GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH ACCUMULATING EQUITY
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A gaming system comprising:
- at least one processor;
at least one input device;
at least one display device; 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 at least one display device and the at least one input device to;
(a) cause a credit meter to display an amount of credits;
(b) enable a player to designate an amount of said displayed credits as a placed wager amount on a play of a wagering game;
(c) in addition to the credit meter, maintain a amount of equity for the player by;
(i) accumulating an amount of equity for the player based on the placed wager amount, wherein different placed wager amounts accumulate different amounts of equity, and(ii) at designated time intervals, reducing an amount of any accumulated equity for the player;
(d) display an amount of time remaining until the amount of accumulated equity for the player is reduced to a designated amount of equity;
(e) for the play of the wagering game;
(i) randomly determine an outcome,(ii) display the determined outcome,(iii) determine an award amount associated with the displayed outcome,(iv) display the determined award amount, and(v) increment the credit meter by any determined award amount having a value greater than zero, said credit meter being distinct from the amount of maintained equity; and
(f) if a secondary game triggering condition occurs;
(i) determine whether at least the designated amount of equity is maintained for the player,(ii) if the determination is that at least the designated amount of equity is maintained for the player;
(A) enable the player to participate in a secondary game, wherein an amount of equity maintained for the player determines a value for the secondary game, and(B) display any determined secondary game award to the player, said determined secondary game award based, at least in part, on the determined value, and(iii) if the determination is that at least the designated amount of equity is not maintained for the player, do not enable the player to participate in the secondary game.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus are described for conducting a secondary game at a gaming device. In various embodiments, a player may acquire equity in the secondary game in such forms as a location of a game character, a number of symbols aggregated, a degree of completion of a puzzle, or a defensive provision. Certain symbols or outcomes in a primary game, however, may cause the player to lose equity in the secondary game.
129 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A gaming system comprising:
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at least one processor; at least one input device; at least one display device; 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 at least one display device and the at least one input device to; (a) cause a credit meter to display an amount of credits; (b) enable a player to designate an amount of said displayed credits as a placed wager amount on a play of a wagering game; (c) in addition to the credit meter, maintain a amount of equity for the player by; (i) accumulating an amount of equity for the player based on the placed wager amount, wherein different placed wager amounts accumulate different amounts of equity, and (ii) at designated time intervals, reducing an amount of any accumulated equity for the player; (d) display an amount of time remaining until the amount of accumulated equity for the player is reduced to a designated amount of equity; (e) for the play of the wagering game; (i) randomly determine an outcome, (ii) display the determined outcome, (iii) determine an award amount associated with the displayed outcome, (iv) display the determined award amount, and (v) increment the credit meter by any determined award amount having a value greater than zero, said credit meter being distinct from the amount of maintained equity; and (f) if a secondary game triggering condition occurs; (i) determine whether at least the designated amount of equity is maintained for the player, (ii) if the determination is that at least the designated amount of equity is maintained for the player; (A) enable the player to participate in a secondary game, wherein an amount of equity maintained for the player determines a value for the secondary game, and (B) display any determined secondary game award to the player, said determined secondary game award based, at least in part, on the determined value, and (iii) if the determination is that at least the designated amount of equity is not maintained for the player, do not enable the player to participate in the secondary game. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A gaming system comprising:
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at least one processor; at least one input device; at least one display device; 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 at least one display device and the at least one input device to; (a) enable a player to place a wager amount on a play of a wagering game; (b) increase an equity balance based on the placed wager amount; (c) at designated time intervals, decrease the equity balance; (d) display an amount of time remaining until the equity balance is reduced to a designated equity balance; and (e) when a secondary game triggering condition occurs; (i) determine whether the equity balance is at least the designated equity balance, and (ii) if the determination is that the equity balance is at least the designated equity balance, enable the player to participate in a secondary game, wherein the equity balance determines, at least in part, an average expected payout for the secondary game, (iii) if the determination is that the equity balance is not at least the designated equity balance, do not enable the player to participate in the secondary game. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A gaming system comprising:
