Method and apparatus for providing a time based award

• US 9,050,523 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2014
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James A., Zucker, David F., Suarez, Jose A., Tulley, Stephen C., Gelman, Geoffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Application Number:
  US14/166,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20140141873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 463 12- 13, 463 16- 22, 463/25, 463 39- 43
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A method is provided for providing payments at a gaming device, where the payments may occur at predictable times and are of predictable amounts. In one or more embodiments, a gaming device may provide a guaranteed payment every hour on the hour, so long as a player meets one or more criteria. Criteria may include a total amount wagered, a total number of handle pulls completed, or a total amount of time spent at a gaming device. One or more embodiments provide a method for withholding value from a player in order that the value may delivered later in the form of a guaranteed payment. One or more embodiments provide a method whereby multiple gaming devices may provide payments simultaneously, thereby creating mutually reinforcing sounds and visual displays.

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) at a first point in time, determine a reference time, wherein at the first point in time, the reference time is different than the first point in time and the determined reference time is independent of any randomly determined outcome for any play of any game;

(b) at a second, subsequent point in time having a predetermined relationship to the determined reference time, determine whether a player has satisfied at least one criteria, said determination being independent of any randomly determined outcome for any play of any game; and

(c) if the determination is that the player satisfied the at least one criteria;

(i) determine a payment having a value greater than zero, wherein the payment is guaranteed to the player upon the second point in time having the predetermined relationship to the determined reference time, and the determination to guarantee the payment to the player is independent of any randomly determined outcome for any play of any game, and

(ii) display the determined payment.

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 enable the player to make at least one input to collect the guaranteed payment after the second point in time.

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, at the first point in time, display a first indication of when the guaranteed payment will be designated as available.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the payment is selected from the group consisting of:

a quantity of wagering credits, a quantity of non-wagering credits, a quantity of free games, a quantity of lives, and a quantity of points.

5. 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) at a first point in time, determine a reference period of time, wherein at the first point in time, the determined reference period of time is independent of any randomly determined outcome for any play of any game;

(b) at a second, subsequent point in time having a predetermined relationship to the determined reference period of time, designate a quantity of lives as available to a player, wherein;

(i) the quantity of lives is greater than zero,

(ii) the quantity of lives is guaranteed to be available to the player upon the second point in time having the predetermined relationship to the determined reference period of time, and

(iii) the determination to designate the quantity of lives as available to the player is independent of any randomly determined outcome for any play of any game; and

(c) display the quantity of lives designated as available to the player.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to enable the player to make at least one input to collect the quantity of lives designated as available after the second point in time.

7. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to, at the first point in time, display a first indication of when the quantity of lives will be designated as available.

8. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to:

(a) at a third point in time, determine another reference time, wherein at the third point in time, the other reference time is different than the third point in time and the determined other reference time is independent of any randomly determined outcome for any play of any game;

(b) at a fourth, subsequent point in time having a predetermined relationship to the determined other reference time, designate another quantity of lives as available to the player; and

(c) display the other quantity of lives designated as available to the player.

9. A gaming system server comprising:

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;

(a) at a first point in time, determine a reference time, wherein at the first point in time, the reference time is different than the first point in time and the determined reference time is independent of any randomly determined outcome for any play of any game;

(b) at a second, subsequent point in time having a predetermined relationship to the determined reference time, determine whether a player has satisfied at least one criteria, said determination being independent of any randomly determined outcome for any play of any game; and

(c) if the determination is that the player satisfied the at least one criteria;

(i) determine a payment having a value greater than zero, wherein the payment is guaranteed to the player upon the second point in time having the predetermined relationship to the determined reference time, and the determination to guarantee the payment to the player is independent of any randomly determined outcome for any play of any game, and

(ii) cause at least one display device to display the determined payment.

10. The gaming system server of claim 9, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to cause at least one input device to receive at least one input to collect the guaranteed payment after the second point in time.

11. The gaming system server of claim 9, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to, at the first point in time, cause the at least one display device to display a first indication of when the guaranteed payment will be designated as available.

12. The gaming system server of claim 9, wherein the payment is selected from the group consisting of:

a quantity of wagering credits, a quantity of non-wagering credits, a quantity of free games, a quantity of lives, and a quantity of points.

13. The gaming system server of claim 9, which transmits and receives data over a data network.

14. The gaming system server of claim 13, wherein the data network is an internet.

15. A gaming system server comprising:

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;

(a) at a first point in time, determine a reference period of time, wherein at the first point in time, the determined reference period of time is independent of any randomly determined outcome for any play of any game;

(b) at a second, subsequent point in time having a predetermined relationship to the determined reference period of time, designate a quantity of lives as available to a player, wherein;

(i) the quantity of lives is greater than zero,

(ii) the quantity of lives is guaranteed to be available to the player upon the second point in time having the predetermined relationship to the determined reference period of time, and

(iii) the determination to designate the quantity of lives as available to the player is independent of any randomly determined outcome for any play of any game; and

(c) cause at least one display device to display the quantity of lives designated as available to the player.

16. The gaming system server of claim 15, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to cause at least one input device to receive at least one input to collect the quantity of lives designated as available after the second point in time.

17. The gaming system server of claim 15, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to, at the first point in time, cause the at least one display device to display a first indication of when the quantity of lives will be designated as available.

18. The gaming system server of claim 15, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to:

(a) at a third point in time, determine another reference time, wherein at the third point in time, the other reference time is different than the third point in time and the determined other reference time is independent of any randomly determined outcome for any play of any game;

(b) at a fourth, subsequent point in time having a predetermined relationship to the determined other reference time, designate another quantity of lives as available to the player; and

(c) cause the at least one display device to display the other quantity of lives designated as available to the player.

19. The gaming system server of claim 15, which transmits and receives data over a data network.

20. The gaming system server of claim 19, wherein the data network is an internet.