U.S. patent application number 12/104249 was filed with the patent office on 2009-10-22 for generating a score related to play on gaming devices.
This patent application is currently assigned to Acres-Fiore, Inc.. Invention is credited to John F. ACRES.
Application Number | 20090264171 12/104249 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41201545 |
Filed Date | 2009-10-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090264171 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ACRES; John F. |
October 22, 2009 |
GENERATING A SCORE RELATED TO PLAY ON GAMING DEVICES
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to generating
and displaying a score related to the results of wagering by a
player on an electronic gaming machine. In one embodiment, a method
for generating a score related to play on at least one electronic
gaming device includes tracking the amount wagered on the gaming
device, tracking the amount awarded by the gaming device, and
generating a score related to the tracked amounts.
Inventors: |
ACRES; John F.; (Corvallis,
OR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MARGER JOHNSON & MCCOLLOM, P.C.
210 SW MORRISON STREET, SUITE 400
PORTLAND
OR
97204
US
|
Assignee: |
Acres-Fiore, Inc.
Las Vegas
NV
|
Family ID: |
41201545 |
Appl. No.: |
12/104249 |
Filed: |
April 16, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/7 ; 463/16;
463/20 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3239 20130101;
G07F 17/3258 20130101; G07F 17/32 20130101; G07F 17/3211 20130101;
G07F 17/3246 20130101; G07F 17/322 20130101; G07F 17/3241 20130101;
G07F 17/323 20130101; G07F 17/3237 20130101; G07F 17/3288 20130101;
G07F 17/3234 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/7 ; 463/20;
463/16 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A method for generating a score related to play on at least one
electronic gaming device comprising: tracking an amount wagered on
the at least one gaming device; tracking an amount awarded by the
at least one gaming device; and generating a score related to the
tracked amounts.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the tracked amounts are related to
a single gaming device.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the tracked amounts are related to
a single player of the gaming device.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein the tracked amounts are related to
multiple players of the gaming device.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the tracked amounts are related to
a single player of multiple gaming devices.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the generated score comprises the
actual machine hold for an identified wager segment.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising comparing the actual
machine hold to a theoretical machine hold.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating scores for
multiple players and displaying at least some of the scores.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a visible
display related to the score.
10. A method for generating a score related to play on an
electronic gaming device comprising: tracking a predefined amount
wagered on the gaming device; tracking an amount awarded by the
gaming device in response to wagering the predefined amount of
money; and generating a score that is a function of the tracked
amounts.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising: tracking a
predefined amount wagered on a second gaming device; tracking an
amount awarded by the second gaming device in response to wagering
the predefined amount of money on the second gaming device;
generating a score that is a function of the tracked amounts on the
second gaming device; and comparing the scores generated on the
first and second gaming devices.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein the predefined amount wagered
comprises a predefined amount for which tracking starts in response
to a command input to the gaming device by a player of the gaming
device.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein the predefined amount wagered
comprises a predefined wager-segment amount that is repeatedly
determined during the course of gaming device play.
14. A method for generating a score on a gaming device associated
with a player, the method comprising: associating a player
identifying mark with the player; tracking credits wagered by the
player over a plurality of gaming events; tracking credits awarded
to the player over the plurality of gaming events; calculating a
player score based on the tracked credits wagered and tracked
credits awarded during the plurality of gaming events; and
displaying the player score with the player identifying mark.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein calculating the player score
includes normalizing the credits wagered and credits awarded based
on a predetermined number of gaming events.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein calculating the player score
includes normalizing the credits wagered and credits awarded based
on a predetermined monetary value.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein calculating the player score
includes normalizing the credits wagered and credits awarded based
on a predetermined time period.
18. The method of claim 14, wherein the player score is calculated
by the following formula: (credits awarded)/(credits wagered).
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising indicating on the
gaming device whether the player score was greater than an expected
payback percentage of the gaming device.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein multiple indications of player
scores versus the expected payback percentage are displayed on the
gaming device.
21. The method of claim 14, wherein associating a player
identifying mark with the player includes identifying the player by
use of player tracking device and retrieving the player identifying
mark from a player tracking account associated with the identified
player.
22. The method of claim 14, wherein associating a player
identifying mark with the player includes requesting the player to
input one or more symbols to create the player identifying
mark.
23. The method of claim 14, wherein the player may reset the
tracked amounts to respective initial values after completion of a
gaming event.
24. The method of claim 14, wherein the tracked amounts are reset
after a predetermined number of credits are wagered.
25. A gaming device comprising: means for wagering credits during a
gaming session on the gaming device; means for displaying the
outcome of the gaming session; means for tracking an amount of
credits wagered on the gaming device; means for tracking an amount
of credits awarded on the gaming device; and means for calculating
a player score based on the tracked amounts.
26. The gaming device of claim 25, further comprising means for
displaying the calculated player score.
27. The gaming device of claim 25, further comprising means for
comparing the calculated player score with an expected payback
percentage of the gaming device.
28. The gaming device of claim 27, further comprising means for
displaying the result of the comparison of the calculated player
score with the expected payback percentage of the gaming
device.
29. A method for generating a score on a gaming device associated
with a player, the method comprising: associating a player
identifying mark with the player; initiating a score tracking
session; tracking credits wagered by the player over a plurality of
gaming sessions during the score tracking session; tracking credits
awarded to the player over the plurality of gaming sessions during
the score tracking session; ending the score tracking session;
calculating a final player score based on the tracked credits
wagered and tracked credits awarded during the score tracking
session; and displaying the player score with the player
identifying mark.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the score tracking session is
ended after a predetermined number of gaming sessions have been
completed.
31. The method of claim 29, wherein the score tracking session is
ended after a predetermined amount of credits has been wagered.
32. The method of claim 29, wherein the score tracking session is
ended after a predetermined amount of time has passed.
33. A gaming system comprising: a gaming device including: a player
identification device to identify a player playing the gaming
device, a processor to track an amount of credits wagered on the
gaming device, track an amount of credits awarded on the gaming
device, and generate a score based on the tracked amounts, and a
score display to display the score generated by the processor; and
a server coupled to the gaming device over a network, the server
including a player database to store player information, wherein
the player information stored in the database includes scores
generated for respective identified players.
34. The gaming system of claim 33, wherein the scores generated for
identified players stored in the database includes a ranked list of
scores associated with a player.
35. The gaming system of claim 34, wherein the gaming device
further includes a player top score display to show a predetermined
number of top scores from the ranked list of scores associated with
an identified player.
36. The gaming system of claim 34, wherein the ranked list of
scores associated with a player includes a ranked list of scores
associated with a particular gaming device.
37. The gaming system of claim 34, wherein the ranked list of
scores associated with a player includes a ranked list of scores
associated with a particular type of gaming device.
38. The gaming system of claim 34, wherein the ranked list of
scores associated with a player includes a ranked list of scores
associated with a gaming location or plurality of related gaming
locations.
39. The gaming system of claim 33, wherein the gaming device
further includes a device score portion to display a ranked list of
top scores associated with the gaming device.
40. The gaming system of claim 39, wherein the gaming device
further includes a device score portion to display a ranked list of
top scores associated with a particular type of gaming device.
41. The gaming system of claim 39, wherein the gaming device
further includes a device score portion to display a ranked list of
top scores associated with gaming location or plurality of related
gaming locations.
42. The gaming system of claim 33, wherein the scores generated for
identified players stored in the database includes a ranked list of
scores associated with a first group of players.
