Gaming system and method for providing multiple level progressive awards with increased odds of winning higher level progressive awards

• US 9,251,656 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2015
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cuddy, Ryan, Baerlocher, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Allen
• Application Number:
  US14/717,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20150254934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 258 Days
• Field of Search: 463 25- 27
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3246 involving coins and/or banknotes
• 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 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines is provided. The gaming system includes a plurality of progressive awards arranged in a hierarchy. Upon the occurrence of a triggering event or qualifying condition, a bonus game is started. A player can win a next higher progressive award by accumulating award values. If the player'"'"'s total award value is greater than or equal to a trigger value for a progressive award, the player wins the progressive award. Unless a termination condition occurs, the bonus game continues. The total award value is set to the progressive award value. Alternatively, the progressive award value is added to the player'"'"'s total award value. The trigger value for a progressive award can be the startup value for that progressive award.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including;

(i) an acceptor, and

(ii) a cashout device;

at least one display device supported by the housing;

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 operate with the plurality of input devices and the at least one display device to;

(a) if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item,

(b) receive a placement of a wager in association with a play of a wagering game,

(c) for the play of the wagering game;

(i) determine a wagering game outcome,

(ii) display the determined wagering game outcome,

(iii) determine any award associated with the determined wagering game outcome, and

(iv) display any determined award associated with the determined wagering game outcome,

(d) if a triggering event occurs;

(i) for each of a plurality of free games;

(A) determine a free game outcome,

(B) display the determined free game outcome,

(C) accumulate any points associated with the determined free game outcome,

(D) determine any award associated with the determined free game outcome, and

(E) display any determined award associated with the determined free game outcome,

(ii) determine if a quantity of accumulated points is associated with any of a plurality of progressive awards, wherein a first progressive award is associated with a first quantity of accumulated points and a second, different progressive award is associated with a second, different quantity of accumulated points, and

(iii) if the quantity of accumulated points is associated with at least one of the plurality of progressive awards, cause said at least one of the progressive awards to be provided, and

(e) if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to display each of the plurality of progressive awards.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the second progressive award is greater than the first progressive award and the second quantity of accumulated points is greater than the first quantity of accumulated points.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each free game outcome is associated with a combination of symbols.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein at least one of any accumulated points is associated with at least one of said symbols.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the placed wager, any award associated with the determined wagering game outcome, any award associated with the determined free game outcome, and any of the plurality of progressive awards is at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of player tracking points.

7. 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) receive a placement of a wager in association with a play of a wagering game, wherein the placed wager causes a decrease of a credit balance, said credit balance being increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value and said credit balance being decreasable via a cashout device,

(b) for the play of the wagering game;

(i) determine a wagering game outcome,

(ii) cause at least one display device to display the determined wagering game outcome,

(iii) determine any award associated with the determined wagering game outcome, and

(iv) cause the at least one display device to display any determined award associated with the determined wagering game outcome, and

(c) if a triggering event occurs;

(i) for each of a plurality of free games;

(A) determine a free game outcome,

(B) cause the at least one display device to display the determined free game outcome,

(C) accumulate any points associated with the determined free game outcome,

(D) determine any award associated with the determined free game outcome, and

(E) cause the at least one display device to display any determined award associated with the determined free game outcome,

(ii) determine if a quantity of accumulated points is associated with any of a plurality of progressive awards, wherein a first progressive award is associated with a first quantity of accumulated points and a second, different progressive award is associated with a second, different quantity of accumulated points, and

(iii) if the quantity of accumulated points is associated with at least one of the plurality of progressive awards, cause said at least one of the progressive awards to be provided.

8. The gaming system server of claim 7, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to cause the at least one display device to display each of the plurality of progressive awards.

9. The gaming system server of claim 7, wherein the second progressive award is greater than the first progressive award and the second quantity of accumulated points is greater than the first quantity of accumulated points.

10. The gaming system server of claim 7, wherein each free game outcome is associated with a combination of symbols.

11. The gaming system server of claim 10, wherein at least one of any accumulated points is associated with at least one of said symbols.

12. The gaming system server of claim 7, wherein at least one of the placed wager, any award associated with the determined wagering game outcome, any award associated with the determined free game outcome, and any of the plurality of progressive awards is at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of player tracking points.

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

(a) receiving a placement of a wager in association with a play of a wagering game, wherein the placed wager causes a decrease of a credit balance, said credit balance being increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value and said credit balance being decreasable via a cashout device,

(b) for the play of the wagering game;

(i) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to determine a wagering game outcome,

(ii) causing at least one display device to display the determined wagering game outcome,

(iii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any award associated with the determined wagering game outcome, and

(iv) causing the at least one display device to display any determined award associated with the determined wagering game outcome, and

(c) if a triggering event occurs;

(i) for each of a plurality of free games;

(A) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a free game outcome,

(B) causing the at least one display device to display the determined free game outcome,

(C) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to accumulate any points associated with the determined free game outcome,

(D) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any award associated with the determined free game outcome, and

(E) causing the at least one display device to display any determined award associated with the determined free game outcome,

(ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if a quantity of accumulated points is associated with any of a plurality of progressive awards, wherein a first progressive award is associated with a first quantity of accumulated points and a second, different progressive award is associated with a second, different quantity of accumulated points, and

(iii) if the quantity of accumulated points is associated with at least one of the plurality of progressive awards, causing said at least one of the progressive awards to be provided.

14. The method of claim 13, which includes causing the at least one display device to display each of the plurality of progressive awards.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the second progressive award is greater than the first progressive award and the second quantity of accumulated points is greater than the first quantity of accumulated points.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein each free game outcome is associated with a combination of symbols.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of any accumulated points is associated with at least one of said symbols.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the placed wager, any award associated with the determined wagering game outcome, any award associated with the determined free game outcome, and any of the plurality of progressive awards is at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of player tracking points.

19. The method of claim 13, which is provided through a data network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the data network is an internet.