Gaming systems and methods for use in creating random rewards

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10354483-B2
Application number	US-201615274753-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2016
Priority date	Dec 22, 2011
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

Servers and method for use in creating a random reward are disclosed. One exemplary method includes receiving a request for a random reward from an organizer, establishing a random reward in response to the request, transmitting a credential associated with the random reward to a player, and crediting gaming activity associated with the credential to the random reward. Access to the random reward is limited to players presenting the credential.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of creating a random reward that is accessible to a group of players, said method comprising:
receiving, from a first player, a request to initiate a casino-based game on a gaming machine, the request received through at least one of the gaming machine, a website associated with or hosted by a gaming server communicatively coupled to the gaming machine, a gaming kiosk, and another gaming-related machine at a gaming location;
initiating play of the game by the first player on the gaming machine by receiving a wager using at least one of a coin acceptor configured to accept at least one of coins and tokens, and a paper acceptor configured to at least one of accept and validate at least one of cash bills, coupons, tickets, identification cards, reward cards, smart cards, and vouchers;
receiving a request for the random reward from an organizer of the random reward;
establishing, by a processor in a gaming server, the random reward in response to the request;
transmitting, from the processor in the gaming server, an invitation including a player-specific credential associated with the random reward to at least one invitee through a social network website, wherein access to the random reward is limited to the at least one invitee redeeming the credential, the player-specific credential specific to each respective invitee, such that each respective invitee of a random reward is provided a credential that is linked to the random reward and specific to that invitee;
receiving an indication of each credential redeemed by the at least one invitee at a second gaming machine, where the at least one invitee becomes a player;
crediting gaming activity of each player associated with the redeemed credential to the random reward, wherein credited gaming activity is determined based on an amount wagered for each game played meeting one or more wager amount thresholds;
comparing the credited gaming activity of each player associated with the credential to a predetermined gaming activity threshold for achieving the random reward; and
displaying, on the second gaming machine, an indicator of the comparison of the credited gaming activity and the predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request for the random reward includes receiving the request including identifying information for a plurality of invitees; and
wherein transmitting the player-specific credential to each player in the group of players includes transmitting the credential to each of the plurality of invitees based on the identifying information.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request for the random reward includes receiving a request including a social network identifier; and
wherein transmitting the credential associated with the random reward to each player in the group of players includes transmitting the credential to each of a plurality of invitees through the social network website based on the social network identifier.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, when the random reward is triggered, awarding a prize associated with the random reward to at least one player in the group of players based on a total gaming activity credited to the random reward and the credited gaming activity directly attributed to said at least one player.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request for the random reward includes receiving the request including identifying information for a plurality of invitees, and wherein the identifying information includes at least one of a name, a mailing address, an email address, a social network identifier, a user identifier, and a rewards account number.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, from the gaming server, a status of the random reward to be displayed by the gaming machine when gaming activity on the gaming machine is credited to the random reward.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, from the gaming server, a status of the random reward to the first player, via at least one of a social network server and a wide area network (WAN).

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising setting a parameter of the random reward based on the request received from the organizer, the parameter including at least one of a random reward payout amount, an eligibility requirement, a target amount of gaming activities per time period, and a duration of the random reward.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting a credential associated with the random reward to each player in the group of players comprises transmitting a credential associated with the random reward to players that are designated by the first player, wherein the first player is not the organizer.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising awarding the random reward to a player associated with the credential when the credited gaming activity exceeds the predetermined threshold.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the credited gaming activity includes chances to win, and wherein the method further comprises:
awarding a first amount of chances to win the random reward based on the amount wagered exceeding a first threshold; and
awarding a second amount of chances to win the random reward based on the amount wagered exceeding a second threshold, wherein the second amount is greater than the first amount, and wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

12. A gaming system comprising:
a gaming machine configured to:
receive a wager using at least one of a coin acceptor configured to accept at least one of coins and tokens, and a paper acceptor configured to at least one of accept and validate at least one of cash bills, coupons, tickets, identification cards, reward cards, smart cards, and vouchers; and

a gaming server coupled to said gaming machine, said gaming server configured to:
receive, from a first player, a request to initiate a casino-based game on a gaming machine, the request received through at least one of the gaming machine, a website associated with or hosted by a gaming server communicatively coupled to the gaming machine, a gaming kiosk, and another gaming-related machine at a gaming location;
during play of the game by the first player on the gaming machine, receive a request for a random reward from an organizer;
establish, at said gaming server, the random reward in response to the request;
transmit, from said gaming server, an invitation including a player-specific credential associated with the random reward to at least one invitee through a social network website, wherein access to the random reward is limited to the at least one invitee redeeming the credential, the player-specific credential specific to each respective invitee, such that each respective invitee of a random reward is provided a credential that is linked to the random reward and specific to that invitee;
receive an indication of each credential redeemed by the at least one invitee at a second gaming machine, where the at least one invitee becomes a player;
credit gaming activity on said gaming machine and associated with the credential to the random reward, wherein credited gaming activity is determined based on an amount wagered for each game played meeting one or more wager amount thresholds;
compare the credited gaming activity of each player associated with the credential to a predetermined gaming activity threshold for achieving the random reward; and
display, on the second gaming machine, an indicator of the comparison of the credited gaming activity and the predetermined threshold.

13. The gaming system of claim 12 , wherein said gaming serv

Assignees

• Video Gaming Tech Inc

Inventors

• Thacker Christopher John
• Milligan Daniel William
• Brooks Stephen Wade

Classifications

• G07F17/3246

  involving coins and/or banknotes · CPC title

• G07F17/3241

  Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance (computer security G06F21/00) · CPC title

• G07F17/3209

  Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen · CPC title

• G07F17/3211

  Display means · CPC title

• G07F17/3251

  involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens · CPC title