43. The gaming system of claim 42, wherein the server is configured
to award a bonus prize to a highest ranked player from the ranked
list of scores associated with the first group of players.
44. The gaming system of claim 42, wherein scores generated for
indentified players stored in the database further includes a
ranked list of scores associated with a second group of
players.
45. The gaming system of claim 44, wherein the server is configured
to award a bonus prize to the first or second group of players
based on the respective ranked lists of scores associated with the
first and second group of players.
46. A gaming device comprising: a player identification device to
identify a player playing the gaming device; a processor to track
gaming outcomes on the gaming device associated with wagers placed
by the player, the processor configured to generate a score
associated with the tracked gaming outcomes; and a score display to
display the score generated by the processor.
47. The gaming device of claim 46, wherein the tracked gaming
outcomes used in generating the score include non-winning gaming
outcomes.
48. A method of generating a score on a gaming device, the method
comprising: initiating a first scoring session; tracking gaming
outcomes based on monetary wagering made on the gaming device by a
player during the first scoring session; initiating a second
scoring session; tracking gaming outcomes based on monetary
wagering made on the gaming device by a player during the second
scoring session; ending the first scoring session; ending the
second scoring session; generating a first score associated with
the tracked gaming outcomes from the first gaming session;
generating a second score associated with the tracked gaming
outcomes from the second gaming session; comparing the first score
to the second score; and displaying the higher of the first score
and the second score on the gaming device.
49. The method of claim 48, further comprising: generating a
running score at the end of the first scoring session associated
with the tracked gaming outcomes from the first scoring session;
displaying the running score on the gaming device; generating a
temporary score at the end of the second scoring session associated
with the tracked gaming outcomes from the second scoring session;
modifying a value of the running score with the temporary score if
the temporary score is greater than the running score; and
displaying the running score on the gaming device.
50. The method of claim 48, wherein the first and second scoring
session are included in a time-based predetermined rolling
frame.
51. The method of claim 48, wherein the first and second scoring
session are included in a wager amount-based predetermined rolling
frame.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This disclosure relates generally to generating a score
related to play on electronic gaming machines, and more
particularly to generating and displaying a score related to the
results of wagering by a player on an electronic gaming
machine.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Some prior art video arcade games incorporate systems that
automatically store the highest scores on that game. Such games
typically list the scores in order from the highest to the lowest,
e.g., the top 5 scores. If at the conclusion of a game, the current
game score is determined to be greater than one of the stored
scores, the current score is inserted into the stored scores at the
appropriate location and the lowest score drops off. In some cases,
the player who makes it onto the top score list is given the
opportunity to use the game controls to insert his or her initials
next to their score. This generates excitement for the player who
breaks into the ranks of top scorers and promotes friendly
competition among players, all of which promotes game play.
[0003] With conventional gaming machines, a player typically only
has a credit meter and a player tracking account that keeps track
of his or her play on the gaming device. More specifically, the
gaming device adjusts a credit meter to reflect the number of
credits input by a player and adjusts that number relative to the
number of credits wagered and/or won during game play of the gaming
device. A player may also insert additional money during play of
the gaming device, which raises the value displayed on the credit
meter. Given these above scenarios, it becomes evident that the
values displayed on the credit meters are not necessarily accurate
indicators of the player's accomplishment on the gaming device. In
addition, when the player has exhausted the credits on the credit
meter or cashes out to retrieve the remaining credits on the credit
meter, the credit meter remains at zero until that player or
another player insert credits into the gaming machine. Hence, there
is no indication as to how the previous player's gaming session
went. In other words, the player may have won considerably more
credits than he or she inputted into the gaming machine. However,
there is no displayable record or other indication on the gaming
machine of this gaming session.
[0004] Similarly, when a player inserts a player tracking card into
a gaming device, the results of the gaming session may be stored on
a player tracking server and player points accumulated during the
gaming session may be displayed on the gaming machine or a
peripheral device connected to the gaming machine. However, these
displayed player points often only relate to the amount of credits
wagered by the player (i.e., coin-in) and bear no relationship to
the results achieved by a player during the course of the gaming
session. In addition, once the player removes the player tracking
card, no displayable record or other indication on the gaming
machine exists for the gaming session.
[0005] Thus, in conventional gaming systems and devices, there is
no means by which a player can display a particularly good gaming
session to other players, nor a means by which other players can
tell how previous players have done on a particular gaming
machine.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1A is a functional block diagram that illustrates a
gaming device according to embodiments of the invention.
[0007] FIG. 1B is an isometric view of the gaming device
illustrated in FIG. 1A.
[0008] FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are detail diagrams of exemplary types
of gaming devices according to embodiments of the invention.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of networked gaming
devices according to embodiments of the invention.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a detail diagram of a gaming device according to
embodiments of the invention.
[0011] FIGS. 5A and 5B are detail diagrams of exemplary scoring
displays on a gaming device according to embodiments of the
invention.
[0012] FIGS. 6A and 6B are flow diagrams of methods for generating
a score related to game play on a gaming device according to
embodiments of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Embodiments of the present invention are directed to
generating and displaying a score related to the results of
wagering by a player on a gaming device. In one embodiment, a
method for generating a score related to play on at least one
electronic gaming device includes tracking the amount wagered on
the gaming device, tracking the amount awarded by the gaming
device, and generating a score related to the tracked amounts.
[0014] Additional embodiments of the present invention may include
methods in normalizing the generated scores, displaying the
generated scores, and providing awards to a player based on the
generated scores. These and other embodiments may form the basis
for scoring systems that track, record, and/or display scores for a
particular player, for a particular electronic gaming machine, or
for a particular player on a particular gaming machine.
[0015] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate example gaming devices according
to embodiments of the invention.
[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a gaming device 10 is an
electronic gaming machine. Although an electronic gaming machine or
"slot" machine is illustrated, various other types of devices may
be used to wager monetarily based credits on a game of chance in
accordance with principles of the invention. The term "electronic
gaming device" is meant to include various devices such as
electro-mechanical spinning-reel type slot machines, video slot
machines, and video poker machines, for instance. Other gaming
devices may include computer-based gaming machines, wireless gaming
devices, multi-player gaming stations, modified personal electronic
gaming devices (such as cell phones), personal computers,
server-based gaming terminals, and other similar devices. Although
embodiments of the invention will work with all of the gaming types
mentioned, for ease of illustration the present embodiments will be
described in reference to the electronic gaming machine 10 shown in
FIGS. 1A and 1B.
[0017] The gaming device 10 includes a cabinet 15 housing
components to operate the gaming device 10. The cabinet 15 may
include a gaming display 20, a base portion 13, a top box 18, and a
player interface panel 30. The gaming display 20 may include
mechanical spinning reels (FIG. 2A), a video display (FIGS. 2B and
2C), or a combination of both spinning reels and a video display
(not shown). The gaming cabinet 15 may also include a credit meter
27 and a coin-in or bet meter 28. The credit meter 27 may indicate
the total number of credits remaining on the gaming device 10 that
are eligible to be wagered. In some embodiments, the credit meter
27 may reflect a monetary unit, such as dollars. However, it is
often preferable to have the credit meter 27 reflect a number of
`credits,` rather than a monetary unit. The bet meter 28 may
indicate the amount of credits to be wagered on a particular game.
Thus, for each game, the player transfers the amount that he or she
wants to wager from the credit meter 27 to the bet meter 28. In
some embodiments, various other meters may be present, such as
meters reflecting amounts won, amounts paid, or the like. In
embodiments where the gaming display 20 is a video monitor, the
information indicated on the credit meters may be shown on the
gaming display itself 20 (FIG. 2B).
[0018] The base portion 13 may include a lighted panel 14, a coin
return (not shown), and a gaming handle 12 operable on a partially
rotating pivot joint 11. The game handle 12 is traditionally
included on mechanical spinning-reel games, where the handle may be
pulled toward a player to initiate the spinning of reels 22 after
placement of a wager. The top box 18 may include a lighted panel
17, a video display (such as an LCD monitor), a mechanical bonus
device (not shown), and a candle light indicator 19. The player
interface panel 30 may include various devices so that a player can
interact with the gaming device 10.
[0019] The player interface panel 30 may include one or more game
buttons 32 that can be actuated by the player to cause the gaming
device 10 to perform a specific action. For example, some of the
game buttons 32 may cause the gaming device 10 to bet a credit to
be wagered during the next game, change the number of lines being
played on a multi-line game, cash out the credits remaining on the
gaming device (as indicated on the credit meter 27), or request
assistance from casino personnel, such as by lighting the candle
19. In addition, the player interface panel 30 may include one or
more game actuating buttons 33. The game actuating buttons 33 may
initiate a game with a pre-specified amount of credits. On some
gaming devices 10 a "Max Bet" game actuating button 33 may be
included that places the maximum credit wager on a game and
initiates the game. The player interface panel 30 may further
include a bill acceptor 37 and a ticket printer 38. The bill
acceptor 37 may accept and validate paper money or previously
printed tickets with a credit balance. The ticket printer 38 may
print out tickets reflecting the balance of the credits that remain
on the gaming device 10 when a player cashes out by pressing one of
the game buttons 32 programmed to cause a `cashout.` These tickets
may be inserted into other gaming machines or redeemed at a cashier
station or kiosk for cash.
[0020] The gaming device 10 may also include one or more speakers
26 to transmit auditory information or sounds to the player. The
auditory information may include specific sounds associated with
particular events that occur during game play on the gaming device
10. For example, a particularly festive sound may be played during
a large win or when a bonus is triggered. The speakers 26 may also
transmit "attract" sounds to entice nearby players when the game is
not currently being played.
[0021] The gaming device 10 may further include a secondary display
25. This secondary display 25 may be a vacuum fluorescent display
(VFD), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube (CRT), a
plasma screen, or the like. The secondary display 25 may show any
combination of primary game information and ancillary information
to the player. For example, the secondary display 25 may show
player tracking information, secondary bonus information,
advertisements, or player selectable game options.
[0022] The gaming device 10 may include a separate information
window (not shown) dedicated to supplying any combination of
information related to primary game play, secondary bonus
information, player tracking information, secondary bonus
information, advertisements or player selectable game options. This
window may be fixed in size and location or may have its size and
location vary temporally as communication needs change. One example
of such a resizable window is International Game Technology's
"service window". Another example is Las Vegas Gaming
Incorporated's retrofit technology which allows information to be
placed over areas of the game or secondary display screen at
various times and in various situations.
[0023] The gaming device 10 includes a microprocessor 40 that
controls operation of the gaming device 10. If the gaming device 10
is a standalone gaming device, the microprocessor 40 may control
virtually all of the operations of the gaming devices and attached
equipment, such as operating game logic stored in memory (not
shown) as firmware, controlling the display 20 to represent the
outcome of a game, communicate with the other peripheral devices
(such as the bill acceptor 37), and orchestrating the lighting and
sound emanating from the gaming device 10. In other embodiments
where the gaming device 10 is coupled to a network 50, as described
below, the microprocessor 40 may have different tasks depending on
the setup and function of the gaming device. For example, the
microprocessor 40 may be responsible for running the base game of
the gaming device and executing instructions received over the
network 50 from a bonus server or player tracking server. In a
server-based gaming setup, the microprocessor 40 may act as a
terminal to execute instructions from a remote server that is
running game play on the gaming device.
[0024] The microprocessor 40 may be coupled to a machine
communication interface (MCI) 42 that connects the gaming device 10
to a gaming network 50. The MCI 42 may be coupled to the
microprocessor 40 through a serial connection, a parallel
connection, an optical connection, or in some cases a wireless
connection. The gaming device 10 may include memory 41 (MEM), such
as a random access memory (RAM), coupled to the microprocessor 40
and which can be used to store gaming information, such as storing
total coin-in statistics about a present or past gaming session,
which can be communicated to a remote server or database through
the MCI 42. The MCI 42 may also facilitate communication between
the network 50 and the secondary display 25 or a player tracking
unit 45 housed in the gaming cabinet 15.
[0025] The player tracking unit 45 may include an identification
device 46 and one or more buttons 47 associated with the player
tracking unit 45. The identification device 46 serves to identify a
player, by, for example, reading a player-tracking device, such as
a player tracking card that is issued by the casino to individual
players who choose to have such a card. The identification device
46 may instead, or additionally, identify players through other
methods. Player tracking systems using player tracking cards and
card readers 46 are known in the art. Briefly summarizing such a
system, a player registers with the casino prior to commencing
gaming. The casino issues a unique player-tracking card to the
player and opens a corresponding player account that is stored on a
server or host computer, described below with reference to FIG. 3.
The player account may include the player's name and mailing
address and other information of interest to the casino in
connection with marketing efforts. Prior to playing one of the
gaming devices in the casino, the player inserts the player
tracking card into the identification device 46 thus permitting the
casino to track player activity, such as amounts wagered, credits
won, and rate of play.
[0026] To induce the player to use the card and be an identified
player, the casino may award each player points proportional to the
money or credits wagered by the player. Players typically accrue
points at a rate related to the amount wagered, although other
factors may cause the casino to award the player various amounts.
The points may be displayed on the secondary display 25 or using
other methods. In conventional player tracking systems, the player
may take his or her card to a special desk in the casino where a
casino employee scans the card to determine how many accrued points
are in the player's account. The player may redeem points for
selected merchandise, meals in casino restaurants, or the like,
which each have assigned point values. In some player tracking
systems, the player may use the secondary display 25 to access
their player tracking account, such as to check a total number of
points, redeem points for various services, make changes to their
account, or download promotional credits to the gaming device 10.
In other embodiments, the identification device 46 may read other
identifying cards (such as driver licenses, credit cards, etc.) to
identify a player and match them to a corresponding player tracking
account. Although FIG. 1A shows the player tracking unit 45 with a
card reader as the identification device 46, other embodiments may
include a player tracking unit 45 with a biometric scanner, PIN
code acceptor, or other methods of identifying a player to pair the
player with their player tracking account.
[0027] During typical play on a gaming device 10, a player plays a
game by placing a wager and then initiating a gaming session. The
player may initially insert monetary bills or previously printed
tickets with a credit value into the bill acceptor 37. The player
may also put coins into a coin acceptor (not shown) or a credit,
debit or casino account card into a card reader/authorizer (not
shown). One of skill in the art will readily see that this
invention is useful with all gambling devices, regardless of the
manner in which wager value-input is accomplished.
