Method and apparatus for providing a time based payment from a gaming device

• US 8,113,946 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2003
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James A., Zucker, David F., Suarez, Jose A., Tulley, Stephen C., Gelman, Geoffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Application Number:
  US10/419,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20030228901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,224 Days
• Field of Search: 463/9, 463 16- 20, 463 25- 28, 463 42- 43
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• 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 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• 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

A method is provided for providing payments at a gaming device, where the payments may occur at predictable times and are of predictable amounts. In one or more embodiments, a gaming device may provide a guaranteed payment every hour on the hour, so long as a player meets one or more criteria. Criteria may include a total amount wagered, a total number of handle pulls completed, or a total amount of time spent at a gaming device. One or more embodiments provide a method for withholding value from a player in order that the value may delivered later in the form of a guaranteed payment. One or more embodiments provide a method whereby multiple gaming devices may provide payments simultaneously, thereby creating mutually reinforcing sounds and visual displays.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) at a first point in time, determining, via a processor of a device operable to facilitate a wagering game;

(i) a current time, and

(ii) a reference time, wherein at the first point in time, the reference time is different than the current time, the determined reference time is independent of any randomly generated outcome for any play of the wagering game and the device is at least one of a gaming device, a server operatively connected to the gaming device, and a handheld portable device; and

(b) at a second, subsequent point in time, when the then current time has a predetermined relationship to the determined reference time;

(i) determining whether a player has satisfied at least one criterion, said determination being independent of any randomly generated outcome for any play of the wagering game; and

(ii) if the determination is that the player has satisfied the at least one criterion, providing a payment having a value greater than zero, wherein the payment is guaranteed to be provided upon the then current time having the predetermined relationship to the determined reference time and the determination to provide the payment is not dependent on any randomly generated outcome for any play of the wagering game.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a reference time includes determining a beginning of a next hour.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a reference time includes determining a time that is a predetermined number of minutes before a beginning of a next hour.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a player has satisfied at least one criterion includes determining whether the player has made a specified number of handle pulls at the gaming device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a player has satisfied at least one criterion includes determining whether the player has made a specified number of handle pulls at the gaming device within a time interval beginning a specified period of time prior to the determined reference time, and ending with the determined reference time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining whether a player has satisfied at least one criterion includes determining whether the player has made a specified number of handle pulls at the gaming device within a time interval beginning one hour prior to the determined reference time, and ending with the determined reference time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a player has satisfied at least one criterion includes determining whether the player has wagered, at the gaming device, an amount of currency whose aggregate value is at least a specified value, within a time interval beginning a specified period of time prior to the determined reference time, and ending with the determined reference time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a player has satisfied at least one criterion includes determining whether the player has paid, in taxes to the gaming device, an amount of currency whose aggregate value is at least a specified value, within a time interval beginning a specified period of time prior to the determined reference time, and ending with the determined reference time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a player has satisfied at least one criterion includes determining whether the player has maintained a specified average rate of play at the gaming device within a time interval beginning a specified period of time prior to the determined reference time, and ending with the determined reference time.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

producing a sound via the gaming device if the then current time has the predetermined relationship to the determined reference time.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

producing via the gaming device, if the then current time has the predetermined relationship to the determined reference time, a sound of coins dropping, without dropping a coin.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an outcome;

determining a payout associated with the outcome; and

apportioning the payout into a first payment and a second payment.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing the first payment.

14. The method of claim 12, in which providing comprises:

providing, if the then current time has the predetermined relationship to the determined reference time, the second payment.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein apportioning includes apportioning, based on a predetermined percentage, the payout amount into a first payment and a second payment.

16. A gaming system comprising:

a processor;

an input device;

a display device; and

a memory which stores a program including a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device to;

(a) at a first point in time, determine;

(i) a current time, and

(ii) a reference time, wherein at the first point in time, the reference time is different than the current time and the determined reference time is independent of any randomly generated outcome for any play of any wagering game; and

(b) at a second, subsequent point in time, when the then current time has a predetermined relationship to the determined reference time;

(i) determine whether a player has satisfied at least one criterion, said determination being independent of any randomly generated outcome for any play of the wagering game; and

(ii) if the determination is that the player has satisfied the at least one criterion, provide a payment having a value greater than zero, wherein the payment is guaranteed to be provided upon the then current time having the predetermined relationship to the determined reference time, and the determination to provide the payment is not dependent on any randomly generated outcome for any play of any wagering game.

17. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

determine a beginning of a next hour.

18. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

determine a time that is a predetermined number of minutes before a beginning of a next hour.

19. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

determine a size of the payment deterministically.

20. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

determine whether the player has made a specified number of handle pulls at a gaming device.

21. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

determine whether the player has made a specified number of handle pulls at a gaming device within a time interval beginning a specified period of time prior to the determined reference time, and ending with the determined reference time.

22. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

determine whether the player has made a specified number of handle pulls at a gaming device within a time interval beginning one hour prior to the determined reference time, and ending with the determined reference time.

23. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

determine whether the player has wagered, at a gaming device, an amount of currency whose aggregate value is at least a specified value, within a time interval beginning a specified period of time prior to the determined reference time, and ending with the determined reference time.

24. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

determine whether the player has paid, in taxes to a gaming device, an amount of currency whose aggregate value is at least a specified value, within a time interval beginning a specified period of time prior to the determined reference time, and ending with the determined reference time.

25. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

determine whether the player has maintained a specified average rate of play at a gaming device within a time interval beginning a specified period of time prior to the determined reference time, and ending with the determined reference time.

26. The gaming system of claim 16, in which when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

produce a sound via the gaming device if the then current time has the predetermined relationship to the determined reference time.

27. The gaming system of claim 16, in which when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

produce via the gaming device, if the then current time has the predetermined relationship to the determined reference time, a sound of coins dropping, without dropping a coin.

28. The gaming system of claim 16, in which when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

generate an outcome;

determine a payout associated with the outcome; and

apportion the payout into a first payment and a second payment.

29. The gaming system of claim 28, in which when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

provide the first payment.

30. The gaming system of claim 28, in which when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

providing, if the then current time has the predetermined relationship to the determined reference time, the second payment.

31. The gaming system of claim 28, in which when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

apportion, based on a predetermined percentage, the payout amount into a first payment and a second payment.

32. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

determining, via a processor of a device operable to facilitate a wagering game, a reference time that is a predetermined number of minutes before or after a beginning of a next hour and is independent of any randomly generated outcome for any play of the wagering game, wherein the device comprises at least one of a gaming device, a server operatively connected to the gaming device, and a handheld portable computing device;

determining, via the processor, a current time;

determining, via the processor, whether a player of the gaming device has satisfied at least one criterion, said at least one criterion at least including that the player has paid, in taxes to the gaming device, an amount of currency whose aggregate value is at least a specified value, within a time interval beginning a specified period of time prior to the reference time, and ending with the reference time, and said determination being independent of any randomly generated outcome for any play of the wagering game;

determining a value of a payment independently of any prior outcomes randomly generated by the gaming device, said value being greater than zero; and

if the player of the gaming device has satisfied the at least one criterion and is present at the gaming device when the current time has a predetermined relationship to the determined reference time, providing, the determined payment, said determination to provide said payment not depending on any randomly generated outcome for any play of the wagering game and being guaranteed upon the current time having the predetermined relationship to the reference time if the player satisfied the at least one criterion.