Gaming system and method providing a community selection game providing bonus game selection

• US 9,082,257 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2012
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Caputo, Scott A., Nicely, Mark C., Wolf, Bryan D., Grace, Kelsy J., Baerlocher, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LIM, SENG HENG
• Application Number:
  US13/584,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20130084941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

Gaming systems and methods providing a community selection game providing bonus game selection. In one embodiment, for each gaming device in the gaming system, when a triggering event occurs, the gaming system provides a player of that gaming device with a player identifier that uniquely identifies that player. The community selection game includes a plurality of bonus game identifiers each identifying a bonus game. The bonus game identifiers each include a limited quantity of bonus game player identifier display areas. The gaming system enables the players to place earned or received player identifiers at the bonus game player identifier display areas. When each bonus game player identifier display area of one of the displayed bonus game identifiers displays a player identifier, the players associated with those player identifiers are provided with one or more plays of the bonus game identified by that bonus game identifier.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

(a) a plurality of gaming devices, each of the gaming devices including;

(i) a housing;

(ii) at least one processor;

(iii) a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, the plurality of input devices including

(1) an acceptor of a first physical item associated with a first monetary value,

(2) a validator configured to identify the first physical item, and

(3) a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with a credit balance;

(iv) at least one display device supported by the housing; and

(v) 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 plurality of input devices; and

(b) a controller configured to operate with the gaming devices to;

(i) cause a display of a plurality of bonus game identifiers, each of the bonus game identifiers identifying a bonus game;

(ii) for each of the gaming devices, upon an occurrence of a triggering event, provide a player of said gaming device with one or more player identifiers associated with the player and enable the player to associate one or more of the player identifiers with one or more of the bonus game identifiers; and

(iii) for each of the bonus game identifiers, when a designated quantity of player identifiers has been associated with said bonus game identifier, the designated quantity of player identifiers being distinct from a quantity of players of the plurality of gaming devices, for each player associated with one of the player identifiers associated with said bonus game identifier, provide said player with one or more plays of the bonus game identified by said bonus game identifier.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of bonus game identifiers identifies a different bonus game.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate with the gaming devices to, for each of the bonus game identifiers, when the designated quantity of player identifiers has been associated with said bonus game identifier, if a plurality of the player identifiers associated with said bonus game identifier are associated with a same player, provide said player with a modifier in the bonus game.

4. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the modifier is a multiplier having a value based on a quantity of player identifiers associated with said bonus game identifier that are associated with said player.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate with the gaming devices to:

(i) cause a display of a plurality of upgrade identifiers, each of the upgrade identifiers identifying an upgrade and being separate from the bonus identifiers;

(ii) for each of the gaming devices, enable the player of said gaming device to associate one or more player identifiers provided to the player with one or more of the upgrade identifiers; and

(iii) for each of the upgrade identifiers, when the player associates a player identifier with said upgrade identifier, provide the upgrade associated with said upgrade identifier to the player.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the upgrade provides an advantage to the player.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the designated quantity of player identifiers is different for at least two of the bonus identifiers.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein, for each player, the player identifier provided to said player uniquely identifies said player.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the game is a spinning reel game including a plurality of reels having a plurality of symbols, and the triggering event occurs when a designated symbol combination is generated and displayed on the reels.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate with the gaming devices to cause a display of each player identifier associated with each of the bonus game identifiers.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate with the gaming devices to, for each of the gaming devices, enable one or more wagers to be placed for one or more plays of one or more games.

22. The method of claim 1, which includes enabling one or more wagers to be placed for one or more plays of one or more games.

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

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to cause a display of a plurality of bonus game identifiers, each of the bonus game identifiers identifying a bonus game;

(b) upon an occurrence of a triggering event, providing a player of one of a plurality of gaming devices with one or more player identifiers associated with the player and enabling the player to associate one or more of the player identifiers with one or more of the bonus game identifiers; and

(c) for each of the bonus game identifiers, when a designated quantity of player identifiers has been associated with said bonus game identifier, the designated quantity of player identifiers being distinct from a quantity of players of the plurality of gaming devices, for each player associated with one of the player identifiers associated with said bonus game identifier, providing said player with one or more plays of the bonus game identified by said bonus game identifier and increasing a credit balance of said player based on any awards associated with said one or more plays of the bonus game, said credit balance being;

(i) increasable via receipt, by an acceptor, of a first physical item associated with a first monetary value and identification, by a validator, of the received first physical item; and

(ii) decreasable via actuation of a cashout device to cause an initiation of a payout associated with said credit balance.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of bonus game identifiers identifies a different bonus game.

