Game play while in queue for entry into an event

• US 8,777,732 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2012
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Robbins, Richard B., Griffin, Mary, Guinn, Andrew C., Lang, Harry C., Nelson, Travis N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Application Number:
  US13/679,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20130130786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 16- 20, 463/25, 463 29- 31, 463 40- 43, 379/266.01, 379/266.03
• US Class Current: 463/25
• 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 17/3272 Games involving multiple players

Abstract

A method includes receiving a request for placement in a queue for entry into an event. The method also includes placing the request into the queue. In response to placement of the request into the queue, the method includes presenting, on a device, a game for game play while waiting for the entry into the event. The device comprises at least one of a mobile device, a pager provided in response to requesting the placement in the queue, and a non-mobile gaming device positioned proximate to a location of the event. The method includes determining a prize for the game play of the game. In response to not entering the event, the prize is discarded. In response to entering the event, the prize is awarded.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by at least one processor, a request for placement in a queue for entry into an event;

placing, by the at least one processor, the request into the queue;

in response to placement of the request into the queue, presenting, by the at least one processor on a device, a game for game play while waiting in the queue for the entry into the event, wherein the device comprises at least one of a mobile device, a pager provided in response to requesting the placement in the queue, and a non-mobile gaming device positioned proximate to a location of the event;

determining, by the at least one processor, a prize for the game play of the game;

determining, by the at least one processor, whether the event is entered;

in response to not entering the event, discarding, by the at least one processor, the prize; and

in response to entering the event, awarding, by the at least one processor, the prize.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the game play requires an opt-in election, wherein the method comprises:

in response to a winning result of the game play, reassigning, by the at least one processor, the placement to a better position in the queue in comparison to a current position based on a time of the placement in the queue; and

in response to a losing result of the game play, reassigning, by the at least one processor, the placement to a worse position in the queue in comparison to the current position.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the prize is related to the event and comprises at least one of an upgrade to an experience of the event, a free item provided during the event, and a discounted item provided during the event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the prize has a limited duration of use, the limitation duration comprising at least one of a completion of the event and a calendar day of when the event occurred.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the prize comprises a dynamic prize that dynamically changes while in the queue, wherein the dynamic prize increases in value over time while in the queue.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the prize comprises unlocked content for a wagering game.

7. A method comprising:

receiving, by at least one processor, a request for placement in a queue for entry into an event;

placing, by the at least one processor, the request into the queue;

in response to placement of the request into the queue, presenting, by the at least one processor on a device, a game for game play while in the queue waiting for the entry into the event, wherein the device comprises at least one of a mobile device, a pager provided in response to requesting the placement in the queue, and a non-mobile gaming device positioned proximate to a location of the event;

determining, by the at least one processor, at least one of an actual time in the queue prior to the entry into the event and the actual time in the queue prior to the entry into the event relative to an anticipated time in the queue that was determined at a time of the placing the request into the queue;

determining, by the at least one processor, a prize for the game play of the game that is derived from the at least one of the actual time in the queue prior to the entry into the event and the actual time in the queue prior to the entry into the event relative to the anticipated time in the queue that was determined at the time of the placing the request into the queue;

determining, by the at least one processor, whether the event is entered;

in response to not entering the event, discarding, by the at least one processor, the prize; and

in response to entering the event, awarding, by the at least one processor, the prize.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the event comprises a wagering event, wherein the game comprises a version of the wagering event.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the prize is related to the event and comprises at least one of an upgrade to an experience of the event, a free item provided during the event, and a discounted item provided during the event.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the prize has a limited duration of use, the limitation duration comprising at least one of a completion of the event and a calendar day of when the event occurred.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the prize comprises a dynamic prize that dynamically changes while in the queue, wherein the dynamic prize increases in value over time while in the queue.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the prize comprises unlocked content for a wagering game.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein a person making the request for the placement in the queue was in a previous queue for previous entry into the event at a previous time, wherein a previous prize was output to the person based on entering the event at the previous time, wherein the prize is greater than the previous prize.

