Selective indication of a bonus at a gaming device with player input

• US 6,910,964 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2003
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Acres Gaming Incorporated (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Acres, John
• Primary Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US10/366,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20030148807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 22, 463/25, 463/29
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• 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 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling a bonusing promotion system using a bonus server interconnected to a plurality of gaming devices is described. A percentage of a wager played on each gaming device is accumulated into a bonus pool stored on the bonus server. The bonus pool is compared to a threshold value stored on the bonus server each time the bonus pool changes. One of the gaming devices is selected when the threshold value is substantially met. A bonus prize funded by the bonus pool is awarded to the selected gaming device.

Claims

1. A method of operating gaming devices interconnected by a computer network to a host computer comprising:

permitting players to play the gaming devices;

paying to each device in accordance with a pay table stored in the device;

selecting one of the gaming devices for a bonus;

indicating to the player of the selected device that the device is selected;

thereafter preventing the bonus from being won at the selected device; and

then indicating the bonus has been won at the selected device if the player generates an input to the selected gaming device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said method further includes:

establishing a predetermined minimum level of gaming device play;

detecting wagers made at each of the gaming devices;

initiating a bonus period during which gaming devices that exceed the minimum level are eligible to be paid the bonus and gaming devices which do not exceed the minimum level are not eligible for the bonus.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein initiating a bonus period comprises transmitting a command over the network to the gaming devices.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said method further comprises:

using the network to track the amount of money played on the selected gaming devices; and

allocating a predetermined percentage played to a bonus pool.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the bonus period is initiated after the bonus pool exceeds a predetermined level.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein indicating to the player of the selected device that the device is selected comprises transmitting a pay command from the host computer over the network.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein said method further comprises:

storing data delining the predetermined minimum level of gaming device play in a memory at the gaming device; and

comparing the level of gaming device play with the stored data.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein said method further includes indicating to a player of the gaming device whether or not the gaming device is eligible to be paid a bonus.