Gaming system having multiple gaming machines which provide bonus awards
First Claim
1. A gaming system comprising:
- a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including;
at least one input device;
at least one display device;
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 operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to display a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player; and
a controller in communication with the plurality of gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to;
(i) maintain an accumulated wager pool including at least the wagers placed on the gaming machines during a bonus event accumulation period,(ii) randomly determine to provide one of a plurality of bonus awards, wherein said determination is based at least in part on the accumulated wager pool and is independent of any event in any play of any of the primary games of the gaming machines, and(iii) determine which of the gaming machines will provide the bonus award based at least in part on the wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines, wherein the selected gaming machine determines at least part of the bonus award to be displayed and provided by said gaming machine selected by the controller.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines and a plurality of bonus awards. The central server monitors wagers on the gaming machines. Based at least in part on the wagers the central server determines when bonus events will occur and which gaming machine(s) will provide the bonus awards. In one embodiment, the central server determines which gaming machine will provide a primary bonus award and any secondary bonus awards. In one embodiment, the number of secondary bonus awards is determined based on the number of active gaming machines. The selected gaming machine then determines a component of or the amount of the bonus award to be provided to the gaming machine selected by the central server.
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Citations
70 Claims
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1. A gaming system comprising:
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a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including; at least one input device; at least one display device; 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 operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to display a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player; and a controller in communication with the plurality of gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to; (i) maintain an accumulated wager pool including at least the wagers placed on the gaming machines during a bonus event accumulation period, (ii) randomly determine to provide one of a plurality of bonus awards, wherein said determination is based at least in part on the accumulated wager pool and is independent of any event in any play of any of the primary games of the gaming machines, and (iii) determine which of the gaming machines will provide the bonus award based at least in part on the wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines, wherein the selected gaming machine determines at least part of the bonus award to be displayed and provided by said gaming machine selected by the controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A gaming system comprising:
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a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including; at least one input device; at least one display device; 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 operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to display a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player; and a controller in communication with the plurality of gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to; (i) maintain an accumulated wager pool including at least the wagers placed on the gaming machines during a bonus event accumulation period, (ii) randomly determine to provide one of a plurality of bonus awards, wherein said determination is based at least in part on the accumulated wager pool and is independent of any event in any play of any of the primary games of the gaming machines, and (iii) determine which of the gaming machines will provide the bonus award to one of the players of one of the gaming machines, wherein the bonus award is based at least in part on the wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines and the selected gaming machine determines part, but not all of the bonus award to be displayed and provided by said gaming machine selected by the controller. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A gaming system comprising
a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including: -
at least one input device; at least one display device; 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 operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to display a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player; and a controller configured to communicate with said plurality of gaming machines, said controller programmed to; (a) maintain an accumulated wager pool based at least in part on the wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines; (b) determine whether to select one of the gaming machines, said determination;
(i) based on the accumulated wager pool and (ii) independent of any event in any play of any of the primary games of the gaming machines;(c) if the determination is to select one of the gaming machines, select one of the gaming machines, wherein which gaming machine is selected is independent of any event in any play of any of the primary games of the gaming machines; and (d) cause the selected gaming machine to; (i) select one of a plurality of bonus awards, wherein said selection is independent of the accumulated wager pool, (ii) display the selected bonus award, and (iii) provide the selected bonus award to the player of said gaming machine. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A gaming system comprising:
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a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including; at least one input device; at least one display device; 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 operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to display a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player; and a controller in communication with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to determine if a bonus event will occur, and if the controller determines that a bonus event will occur, said controller is programmed to; (i) determine which of the gaming machines were in an active state during a bonus event qualification period for said bonus event, (ii) select at least one of the gaming machines in the active state based on the total wagers placed during a bonus event accumulation period for each gaming machine in the active state relative to the total wagers placed for all gaming machines in the active state during the bonus event accumulation period, and (iii) send a signal to the selected gaming machine to provide a primary bonus award to the player of said gaming machine, wherein said selected gaming machine at least in part determines the primary bonus award to display and provide to the player. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A gaming system comprising:
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a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including; at least one input device; at least one display device; 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 operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to display a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player; and a controller in communication with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to determine if a bonus event will occur, and if the controller determines that a bonus event will occur, said controller is programmed to; (i) determine which of the gaming machines were in an active state during a bonus event qualification period for said bonus event, (ii) select at least one of the gaming machines in the active state based on the total wagers placed during a bonus event accumulation period for each gaming machine in the active state relative to the total wagers placed for all gaming machines in the active state during the bonus event accumulation period, and (iii) send a signal to the selected gaming machine to provide a primary bonus award to the player of said gaming machine, wherein said selected gaming machine determines part, but not all of the primary bonus award to display and provide to the player. - View Dependent Claims (57)
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58. A gaming system comprising:
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a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including; at least one input device; at least one display device; 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 operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to display a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player; and a controller in communication with the plurality of gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to; (i) maintain an award pool including at least a part of the wagers placed on the gaming machines; (ii) randomly determine when to provide an overall award; and (iii) after determining to provide the overall award, determine which of the gaming machines will provide the overall award to one of the players of one of the gaming machines, wherein the overall award includes;
(a) a first overall award component which includes at least one bonus award which is determined, at least in part, by the controller and determined, at least in part, by the gaming machine determined to provide the overall award; and
(b) a second overall award component which includes any awards provided during any games played at the gaming machine determined to provide the overall award. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A gaming system comprising:
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a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including; at least one input device; at least one display device; 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 operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to display a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player; a controller in communication with the plurality of gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to maintain an award pool, wherein the award pool is based at least in part on the wagers placed on the gaming machines; wherein upon an occurrence of a bonus triggering event which triggers a bonus event including at least one play of a secondary game on at least one of said plurality of gaming machines; (i) the bonus event is provided to at least one player of at least one of the gaming machines; (ii) based on the maintained award pool and based on the at least one play of a secondary game on the gaming machine, the controller determines a central award component to be provided to the player; (iii) based on the at least one play of a secondary game on the gaming machine, the gaming machine determines a gaming machine award component to be provided to the player; and (iv) the gaming machine provides an overall award to the player, said overall award determined based on the determined central award component and the determined gaming machine award component. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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Specification