Gaming system and method for providing multiple players multiple bonus awards
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A gaming system comprising:
- a controller;
a plurality of gaming devices operable to communicate with the controller, each gaming device including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player, at least one display device, at least one input device, and a gaming device processor programmed to operate with said controller, said display device and said input device, wherein each gaming device is associated with an accumulated bonus event pool which is based on at least part of the wagers placed at said gaming device during a designated period; and
a triggering event, wherein upon an occurrence of the triggering event, the controller is programmed to;
(a) designate one of the gaming devices as a triggering gaming device and designate each of the remaining gaming devices as auxiliary gaming devices;
(b) cause the designated triggering gaming device to enable the player of said triggering gaming device to participate in a bonus event, wherein said bonus event has an average expected payout;
(c) cause at least one of the designated auxiliary gaming devices to;
(i) enable the player of said auxiliary gaming device to participate in a bonus event participation gaming sequence, wherein for said designated auxiliary gaming device, a probability of success in the bonus event participation sequence is based, at least in part, on a comparison of the accumulated bonus event pool of said auxiliary gaming device to the average expected payout of the bonus event, and(ii) if the bonus event participation sequence results in a successful outcome, enable the player of said auxiliary gaming device to participate in the bonus event; and
(d) cause at least one of the designated auxiliary gaming devices to enable the player of said auxiliary gaming device to input a bonus event buy-in wager amount to participate in the bonus event, wherein the bonus event buy-in wager amount is based, at least in part, on a comparison of the accumulated bonus event pool of said auxiliary gaming device to the average expected payout of the bonus event.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A gaming system comprising:
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a controller; a plurality of gaming devices operable to communicate with the controller, each gaming device including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player, at least one display device, at least one input device, and a gaming device processor programmed to operate with said controller, said display device and said input device, wherein each gaming device is associated with an accumulated bonus event pool which is based on at least part of the wagers placed at said gaming device during a designated period; and a triggering event, wherein upon an occurrence of the triggering event, the controller is programmed to; (a) designate one of the gaming devices as a triggering gaming device and designate each of the remaining gaming devices as auxiliary gaming devices; (b) cause the designated triggering gaming device to enable the player of said triggering gaming device to participate in a bonus event, wherein said bonus event has an average expected payout; (c) cause at least one of the designated auxiliary gaming devices to; (i) enable the player of said auxiliary gaming device to participate in a bonus event participation gaming sequence, wherein for said designated auxiliary gaming device, a probability of success in the bonus event participation sequence is based, at least in part, on a comparison of the accumulated bonus event pool of said auxiliary gaming device to the average expected payout of the bonus event, and (ii) if the bonus event participation sequence results in a successful outcome, enable the player of said auxiliary gaming device to participate in the bonus event; and (d) cause at least one of the designated auxiliary gaming devices to enable the player of said auxiliary gaming device to input a bonus event buy-in wager amount to participate in the bonus event, wherein the bonus event buy-in wager amount is based, at least in part, on a comparison of the accumulated bonus event pool of said auxiliary gaming device to the average expected payout of the bonus event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A gaming device operable under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:
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a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player, wherein at least part of said wagers placed are allocated to an accumulated bonus event pool; at least one display device operable with the processor; and at least one input device operable with the processor; wherein upon a triggering event, said gaming device is designated as a triggering gaming device or an auxiliary gaming device and said processor is programmed to; (a) if said gaming device is designated as the triggering gaming device, enable the player to participate in a bonus event, wherein said bonus event has an average expected payout; and (b) if said gaming device is designated as the auxiliary gaming device; (i) enable the player to participate in a bonus event participation gaming sequence, wherein a probability of success in the bonus event participation sequence is based, at least in part, on a comparison of the accumulated bonus event pool to the average expected payout of the bonus event, and enable the player to participate in the bonus event if the bonus event participation sequence results in a successful outcome; and (ii) enable the player to input a bonus event buy-in wager amount to participate in the bonus event, wherein the bonus event buy-in wager amount is based, at least in part, on a comparison of the accumulated bonus event pool to the average expected of the bonus event. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of operating a gaming system, said gaming system including a controller in communication with a plurality of gaming devices wherein each gaming device includes a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player, said method comprising:
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(a) maintaining an accumulated bonus event pool associated with each gaming device, wherein each accumulated bonus event pool for each gaming device is based on wagers placed at said gaming device during a designated period; and (b) determining if a triggering event occurs, wherein upon the occurrence of the triggering event; (i) designating one of the gaming devices as a triggering gaming device and designate each of the remaining gaming devices as auxiliary gaming devices; (ii) causing the designated triggering gaming device to enable the player of said triggering gaming device to participate in a bonus event, wherein said bonus event has an average expected payout; (iii) causing at least one of the designated auxiliary gaming devices to enable the player of said auxiliary gaming device to participate in a bonus event participation gaming sequence, wherein for said designated auxiliary gaming device, a probability of success in the bonus event participation sequence is based, at least in part, on a comparison of the accumulated bonus event pool of said auxiliary gaming device to the average expected payout of the bonus event, and to enable the player to participate in the bonus event if the bonus event participation sequence results in a successful outcome; and (iv) causing at least one of the designated auxiliary gaming devices to enable the player of said auxiliary gaming device to input a bonus event buy-in wager amount to participate in the bonus event, wherein the bonus event buy-in wager amount is based, at least in part, on a comparison of the accumulated bonus event pool of said auxiliary gaming device to the average expected payout of the bonus event. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of operating a gaming device including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player, said method comprising:
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(a) maintaining an accumulated bonus event pool which is based on at least part of the wagers placed; and (b) upon an occurrence of a triggering event; (i) designating said gaming device as a triggering gaming device or an auxiliary gaming device, (ii) if said gaming device is designated as the triggering gaming device, enabling the player to participate in a bonus event, wherein said bonus event has an average expected payout; and (iii) if said gaming device is designated as the auxiliary gaming device; (1) enabling the player to participate in a bonus event participation gaming sequence, wherein a probability of success in the bonus event participation sequence is based, at least in part, on a comparison of the accumulated bonus event pool to the average expected payout of the bonus event and enable the player to participate in the bonus event if the bonus event participation sequence results in a successful outcome; and (2) enabling the player to input a bonus event buy-in wager amount to participate in the bonus event, wherein the bonus event buy-in wager amount is based, at least in part, on a comparison of the accumulated bonus event pool to the average expected of the bonus event. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification