Gaming system and methods of providing an award to a player

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10679461-B2
Application number	US-201916243798-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2019
Priority date	Jun 10, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2020
Grant date	Jun 9, 2020

Abstract

A system for providing an award to a player is described herein. The system includes a plurality of gaming devices and a controller coupled to each of the gaming devices. Each gaming device is configured to receive a wager from a player and responsively display a game. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a wager being received by at least one of the gaming devices, determine a range of award numbers as a function of at least one previous wager, randomly select an award number from the range of award numbers, and responsively provide an award to the player being associated with the at least one gaming device as a function of the randomly selected award number.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer system, comprising:
a system computer for providing progressive awards to players, the system computer coupled to a plurality of gaming devices via a network, each gaming device programmed to allow a player to place wagers on a game, the system computer including a processor coupled to a memory device, the processor programed to execute an algorithm including:
receive a signal indicative of a wager being received by at least one of the gaming devices;
establish a total amount of previous wagers received since a previous progressive award has been provided;
determine a current range of award numbers by reducing a predefined range of award numbers by the established total amount of previous wagers;
randomly select an award number from the current range of award numbers;
determine a subset of consecutive numbers within the current range of award numbers as a function of the received wager; and
provide an award to a player associated with the at least one gaming device if the selected award number is within the determined subset of consecutive numbers.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to determine the current range of award numbers including a current minimum range value equal to the sum of the total amount of previous wagers and a minimum range value of the predefined range of numbers.

3. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to determine the current range of award numbers including a current maximum range value equal to the difference between a maximum range value of the predefined range of numbers and the total amount of previous wagers.

4. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to determine the subset of consecutive numbers by adding the current wager value to a current minimum range value of the current range of award numbers.

5. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the predefined range of award numbers includes a maximum range value equal to a maximum amount of total wagers that may be received prior to awarding the progressive award.

6. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein, upon determining that the progressive award is not provided, the processor is programmed to determine a modified range of award numbers for use with a subsequent game by reducing the current range of award numbers by the current wager value associated with the received wager.

7. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is programmed to:
receive a signal indicating a second wager being placed on a second game;
randomly select a second award number from the modified range of award numbers;
determine a second subset of numbers within the modified range of award numbers as a function of the second wager; and
provide the progressive award to the player if the selected second award number is within the second subset of numbers.

8. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one gaming device includes at least one of a smartphone, a personal computer, a laptop, and a tablet computer.

9. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of gaming devices includes a video slot machine.

10. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to:
determine a modified range of award numbers upon determining the selected award number is not within the determined subset of consecutive numbers, the modified range of award numbers being determined by subtracting an amount of the received wager from the current range of award numbers, the modified range of award numbers being used with a subsequent game;
receive a signal indicative of a second wager being received by one of the gaming devices;
randomly select a second award number from the modified range of award numbers;
determine a second subset of numbers within the modified range of numbers, the second subset of numbers being determined as a function of the second wager; and
provide the award to a player associated with the second wager upon determining the second award number is within the second subset of numbers.

11. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is programmed to:
determine the current range of award numbers having a first maximum range value and determine the modified range of award numbers having a second maximum range value that is different from the first maximum range value.

12. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is programmed to:
determine a wager number within the subset of consecutive numbers; and
provide the award to the player as a function of the determined wager number.

13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is programmed to provide the award to the player if the selected award number matches the wager number.

14. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is programmed to provide the award to the player if the selected award number is less than the wager number.

15. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is programmed to determine one of a maximum range value and a minimum range value of the current range of award numbers as a function of at least one previous wager.

16. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is programmed to determine the current range of award numbers including a current minimum range value equal to the sum of the total amount of previous wagers and a minimum range value of the predefined range of numbers.

17. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is programmed to determine the current range of award numbers including a current maximum range value equal to the difference between a maximum range value of the predefined range of numbers and the total amount of previous wagers.

18. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is programmed to determine the subset of consecutive numbers by adding the current wager value to a current minimum range value of the current range of award numbers.

19. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the predefined range of award numbers includes a maximum range value equal to a maximum amount of total wagers that may be received prior to awarding the progressive award.

20. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of gaming devices include video slot machines arranged in a bank.

Assignees

• Konami Gaming Inc

Inventors

• Suda Satoshi
• Lee Arthur

Classifications

• G07F17/34

  depending on the stopping of moving members {in a mechanical slot machine}, e.g. "fruit" machines · CPC title

• G07F17/3244 Primary

  Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes · CPC title