Budget-defined flat rate play contract parameters

• US 7,914,374 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Robert C., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis; David L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Deodhar; Omkar
• Application Number:
  US11/423,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20060229127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,751 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20, 463/25, 463/29, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual 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 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

According to some embodiments, systems, methods, and/or articles of manufacture are associated with operating a gaming device having a flat rate play session or contract costing a flat rate price. The flat rate play session or contract spans multiple plays on the gaming device over a pre-established duration. In some embodiments, an expected cost of the flat rate play session or contract may be determined. In some embodiments, a flat rate play session or contract and/or one or more parameters thereof may be determined based upon a price (or other parameter) that a player is willing to pay for flat rate play at a gaming device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving an indication of a price a particular player is willing to pay for flat rate play of a gaming device, wherein flat rate play comprises a player providing a pre-payment of the price in exchange for an interval of play of a wagering game that includes a plurality of discrete intervals that otherwise are separately priced and wherein the price for the flat rate play is less than the player would otherwise pay for the discrete intervals if the player were not providing the prepayment for flat rate play;

determining, by a computing device operable to facilitate a wagering game, a desired profit of the flat rate play of the gaming device;

calculating, by the computing device, in response to the price the particular player is willing to pay and based at least upon the price and the desired profit, a target cost to an operator of the gaming device for the flat rate play of the gaming device;

determining, by the computing device for the particular player a particular flat rate play session with an expected cost substantially equal to the target cost, wherein the flat rate play session is defined by one or more parameters, wherein at least one of the parameters comprises a number of the discrete intervals comprising the flat rate play session, the number being greater than one; and

initializing play of the flat rate play session in accordance with the one or more parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

offering the particular flat rate play session to the player; and

determining an acceptance of the offer by the player.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining of the acceptance comprises:

receiving an indication of an acceptance of the offer by the player.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired profit comprises at least one of a desired profit margin and a desired profit rate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the flat rate play session comprises:

determining a plurality of flat rate play sessions;

determining an expected cost for each of the plurality of flat rate play sessions; and

selecting the flat rate play session with the expected cost most substantially equal to the target cost.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the one or more parameters that define the particular flat rate play session.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving payment in the amount of the price the player is willing to pay.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the expected cost of the flat rate play session.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the expected cost of the flat rate play session is determined based on at least one of (i) a simulation, (ii) a mathematical simulation, (iii) a mathematical model, and (iv) a history of flat rate play session costs.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters comprises at least one of:

(i) an amount wagered;

(ii) a jackpot structure;

(iii) a time of a day;

(iv) a day of a week;

(v) a day of a month;

(vi) a day of a year;

(vii) a week of a month;

(viii) a week of a year;

(ix) a month of a year;

(x) a type of gaming device;

(xi) a player status rating;

(xii) an availability of a gaming device;

(xiii) a forecasted availability of a gaming device;

(xiv) a number of active jackpots;

(xv) a number of winning plays;

(xvi) a time between plays;

(xvii) a traffic of potential players;

(xviii) stakes of play; and

(xix) an external event.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the one or more parameters defining the flat rate play session.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing a program that when executed by the processor results in;

receiving an indication of a price a player is willing to pay for flat rate play of a gaming device, wherein flat rate play comprises a player providing a pre-payment of the price in exchange for an interval of play of a wagering game that includes a plurality of discrete intervals that otherwise are separately priced and wherein the price for the flat rate play is less than the player would otherwise pay for the discrete intervals if the player were not providing the prepayment for flat rate play;

determining a desired profit of the flat rate play of the gaming device;

calculating, in response to receiving the indication of the price the player is willing to pay and based at least upon the price and the desired profit, a target cost to an operator of the gaming device for the flat rate play of the gaming device;

determining for the particular player a particular flat rate play session with an expected cost substantially equal to the target cost, wherein the flat rate play session is defined by one or more parameters, wherein at least one of the parameters comprises a number of the discrete intervals comprising the flat rate play session, the number being greater than one; and

initializing play of the flat rate play session in accordance with the one or more parameters.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

an input device to receive the indication of the price from the player.

14. A method, comprising:

determining, by a computing device operable to facilitate a wagering game, a price a player is willing to pay for flat rate play of a gaming device, wherein flat rate play comprises a player providing a pre-payment of the price in exchange for an interval of play of a wagering game that includes a plurality of discrete intervals that otherwise are separately priced and wherein the price for the flat rate play is less than the player would otherwise pay for the discrete intervals if the player were not providing the prepayment for flat rate play;

determining, by the computing device, in response to determining the price is willing to pay and based on the price the player is willing to pay, one or more parameters that define a particular flat rate play session with a retail price substantially equal to the price the player is willing to pay, wherein at least one of the parameters comprises a number of the discrete intervals comprising the flat rate play session, the number being greater than one; and

initializing for the player play of the particular flat rate play session in accordance with the one or more parameters.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining of the one or more parameters comprises:

determining a target cost for the flat rate play of the gaming device; and

selecting values for the one or more parameters that define the flat rate play session to have an expected cost substantially equal to the target cost.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the flat rate play session comprises a plurality of flat rate play sessions having retail prices substantially equal to the price the player is willing to pay, further comprising:

selecting one of the plurality of flat rate play sessions.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the selected flat rate play session is a flat rate play session from the plurality of flat rate play sessions that has a retail price most substantially equal to the price the player is willing to pay.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the flat rate play session comprises a plurality of flat rate play sessions having retail prices substantially equal to the price the player is willing to pay, further comprising:

providing a menu of the plurality of flat rate play sessions to the player.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a menu selection made by the player.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the price the player is willing to pay comprises a balance of credits associated with the player.