14. One or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, a request for placement in a queue for entry into an event;

placing the request into the queue;

in response to placement of the request into the queue, presenting, on a device, a game for game play while waiting in the queue for the entry into the event, wherein the device comprises at least one of a mobile device, a pager provided in response to requesting the placement in the queue, and a non-mobile gaming device positioned proximate to a location of the event;

determining a prize for the game play of the game;

determining whether the event is entered;

in response to not entering the event, discarding the prize; and

in response to entering the event, awarding the prize.

15. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the game play requires an opt-in election, wherein the operations comprise:

in response to a winning result of the game play, reassigning the placement to a better position in the queue in comparison to a current position based on a time of the placement in the queue; and

in response to a losing result of the game play, reassigning the placement to a worse position in the queue in comparison to the current position.

16. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the prize is related to the event and comprises at least one of an upgrade to an experience of the event, a free item provided during the event, and a discounted item provided during the event.

17. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the prize has a limited duration of use, the limitation duration comprising at least one of a completion of the event and a calendar day of when the event occurred.

18. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the prize comprises a dynamic prize that dynamically changes while in the queue, wherein the dynamic prize increases in value over time while in the queue.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a check-in module operable on the processor, the check-in module configured to;

receive a request for placement in a queue for entry into an event;

determine at least one of an actual time in the queue prior to the entry into the event and the actual time in the queue prior to the entry into the event relative to an anticipated time in the queue that was determined at a time of the placing the request into the queue;

place the request into the queue, wherein in response to placement of the request into the queue, a game is presented, on a device, the game for game play while waiting in the queue for the entry into the event, wherein the device comprises at least one of a mobile device, a pager provided in response to requesting the placement into the queue, and a non-mobile gaming device positioned proximate to a location of the event, wherein a prize is determined for the game play of the game that is derived from the at least one of the actual time in the queue prior to the entry into the event and the actual time in the queue prior to the entry into the event relative to the anticipated time in the queue that was determined at the time of the placement into the queue;

determine whether the event is entered;

in response to not entering the event, discard the prize; and

in response to entering the event, award the prize.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the prize has a limited duration of use, the limitation duration comprising at least one of a completion of the event and a calendar day of when the event occurred.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the prize comprises a dynamic prize that dynamically changes while in the queue, wherein the dynamic prize increases in value over time while in the queue.

22. One or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request for placement in a queue for entry into an event;

placing the request into the queue;

in response to placement of the request into the queue, presenting, on a device, a game for game play while waiting in the queue for the entry into the event, wherein the device comprises at least one of a mobile device, a pager provided in response to requesting the placement in the queue, and a non-mobile gaming device positioned proximate to a location of the event;

determining at least one of an actual time in the queue prior to the entry into the event and the actual time in the queue prior to the entry into the event relative to an anticipated time in the queue that was determined at a time of the placing the request into the queue;

determining a prize for the game play of the game that is derived from the at least one of the actual time in the queue prior to the entry into the event and the actual time in the queue prior to the entry into the event relative to the anticipated time in the queue that was determined at the time of the placing the request into the queue;

determining whether the event is entered;

in response to not entering the event, discarding the prize; and

in response to entering the event, awarding the prize.

23. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 22, wherein the event comprises a wagering event, wherein the game comprises a version of the wagering event.

24. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 22, wherein the prize is related to the event and comprises at least one of an upgrade to an experience of the event, a free item provided during the event, and a discounted item provided during the event.

25. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 22, wherein the prize has a limited duration of use, the limitation duration comprising at least one of a completion of the event and a calendar day of when the event occurred.

26. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 22, wherein the prize comprises a dynamic prize that dynamically changes while in the queue, wherein the dynamic prize increases in value over time while in the queue.

27. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 22, wherein the prize comprises unlocked content for a wagering game.

28. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 22, wherein a person making the request for the placement in the queue was in a previous queue for previous entry into the event at a previous time, wherein a previous prize was output to the person based on entering the event at the previous time, wherein the prize is greater than the previous prize.