Closed-loop system for providing additional event participation to electronic video game customers
First Claim
1. A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:
- (a) causing a promotional server interfaced with a controller box to identify a promotional sporting event betting opportunity to offer to a customer playing at least one displayed game on a video gaming machine interfaced with the controller box, wherein the controller box and the promotional server each operate independent of any outcome determinations of any displayed plays of any games on the video gaming machine;
(b) causing the promotional server to provide an invitation to the customer to participate in the identified promotional sporting event betting opportunity by causing an invitation message to be displayed on a particular portion of a display device of the video gaming machine, wherein said displayed invitation message does not disrupt any displayed plays of any games of the video gaming machine;
(c) receiving, via an actuator monitored by the controller box, a response from the customer, said response indicating a selection of one from the group consisting of;
an acceptance of the invitation, a rejection of the invitation, a request for further information concerning the identified promotional sporting event betting opportunity, a request to view at least one other promotional sporting event betting opportunity, and a request to receive an invitation to participate in another promotional sporting event betting opportunity; and
(d) upon acceptance of the invitation to participate in the identified promotional sporting event betting opportunity;
(i) causing the promotional server to request funding information from the customer by causing a funding request message to be displayed on the particular portion of the display device of the video gaming machine, wherein said displayed funding request message does not disrupt any displayed plays of any games of the video gaming machine,(ii) causing the promotional server to receive the funding information, said received funding information being in addition to any wagers placed on any displayed plays of any games on the video gaming machine; and
(iii) causing any promotional sporting event award associated with the promotional sporting event betting opportunity to be provided to the customer.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a closed-loop system that allows the operator of video gaming machines or other systems to offer an event for customer participation, receive funding for participation in the event, and providing feedback regarding the results. More specifically, a video game customer may receive notification of an invitation to place a bet on an event, participate in a transaction, or otherwise receive information or interaction. The use can press buttons on the video gaming machine to indicate choices, provide funding, and placing bets on an event. The funding for such participation may be directly deducted from the customer'"'"'s balance on the video gaming machine.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:
-
(a) causing a promotional server interfaced with a controller box to identify a promotional sporting event betting opportunity to offer to a customer playing at least one displayed game on a video gaming machine interfaced with the controller box, wherein the controller box and the promotional server each operate independent of any outcome determinations of any displayed plays of any games on the video gaming machine; (b) causing the promotional server to provide an invitation to the customer to participate in the identified promotional sporting event betting opportunity by causing an invitation message to be displayed on a particular portion of a display device of the video gaming machine, wherein said displayed invitation message does not disrupt any displayed plays of any games of the video gaming machine; (c) receiving, via an actuator monitored by the controller box, a response from the customer, said response indicating a selection of one from the group consisting of;
an acceptance of the invitation, a rejection of the invitation, a request for further information concerning the identified promotional sporting event betting opportunity, a request to view at least one other promotional sporting event betting opportunity, and a request to receive an invitation to participate in another promotional sporting event betting opportunity; and(d) upon acceptance of the invitation to participate in the identified promotional sporting event betting opportunity; (i) causing the promotional server to request funding information from the customer by causing a funding request message to be displayed on the particular portion of the display device of the video gaming machine, wherein said displayed funding request message does not disrupt any displayed plays of any games of the video gaming machine, (ii) causing the promotional server to receive the funding information, said received funding information being in addition to any wagers placed on any displayed plays of any games on the video gaming machine; and (iii) causing any promotional sporting event award associated with the promotional sporting event betting opportunity to be provided to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A closed-loop customer participation event system comprising:
-
a promotional server configured to; provide an interface configured to, for each of a plurality of promotional sporting event betting opportunities;
define a type of promotional sporting event betting opportunity, define a schedule of the promotional device and define a duration of the promotional sporting event betting opportunity, andmonitor active promotional sporting event betting opportunities that are offered on a video gaming machine, wherein at least two promotional sporting event betting opportunities are simultaneously active; a plurality of controller boxes, each controller box being interfaced to the video gaming machine without disrupting any displayed plays of any games of the video gaming machine, wherein each controller box and the promotional server operate independent of any outcome determinations of any displayed plays of any games on the video gaming machine and each controller box includes; a display interface configured to, without disrupting any displayed plays of any games of the video gaming machine, display to a customer on a particular portion of a display device of the video gaming device; (i) an invitation inviting the customer to participate in one of the promotional sporting event betting opportunities, the invitation including an election of one selected from the group consisting of;
to accept participation in the promotional sporting event betting opportunity, to reject participation in the promotional sporting event betting opportunity, to receive status information pertaining to the promotional sporting event betting opportunity, to view at least another one of the plurality of promotional sporting event betting opportunities, and to accept participation in the at least one other one of the promotional sporting event betting opportunities, and(ii) information regarding an outcome of the sporting event, any award associated with the outcome of the sporting event, and the at least one other one of the plurality of sporting events; an interface configured to monitor at least one actuation device of the video gaming machine to receive responses from the customer indicating the customer'"'"'s election of the acceptance of the invitation and funding information, said received funding information being in addition to any wagers placed on any displayed plays of any games on the video gaming machine; and an interface to the server configured to obtain status information pertaining to the promotional sporting event betting opportunity. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
-
19. A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:
-
(a) causing a promotional server to provide a user interface which enables a user to define a plurality of parameters of each of a plurality of promotional sporting event betting opportunities by selecting parameters from the group consisting of;
a sporting event date, a sporting event time, a sporting event display content, and a sporting event acceptance criteria;(b) causing the promotional server to provide information to a controller box regarding an invitation to a customer to participate in one of the promotional sporting event betting opportunities prior to the sporting event date and the sporting event time, wherein the controller box and the promotional server each operate independent of any outcome determinations of any displayed plays of any games on a video gaming machine; (c) causing the controller box to place an event invitation message on a display device of the video gaming machine based on the sporting event date and the sporting event time; (d) causing the controller box to detect a response from the customer indicating an election selected from a plurality of elections consisting of;
an acceptance of the invitation, a rejection of the invitation, an election to receive further information pertaining to the promotional sporting event betting opportunity, an election to view at least another one of the promotional sporting event betting opportunities, and an election to request an invitation to the at least one other promotional sporting event betting opportunity, by detecting the actuation of an actuator by the customer;(e) causing the controller box to provide information regarding the detection of the election to the promotional server; and (f) if the customer elected to accept the invitation to participate in one of the promotional sporting event betting opportunities; (i) causing the promotional server to provide information to the controller box identifying funding options to be offered to the customer for funding participation in the elected promotional sporting event betting opportunity, (ii) causing the controller box to place a funding options message on the display device of the video gaming machine regarding a plurality of funding options, (iii) causing the controller box to detect a selection of one of the plurality of funding options from the customer by detecting the actuation of an actuator by the customer, said selected funding option being in addition to any wagers placed on any displayed plays of any games on the video gaming machine, (iv) causing the controller box to provide information regarding the detection of the selection of the funding option to the promotional server, (v) causing the promotional server to provide information to the controller box pertaining to a status of the elected promotional sporting event betting opportunity, (vi) causing the controller box to place a status message on the display device of the video gaming machine regarding the status of the elected promotional sporting event betting opportunity, and (vii) causing an award associated with an outcome of the sporting event of the elected promotional sporting event opportunity to be provided to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
-
Specification