IP Library Granted Patent US 8,425,302
Granted Patent B2
US 8,425,302 · App. 12/331,033 · Granted Apr 23, 2013

Gaming system and a method of triggering feature gaming based on hit rate

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,425,302
App. No.
12/331,033
Granted
Apr 23, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of triggering a multi-player game, comprising: determining a current number of eligible gaming machines; communicating current hit rate data based on the current number of eligible gaming machines to at least each eligible gaming machine; determining at each eligible gaming machine whether to trigger the multi-player game at a hit rate based on the current hit rate data.

Claims (23)

1. A method of triggering a multi-player game, comprising:

determining from a plurality of gaming machines a current number of eligible gaming machines;

communicating current hit rate data based on the current number of eligible gaming machines to at least each eligible gaming machine;

determining at each eligible gaming machine whether to trigger the multi-player game at a hit rate based on the current hit rate data; and

triggering the multi-player game at each of the plurality of gaming machines, whether eligible or not, in response to determining that one of the eligible gaming machines has triggered a multi-player game, wherein if the determining to trigger the multi-player game is made while a multi-player game is in play, the determining is buffered and used to subsequently trigger a further instance of the multi-player game.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said eligible gaming machines are active gaming machines of a set of gaming machines.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the current hit rate data includes the current number of eligible gaming machines and each eligible gaming machine determines the hit rate from the current number.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the current hit rate data is the hit rate.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each eligible gaming machine determines whether to trigger the multi-player game as part of each game round.

6. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines arranged to conduct a multi-player game to be played by two or more players; and

a feature controller arranged to

1) determine from the plurality of gaming machines a current number of eligible gaming machines;

2) communicate current hit rate data based on the current number of eligible gaming machines to at least each eligible gaming machine;

3)determine at each eligible gaming machine whether to trigger the multi-player game at a hit rate based on the current hit rate data; and

4) trigger the multi-player game at each of the plurality of gaming machines, whether eligible or not, in response to determining that one of the eligible gaming machines has triggered a multi-player game, wherein if the determining to trigger the multi-player game is made while a multi-player game is in play, the determining is buffered and used to subsequently trigger a further instance of the multi-player game.

7. A gaming system as claimed in claim 6 , and wherein the feature controller is further arranged to determine the current number of eligible gaming machines and communicate the current hit rate data.

8. A gaming system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the feature controller is provided by one of the gaming machines.

9. A gaming system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the feature controller is separate to the gaming machines.

10. A gaming system as claimed in claim 7 , and wherein said eligible gaming machines are active gaming machines of a set of gaming machines.

11. A gaming system as claimed in claim 7 , and wherein the current hit rate data includes the current number of eligible gaming machines and each eligible gaming machine determines the hit rate from the current number.

12. A gaming system as claimed in claim 7 , and wherein the current hit rate data is the hit rate.

13. A gaming system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein each eligible gaming machine determines whether to trigger the multi-player game as part of each game round.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE (REEL 060204 / FRAME 0216) Recorded Mar 2, 2026
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
Reel/Frame 074989/0657 →
NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 27, 2022
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 060204/0216 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 16, 2022
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 059368/0799 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2020
From: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS SECURITY TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 052828/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 16, 2015
From: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
Reel/Frame 034777/0498 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 19, 2009
From: BENNETT, NICHOLAS LUKE; GRAHAM, PHILIPPA ALICE
To: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 022848/0890 →