Gaming system, gaming device and method providing tiered progressive bonusing system
First Claim
1. A gaming system central controller comprising:
- 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 a plurality of gaming devices to;
(a) maintain a plurality of progressive awards,(b) for each of a plurality of players, upon an occurrence of a point accumulation event, accumulate a quantity of progressive event points for that player, and(c) after an occurrence of a triggering event;
(i) determine a designated wager amount placed by each of the players playing at the plurality of gaming devices during a designated period of time,(ii) select one of the players playing at one of the gaming devices during the designated period of time to win one of the progressive awards, the selection based on the designated wager amount placed by the selected player during the designated period of time,(iii) assign the selected player to one of a plurality of progressive event tiers based on the quantity of progressive event points accumulated for the selected player, each one of the progressive awards associated with a probability of being provided for the assigned progressive event tier,(iv) randomly select at least one of the progressive awards in accordance with the probabilities associated with the assigned progressive event tier, and(v) cause the at least one randomly selected progressive award to be provided to the selected player.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The gaming system and method disclosed herein provides a plurality of players with an opportunity to win a plurality of progressive awards maintained by the gaming system. The gaming system accumulates a quantity of progressive event points for each player playing at one of the gaming machines in the gaming system. In one embodiment, the gaming system uses an accumulated quantity of progressive event points for a designated player to determine which one or more of the progressive awards the designated player wins. In another embodiment, the gaming system uses an accumulated quantity of progressive event points to determine the designated player'"'"'s probability of winning one or more of the progressive awards. Accordingly, the gaming system provides a point-based system in which either a progressive award to win or a probability of winning a progressive award is determined based on the quantities of progressive event points accumulated by the players.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A gaming system central controller comprising:
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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 a plurality of gaming devices to; (a) maintain a plurality of progressive awards, (b) for each of a plurality of players, upon an occurrence of a point accumulation event, accumulate a quantity of progressive event points for that player, and (c) after an occurrence of a triggering event; (i) determine a designated wager amount placed by each of the players playing at the plurality of gaming devices during a designated period of time, (ii) select one of the players playing at one of the gaming devices during the designated period of time to win one of the progressive awards, the selection based on the designated wager amount placed by the selected player during the designated period of time, (iii) assign the selected player to one of a plurality of progressive event tiers based on the quantity of progressive event points accumulated for the selected player, each one of the progressive awards associated with a probability of being provided for the assigned progressive event tier, (iv) randomly select at least one of the progressive awards in accordance with the probabilities associated with the assigned progressive event tier, and (v) cause the at least one randomly selected progressive award to be provided to the selected player. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A gaming system central controller comprising:
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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 a plurality of gaming devices to; (a) maintain a primary progressive award and a plurality of secondary progressive awards, (b) for each of a plurality of players, upon an occurrence of a point accumulation event, accumulate a quantity of progressive event points for that player, (c) cause an occurrence of a primary triggering event during a designated period of time, the primary triggering event being associated with the primary progressive award, (d) after the occurrence of the primary triggering event; (i) determine a designated wager amount placed by each one of the players prior to the occurrence of the primary triggering event, (ii) select one of the players to be provided the primary progressive award, the selection based on the designated wager amount placed by the selected player prior to the occurrence of the primary triggering event, (iii) cause the primary progressive award to be provided to the selected player, (iv) assign each one of the players to one of a plurality of progressive event tiers based on the accumulated quantity of progressive event points for that player, each one of the progressive event tiers being associated with a different one of the plurality of secondary progressive awards, and (v) for each progressive event tier assigned at least one player; (A) determine which of the players assigned to the progressive event tier will be provided the associated secondary progressive based on the designated wager amount each assigned player placed prior to the occurrence of the primary triggering event, and (B) cause the associated secondary progressive award to be provided to the determined player, and (e) after an occurrence of a secondary triggering event, the secondary triggering event being associated with a designated one of the secondary progressive awards; (i) assign each of the players to one of a plurality of progressive event tiers based on the accumulated quantity of progressive event points associated with each player, a designated progressive event tier being associated with the designated one of the secondary progressive awards, and (ii) for the designated progressive event tier; (A) determine which of the players assigned to the designated progressive event tier will be provided the designated one of the secondary progressive awards based on the designated wager amount each assigned player placed prior to the occurrence of the secondary triggering event, and (B) cause the designated one of the secondary progressive awards to be provided to the determined player. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A gaming system central controller comprising:
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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 a plurality of gaming devices to; (a) maintain a plurality of progressive awards, (b) for each of a plurality of players, upon an occurrence of a point accumulation event, accumulate a quantity of progressive event points for that player, and (c) after an occurrence of a triggering event; (i) select one of the players based on a designated wager amount placed prior to the triggering event, (ii) assign the selected player to one of the plurality of progressive event tiers based on the quantity of progressive event points accumulated for the selected player, (iii) for each one of a plurality of the progressive awards, determine whether to provide said progressive award in accordance with a probability associated with the assigned progressive event tier, and (iv) if the determination is to provide at least one of the progressive awards, cause said at least one of the progressive awards to be provided to the selected player. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A gaming system comprising:
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a plurality of gaming devices, and at least one central controller configured to operate with the plurality of the gaming devices to; (a) maintain a plurality of progressive awards, (b) for each of a plurality of players, if a designated symbol combination is generated in association with a play of a game, accumulate a quantity of progressive event points for that player, and (c) after an occurrence of a triggering event; (i) select one of the players to win one of the progressive awards, the selection being based on a designated wager placed by the selected player, (ii) assign the selected player to one of a plurality of progressive event tiers based on the quantity of progressive event points accumulated for the selected player, each one of the progressive awards associated with a probability of being provided for the assigned progressive event tier, (iii) randomly select at least one of the progressive awards in accordance with the probabilities associated with the assigned progressive event tier, and (iv) cause the at least one randomly selected progressive award to be provided to the selected player. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A gaming system comprising:
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a plurality of gaming devices, and at least one central controller configured to communicate with the plurality of the gaming devices and programmed to operate with said gaming devices to; (a) maintain a primary progressive award and a plurality of secondary progressive awards, (b) for each of a plurality of players, if a designated symbol combination is generated in association with a play of a game, accumulate a quantity of progressive event points for that player, (c) cause an occurrence of a primary triggering event within a designated period of time, the primary triggering event being associated with the primary progressive award, (d) after the occurrence of the primary triggering event; (i) select one of the players to be provided the primary progressive award, the selection based on a designated wager placed by the selected player, (ii) cause the primary progressive award to be provided to the selected player, (iii) assign each one of the players to one of a plurality of progressive event tiers based on the accumulated quantity of progressive event points for that player, each one of the progressive event tiers being associated with a different one of the plurality of secondary progressive awards, and (iv) for each progressive event tier assigned at least one player; (A) determine which of the players assigned to the progressive event tier will be provided the associated secondary progressive based on the designated wager amount each assigned player placed, and (B) cause the associated secondary progressive award to be provided to the determined player, and (e) after an occurrence of a secondary triggering event, the secondary triggering event being associated with a designated one of the secondary progressive awards; (i) assign each of the players to one of a plurality of progressive event tiers based on the accumulated quantity of progressive event points associated with each player, a designated progressive event tier being associated with the designated one of the secondary progressive awards, and (ii) for the designated progressive event tier; (A) determine which of the players assigned to the designated progressive event tier will be provided the designated one of the secondary progressive awards based on the designated wager amount each assigned player placed, and (B) cause the designated one of the secondary progressive awards to be provided to the determined player. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification