Wagering agent

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9293010-B2
Application number	US-201213568837-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2012
Priority date	Aug 7, 2012
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A gaming machine, such as a video slot or video poker machine, may be configured to execute an interface. The gaming machine may be configured to receive, a plurality of times, player input to play a first wagering game on the gaming machine. The gaming machine may be further configured to generate, each time the player input is received, game results for the first wagering game. The gaming machine may also be configured to generate game results for a second wagering game. The gaming machine may also be configured to present an animation of the wagering agent engaging in wagering activities.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
receiving, via an acceptor of a gaming machine, a first physical item associated with a first monetary value;
establishing, via at least one processor, a credit balance for a player based at least in part on the first monetary value associated with the received first physical item;
receiving a plurality of actuations of a wager button of the gaming machine, each actuation associated with a wager deducted from the credit balance;
for each received actuation of the wager button, initiating, via the at least one processor, a play of a first wagering game, and generating, via the at least one processor, game results for said play of the first wagering game;
generating, via the at least one processor, first game results for a first play of a second wagering game, the first play of the second wagering game being initiated based on credits allocated to game play for the second wagering game as a result of game play of the first wagering game;
displaying, via at least one display device of the gaming machine, an animation of a wagering agent associated with the player engaging in wagering activities, the wagering agent being associated with the player via a player account of the player, wherein the animation of the wagering activities of the player's wagering agent depicts the first game results of the first play of the second wagering game;
upon receiving an actuation of a cashout button indicating that the player has ended play at the gaming machine and based on the allocated credits being above a wagering threshold, automatically generating, via the at least one processor, deferred second game results for a second play of the second wagering game absent additional input from the player, the deferred second game results being independent of any game results of any prior plays for the second wagering game; and
providing the deferred second game results to the player via a remote computer.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
allocating, for each received actuation of the wager button, a first portion of the wager to the first wagering game and a second portion of the wager to the second wagering game.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
accumulating, via the at least one processor, gaming credits for the second wagering game; and
enabling the player to use the accumulated gaming credits to customize the player's wagering agent.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the gaming credits are accumulated each time player input is received based on the second portion of the wager.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second wagering game being initiated is a result of the allocated credits reaching the wagering threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the wagering threshold is based on a player profile.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the player profile comprises a loyalty account.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
retrieving, via the at least one processor, the animation of the wagering agent from memory; and
transferring, via the at least one processor, the animation of the wagering agent to a new gaming session.

9. A gaming machine comprising:
a housing;
at least one display device supported by the housing;
a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, the plurality of input devices including an acceptor, a wager button, and a cashout button;
a processor; and
at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the plurality of input devices to:
receive, via the acceptor, a first physical item associated with a first monetary value;
establish a credit balance for a player based at least in part on the first monetary value associated with the received first physical item;
receive a plurality of actuations of the wager button, each actuation associated with a wager;
for each received actuation of the wager button, initiate a play of the first wagering game and generate game results for said play of the first wagering game;
generate first game results for a first play of a second wagering game, the first play of the second wagering game being initiated based on credits allocated to game play for the second wagering game as a result of game play of the first wagering game;
display an animation of a wagering agent of the player engaging in wagering activities, the wagering agent being associated with the player via a player account of the player, wherein the animation of the wagering activities of the player's wagering agent depicts the first game results of the first play of the second wagering game;
upon receiving an actuation of the cashout button indicating that the player has ended play at the gaming machine and based on the allocated credits being above a wagering threshold, automatically generate deferred second game results for a second play of the second wagering game absent additional input from the player, the deferred second game results being independent of any game results of any prior plays of the second wagering game; and
provide the deferred second game results to the player via a remote computer.

10. The gaming machine of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
allocate, for each received actuation of the wager button, a first portion of the wager to the first wagering game and a second portion of the wager to the second wagering game.

11. The gaming machine of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
accumulate gaming credits for the second wagering game; and
enable the player to use the accumulated gaming credits to customize the player's wagering agent.

12. The gaming machine of claim 11 , wherein the gaming credits are accumulated each time player input is received based on the second portion of the wager.

13. The gaming machine of claim 9 , wherein the second wagering game being initiated is a result of the allocated credits reaching the wagering threshold.

14. The gaming machine of claim 13 , wherein the wagering threshold is based on a player profile.

15. The gaming machine of claim 14 , wherein the player profile comprises a loyalty account.

16. The gaming machine of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
retrieve the animation of the wagering agent from memory; and
transfer the animation of the wagering agent to a new gaming session.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having machine instructions stored therein, the instructions being executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
establishing a credit balance for a player based at least in part on a first monetary value associated with a first physical item received by an acceptor of a gaming machine;
for each received actuation of a wager button of the gaming machine, initiating a play of a first wagering game, and generating game results for said play of the first wagering game;
generating first game results for a first play of a second wagering game, the first play of the second wagering game being initiated based on credits allocated to game play for the second wagering game as a result of game play of the first wagering game;
causing at least one display device to display an animation of a wagering agent of the player engaging in wagering activities, the wag

Assignees

• Filipour Cameron
• Smith Vincent
• Ross Mark
• Schaefer Craig
• Johnson Brian
• Igt Reno Nev

Inventors

• Filipour Cameron
• Smith Vincent
• Ross Mark
• Schaefer Craig
• Johnson Brian

Classifications

• G07F17/3267 Primary

  Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games · CPC title

• G07F17/3225

  Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users · CPC title

• G07F17/32

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

• G07F17/323

  wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions · CPC title

• G07F17/3244 Primary

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