System gaming

• US 8,660,675 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2012
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kelly, Bryan M., Crowder, Robert W. Jr., Lockard, Dennis, Luciano, Robert A. Jr., Tallcott, Jeffrey C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brewster, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsu, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US13/345,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20120109344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/31, 463/42, 700/91, 700/92
• US Class Current: 700/92
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 Score computation
• 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 17/3267 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 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A system provides a player tracking system and system gaming apparatus for playing non-base games by funding the credit side of a gaming cycle. The system further includes at least one gaming device having a base game. The player tracking system and system gaming apparatus includes a player tracking user interface. The player tracking user interface provides a player with an opportunity to select and play a non-base game that may be promotional-funded or player-funded.

Claims

1. A display interface for real-time ranking of players in a tournament in a gaming system, each gaming machine with the gaming system having a display interface, the gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, wherein at least a first gaming machine enables play of a first base game that has a first theoretical payout percentage, and wherein at least a second gaming machine enables play of a second base game that has a second theoretical payout percentage;

a communication link connecting the plurality of gaming machines; and

a secondary display device operatively connected to each gaming machine, wherein the secondary display device is capable of displaying a plurality of second games;

a tournament controller connected to the communication link, wherein the tournament controller generates and pushes real-time tournament scores/rankings to at least one gaming machine for presentation on a secondary display device;

wherein calculation of each tournament score uses the theoretical payout percentage from each respective base game.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the tournament controller is configured to execute the tournament and calculate a score for each player, and wherein the score calculation for each player is at least partially based upon a mathematical comparison between an actual payout and a theoretical payout.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the tournament controller is configured to execute the tournament, and wherein at least a first and a second of the gaming machines are configurable to combine their scores into one player in the tournament.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the tournament controller is configured to execute the tournament and calculate a score for each player, and wherein the score calculation for each player is at least partially based upon a weighting factor determined by a game skill and play history for the player.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the tournament controller is configured to terminate participation of a gaming machine that has a lowest score in the tournament.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the operable connections between the gaming machines and the secondary display devices are wireless connections.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the secondary display devices are wireless-enabled, handheld devices.

9. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the secondary display devices include geo-location technology.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the ranked tournament scores are displayed on the player tracking display device.

11. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein at least one highest ranked player wins a tournament prize.

2. A display interface incorporated into each gaming machine in a gaming system, the gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines each having a display screen, wherein at least a first gaming machine enables play of a first base game that has a first theoretical payout percentage, and wherein at least a second gaming machine enables play of a second base game that has a second theoretical payout percentage;

a secondary display device operatively connected to each gaming machine, wherein the secondary display device is capable of displaying a plurality of second games; and

wherein each display screen presents information regarding cashable and non-cashable credits;

wherein calculation of each tournament score uses the theoretical payout percentage from each respective base game.

12. The gaming system of claim 2, further comprising a tournament controller configured to execute a tournament and calculate a score for each player, and wherein the score calculation for each player is at least partially based upon a mathematical comparison between an actual payout and a theoretical payout.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the tournament controller is configured to execute the tournament, and wherein at least a first and a second of the gaming machines are configurable to combine their scores into one player in the tournament.

14. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the tournament controller is configured to execute the tournament and calculate a score for each player, and wherein the score calculation for each player is at least partially based upon a weighting factor determined by a game skill and play history for the player.

15. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the tournament controller is configured to terminate participation of a gaming machine that has a lowest score in the tournament.

16. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the operable connections between the gaming machines and the secondary display devices are wireless connections.

17. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the secondary display devices are wireless-enabled, handheld devices.

18. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the secondary display devices include geo-location technology.

19. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein the ranked tournament scores are displayed on the player tracking display device.

20. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein at least one highest ranked player wins a tournament prize.