Method and apparatus for providing customizable player bonuses
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of tracking play of a game, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a first set of game outcomes from play of a game associated with a first enterprise, wherein the first set of game outcomes include final game outcomes and intermediary game outcomes;
storing the first set of game outcomes in a database maintained by an enterprise organizationally distinct from the first enterprise and the second enterprise;
receiving a second set of game outcomes from play of a second game associated with a second enterprise independent from the first enterprise, wherein the second set of game outcomes includes final game outcomes and intermediary game outcomes; and
storing the second set of game outcomes in the database andawarding a progressive bonus that is incremented based upon the stored first set of game outcomes associated with a set of participating progressive bonus players and the stored second set of game outcomes associated with the set of participating progressive bonus players, and a progressive bonus parameter set;
wherein the progressive bonus parameter set includes a time period in which the outcomes in the first set of game outcomes occurred and the outcomes in the second set of game outcomes occurred.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for tracking play of a game is disclosed. A first set of game outcomes from play of a game associated with a first enterprise is received and stored in a database. A second set of game outcomes from play of a second game associated with a second enterprise independent from the first enterprise is received and stored in the database.
92 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method of tracking play of a game, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a first set of game outcomes from play of a game associated with a first enterprise, wherein the first set of game outcomes include final game outcomes and intermediary game outcomes; storing the first set of game outcomes in a database maintained by an enterprise organizationally distinct from the first enterprise and the second enterprise; receiving a second set of game outcomes from play of a second game associated with a second enterprise independent from the first enterprise, wherein the second set of game outcomes includes final game outcomes and intermediary game outcomes; and storing the second set of game outcomes in the database and awarding a progressive bonus that is incremented based upon the stored first set of game outcomes associated with a set of participating progressive bonus players and the stored second set of game outcomes associated with the set of participating progressive bonus players, and a progressive bonus parameter set; wherein the progressive bonus parameter set includes a time period in which the outcomes in the first set of game outcomes occurred and the outcomes in the second set of game outcomes occurred. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of tracking play of a game, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a first set of game outcomes from play of a game associated with a first enterprise, wherein the first set of game outcomes include final game outcomes and intermediary game outcomes; storing the first set of game outcomes in a database; receiving a second set of game outcomes from play of a second game associated with a second enterprise independent from the first enterprise, wherein the second set of game outcomes include final game outcomes and intermediary game outcomes; and storing the second set of game outcomes in the database and awarding a progressive bonus that is incremented based upon the stored first set of game outcomes associated with a set of participating progressive bonus players and the stored second set of game outcomes associated with the set of participating progressive bonus players, and a progressive bonus parameter set; wherein the progressive bonus parameter set includes a time period in which the outcomes in the first set of game outcomes occurred and the outcomes in the second set of game outcomes occurred and further includes a first award bonus parameter set and a second award bonus parameter set; a first portion of said progressive bonus is awarded to one of the participating players based upon the stored first set of game outcomes associated with the one of the participating players and the stored second set of game outcomes associated with the one of the participating players and a first award bonus parameter set; and a second portion of said progressive bonus is awarded to a subset of the set of participating progressive bonus players based upon the stored first set of game outcomes associated with a subset of the set of participating bonus players and the stored second set of game outcomes associated with the subset of the set of participating bonus players and a second award bonus parameter set. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A method of providing an award based on play of a game, comprising the steps of:
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accepting a plurality of game play outcomes, the plurality of game play outcomes comprising final outcomes, intermediary outcomes, winning outcomes and non-winning outcomes including losing outcomes; recording the game play outcomes associably with an identity of the player, wherein the recorded game play outcomes include non-winning outcomes and intermediary outcomes; comparing the recorded game play outcomes with a bonus parameter set having a qualifying game play outcome requirement and awarding a bonus if the game play outcomes match the qualifying game play outcome requirement, and wherein the bonus is computed at least in part based on the recorded non-winning outcomes wherein the bonus is computed at least in part on the recorded intermediary outcomes and said game play outcomes include at least one increment-qualifying outcome; said game includes a first progressive jackpot incremented for each increment-qualifying outcome; and
said game includes a second progressive jackpot incremented for each increment- qualifying outcome; andthe step of awarding a bonus if the game play outcomes match the qualifying combination of game play outcomes comprises the step of awarding the first progressive jackpot to a first player if the first player'"'"'s recorded game play outcomes match a first progressive jackpot qualifying combination; the step of awarding a bonus if the game play outcomes match the qualifying combination of game play outcomes comprises the step of awarding the second progressive jackpot to a second player if the second player'"'"'s recorded game play outcomes match a second progressive jackpot qualifying combination. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for tracking play of a game, comprising:
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means for receiving a first set of game outcomes from play of a game associated with a first enterprise, wherein the first set of game outcomes includes final game outcomes and intermediary game outcomes; means for storing the first set of game outcomes in a database maintained by an enterprise organizationally distinct from the first enterprise and the second enterprise; means for receiving a second set of game outcomes from play of a second game associated with a second enterprise independent from the first enterprise, wherein the second set of game outcomes includes final game outcomes and intermediary game outcomes; and means for storing the second set of game outcomes in the database and means for awarding a progressive bonus that is incremented based upon the stored first set of game outcomes associated with a set of participating progressive bonus players and the stored second set of game outcomes associated with the set of participating progressive bonus players, and a progressive bonus parameter set; wherein the progressive bonus parameter set includes a time period in which the outcomes in the first set of game outcomes occurred and the outcomes in the second set of game outcomes occurred. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An apparatus for tracking play of a game, comprising:
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means for receiving a first set of game outcomes from play of a game associated with a first enterprise, wherein the first set of game outcomes include final game outcomes and intermediary game outcomes; means for storing the first set of game outcomes in a database; means for receiving a second set of game outcomes from play of a second game associated with a second enterprise independent from the first enterprise, wherein the second set of game outcomes includes final game outcomes and intermediary game outcomes; and means for storing the second set of game outcomes in the database and means for awarding a progressive bonus that is incremented based upon the stored first set of game outcomes associated with a set of participating progressive bonus players and the stored second set of game outcomes associated with the set of participating progressive bonus players, and a progressive bonus parameter set; wherein the progressive bonus parameter set includes a time period in which the outcomes in the first set of game outcomes occurred and the outcomes in the second set of game outcomes occurred and further includes a first award bonus parameter set and a second award bonus parameter set; a first portion of said progressive bonus is awarded to one of the participating players based upon the stored first set of game outcomes associated with the one of the participating players and the stored second set of game outcomes associated with the one of the participating players and a first award bonus parameter set; and a second portion of said progressive bonus is awarded to a subset of the set of participating progressive bonus players based upon the stored first set of game outcomes associated with a subset of the set of participating bonus players and the stored second set of game outcomes associated with the subset of the set of participating bonus players and a second award bonus parameter set. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. An apparatus for providing an award based on play of a game, comprising:
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means for accepting a plurality of game play outcomes, the plurality of game play outcomes comprising final outcomes, intermediary outcomes, winning outcomes and non-winning outcomes including losing outcomes; means for recording the game play outcomes associably with an identity of the player, wherein the recorded game play outcomes include non-winning outcomes and intermediary outcomes; means for comparing the recorded game play outcomes with a bonus parameter set having a qualifying game play outcome requirement and awarding a bonus if the game play outcomes match the qualifying game play outcome requirement, and wherein the bonus is computed at least in part based on the recorded non-winning outcomes wherein said bonus is computed at least in part on the recorded intermediary outcomes the game play outcomes include at least one increment-qualifying outcome; said game includes a first progressive jackpot incremented for each increment-qualifying outcome; and
said game includes a second progressive jackpot incremented for each increment-qualifying outcome; andsaid means for awarding a bonus if the game play outcomes match the qualifying combination of game play outcomes comprises means for awarding said first progressive jackpot to a first player if the first player'"'"'s recorded game play outcomes match a first progressive jackpot qualifying combination; said means for awarding a bonus if the game play outcomes match the qualifying combination of game play outcomes comprises means for awarding said second progressive jackpot to a second player if the second player'"'"'s recorded game play outcomes match a second progressive jackpot qualifying combination. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification