Game prize controller and system

• US 20080227538A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Kelly, Bryan M., Kroeckel, John G., Link, John E., Kelly, Mathew F., Pelermeier, Norman B.
• Application Number:
  US11/982,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20080227538A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/27
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

The invention provides a prize redemption system for use with one or more game apparatuses. A game is provided on a game apparatus for a player to play in exchange for monetary input, and prize credits are credited to the player based on the game outcome. A prize selection menu is then displayed by the game apparatus, the menu including one or more prizes, where the player may select a prize that has a prize cost within the player'"'"'s prize credit amount. The player is dispensed a specific prize ticket that is redeemable for the selected prize. The game apparatus can also provide specific prizes and tournament games played for a tournament prize contributed to by multiple players. An operator can adjust prizes and payout percentages of the system to achieve a desired profitability for game apparatuses. Prize input is entered into a prize table describing multiple available prizes and also describing payout information that indicates a desired amount of payout that the operator wishes to provide back to players of the game apparatus in terms of the value of the prizes. Prize information, such as prize costs and specific prize win ratios, is automatically determined by the system for each of the prizes in view of the desired profitability of the game apparatus.

Additionally, the invention provides method and article of manufacture for implementing a user profile-driven gaming and prize redeeming system. The user profile-driven gaming and prize redemption system allows for the tailoring of a user'"'"'s experience of playing a computer implemented game on a network gaming system by first receiving an identifier selected from a group of identifiers including a user identifier relating to the user (i.e., player) of the network gaming system, a game identifier relating to a particular game played by the user of the network gaming system, and a site identifier relating to the location (i.e. web site) from which the game is being played. The network gaming system then alters the computer-implemented game played by the user in a manner based upon the selected identifier. The foregoing technique may also be applied to a prize redemption system.

Claims

1. A gaming system that provides game play in exchange for monetary input per game played, the gaming system comprising:

a game server;

a plurality of game units connected to the game server via a network, and

a central controller, wherein the central controller regulates and coordinates prize distribution to the game units.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the control system includes operator-configurable controls that provide selectable game functions.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the selectable game functions include:

amount of score incrementing for designated player actions, amount of prize credits awarded based on score, speed of game play, difficulty of game play, conditions required to add to game score and receive prize tickets, conditions required for a player to win a progressive bonus award, conditions required for a player to enter a tournament, or combinations thereof.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller remotely monitors and coordinates games for multiple game units.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller enables operator of the gaming system to adjust prize characteristics of a prize redemption system in the gaming system.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller provides prize tables and other prize information to the game units over the network.

7. A gaming system that provides game play in exchange for monetary input per game played, the gaming system comprising:

a game server;

a plurality of game units connected to the game server via a network, and

a game controller, wherein the game controller coordinates game play among one or more of the plurality of game units and provide information to the game units.

8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the game controller manages a networked game in which players on separate game units simultaneously compete against each other.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the game controller enables a first player to play a first-person point-of-view, virtual reality video game on one game unit and interact with a second player on a second game unit who is also playing the same game.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the game controller enables a first player to view a computer-generated object that is controlled by the second player.

11. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein game play interaction between the players is in real time.

12. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein game play interaction between the players is not in real-time with players taking turns between their game play actions.

13. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the game controller enables thousands of players to simultaneously compete against each other.

14. A gaming system that provides game play in exchange for monetary input per game played, the gaming system comprising:

a game unit, wherein the game unit stores one or more games in electronic form; and

a specific prize controller, wherein the specific prize controller enables one or more specific prizes to be awarded immediately during game play, in response to achieving a skill-based specific prize goal.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the one or more specific prizes are in addition to a primary game prize.

16. A gaming system that provides game play in exchange for monetary input per game played, the gaming system comprising:

a game unit, wherein the game unit stores one or more games in electronic form; and

a specific prize controller, wherein the specific prize controller enables one or more specific prizes to be awarded immediately during game play, in response to achieving a skill-based goal, and wherein the specific prize goal is at least partially chance-based.

17. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein one or more specific prizes that may be won during a game are displayed to a player, and wherein an explanation of how to win the specific prizes are displayed to the player.

18. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein a specific prize won by a player for achieving a specific prize goal is predetermined.

19. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein a specific prize won by a player for achieving a specific prize goal is selected randomly from a prize table of multiple possible specific prizes.

20. A gaming system that provides game play in exchange for monetary input per game played, the gaming system comprising:

a game unit, wherein the game unit stores one or more games in electronic form; and

a specific prize controller, wherein the specific prize controller enables one or more specific prizes to be awarded before game play, during game play, after game play, or combinations thereof, in response to achieving a specific prize goal.

21. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein awarding of a specific prize is subject to a win ratio, and wherein the specific prize is awarded every predetermined number of games in which the specific prize goal was achieved.

22. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein awarding of a specific prize is subject to a win ratio, and wherein the specific prize is awarded every predetermined number of games, regardless of whether the specific prize goal was achieved.

23. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein higher valued specific prize are won less often than lower valued prizes.

24. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein a list of available prizes is displayed regardless of whether the specific prizes are currently affordable with a player'"'"'s current prize credits.

25. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein a list of available prizes is displayed that includes only specific prizes are currently affordable with a player'"'"'s current prize credits.