Systems for implementing enhanced gaming and prizing parameters in an electronic environment

• US 9,947,178 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2017
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milestone Entertainment LLC
• Original Assignee: Milestone Entertainment LLC
• Inventors: Katz, Randall M., Dawson, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US15/704,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20180012451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 215 Days
• 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 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

System and methods are provided for effecting user experience in an electronic game environment through use of virtual currency or vCoins. In a multi-level game, the systems and methods include memory for storing information on game play, the information including input received from the user, information relating to levels within the multi-level game and game display information for output to the user. A processor is coupled to the memory for generating game play information, preferably including game play with virtual money. The virtual money is acquired through game play or cash purchase. The virtual money is convertible into a non-cash good comprising advancement to another level within the game.

Claims

1. A system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment, over a communications network between multiple users of the system at multiple locations and a remote location including a play server, the users utilizing display enabled devices, comprising:

memory storing information on game play, the information including input received from the user and game display information for output to the user,

memory for storing at least one association grouping for a first user of the system to enable game play between the first user and one or more members of the association grouping,

memory for storing an account value,

a processor coupled to the memory generating game play information and memory for storing at least one association grouping,

the game play information including game play with virtual money,

the virtual money being acquired at least through game play,

the virtual money convertible into a non-cash good comprising an image, and

game play in the multi-player environment having association groupings utilized to form game play pairings, and

a display system for generating presentations for at least displaying game play events, the display of game play events having at least some common portions for all of the display enabled devices of the users.

2. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 1 wherein the association grouping forms competitive game play groupings between a user and others in the association grouping.

3. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 1 wherein the virtual money is acquired through purchase.

4. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 3 wherein purchase is a cash purchase.

5. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 1 wherein the virtual money is further acquired by non-cash purchase.

6. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 5 wherein the non-cash purchase utilizes a credit.

7. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 5 wherein the non-cash purchase utilizes an inducement.

8. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 5 wherein the non-cash purchase utilizes a promotion.

9. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 1 further including an analysis system.

10. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 9 wherein the analysis system tracks user specific play.

11. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 9 wherein the analysis system includes a decision engine to optimize the prizing structure.

12. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 9 wherein the analysis system includes a decision engine to maximize game play.

13. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 6 wherein the credit is optimized for a subset of the users.

14. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 7 wherein the inducement is optimized for a subset of the users.

15. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 8 wherein promotion is optimized for a subset of the users.

16. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 1 wherein the virtual money is subject to a multiplier.

17. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 1 wherein game play processor is a lottery processor.

18. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 1 wherein game play information includes a display of game play having a portion of the display with a first display image chosen by the user followed by a second display image in the same portion of the display.

19. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 1 wherein the game is a casino game.

20. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 19 wherein the casino game is poker.

21. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 19 wherein the casino game is blackjack.

22. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 1 wherein the system includes an input to receive player selection of game speed.

23. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 1, wherein the system generates probability relating to game play for the player.

24. The system for effecting multi-player game play in an electronic game environment of claim 1 wherein the association grouping is identified in a list.