Asynchronous persistent group bonus game

• US 9,741,205 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Nguyen Gaming LLC
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T.
• Primary Examiner(s): YOO, JASSON H
• Application Number:
  US13/801,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20130196762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463 25- 27, 463 39- 43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

An asynchronous persistent group bonus game system, method and apparatus may have a plurality of gaming machines including a first processor and a bonus server having a second processor. The first processor may be configured to: determine when a bonus game session event is triggered, transmit a bonus game session request to the second processor, and receive an end session notification from the second processor. The second processor may be configured to execute and maintain the always-on asynchronous persistent group bonus game, receive a bonus game session request from at least one of the plurality of gaming machines, instantiate a bonus game session inside the continuous asynchronous persistent group bonus game for the at least one gaming machine, determine when an end session trigger has been triggered for the bonus game session, and transmit an end session notification to the at least one gaming machine if it is determined that the end session condition has been triggered.

Claims

1. A method for playing an asynchronous persistent group bonus game that is initiated on at least one of a plurality of gaming machines configured to accept a wager from a player to play a game of chance, each of the plurality of gaming machines including at least one processor, the method comprising:

initiating the asynchronous persistent group bonus game;

receiving a wager detected by a bill acceptor of at least one of the plurality of gaming machines;

initiating a primary game of chance on the at least one gaming machine based on the wager detected by the bill acceptor;

determining, by the at least one processor, whether a bonus event is triggered by the primary game of chance;

transmitting a bonus game session request to a bonus server to play a bonus game session;

displaying and initiating the bonus game session for play by the player, the bonus game session instantiated in an asynchronous persistent group bonus game on a display if it is determined that the bonus event is triggered;

updating the asynchronous persistent group bonus game to incorporate at least one bonus game asset to the asynchronous persistent group bonus game, the at least one bonus game asset visually depicted for the player on the display and positioned in a location in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game, wherein the location where the at least one bonus game asset is positioned in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game is a random location that is randomly determined at least in part using a random number generator;

determining if a location of the player in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game matches the random location of the at least one bonus game asset, the location of the player in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game being determined by the player;

determining whether the player seeks use of the at least one bonus game asset; and

facilitating use of the at least one bonus game asset to play the bonus game session if it is determined that the location of the player in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game, as manipulated by the player, matches the random location of the at least one bonus game asset and if it is determined that the player seeks use of the at least one bonus game asset, whereby, in playing the asynchronous persistent group bonus game, when the location of the player is at the random location where the at least one bonus game asset is positioned, the player is then permitted to acquire usage of the at least one bonus game asset in playing the asynchronous persistent group bonus game,

wherein a plurality of players are able to concurrently play the asynchronous persistent group bonus game.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request to purchase at least one other bonus game asset.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating occurs periodically.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one bonus game enhancement, the at least one bonus game enhancement is based on current offers of a gaming establishment.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one bonus game enhancement is from a third party sponsor.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one bonus game enhancement is a video clip.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming machine is a portable gaming device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the asynchronous persistent group bonus game continues after the bonus game session ends.

9. A system for playing an asynchronous persistent group bonus game, comprising:

a plurality of portable gaming devices configured to accept a wager from a player to play a game of chance, each of the plurality of gaming machines including;

at least one bill acceptor configured to accept the wager to play the game of chance;

at least one display to display a primary game of chance and the asynchronous persistent group bonus game; and

a first processor configured to transmit gaming information for display on the display after the wager is accepted by the at least one bill acceptor; and

a bonus server having a second processor, the second processor configured to communicate with each of the plurality of portable gaming devices via a network,

wherein the first processor is at least configured to;

determine when a bonus game session event is triggered; and

transmit a bonus game session request to the second processor; and

wherein the second processor is at least configured to;

execute and initiate the asynchronous persistent group bonus game;

receive a bonus game session request from at least one of the plurality of gaming machines;

instantiate and initiate a bonus game session in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game for the at least one gaming machine;

permit a plurality of players to concurrently play the asynchronous persistent group bonus game;

update the asynchronous persistent group bonus game to incorporate at least one bonus game asset to the asynchronous persistent group bonus game, the at least one bonus game asset visually depicted for the player on the display and positioned in a location in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game, wherein the location where the at least one bonus game asset is positioned in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game is a random location that is randomly determined at least in part using a random number generator;

determining if a location of the player in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game matches the random location of the at least one bonus game asset, the location of the player in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game previously selected by the player;

determine whether the player seeks use of the at least one bonus game asset is received; and

facilitate use of the at least one bonus game asset to play the bonus game session if it is determined that the location of the player in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game, as manipulated by the player, matches the random location of the at least one bonus game asset and a if it is determined that the player seeks use of the at least one bonus game asset, whereby, in playing the asynchronous persistent group bonus game, when the location of the player is at the random location where the at least one bonus game asset is positioned, the player is then permitted to acquire usage of the at least one bonus game asset in playing the asynchronous persistent group bonus game.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second processor is further configured to:

determine when an end session condition has been triggered for the bonus game session;

transmit an end session notification to the first processor if it is determined that the end session condition has been triggered; and

terminate the bonus game session.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the asynchronous persistent group bonus game continues after the bonus game session terminates.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first processor is configured to receive an end session notification from the second processor.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the second processor is further configured to:

receive a request to purchase at least one other bonus game asset; and

permit use of the purchased at least one other game asset in the bonus game session.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the asynchronous persistent group bonus game is periodically updated.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising at least one bonus game enhancement, the at least one bonus game enhancement based on current offers of a gaming establishment.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one bonus game enhancement is obtained from a third party sponsor.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one bonus game enhancement is a video clip.

18. A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for playing an asynchronous persistent group bonus game initiated on at least one of a plurality of portable gaming devices configured to accept a wager from a player to play a game of chance, the program storage device comprising:

computer program code for receiving a wager detected by a bill acceptor of at least one of the plurality of portable gaming devices;

computer program code for initiating the asynchronous persistent group bonus game based on the wager detected by the bill acceptor;

computer program code for initiating a primary game of chance on the at least one portable gaming device;

computer program code for determining whether a bonus event is triggered by the primary game of chance;

computer program code for transmitting a bonus game session request to a bonus server to play a bonus game session;

computer program code for displaying and initiating the bonus game session instantiated in an asynchronous persistent group bonus game on a display if it is determined that the bonus event is triggered;

computer program code for periodically updating the asynchronous persistent group bonus game to incorporate at least one bonus game asset to the asynchronous persistent group bonus game, the at least one bonus game asset visually depicted for the player on the display and positioned in a location in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game, wherein the location where the at least one bonus game asset is positioned in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game is a random location that is randomly determined at least in part using a random number generator;

computer program code for positioning the at least one bonus game asset in a random location in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game;

computer program code for determining if a location of the player in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game matches the random location of the at least one bonus game asset, the location of the player in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game being determined by the player;

computer program code for determining whether the player seeks use of the at least one bonus game asset is received; and

computer program code for facilitating use of the at least one bonus game asset to play the bonus game session if it is determined that the location of the player in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game, as manipulated by the player, matches the random location of the at least one bonus game asset and if it is determined that the player seeks use of the at least one bonus game asset, whereby, in playing the asynchronous persistent group bonus game, when the location of the player is at the random location where the at least one bonus game asset is positioned, the player is then permitted to acquire usage of the at least one bonus game asset in playing the asynchronous persistent group bonus game,

wherein a plurality of players are able to concurrently play the asynchronous persistent group bonus game.

19. The program storage device of claim 18, further comprising computer program code for receiving a request to purchase at least one other bonus game asset, the at least one other bonus game asset for use in the asynchronous persistent group bonus game.

20. The program storage device of claim 19, wherein the asynchronous persistent group bonus game continues after the bonus game session ends.