14. The method of claim 12, which includes, when the designated quantity of player identifiers has been associated with said bonus game identifier, if a plurality of the player identifiers associated with said bonus game identifier are associated with a same player, providing said player with a modifier in the bonus game.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the modifier is a multiplier having a value based on a quantity of player identifiers associated with said bonus game identifier that are associated with said player.

16. The method of claim 12, which includes:

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause a display of a plurality of upgrade identifiers, each of the upgrade identifiers identifying an upgrade and being separate from the bonus identifiers;

(ii) for each of the gaming devices, enabling the player of said gaming device to associate one or more player identifiers provided to the player with one or more of the upgrade identifiers; and

(iii) for each of the upgrade identifiers, when the player associates a player identifier with said upgrade identifier, providing the upgrade associated with said upgrade identifier to the player.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the upgrade provides an advantage to the player.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the designated quantity of player identifiers is different for at least two of the bonus identifiers.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein, for each player, the player identifier provided to said player uniquely identifies said player.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the game is a spinning reel game including a plurality of reels having a plurality of symbols, and the triggering event occurs when a designated symbol combination is generated and displayed on the reels.

21. The method of claim 12, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause a display of each player identifier associated with each of the bonus game identifiers.

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.

25. 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) cause at least one display device to display a plurality of bonus game identifiers, each of the bonus game identifiers identifying a bonus game;

(b) upon an occurrence of a triggering event, provide a player of one of a plurality of gaming devices with one or more player identifiers associated with the player and enable the player to associate one or more of the player identifiers with one or more of the bonus game identifiers; and

(c) for each of the bonus game identifiers, when a designated quantity of player identifiers has been associated with said bonus game identifier, the designated quantity of player identifiers being distinct from a quantity of players of the plurality of gaming devices, for each player associated with one of the player identifiers associated with said bonus game identifier, provide said player with one or more plays of the bonus game identified by said bonus game identifier and increase a credit balance of said player based on any awards associated with said one or more plays of the bonus game, said credit balance being;

(i) increasable via receipt, by an acceptor, of a first physical item associated with a first monetary value and identification, by a validator, of the received first physical item; and

(ii) decreasable via actuation of a cashout device to cause an initiation of a payout associated with said credit balance.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein each of the plurality of bonus game identifiers identifies a different bonus game.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, for each of the bonus game identifiers, when the designated quantity of player identifiers has been associated with said bonus game identifier, if a plurality of the player identifiers associated with said bonus game identifier are associated with a same player, provide said player with a modifier in the bonus game.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the modifier is a multiplier having a value based on a quantity of player identifiers associated with said bonus game identifier that are associated with said player.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(i) cause a display of a plurality of upgrade identifiers, each of the upgrade identifiers identifying an upgrade and being separate from the bonus identifiers;

(ii) for each of the gaming devices, enable the player of said gaming device to associate one or more player identifiers provided to the player with one or more of the upgrade identifiers; and

(iii) for each of the upgrade identifiers, when the player associates a player identifier with said upgrade identifier, provide the upgrade associated with said upgrade identifier to the player.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the upgrade provides an advantage to the player.

31. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the designated quantity of player identifiers is different for at least two of the bonus identifiers.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein, for each player, the player identifier provided to said player uniquely identifies said player.

33. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the game is a spinning reel game including a plurality of reels having a plurality of symbols, and the triggering event occurs when a designated symbol combination is generated and displayed on the reels.

34. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the at least one display device to display each player identifier associated with each of the bonus game identifiers.

35. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to enable one or more wagers to be placed for one or more plays of one or more games.