Server based gaming system having multiple progressive awards

• US 7,841,939 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2006
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Baerlocher, Anthony J., Iddings, Cara L., Schneider, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bumgarner; Melba
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US11/470,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20070060314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 463 25- 28, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. The central server includes a plurality of progressive modules. Each progressive module maintains one or more progressive awards and is associated with zero, one or more of the gaming machines in the gaming system. Upon a determination that a designated one of the progressive awards will be provided, one of the gaming machines associated with the progressive module which maintains the designated progressive award provides the designated progressive award to the player of such gaming machine.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising

a controller programmed to maintain:

(i) a first personal progressive incremental value for a first single player,

(ii) a second personal progressive incremental value for a different second single player, and

(iii) a group progressive, incremental value, said group progressive incremental value associated with a triggering event;

a first gaming machine configured to communicate with the controller, said first gaming machine including;

at least one display device,

at least one input 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;

(a) enable a wager to be placed on a first primary game,

(b) display the first primary game, and

(c) if the triggering event occurs, at least in part, in association with the first gaming machine, and the first player placed the wager on the first primary game, provide the first player a first progressive award which includes the first personal progressive incremental value and the group progressive incremental value; and

a second gaming machine configured to communicate with the controller, said second gaming machine including;

at least one display device,

at least one input 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;

(a) enable a wager to be placed on a second primary game,

(b) display the second primary game, and

(c) if the triggering event occurs, at least in part, in association with the second gaming machine, and the second player placed the wager on the second primary game, provide the second player a second progressive award which includes the second personal progressive incremental value and the group progressive incremental value.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first personal progressive incremental value is based, at least in part, on information communicated from a player tracking system.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the second personal progressive incremental value is based, at least in part, on information communicated from a player tracking system.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first progressive award is different than the second progressive award.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a first increment rate for the first personal progressive incremental value is different than a second increment rate for the second personal progressive incremental value.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the group progressive incremental value is associated with a range of values and an incremental value hit value.

7. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the triggering event occurs if said group progressive incremental value reaches the incremental value hit value.

8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the triggering event occurs independent of any displayed events in any plays of said primary games.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the group progressive incremental value is associated with a designated outcome and the triggering event occurs if said designated outcome is generated in one of the plays of at least one of said primary games.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the designated outcome is a designated symbol combination.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first personal progressive incremental value has a different reset value than the second personal progressive incremental value.

12. A gaming system comprising

a controller programmed to maintain:

(i) a first personal progressive incremental value for a first single player,

(ii) a second personal progressive incremental value for a second single player, and

(iii) a group progressive incremental value, said group progressive incremental value associated with a triggering event; and

at least one gaming machine configured to communicate with the controller, each gaming machine including;

at least one display device,

at least one input 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;

(a) enable a wager to be placed on a primary game,

(b) display the primary game,

(c) if the first player placed the wager on the primary game and the triggering event occurs, provide the first player a first progressive award which includes the first personal progressive incremental value and the group progressive incremental value, and

(d) if the second player placed the wager on the primary game and the triggering event occurs, provide the second player a second progressive award which includes the second personal progressive incremental value and the group progressive incremental value.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the first personal progressive incremental value is based, at least in part, on information communicated from a player tracking system.

14. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the second personal progressive incremental value is based, at least in part, on information communicated from a player tracking system.

15. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the first progressive award is different than the second progressive award.

16. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein a first increment rate for the first personal progressive incremental value is different than a second increment rate for the second personal progressive incremental value.

17. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the group progressive incremental value is associated with a range of values and an incremental value hit value.

18. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the triggering event occurs if said group progressive incremental value reaches the incremental value hit value.

19. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein the triggering event occurs independent of any displayed events in any plays of said primary game.

20. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the group progressive incremental value is associated with a designated outcome and the triggering event occurs if said designated outcome is generated in one of the plays of said primary game.

21. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein the designated outcome is a designated symbol combination.

22. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the first personal progressive incremental value has a different reset value than the second personal progressive incremental value.

23. A gaming system comprising

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including:

at least one input 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;

(a) enable a single player to place a wager on a game, and

(b) display the game;

a controller configured to communicate with said gaming machines and programmed to;

(i) maintain a plurality of personal progressive incremental values, wherein each personal progressive incremental value is maintained for one of the plurality of single players,

(ii) maintain a group progressive incremental value, said group progressive incremental value associated with a triggering event, and

(iii) if the triggering event occurs, at least in part, in association with one of the gaming machines, cause said gaming machine to provide one of the players a progressive award which includes the personal progressive incremental value maintainable for that player and the group progressive incremental value.