[0028] The credit meter 27 displays the numeric credit value of the
money inserted dependent on the denomination of the gaming device
10. That is, if the gaming device 10 is a nickel slot machine and a
$20 bill inserted into the bill acceptor 37, the credit meter will
reflect 400 credits or one credit for each nickel of the inserted
twenty dollars. For gaming devices 10 that support multiple
denominations, the credit meter 27 will reflect the amount of
credits relative to the denomination selected. Thus, in the above
example, if a penny denomination is selected after the $20 is
inserted the credit meter will change from 400 credits to 2000
credits.
[0029] A wager may be placed by pushing one or more of the game
buttons 32, which may be reflected on the bet meter 28. That is,
the player can generally depress a "bet one" button (one of the
buttons on the player interface panel 30, such as 32), which
transfers one credit from the credit meter 27 to the bet meter 28.
Each time the button 32 is depressed an additional single credit
transfers to the bet meter 28 up to a maximum bet that can be
placed on a single play of the electronic gaming device 10. The
gaming session may be initiated by pulling the gaming handle 12 or
depressing the spin button 33. On some gaming devices 10, a "max
bet" button (another one of the buttons 32 on the player interface
panel 30) may be depressed to wager the maximum number of credits
supported by the gaming device 10 and initiate a gaming
session.
[0030] If the gaming session does not result in any winning
combination, the process of placing a wager may be repeated by the
player. Alternatively, the player may cash out any remaining
credits on the credit meter 27 by depressing the "cash-out" button
(another button 32 on the player interface panel 30), which causes
the credits on the credit meter 27 to be paid out in the form of a
ticket through the ticket printer 38, or may be paid out in the
form of returning coins from a coin hopper (not shown) to a coin
return tray.
[0031] If instead a winning combination (win) appears on the
display 20, the award corresponding to the winning combination is
immediately applied to the credit meter 27. For example, if the
gaming device 10 is a slot machine, a winning combination of
symbols 23 may land on a played payline on reels 22. If any bonus
games are initiated, the gaming device 10 may enter into a bonus
mode or simply award the player with a bonus amount of credits that
are applied to the credit meter 27.
[0032] FIGS. 2A to 2C illustrate exemplary types of gaming devices
according to embodiments of the invention. FIG. 2A illustrates an
example spinning-reel gaming machine 10A, FIG. 2B illustrates an
example video slot machine 10B, and FIG. 2C illustrates an example
video poker machine 10C.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 2A, a spinning-reel gaming machine 10A
includes a gaming display 20A having a plurality of mechanical
spinning reels 22A. Typically, spinning-reel gaming machines 10A
have three to five spinning reels 22A. Each of the spinning reels
22A has multiple symbols 23A that may be separated by blank areas
on the spinning reels 22A, although the presence of blank areas
typically depends on the number of reels 22A present in the gaming
device 10A and the number of different symbols 23A that may appear
on the spinning reels 22A. Each of the symbols 22A or blank areas
makes up a "stop" on the spinning reel 22A where the reel 22A comes
to rest after a spin. Although the spinning reels 22A of various
games 10A may have various numbers of stops, many conventional
spinning-reel gaming devices 10A have reels 22A with twenty two
stops.
[0034] During game play, the spinning reels 22A may be controlled
by stepper motors (not shown) under the direction of the
microprocessor 40 (FIG. 1A). Thus, although the spinning-reel
gaming device 10A has mechanical based spinning reels 22A, the
movement of the reels themselves is electronically controlled to
spin and stop. This electronic control is advantageous because it
allows a virtual reel strip to be stored in the memory 41 of the
gaming device 10A, where various "virtual stops" are mapped to each
physical stop on the physical reel 22A. This mapping allows the
gaming device 10A to establish greater awards and bonuses available
to the player because of the increased number of possible
combinations afforded by the virtual reel strips.
[0035] A gaming session on a spinning reel slot machine 10A
typically includes the player pressing the "bet-one" button (one of
the game buttons 32A) to wager a desired number of credits followed
by pulling the gaming handle 12 (FIGS. 1A, 1B) or pressing the spin
button 33A to spin the reels 22A. Alternatively, the player may
simply press the "max-bet" button (another one of the game buttons
32A) to both wager the maximum number of credits permitted and
initiate the spinning of the reels 22A. The spinning reels 22A may
all stop at the same time or may individually stop one after
another (typically from left to right) to build player
anticipation. Because the display 20A usually cannot be physically
modified, some spinning reel slot machines 10A include an
electronic display screen in the top box 18 (FIG. 1B), a mechanical
bonus mechanism in the top box 18, or a secondary display 25 (FIG.
1A) to execute a bonus.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 2B, a video gaming machine 10B may include
a video display 20B to display virtual spinning reels 22B and
various other gaming information 21B. The video display 20B may be
a CRT, LCD, plasma screen, or the like. It is usually preferable
that the video display 20B be a touchscreen to accept player input.
A number of symbols 23A appear on each of the virtual spinning
reels 22B. Although FIG. 2B shows five virtual spinning reels 22B,
the flexibility of the video display 20B allows for various reel
22B and game configurations. For example, some video slot games 10B
spin reels for each individual symbol position (or stop) that
appears on the video display 20B. That is, each symbol position on
the screen is independent of every other position during the gaming
sessions. In these types of games, very large numbers of pay lines
or multiple super scatter pays can be utilized since similar
symbols could appear at every symbol position on the video display
20B. On the other hand, other video slot games 10B more closely
resemble the mechanical spinning reel games where symbols that are
vertically adjacent to each other are part of the same continuous
virtual spinning reel 22B.
[0037] Because the virtual spinning reels 22B, by virtue of being
computer implemented, can have almost any number of stops on a reel
strip, it is much easier to have a greater variety of displayed
outcomes as compared to spinning-reel slot machines 10A (FIG. 2A)
that have a fixed number of physical stops on each spinning reel
22A.
[0038] With the possible increases in reel 22B numbers and
configurations over the mechanical gaming device 10A, video gaming
devices 10B often have multiple paylines 24 that may be played. By
having more paylines 24 available to play, the player may be more
likely to have a winning combination when the reels 22B stop and
the gaming session ends. However, since the player typically must
wager at least a minimum number of credits to enable each payline
24 to be eligible for winning, the overall odds of winning are not
much different, if at all, than if the player is wagering only on a
single payline. For example, in a five line game, the player may
bet one credit per payline 24 and be eligible for winning symbol
combinations that appear on any of the five played paylines 24.
This gives a total of five credits wagered and five possible
winning paylines 24. If, on the other hand, the player only wagers
one credit on one payline 24, but plays five gaming sessions, the
odds of winning would be identical as above: five credits wagered
and five possible winning paylines 24.
[0039] Because the video display 20B can easily modify the image
output by the video display 20B, bonuses, such as second screen
bonuses are relatively easy to award on the video slot game 10B.
That is, if a bonus is triggered during game play, the video
display 20B may simply store the resulting screen shot in memory
and display a bonus sequence on the video display 20B. After the
bonus sequence is completed, the video display 20B may then
retrieve the previous screen shot and information from memory, and
re-display that image.
[0040] Also, as mentioned above, the video display 20B may allow
various other game information 21B to be displayed. For example, as
shown in FIG. 2B, banner information may be displayed above the
spinning reels 22B to inform the player, perhaps, which symbol
combination is needed to trigger a bonus. Also, instead of
providing a separate credit meter 27 (FIG. 1A) and bet meter 28,
the same information can instead be displayed on the video display
20B. In addition, "soft buttons" 29B such as a "spin" button or
"help/see pays" button may be built using the touch screen video
display 20B. Such customization and ease of changing the image
shown on the display 20B adds to the flexibility of the game
10B.
