Reserve credits for use on gaming device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017193746-A1
Application number	US-201715463290-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 20, 2017
Priority date	Jun 17, 2009
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods and apparatus in which a player plays one of a plurality of networked gaming devices. Game awards below a predefined level are tracked and stored on the network. If the game awards are less than a predefined criterion, a pay command is sent over the network to the player's gaming device, which may be used for a free game. Implementation in a single gaming device is also disclosed.

First claim

1 . A method of operating a plurality of electronic gaming devices interconnected via a network, the method comprising:
permitting at least one player to play multiple rounds of a game on one of the electronic gaming devices; generating a random outcome for each round played; tracking any awards associated with the outcomes; storing any tracked awards at a storage device located on the network; determining if at least some of the stored awards, if any, are less than a predefined criterion; sending a pay command over the network to the one electronic gaming device if the game awards are less than the predefined criterion; applying a credit to a credit meter associated with the one electronic gaming device in response to the pay command; preventing the applied credit from being cashed out; permitting the player to use the applied credit to play a round of the game on the one electronic gaming device; and generating one of the random outcomes for the game played using the applied credit.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the method further includes awarding the player a credit for playing at least one additional round of the game in response to sending the pay command over the network to the one electronic gaming device.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the method further comprises:
waiting a predefined time after awarding the credit;
determining whether the one additional round of the game has been played after waiting; and
if one additional round of the game has not been played, preventing the one round of the additional game from being played.

4 . The method of claim 2 wherein the method further comprises:
accepting a log in from the player as an identified player during play; and
preventing the at least one additional round of the game from being played if the player logs out before playing the at least one additional round of the game.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the predefined criterion comprises an amount of money.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the amount of money comprises a function of at least one of an amount wagered by the player and an amount won by the player.

7 . The method of claim 5 wherein the amount of money is related to the total awards generated as a result of rounds of game play.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein tracking any awards associated with the outcomes comprises tracking consecutive losses after an initial wager.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein tracking any awards associated with the outcomes comprises tracking consecutive outcomes of rounds of the games played that are each below a predefined level.

10 . The method of claim 2 wherein awarding the player a credit for playing at least one additional round of the game comprises awarding the player a credit for a first additional round of the game and wherein the method further comprises:
permitting the player to play the first additional round of the game;
determining whether the player received a game award above a predefined amount for the first additional round of the game; and
if the player did not receive such a game award, awarding the player a further credit.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein awarding the player a further credit comprises awarding the player a credit for a second additional round of the game.

12 . The method of claim 10 wherein the method further comprises awarding no further credits if the player did receive such a game award.

13 . The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:
permitting the player to play at least two of the electronic gaming devices; and
tracking any awards associated with the outcomes on the two electronic gaming devices.

14 . The method of claim 1 further comprising changing the predefined criterion from a user-operated input device operatively connected to the network.

15 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
permitting a plurality of players to play at least one of the electronic gaming devices;
establishing at least one qualification criterion for the at least one electronic gaming device to receive the pay command; and
not sending the pay command unless the criterion is met.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises tracking at least some of the players via a player tracking system and wherein the qualification criterion comprises detecting a tracked player at the at least one electronic gaming device.

17 . A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer-usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method of operating a plurality of electronic gaming devices interconnected via a network, said method comprising:
permitting at least one player to play multiple rounds of a game on one of the electronic gaming devices; generating a random outcome for each round played; tracking any awards associated with the outcomes; storing any tracked awards at a storage device located on the network; determining if at least some of the stored awards, if any, are less than a predefined criterion; sending a pay command over the network to the player's electronic gaming device if the game awards are less than the predefined criterion; applying a credit to a credit meter associated with the one electronic gaming device in response to the pay command; preventing the applied credit from being cashed out; permitting the player to use the applied credit to play a round of the game on the one electronic gaming device; and generating one of the random outcomes for the game played using the applied credit.

18 . An electronic gaming device comprising:
an outcome generator operable to generate random outcomes for each round of a game played; a wager intake device adapted to receive a wager from a player for enabling a game for play; an award table that associates at least some of the outcomes with a player award; an award monitor constructed and arranged to track awards made; and a circuit operatively connected to the award monitor, the circuit configured to automatically enable a round of the game for play without deducting any wager when the tracked awards are less than a predefined criterion.

19 . The electronic gaming device of claim 18 wherein the predefined criterion comprises an amount of money.

20 . The electronic gaming device of claim 19 wherein the amount of money comprises a function of at least one of the amount wagered by the player and the awards made to the player.

Assignees

• Patent Invest & Licensing Co

Inventors

• Acres John F

Classifications

• G07F17/32

  for games, toys, sports, or amusements · CPC title

• G07F17/3283

  wherein the number of active machines is limited · CPC title

• G07F17/3272

  Games involving multiple players · CPC title

• G07F17/3244 Primary

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