Granted Patent B2

US 8,187,088 · App. 12/600,976 · Granted May 29, 2012

Abstract

Claims (40)

1. A method of funding features of a wagering game, by at least one of one or more controllers, comprising:

receiving, using at least one of one or more controllers, a first sum of money generated from extra-casino activity associated with at least one person;

depositing, using at least one of the one or more controllers, the first sum into a feature fund;

allocating, using at least one of the one or more controllers, the first sum to at least one account of the feature fund in accordance with a first rule set;

in response to a triggering event, withdrawing, using at least one of the one or more controllers, a second sum of money from the at least one account;

funding, using at least one of the one or more controllers, at least one feature associated with the wagering game from the second sum of money; and

activating, using at least one of the one or more controllers, the funded feature.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extra-casino activity comprises online activity.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the online activity comprises advertising of a brand of goods or services presented to the at least one person, wherein the first sum of money is received as a fee for advertising the brand.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first rule set includes instructions for determining at least one of (i) a source of the first sum, (ii) a nature of the online activity, and (iii) an identity of the at least one person.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising (i) identifying a player of the wagering game and (ii) determining eligibility of the player to utilize money from the at least one account.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the triggering event comprises receiving a request from the player to activate the funded feature.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second sum is withdrawn in accordance with a second rule set.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wagering game is played on a gaming system, the gaming system being associated with a website, the extra-casino activity being on-line activity occurring at the website associated with the gaming system.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions for performing the method of claim 1 .

10. A method of operating a wagering game comprising:

receiving a primary wager, via at least one input device, to activate the wagering game;

determining, using at least one of one or more controllers, if a first feature of the wagering game is eligible for activation;

receiving a request from a player to activate the first feature;

receiving a secondary wager from a feature fund, the feature fund having a plurality of accounts, the feature fund funded by monies generated from extra-casino activity associated with at least one person, the monies deposited into one or more of the plurality of accounts of the feature fund in accordance with a first rule set;

allocating the secondary wager to fund the first feature in accordance with a second rule set; and

activating, using at least one of the one or more controllers, the first feature.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the extra-casino activity is online activity.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising identifying the player and confirming the player's eligibility to receive the first feature.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the online activity comprises advertising of a brand of goods or services presented to the at least one person, wherein the first sum of money is received as a fee for advertising the brand.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one person is the player.

15. A gaming system comprising:

a wager input device for receiving a primary wager from a player;

at least one display for displaying a randomly selected outcome of a wagering game;

at least one controller operative to:

(i) determine if a first feature of the wagering game is eligible for activation;

(ii) receive a request from the player to activate the first feature;

(iii) receive a secondary wager from a feature fund, the feature fund having a plurality of accounts, the feature fund funded by monies generated from online activity associated with at least one person, the monies deposited into one or more of the plurality of accounts of the feature fund in accordance with a first rule set;

(iv) allocate the secondary wager to fund the first feature in accordance with a second rule set; and

(v) activate the first feature.

16. The gaming system of claim 15 , wherein the online activity comprises a website operated by or on behalf of a manufacturer of the gaming system.

17. The gaming system of claim 16 , wherein the website includes advertising by at least one advertiser of goods or services, wherein the monies are received from the at least one advertiser.

18. The gaming system of claim 15 , wherein the online activity is selected from the group consisting of online purchases, online gaming, online advertising, online subscriptions, online financial transactions and online surveys.

19. The gaming system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one controller is further operative to identify the player and verify the player's eligibility to receive the first feature.

20. The gaming system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further operative to cause the at least one display to display the first feature.

Assignments (11)