the determined outcome,

(d) causing the at least one processor to apportion the determined payout into a first payment and a second payment,

(e) at a first point in time, causing the first apportioned payment to be provided, and

(f) at a second point in time, causing the second apportioned payment to be provided.

14. The method of claim 13, which includes:

(i) causing the at least one processor to randomly determine the first point in time, and

(ii) causing the at least one processor to determine the second point in time based on the determined first point in time.

15. The method of claim 13, which includes causing the at least one processor to apportion the determined payout into the first payment and the second payment based on a predetermined percentage.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first payment and the second payment cause in an increase of a credit balance which is increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and decreasable via a cashout device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first payment and the second payment is selected from the group consisting of:

a quantity of wagering credits, a quantity of non-wagering credits, a quantity of free games, a quantity of lives, and a quantity of points.

18. The method of claim 18, which is provided via a data network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the data network is an internet.