Gaming systems with configurable jackpot award strategies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9454878-B2
Application number	US-201213428533-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2012
Priority date	Mar 23, 2012
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

A gaming machine includes an input device and a processor coupled to the input device. The input device is configured to receive a game play event from a player. The processor is programmed to determine whether a jackpot trigger condition is satisfied based at least in part on the game play event. The jackpot trigger condition includes a target quantity of games played, a target set of game tokens, a target pattern of game symbols, and/or a target pattern of game play outcomes. The processor is further programmed to award a jackpot credit to one or more players when the jackpot trigger condition is satisfied.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gaming system comprising:
a wager input device configured to receive a game play event from a player, said wager input device comprising at least one of a switch and a touch screen;
an acceptor configured to receive at least one of a virtual coupon wirelessly and a printed coupon; and
a processor coupled to said wager input device and programmed to:
determine a target quantity of games played based at least in part on a random number;
determine whether a jackpot trigger condition is satisfied based at least in part on at least one of the game play event and whether an actual quantity of games played is greater than or equal to the determined target quantity of games played wherein the jackpot trigger condition includes receiving, by the gaming system, a predetermined number of outstanding coupons associated with players in a circle of friends; and
award a jackpot credit to the player when the jackpot trigger condition is satisfied.

2. A gaming system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said processor is further programmed to:
adjust a game play counter based on one or more game plays that are executed based on one or more game play events; and
determine whether the actual quantity of games played is equal to or greater than the determined target quantity of games played by based at least in part on the game play counter.

3. A gaming system in accordance with claim 2 , wherein said processor is programmed to adjust the game play counter based on at least one of the following: game plays that are associated with a predetermined outcome, game plays that are associated with a bonus event, and game plays associated with a wager that is within a predetermined wager range.

4. A gaming system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said processor is further programmed to determine the target quantity of games played by determining a number between a predetermined minimum value and a predetermined maximum value.

5. A gaming system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said processor is further programmed to:
determine the actual quantity of games played by a plurality of players at a plurality of gaming machines; and
determine whether the jackpot trigger condition is satisfied based at least in part on the actual quantity of games played and the determined target quantity of games played.

6. A gaming system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said processor is programmed to determine whether the jackpot trigger condition is satisfied at least in part by:
determining an actual set of game tokens awarded to the player; and
determining whether the actual set of game tokens matches a target set of game tokens.

7. A gaming system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein said processor is further programmed to award game tokens to the player based on at least one of a game played, a game play outcome, and a bonus event associated with a game play.

8. A gaming system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein said processor is programmed to determine the actual set of game tokens awarded to the player by determining a set of game tokens awarded during a session of game play.

9. A gaming system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein said processor is programmed to determine the actual set of game tokens awarded to the player by determining a set of game tokens associated with a player account corresponding to the player.

10. A gaming system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein said processor is programmed to determine the actual set of game tokens awarded to the player by determining a set of game tokens associated with a gaming machine that generated the received game play event.

11. A gaming system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the jackpot credit is awarded to all the players in the circle of friends upon the jackpot trigger condition being satisfied.

12. A method for use with a gaming system, said method comprising:
receiving, by at least one gaming server, a game play event associated with a player from a wager input device associated with a gaming machine, the wager input device including at least one of a switch and a touch screen;
determining a target quantity of games played based at least in part on a random number;
determining, by the at least one gaming server, whether a jackpot trigger condition is satisfied based at least in part on at least one of the game play event and whether an actual quantity of games played is greater than or equal to the determined target quantity of games played, wherein the jackpot trigger condition includes receiving, by the gaming system, a predetermined number of outstanding coupons associated with players in a circle of friends using an acceptor configured to receive at least one of virtual coupons wirelessly and printed coupons; and
awarding, by the at least one gaming server, a jackpot credit to the player when the jackpot trigger condition is satisfied.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12 , further comprising:
receiving, by the at least one gaming server, a plurality of game play events from a plurality of gaming machines; and
determining the target quantity of games played based further on a total number game play executed by the plurality of gaming machines.

14. A method in accordance with claim 12 , wherein determining whether the jackpot trigger condition is satisfied comprises:
determining, by the at least one gaming server, an actual set of game tokens awarded to the player; and
determining, by the at least one gaming server, whether the actual set of game tokens matches a target set of game tokens.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14 , further comprising awarding to the player, by the at least one gaming server, one or more game tokens based on at least one of a game play outcome, and a bonus event associated with a game play.

16. A method in accordance with claim 14 , wherein determining the actual set of game tokens awarded to the player comprises determining at least one of a set of game tokens awarded during a session of game play, a set of game tokens associated with a player account corresponding to the player, and a set of game tokens associated with a gaming machine that generated the received game play event.

17. A gaming system comprising:
a plurality of gaming machines, wherein each gaming machine is associated with a player and configured to:
execute a game play based on a game play event received from the player using a wager input device associated with at least one of the plurality of gaming machines to create a game play outcome, said wager input device comprising at least one of a switch and a touch screen; and
transmit game play information including at least one of the game play event and the game play outcome; and

a gaming server coupled in communication with said gaming machines and configured to:
receive game play information from a first gaming machine of said gaming machines;
determine a target quantity of games played based at least in part on a random number;
determine whether a jackpot trigger condition is satisfied based at least in part on at least one of the game play information and whether an actual quantity of games played is greater than or equal to the determined target quantity of games played, wherein the jackpot trigger condition includes receiving, by the gaming system, a predetermined number of outstanding coupons associated with players in a circle of friends using an acceptor configured to receive at least one of virtual coupons wirelessly and printed coupons; and
award at least a portion of a jackpot credit to a first player associated wit

Assignees

• Milligan Daniel William
• Thacker Christopher John
• Brooks Stephen Wade
• Sprinkle Jason Todd
• Video Gaming Tech Inc

Inventors

• Milligan Daniel William
• Thacker Christopher John
• Brooks Stephen Wade
• Sprinkle Jason Todd

Classifications

• G07F17/32

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

• A63F13/00

  Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions · CPC title

• G07F17/3272

  Games involving multiple players · CPC title

• G07F17/34 Primary

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

• G07F17/3258 Primary

  Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots · CPC title