Gaming system having multiple gaming machines which provide bonus awards

• US 8,216,060 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Baerlocher, Anthony J., Vasquez, James A., Peterson, Tonja M., Ching, Erick T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US11/830,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20080070677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,807 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 28, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• 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 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games
• 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 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• 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

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. In one embodiment, the number of secondary bonus awards is determined based on the number of active gaming machines. The selected gaming machine then determines a component of or the amount of the bonus award to be provided to the gaming machine selected by the central server.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines; and

a controller configured to communicate with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to;

(a) identify a plurality of players at said gaming machines;

(b) for each identified player, maintain a total of any wagers placed on said gaming machines during a bonus event accumulation period;

(c) maintain a total of the wagers placed on all of the gaming machines during the bonus event accumulation period;

(d) determine at designated intervals during the bonus event accumulation period if a bonus event will occur; and

(e) if the bonus event is determined to occur;

(i) determine which of the identified players were in an active state during a bonus event qualification period for said bonus event,

(ii) select at least one of the identified players in the active state, wherein for each identified player in the active state, the probability of being selected is based on the total wagers placed during the bonus event accumulation period by that player relative to the total wagers placed for all of the identified players in the active state during the bonus event accumulation period, and

(iii) cause a bonus award to be displayed and provided to the selected player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the gaming machine which the selected player is currently playing at least in part determines the bonus award to display and provide to the selected player.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines a multiplier component for the bonus award and the gaming machine which the selected player is currently playing determines a value component for the bonus award.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said determination of which identified players were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period for said bonus event includes determining for each identified player if that player placed a wager on one of the gaming machines during the bonus event qualification period, wherein the bonus event qualification period is a designated period of time before the occurrence of the bonus event.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of players are identified in association with a player tracking system.

6. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines; and

a controller configured to communicate with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to;

(a) identify a plurality of players at said gaming machines;

(b) for each identified player, maintain a total of any wagers placed on said gaming machines during a bonus event accumulation period;

(c) maintain a total of the wagers placed on all of gaming machines during the bonus event accumulation period;

(d) determine at designated intervals during the bonus event accumulation period if a bonus event will occur; and

(e) if the bonus event is determined to occur;

(i) select at least one of the identified players, wherein for each identified player, the probability of being selected is based on the total wagers placed during the bonus event accumulation period by that player relative to the total wagers placed for all of the identified players during the bonus event accumulation period, and

(ii) cause a bonus award to be displayed and provided to the selected player.

7. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the gaming machine which the selected player is currently playing at least in part determines the bonus award to display and provide to the selected player.

8. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the controller determines a multiplier component for the bonus award and the gaming machine which the selected player is currently playing determines a value component for the bonus award.

9. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein said plurality of players are identified in association with a player tracking system.

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

(a) identifying a plurality of players at a plurality of gaming machines;

(b) for each identified player, maintaining a total of any wagers placed on said gaming machines during a bonus event accumulation period;

(c) maintaining a total of the wagers placed on all of the gaming machines during the bonus event accumulation period;

(d) determining at designated intervals during the bonus event accumulation period if a bonus event will occur; and

(e) if the bonus event is determined to occur;

(i) determining which of the identified players were in an active state during a bonus event qualification period for said bonus event,

(ii) selecting at least one of the identified players in the active state, wherein for each identified player in the active state, the probability of being selected is based on the total wagers placed during the bonus event accumulation period by that player relative to the total wagers placed for all of the identified players in the active state during the bonus event accumulation period, and

(iii) causing a bonus award to be displayed and provided to the selected player.

11. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the gaming machine which the selected player is currently playing to at least in part determine the bonus award to display and provide to the selected player.

12. The method of claim 10, which includes determining a multiplier component for the bonus award and the gaming machine which the selected player is currently playing determines a value component for the bonus award.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said determination of which identified players were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period for said bonus event includes determining for each identified player if that player placed a wager on one of the gaming machines during the bonus event qualification period, wherein the bonus event qualification period is a designated period of time before the occurrence of the bonus event.

14. The method of claim 10, which includes identifying said plurality of players in association with a player tracking system.

15. The method of claim 10, which is provided through a data network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the data network is an internet.

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

(a) identifying a plurality of players at a plurality of gaming machines;

(b) for each identified player, maintaining a total of any wagers placed on said gaming machines during a bonus event accumulation period;

(c) maintaining a total of the wagers placed on all of gaming machines during the bonus event accumulation period;

(d) determining at designated intervals during the bonus event accumulation period if a bonus event will occur; and

(e) if the bonus event is determined to occur;

(i) selecting at least one of the identified players, wherein for each identified player, the probability of being selected is based on the total wagers placed during the bonus event accumulation period by that player relative to the total wagers placed for all of the identified players during the bonus event accumulation period, and

(ii) causing a bonus award to be displayed and provided to the selected player.

18. The method of claim 17, which includes causing the gaming machine which the selected player is currently playing to at least in part determine the bonus award to display and provide to the selected player.

19. The method of claim 17, which includes determining a multiplier component for the bonus award and the gaming machine which the selected player is currently playing determines a value component for the bonus award.

20. The method of claim 17, which includes identifying said plurality of players in association with a player tracking system.

21. The method of claim 17, which is provided through a data network.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the data network is an internet.