GAMING INCORPORATING SOCIAL GROUP FEATURES

• US 20110269532A1
• Filed: 04/28/2011
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brain Mark Shuster, Gary S. Shuster
• Original Assignee: Brain Mark Shuster, Gary S. Shuster
• Inventors: Shuster, Brain Mark, Shuster, Gary Stephen
• Application Number:
  US13/096,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20110269532A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3274 wherein the players cooperate, e.g. team-play

Abstract

A gaming apparatus, method and system enables communication between members of a social group using machines belonging to the system. Members of a social group are thereby enable to share benefits from members'"'"' participation or winnings, by altering operation of gaming machines in use by member of the social group. A license to a progressively increasing portion of an audio-video work may be awarded in response to continuing game play by one or more members of the social group.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, using a gaming device, a first identifier for a first player operating the gaming device, wherein the gaming device is operated to play one or more games of chance in exchange for a wager amount and a result of the one or more games of chance comprises a prize determined in accordance with a payout table;

determining a second identifier for a second player that is not operating the gaming device, in response to at least one of (i) a predetermined association between the first identifier and the second identifier, or (ii) input from the player input device; and

communicating information concerning the one or more games of chance played by the first player to a second gaming device operated by the second player having an address that is determined using the second identifier, to alter gaming operation of the second gaming device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering a game result at the second gaming device, in response to the information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering a minimum wager requirement at the second gaming device, in response to the information.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining a current average wager per player for a player group including at least the first and second players.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein altering a minimum wager requirement further comprises lowering the minimum wager requirement for the second player in response to determining that the current average wager exceeds a threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering a pay table at the second device, in response to the information.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining whether the second device is qualified for pay table alteration, based on a current average wager per player for a player group including at least the first and second players.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein altering the pay table comprises flattening the pay table to provide a higher frequency of winning results.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising allocating a portion of a bonus round won at the gaming device for play on the second device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering the gaming operation of the second device by triggering operation of a bonus feature in response to the information.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a gaming device comprising a processor, a memory, and a network interface, wherein the memory holds instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the gaming device to;

operate a first set of games of chance in exchange for a wager amount from a first player to obtain one or more prizes determined in accordance with a payout table;

receive information concerning a second set of games of chance played by a second player operating a second gaming device; and

alter gaming operation of the gaming device for the first set of games, in response to the information.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory holds further instructions for altering one or more results of the first set of games, in response to the information.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory holds further instructions for altering a minimum wager requirement for the first set of games, in response to the information.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the memory holds further instructions for lowering the minimum wager requirement in response to determining that a current average wager for the first and second set of games exceeds a threshold.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory holds further instructions for altering a pay table at the gaming device, in response to the information.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the memory holds further instructions for flattening the pay table to provide a higher frequency of winning results.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory holds further instructions for playing a portion of a bonus round won at the second gaming device.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory holds further instructions for altering the gaming operation by triggering operation of a bonus feature in response to the information.

19. A method comprising:

serving a set of games of chance using one or more gaming devices, wherein games of the set are played in exchange for respective wagers from a player;

tracking a current count of games in the set of games, wherein the set of games is defined as games played by the player using the one or more gaming devices after an initial one of the set of games; and

awarding a license to use a progressively increasing portion of an audio-video work that is independent of the set of games, based on the current count.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising copying an incremental portion of the audio-video work to a storage medium, in response to completing each game in the set of games.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising copying an awarded portion of the audio-video work to a storage medium, in response to completing the set of games.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising copying an awarded portion of the audio-video work to a storage medium, in response to user input.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising making a removable connection to the storage medium from the one or more gaming devices.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising transmitting an indication of an awarded portion of the audio-video work to another entity enabling the player to later obtain the awarded portion.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising tracking a currently awarded portion of the audio-visual work during play of the set of games.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising displaying an indication of the currently awarded portion on a display device of the one or more gaming devices.