Systems and methods for determining a level of reward

• US 7,780,525 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2004
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Daniel E., Fincham, Magdalena M., Tulley, Stephen C., Santisi, Steven M., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed; Masud
• Application Number:
  US10/968,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20050143166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,136 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/29, 463/20, 463 40- 42, 705/39, 705/41, 705/14.27, 705/1.1, 709/201, 709/207, 710/105
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a method comprises associating, with a casino patron, a benefit of a first value. The benefit of the first value is determined based on a first algorithm and based on the patron'"'"'s activity during a first portion of a period of time. The method further comprises associating, with the patron, a benefit of a second value. The benefit of the second value is determined based on a second algorithm and based on the patron'"'"'s activity during a second portion of the period of time, the second portion occurring after the first portion. Associating the benefit of the second value is only performed if the associating the benefit of the first value is first performed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system including a plurality of instructions, said method comprising:

for each individual gaming session of a plurality of gaming sessions;

(a) causing a computing device to execute the plurality of instructions to initially associate a first rate of earning reward points with a player for said individual gaming session, wherein the first rate of earning reward points for said individual gaming session is based on an activity of the player during a first portion of a period of time associated with said gaming session and said individual gaming session includes a plurality of plays of a wagering game;

(b) awarding, based at least in part on the first rate of earning reward points, any earned reward points to the player for said individual gaming session, wherein the awarding of any reward points to the player for said individual gaming session is without regard to any outcomes generated for any of the plays of the wagering game;

(c) causing the computing device to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether the player qualifies for a second rate of earning reward points for said individual gaming session; and

(d) if the player qualifies for the second rate of earning reward points, causing the computing device to execute the plurality of instructions to associate the second rate of earning reward points with the player for said individual gaming session, wherein;

(i) the second rate of earning reward points for said individual gaming session is based on an activity of the player during a second portion of the period of time associated with said gaming session,

(ii) the second portion occurs after the first portion, and

(iii) the second rate is associated with the player if the first rate is first associated with the player.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second rate is greater than the first rate.

3. The method of claim 1, which includes, for each individual gaming session of the plurality of gaming sessions:

awarding, to the player, a first number of reward points based on the first rate; and

awarding, to the player, a second number of reward points based on the second rate,

wherein the second number is greater than the first number even if the activity during the second portion is equivalent to the activity during the first portion.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein for each individual gaming session of the plurality of gaming sessions, the activity during the second portion being equivalent to the activity during the first portion comprises:

a number of wagering game plays played during the second portion being substantially equal to a number of wagering game plays played during the first portion, and

a duration of the second portion being substantially equal to a duration of the first portion.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein for each individual gaming session of the plurality of gaming sessions:

the first rate comprises;

[(x points)/(wagering game play)²]* [number of wagering game plays completed during the first portion of the period of time], and

the second rate comprises;

[(x+y points)/(wagering game play)²]* [number of wagering game plays completed during the second portion of the period of time],

wherein x comprises a first number of reward points and y comprises a second number of reward points and wherein y is greater than zero.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein for each individual gaming session of the plurality of gaming sessions, the period of time is a consecutive period of time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein for each individual gaming session of the plurality of gaming sessions, each of the first portion and the second portion is defined by a respective number of consecutive games played by the player, such that

a first number of reward points is awarded to the player for said individual gaming session based on the first rate, the first number of reward points being awarded in exchange for a first set of consecutive game plays, and

a second number of reward points is awarded to the player for said individual gaming session based on the second rate, the second number of reward points being awarded in exchange for a second set of consecutive game plays, the second number of consecutive game plays occurring after the first number of consecutive game plays occurs.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein for each individual gaming session of the plurality of gaming sessions, determining whether the player qualifies for the second rate includes determining whether the player has satisfied at least one requirement associated with the second rate.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one requirement defines a number of qualifying game plays to be completed by the player for the player to qualify for the second rate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the requirement further defines a condition a game play must satisfy to comprise a qualifying game play.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein for each individual gaming session of the plurality of gaming sessions, determining whether the player qualifies for the second rate is based on at least one of the following factors:

a length of time spent playing said gaming device;

a number of game plays completed;

a number of game plays initiated;

a number of paylines selected;

a total amount wagered;

a maximum amount wagered;

an average amount wagered;

a gross amount won;

a net amount won;

a net amount lost;

a number of occurrences of a predetermined symbol;

a number of occurrences of a predetermined outcome;

a number of times the player has qualified for a bonus round;

a number of times the player has won a prize during a bonus round;

a current balance of credits available for wagering;

a value of a benefit previously associated with the player;

a play of designated games in accordance with a predetermined plan;

a play of a plurality of designated gaming devices in accordance with a predetermined plan; and

an amount of purchases made by the player.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein for each individual gaming session of the plurality of gaming sessions, determining whether the player qualifies for the second rate including determining whether the player has maintained a minimum rate of play during the second portion of the period of time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining whether the player has maintained a minimum rate of play comprises determining whether the player has maintained a minimum average rate of play during the second portion.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein for each individual gaming session of the plurality of gaming sessions, determining whether the player qualifies for the second rate includes determining whether the player has wagered a specified wager amount for a minimum amount of game plays during the second portion of the period of time.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the specified wager amount is the maximum wager amount for the game being played by the player during the second portion.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the minimum amount of game plays is a designated number of game plays.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the minimum amount of game plays comprises all of the game plays played by the player during the second portion.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the minimum amount of game plays comprises a minimum percentage of game plays of out of all game plays played by the player during the second portion.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein for each individual gaming session of the plurality of gaming sessions, each of the first portion and the second portion is defined by a respective number of minutes, such that:

the first rate is associated in exchange for a first number of consecutive minutes played, and

the second rate is associated in exchange for a second number of consecutive minutes played.

20. A gaming system comprising:

a controller configured to operate to communicate with a plurality of gaming devices to;

for each individual gaming session of a plurality of gaming sessions;

(a) receive, from one of the plurality of gaming devices, information associated with an activity of a player for said individual gaming session, wherein said individual gaming session includes a plurality of plays of a wagering game;

(b) initially associate, with the player, a benefit of a first value for said individual gaming session, the benefit of the first value being determined based on;

(i) a first algorithm and (ii) the activity during a first portion of a period of time associated with said gaming session, and the benefit of the first value being determined without regard to any outcomes generated for any of the plays of the wagering game; and

(c) associate, with the player, a benefit of a second value for said individual gaming session, the benefit of the second value being determined based on;

(i) a second algorithm and (ii) the activity during a second portion of the period of time associated with said gaming session which occurs after the first portion, wherein the benefit of the second value is associated with the player if the benefit of the first value is first associated with the player.

21. A gaming device configured to facilitate a wagering game, said gaming device comprising:

a processor;

a memory operatively connected to the processor, the memory storing a program for controlling the processor, the processor being configured to operate with the program to;

for each individual gaming session of a plurality of gaming sessions;

(a) initially associate, with a player, a first rate of earning reward points for said individual gaming session, wherein the first rate for earning reward points for said individual gaming session is based on an activity of the player during a first portion of a period of time associated with said gaming session and said individual gaming session includes a plurality of plays of a wagering game,

(b) award, based at least in part on the first rate of earning reward points, any earned award point to the player for said individual gaming session, wherein the awarding of any reward points to the player for said individual gaming session is without regard to any outcomes generated for any of the plays of the wagering game;

(c) determine whether the player qualifies for a second rate of earning reward points for said individual gaming session; and

(d) if the player qualifies for the second rate of earning reward points, associate, with the player, the second rate of earning reward points for said individual gaming session, wherein the second rate of earning reward points for said individual gaming session is based on an activity of the player during a second portion of the period of time associated with said gaming session, the second portion occurs after the first portion, and wherein associating the second rate is associated with the player if the first rate is first associated with the player.

22. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code-adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

for each individual gaming session of a plurality of gaming sessions;

(a) initially associating, with a player, a first rate of earning reward points for said individual gaming session, wherein the first rate of earning reward points is based on an activity of the player during a first portion of a period of time associated with said gaming session, said individual gaming session includes a plurality of plays of a wagering game, and any reward points to be awarded to the player is without regard to any outcomes generated for any of the plays of the wagering game; and

(b) associating, with the player, a second rate of earning reward points for said individual gaming session, wherein the second rate of earning reward points is based on an activity of the player during a second portion of the period of time associated with the gaming session, the second portion occurs after the first portion, and the second rate is associated with the player if the first rate is first associated with the player.

23. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code-adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

for each individual gaming session of a plurality of gaming sessions;

(a) receiving, from a gaming device of a plurality of gaming devices, information associated with an activity of a player for said individual gaming session, wherein said individual gaming session includes a plurality of plays of a wagering game;

(b) initially associating, with the player, a benefit of a first value for said individual gaming session, the benefit of the first value being determined based on;

(i) a first algorithm and (ii) the activity during a first portion of a period of time associated with said gaming session and the benefit of the first value being determined without regard to any outcomes generated for any of the plays of the wagering game; and

(c) associating, with the player, a benefit of a second value for said individual gaming session, the benefit of the second value being determined based on;

(i) a second algorithm and (ii) the activity during a second portion of the period of time associated with said gaming session, the second portion occurring after the first portion, and the benefit of the second value is associated with the player if the benefit of the first value is first associated with the player.