Methods and apparatus for auctioning an item via a gaming device

• US 8,167,709 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Muir, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOSSER, ROBERT E
• Application Number:
  US13/017,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20110124404A1
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/9, 463/16, 463/25, 463/47, 463/29, 705/37
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for auctioning an item via a gaming device are disclosed. The methods and apparatus enable a gaming device player (e.g., a slot machine player) to select one or more auction items the player is interested in bidding on. As the player plays the gaming device, a portion of each bet and/or a portion of each win is allocated to an accumulating bid on the selected auction item(s). In one embodiment, other players, connected via a network, also bid on the auction item(s) in a similar fashion. At the end of an auction, the highest bidder is awarded with the auction item. In one embodiment, the auction item is a physical auction item physically displayed at the gaming device.

Claims

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

(a) causing at least one display device to display an image indicative of at least one auction item;

(b) causing at least one input device to enable a selection of the auction item;

(c) causing at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display a plurality of plays of at least one wagering game;

(d) for each of at least one of the plays of the at least one wagering game, causing the at least one processor to allocate a bid portion of at least one of;

a wager amount and a winning outcome amount, to a bid on the selected auction item; and

(e) if the bid is a winning bid for the auction item, causing the auction item associated with the winning bid to be provided a player, wherein said winning bid is selected from a plurality of competing bids including the bid on the selected auction item.

2. The method of claim 1, which includes receiving an amount, the bid portion being based on the received amount.

3. The method of claim 1, which includes receiving a percentage, the bid portion being based on the received percentage.

4. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to allocate the bid portion to a plurality of auction items in series.

5. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to allocate the bid portion to a plurality of auction items in parallel.

6. The method of claim 1, which includes receives a minimum bid amount associated with the auction item.

7. The method of claim 1, which includes receiving a maximum bid amount associated with the auction item.

8. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one display device to display at least one of a bid amount, a rank, an accumulation of wager amounts, a number of bids, a time remaining to bid on the auction item, a maximum bid amount associated with the auction item, a minimum bid amount associated with the auction item, an acceptable bid amount associated with the auction item, and a number of wagering games played.

9. The method of claim 1, which includes causing a printer to print a receipt indicative of the auction item.

10. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to return at least a portion of the bid to the player if the bid is a losing bid.

11. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to cause a forfeiture of at least a portion of the bid to a gaming establishment if the bid is a losing bid.

12. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to return at least a portion of the bid to the player if the bid portion of at least one wager amount is allocated to the bid and the bid is a losing bid.

13. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to cause a forfeiture of at least a portion of the bid to a gaming establishment if the bid portion of at least one wager amount is allocated to the bid and the bid is a losing bid.

14. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to return at least a portion of the bid to the player if the bid portion of at least one winning outcome is allocated to the bid and the bid is a losing bid.

15. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to cause a forfeiture of at least a portion of the bid to a gaming establishment if the bid portion of at least one winning outcome is allocated to the bid and the bid is a losing bid.

16. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to enable the player to supplement the bid with at least one of:

(a) one or more game credits, (b) an amount of cash, (c) one or more tokens, and (d) one or more points associated with a player tracking system.

17. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one input device to enable a selection of a plurality of different auction items.

18. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one display device to display an output indicating a status of the auction item.

19. The method of claim 1, which is provided through a data network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the data network is an internet.

21. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one processor to receive a bid percentage;

(b) causing at least one display device to display an image indicative of at least one auction item;

(c) causing at least one input device to enable a selection of the auction item;

(d) receiving a maximum bid amount associated with the auction item;

(e) causing at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display a plurality plays of at least one wagering game;

(f) if the maximum bid amount is not received, causing the at least one processor to allocate a bid portion of at least one of;

a wager amount and a winning outcome amount, to a bid on the selected auction item based on the bid percentage;

(g) causing the at least one display device to display;

(i) an auction rank associated with the auction item, and

(ii) a plurality of competing bids including the bid; and

(h) causing a printer to print a receipt indicative of the auction item if at least one of;

(i) the bid is a winning bid selected from the plurality of competing bids including the bid, and

(ii) the bid reaches a maximum bid amount.

22. The method of claim 21, which includes causing the at least one processor to allocate the bid to a plurality of auction items.

23. The method of claim 22, which includes causing the at least one processor to allocate a first bid portion to one auction item and a second bid portion to another auction item.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first bid portion is different from the second bid portion.

25. The method of claim 21, which includes receiving a minimum bid amount or a maximum bid amount associated with the auction item.

26. The method of claim 21, which includes causing the at least one display device to display at least one of a bid amount, a rank, an accumulation of wager amounts, a number of bids, a time remaining to bid on the auction item, a maximum bid amount associated with the auction item, a minimum bid amount associated with the auction item, an acceptable bid amount associated with the auction item, and a number of wagering games played.

27. The method of claim 21, which includes causing the at least one processor to return at least a portion of the bid to a player if the bid is a losing bid.

28. The method of claim 21, which includes causing the at least one processor to cause a forfeiture of at least a portion of the bid to a gaming establishment if the bid is a losing bid.

29. The method of claim 21, which includes causing the at least one processor to return at least a portion of the bid to a player if the bid portion of at least one wager amount is allocated to the bid and the bid is a losing bid.

30. The method of claim 21, which includes causing the at least one processor to cause a forfeiture of at least a portion of the bid to a gaming establishment if the bid portion of at least one wager amount is allocated to the bid and the bid is a losing bid.

