Gaming system and method with accumulating equity

• US 8,684,817 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2010
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James A., Tulley, Stephen C., Zucker, David F., Rogers, Andrew D., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Tedesco, Daniel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Assistant Examiner(s): PINHEIRO, JASON PAUL
• Application Number:
  US12/686,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20100113122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,540 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine

Abstract

Method and apparatus are described for conducting a secondary game at a gaming device. In various embodiments, a player may acquire equity in the secondary game in such forms as a location of a game character, a number of symbols aggregated, a degree of completion of a puzzle, or a defensive provision. Certain symbols or outcomes in a primary game, however, may cause the player to lose equity in the secondary game.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one input device;

at least one display device; 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) cause a credit meter to display an amount of credits;

(b) enable a player to designate an amount of said displayed credits as a placed wager amount on a play of a wagering game;

(c) in addition to the credit meter and separate from any occurrence of any secondary game triggering condition, maintain an amount of equity for the player by;

(i) accumulating an amount of equity for the player based on the placed wager amount, wherein different placed wager amounts accumulate different amounts of equity, and

(ii) at designated predetermined time intervals, reducing an amount of any accumulated equity for the player;

(d) display an amount of time remaining until the amount of accumulated equity for the player is reduced to a designated amount of equity;

(e) for the play of the wagering game;

(i) randomly determine an outcome,

(ii) display the determined outcome,

(iii) determine an award amount associated with the displayed outcome,

(iv) display the determined award amount, and

(v) increment the credit meter by any determined award amount having a value greater than zero, said credit meter being distinct from the amount of maintained equity; and

(f) if a secondary game triggering condition occurs;

(i) determine whether at least the designated amount of equity is maintained for the player,

(ii) if the determination is that at least the designated amount of equity is maintained for the player;

(A) enable the player to participate in a secondary game, wherein the amount of equity maintained for the player determines a value for the secondary game, and

(B) display any determined secondary game award to the player, said determined secondary game award based, at least in part, on the determined value, and

(iii) if the determination is that at least the designated amount of equity is not maintained for the player, not enable the player to participate in the secondary game.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to repeat (b) to (e) for each of a plurality of plays of the wagering game.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to display the amount of time remaining by displaying a quantity of available plays of the wagering game.

4. A gaming system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one input device;

at least one display device; 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) enable a player to place a wager amount on a play of a wagering game;

(b) separate from any occurrence of any secondary game triggering condition, increase an equity balance based on the placed wager amount;

(c) at designated predetermined time intervals, decrease the equity balance;

(d) display an amount of time remaining until the equity balance is reduced to a designated equity balance; and

(e) when a secondary game triggering condition occurs;

(i) determine whether the equity balance is at least the designated equity balance, and

(ii) if the determination is that the equity balance is at least the designated equity balance, enable the player to participate in a secondary game, wherein the equity balance determines, at least in part, an average expected payout for the secondary game,

(iii) if the determination is that the equity balance is not at least the designated equity balance, not enable the player to participate in the secondary game.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to repeat (a) to (d) at least once.

6. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to display the amount of time remaining by displaying a quantity of available plays of the wagering game.

7. A gaming system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one input device;

at least one display device; 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) enable a player to place a plurality of wagers on a plurality of plays of a wagering game;

(b) for at least one of the wagers placed, increase an equity balance, said equity balance being distinct from a credit meter and said increase of the equity balance being separate from any occurrence of any secondary game triggering condition;

(c) for each play of the wagering game;

(i) randomly determine an outcome,

(ii) display the determined outcome,

(iii) determine an award amount associated with the displayed outcome,

(iv) display the determined award amount, and

(v) increment the credit meter by any determined award amount having a value greater than zero;

(d) at designated predetermined time intervals, reduce the equity balance;

(e) if a secondary game triggering condition occurs at a first point in time when the equity balance is associated with a first amount of equity, display a first secondary game award associated with a secondary game, said first secondary game award determined, at least in part, based on the first amount of equity; and

(f) if the secondary game triggering condition occurs at a second, different point in time when the equity balance is associated with a second, different amount of equity, display a second secondary game award associated with the secondary game, said second secondary game award determined, at least in part, based on the second amount of equity.

