Gaming system having multiple gaming machines which provide bonus awards

• US 8,430,747 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Kniesteadt, Carl V., Baerlocher, Anthony J., Vasquez, James A., Ferry, Tonja M., Ching, Erick T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUFFY, DAVID W
• Application Number:
  US11/830,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20080139290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,101 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463 26- 27, 463 40- 42
• US Class Current: 463/26
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• 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 17/3244 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 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/106664 Blood serum or blood plasma standard or control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/107497 Preparation composition [e.g., lysing or precipitation, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/108331 Preservative, buffer, anticoagulant or diluent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/109163 Inorganic standards or controls

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, wherein at least one gaming machine may be provided a plurality of bonus awards.

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 determine if a bonus event will occur, and if the controller determines that the bonus event will occur, said controller is programmed to;

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

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

(c) select a first of the identified players in the active state;

(d) send a signal to the gaming machine of the first selected player to cause said gaming machine to display and provide a primary bonus award to the first selected player;

(e) determine a quantity of said identified players in the active state to provide secondary bonus awards, said determination being based, at least in part, on a total number of the identified players in the active state to divided by a predetermined number, said determined quantity being greater than one and said determined quantity being less than the total number of the identified players in the active state;

(f) for each of said determined quantity, select one of the identified players in the active state; and

(g) send a signal to the gaming machine of each identified player to cause said gaming machine to display and provide a secondary bonus award to the selected player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to select one of the identified players in the active state to be provided the primary bonus award and one of the secondary bonus awards.

3. 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.

4. 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 determine if a bonus event will occur, and if the controller determines that the bonus event will occur, said controller is programmed to;

(a) determine which of the gaming machines were in an active state during a bonus event qualification period for said bonus event;

(b) select a first of the gaming machines in the active state;

(c) send a signal to the selected gaming machine to cause said gaming machine to display and provide a primary bonus award;

(d) determine a quantity of said gaming machines in the active state to provide secondary bonus awards, said determination being based, at least in part, on a total number of the gaming machines determined to be in the active state divided by a predetermined number, said determined quantity being greater than one and said determined quantity being less than the total number of the gaming machines determined to be in the active state;

(e) for each of said determined quantity, select one of the gaming machines in the active state; and

(f) send a signal to each of the selected gaming machines to cause said gaming machine to display and provide a secondary bonus award.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the controller is programmed to select one of the gaming machines in the active state to be provided the primary bonus award and one of the secondary bonus awards.

6. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein said determination of which gaming machines were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period for said bonus event includes determining for each gaming machine if a wager was placed on the gaming machine 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.

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

(a) determining if a bonus event will occur, and

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

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

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

(iii) selecting a first of the identified players in the active state;

(iv) sending a signal to the gaming machine of the first selected player to cause said gaming machine to display and provide a primary bonus award to the first selected player;

(v) determining a quantity of said identified players in the active state to provide secondary bonus awards, said determination being based, at least in part, on a total number of the identified players in the active state to divided by a predetermined number, said determined quantity being greater than one and said determined quantity being less than the total number of the identified players in the active state;

(vi) for each of said determined quantity, selecting one of the identified players in the active state; and

(vii) sending a signal to the gaming machine of each identified player to cause said gaming machine to display and provide a secondary bonus award to the selected player.

8. The method of claim 7, which includes selecting one of the identified players in the active state to be provided the primary bonus award and one of the secondary bonus awards.

9. The method of claim 7, 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.

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

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the data network is an internet.

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

(a) determining if a bonus event will occur, and

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

(i) determining which of a plurality of gaming machines were in an active state during a bonus event qualification period for said bonus event;

(ii) selecting a first of the gaming machines in the active state;

(iii) sending a signal to the selected gaming machine to cause said gaming machine to display and provide a primary bonus award;

(iv) determining a quantity of said gaming machines in the active state to provide secondary bonus awards, said determination being based, at least in part, on a total number of the gaming machines determined to be in the active state divided by a predetermined number, said determined quantity being greater than one and said determined quantity being less than the total number of the gaming machines determined to be in the active state;

(v) for each of said determined quantity, selecting one of the gaming machines in the active state; and

(vi) sending a signal to each of the selected gaming machines to cause said gaming machine to display and provide a secondary bonus award.

13. The method of claim 12, which includes selecting one of the gaming machines in the active state to be provided the primary bonus award and one of the secondary bonus awards.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said determination of which gaming machines were in the active state during the bonus event qualification period for said bonus event includes determining for each gaming machine if a wager was placed on the gaming machine 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.

15. The method of claim 12, which is provided through a data network.

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