Apparatus, systems and methods for facilitating a negative credit balance of a gaming device

• US 8,231,459 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2011
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Robert C., Fincham, Magdalena M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US13/168,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20110256923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/29
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• 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

Abstract

Apparatus, systems and methods for a gaming device operable to support a negative credit balance. For example, in some embodiments, a gaming device may be configured to: (i) determine a current credit balance, (ii) determine a wager amount, (iii) determine whether the wager amount would result in a negative balance of credits, (iv) determine if it is permissible to allow a negative balance of credits, and if so (v) adjust a current balance such that is equal to the negative balance, and (vi) display an indication of the negative credit balance.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

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 the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) receive an amount of money from a player;

(b) display an indication of said amount of money in a credit meter, said indication being a positive number;

(c) receive an identification of the player;

(d) determine if the credit meter indicates an amount less than a maximum wager amount;

(e) if the credit meter indicates an amount less than the maximum wager amount, determine whether to enable the player to place said maximum wager amount, said determination being based, at least in part, on said received identification of the player;

(f) if the credit meter indicates an amount less than the maximum wager amount and said determination is to enable the player to place said maximum wager amount, determine a negative credit meter threshold;

(g) enable the player to place one of a plurality of different wager amounts on a play of a game, said plurality of wager amounts including said maximum wager amount; and

(h) if the player places one of the plurality of different wager amounts on the play of the game;

(i) reduce the amount indicated in the credit meter by the placed wager amount,

(ii) if the credit meter indicates an amount less than the maximum wager amount, said determination is to enable the player to place said maximum wager amount, and the player placed the maximum wager amount, display a negative number in said credit meter,

(iii) generate a game outcome for said play of the game,

(iv) display the generated game outcome,

(v) determine any award amount associated with the generated game outcome,

(vi) credit the amount indicated in the credit meter by any award amount associated with the generated game outcome,

(vi) if the credit meter indicates a negative number, determine if the negative credit meter threshold is reached,

(viii) if the negative credit meter threshold is not reached, repeat (g) to (h) at least once, and

(ix) if the negative credit meter threshold is reached, cover the negative number indicated in the credit meter, said credit meter being covered, at least in part, based on information received from a player tracking system.

2. A gaming system comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

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 the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) receive an amount of money in a first form of payment from a player;

(b) display an indication of said amount of money in a credit meter, said indication being a positive number;

(c) determine if the credit meter indicates an amount less than a maximum wager amount;

(d) if the credit meter indicates an amount less than the maximum wager amount, determine whether to enable a player to place said maximum wager amount, said determination being based, at least in part, on the player'"'"'s wager activity;

(e) if the credit meter indicates an amount less than the maximum wager amount and said determination is to enable the player to place said maximum wager amount, determine a negative credit meter threshold;

(f) enable the player to place one of a plurality of different wager amounts on a play of a game, said plurality of wager amounts including the maximum wager amount; and

(g) if the player places one of the plurality of different wager amounts on the play of the game;

(i) reduce the amount indicated in the credit meter by the placed wager amount,

(ii) if the credit meter indicates an amount less than the maximum wager amount, said determination is to enable the player to place said maximum wager amount, and the player placed the maximum wager amount, display a negative number in said credit meter,

(iii) generate a game outcome for said play of the game,

(iv) display the generated game outcome,

(v) determine any award amount associated with the generated game outcome,

(vi) credit the amount indicated in the credit meter by any award amount associated with the generated game outcome,

(vii) if the credit meter indicates a negative number, determine if the negative credit meter threshold is reached,

(viii) if the negative credit meter threshold is not reached, repeat (f) to (g) at least once, and

(ix) if the negative credit meter threshold is reached, cover the negative number indicated in the credit meter, said credit meter being covered in a different, second form of payment.

3. A gaming system comprising:

at least one gaming device including;

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one gaming device processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one gaming device processor, cause the at least one gaming device processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to display a game, said game associated with a plurality of different wager amounts which can be placed for a play of said game, said plurality of wager amounts including a maximum wager amount; and

a controller configured to communicate with said at least one gaming device, said controller programmed to;

(a) determine whether to enable a player to place the maximum wager amount if a credit meter of the at least one gaming device includes a credit amount less than the maximum wager amount, said determination being based, at least in part, on information from a player tracking system, and

(b) communicate information based on said determination to the gaming device;

wherein if the determination is to enable the player to place the maximum wager amount and the credit amount in the credit meter is less than the maximum wager amount, the stored plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one gaming device processor, cause the at least one gaming device processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(i) enable the player to place the maximum wager amount,

(ii) reduce the credit meter by the maximum wager amount, such that the credit meter includes a negative credit amount,

(iii) generate and display a game outcome in said game, and

(iv) provide any award associated with the game outcome to the player.

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

(a) receiving an amount of money from a player;

(b) causing at least one display device to display an indication of said amount of money in a credit meter, said indication being a positive number;

(c) receiving an identification of the player;

(d) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to determine if the credit meter indicates an amount less than a maximum wager amount;

(e) if the credit meter indicates an amount less than the maximum wager amount, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether to enable the player to place said maximum wager amount, said determination being based, at least in part, on said received identification of the player;

(f) if the credit meter indicates an amount less than the maximum wager amount and said determination is to enable the player to place said maximum wager amount, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a negative credit meter threshold;

(g) enabling the player to place one of a plurality of different wager amounts on a play of a game, said plurality of wager amounts including said maximum wager amount; and

(h) if the player places one of the plurality of different wager amounts on the play of the game;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reduce the amount indicated in the credit meter by the placed wager amount,

(ii) if the credit meter indicates an amount less than the maximum wager amount, said determination is to enable the player to place said maximum wager amount, and the player placed the maximum wager amount, causing said at least one display device to display a negative number in said credit meter,

(iii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to generate a game outcome for said play of the game,

(iv) causing the at least one display device to display the generated game outcome,

(v) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any award amount associated with the generated game outcome,

(vi) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to credit the amount indicated in the credit meter by any award amount associated with the generated game outcome,

(vii) if the credit meter indicates a negative number, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if the negative credit meter threshold is reached,

(viii) if the negative credit meter threshold is not reached, repeating (g) to (h) at least once, and

(ix) if the negative credit meter threshold is reached, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cover the negative number indicated in the credit meter, said credit meter being covered, at least in part, based on information received from a player tracking system.

5. The method of claim 4, which is provided through a data network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the data network is an Internet.

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

(a) receiving an amount of money in a first form of payment from a player;

(b) causing at least one display device to display an indication of said amount of money in a credit meter, said indication being a positive number;

(c) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to determine if the credit meter indicates an amount less than a maximum wager amount;

(d) if the credit meter indicates an amount less than the maximum wager amount, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether to enable a player to place said maximum wager amount, said determination being based, at least in part, on the player'"'"'s wager activity;

(e) if the credit meter indicates an amount less than the maximum wager amount and said determination is to enable the player to place said maximum wager amount, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a negative credit meter threshold;

(f) enabling the player to place one of a plurality of different wager amounts on a play of a game, said plurality of wager amounts including the maximum wager amount; and

(g) if the player places one of the plurality of different wager amounts on the play of the game;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reduce the amount indicated in the credit meter by the placed wager amount,

(ii) if the credit meter indicates an amount less than the maximum wager amount, said determination is to enable the player to place said maximum wager amount, and the player placed the maximum wager amount, causing said at least one display device to display a negative number in said credit meter,

(iii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to generate a game outcome for said play of the game,

(iv) causing the at least one display device to display the generated game outcome,

(v) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any award amount associated with the generated game outcome,

(vi) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to credit the amount indicated in the credit meter by any award amount associated with the generated game outcome,

(vii) if the credit meter indicates a negative number, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if the negative credit meter threshold is reached,

(viii) if the negative credit meter threshold is not reached, repeating (f) to (g) at least once, and

(ix) if the negative credit meter threshold is reached, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cover the negative number indicated in the credit meter, said credit meter being covered in a different, second form of payment.

8. The method of claim 7, which is provided through a data network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the data network is an Internet.

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

(a) causing at least one display device to display a game, said game associated with a plurality of different wager amounts which can be placed for a play of said game, said plurality of wager amounts including a maximum wager amount;

(b) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to determine whether to enable a player to place the maximum wager amount if a credit meter of the at least one gaming device includes a credit amount less than the maximum wager amount, said determination being based, at least in part, on information from a player tracking system; and

(c) if the determination is to enable the player to place the maximum wager amount and the credit amount in the credit meter is less than the maximum wager amount;

(i) enabling the player to place the maximum wager amount,

(ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reduce the credit meter by the maximum wager amount, such that the credit meter includes a negative credit amount,

(iii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions generate a game outcome in said game,

(iv) causing the at least one display device to display the generated game outcome, and

(v) providing any award associated with the game outcome to the player.

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

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data network is an Internet.