Gaming machine with loyalty bonus

• US 8,636,584 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2008
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Bryant, Natalie, Olive, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US12/173,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20080268937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,023 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 26, 463/1, 463 9- 13, 463/30, 463/36, 463 40- 43, 273/236, 273/237, 273/269, 273/292, 273/293, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/139, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/008 adapted for being playable on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

A gaming machine is provided, which awards loyalty points to players playing the game who have identified themselves to the machine. The machine is arranged to award loyalty points to the player and to play two game means wherein, the first or base game may be provided by the slot machine game as a stand alone function with no dependence upon a supporting communications network, the second game may be linked game in which a plurality of network connected machines (50) participate with control of the game being provided by a central game controller (60), while the communications network (62) is controlled by a network controller (61). A first game mode is available to all players and a second enhanced game mode is made available to players who have reached a predetermined threshold of loyalty points.

Claims

1. A method of gaming comprising accumulating loyalty points in a loyalty points system for a player for each play of a game on a gaming console on which a bet is made, the accumulation being by a loyalty point increment amount which is derived by a controller from the amount bet but which is not directly proportional to the amount bet;

and accumulating points at a first rate for a bet of a first amount and accumulating points at a second rate for a bet of a second amount.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second amount is higher than the first amount and the second rate is higher than the first rate.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first rate is a first percentage of the first bet amount and the second rate is a second percentage of the second bet amount.

4. A method of gaming comprising accumulating loyalty points in a loyalty points system for a player for each play of a game on a gaming console on which a bet is made, the accumulation being by a loyalty point increment amount which is derived by a controller from the amount bet but which is not directly proportional to the amount bet;

and allocating a first point increment amount for a bet of a first amount and allocating a second point increment amount for a bet of a second amount.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second amount is higher than the first amount and the second rate is higher than the first rate.

6. A method of gaming comprising accumulating loyalty points in a loyalty points system for a player for each play of a game on a gaming console on which a bet is made, the accumulation being by a loyalty point increment amount which is derived by a controller from the amount bet but which is not directly proportional to the amount bet;

and making the player eligible for a bonus game when a number of accumulated loyalty points reaches a threshold level.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, comprising deducting an amount of loyalty points from the accumulated loyalty points in response to the initiation of a bonus game for which eligibility is provided by the loyalty points.

8. A loyalty points system comprising:

a gaming console operable by a player to play a game; and

a controller arranged to accumulate loyalty points for the player for each play of the game on which a bet is made, the accumulation being by a loyalty point increment amount which is derived from the amount bet but which is not directly proportional to the amount bet, and

wherein the controller accumulates points at a first rate for a bet of a first amount and accumulating points at a second rate for a bet of a second amount.

9. A loyalty points system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second amount is higher than the first amount and the second rate is higher than the first rate.

10. A loyalty points system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first rate is a first percentage of the first bet amount and the second rate is a second percentage of the second bet amount.

11. A loyalty points system comprising:

a gaming console operable by a player to play a game; and

a controller arranged to accumulate loyalty points for the player for each play of the game on which a bet is made, the accumulation being by a loyalty point increment amount which is derived from the amount bet but which is not directly proportional to the amount bet, and

wherein the controller allocates a first point increment amount for a bet of a first amount and allocating a second point increment amount for a bet of a second amount.

12. A loyalty points system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second amount is higher than the first amount and the second rate is higher than the first rate.

13. A loyalty points system comprising:

a gaming console operable by a player to play a game; and

a controller arranged to accumulate loyalty points for the player for each play of the game on which a bet is made, the accumulation being by a loyalty point increment amount which is derived from the amount bet but which is not directly proportional to the amount bet, and to make the player eligible for a bonus game when a number of accumulated loyalty points reaches a threshold level.

14. A loyalty points system as claimed in claim 13, arranged to deduct an amount of loyalty points from the accumulated loyalty points in response to the initiation of a bonus game for which eligibility is provided by the loyalty points.

15. A method of gaming comprising:

accumulating loyalty points in a loyalty points system for a player for each play of a game on a gaming console on which a bet is made, the accumulation being by a loyalty point increment amount which is derived by a controller from the amount bet but which is not directly proportional to the amount bet;

accumulating points at a first rate for a bet of a first amount; and

accumulating points at a second rate for a bet of a second amount.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the second amount is higher than the first amount and the second rate is higher than the first rate.

17. A method of gaming comprising

accumulating loyalty points in a loyalty points system for a player for each play of a game on a gaming console on which a bet is made, the accumulation being by a loyalty point increment amount which is derived by a controller from the amount bet but which is not directly proportional to the amount bet;

allocating a first point value for a bet of a first amount; and

allocating a second point value for a bet of a second amount.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the second amount is higher than the first amount and the second rate is higher than the first rate.

19. A loyalty points system comprising:

a gaming console operable by a player to play a game; and

a controller arranged to accumulate loyalty points for the player for each play of the game on which a bet is made, the accumulation being by a loyalty point increment amount which is derived from the amount bet but which is not directly proportional to the amount bet, to accumulate points at a first rate for a bet of a first amount, and to accumulate points at a second rate for a bet of a second amount.

20. A loyalty points system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the second amount is higher than the first amount and the second rate is higher than the first rate.

21. A loyalty points system comprising:

a gaming console operable by a player to play a game; and

a controller arranged to accumulate loyalty points for the player for each play of the game on which a bet is made, the accumulation being by a loyalty point increment amount which is derived from the amount bet but which is not directly proportional to the amount bet, to allocate a first point value for a bet of a first amount, and to allocate a second point value for a bet of a second amount.

22. A loyalty points system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the second amount is higher than the first amount and the second rate is higher than the first rate.