31. The method of claim 21, which includes causing the at least one processor to return at least a portion of the bid to a player if the bid portion of at least one winning outcome is allocated to the bid and the bid is a losing bid.

32. The method of claim 21, which includes causing the at least one processor to cause a forfeiture of at least a portion of the bid to a gaming establishment if the bid portion of at least one winning outcome is allocated to the bid and the bid is a losing bid.

33. The method of claim 21, which includes causing the at least one processor to enable a player to supplement the bid with at least one of:

(a) one or more game credits, (b) an amount of cash, (c) one or more tokens and (d) one or more points associated with a player tracking system.

34. The method of claim 21, which includes causing the at least one input device to enable a selection of a plurality of different auction items.

35. The method of claim 21, which includes causing the at least one display device to display an output indicating a status of the auction item.

36. The method of claim 21, which is provided through a data network.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the data network is an internet.

38. A gaming system comprising:

a controller; and

a plurality of gaming devices configured to communicate with the controller, wherein at least one of the gaming devices is configured to operate with the controller to;

(a) display at least one auction item;

(b) facilitate play of a first plurality of plays of at least one wagering game by a first player;

(c) allocate a first predetermined portion of at least one of;

a wager amount and a winning outcome amount from each of the first plurality of plays, to a first bid on the auction item;

(d) determine if the first bid is a winning bid for the auction item, wherein said winning bid is selected from a plurality of competing bids including the first bid; and

(e) if the first bid is the winning bid, provide the auction item to the first player.

39. The gaming system of claim 38, wherein at least one of the gaming devices is configured to operate with the controller to:

(a) facilitate play of a second plurality of plays of at least one wagering game by a second player;

(b) allocate a second predetermined portion of at least one of;

a wager amount and a winning outcome amount from each of the second plurality of plays, to a second bid on the auction item; and

(c) determine if the second bid is a winning bid for the auction item; and

(d) if the second bid is the winning bid, provide the auction item to the second player.

40. The gaming system of claim 39, wherein a first gaming device facilitates the first plurality of plays of at least one wagering game by the first player and a second gaming device facilitates the second plurality of plays of at least one wagering game by the second player.

41. The gaming system of claim 40, wherein the auction item is provided to the first player if the first bid is the winning bid and the auction item is provided to the second player if the second bid is the winning bid.

42. The gaming system of claim 39, wherein a first gaming device facilitates the first plurality of plays of at least one wagering game by the first player and facilitates the second plurality of plays of at least one wagering game by the second player.

43. The gaming system of claim 42, wherein the auction item is provided to the first player if the first bid is the winning bid and the auction item is provided to the second player if the second bid is the winning bid.

44. The gaming system of claim 39, wherein the first bid is on a first auction item and the second bid is on a second auction item.

45. The gaming system of claim 39, wherein the first bid is on a first auction item and the second bid is on the first auction item.

46. The gaming system of claim 39, wherein the controller is programmed to allocate the first and second bid portions to a plurality of auction items in series.

47. The gaming system of claim 39, wherein the controller is programmed to allocate the first and second bid portions to a plurality of auction items in parallel.

48. The gaming system of claim 39, wherein if at least one of the first and second bids are a losing bid, the controller is programmed to return at least a portion of the first and second bids to at least one of the first and second players.

49. The gaming system of claim 39, wherein if at least one of the first and second bids are a losing bid, the controller is programmed to cause a forfeiture of at least a portion of the first and second bids to a gaming establishment.

50. The gaming system of claim 39, wherein the controller is programmed to enable at least one of the first and second players to supplement at least one of the first and second bids with at least one of:

(a) one or more game credits, (b) an amount of cash, (c) one or more tokens and (d) one or more points associated with a player tracking system.

51. The gaming system of claim 39, wherein the controller is programmed to:

(i) determine a player status of the first and second players associated with a player tracking system and (ii) cause at least one display device to display a first auction item to at least one of the first and second players based on the determined player status.

52. The gaming system of claim 39, wherein the controller is programmed to determine if a plurality of the first and second bids are the winning bids for the auction item.

53. The gaming system of claim 39, wherein the controller is programmed to cause at least one display device to display a first auction item to a first player and a second auction item to the second player.

54. The gaming system of claim 38, which includes a player tracking system configured to communicate with the controller, wherein the player tracking system includes a player reward card associated with each player and is configured to store at least one point associated with the player tracking system.

55. The gaming system of claim 54, wherein the controller is programmed to enable each player to supplement the bid with at least one of:

(a) one or more game credits, (b) an amount of cash, (c) one or more tokens and (d) one or more points associated with the player tracking system.

56. The gaming system of claim 38, wherein the controller is programmed to cause at least one display device to display at least one of a first bid amount, a second bid amount, a rank, an accumulation of wager amounts, a number of bids, a time remaining to bid on the auction item, a maximum bid amount associated with the auction item, a minimum bid amount associated with the auction item, an acceptable bid amount associated with the auction item, and a number of games played.

57. The gaming system of claim 38, wherein the controller is programmed to enable a switch from bidding on one auction item to bidding on another auction item.

58. The gaming system of claim 38, wherein the controller is programmed to generate an output indicating a status of the auction item.

59. The gaming system of claim 38, which includes a triggering event associated with the wagering game.

60. The gaming system of claim 59, wherein the controller is programmed to provide an award to the first player upon the occurrence of the triggering event and the first bid is based on the award.