8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to display an amount of time remaining until the equity balance is reduced to a designated equity balance.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to display the amount of time remaining by displaying a quantity of available plays of the wagering game.

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

(a) causing a credit meter to display an amount of credits;

(b) enabling a player to designate an amount of said displayed credits as a placed wager amount on a play of a wagering game;

(c) in addition to the credit meter and separate from any occurrence of any secondary game triggering condition, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to maintain an amount of equity for the player by;

(i) accumulating an amount of equity for the player based on the placed wager amount, wherein different placed wager amounts accumulate different amounts of equity, and

(ii) at designated predetermined time intervals, reducing an amount of any accumulated equity for the player;

(d) causing at least one display device to display an amount of time remaining until the amount of accumulated equity for the player is reduced to a designated amount of equity;

(e) for the play of the wagering game;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly determine an outcome,

(ii) causing the at least one display device to display the determined outcome,

(iii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an award amount associated with the displayed outcome,

(iv) causing the at least one display device to display the determined award amount, and

(v) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to increment the credit meter by any determined award amount having a value greater than zero, said credit meter being distinct from the amount of maintained equity; and

(f) if a secondary game triggering condition occurs;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether at least the designated amount of equity is maintained for the player,

(ii) if the determination is that at least the designated amount of equity is maintained for the player;

(A) enabling the player to participate in a secondary game, wherein the amount of equity maintained for the player determines a value for the secondary game, and

(B) causing the at least one display device to display any determined secondary game award to the player, said determined secondary game award based, at least in part, on the determined value, and

(iii) if the determination is that at least the designated amount of equity is not maintained for the player, not enabling the player to participate in the secondary game.

11. The method of claim 10, which includes repeating (b) to (e) for each of a plurality of plays of the wagering game.

12. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the at least one display device to display the amount of time remaining by displaying a quantity of available plays of the wagering game.

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

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the data network is an internet.

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

(a) enabling a player to place a wager amount on a play of a wagering game;

(b) separate from any occurrence of any secondary game triggering condition, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to increase an equity balance based on the placed wager amount;

(c) at designated predetermined time intervals, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to decrease the equity balance;

(d) causing at least one display device to display an amount of time remaining until the equity balance is reduced to a designated equity balance; and

(e) when a secondary game triggering condition occurs;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether the equity balance is at least the designated equity balance, and

(ii) if the determination is that the equity balance is at least the designated equity balance, enabling the player to participate in a secondary game, wherein the equity balance determines, at least in part, an average expected payout for the secondary game,

(iii) if the determination is that the equity balance is not at least the designated equity balance, not enabling the player to participate in the secondary game.

16. The method of claim 15, which includes repeating (a) to (d) at least once.

17. The method of claim 15, which includes causing the at least one display device to display the amount of time remaining by displaying a quantity of available plays of the wagering game.

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

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the data network is an internet.

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

(a) enabling a player to place a plurality of wagers on a plurality of plays of a wagering game;

(b) for at least one of the wagers placed, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to increase an equity balance, said equity balance being distinct from a credit meter and said increase of the equity balance being separate from any occurrence of any secondary game triggering condition;

(c) for each play of the wagering game;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly determine an outcome,

(ii) causing at least one display device to display the determined outcome,

(iii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an award amount associated with the displayed outcome,

(iv) causing the at least one display device to display the determined award amount, and

(v) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to increment the credit meter by any determined a ward amount having a value greater than zero;

(d) at designated predetermined time intervals, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reduce the equity balance;

(e) if a secondary game triggering condition occurs at a first point in time when the equity balance is associated with a first amount of equity, causing the at least one display device to display a first secondary game award associated with a secondary game, said first secondary game award determined, at least in part, based on the first amount of equity; and

(f) if the secondary game triggering condition occurs at a second, different point in time when the equity balance is associated with a second, different amount of equity, causing the at least one display device to display a second secondary game award associated with the secondary game, said second secondary game award determined, at least in part, based on the second amount of equity.

21. The method of claim 20, which includes causing the at least one display device to display an amount of time remaining until the equity balance is reduced to a designated equity balance.

22. The method of claim 21, which includes causing the at least one display device to display the amount of time remaining by displaying a quantity of available plays of the wagering game.

23. The method of claim 20, which is provided through a data network.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the data network is an internet.