[0041] Even with the improved flexibility afforded by the video
display 20B, several physical buttons 32B and 33B are usually
provided on video slot machines 10B. These buttons may include game
buttons 32B that allow a player to choose the number of paylines 24
he or she would like to play and the number of credits wagered on
each payline 24. In addition, a max bet button (one of the game
buttons 32B) allows a player to place a maximum credit wager on the
maximum number of available paylines 24 and initiate a gaming
session. A repeat bet or spin button 33B may also be used to
initiate each gaming session when the max bet button is not
used.
[0042] Referring to FIG. 2C, a video poker gaming device 10C may
include a video display 20C that is physically similar to the video
display 20B shown in FIG. 2B. The video display 20C may show a
poker hand of five cards 23C and various other player information
21C including a paytable for various winning hands, as well as a
plurality of player selectable soft buttons 29C. The video display
20C may present a poker hand of five cards 23C and various other
player information 21C including a number of player selectable soft
(touch-screen) buttons 29C and a paytable for various winning
hands. Although the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3C shows only
one hand of poker on the video display 20C, various other video
poker machines 10C may show several poker hands (multi-hand poker).
Typically, video poker machines 10C play "draw" poker in which a
player is dealt a hand of five cards, has the opportunity to hold
any combination of those five cards, and then draws new cards to
replace the discarded ones. All pays are usually given for winning
combinations resulting from the final hand, although some video
poker games 10C may give bonus credits for certain combinations
received on the first hand before the draw. In the example shown in
FIG. 2C a player has been dealt two aces, a three, a six, and a
nine. The video poker game 10C may provide a bonus or payout for
the player having been dealt the pair of aces, even before the
player decides what to discard in the draw. Since pairs, three of a
kind, etc. are typically needed for wins, a player would likely
hold the two aces that have been dealt and draw three cards to
replace the three, six, and nine in the hope of receiving
additional aces or other cards leading to a winning combination
with a higher award amount. After the draw and revealing of the
final hand, the video poker game 10C typically awards any credits
won to the credit meter.
[0043] The player selectable soft buttons 29C appearing on the
screen respectively correspond to each card on the video display
20C. These soft buttons 29C allow players to select specific cards
on the video display 20C such that the card corresponding to the
selected soft button is "held" before the draw. Typically, video
poker machines 10C also include physical game buttons 32C that
correspond to the cards in the hand and may be selected to hold a
corresponding card. A deal/draw button 33C may also be included to
initiate a gaming session after credits have been wagered (with a
bet button 32C, for example) and to draw any cards not held after
the first hand is displayed.
[0044] Although examples of a spinning reel slot machine 10A, a
video slot machine 10B, and a video poker machine 10C have been
illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2C, gaming machines various other types of
gaming devices known in the art are contemplated and are within the
scope of the invention.
[0045] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating networked gaming
devices according to embodiments of the invention. Referring to
FIG. 3, multiple electronic gaming devices (EGMs) 70, 71, 72, 73,
74, and 75 may be coupled to one another and coupled to a remote
server 80 through a network 50. For ease of understanding, gaming
devices or EGMs 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75 are generically referred
to as EGMs 70-75. The term EGMs 70-75, however, may refer to any
combination of one or more of EGMs 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75.
Additionally, the gaming server 80 may be coupled to one or more
gaming databases 90. These gaming network 50 connections may allow
multiple gaming devices 70-75 to remain in communication with one
another during particular gaming modes such as tournament play or
remote head-to-head play. Although some of the gaming devices 70-75
coupled on the gaming network 50 may resemble the gaming devices
10, 10A, 10B, and 10C shown in FIGS. 1A-1B and 2A-2C, other coupled
gaming devices 70-75 may include differently configured gaming
devices. For example, the gaming devices 70-75 may include
traditional slot machines 75 directly coupled to the network 50,
banks of gaming devices 70 coupled to the network 50, banks of
gaming devices 70 coupled to the network through a bank controller
60, wireless handheld gaming machines 72 and cell phones 73 coupled
to the gaming network 50 through one or more wireless routers or
antennas 61, personal computers 74 coupled to the network 50
through the internet 62, and banks of gaming devices 71 coupled to
the network through one or more optical connection lines 64.
Additionally, some of the traditional gaming devices 70, 71, and 75
may include electronic gaming tables, multi-station gaming devices,
or electronic components operating in conjunction with non-gaming
components, such as automatic card readers, chip readers, and chip
counters, for example.
[0046] Gaming devices 71 coupled over an optical line 64 may be
remote gaming devices in a different location or casino. The
optical line 64 may be coupled to the gaming network 50 through an
electronic to optical signal converter 63 and may be coupled to the
gaming devices 71 through an optical to electronic signal converter
65. The banks of gaming devices 70 coupled to the network 50 may be
coupled through a bank controller 60 for compatibility purposes,
for local organization and control, or for signal buffering
purposes. The network 50 may include serial or parallel signal
transmission lines and carry data in accordance with data transfer
protocols such as Ethernet transmission lines, Rs-232 lines,
firewire lines, USB lines, or other communication protocols.
Although not shown in FIG. 3, substantially the entire network 50
may be made of fiber optic lines or may be a wireless network
utilizing a wireless protocol such as IEEE 802.11a, b, g, or n,
Zigbee, RF protocols, optical transmission, near-field
transmission, or the like.
[0047] As mentioned above, each gaming device 70-75 may have an
individual processor 40 (FIG. 1A) and memory 41 to run and control
game play on the gaming device 70-75, or some of the gaming devices
70-75 may be terminals that are run by a remote server 80 in a
server based gaming environment. Server based gaming environments
may be advantageous to casinos by allowing fast downloading of
particular game types or themes based on casino preference or
player selection. Additionally, tournament based games, linked
games, and certain game types, such as BINGO or keno may benefit
from at least some server 80 based control.
[0048] Thus, in some embodiments, the network 50, server 80, and
database 90 may be dedicated to communications regarding specific
game or tournament play. In other embodiments, however, the network
50, server 80, and database 90 may be part of a player tracking
network. For player tracking capabilities, when a player inserts a
player tracking card in the card reader 46 (FIG. 1A), the player
tracking unit 45 sends player identification information obtained
on the card reader 46 through the MCI 42 over the network 50 to the
player tracking server 80, where the player identification
information is compared to player information records on in the
player database 90 to provide the player with information regarding
their player accounts or other features at the gaming device 10
where the player is wagering. Additionally, multiple databases 90
and/or servers 80 may be present and coupled to one or more
networks 50 to provide a variety of gaming services, such as both
game/tournament data and player tracking data.
[0049] The various systems described with reference to FIGS. 1-3
can be used in a number of ways. For instance, the systems can be
used to track data about various players. The tracked data can be
used by the casino to provide additional benefits to players, such
as extra bonuses or extra benefits such as bonus games and other
benefits as described above. These added benefits further entice
the players to play at the casino that provides the benefits.
[0050] FIG. 4 is a detail diagram of a gaming device according to
embodiments of the invention.
[0051] As discussed above, embodiments of the invention are
directed to generating and displaying a score related to the
results of wagering by a player on a gaming device. Referring to
FIG. 4, a gaming device 100 includes a display 120 and a player
interface panel having game buttons 132 and a game actuating button
133. The display 120 may include a game portion 122 that displays
virtual spinning reels (e.g., for a video slot machine), card
(e.g., for a video poker machine), or other indicia related to
wagering on the gaming device 100. The display 120 may also include
a player score portion 150 for displaying information relating to
score information accumulated by a player at the gaming device 100.
