Gaming system, gaming device and method for determining an outcome of a secondary game based on one or more events which occur in association with a primary game

• US 8,827,800 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2012
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Baerlocher, Anthony J., Sutich, Alexandria Estella Ponte, Peterson, Lance R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Application Number:
  US13/720,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20130122998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 463 10- 13, 463 16- 25, 463/29, 463 40- 42, 463/28
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• 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 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• 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 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

In various embodiments, the gaming system, gaming device, and gaming method disclosed herein includes an accumulation sequence and a competition sequence. In one embodiment, the gaming system includes competitor points which determine (i) a competitor'"'"'s eligibility to participate in the competition sequence and (ii) the competitor'"'"'s relative probability of success in the competition sequence. In this embodiment, a competitor (which is either representative of an actual player or a virtual, gaming system controlled player) accumulates competitor points during one or more point accumulation sequences which occur in association with designated events. For a subsequent competition sequence, the gaming system determines if a competitor will participate in the triggered competition sequence based on the competitor'"'"'s accumulated competitor points. For the subsequent competition sequence, the gaming system further determines the competitor'"'"'s relative probability of success in the competition sequence based on the competitor'"'"'s accumulated competitor points.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a gaming device including at least one input device;

at least one display device associated with said gaming device; and

at least one controller configured to operate with said gaming device and said at least one display device to;

(a) associate one of a plurality of different virtual competitors with a player;

(b) accumulate a first quantity of eligibility points for the associated competitor for an eligibility point accumulation event which occurs in association with at least one play of a primary game on said gaming device at a gaming establishment;

(c) accumulate a second quantity of eligibility points for the associated competitor based on at least one of a plurality of different inputs made by the player remote from any gaming establishment;

(d) form a total quantity of eligibility points based on the first quantity of eligibility points and the second quantity of eligibility points; and

(e) upon a competition sequence triggering event;

(i) determine whether the associated competitor is eligible to participate in a competition sequence, said determination based on said total quantity of eligibility points, and

(ii) display whether the associated competitor is eligible to participate in the competition sequence.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein if the associated competitor is eligible to participate in the competition sequence and the player is remote from any gaming establishment, said at least one controller is configured to enable the player to make another one of said plurality of different inputs to cause the associated competitor to participate in the competition sequence, the competition sequence including at least one additional participating competitor being associated with a quantity of competitor points.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein said at least one controller randomly determines a quantity of competitor points for the associated competitor, and for each participating competitor, determines an outcome of the competition sequence based on a relative probability of the competitor achieving a designated outcome in the competition sequence, said relative probability based on the quantity of competitor points accumulated for the competitor relative to the quantity of competitor points accumulated for each of the participating competitors.

4. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein if the outcome determined for the associated competitor for the triggered competition sequence is said designated outcome, said at least one controller accumulates a quantity of eligibility points for the associated competitor.

5. The gaming system of claim 3, which includes a plurality of gaming devices, and for each of said plurality of gaming devices, said at least one controller is configured to enable a player at said gaming device to place a wager on any one of the competitors participating in the competition sequence.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein at least one of said plurality of players is independent of each of the participating competitors.

7. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein said input made by the player is received through a data network.

8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein said data network is an internet.

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

(a) causing at least one controller to operate with a gaming device to associate one of a plurality of different virtual competitors with a player;

(b) causing the at least one controller to operate with the gaming device to accumulate a first quantity of eligibility points for the associated competitor for an eligibility point accumulation event which occurs in association with at least one play of a primary game on said gaming device at a gaming establishment;

(c) causing the at least one controller to operate with the gaming device to accumulate a second quantity of eligibility points for the associated competitor based on at least one of a plurality of different inputs made by the player remote from any gaming establishment;

(d) causing the at least one controller to operate with the gaming device to form a total quantity of eligibility points based on the first quantity of eligibility points and the second quantity of eligibility points; and

(e) upon a competition sequence triggering event;

(i) causing the at least one controller to operate with the gaming device to determine whether the associated competitor is eligible to participate in a competition sequence, said determination based on said total quantity of eligibility points, and

(ii) causing at least one display device to display whether the associated competitor is eligible to participate in the competition sequence.

10. The method of claim 9, which includes, if the associated competitor is eligible to participate in the competition sequence and the player is remote from any gaming establishment, enabling the player to make another one of said plurality of different inputs to cause the associated competitor to participate in the competition sequence, the competition sequence including at least one additional participating competitor being associated with a quantity of competitor points.

11. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the at least one controller to operate with the gaming device to:

randomly determine a quantity of competitor points for the associated competitor, and

for each participating competitor, determine an outcome of the competition sequence based on a relative probability of the competitor achieving a designated outcome in the competition sequence, said relative probability based on the quantity of competitor points accumulated for the competitor relative to the quantity of competitor points accumulated for each of the participating competitors.

12. The method of claim 11, which includes, if the outcome determined for the associated competitor for the triggered competition sequence is said designated outcome, causing the at least one controller to operate with the gaming device to accumulate a quantity of eligibility points for the associated competitor.

13. The method of claim 11, which includes enabling a player at each of a plurality of gaming devices to place a wager on any one of the competitors participating in the competition sequence.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of said plurality of players is independent of each of the participating competitors.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said input made by the player is received through a data network.

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

17. The method of claim 9, which is provided through a data network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the data network is an internet.