Methods and apparatus for providing entertainment content at a gaming device

• US 7,871,327 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2007
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Sparico, Thomas M., Jorasch, James A., Fincham, Magdalena M., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol; Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pandya; Sunit
• Application Number:
  US11/670,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20070129140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 25
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

Gaming systems and methods of operation thereof are disclosed. Such gaming systems and methods allow a player of a gaming device, such as a slot machine or an arcade video game, to access entertainment services, such as broadcast television programming, web sites, pay-per-view services and shared-revenue telephone services, such as 900 or 976 services, for enhanced player retention. In accordance with one or more embodiments, when play is initiated, a predefined establishment-specific criteria is evaluated to determine whether the player should be provided with access to entertainment services. A player entitled to access such services may be presented with a list of available entertainment services. Upon receipt of the player'"'"'s selection, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a connection may be established between the gaming device and the provider of the selected entertainment service. In accordance with one embodiment, the content that is the entertainment service is store in the memory of the gaming device or a peripheral device and output to the player. The player'"'"'s level of play may be monitored to ensure that the establishment-specific criteria for maintaining access to such entertainment services is being met.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining if a player has achieved a first level of play via a gaming device;

if the player has achieved the first level of play, providing a first offer associated with a first entertainment service to the player via the gaming device;

determining if the player has achieved a second, different level of play via the gaming device;

if the player has achieved the second level of play, providing a second offer associated with a second entertainment service to the player via the gaming device, the second entertainment service being different than the first entertainment service;

enabling the player to accept, via the gaming device, any of the provided offers;

if the player accepts one of the provided offers, providing the entertainment service associated with the accepted offer to the player via the gaming device; and

while the entertainment service is being provided;

(a) enabling the player to place wagers on plays of a wagering game via the gaming device, and for each. play of the wagering game;

(i) causing the gaming device to display an outcome for the play of the wagering game; and

(ii) if the displayed outcome for the play of the wagering game is a winning outcome, providing an award to the player, the award being provided independent of and in addition to the provided entertainment service;

(b) determining if a level of play of the player is at least said level of play associated with the accepted offer; and

(c) if the level of play of the player is not at least said level of play associated with the accepted offer, terminate providing the entertainment service associated with the accepted offer associated with the achieved level of play.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the offers comprises providing the offers via a menu.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an indication of the first level of play to the player such that the player may ascertain what is required to achieve the first level of play.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an indication of the second level of play to the player such that the player may ascertain what is required to achieve the second level of play.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting the first level of play.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein setting the first level of play comprises a gaming establishment setting the first level of play.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein setting the first level of play comprises setting a threshold value to be achieved for a type of gaming activity by the player.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting the second level of play.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein setting the second level of play comprises a gaming establishment setting the second level of play.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first entertainment service comprises broadcast television.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first entertainment service comprises a first category of movie and the second entertainment service comprises a second category of movie.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first category of movie comprises movies released more than two years ago and the second category of movie comprises movies released less than two years ago.

13. A system comprising:

a user interface; and

a control system operatively coupled to the user interface and configured to;

determine if a player has achieved a first level of play at a gaming device;

if the player has achieved the first level of play, provide a first offer associated with a first entertainment service to the player at the gaming device;

determine if the player has achieved a second, different level of play at the gaming device;

if the player has achieved the second level of play, provide a second offer associated with a second entertainment service to the player at the gaming device, the second entertainment service being different than the first entertainment service;

enable the player to accept any of the provided offers;

if the player accepts one of the provided offers, provide the entertainment service associated with the accepted offer to the player at the gaming device; and

while the entertainment service is being provided;

(a) enable the player to place wagers on play of a wagering game at the gaming device, and for each play of the wagering game;

(i) cause the gaming device to display an outcome for the play of the wagering game; and

(ii) if the displayed outcome for the play of the wagering game is a winning outcome, provide an award to the player, the award being provided independent of and in addition to the provided entertainment service;

(b) determining if a level of play of the player is at least said level of play associated with the accepted offer; and

(c) if the level of play of the player is not at least said level of play associated with the accepted offer, terminate providing the entertainment service associated with the accepted offer associated with the achieved level of play.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to:

determine if a player has achieved a first level of play at a gaming device;

if the player has achieved the first level of play, provide a first offer associated with a first entertainment service to the player at the gaming device;

determine if the player has achieved a second, different level of play at the gaming device;

if the player has achieved the second level of play, provide a second offer associated with a second entertainment service to the player at the gaming device, the second entertainment service being different than the first entertainment service;

enable the player to accept any of the provided offers;

if the player accepts one of the provided offers, provide the entertainment service associated with the accepted offer to the player at the gaming device; and

while the entertainment service is being provided;

(a) enable the player to place wagers on plays of a wagering game via the gaming device, and for each play of the wagering game;

(i) cause the gaming device to display an outcome for the play of the wagering game; and

(ii) if the displayed outcome for the play of the wagering game is a winning outcome, provide an award to the player, the award being provided independent of an in addition to the provided entertainment service;

(b) determining if a level of play of the player is at least said level of play associated with the accepted offer; and

(c) if the level of play is not at least said level of play associated with the accepted offer, terminate providing the entertainment service associated with the accepted offer associated with the achieved level of play.