Gaming system having multiple gaming machines which provide bonus awards

• US 7,892,093 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Ferry, Tonja M., Kniesteadt, Carl V., Ching, Erick T., Baerlocher, Anthony J., Vasquez, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol; Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUFFY, DAVID W
• Application Number:
  US11/548,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20070105619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463 25- 27
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3283 wherein the number of active machines is limited
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3286 Type of games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/106664 Blood serum or blood plasma standard or control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/107497 Preparation composition [e.g., lysing or precipitation, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/108331 Preservative, buffer, anticoagulant or diluent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/109163 Inorganic standards or controls

Abstract

A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines and a plurality of bonus awards. The central server monitors wagers on the gaming machines. Based at least in part on the wagers the central server determines when bonus events will occur and which gaming machine(s) will provide the bonus awards. In one embodiment, the central server determines which gaming machine will provide a primary bonus award and any secondary bonus awards, wherein at least one gaming machine may be provided a plurality of bonus awards.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including;

at least one input device;

at least one display 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 player to place a wager to play a wagering game, and

(b) for the play of the wagering game;

(i) randomly generate a wagering game outcome,

(ii) determine any wagering game award associated with the randomly generated wagering game outcome,

(iii) display any determined wagering game award, and

(iv) provide any determined wagering game award; and

a controller in communication with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to determine if a bonus event will occur, and if the controller determines that the bonus event will occur, said controller is programmed to;

(a) determine a quantity of said gaming machines to participate in the bonus event, said quantity being greater than one;

(b) determine which of the gaming machines were in an active state during a bonus event qualification period for said bonus event;

(c) for each gaming machine in the active state, determine a probability to participate in the bonus event based on the total wagers placed during a bonus event accumulation period for said gaming machine relative to the total wagers placed for all gaming machines in the active state during the bonus event accumulation period;

(d) for each of the determined quantity of said gaming machines to participate in the bonus event, select one of the gaming machines in the active state based on the determined probability to participate in the bonus event, wherein at least one of the gaming machines is eligible to be selected a plurality of times even if said gaming machine was previously selected to participate in the bonus event; and

(e) for each of the gaming machines selected to participate in the bonus event;

(i) cause a determination of a bonus event award, said determination being independent of any of the wagering game outcomes generated in any of the plays of any of the wagering games of any of the gaming machines,

(ii) cause a display of the determined bonus event award, and

(iii) cause the determined bonus event award to be provided to the player of said gaming machine.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the gaming machines are each eligible to be selected a plurality of times even if said gaming machine was previously selected to participate in the bonus event.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each of the gaming machines is eligible to be selected a plurality of times even if said gaming machine was previously selected to participate in the bonus event.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bonus event occurs if an accumulated value progressive award associated with a range of values reaches a progressive award hit value.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the gaming machine which placed the wager which caused the accumulated value progressive award to reach the progressive award hit value is selected to participate in the bonus event.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bonus event occurs independent of any displayed events in any plays of said wagering games.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bonus event accumulation period begins at the occurrence of a previous bonus event and ends at the occurrence of the bonus event.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bonus event accumulation period begins at the issuance of a previous bonus award and ends at the issuance of said bonus award.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bonus event qualification period is a designated period of time before the end of the bonus event accumulation period.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bonus event qualification period is a designated period of time before the bonus event is determined to occur.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period by determining for each gaming machine if a wager was placed on the wagering game of that gaming machine during the bonus event qualification period.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period by determining for each gaming machine if a designated wager level was placed on the wagering game of that gaming machine during the bonus event qualification period.

13. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period by determining for each gaming machine if a designated number of wagers were placed on the wagering game of that gaming machine during the bonus event qualification period.

14. The gaming system of claim 1, which includes an accumulated wager pool which includes at least the total amounts of the wagers placed on the wagering games of all gaming machines during the bonus event accumulation period.

15. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a processor of one of the gaming machines functions as the controller.

16. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least two of said wagering games of at least two of the plurality of gaming machines are different.

17. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including;

at least one input device;

at least one display 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 player to place wager placed to play a wagering game, and

(b) for the play of the wagering game;

(i) randomly generate a wagering game outcome,

(ii) determine any wagering game award associated with the randomly generated wagering game outcome,

(iii) display any determined wagering game award, and

(iv) provide any determined wagering game award; and

a controller in communication with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to determine if a bonus event will occur, and if the controller determines that the bonus event will occur, said controller is programmed to;

(a) determine a quantity of said gaming machines to participate in the bonus event, said quantity being greater than one;

(b) determine which of the gaming machines were in an active state during a bonus event qualification period for said bonus event;

(c) for each gaming machine in the active state, determine a probability to participate in the bonus event based on the total wagers placed during a bonus event accumulation period for said gaming machine relative to the total wagers placed for all gaming machines in the active state during the bonus event accumulation period;

(d) select one of the gaming machines in the active state to participate in the bonus event, wherein said selection is based on the determined probabilities to participate in the bonus event;

(e) determine if the determined quantity of gaming machines to participate in the bonus event has been selected;

(f) if the determined quantity of gaming machines to participate in the bonus event has not been selected, repeat (d) to (f) at least once, wherein at least one of the gaming machines is eligible to be selected a plurality of times, even if said gaming machine was previously selected to participate in the bonus event; and

(g) if the determined quantity of gaming machines to participate in the bonus event has been selected, for each of the gaming machines selected to participate in the bonus event;

(i) cause a determination of a bonus event award, said determination being independent of any of the wagering game outcomes generated in any of the plays of any of the wagering games of any of the gaming machines,

(ii) cause a display of the determined bonus event award, and

(iii) cause the determined bonus event award to be provided to the player of said gaming machine.

18. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein a plurality of the gaming machines are each eligible to be selected a plurality of times even if said gaming machine was previously selected to participate in the bonus event.

19. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein each of the gaming machines is eligible to be selected a plurality of times even if said gaming machine was previously selected to participate in the bonus event.

20. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the bonus event occurs if an accumulated value progressive award associated with a range of values reaches a progressive award hit value.

21. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein the gaming machine which placed the wager which caused the accumulated value progressive award to reach the progressive award hit value is selected to participate in the bonus event.

22. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the bonus event occurs independent of any displayed events in any plays of said wagering games.

23. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the bonus event accumulation period begins at the occurrence of a previous bonus event and ends at the occurrence of the bonus event.

24. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the bonus event accumulation period begins at the issuance of a previous bonus award and ends at the issuance of said bonus award.

25. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the bonus event qualification period is a designated period of time before the end of the bonus event accumulation period.

26. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the bonus event qualification period is a designated period of time before the bonus event is determined to occur.

27. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period by determining for each gaming machine if a wager was placed on the wagering game of that gaming machine during the bonus event qualification period.

28. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period by determining for each gaming machine if a designated wager level was placed on the wagering game of that gaming machine during the bonus event qualification period.

29. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the controller is programmed to determine which of the gaming machines were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period by determining for each gaming machine if a designated number of wagers were placed on the wagering game of that gaming machine during the bonus event qualification period.

30. The gaming system of claim 17, which includes an accumulated wager pool which includes at least the total amounts of the wagers placed on the wagering games of all gaming machines during the bonus event accumulation period.

31. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein a processor of one of the gaming machines functions as the controller.

32. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein at least two of said wagering games of at least two of the plurality of gaming machines are different.

33. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including;

at least one input device;

at least one display 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 player to place a wager to play a wagering game, and

(b) for the play of the wagering game;

(i) randomly generate a wagering game outcome,

(ii) determine any wagering game award associated with the randomly generated wagering game outcome,

(iii) display any determined wagering game award, and

(iv) provide any determined wagering game award; and

a controller in communication with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to determine if a bonus event will occur, and if the controller determines that the bonus event will occur, said controller is programmed to;

(a) for each gaming machine, determine a probability to participate in the bonus event based on the total wagers placed during a bonus event accumulation period for said gaming machine relative to the total wagers placed for all gaming machines during the bonus event accumulation period;

(b) for a first determination, select one of the gaming machines to participate in the bonus event, wherein said selection is based on the determined probabilities to participate in the bonus event;

(c) for a second determination, select one of the gaming machines to participate in the bonus event, wherein said selection is based on the determined probabilities to participate in the bonus event, and wherein the gaming machine selected to participate in the bonus event for the first determination is eligible to be selected to participate in the bonus event for the second determination; and

(d) for each of the gaming machines selected to participate in the bonus event;

(i) cause a determination of a bonus event award, said determination being independent of any of the wagering game outcomes generated in any of the plays of any of the wagering games of any of the gaming machines,

(ii) cause a display of the determined bonus event award, and

(iii) cause the determined bonus event award to be provided to the player of said gaming machine.

34. The gaming system of claim 33, wherein for a third determination, said controller is programmed to select one of the gaming machines to participate in the bonus event, wherein said selection is based on the determined probabilities to participate in the bonus event, and wherein the gaming machine selected to participate in the bonus event for the first determination and the gaming machine selected to participate in the bonus event for the second determination are eligible to be selected to participate in the bonus event for the third determination.

35. The gaming system of claim 33, wherein the bonus event occurs if an accumulated value progressive award associated with a range of values reaches a progressive award hit value.

36. The gaming system of claim 35, wherein the gaming machine which placed the wager which caused the accumulated value progressive award to reach the progressive award hit value is selected to participate in the bonus event.

37. The gaming system of claim 33, wherein the bonus event occurs independent of any displayed events in any plays of said wagering games.

38. The gaming system of claim 33, which includes an accumulated wager pool which includes at least the total amounts of the wagers placed on the wagering games of all gaming machines during the bonus event accumulation period.

39. The gaming system of claim 33, wherein a processor of one of the gaming machines functions as the controller.

40. The gaming system of claim 33, wherein at least two of said wagering games of at least two of the plurality of gaming machines are different.