Bonus with proximity of occurrence related to base game outcomes or payback percentage
AssigneePatent Investment & Licensing Company
InventorJohn F. Acres
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Each play of a base game increases the likelihood of winning a bonus award. A display provides a graphical indication of the change in likelihood of winning the bonus award. In one aspect, the bonus award comprises the opportunity to play a secondary game. In another aspect, winning the bonus award may be based on payback percentage or outcomes of the base game. In yet another aspect, the timing of the next bonus award can be configured, or otherwise based on one or more conditions.
Claims20
A method of operating a gaming device having a base game and a secondary game associated with it comprising:
- monitoring the occurrence of at least one base game event;
- incrementing a count for each occurrence of the monitored event;
- modifying the count by a number that is a function of a payback percentage of the base game;
- comparing the modified count with a trigger threshold;
- and
- enabling the secondary game when the count bears a predefined relationship to the trigger threshold.
The method of 1 wherein modifying the count by a number that is a function of the base game payback percentage comprises adding the count to a function of 1 minus the base game payback percentage.
The method of 2 wherein the function of 1 minus the game payback percentage comprises K·(1−the game payback percentage), wherein K is a constant.
The method of 1 wherein modifying the count by a number that is a function of the base game payback percentage comprises adding the count to a function of 1 plus the base game payback percentage.
The method of 4 wherein the function of 1 plus the game payback percentage comprises K·(1+the game payback percentage), wherein K is a constant.
A method of operating a gaming device having a base game and a secondary game associated with it comprising:
- monitoring the occurrence of at least one base game outcome each time the base game is enabled;
- incrementing a count for each occurrence of the monitored outcome;
- modifying the count by a number that is a function of a payback percentage of the base game;
- comparing the count with a trigger threshold;
- and
- enabling the secondary game when the count bears a predefined relationship to the trigger threshold.
The method of 6 wherein modifying the count by a number that is a function of the base game payback percentage comprises adding the count to a function of 1 minus the base game payback percentage.
The method of 10 wherein the function of 1 minus the game payback percentage comprises K·(1−the game payback percentage), wherein K is a constant.
The method of 6 wherein modifying the count by a number that is a function of the base game payback percentage comprises adding the count to a function of 1 plus the base game payback percentage.
The method of 12 wherein the function of 1 plus the game payback percentage comprises K·(1+the game payback percentage), wherein K is a constant.
A method of operating a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device having a base game associated with it, the method comprising:
- monitoring the occurrence of at least one base game outcome each time the base game associated with a first gaming device is enabled;
- monitoring the occurrence of at least one base game outcome each time the base game associated with a second gaming device is enabled;
- incrementing a count for each occurrence of the monitored outcomes associated with at least one of the first and second gaming devices;
- modifying the count by a number that is a function of a payback percentage of the base game;
- comparing the count with a trigger threshold;
- and
- enabling a secondary game when the count bears a predefined relationship to the trigger threshold.
The method of 14 wherein modifying the count by a number that is a function of the base game payback percentage comprises adding the count to a function of 1 minus the base game payback percentage.
The method of 17 wherein the function of 1 minus the game payback percentage comprises K·(1−the game payback percentage), wherein K is a constant.
The method of 14 wherein modifying the count by a number that is a function of the base game payback percentage comprises adding the count to a function of 1 plus the base game payback percentage.
The method of 19 wherein the function of 1 plus the game payback percentage comprises K·(1+the game payback percentage), wherein K is a constant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.