The player score portion 150 of the display may include a current
player score or a running score information 160 relating to a score
earned by a player during a scoring session. The player score
portion 150 may also include a player top score 170. The display
120 may further include a device score portion 190 for displaying
information relating to previous scores received on the gaming
device 100. Although the gaming device 100 illustrated in FIG. 4
includes a player score portion 150 displaying a current player
score 160 and a player top score 170, as well as a device score
portion 190, various embodiments of the invention may only display
some of this scoring information, or may display portions of this
scoring information at different times. For example, the device
score portion 190 may be shown when a player is not playing the
gaming device 100 (e.g., on an attract screen), while the current
player score 160 may be shown during game play so that a player can
see their score increase with game play outcomes.
[0052] The player score portion 150 may include a current player
score 160, a player top score 170, and a score reset button 180.
The current player score 160 may reflect a player's current score
accumulated during a scoring session (discussed in further detail
below). The player top score 170 may reflect a player's top gaming
session score during current game play on a particular gaming
device, a player's top score on a particular gaming device 100, a
player's top score on a type of gaming device (this may be a broad
categorization, such as video poker, or this may be a relatively
specific categorization, such as on Wheel of Fortune.RTM. games),
or a player's top recorded score at a gaming establishment or
family of gaming establishments. The score may be limited to a
single playing session or span multiple playing sessions over a
defined period of time. The player top score 170 may be associated
with a player tracking account stored on a database 90 (FIG. 3).
That is, a player top score 170 may be displayed on the gaming
device 100 when the player identifies himself or herself to the
gaming device 100, such as by inserting a player tracking card into
a player tracking unit 45 (FIG. 1A).
[0053] The score reset button 180 may be a soft button (as shown in
FIG. 4) or may be a physical game button 132. The score reset
button 180 may allow a player to reset the current player score 160
during a scoring session to initiate another scoring session. This
may be preferably done by a player when, for example, the player
has a streak of losing game outcomes at the beginning of a scoring
session and wants subsequent game outcomes, which may be wins, to
count in a subsequent scoring session. In other embodiments, the
score reset button 180 may be omitted so that players cannot reset
the current player score 160 during a scoring session. By omitting
the score reset button 180, each scoring session may be more fairly
compared to other scoring sessions since a player would not be able
to continually reset the current player score 160 until they began
a scoring session with a streak of winning game outcomes.
[0054] The device score portion 190 may include a list of top
scores earned on a particular gaming device, on a type of gaming
device, or at a gaming establishment or family of gaming
establishments. For example, the top scores may consist of all play
on a particular machine or all play on a category of machines. For
example, if a casino has 10 machines of identical nature, each game
may show the top scores achieved in a given period on any of the
gaming machines. If a player on machine number 1 achieved a top
score of 521, and a player on machine 2 achieved a top score of
488, and no one on the other 8 machines had a score exceeding
either, the top score on all 10 machines could be shown as 521 and
the second highest as 488.
[0055] Although the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 shows a gaming
device 100 having score information 160, 170, and/or 190 shown on a
display 120, other embodiments may show score information in
different manners. For example, score information may be displayed
on a secondary display 25 (FIG. 1A), on a top box 18 display (FIG.
1B), on a meter similar to meters 27, 28 (FIG. 1A), on a scrolling
banner (not shown), or on another similar display device associated
with the gaming device 100. These alternate display examples may be
preferable for mechanical spinning reel games that do include a
main video display or on gaming devices where gaming information on
a display is not preferably altered during gaming sessions, such as
on video poker machines.
[0056] Further, although the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 shows
the score information 160, 170, and/or 190 shown on the display 120
at the same time as displaying the game portion 122 that shows
wagering outcomes, other embodiments may show this information in
different manners or at different times. For example, the game
portion 122 may be displayed across a majority of the display 120
as shown in FIG. 2B, for example, without displaying the scoring
information. The gaming device 100 may periodically show at least
some score information (especially the current player score 160)
after one or more gaming sessions have been completed. This
embodiment allows players to receive periodic updates of their
current score 160 automatically. Alternatively, the player may view
scoring information after any gaming session has been completed by
pressing a soft button 129 on the game display 120 or pressing a
physical game button 132 on the player interface. This embodiment,
allows players to choose when they would like to review scoring
information without slowing game play.
[0057] In either of these types of embodiments, scoring information
may be shown in a second screen manner similar to a `See Pays` or
`Help` screen. The scoring information may also be shown be
reducing the size of a game portion 122 and displaying the score
portions 150, 190, such as by reducing the game portion 122 from a
size similar to that shown on FIG. 2B to that shown in FIG. 4. This
display method may allow a player to quickly hit the game
initiation button 133 to hide the score portions 150, 190, resize
the game portion 122, and initiate a gaming session.
[0058] FIGS. 5A and 5B are detail diagrams of exemplary scoring
displays on a gaming device according to embodiments of the
invention. More specifically, FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate
embodiments of gaming devices displaying a recent score history.
This display of recent scores may allow current players or other
prospective players to see the relative results of previous scoring
sessions, which may influence their decision on whether or not to
continue play on a gaming device or start game play on the gaming
device. For example, if a prospective player notices that the last
few scores on a gaming device are particularly low, that player may
feel that the gaming device is "due" for a "hot streak." In this
example, other prospective players may interpret the recent low
scores as an indication that the device is in a "cold streak" and
avoid playing the device. The opposite reactions may also take
place when the last few scores on a gaming device are particularly
high.
[0059] FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate exemplary ways of displaying
recent scoring information to players in order to communicate how
"hot" the gaming device has been recently according to embodiments
of the invention. The "hotness" of a gaming device may be
determined in various ways. In some embodiments, it may be a
measure of how the player's actual payback percentage compares to
an expected theoretical payback percentage of the gaming device. In
other embodiments, it may be measured as the number of credits
remaining after a scoring session versus the number of credits
present at the start of a scoring session. Various other manners of
determining this quality of the gaming device may be present in
other embodiments, such as number of bonus sessions triggered, the
number of free spins won, number of consecutive wins of a certain
size, amount of player points accumulated, number of near misses,
number of specific jackpot occurrences, number of winning gaming
sessions received, etc. It is also possible to provide a score
based upon the number of losses occurring within a session or the
number of sequential losses, in order to provide a "bad beat" score
in which a player with a particularly unlucky streak could still
accomplish a distinctive score.
[0060] Referring to FIG. 5A, a gaming display 210 on a gaming
device may include a game portion 220 and a recent score portion
230. Although the game portion 220 and the recent score portion 230
are shown simultaneously on the gaming display 210 in the
embodiment shown in FIG. 5A, the recent score portion 230 may be
shown on an attract screen separate from the game portion 220. In
some embodiments the recent score portion 230 may only be displayed
when players are not wagering on the gaming device (such as when
the credit meter is at zero or a nominal amount for a predetermined
amount of time) to provide prospective players with an indication
of the recent scores achieved on the gaming device. In other
embodiments, however, the recent score portion 230 may be displayed
intermittently during game play or at the request of a player so
that the player may keep track of his or her recent scoring
sessions.