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at least one processor; at least one input device; at least one display device; 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 at least one display device and the at least one input device to; (a) enable a player to place a plurality of wagers on a plurality of plays of a wagering game; (b) for at least one of the wagers placed, increase an equity balance, said equity balance being distinct from a credit meter; (c) for each play of the wagering game; (i) randomly determine an outcome, (ii) display the determined outcome, (iii) determine an award amount associated with the displayed outcome, (iv) display the determined award amount, and (v) increment the credit meter by any determined award amount having a value greater than zero; (d) at designated time intervals, reduce the equity balance; (e) if a secondary game triggering condition occurs at a first point in time when the equity balance is associated with a first amount of equity, display a first secondary game award associated with a secondary game, said first secondary game award determined, at least in part, based on the first amount of equity; and (f) if the secondary game triggering condition occurs at a second, different point in time when the equity balance is associated with a second, different amount of equity, display a second secondary game award associated with the secondary game, said second secondary game award determined, at least in part, based on the second amount of equity. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method of operating a gaming system, said comprising:
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(a) causing a credit meter to display an amount of credits; (b) enabling a player to designate an amount of said displayed credits as a placed wager amount on a play of a wagering game; (c) in addition to the credit meter, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to maintain a amount of equity for the player by; (i) accumulating an amount of equity for the player based on the placed wager amount, wherein different placed wager amounts accumulate different amounts of equity, and (ii) at designated time intervals, reducing an amount of any accumulated equity for the player; (d) causing at least one display device to display an amount of time remaining until the amount of accumulated equity for the player is reduced to a designated amount of equity; (e) for the play of the wagering game; (i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly determine an outcome, (ii) causing the at least one display device to display the determined outcome, (iii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an award amount associated with the displayed outcome, (iv) causing the at least one display device to display the determined award amount, and (v) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to increment the credit meter by any determined award amount having a value greater than zero, said credit meter being distinct from the amount of maintained equity; and (f) if a secondary game triggering condition occurs; (i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether at least the designated amount of equity is maintained for the player, (ii) if the determination is that at least the designated amount of equity is maintained for the player; (A) enabling the player to participate in a secondary game, wherein an amount of equity maintained for the player determines a value for the secondary game, and (B) causing the at least one display device to display any determined secondary game award to the player, said determined secondary game award based, at least in part, on the determined value, and (iii) if the determination is that at least the designated amount of equity is not maintained for the player, not enabling the player to participate in the secondary game. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
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(a) enabling a player to place a wager amount on a play of a wagering game; (b) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to increase an equity balance based on the placed wager amount; (c) at designated time intervals, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to decrease the equity balance; (d) causing at least one display device to display an amount of time remaining until the equity balance is reduced to a designated equity balance; and (e) when a secondary game triggering condition occurs; (i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether the equity balance is at least the designated equity balance, and (ii) if the determination is that the equity balance is at least the designated equity balance, enabling the player to participate in a secondary game, wherein the equity balance determines, at least in part, an average expected payout for the secondary game, (iii) if the determination is that the equity balance is not at least the designated equity balance, not enabling the player to participate in the secondary game. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
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(a) enabling a player to place a plurality of wagers on a plurality of plays of a wagering game; (b) for at least one of the wagers placed, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to increase an equity balance, said equity balance being distinct from a credit meter; (c) for each play of the wagering game; (i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly determine an outcome, (ii) causing at least one display device to display the determined outcome, (iii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an award amount associated with the displayed outcome, (iv) causing the at least one display device to display the determined award amount, and (v) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to increment the credit meter by any determined award amount having a value greater than zero; (d) at designated time intervals, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reduce the equity balance; (e) if a secondary game triggering condition occurs at a first point in time when the equity balance is associated with a first amount of equity, causing the at least one display device to display a first secondary game award associated with a secondary game, said first secondary game award determined, at least in part, based on the first amount of equity; and (f) if the secondary game triggering condition occurs at a second, different point in time when the equity balance is associated with a second, different amount of equity, causing the at least one display device to display a second secondary game award associated with the secondary game, said second secondary game award determined, at least in part, based on the second amount of equity. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification