IP Library Granted Patent US 6,843,724
Granted Patent B2
US 6,843,724 · App. 10/752,068 · Granted Jan 18, 2005

Electronic amusement device offering secondary game of chance and method for operating same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,843,724
App. No.
10/752,068
Granted
Jan 18, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic amusement device and a method for operating the device are disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, a slot machine server controls a secondary game of chance played at a client slot machine. The server receives a player identifier corresponding to a player and a client identifier corresponding to a client slot machine. The server retrieves registration data relating to a secondary game of chance corresponding to the player identifier and the client identifier. The server further receives an outcome from the client slot machine and analyzes the outcome based on game requirements associated with the secondary game of chance, thereby determining whether the outcome satisfies at least one of the game requirements. Once all of the game requirements have been satisfied, the server updates a session status indicating the completion of the game requirements.

Claims (34)

1. A method for directing a computing device to register a player to play a secondary game of chance at a slot machine, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request to register the player to play the secondary game of chance, the request to register including a player identifier;

determining a secondary game identifier corresponding to the secondary game of chance, the secondary game identifier associated with a plurality of client identifiers, each client identifier corresponding to a slot machine configured to facilitate a primary game of chance and the secondary game of chance; and

storing the player identifier, the secondary game identifier and the plurality of client identifiers, thereby registering the player for the secondary game of chance.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining further includes determining at least one completion parameter associated with the secondary game of chance.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one completion parameter defines a maximum number of plays in which to successfully complete the secondary game of chance.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one completion parameter defines a maximum duration of time in which to play the secondary game of chance.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one completion parameter comprises a set of game requirements.

6. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

selecting at least one of the plurality of client identifiers; and

outputting a description of the at least one slot machine corresponding to the at least one selected client identifier.

7. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

determining a minimum number of client machines on which the player must play to receive a secondary game bonus.

8. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

determining a maximum number of client machines on which the player may play to receive a secondary game bonus.

9. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

receiving pre-payment for the secondary game of chance.

10. The method of claim 9 further including the step of:

receiving pre-payment for the primary game of chance.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving further includes receiving a second player identifier corresponding to a second player, the player and the second player comprising a team, and the step of storing further including storing the second player identifier.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

communicating a plurality of secondary games of chance to the player; and

receiving a player selection identifying one of the plurality of secondary games of chance.

13. A registration kiosk, comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected to said processor storing a program to control the operation of said processor;

said processor operative with said program in said memory to:

receive a request to register the player to play the secondary game of chance, the request to register including a player identifier,

determine a secondary game identifier corresponding to the secondary game of chance, the secondary game identifier associated with a plurality of client identifiers, each client identifier corresponding to a slot machine configured to facilitate a primary game of chance and the secondary game of chance, and

store the player identifier, the secondary game identifier and the plurality of client identifiers, thereby registering the player for the secondary game of chance.

14. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for directing a computing device to register a player to play a secondary game of chance at a slot machine, said processing instructions for directing a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving a request to register the player to play the secondary game of chance, the request to register including a player identifier;

determining a secondary game identifier corresponding to the secondary game of chance, the secondary game identifier associated with a plurality of client identifiers, each client identifier corresponding to a slot machine configured to facilitate a primary game of chance and the secondary game of chance; and

storing the player identifier, the secondary game identifier and the plurality of client identifiers, thereby registering the player for the secondary game of chance.

Assignments (6)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded May 23, 2022
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ZYNGA INC.
Reel/Frame 060163/0437 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Dec 14, 2020
From: ZYNGA INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 054719/0490 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Dec 11, 2020
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS LENDER
To: ZYNGA INC.
Reel/Frame 054701/0393 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Dec 21, 2018
From: ZYNGA INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS LENDER
Reel/Frame 049147/0546 →
LICENSE Recorded Aug 8, 2014
From: WALKER DIGITAL GAMING, LLC; WALKER DIGITAL GAMING HOLDING, LLC; WDG EQUITY, LLC; WALKER DIGITAL, LLC
To: IGT
Reel/Frame 033501/0023 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 13, 2012
From: WALKER DIGITAL, LLC
To: ZYNGA, INC.
Reel/Frame 028046/0668 →