[0061] The recent score portion 230 may include a list of recent
scores 240 that indicate how previous players fared during their
gaming sessions. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5A, the
recent scores 240 include a player identifying mark (player
initials in this example) and the percentage payback earned by that
player. For example, player JSM was the last player to play the
gaming device and earned a 108.62% payback. Since gaming devices
typically provide a payback percentage of less than 100%, a
prospective player may conclude that JSM did relatively well during
his or her scoring session. In contrast, the prospective player may
conclude that PTR, who had a payback percentage of 25.66%, did not
have much luck during his or her scoring session. Although the
embodiment shown in FIG. 5A shows different player identifying mark
for each recent score 240, some players may play multiple scoring
sessions on a gaming device and thus have their identifying mark
and score listed several times in a row. For example, the top two
recent score entries may both be for player JSM.
[0062] In other embodiments, the recent score portion 230 may only
display a total or average score earned by each player during a
total gaming session. That is, if a player plays the gaming device
through two or more scoring sessions, only one recent score entry
240 on the score history portion 230 would be shown with a combined
player score. In this embodiment, the payback percentage shown on
the recent score entry 240 would be the player's combined or
average payback percentage over both scoring sessions. Thus, if a
player earned a 105% payback for a first scoring session and a 95%
payback for a second scoring session, one recent score entry 240
may be generated to show the player identifying mark associated
with a 100% payback score.
[0063] The embodiment shown in FIG. 5B may be similar in some ways
to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5A except for the format of the
recent score entries 260 in the recent score portion 250. Referring
to FIG. 5B, recent score entries 260 may include a player
identifying mark and a score value. The score value may be related
to the payback percentage achieved by a player, but may also
include other bonus score points not directly related to the
payback percentage. For example, a player may score additional
points by triggering a bonus, receiving five losing game outcomes
in a row, achieving a certain coin-in amount during the scoring
session, or other gaming events.
[0064] Since the score values themselves may not readily reveal how
well a player did during a scoring session, relatively high scoring
recent score entries 260 may be highlighted to distinguish them
from other lower score entries. This highlighting may include
bolding the higher scores, flashing the higher scores, putting the
higher scores in a different color or font, etc. In some
embodiments, scores that reflect a scoring session with a payback
percentage over the theoretical payback percentage may be
highlighted. In other embodiments, a gaming establishment may set a
score amount over which a recent score entry 260 may be considered
a relatively high score and be highlighted. When multiple games of
a type are combined for determination of high score, a player that
achieves a new high score could have that score, and optionally
their identifier, appear on the displays of other like games
informing other players that a new high score was just
accomplished. In one embodiment, the high score display becomes an
interactive leader board showing lead changes as they occur.
[0065] Turning back to the scoring system itself, embodiments of
the present development implement a scoring system for player of
gaming devices. Scores in this scoring system may be based on the
total win for each player or may be based on who achieves the most
of a particular award type. FIGS. 6A and 6B are flow diagrams of
methods for generating a score related to game play on a gaming
device according to embodiments of the invention.
[0066] Referring to FIG. 6A, a method for generating a score
includes tracking an amount wagered 300, tracking an amount awarded
305, and generating a score related to these tracked amounts 310.
The amounts wagered 300 and awarded 305 may be tracked over a
predetermined number of games, over a predetermined amount of time,
or over another similar predetermined measuring standard. This
predetermined standard may make up a scoring session, over which
the tracked amounts wagered 300 and tracked amounts awarded 305 are
used in generating a final score. The final score may reflect the
score achieved by the player over the scoring session. Since the
scores are compared to other player scores, it is generally
preferable to maintain consistent criteria in defining a scoring
session within a gaming establishment. Further, since players play
at different rates, and can be interrupted by friends, servers, or
casino courtesy staff members, some embodiments use a particular
number of games wagered on as a measuring guide for a scoring
session. For example, a scoring session may be defined as a session
that includes the wagers and results from 25 games played. That is,
a final score may be generated and recorded for each 25 games
played by a player. Shorter gaming durations may simply record a
score based on the number of games played or may use an
interpolation algorithm to generate a score predicted by the
partial completion of the scoring session. Scoring sessions may
also be reset when zero credits or a nominal amount of credits
appear on the credit meter for a predetermined amount of time. A
running score may also be calculated during the scoring session and
displayed to the player in a current player score 160 on a player
score portion 150 (FIG. 4).
[0067] To ensure fairness when comparing scores, generating a score
related to the tracked amounts 310 may include normalizing the
scores. One way to normalize the scoring would be to track winnings
over a designated amount, e.g., $20. In this embodiment, a score
may be expressed as a ratio in the form of:
(amount wagered-amount awarded)/(amount wagered).
This creates a percentage that could be compared to the house
advantage, i.e., the hold for the machine in question. For example,
if the machine hold is 9%, the above ratio should converge to 9%
over time. If the above ratio for $20 wagered is less than 9%, the
player is deemed to have beaten the house and will receive an
appropriate score.
[0068] In other embodiments, the scores could be normalized based
on credits wagered instead of designated monetary amount. This may
further normalize scores on gaming devices that allow multiple
denominations to be wagered. In these embodiments, the score may be
recorded over a predetermined number of credits wagered. For
example, the score may be based on the payback percentage for one
thousand credits wagered. In this example the score could be
expressed as a ratio in the form of:
(credits won)/(credits wagered)
[0069] In other embodiments, the normalization may be independent
of the scoring session criteria. For example, the scoring session
may be defined by a number of games (e.g., 25 games), but the final
score may be normalized by the amount of credits wagered. A scoring
example is provided below to illustrate how one of these
embodiments may be implemented.
SCORING EXAMPLE #1
[0070] In this example, three players (player A, player B, and
player C) play a multi-line (20 line) video slot. A scoring session
is defined in this example to be 500 games wagered on. Since this
is a 20 line game, a player playing all 20 lines would be playing
20 games at once (one "game" for each line played). Also in this
example, 5 points are awarded for each credit awarded and 100 bonus
points (times the amount wagered per line (game)) are awarded for
each bonus trigger. The scores are normalized by dividing the
non-normalized score by the credits wagered and then multiplying
that value times 1000 and rounding up if necessary. Using this
example scoring system, players A, B, and C may have respective
scoring sessions as set out in Table #1. Note that player A is
playing a single credit per line and only betting on one line,
player B is playing all 20 lines and wagering 20 credits per line,
and player C is playing all 20 lines and wagering one credit on
each line.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE #1 Player A Player B Player C Games Wagered On
(Scoring 500 500 500 Session) Gaming Sessions 500 25 25 Total
Credits Wagered 500 10,000 500 Total Credits Awarded 550 10,100 400
# of Bonus Triggers 0 1 2 Player Score (Not Normalized) 2750 52,500
2200 Player Score Normalized 5,500 5,250 4,400 Credits Actually
Won/Loss +50 +100 -100
As Table #1 shows, although player B takes home the most credits
during the scoring session, player A actually receives a slightly
higher score because of the normalization of the scores. A running
score for each player may also be kept by dividing the current
points won by the current credits wagered and multiplying by 1000.
To keep a running score that does not fluctuate (i.e., usually
increases), a running score may be calculated by dividing the
current points won by the expected credits wagered (that is, the
number of credits expected to be wagered at the end of the scoring
session based on the credits per line/game currently being
wagered).
