Random payout while maintaining the progressive prize pool at the predetermined average pool size

• US 7,887,415 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gaming Enhancements Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gaming Enhancements Incorporated
• Inventors: Bertram, William K., Parham, Tyler Thomas, Michaelson, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel; Matthew D.
• Application Number:
  US11/929,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20080102942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 463 12- 28, 463/1, 463 40- 42
• US Class Current: 463/27
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

A method of providing a game for a gaming device using random payout from a prize pool, the game including a plurality of possible game outcomes, is provided. The method comprises: receiving, at the gaming device, a wager amount; receiving an input to initiate game play; and qualifying the wager amount to win a random award from the prize pool for each of at least two game outcomes from the plurality of game outcomes. A predetermined average pool size for the progressive prize pool is stored. A random payout is calculated using a function that calculates the random payout using a specified minimum amount, a specified maximum amount, and a specified average value. The specified average value is independently specified between the specified minimum value and specified maximum value. The random payout calculated by the function is included within the specified minimum amount and the specified maximum amount, wherein the function is configured to calculate random payouts that average over time substantially the specified average value. The random payout is provided where when the specified average value is set at an average contribution to the progressive prize pool, an average random payout over time is substantially equal to the average contribution to the progressive prize pool in order to maintain the progressive prize pool at the predetermined average pool size.

Claims

1. A method for providing a random payout from a progressive prize pool, the method comprising:

storing, in memory of a computing device, a predetermined average pool size for the progressive prize pool;

calculating, by the computing device, a random payout using a function that calculates the random payout using a specified minimum amount, a specified maximum amount, and a specified average value, the specified average value being independently specified between the specified minimum value and specified maximum value, wherein the random payout calculated by the function is included within the specified minimum amount and the specified maximum amount, wherein the function is configured to calculate random payouts that average over time substantially the specified average value; and

providing the random payout, wherein when the specified average value is set at an average contribution to the progressive prize pool, an average random payout over time is substantially equal to the average contribution to the progressive prize pool in order to maintain the progressive prize pool at the predetermined average pool size.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified average value comprises a first specified average value, the method further comprising:

determining if the progressive prize pool is at the predetermined average pool size;

if the progressive prize pool is less than the predetermined average pool size, calculating the random payout using the function with a second specified average value less than the average contribution such that the average random payout over time is less than the average contribution to the progressive prize pool in order to increase the progressive pool size to the predetermined average pool size.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second specified average value is changed to the first specified average value when the predetermined pool size is reached.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a game including a plurality of game outcomes, wherein each game outcome includes a different contribution rate to the prize pool; and

determining a plurality of specified average values for the plurality of game outcomes such that the average random payout for the plurality of game outcomes over time is equal to the average contribution to the progressive prize pool for the plurality of game outcomes in order to maintain the progressive prize pool at the predetermined average pool size.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the specified average value for a game outcome in the plurality of game outcomes is determined based on the predetermined average pool size and a contribution rate for the game outcome.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the specified average value for the game outcome is determined by taking a ratio of the predetermined average pool size to the contribution rate for the game outcome.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein each game outcome in the plurality of game outcomes includes a different specified average value.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the function comprises at least two parameters that are determined by the specified minimum value, specified maximum value, and the specified average value.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least two parameters are determined such that the average random payout over time is equal to the average contribution to the progressive prize pool when the progressive prize pool is at the predetermined average pool size.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the function is a continuous function that calculates the random payout in a continuous range of values from the specified minimum value to the specified maximum value.

11. A system for providing a random payout from a progressive prize pool, the system comprising:

a storage medium configured to store a predetermined average pool size for the progressive prize pool; and

a gaming device configured to;

calculate the random payout using a function that calculates the random payout using a specified minimum amount, a specified maximum amount, and a specified average value, the specified average value being independently specified between the specified minimum value and specified maximum value, wherein the random payout calculated by the function is included within the specified minimum amount and the specified maximum amount, wherein the function is configured to calculate random payouts that average over time substantially the specified average value; and

provide the random payout, wherein when the specified average value is set at an average contribution to the progressive prize pool, an average random payout over time is equal to the average contribution to the progressive prize pool in order to maintain the progressive prize pool at the predetermined average pool size.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the specified average value comprises a first specified average value, the system further comprising a controller comprising logic executable to:

determine if the progressive prize pool is at the predetermined average pool size; and

if the progressive prize pool is less than the predetermined average pool size, logic executable to calculate the random payout using a second specified average value less than the average contribution to the progressive prize pool such that the average random payout over time is less than the average contribution to the progressive prize pool in order to increase the progressive pool size to the predetermined average pool size.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is coupled to the gaming device through a network.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the gaming device includes the controller.

15. An apparatus configured to provide a random payout from a progressive prize pool, the apparatus comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

logic encoded in one or more computer readable storage media for execution by the one or more computer processors and when executed is executable to;

determine a predetermined average pool size for the progressive prize pool;

calculate the random payout using a function that calculates the random payout using a specified minimum amount, a specified maximum amount, and a specified average value, the specified average value being independently specified between the specified minimum value and specified maximum value, wherein the random payout calculated by the function is included within the minimum amount and the maximum amount, wherein the function is configured to calculate random payouts that average over time substantially the specified average value; and

p1 provide the random payout, wherein when the specified average value is set at an average contribution to the progressive prize pool, an average random payout over time is equal to the average contribution to the progressive prize pool in order to maintain the progressive prize pool at the predetermined average pool size.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the specified average value comprises a first specified average value, wherein the logic when executed is further executable to:

determine if the progressive prize pool is at the predetermined average pool size;

calculate the random payout using the function with a second specified average value less than the average contribution such that the average random payout over time is less than the average contribution to the progressive prize pool in order to increase the progressive pool size to the predetermined average pool size if the progressive prize pool is less than the predetermined average pool size.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second specified average value is changed to the first specified average value when the predetermined pool size is reached.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the logic when executed is further executable to:

provide a game including a plurality of game outcomes, wherein each game outcome includes a different contribution rate to the progressive prize pool; and

determine a plurality of average values for the plurality of game outcomes such that the average random payout for the plurality of game outcomes over time is equal to the average contribution to the progressive prize pool for the plurality of game outcomes in order to maintain the progressive prize pool at the predetermined average pool size.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the specified average value for a game outcome in the plurality of game outcomes is determined based on the predetermined average pool size and a contribution rate for the game outcome.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the specified average value for the game outcome is determined by taking a ratio of the predetermined average pool size to the contribution rate for the game outcome.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein each game outcome in the plurality of game outcomes includes a different specified average value.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the function comprises at least two parameters that are determined by the specified minimum value, specified maximum value, and the specified average value.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the parameters are determined such that the amount of the average random payout over time is equal to the average contribution to the progressive prize pool when the progressive prize pool is at the predetermined average pool size.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the function is a continuous function that calculates the random payout in a continuous range of values from the specified minimum value to the specified maximum value.