Gaming system and method for providing group play with divided bonus features

• US 7,713,124 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cuddy, Ryan W., Baerlocher, Anthony J., Kniesteadt, Carl V., Randall, Dov
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II; John M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hylinski; Steven J.
• Application Number:
  US11/830,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20080020823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 22, 463 25- 28, 463 40- 42
• US Class Current: 463/26
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. Upon a suitable triggering event at a triggering gaming device in the gaming system a bonus event occurs. When the bonus event occurs, the players actively playing each auxiliary gaming device in the gaming system are each provided a chance to participate in the bonus event as well. Each remaining gaming device'"'"'s chance of participating in the bonus event is based on the individual accumulated bonus event pool for that gaming device.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines; and

at least one controller configured to communicate with said gaming machines, wherein the at least one controller is programmed to;

(a) identify a plurality of players of said gaming machines;

(b) for each identified player, maintain a distinct accumulated bonus event pool for said identified player, wherein the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for the identified player is based on any wagers placed by the identified player on said gaming machines during a designated period;

(c) determine if a secondary event will occur; and

(d) if the secondary event is determined to occur;

(i) designate one of the identified players as a triggering player and designate each of the remaining identified players as auxiliary players,

(ii) determine a secondary event award, wherein the determined secondary event award is based, at least in part, on a designated wager placed by the triggering player,

(iii) provide a first portion of the determined secondary event award to the triggering player, and

(iv) for each auxiliary player;

(A) determine a second portion of the determined secondary event award based on the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for said auxiliary player relative to the wagers placed by at least a plurality of said identified players during the designated period such that if the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for a first auxiliary player is different than the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for a second, different auxiliary player, the determined second portion for the first auxiliary player is different than the determined second portion for the second auxiliary player, and

(B) provide the determined second portion to said auxiliary player, wherein for at least one of said auxiliary players, said provided second portion has a value greater than zero.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is programmed to cause the gaming machine of the triggering player to:

(1) determine a third portion, if any, of the determined secondary event award based on the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for said triggering player relative to the wagers placed by at least each of said identified players during the designated period, and

(2) provide the determined third portion, if any, to said triggering player.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is programmed to determine the second portion of the determined secondary event award based on the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for said auxiliary player relative to the wagers placed for by at least each of said identified players during the bonus event accumulation period.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the determination that the secondary event will occur is independent of any displayed event in any play of any primary game or of any plays of any secondary game of the gaming machines.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of players are identified in association with a player tracking system.

6. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines; and

at least one controller configured to communicate with said gaming machines, wherein the at least one controller is programmed to;

(a) identify a plurality of players of said gaming machines;

(b) for each identified player, maintain a distinct accumulated bonus event pool for said identified player, wherein the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for the identified player is based on any wagers placed by the identified player on said gaming machines during a designated period;

(c) determine if a secondary event will occur; and

(d) if the secondary event is determined to occur;

(i) designate one of the gaming machines as a triggering gaming machine and designate each of the remaining gaming machines as auxiliary gaming machines,

(ii) determine a secondary event award, wherein the determined secondary event award is based, at least in part, on a designated wager placed by the identified player of said triggering gaming machine,

(iii) provide a first portion of the determined secondary event award to the identified player of the triggering gaming machine, and

(iv) for each auxiliary gaming machine;

(A) determine a second portion of the determined secondary event award based on the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for said identified player of the auxiliary gaming machine relative to the wagers placed for a plurality of said gaming machines during the designated period such that if the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for a first identified player of a first auxiliary gaming machine is different than the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for a second player of a second, different auxiliary gaming machine, the determined second portion for the first player of the first auxiliary gaming machine is different than the determined second portion for the second player of the second auxiliary gaming machine, and

(B) provide the determined second portion to said identified player of the auxiliary gaming machine, wherein for at least one of said identified players of at least one of the auxiliary gaming machines, said provided second portion has a value greater than zero.

7. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the at least one controller is programmed to cause the triggering gaming machine to:

(1) determine a third portion, if any, of the determined secondary event award based on the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for said identified player of the triggering gaming machine relative to the wagers placed for each of said gaming machines during the designated period, and

(2) provide the determined third portion, if any, to said player of the triggering gaming machine.

8. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the at least one controller is programmed to determine the second portion of the determined secondary event award based on the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for said identified player of the auxiliary gaming machine relative to the wagers placed for each of said gaming machines during the bonus event accumulation period.

9. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the determination that the secondary event will occur is independent of any displayed event in any play of any primary game or of any plays of any secondary game of the gaming machines.

10. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein said plurality of players are identified in association with a player tracking system.

11. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) identifying a plurality of players of a plurality of gaming machines;

(b) for each identified player, maintaining a distinct accumulated bonus event pool for said identified player, wherein the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for the identified player is based on any wagers placed by the identified player on said gaming machines during a designated period;

(c) determining if a secondary event will occur; and

(d) if the secondary event is determined to occur;

(i) designating one of the identified players as a triggering player and designate each of the remaining identified players as auxiliary players,

(ii) determining a secondary event award, wherein the determined secondary event award is based, at least in part, on a designated wager placed by the triggering player,

(iii) providing a first portion of the determined secondary event award to the triggering player, and

(iv) for each auxiliary player;

(A) determining a second portion of the determined secondary event award based on the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for said auxiliary player relative to the wagers placed by at least a plurality of said identified players during the designated period such that if the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for a first auxiliary player is different than the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for a second, different auxiliary player, the determined second portion for the first auxiliary player is different than the determined second portion for the second auxiliary player, and

(B) providing the determined second portion to said auxiliary player, wherein for at least one of said auxiliary players, said provided second portion has a value greater than zero.

12. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the gaming machine of the triggering player to:

(1) determine a third portion, if any, of the determined secondary event award based on the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for said triggering player relative to the wagers placed by at least each of said identified players during the designated period, and

(2) provide the determined third portion, if any, to said triggering player.

13. The method of claim 11, which includes determining the second portion of the determined secondary event award based on the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for said auxiliary player relative to the wagers placed for by at least each of said identified players during the bonus event accumulation period.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the determination that the secondary event will occur is independent of any displayed event in any play of any primary game or of any plays of any secondary game of the gaming machines.

15. The method of claim 11, which includes identifying said plurality of players in association with a player tracking system.

16. The method of claim 11, which is provided via a data network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said data network is an internet.

18. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) identifying a plurality of players of a plurality of gaming machines;

(b) for each identified player, maintaining a distinct accumulated bonus event pool for said identified player, wherein the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for the identified player is based on any wagers placed by the identified player on said gaming machines during a designated period;

(c) determining if a secondary event will occur; and

(d) if the secondary event is determined to occur;

(i) designating one of the gaming machines as a triggering gaming machine and designate each of the remaining gaming machines as auxiliary gaming machines,

(ii) determining a secondary event award, wherein the determined secondary event award is based, at least in part, on a designated wager placed by the identified player of said triggering gaming machine,

(iii) providing a first portion of the determined secondary event award to the identified player of the triggering gaming machine, and

(iv) for each auxiliary gaming machine;

(A) determining a second portion of the determined secondary event award based on the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for said identified player of the auxiliary gaming machine relative to the wagers placed for a plurality of said gaming machines during the designated period such that if the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for a first identified player of a first auxiliary gaming machine is different than the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for a second player of a second, different auxiliary gaming machine, the determined second portion for the first player of the first auxiliary gaming machine is different than the determined second portion for the second player of the second auxiliary gaming machine, and

(B) providing the determined second portion to said identified player of the auxiliary gaming machine, wherein for at least one of said identified players of at least one of the auxiliary gaming machines, said provided second portion has a value greater than zero.

19. The method tem of claim 18, which includes causing the triggering gaming machine to:

(1) determine a third portion, if any, of the determined secondary event award based on the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for said identified player of the triggering gaming machine relative to the wagers placed for each of said gaming machines during the designated period, and

(2) provide the determined third portion, if any, to said player of the triggering gaming machine.

20. The method of claim 18, which includes determining the second portion of the determined secondary event award based on the accumulated bonus event pool maintained for said identified player of the auxiliary gaming machine relative to the wagers placed for each of said gaming machines during the bonus event accumulation period.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the determination that the secondary event will occur is independent of any displayed event in any play of any primary game or of any plays of any secondary game of the gaming machines.

22. The method of claim 18, which includes identifying said plurality of players in association with a player tracking system.

23. The method of claim 18, which is provided via a data network.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said data network is an internet.