Granted Patent B2

US 8,323,101 · App. 12/812,493 · Granted Dec 4, 2012

Abstract

Claims (42)

1. A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:

activating, on at least one gaming device, a progressive game having a first set of configuration parameters;

providing a primary wagering game having a second set of configuration parameters;

comparing, via at least one processor, the first set of configuration parameters with the second set of configuration parameters to determine, in accordance with at least a first rule set, if the primary wagering game can be activated and paired with the progressive game; and

displaying, via at least one display device, results from the comparing step.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising changing one or more parameters in the first set of configuration parameters.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising activating the primary wagering game in response to a determination that the primary wagering game can be activated and paired with the progressive game.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of configuration parameters comprises a reset value, a contribution rate and a hit rate.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the progressive game is selected from a plurality of available progressive games.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparing step is performed by a software pairing tool stored in at least one memory of the gaming system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first rule set includes rules associated with gaming regulations.

8. A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:

providing a progressive game having a first set of configuration parameters;

activating, on at least one gaming device, a primary wagering game having a second set of configuration parameters;

comparing, via at least one processor, the second set of configuration parameters with the first set of configuration parameters to determine, in accordance with at least a first rule set, if the progressive game can be activated and paired with the primary wagering game; and

displaying, via at least one display device, results from the comparing step.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising changing one or more parameters in the second set of configuration parameters.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising activating the progressive game in response to a determination that the progressive game can be activated and paired with the primary wagering game.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first set of configuration parameters comprises a reset value, a contribution rate and a hit rate.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the primary wagering game is selected from a plurality of available primary wagering games.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the comparing step is performed by a software pairing tool stored in at least one memory of the gaming system.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the first rule set includes rules associated with gaming regulations.

15. A method of pairing progressive games with primary wagering games on a gaming system, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of progressive games on the gaming system, each of the progressive games having a first set of configuration parameters;

providing a plurality of primary wagering games on the gaming system, each of the primary wagering games having a second set of configuration parameters;

in response to a change in any of the first or second sets of configuration parameters, dynamically comparing, via at least one processor, each of the first sets with each of the second sets, in accordance with at least a first rule set, to determine which combinations of primary wagering games and progressive games are permissibly pairable; and

displaying, via at least one display device, the permissibly pairable combinations.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising activating a first one of the plurality of progressive games.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising activating a subset of the plurality of primary wagering games which, according to the first rule set, are permissibly pairable with the first one of the plurality of progressive games.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising activating a first one of the plurality of primary wagering games.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising activating a subset of the plurality of progressive games which, according to the first rule set, are permissibly pairable with the first one of the plurality of primary wagering games.

20. A method of loading a primary wagering game onto a gaming device, the method comprising:

receiving, via at least one input device, a request from a player of the gaming device to activate a primary wagering game;

recalling a first set of configuration parameters associated with the primary wagering game;

comparing the first set of configuration parameters with a plurality of sets of configuration parameters associated with a plurality of progressive gamesin accordance with at least one rule set;

determining a subset of the plurality of progressive games capable of being paired with the primary wagering game; and

displaying, via at least one display device, the subset of progressive games capable of being paired with the primary wagering game.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising receiving confirmation from the player to activate the primary wagering game.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising, in response to receiving the confirmation, downloading the primary wagering game to the gaming device.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

receiving a primary wager from the player, and in response thereto, displaying the primary wagering game on the gaming device.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising granting the player eligibility for participating in each of the subset of progressive games.

Assignments (12)