24. A gaming system comprising

a controller;

a plurality of personal progressive incremental values maintainable by the controller for a first player, wherein said plurality of personal progressive incremental values include at least a first personal progressive incremental value and a second personal progressive incremental value;

a plurality of personal progressive incremental values maintainable by the controller for a second player, wherein said plurality of personal progressive incremental values include at least a third personal progressive incremental value and a fourth personal progressive incremental value;

a first group progressive incremental value maintainable by the controller, said first group progressive incremental value associated with a first triggering event;

a second group progressive incremental value maintainable by the controller, said second group progressive incremental value associated with a second triggering event;

a first gaming machine operable under control of a processor and configured to communicate with the controller, said first gaming machine including a first primary game operable upon a wager and at least one display device configured to display the primary game, wherein;

(a) if the first triggering event occurs in association with the first gaming machine and the first player wagered on the first primary game, the first gaming machine provides the first player a first progressive award which includes the first personal progressive incremental value and the first group progressive incremental value, and (b) if the second triggering event occurs in association with the first gaming machine and the first player wagered on the first primary game, the first gaming machine provides the first player a second progressive award which includes the second personal progressive incremental value and the second group progressive incremental value; and

a second gaming machine operable under control of a processor and configured to communicate with the controller, said second gaming machine including a second primary game operable upon a wager and at least one display device configured to display the primary game, wherein;

(a) if the first triggering event occurs in association with the second gaming machine and the second player wagered on the second primary game, the second gaming machine provides the second player a third progressive award which includes the third personal progressive incremental value and the second group progressive incremental value, and (b) if the second triggering event occurs in association with the second gaming machine and the second player wagered on the second primary game, the second gaming machine provides the second player a fourth progressive award which includes the fourth personal progressive incremental value and the second group progressive incremental value.

25. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the personal progressive incremental values is based, at least in part, on information communicated from a player tracking system.

26. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein the first progressive award is configured to be different than the second progressive award.

27. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein the third progressive award is configured to be different than the fourth progressive award.

28. The gaming system of claim 24, which is configured to enable an increment rate for the first personal progressive incremental value to be different than an increment rate for the second personal progressive incremental value.

29. The gaming system of claim 24, which is configured to enable an increment rate for the third personal progressive incremental value to be different than an increment rate for the fourth personal progressive incremental value.

30. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the group progressive incremental values is associated with a range of values and an incremental value hit value.

31. The gaming system of claim 30, wherein at least one of the triggering events occur if said group progressive incremental value reaches the incremental value hit value.

32. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the triggering events occur independent of any displayed events in any plays of said primary games.

33. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the group progressive incremental values is associated with a designated outcome and the triggering event occurs if said designated outcome is generated in one of the plays of at least one of the primary games.

34. The gaming system of claim 33, wherein the designated outcome is a designated symbol combination.

35. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein the first personal progressive incremental value has a different reset value than the second personal progressive incremental value.

36. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein the third personal progressive incremental value has a different reset value than the fourth personal progressive incremental value.

37. A gaming system comprising

a controller programmed to maintain a personal progressive incremental value for a single player;

a first gaming machine configured to communicate with the controller, said first gaming machine including;

at least one display device,

at least one input 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;

(i) enable a wager to be placed on a first primary game,

(ii) display the first primary game and a first triggering event, and

(iii) if the first triggering event occurs, provide the player a first progressive award which includes the personal progressive incremental value and a first group progressive incremental value; and

a second gaming machine configured to communicate with the controller, said second gaming machine including;

at least one display device,

at least one input 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;

(i) enable a wager to be placed on a second primary game,

(ii) display the second primary game and a second triggering event, and

(iii) if the second triggering event occurs, provide the player a second progressive award which includes the personal progressive incremental value and a second group progressive incremental value.

38. The gaming system of claim 37, wherein the personal progressive incremental value is based, at least in part, on information communicated from a player tracking system.

39. The gaming system of claim 37, wherein the first progressive award is configured to be different than the second progressive award.

40. The gaming system of claim 37, wherein the first primary game and the second primary game are different.

41. The gaming system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the group progressive incremental values is associated with a range of values and an incremental value hit value.

42. The gaming system of claim 41, wherein at least one of the triggering events occur if said group progressive incremental value reaches the incremental value hit value.

43. The gaming system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the triggering events occur independent of any displayed events in any plays of said primary games.

44. The gaming system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the group progressive incremental values is associated with a designated outcome and at least one of the triggering events occur if said designated outcome is generated in one of the plays of at least one of said primary games.

45. The gaming system of claim 44, wherein the designated outcome is a designated symbol combination.

46. The gaming system of claim 37, wherein the first triggering event and the second triggering event are different.