Budget-defined flat rate play contract parameters

• US 7,887,414 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Robert C., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis; David L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Deodhar; Omkar
• Application Number:
  US11/423,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20060232003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,709 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/26, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/26
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• 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 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

According to some embodiments, systems, methods, and/or articles of manufacture are associated with operating a gaming device having a flat rate play session or contract costing a flat rate price. The flat rate play session or contract spans multiple plays on the gaming device over a pre-established duration. In some embodiments, an expected cost of the flat rate play session or contract may be determined. In some embodiments, a flat rate play session or contract and/or one or more parameters thereof may be determined based upon a price (or other parameter) that a player is wiling to pay for flat rate play at a gaming device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) receiving an indication of a price a player is willing to pay for a flat rate play session at a gaming device, said flat rate play session comprising a plurality of plays of a game, each play of the game associated with a wager amount and a probability greater than zero of resulting in an award having a value greater than zero;

(b) determining a designated average expected payout for the flat rate play session;

(c) after receiving the indication of the price the player is willing to play, determining at least one parameter of the flat rate play session based on the designated average expected payout and the indicated price the player is willing to pay;

(d) causing at least one display device to display an indication of the at least one determined parameter of the flat rate play session; and

(e) after receiving a value corresponding to the indicated price the player is willing to pay, causing the gaming device to initialize play of the flat rate play session in accordance with the at least one displayed parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

prior to causing the gaming device to initialize play of the flat rate play session:

displaying an offer of the at least one determined parameter of the flat rate play session to the player; and

enabling the player to accept the offer of the at least one determined parameter of the flat rate play session.

3. The method of claim 2, which includes determining that the player accepted the offer of the at least one determined parameter of the flat rate play session by receiving an indication of said acceptance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the at least one parameter of the flat rate play session comprises:

determining a plurality of different flat rate play sessions;

determining a different expected cost for each of the plurality of flat rate play sessions; and

selecting at least one parameter of the flat rate play session of the plurality of different flat rate play sessions having the expected cost nearest to the target cost.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after determining the at least one parameter of the flat rate play session, causing a display device to display the indication of the at least one determined parameter and thereafter enabling the player to provide the value of corresponding to the indicated price the player is willing to pay.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after determining the at least one parameter of the flat rate play session, receiving an indication of a payment of the value corresponding to the indicated price the player is willing to pay.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an expected cost of at least one potential flat rate play session prior to determining the at least one parameter of the flat rate play session and comparing the expected cost to the designated average expected payout.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the expected cost of the at least one potential flat rate play session is based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a simulation of the at least one potential flat rate play session, (ii) a mathematical model of the at least one potential flat rate play session, and (iii) a history of costs of different flat rate play sessions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter includes at least one selected from the group consisting of:

(i) an amount wagered;

(ii) a jackpot structure;

(iii) a time of a day;

(iv) a day of a week;

(v) the day of a month;

(vi) the day of a year;

(vii) the week of the month;

(viii) the week of the year;

(ix) the month of the year;

(x) a type of the gaming device;

(xi) a player status rating;

(xii) an availability of the gaming device;

(xiii) a forecasted availability of the gaming device;

(xiv) a number of active jackpots;

(xv) a number of winning plays;

(xvi) an amount of time between plays;

(xvii) an amount of traffic of potential players;

(xviii) stakes of play; and

(xix) an external event.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining each of any parameters that define the flat rate play session.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the at least one parameter of the flat rate play session comprises:

causing at least one processor to calculate a target cost for the flat rate play session based on the price the player is willing to pay and the designated average expected payout;

determining an expected cost of a potential flat rate play session; and

if the determined expected cost is substantially equal to the target cost, determining the at least one parameter of the flat rate play session based on at least one potential parameter of the potential flat rate play session.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter includes at least one selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a wager on one or more of the plurality of plays of the game of the flat rate play session, (b) a quantity of the plurality of plays of the game of the flat rate play session, and (c) a duration for the plurality of plays of the game of the flat rate play session.

13. A gaming system comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device;

at least one processor; 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 at least one input device and the at least one display device to;

receive an indication of a price a player is willing to pay for a flat rate play session at a gaming device, said flat rate play session comprising a plurality of plays of a game, each play of the game associated with a wager amount and a probability greater than zero of resulting in an award having a value greater than zero;

determine a designated average expected payout for the flat rate play session;

after receiving the indication of the price the player is willing to play, determine at least one parameter of the flat rate play session based on the designated average expected payout and the indicated price the player is willing to pay;

display an indication of the at least one determined parameter of the flat rate play session; and

after receiving a value corresponding to the indicated price the player is willing to pay, initialize play of the flat rate play session in accordance with the at least one displayed parameter.

14. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

calculate a target cost for the flat rate play session based on the price the player is willing to pay and the designated average expected payout;

determining an expected cost of a potential flat rate play session; and

if the determined expected cost is substantially equal to the target cost, determining the at least one parameter of the flat rate play session based on at least one potential parameter of the potential flat rate play session.

15. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the at least one parameter includes at least one selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a wager on one or more of the plurality of plays of the game of the flat rate play session, (b) a quantity of the plurality of plays of the game of the flat rate play session, and (c) a duration for the plurality of plays of the game of the flat rate play session.

16. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing at least one processor to determine a price a player is willing to pay for a flat rate play session at a gaming device without receiving any input from the player indicative of a selection of any particular flat rate play session the player desires to purchase;

determining a designated average expected payout for the flat rate play sesion;

after determining the price the player is willing to pay, causing the at least one processor to determing one or more parameters that define the flat rate play session based on the designated average expected payout and the determined price the player is willing to pay, the flat rate play session;

(a) having a retail price substantially equal to the determined price the player is willing to pay, and

(b) comprising a plurality of plays of a game, each play of the game associated with a wager amount and a probability greater than zero of resulting in an award having a value greater than zero;

determining if the player provides a value corresponding to the determined price the player is willing to play; and

if the determination is that the player has provided the value corresponding to the determined price the player is willing to pay, causing the gaming device to initialize play of one of the at least one flat rate play session in accordance with the one or more determined parameters.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein causing the at least one processor to determine the one or more parameters comprises:

causing the at least one processor to determine a target cost for the flat rate play session based on the designated average expected payout and the determined price the player is willing to pay; and

causing the at least one processor to select a value for each of the one or more parameters that define the flat rate play session such that an expected cost of that flat rate play session is substantially equal to the determined target cost.

18. The method of claim 16, which includes causing the at least one processor to determine one or more parameters that define each of a plurality of diffrent flat rate play sessions and causing the at least one processor to select one of the plurality of different flat rate play sessions based on the determined price the player is willing to pay.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the selected flat rate play session is the one of the plurality of different flat rate play sessions having the retail price closest to the determined price the player is willing to pay.

20. The method of claim 16, which includes causing the at least one processor to determine the one or more parameters that define each of a plurality of different flat rate play sessions and causing a display device to display a menu of the plurality of different flat rate play sessions to the player.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving an indication by the player of a desired one of the plurality of different flat rate play sessions.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the price the player is willing to pay is determined based, at least in part, on balance of credits associated with the player.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more parameters include at least one selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a wager on one or more of the plurality of plays of the game of the flat rate play session, (b) a quantity of the plurality of plays of the game of the flat rate play session, and (c) a duration for the plurality of plays of the game of the flat rate play session.