Electronic amusement device offering secondary game of chance and method for operating same

• US 6,364,765 B1
• Filed: 07/01/1998
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tulley, Stephen C., Lech, Robert R., Walker, Jay S., Mik, Magdalena
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, BINH AN DUC
• Application Number:
  US09/108,646
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/17, 463/18, 463/19, 463/20, 463/12, 463/13, 463/30, 463/37, 463/40, 463/41, 463/42, 463/43, 273/138.1, 273/142.B, 273/297, 273/293, 273/142.R, 273/143.R, 273/237, 273/269
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00

Abstract

An electronic amusement device and a method for operating the device are disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, a slot machine server controls a secondary game of chance played at a client slot machine. The server receives a player identifier corresponding to a player and a client identifier corresponding to a client slot machine. The server retrieves registration data relating to a secondary game of chance corresponding to the player identifier and the client identifier. The server further receives an outcome from the client slot machine and analyzes the outcome based on game requirements associated with the secondary game of chance, thereby determining whether the outcome satisfies at least one of the game requirements. Once all of the game requirements have been satisfied, the server updates a session status indicating the completion of the game requirements.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a player identifier corresponding to a player playing a primary game at a gaming device;

determining secondary game completion parameters defining a secondary game, the secondary game completion parameters comprising;

at least a first gaming device and a second gaming device that is different from tie first gaming device, wherein the primary game is to be played by the player on the at least a first gaming device and a second gaming device that is different from the first gaming device;

a plurality of eligible gaming devices; and

a plurality of game requirements that the player must obtain on the at least a first gaming device and a second gaming device that is different from the first gaming device, wherein a game requirement comprises at least one of an outcome of the primary game and at least one element of an outcome of the primary game;

determining an outcome of the primary game; and

determining whether a game requirement has been obtained by the player by analyzing whether the outcome was obtained on one of the eligible gaming devices and whether the outcome satisfies at least one of the plurality of game requirements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining secondary game completion parameters comprises:

accessing secondary game completion parameters that are stored at a gaming device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining secondary game completion parameters comprises:

accessing secondary game completion parameters that are stored at the gaming device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining secondary game completion parameters comprises:

accessing secondary game completion parameters that are stored on a player tracking card.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary game completion parameters are associated with the player identifier.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the player had previously registered for the secondary game.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary game completion parameters further comprise:

a time period within which the player may obtain the plurality of game requirements.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary game completion parameters further comprise:

a specified order in which the player has to play the eligible gaming devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary game completion parameters further comprise:

a specified order in which the player must obtain each of the plurality of game requirements.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary game completion parameters further comprise:

a requirement that each of the plurality of game requirements be obtained by the player at a specific corresponding one of the plurality of eligible gaming devices, respectively.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, in association with the player identifier, an indication that the at least one of the plurality of game requirements has been obtained by the player if it is determined that at least one of the plurality game requirements has been obtained by the player.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of storing an indication that the at least one of the plurality of game requirements has been obtained by the player comprises:

storing, in association with the player identifier, an indication of the outcome if it is determined that the at least one of the plurality of game requirements has been obtained by the player.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of storing an indication of the outcome comprises:

storing, in association with the player identifier, an indication of the at least one element of the outcome that satisfies the at least one of the plurality of game requirements.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the indication that the at least one of the plurality of game requirements has been obtained by the player is stored at a server in communication with a gaming device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the indication that the at least one of the plurality of game requirements has been obtained by the player is stored at a gaming device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the indication that the at least one of the plurality of game requirements bas been obtained by the player is stored on a player tracking card that the player insert into a gaming device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the outcome does not qualify for an award in the primary game.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the outcome qualifies for an award in the primary game.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting to the player an indication that at least one of the plurality of game requirements has been obtained by the player based on the step of determining whether a game requirement has been obtained by the player.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary game completion parameters further comprise:

a secondary game award to be provided to the player if the player obtains each of the plurality of game requirements and satisfies the secondary game completion parameters.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining whether the player has obtained each of the plurality of game requirements and satisfied the secondary game completion parameters; and

causing the secondary game award to be provided to the player based on the step of determining.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting an indication of one of the plurality of game requirements that the player has not yet obtained to the player after the player obtains one of the plurality of game requirements.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting an indication of each of the game requirements to the player at one time.

