Gaming system providing group-based awards
AssigneeAristocrat Technologies, Inc.
InventorsSteven Santisi, T. Grant Bolling, JR.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Innovations in game design features of an electronic gaming device are presented. Groups of players can be defined that may win an award that is also available to non-group based players. If the award is won by a group-based player, the award can be distributed to at least a portion of the group members in addition to the player who won the award. A group profile can define criteria for group membership, awards associated with the group, how awards will be distributed among the group, and how and when groups can be altered. Groups can be associated with awards other than those associated with gaming activity. In addition, a value of a gaming award can be increased based on non-gaming activity.
Claims20
An electronic gaming system comprising at least one memory and at least one processor in communication with the at least one memory and a plurality of gaming devices, the at least one memory storing a database including a plurality of user profiles, at least some of the plurality of user profiles including one or more group identifiers, the one or more group identifiers defining one or more groups, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to:
- receive, from a first player via a first gaming device of the plurality of gaming devices, a first selection to participate in a game instance of a game associated with a first award, the first player associated with a first profile of the plurality of user profiles, the first profile including a first group identifier;
- in response to receiving the first selection, parse the database using the first group identifier to identify a first group of the one or more groups, each player of the first group associated with a respective user profile of the plurality of user profiles that includes the first group identifier;
- receive, from a second player via a second gaming device of the plurality of gaming devices, a second selection to participate in the game instance of the game, the second player associated with a second profile of the plurality of user profiles, the second profile excluding the first group identifier, wherein the second selection is associated with a chance to be awarded the first award associated with the game instance of the game;
- determine a first game outcome of the game instance associated with the first player;
- and
- in response to the first game outcome being associated with receiving the first award, distribute the first award to each player of the first group.
A method for electronic gaming system performed by at least one processor in communication with at least one memory and a plurality of gaming devices, the at least one memory storing a database including a plurality of user profiles, at least some of the plurality of user profiles including one or more group identifiers, the one or more group identifiers defining one or more groups, the method comprising:
- receiving, from a first player via a first gaming device of the plurality of gaming devices, a first selection to participate in a game instance of a game associated with a first award, the first player associated with a first profile of the plurality of user profiles, the first profile including a first group identifier;
- in response to receiving the first selection, parsing the database using the first group identifier to identify a first group of the one or more groups, each player of the first group associated with a respective user profile of the plurality of user profiles that includes the first group identifier;
- receiving, from a second player via a second gaming device of the plurality of gaming devices, a second selection to participate in the game instance of the game, the second player associated with a second profile of the plurality of user profiles, the second profile excluding the first group identifier, wherein the second selection is associated with a chance to be awarded the first award associated with the game instance of the game;
- determining a first game outcome of the game instance associated with the first player;
- and
- in response to the first game outcome being associated with receiving the first award, distributing the first award to each player of the first group.
At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor in communication with at least one memory and a plurality of gaming devices, the at least one memory storing a database including a plurality of user profiles, at least some of the plurality of user profiles including one or more group identifiers, the one or more group identifiers defining one or more groups, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to:
- receive, from a first player via a first gaming device of the plurality of gaming devices, a first selection to participate in a game instance of a game associated with a first award, the first player associated with a first profile of the plurality of user profiles, the first profile including a first group identifier;
- in response to receiving the first selection, parse the database using the first group identifier to identify a first group of the one or more groups, each player of the first group associated with a respective user profile of the plurality of user profiles that includes the first group identifier;
- receive, from a second player via a second gaming device of the plurality of gaming devices, a second selection to participate in the game instance of the game, the second player associated with a second profile of the plurality of user profiles, the second profile excluding the first group identifier, wherein the second selection is associated with a chance to be awarded the first award associated with the game instance of the game;
- determine a first game outcome of the game instance associated with the first player;
- and
- in response to the first game outcome being associated with receiving the first award, distribute the first award to each player of the first group.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.