Bonus award feature in linked gaming machines having a common feature controller
First Claim
1. A method of operating a system of linked gaming machines comprising:
- generating and displaying one or more combinations of symbols in a first group of combinations by one or more of said linked gaming machines, a linked gaming machine which displays any of said combinations in said first group of combinations providing an award to a player;
generating and displaying one or more combinations of symbols in a second group of combinations by one or more of said linked gaming machines, said second group of combinations being different from said first group of combinations;
polling said linked gaming machines to receive information from all of said linked gaming machines regarding said generating one or more combinations of symbols in said second group of combinations by any of said linked gaming machines;
displaying to players of said linked gaming machines an accumulated bonus status based on said generating one or more combinations of symbols in said second group of combinations by any of said linked gaming machines;
generating and displaying a first combination of symbols within said second group of combinations by a first one of said linked gaming machines;
determining whether said information together with said generating said first combination meets a bonus award criterion; and
providing a bonus award, if said information together with said generating said first combination meets said bonus award criterion, by said first one of said linked gaming machines.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system of linked gaming machines is disclosed where each of the linked gaming machines is connected to a common controller. In a normal mode of play, each of the linked gaming machines operates like a conventional machine where the generation of certain combinations of symbols provide awards to the individual players whose machines generate such combinations. In addition to this normal mode of play, a bonus feature is added where the generation of combinations of bonus symbols is used by a central controller to build up a pooled bonus value based upon the values of the combinations of bonus symbols generated by all the linked gaming machines. When a player hits a combination which causes the accumulated bonus value to meet or exceed a predetermined value, a bonus award is given to the player which caused the threshold to be exceeded. To discourage players from not playing any of the linked gaming machines until the accumulated bonus value is near the threshold, each machine has an independent hit counter which is incremented based upon the number of occurrences of bonus combinations generated by that machine. The player may use the value in his/her individual hit counter in order to exceed the award threshold for the bonus award. Other embodiments of slot machines using the above concepts are described.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of operating a system of linked gaming machines comprising:
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generating and displaying one or more combinations of symbols in a first group of combinations by one or more of said linked gaming machines, a linked gaming machine which displays any of said combinations in said first group of combinations providing an award to a player; generating and displaying one or more combinations of symbols in a second group of combinations by one or more of said linked gaming machines, said second group of combinations being different from said first group of combinations; polling said linked gaming machines to receive information from all of said linked gaming machines regarding said generating one or more combinations of symbols in said second group of combinations by any of said linked gaming machines; displaying to players of said linked gaming machines an accumulated bonus status based on said generating one or more combinations of symbols in said second group of combinations by any of said linked gaming machines; generating and displaying a first combination of symbols within said second group of combinations by a first one of said linked gaming machines; determining whether said information together with said generating said first combination meets a bonus award criterion; and providing a bonus award, if said information together with said generating said first combination meets said bonus award criterion, by said first one of said linked gaming machines. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system of linked gaming machines comprising:
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awarding circuitry within each of said linked gaming machines for providing an award to a player of a linked gaming machine which generated a combination of symbols within a first group of combinations; a bonus controller coupled to each of said linked gaming machines, said bonus controller comprising a computer for polling said linked gaming machines and for communicating a common bonus status to all of said linked gaming machines based upon generation of combinations of symbols within a second group of combinations by any of said linked gaming machines; means for determining whether said status together with a most recent generation of a combination of symbols within said second group of combinations by a linked gaming machine meets a bonus award criterion; means for providing a bonus award payment indication to said linked gaming machine which generated said most recent generation of said combination of symbols in said second group of combinations and which caused said bonus award criterion to be met; and a display device for displaying said common bonus status to all players of said linked gaming machines. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification