# US 2014/0155170 A1 · Gaming system and method providing a collection game > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0155170 A1 - Document ID: US20140155170A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/173,384 - Filed: 2014-02-05 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2007-11-07 - Assignees: Igt - Applicants: Igt - Inventors: Daniel De Waal; Lance R. Peterson; Vincent P. Smith; Anthony J. Baerlocher; Kimberley Campbell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155170A1 ## CPC - G07F 17/3255: {Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements} - G07F 17/32: for games, toys, sports, or amusements - G07F 17/3209: {Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen} - G07F 17/3211: {Display means} - G07F 17/3225: {Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users} - G07F 17/323: {wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions} - G07F 17/3267: {Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games} - G07F 17/3272: {Games involving multiple players} - G07F 17/3293: {Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack} - G07F 17/34: depending on the stopping of moving members {in a mechanical slot machine}, e.g. "fruit" machines - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract A gaming system and method providing a collection game independent from the primary games of a gaming system. In one embodiment, the collection game includes a plurality of elements and a winning element combination. During play of the collection game, randomly or upon an occurrence of a triggering event, the gaming system releases one of the plurality of elements to players. The gaming system repeats the process of releasing elements until one of the players collects all of the elements of the winning element combination. The first player to collect all of the elements of the winning element combination wins an award or prize. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising: (a) for each of a plurality of gaming devices, enabling a player of said gaming device to play a collection game; (b) during each of a plurality of predetermined time intervals, each predetermined time interval having a first length, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to make one of a plurality of community elements of the collection game currently available for collection; (c) for each player, if at least a designated period of time has elapsed since a community element has been collected for said player, a length of the designated period of time being different than the first length, enabling said player to provide a collect input; (d) for each received collect input, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to: (i) collect the community element currently available for collection for the player from whom said collect input was received, and (ii) cause at least one display device of the gaming device of said player to display the collected community element; (e) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether any player has collected a predetermined combination of the community elements; and (f) if one of the players has collected the predetermined combination of the community elements, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause an award to be provided to said player. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, for each of the gaming devices, the collection game is independent from play of a first game on the gaming devices, the first game being different than the collection game. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first game is a wagering game. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause the at least one display device of at least one of the gaming devices to display the currently available community element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to: (a) during at least one of the plurality of predetermined time intervals, make a plurality of the community elements of the collection game currently available for collection; and (b) for each collect input received when a plurality of the community elements of the collection game are currently available for collection: (i) collect at least one of the community elements currently available for collection for the player from whom said collect input was received, and (ii) cause the at least one display device of the gaming device of said player to display the at least one collected community element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to, for each collect input received when a plurality of the community elements of the collection game are currently available for collection, collect at least one but fewer than all of the community elements currently available for collection for the player from whom said collect input was received. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, which includes, for each player, if: (a) at least a designated period of time has elapsed since a community element has been collected for said player, and (b) the player is actively playing the player's gaming device, enabling said player to provide the collect input. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to, for each of the plurality of predetermined time intervals, determine which of the plurality of community elements to make available during said time interval based on a predetermined order. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a probability of a first one of the community elements being made currently available for collection is different than a probability of a second different one of the community elements being made currently available for collection. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, which is provided through a data network. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the data network is an internet. ### Claim 12 A gaming system comprising: at least one server processor; and at least one server memory device that stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one server processor, cause the at least one server processor to: (a) for each of a plurality of gaming devices, enable a player of said gaming device to play a collection game; (b) during each of a plurality of predetermined time intervals, each predetermined time interval having a first length, make one of a plurality of community elements of the collection game currently available for collection; (c) for each player, if at least a designated period of time has elapsed since a community element has been collected for said player, a length of the designated period of time being different than the first length, enable said player to provide a collect input; (d) for each received collect input: (i) collect the community element currently available for collection for the player from whom said collect input was received, and (ii) cause at least one display device of the gaming device of said player to display the collected community element; (e) determine whether any players has collected a predetermined combination of the community elements; and (f) if one of the players has collected the predetermined combination of the community elements, cause an award to be provided to said player. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The gaming system of claim 12, wherein, for each of the gaming devices, the collection game is independent from play of a first game on the gaming devices, the first game being different than the collection game. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the first game is a wagering game. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one server processor, cause the at least one server processor to cause the at least one display device of at least one of the gaming devices to display the currently available community element. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one server processor, cause the at least one server processor to: (a) during at least one of the plurality of predetermined time intervals, make a plurality of the community elements of the collection game currently available for collection; and (b) for each collect input received when a plurality of the community elements of the collection game are currently available for collection: (i) collect at least one of the community elements currently available for collection for the player from whom said collect input was received, and (ii) cause the at least one display device of the gaming device of said player to display the at least one collected community element. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one server processor, cause the at least one server processor to, for each collect input received when a plurality of the community elements of the collection game are currently available for collection, collect at least one but fewer than all of the community elements currently available for collection for the player from whom said collect input was received. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one server processor, cause the at least one server processor to, for each player, if: (a) at least a designated period of time has elapsed since a community element has been collected for said player, and (b) the player is actively playing the player's gaming device, enable said player to provide the collect input. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one server processor, cause the at least one server processor to, for each of the plurality of predetermined time intervals, determine which of the plurality of community elements to make available during said time interval based on a predetermined order. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The gaming system of claim 12, wherein a probability of a first one of the community elements being made currently available for collection is different than a probability of a second different one of the community elements being made currently available for collection.