Granted Patent B2

US 8,628,422 · App. 13/124,247 · Granted Jan 14, 2014

Abstract

Claims (57)

1. A gaming system having virtual assets, comprising:

a wager input device;

at least one gaming terminal comprising a display for displaying a wagering game;

a virtual asset server in communication with the at least one gaming terminal, the virtual asset server storing and managing a first type and a second type of virtual non-monetary assets, the first type of virtual non-monetary asset having a first plurality of attributes associated therewith, the second type of virtual asset having a second plurality of attributes associated therewith, each of the first and second pluralities of attributes pertaining to (a) persistence—whether the asset is permanent or has a limited usable life, (b) tradeability—whether or not the asset can be purchased, sold, or otherwise traded, (c) expected value—whether or not the asset has a cash value associated with it, and (d) virtual value—whether or not the asset has a perceived value associated with it and if the perceived value is fixed or controlled by a market, at least two of the first plurality of attributes being different than the corresponding two of the second plurality of attributes; and

at least one controller operative to:

(i) cause the first display to display the wagering game;

(ii) in response to a first triggering event, award one or more of the virtual non-monetary assets to a player of the wagering game;

(iii) store information regarding the awarded non-monetary virtual assets in a player account associated with the player and accessible to the virtual asset server; and

(iv) provide a monetary award to the player for any winning outcomes achieved during play of the wagering game.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller is further operative to permit consumption and redemption of the awarded virtual assets by the player.

3. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the virtual assets stored in and managed by the virtual asset server are controlled in response to a master rule set governing permissible actions with the virtual assets.

4. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the awarded virtual assets is associated with a local rule set for interacting with other ones of the virtual assets stored on the virtual asset server.

5. The gaming system of claim 4 , wherein the local rule set interacts with other ones of the virtual assets stored on the virtual asset server independently of the master rule set.

6. The gaming system of claim 5 , wherein the local rule set is downloaded and stored in memory of the gaming terminal in response to the player account being accessed.

7. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the attributes govern a manner in which the virtual assets are at least one of collected, redeemed, distributed, and earned.

8. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second types of virtual assets are each selected from a group consisting of:

(i) achievements awarded for accomplishments within the wagering game or for participating in events;

(ii) virtual objects;

(iii) keys for unlocking events within or outside the wagering game, and

(iv) points that are purchased, or earned during play of the wagering game.

9. A method of conducting a wagering game comprising:

accessing and recalling a player account in response to receiving a player identifier; receiving a wager;

displaying a wagering game on a display of a gaming terminal;

storing and managing a first type and a second type of virtual non-monetary assets on a virtual asset server in communication with the gaming terminal, the first type of virtual asset having a first plurality of attributes associated therewith, the second type of virtual asset having a second plurality of attributes associated therewith, each of the first and second pluralities of attributes pertaining to (a) persistence—whether the asset is permanent or has a limited usable life, (b) tradeability—whether or not the asset can be purchased, sold, or otherwise traded, (c) expected value—whether or not the asset has a cash value associated with it, and (d) virtual value—whether or not the asset has a perceived value associated with it and if the perceived value is fixed or controlled by a market, at least two of the first plurality of attributes being different than the corresponding two of the second plurality of attributes;

in response to a triggering event, awarding one or more of the virtual non-monetary assets to the player;

storing information regarding the awarded virtual non-monetary assets in the player account associated with the player and accessible to the virtual asset server; and

providing a monetary award to the player for any winning outcomes achieved during play of the first wagering game.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein virtual assets stored in and managed by the virtual asset server are controlled in response to a master rule set governing permissible actions with virtual assets.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the awarded virtual assets is associated with a local rule set for interacting with other ones of the virtual assets stored on the virtual asset server.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the local rule set is downloaded and stored in memory of the gaming terminal in response to the player account being accessed.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the attributes govern a manner in which the virtual assets are at least one of collected, redeemed, distributed, and earned.

14. A gaming system having virtual non-monetary assets, comprising:

a wager input device;

a plurality of gaming terminals, each gaming terminal comprising a display for displaying a wagering game;

a virtual asset server in communication with the plurality of gaming terminals, the virtual asset server storing a plurality of player accounts and a set of virtual non-monetary assets associated with each player account, the virtual asset server further storing a master rule set for management of virtual non-monetary assets, wherein the virtual non-monetary assets are not redeemable for cash value, are persistent over a plurality of wagering games played by a player associated with the player account associated with the virtual non-monetary assets, wherein the virtual non-monetary assets include at least two of the attributes of (a) tradeability—whether or not the asset can be purchased, sold, or otherwise traded, (b) expected value—whether or not the asset has a cash value associated with it, and (c) virtual value—whether or not the asset has a perceived value associated with it and if the perceived value is fixed or controlled by a market; and

at least one controller operative to:

in response to input of a player identifier, identify the player at one of the plurality of gaming terminals;

recall the player account associated with the player;

recall a set of virtual non-monetary assets associated with the player account;

modify the set of virtual non-monetary assets based upon the player's collection, redemption and disposition of virtual non-monetary assets during play of the wagering game;

provide a monetary award to the player for any winning outcomes achieved during play of the wagering game; and

store the modified set of virtual non-monetary assets in the virtual asset server upon the player concluding play of the wagering game.

15. The gaming system of claim 14 , wherein the types of available virtual assets comprises things, keys, achievements, and points.

16. The gaming system of claim 14 , wherein at least one virtual asset stored on the virtual asset server is associated with a local rule set for interacting with other ones of virtual assets stored on the virtual asset server.

17. The gaming system of claim 14 , wherein the local rule set is downloaded and stored in memory of the gaming terminal at which the player has been identified.

18. The gaming system of claim 14 , wherein the virtual asset server is further in communication with one or more computers over the internet, said one or more computers displaying virtual asset information associated with at least one player account stored on the virtual asset server.

19. A method of conducting a wagering game having virtual non-monetary assets, comprising:

receiving at least one wager;

displaying a wagering game on a plurality of gaming terminal displays;

storing (i) a plurality of player accounts, (ii) a set of virtual non-monetary assets associated with each player account, and (iii) a master rule set for management of virtual non-monetary assets, on a virtual server in communication with the plurality of gaming terminals;

identifying a player at one of the plurality of gaming terminals in response to input of a player identifier;

recalling a player account associated with the player;

recalling a set of virtual non-monetary assets associated with the player account from a virtual asset server, the virtual asset server storing a first type and a second type of virtual non-monetary assets, the first type of virtual non-monetary asset having a first plurality of attributes associated therewith, the second type of virtual asset having a second plurality of attributes associated therewith, each of the first and second pluralities of attributes pertaining to (a) persistence—whether the asset is permanent or has a limited usable life, (b) tradeability—whether or not the asset can be purchased, sold, or otherwise traded, (c) expected value—whether or not the asset has a cash value associated with it, and (d) virtual value—whether or not the asset has a perceived value associated with it and if the perceived value is fixed or controlled by a market, at least two of the first plurality of attributes being different than the corresponding two of the second plurality of attributes;

modifying the set of virtual non-monetary assets based upon the player's collection, redemption and disposition of virtual non-monetary assets during play of the wagering game;

providing a monetary award to the player for any winning outcomes achieved during play of the wagering game; and

storing the modified set of virtual non-monetary assets in the virtual asset server upon the player concluding play of the wagering game.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first and second types of available virtual assets comprises things, keys, achievements, and points.

Assignments (12)