# US 8,784,190 B2 · Gaming system and method providing optimized incentives to delay expected termination of a gaming session > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,784,190 B2 - Document ID: US8784190B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/403,667 - Filed: 2012-02-23 - Published: 2013-08-29 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2012-02-23 - Assignees: Igt - Applicants: Adam J. Thompson; Eugene T. Bond; Richard A. Powell - Inventors: Adam J. Thompson; Eugene T. Bond; Richard A. Powell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784190B2 ## CPC - G07F 17/3227: {Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters} - G07F 17/3239: {Tracking of individual players} - G07F 17/3255: {Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements} - G07F 17/3258: {Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots} - 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: 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 Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing one or more incentives to delay termination of a gaming session. In general, for a player, the gaming system utilizes gaming session data collected from the player's previous gaming sessions to determine one or more termination causation events for the player. When a designated number of the termination causation events occur during a current gaming session of the player, the gaming system provides an incentive to the player, wherein the incentive is configured to cause the player to delay expected termination of the player's current gaming session. In certain embodiments, the gaming system optimizes an incentive available to be provided to a player based on the effectiveness of prior incentives provided to the player. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gaming system comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: (a) enable a player to play one or more wagering games during a gaming session; (b) determine whether a termination causation event predicted to cause termination of the gaming session occurs during the gaming session; and (c) if the termination causation event occurs: (i) provide an incentive to the player and cause at least one display device to display the provided incentive; (ii) determine whether the provided incentive is effective at causing the player to delay termination of the gaming session; and (iii) if the provided incentive is not effective at causing the player to delay termination of the gaming session, modify at least one aspect of the provided incentive for a subsequent gaming session of the player such that the modified incentive is provided if the termination causation event occurs during the subsequent gaming session. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the provided incentive is effective at causing the player to delay termination of the gaming session if the gaming session continues for one of: (a) at least a predetermined period of time after the incentive is provided, and (b) at least a predetermined quantity of plays of the wagering games after the incentive is provided. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the provided incentive is ineffective at causing the player to delay termination of the gaming session if the gaming session continues for one of: (a) less than a predetermined period of time after the incentive is provided, and (b) fewer than a predetermined quantity of plays of the wagering games after the incentive is provided. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the provided incentive includes an incentive type and a value, and the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to modify at least on aspect of the provided incentive by one of: (a) modifying the incentive type of the provided incentive, (b) modifying the value of the provided incentive, and (c) modifying the incentive type and the value of the provided incentive. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to modify at least one aspect of the provided incentive based on one or more of: (a) the effectiveness of one or more other incentives previously provided to the player, and (b) the effectiveness of one or more other incentives previously provided to one or more other players. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, if the provided incentive is effective at causing the player to delay termination of the gaming session, modify an incentive type of the provided incentive for the subsequent gaming session of the player. ### Claim 7 A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising: (a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to enable a player to play one or more wagering games during a gaming session; (b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether a termination causation event predicted to cause termination of the gaming session occurs during the gaming session; and (c) if the termination causation event occurs: (i) providing an, incentive to the player and causing the at least one processor to, execute the plurality of instructions to cause at least one display device to display the provided incentive; (ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether the provided incentive is effective at causing the player to delay termination of the gaming session; and (iii) if the provided incentive is not effective at causing the player to delay termination of the gaming session, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to modify at least one aspect of the provided incentive for a subsequent gaming session of the player such that the modified incentive is provided if the termination causation event occurs during the subsequent gaming session. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the provided incentive is effective at causing the player to delay termination of the gaming session if the gaming session continues for one of: (a) at least a predetermined period of time after the incentive is provided, and (b) at least a predetermined quantity of plays of the wagering games after the incentive is provided. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the provided incentive is ineffective at causing the player to delay termination of the gaming session if the gaming session continues for one of: (a) less than a predetermined period of time after the incentive is provided, and (b) fewer than a predetermined quantity of plays of the wagering games after the incentive is provided. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the provided incentive includes an incentive type and a value, and which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to modify at least on aspect of the provided incentive by one of: (a) modifying the incentive type of the provided incentive, (b) modifying the value of the provided incentive, and (c) modifying the incentive type and the value of the provided incentive. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to modify at least one aspect of the provided incentive based on one or more of: (a) the effectiveness of one or more other incentives previously provided to the player, and (b) the effectiveness of one or more other incentives previously provided to one or more other players. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to, if the provided incentive is effective at causing the player to delay termination of the gaming session, modify an incentive type of the provided incentive for the subsequent gaming session of the player. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, which is provided through a data network. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the data network is an internet. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer readable medium including a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: (a) enable a player to play one or more wagering games during a gaming session; (b) determine whether a termination causation event predicted to cause termination of the gaming session occurs during the gaming session; and (c) if the termination causation event occurs: (i) provide an incentive to the player and cause at least one display device to display the provided incentive; (ii) determine whether the provided incentive is effective at causing the player to delay termination of the gaming session; and (iii) if the provided incentive is not effective at causing the player to delay termination of the gaming session, modify at least one aspect of the provided incentive for a subsequent gaming session of the player such that the modified incentive is provided if the termination causation event occurs during the subsequent gaming session. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the provided incentive is effective at causing the player to delay termination of the gaming session if the gaming session continues for one of: (a) at least a predetermined period of time after the incentive is provided, and (b) at least a predetermined quantity of plays of the wagering games after the incentive is provided. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the provided incentive is ineffective at causing the player to delay termination of the gaming session if the gaming session continues for one of: (a) less than a predetermined period of time after the incentive is provided, and (b) fewer than a predetermined quantity of plays of the wagering games after the incentive is provided. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the provided incentive includes an incentive type and a value, and the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to modify at least on aspect of the provided incentive by one of: (a) modifying the incentive type of the provided incentive, (b) modifying the value of the provided incentive, and (c) modifying the incentive type and the value of the provided incentive. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to modify at least one aspect of the provided incentive based on one or more of: (a) the effectiveness of one or more other incentives previously provided to the player, and (b) the effectiveness of one or more other incentives previously provided to one or more other players. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, if the provided incentive is effective at causing the player to delay termination of the gaming session, modify an incentive type of the provided incentive for the subsequent gaming session of the player.