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US 7,922,576 B2Granted
System for implementing a secondary game
AssigneeIgt
InventorRichard J. Schneider
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present system provides an incentive for players to place maximum wagers in an effort to gain access to secondary games, the entry of which is controlled by the player's own wager amount, wager type, or wager source. In employing such games, gaming machine establishments are able to maximize the level of play on each of their gaming machines and thereby reduce operation costs and increase the number of machines available for play.
Claims21
A method for controlling access to a secondary game on a gaming machine during play of a primary game, said method comprising:
- determining if the player is enrolled in a player tracking system;
- presenting a preselected wager threshold to a player via at least one of a visual message and an audio message, wherein the preselected threshold is determined based on player enrollment in the player tracking system;
- accepting a wager from the player via a gaming machine input device;
- comparing, by a server, the accepted wager to the preselected wager threshold;
- prompting the player to increase the accepted wager when the accepted wager is less than the preselected wager threshold;
- when the accepted wager equals the preselected wager threshold, receiving a trigger signal at the gaming machine;
- initiating the secondary game, by the gaming machine, in response to the trigger signal, wherein initiation of the secondary game is based only on the comparison of the accepted wager to the preselected wager threshold and regardless of an outcome of the primary game;
- and
- reporting the outcome for play of the primary game via a gaming machine primary indicator and an outcome for play of the secondary game via a gaming machine secondary indicator.
6 more elements
A system for allowing secondary play on a gaming machine having a primary game and a secondary game, said system comprising:
- a monitor configured to display a prestored trigger to a player via a visual message;
- and
- a server comprising:
- a determiner structured to compare a wager to the prestored trigger;
- and
- a controller coupled to said determiner and structured to determine if the player is enrolled in a player tracking system, transmit a trigger signal to the gaming machine to initiate the secondary game, wherein said controller is configured to transmit the trigger signal when the wager meets the prestored trigger and the player enrollment in the player tracking system, regardless of either a timing of the comparison of the wager to the prestored trigger and an outcome of the primary game, said controller further structured to report at least one of the outcome for play of the primary game and an outcome for play of the secondary game.
3 more elements
A method of initiating a secondary game on a gaming machine during play of a primary game, said method comprising:
- determining whether a player is enrolled in a player tracking system;
- permitting play on the primary game using the gaming machine;
- presenting to the player via at least one of a visual message and an audio message one of a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold that is different than the first predetermined threshold, wherein the first predetermined threshold only applies to players enrolled in the player tracking system and wherein the second predetermined threshold applies to players not enrolled in the player tracking system;
- accepting a wager via a gaming machine input device;
- comparing, by a server, the wager to the one of the first and second predetermined thresholds;
- transmitting a trigger signal from the server to the gaming machine when the accepted wager equals one of the first predetermined threshold when it is determined that the player is not enrolled in the player tracking system, and the second predetermined threshold when it is determined that the player is enrolled in the player tracking system;
- permitting play on a secondary game at the gaming machine in response to the trigger signal, wherein permission to play the secondary game is based only on the comparison of the wager to one of the first and second predetermined thresholds regardless of a timing of the comparison of the wager to one of the first and second predetermined thresholds;
- reporting a first outcome responsive to play on the gaming machine via a first indicator;
- and
- reporting a second outcome responsive to play on the gaming machine via a second indicator.
7 more elements
A system for accessing a secondary game during play of a primary game, said system comprising:
- a plurality of gaming machines that each comprises:
- a data input device configured to accept a wager from a player;
- a player tracking device configured to accept a player tracking card from the player;
- and
- a monitor configured to display one of a first wager threshold and a second wager threshold that is different than the first wager threshold;
- a server coupled to the plurality of gaming machines, wherein said server comprises:
- a player tracking determiner configured to determine whether the player is enrolled in a player tracking system based on signals received from said player tracking device;
- and
- a comparator configured to:
- compare the wager to the one of the first and second wager thresholds, wherein the wager is compared to the first wager threshold if the player is not enrolled in the player tracking system, and wherein the wager is compared to the second wager threshold if the player is enrolled in the player tracking system;
- prompt the player via said monitor to increase the wager if the wager is less than the one of the first and second wager thresholds;
- and
- transmit a trigger signal to at least one of the plurality of gaming machines to initiate a secondary game based only on the comparison of the wager to one of the first and second wager thresholds, wherein the comparator is configured to transmit the trigger signal only when the wager is at least equal to and greater than the one of the first and second wager thresholds and not when the wager is less than the one of the first and second wager thresholds, wherein the comparison of the wager to one of the first and second wager thresholds occurs regardless of at least one of an outcome of the primary game, and a timing of the comparison of the wager to one of the first and second wager thresholds.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.