Gaming system and method providing an interactive game with automatic wagers

• US 8,864,564 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2013
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Oberberger, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierce, Damon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Allen
• Application Number:
  US13/867,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20130237298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 463/6, 463/7, 463/15, 463/16, 463/25, 463/59, 463/60
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• 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 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking

Abstract

A gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines or devices. The gaming machines include an interactive game and a wager triggering event. Upon the occurrence of the wager triggering event during play of the interactive game, the gaming machine causes the placement of a wager component and randomly determines a wagering outcome. Upon completion of the interactive game, the gaming machine provides the player with an interactive game outcome and provides the player with any awards based on any determined wagering outcomes. The players are ranked in the interactive game. Upon a triggering event, the gaming system provides one or more ranked players of the interactive game an award from funds derived from a marketing or advertising account.

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 storing 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) display a play of an interactive game;

(b) receive from a player at least one input in the play of the interactive game;

(c) determine each occurrence of at least one triggering event during the play of the interactive game, wherein the at least one triggering event can occur multiple times during the play of the interactive game; and

(d) for each determined occurrence of the at least one triggering event during the play of the interactive game, during the play of the interactive game;

(i) automatically randomly determine an outcome associated with a defined amount of player credits, said random determination being independent of the interactive game; and

(ii) display any award credit amount associated with said determined outcome at a first location for said award credit amount;

(e) display at least one of the award credit amounts in a second location for said award credit amount; and

(f) display the interactive game outcome for the play of the interactive game.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the interactive game outcome is one of:

a number of points and a rank.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display an interactive game award if the interactive game outcome is a winning interactive game outcome.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one triggering event is selected from the group consisting of:

a point accumulation, a length of time, a stage in the interactive game, a random determination, and an interactive game event.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the interactive game is selected from the group consisting of:

a skill game, a partial skill game, and a pseudo skill game.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to terminate the play of the interactive game upon an amount of player credits being less than a designated amount.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, 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 pause the play of the interactive game upon an amount of player credits being less than a designated amount of credits and to enable the player to obtain additional credits.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display each of a plurality of said award credit amounts in a second location for that award credit amount.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display the award credit amounts in a stream.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display the award credit amounts in a stream originating from a same first location.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display each of the award credit amounts over a portion of the display of the interactive game.

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

causing at least one processor to operate with at least one display device and at least one input device to;

(a) display a play of an interactive game;

(b) receive from a player at least one input in the play of the interactive game;

(c) determine each occurrence of at least one triggering event during the play of the interactive game, wherein the at least one triggering event can occur multiple times during the play of the interactive game; and

(d) for each determined occurrence of the at least one triggering event during the play of the interactive game, during the play of the interactive game;

(i) automatically randomly determine an outcome associated with a defined amount of player credits, said random determination being independent of the interactive game; and

(ii) display any award credit amount associated with said determined outcome at a first location for said award credit amount; and

(e) display at least one of the award credit amounts in a second location for said award credit amount; and

(f) display the interactive game outcome for the play of the interactive game.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the interactive game outcome is one of:

a number of points and a rank.

14. The method of claim 12, which includes causing the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display an interactive game award if the interactive game outcome is a winning interactive game outcome.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one triggering event is selected from the group consisting of:

a point accumulation, a length of time, a stage in the interactive game, a random determination, and an interactive game event.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the interactive game is selected from the group consisting of:

a skill game, a partial skill game, and a pseudo skill game.

17. The method of claim 12, which includes causing the at least one processor to terminate the play of the interactive game upon an amount of player credits being less than a designated amount.

18. The method of claim 12, which includes causing the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to pause the play of the interactive game upon an amount of player credits being less than a designated amount of credits and to enable the player to obtain additional credits.

19. The method of claim 12, which includes causing the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display each of a plurality of said award credit amounts in a second location for that award credit amount.

20. The method of claim 12, which includes causing the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display said award credit amounts in a stream.

21. The method of claim 12, which includes causing the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display each of the award credit amounts in a stream originating from a same first location.

22. The method of claim 12, which includes causing the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display each of the award credit amounts over a portion of the display of the interactive game.

23. The method of claim 12, which is provided through a data network.

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