Methods and apparatus for managing an account to fund benefits for a player

• US 8,721,433 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James A., Tulley, Stephen C., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Fincham, Magdalena M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Arthur O
• Assistant Examiner(s): YOO, JASSON H
• Application Number:
  US13/333,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20120088575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463 25- 27
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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

An account is established for a player of a gaming device. The balance of the account is increased if a predetermined condition is satisfied. Disbursements from the account may be made if a predetermined condition is satisfied. A disbursement may be in the form of a payout, bonus, or other benefit.

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) maintain a balance of an account associated with a player,

(b) for each of a plurality of plays of a game;

(i) enable the player to place an individual game outcome wager on said play of the game,

(ii) randomly generate one of a plurality of game outcomes,

(iii) display the randomly generated game outcome to the player,

(iv) determine if said displayed game outcome is associated with one of a plurality of award values, and

(v) provide any award value associated with the displayed game outcome,

(c) upon each occurrence of an account contribution event, add an amount to the balance of the account, said added amount being independent of any individual game outcome wagers placed on any of the plays of any of the games, and

(d) upon a satisfaction of a non-winning condition, provide at least part of the amount of the balance of the account to the player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the satisfaction of the non-winning condition occurs when a designated quantity of non-winning game outcomes are consecutively randomly generated.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein each non-winning game outcome is associated with an award value less than or equal to a designated award value.

4. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the designated award value is zero.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the satisfaction of the non-winning condition occurs when a winning game outcome has not been generated in a designated period of time.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein each winning game outcome is associated with an award value greater than a designated award value.

7. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the designated award value is zero.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the account contribution event occurs upon the generation of one of the plurality of game outcomes which is associated with a first award value of a displayed first paytable and which is associated with a second, different award value of a stored second paytable.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the amount added to the balance of the account is based on a difference between the first award value and the second award value.

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

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to maintain a balance of an account associated with a player,

(b) for each of a plurality of plays of a game;

(i) enable the player to place an individual game outcome wager on said play of the game,

(ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly generate one of a plurality of game outcomes,

(iii) causing at least one display device to display the randomly generated game outcome to the player,

(iv) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if said displayed game outcome is associated with one of a plurality of award values, and

(v) providing any award value associated with the displayed game outcome,

(c) upon each occurrence of an account contribution event, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to add an amount to the balance of the account, said added amount being independent of any individual game outcome wagers placed on any of the plays of any of the games, and

(d) upon a satisfaction of a non-winning condition, providing at least part of the amount of the balance of the account to the player.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the satisfaction of the non-winning condition occurs when a designated quantity of non-winning game outcomes are consecutively randomly generated.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each non-winning game outcome is associated with an award value less than or equal to a designated award value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the designated award value is zero.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the satisfaction of the non-winning condition occurs when a winning game outcome has not been generated in a designated period of time.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each winning game outcome is associated with an award value greater than a designated award value.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the designated award value is zero.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the account contribution event occurs upon the generation of one of the plurality of game outcomes which is associated with a first award value of a displayed first paytable and which is associated with a second, different award value of a stored second paytable.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the amount added to the balance of the account is based on a difference between the first award value and the second award value.

19. The method of claim 10, which is executed through a data network.

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

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a plurality of instructions, which when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) maintain a balance of an account associated with a player,

(b) for each of a plurality of plays of a game;

(i) enable the player to place an individual game outcome wager on said play of the game,

(ii) randomly generate one of a plurality of game outcomes,

(iii) cause at least one display device to display the randomly generated game outcome to the player,

(iv) determine if said displayed game outcome is associated with one of a plurality of award values, and

(v) provide any award value associated with the displayed game outcome,

(c) upon each occurrence of an account contribution event, add an amount to the balance of the account, said added amount being independent of any individual game outcome wagers placed on any of the plays of any of the games, and

(d) upon a satisfaction of a non-winning condition, provide at least part of the amount of the balance of the account to the player.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the satisfaction of the non-winning condition occurs when a designated quantity of non-winning game outcomes are consecutively randomly generated.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein each non-winning game outcome is associated with an award value less than or equal to a designated award value.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the designated award value is zero.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the satisfaction of the non-winning condition occurs when a winning game outcome has not been generated in a designated period of time.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein each winning game outcome is associated with an award value greater than a designated award value.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the designated award value is zero.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the account contribution event occurs upon the generation of one of the plurality of game outcomes which is associated with a first award value of a displayed first paytable and which is associated with a second, different award value of a stored second paytable.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the amount added to the balance of the account is based on a difference between the first award value and the second award value.