[0071] In yet other embodiments, scores could be based only a
particular portion of a game. For example, in video poker, scores
may be based on the number of hands that result in a flush or
better per a designated number of hands. In slot machines, scores
may be based on the number of wild symbols that appear on the
screen, the number of paylines that have a winning combination, or
number of games with a winning combination. In addition, the scores
may be related to a particular result of a bonus game associated
with the gaming device. For example, in a secondary bonus game,
high scores with associated player information may be displayed for
high returns in the bonus game. Each of these examples may
additionally be normalized.
[0072] Scores may also be given during rolling time frames or
rolling wager frames. That is, a time frame or wager frame may be
set where a score is reflected as the best segment in that
predetermined frame. For example, a scoring session may be defined
as the best score resulting from 10 minutes of wagering within an
hour time frame window. Thus, in this example, a player may have a
very high scoring 10 minutes from the 12.sup.th minute of gaming to
the 22.sup.nd minute of gaming during an hour time frame. At the
end of the hour time frame, the score from the 12.sup.th to
22.sup.nd minute may be reflected as the player's score.
[0073] Similarly, in another example, a score may be determined by
the best scoring results achieved for $20.00 wagered in a $100.00
wager frame. Thus, in this example, if a player scores particularly
well from the 70.sup.th dollar wagered to the 90 dollar wagered
during a $100.00 wager frame, that score may be reflected as the
player score for the $100.00 time frame. In other embodiments, time
and wagers may be intermixed in determining scoring sessions and
predefined rolling frames, as illustrated below in Example #2.
SCORING EXAMPLE #2
[0074] In this example, player scores are determined by outcome
based events that occur during a scoring session on a spinning reel
quarter slot machine having a single center payline. In this
example, a score is awarded for the best $20.00 consecutively
wagered during a 30 minute time period. That is, if the player
wagers a total of $50.00 during a thirty minute time interval, the
gaming device calculates the bet scoring stretch during that time
interval in which $20.00 was wagered. Additionally, in this
example, the score is based on symbols appearing on the payline.
Table #2 below sets out the scoring for each symbol occurring on
the payline for the three reel slot machine.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE #2 Symbol on Payline Score 3 Symbols on
Payline Score Blank 0 Blank Blank Blank 5 Cherry 2 Cherry Cherry
Cherry 50 Bar 5 Bar Bar Bar 100 Double Bar 10 DBar DBar DBar 200
Triple Bar 15 TBar TBar TBar 500 7 20 7 7 7 2000 Jackpot 25 Jackpot
Jackpot Jackpot 10,000
[0075] Thus, this example uses a rolling time frame in which a
scoring session may exist. In addition, the scoring system utilized
in this example may not directly reflect a players overall payback
on the gaming device. That is, a player may receive numerous
"Jackpot" or "7" symbols on the payline, which may generate a
significant score without the player actually winning any credits
back for gaming outcomes.
[0076] In other embodiments, scoring systems may be devised such
that an initial goal value is given and players aim to get as close
as possible to the target value. For example, 1000 credits may be
defined as a target value for a scoring session based on time,
amount wagered, or type of awards won. During the scoring session,
a player may wager more or fewer credits to get as close as
possible to finishing with 1000 credits. A bonus award may be given
to players coming within a certain number of credits of the target
value. Additionally, if a player earned far more credits than the
target value, the disappointment with a low scoring game may be
offset by the high return of money. On the other hand, a sub-par
credit return that resulted in a high score a possibly a bonus
award may result in a positive gaming experience for the player
even though a large amount of credits were not awarded during the
scoring session.
[0077] All players may enter their respective scores in a manner
that permits others to view all of the entered scores, e.g., on a
video screen or on a screen associated with one of the games.
Alternatively, the players would be permitted to enter the
information only if they were among the top achievers. Such
information could include initials, names, photos, or other
identification. Awards based on scoring could be offered at
intervals, such as daily, weekly, and/or monthly. A side bet may be
required to compete, thus providing a source of funds, such as a
progressive pool, to pay awards based on scoring.
[0078] Light and sound could be used to inform the player and
others in the casino how well a particular player or machine was
performing. For example, lights could form a vertical tower that
grows in proportion to the player's score.
[0079] Similarly, a particular machine could be lit depending upon
its score. For example, if a video screen game is paying above
house average, over 91% in the above example, its screen or other
indicator turns red. The brighter the red color, the better the
machine is playing. If the machine is playing below house average,
it could be indicated using shades of blue. This serves as a signal
to players who like to seek out games based on their past
performance. Some like to choose a game that recently pays awards
above the house average in the belief that the machine is "hot" and
will continue to so pay. Others like to seek out machines that are
paying below house average in the belief that such machines will
soon change to paying more or higher jackpots.
[0080] Referring to FIG. 6B, another method of generating a score
on a gaming device related to game play may include associating a
player identification mark with a player 320. As discussed above, a
player may be associated with an identification mark 320 when they
input a player tracking card or when they input credits on to the
gaming device. When using a player tracking card, a preferred
player identification mark that may have been chosen by the player
at an earlier time, is associated with the player. These
identification marks may include names, pseudonyms, initials,
pictures, avatars, etc. For unidentified players inserting credits
on a gaming device, the gaming device may prompt a player to enter
an identifying name or mark, and may ask the player if they would
like to open a player tracking account.
[0081] A scoring session may then begin 330 on the gaming device,
in which all amounts wagered and awarded are tracked. As discussed
above, a scoring session may include various predetermined
measurement criteria. During the scoring session, wagers are
received from the player on a gaming session 340, where the amount
wagered 350 and any amount awarded 360 are tracked. In some
embodiments, a running score may be generated 362 to reflect the
player's current score and this running score may also be displayed
364. It is then determined whether the scoring session has ended
370. If the scoring session has not ended, the player is allowed to
wager again on another gaming session 340. On the other hand, if
the scoring session has ended, a final score may be generated 380
and displayed 390.
[0082] In other embodiments, players may be divided into groups or
categories and compete or view the scores only of others within the
group or within a set of groups. In one example, a group of players
with a common affiliation, wish to compete against one another. By
identifying each as a member of a particular group in their player
tracking server record, or by other means, a player within that
group would only see scores of others from the same group. The
group could make side bets wherein the winner takes a pooled prize,
or the winner could be paid a progressive jackpot that is unique to
that group.
[0083] It is also possible to combine players into teams. In this
way a team of one affiliation could compete against a team of
another affiliation to see which group has the aggregate high
score. Scores could be normalized and aggregated across all
machines within one or more casinos, or only on specific machines
or specific areas within one or more casinos.
[0084] Scoring could be done based upon time of day, day of week or
other temporal dividing technique. It is often common for players
of a specific demographic to visit the casino at specific times or
days. For example, retired people most often visit casinos during
weekday afternoons when casinos are less crowded. A high score
could be calculated for any player, or group of players to only
count their play that occurs Monday through Friday between noon and
4 PM. In this way, high scores could simultaneously serve different
constituencies.
[0085] The casino may also choose to provide a bonus to the player
or team of players with the highest score within a specific time
period, within a specific group, or any combination thereof.
[0086] Some embodiments of the invention have been described above,
and in addition, some specific details are shown for purposes of
illustrating the inventive principles. However, numerous other
arrangements may be devised in accordance with the inventive
principles of this patent disclosure. Further, well known processes
have not been described in detail in order not to obscure the
invention. Thus, while the invention is described in conjunction
with the specific embodiments illustrated in the drawings, it is
not limited to these embodiments or drawings. Rather, the invention
is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents
that come within the scope and spirit of the inventive principles
set out in the appended claims.
* * * * *