24. A method, comprising:

receiving a player identifier corresponding to a player;

determining secondary game completion parameters defining a secondary game, the secondary game completion parameters comprising;

at least a first gaming device and a second device that is different from the first gaming device, wherein the primary game is to be played by the player on the at least a first gaming device and a second gaming device that is different from the first gaming device;

a plurality of eligible gaming devices;

a plurality of game requirements that the player must obtain on the at least a first gaming device and a second device that is different from the first gaming device, wherein a game requirement comprises at least one of an outcome of a primary game and at least one element of an outcome of the primary game; and

a secondary game award;

determining a plurality of outcomes obtained by the player while playing the primary game at a plurality of gaming devices; and

causing the secondary game award to be provided to the player if the plurality of outcomes obtained satisfy the secondary game completion parameters and the game requirements.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the method is performed by at least one of (i) a server in communication with the plurality of gaming devices, (ii) one of the plurality of gaming devices, and (iii) a kiosk.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving, from the player, at least one of (i) a request for the secondary award and (ii) an indication that the player has satisfied the secondary game completion parameters and obtained each of the plurality of game requirements.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of determining the plurality of outcomes obtained by the player comprises:

accessing the plurality of outcomes obtained by the player, wherein the plurality of outcomes are stored on at least one of (i) a server in communication with the plurality of gaming devices, (ii) at least one of the plurality of gaming devices, and (iii) a player tracking card associated with the player.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the secondary game completion parameters further comprise:

a time period within which the player must obtain the plurality of game requirements.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

determining a beginning of the time period for the player; and

performing the method of claim 24 at an end of the time period.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of causing the secondary game award to be provided to the player comprises at least one of (i) dispensing the award to the player at one of the plurality of gaming devices, (ii) dispensing the award to the player at a kiosk, and (iii) dispensing the award to the player via a casino attendant.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the secondary game award comprises at least one of (i) a monetary payment, (ii) an amount of casino currency, and (iii) eligibility for another secondary game.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the secondary game completion parameters further comprise:

one of a minimum and maximum number of plays of a primary game within which the player must obtain the game requirements.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein the player had previously registered for the secondary game.

34. A method, comprising:

receiving a first player identifier that identifies a first player;

receiving a second player identifier that identifies a second player;

determining secondary game completion parameters defining a secondary game, the secondary game completion parameters comprising;

at least a first gaming device and a second gaming device that is different from the first gaming device, wherein a primary game is to be played by the first player and the second player on the at least a first gaming device and a second gaming device that is different from the first gaming device;

a plurality of eligible gaming devices; and

a plurality of game requirements that the first player and the second player must obtain, wherein a game requirement comprises at least one of an outcome of the primary game and at least one element of an outcome of the primary game;

determining an outcome obtained by the first player while playing the primary game on a gaming device; and

determining whether a game requirement has been obtained by the first player by analyzing whether the gaming device is one of the eligible gaming devices and whether the outcome satisfies at least one of the plurality of game requirements.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

storing, in association with the first player identifier and the second player identifier, an indication that a game requirement has been obtained if the outcome obtained by the first player satisfies at least one of the plurality of game requirements and if the secondary game completion parameters have been satisfied.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the secondary game completion parameters further comprise:

a secondary game award to be provided to at least one of the first player and the second player if the first player and the second player obtain the game requirements and satisfy the secondary game completion parameters.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

determining that each of the plurality of game requirements has been obtained by the first player and the second player and that the secondary game completion parameters have been satisfied by the first player and the second player, thereby determining that the first player and the second player qualify for the secondary game award; and

causing the secondary game award to be provided to at least one of the first player and the second player.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

outputting an indication that the first player and the second player qualify for an award to at least one of the first player and the second player.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein the secondary game completion parameters further comprise:

a requirement that the first player obtain a first subset of the plurality of game requirements; and

a requirement that the second player obtain a second subset of the plurality of game requirements.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein the secondary game completion parameters further comprise:

a requirement that the first player play the primary game at a first subset of the eligible gaming devices; and

a requirement that the second player play the primary game at a second subset of the eligible gaming devices.

41. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

outputting an indication to the second player that the first player has obtained at least one of the plurality of game requirements if the outcome obtained by the first player satisfies at least one of the plurality of game requirements and the secondary game completion parameters.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the step of outputting comprises outputting the indication via a display device of a gaming device at which the second player is playing.

43. The method of claim 34, wherein the first player and the second player had previously registered for the secondary game.