System, apparatus and method employing controller for play of shared bonus games

• US 6,869,361 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2001
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: deGrandmaison, Jason R., Sharpless, David J., Tessmer, Michael T., Mottes, Julie A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sager, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASHBURN, STEVEN L
• Application Number:
  US09/998,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20030100361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463 25- 27, 463/40, 463/43, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/139, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

The present invention includes a system, apparatus and method for providing a bonus game which may be shared competitively, collaboratively or both among a plurality of players. Each player participating in the bonus game generates entries thereto in association with play of a base, or primary, game played on an individual gaming device. Players may also reintroduce entries for the bonus game that were generated on a gaming device at an earlier time to a different gaming device. Each gaming device is in communication with a controller that operates the shared bonus game and may communicate with or integrate a player tracking system. During the shared bonus game, the controller is configured to randomly select a bonus award amount that may be consistent with the par sheets, or pay tables, associated with the gaming devices, or separate therefrom. The controller is also configured to randomly select a winning entry from among all of the qualified entries and provide the bonus award amount to the player that placed the winning entry.

Claims

1. A method of tracking a player'"'"'s participation in a plurality of bonus games shared among a plurality of players in a gaming system which randomly selects a winning entry registered to a winning player from a current entry pool, said method comprising:

detecting said player'"'"'s use of a gaming device in communication with said gaming system;

detecting a current bonus round;

detecting current entries generated by said player using said gaming device during said current bonus round;

detecting past entries registered to said player;

detecting a triggering event indicating a start of a current bonus game of said plurality of bonus games;

querying if said player is eligible to participate in said current bonus game;

if said player is eligible to participate in said current bonus game, including said current entries in said current entry pool and distributing said past entries among said current entry pool, a next entry pool and a predefined number of subsequent entry pools according to a first par sheet;

if said player fails to be eligible to participate in said current bonus game, querying if said player has relinquished control of said gaming device and, if no, designating said current entries as said past entries;

detecting completion of said current bonus game; and

clearing said current entry pool.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting current entries generated by said player using said gaming device comprises detecting base games played on said gaming device, said base games satisfying at least one of initiating said base games using at least a minimum price, initiating said base games using a maximum price, generating a qualifying symbol during said base games, generating a qualifying combination of symbols during said base games, generating a qualifying award during said base games and generating a qualifying combination of awards during said base games.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said querying if said player is eligible to participate in said current bonus game comprises querying whether said player satisfies at least one of inserting a player tracking card into said gaming device, inserting a coupon into said gaming device and generating a minimum number of said current entries using said gaming device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first par sheet is a banking par sheet.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting past entries further comprises detecting entries generated by said player during a previous bonus round that were taken by said player from said gaming system and reintroduced by said player into said gaming system through said gaming device during said current bonus round.

6. The method of claim 1, if said player has relinquished control of said gaming device, further comprising:

querying if said player has taken said current entries and said past entries from said gaming device;

if no, distributing said current entries and said past entries among said next entry pool and said predefined number of subsequent entry pools according to a second par sheet.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said second par sheet is identical to said first par sheet.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising registering to a house player said current entries and said past entries not taken by said player such that, if randomly selected as said winning entry, said house player becomes said winning player.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said house player comprises an administrator of said bonus games in said gaming system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting completion of said current bonus game further comprises:

querying whether said player is said winning player for said current bonus game; and

if yes, electronically recording an award transferred to said player.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining a next bonus round as said current bonus round and repeating the method acts as recited in claim 1.

12. A system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices; and

a controller including a microprocessor and memory, the controller being in communication with the plurality of gaming devices,

the controller programmed to detect a player at one of said plurality of gaming devices, said player using said one of said plurality of gaming devices;

the controller programmed to detect a current bonus round;

the controller programmed to detect current entries generated by said player using said one of said plurality of gaming devices during said current bonus round;

the controller programmed to detect past entries registered to said player;

the controller programmed to detect a triggering event indicating a start of a current bonus game of a plurality of bonus games;

the controller programmed to query if said player is eligible to participate in said current bonus game;

the controller programmed, if said player is eligible to participate in said current bonus game, to include said current entries in a current entry pool and distributing said past entries among said current entry pool, a next entry pool and a predefined number of subsequent entry pools according to a first par sheet;

the controller programmed, if said player fails to be eligible to participate in said current bonus game, to query if said player has relinquished control of said gaming device and, if no, to designate said current entries as said past entries;

the controller programmed to detect completion of said current bonus game; and

the controller programmed to clear said current entry pool.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is programmed to detect base games played on said one of said plurality of gaming devices to detect said current entries, said base games satisfying at least one of initiating said base games using at least a minimum price, initiating said base games using a maximum price, generating a qualifying symbol during said base games, generating a qualifying combination of symbols during said base games, generating a qualifying award during said base games and generating a qualifying combination of awards during said base games.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is programmed to query whether said player satisfies at least one of inserting a player tracking card into said one of said plurality of gaming devices, inserting a coupon into said one of said plurality of gaming devices and generating a minimum number of said current entries using said one of said plurality of gaming devices to query if said player is eligible to participate in said current bonus game.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said first par sheet is a banking par sheet.

17. The system of claim 12, the controller is programmed, if said player has relinquished control of said one of said plurality of gaming devices, to:

query if said player has taken said current entries and said past entries from said one of said plurality of gaming devices; and

if no, distribute said current entries and said past entries among said next entry pool and said predefined number of subsequent entry pools according to a second par sheet.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said second par sheet is identical to said first par sheet.

19. The system of claim 17, the controller is programmed to register to a house player said current entries and said past entries not taken by said player such that, if randomly selected as said winning entry, said house player becomes said winning player.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said house player comprises an administrator of said bonus games in said gaming system.

21. The system of claim 12, the controller is programmed to:

query whether said player is said winning player for said current bonus game; and

if yes, electronically record an award transferred to said player.

22. The system of claim 12, the controller is programmed to define a next bonus round as said current bonus round and repeating the program recited in claim 12.

16. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is programmed to detect entries generated by said player during a previous bonus round that were taken by said player from said gaming system and reintroduced by said player into said gaming system through said one of said plurality of gaming devices during said current bonus round.