Granted Patent B2

US 10,803,694 · App. 14/817,170 · Granted Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

Claims (55)

1. A networked gaming system, comprising:

a communication network;

a player game device connected to the communication network, the player game device comprising:

a base game display and a base game processor to present a base game at the base game display, the base game having thresholds indicating respective levels of gameplay performance; and

a credit receiving device comprising at least one of a coin acceptor, a bill acceptor, a ticket reader, or a card reader, the credit receiving device configured to receive a physical item associated with a credit input from a player to fund a wager provided by the player, wherein the base game is conducted in response to the wager;

a wireless player console device having a second display, the wireless player console associated with the player game device;

a game eligibility illuminator comprising one or more light sections illuminating upon one or more thresholds of the base game being achieved, wherein the illuminated light sections indicate progress towards eligibility for the bonus game to the player;

a system server in wireless communication with the player console device, the server having a server processor that administers a bonus game provided to the wireless player console;

an activation system that recognizes, during play of the base game, a trigger condition that enables, via the server processor, a bonus game opportunity at the player console device;

whereupon the player console device presents a bonus game to the player for issuing an award, the bonus game including a bingo game with a set of bingo cards, the set of bingo cards being initially visibly covered;

upon achieving one of the thresholds, one or more of the bingo cards is animated to be partially uncovered and visible to the player; and

upon achieving all of the thresholds, all of the bingo cards are animated to be visibly uncovered.

2. The networked gaming system of claim 1 , the system including a reward level accumulator that indicates a level achieved by the player, the level determining a paytable associated with the bonus game.

3. The networked gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the bonus game is a bingo game.

4. The networked gaming system of claim 1 , further comprising a pre-bonus game for providing a rewards level and bonus game eligibility information, the rewards level corresponding to a wagering level of the player, and the bonus game eligibility corresponding to a frequency of a primary game play.

5. The networked gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the player game device includes the game eligibility illuminator.

6. The networked gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless player console includes the game eligibility illuminator.

7. The networked gaming system of claim 6 , wherein the second display is configured to present the game eligibility illuminator.

8. A networked gaming system, comprising:

a communication network;

a player game device connected to the communication network, the player game device comprising:

a base game display and a base game processor to present a base game at the base game display, the base game having thresholds indicating respective levels of gameplay performance; and

a credit receiving device comprising at least one of a coin acceptor, a bill acceptor, a ticket reader, or a card reader, the credit receiving device configured to receive a physical item associated with a credit input from a player to fund a wager provided by the player, wherein the base game is conducted in response to the wager;

a wireless player console device having a second display, the wireless player console associated with the player game device;

a game eligibility illuminator comprising one or more light sections illuminating upon one or more thresholds of the base game being achieved, wherein the illuminated light sections indicate progress towards eligibility for the bonus game to the player;

a system server in wireless communication with the player console device, the server having a server processor that administers a bonus game provided to the wireless player console;

an activation system that recognizes, during play of the base game, a trigger condition that enables, via the server processor, a bonus game opportunity at the player console device which presents a bonus game to the player, the bonus game including a bingo game with a set of bingo cards, the set of bingo cards being initially visibly covered;

upon achieving one of the thresholds, one or more of the bingo cards is animated to be partially uncovered and visible to the player;

upon achieving all of the thresholds, all of the bingo cards are animated to be visibly uncovered;

a set of bingo card numbers on each of the bingo cards is determined and illuminated;

the bingo game includes a set of selectable numbers, a subset of the selectable numbers being selected and corresponding locations on the bingo cards being designated; and

in the event that one or more sets of bingo card numbers are matched by the subset of the selectable numbers, then an award is provided.

9. The networked gaming system of claim 8 , further comprising a player information system, wherein the player information system identifies the bonus game available and information for the player to activate the game.

10. The networked gaming system of claim 8 , further comprising a determination system, wherein the determination system provides information about an outcome of bonus game play, and wherein in the event of a winning result, the determination system includes an award distribution system that enables one or more players to receive an award.

11. The networked gaming system of claim 8 , further comprising an advertising system, the advertising system including information about game play and potential awards.

12. The networked gaming system of claim 11 , wherein the award distribution system includes a player identification system that enables player identification, a withdrawal system that enables player to withdraw a portion of a player's winnings, and a status system that presents player information on the status of a withdrawal.

13. The networked gaming system of claim 8 , wherein the player game device includes the game eligibility illuminator.

14. The networked gaming system of claim 8 , wherein the second display is configured to present the game eligibility illuminator.

15. A networked gaming system, comprising:

a communication network;

a player game device connected to the communication network, the player game device comprising:

a base game display and a base game processor to present a base game at the base game display; and

a credit receiving device comprising at least one of a coin acceptor, a bill acceptor, a ticket reader, or a card reader, the credit receiving device is configured to receive a physical item associated with a credit input from a player to fund a wager provided by the player, wherein the base game is conducted in response to the wager;

a wireless player console device having a second display, the wireless player console associated with the player game device, the wireless player console device including a rewards level accumulator that visually apprises the player as to a level that the player has achieved including player eligibility by comparing the performance of the player in the base game to thresholds representing levels, the level determining a paytable associated with the bonus game;

a game eligibility illuminator comprising one or more light sections illuminating upon one or more thresholds of the base game being achieved, wherein the illuminated light sections indicate progress towards eligibility for the bonus game to the player;

a system server in wireless communication with the player console device, the server having a server processor that administers a bonus game provided to the wireless player console;

an activation system that recognizes, during play of the base game, a trigger condition that enables, via the server processor, a bonus game opportunity at the player console device which presents a bonus game to the player; and

a game initiator component that enables a player to initiate a bonus game, the bonus game including a bingo game with a set of bingo cards, the set of bingo cards being initially visibly covered;

upon achieving one of the thresholds, one or more of the bingo cards is animated to be partially uncovered and visible to the player; and

upon achieving all of the thresholds, all of the bingo cards are animated to be visibly uncovered.

16. The networked gaming system of claim 15 , wherein, upon every light section of the one or more light sections being illuminated, the game initiator component being illuminated and enabling the player to play the bonus game.

17. The networked gaming system of claim 15 , wherein the bonus game is a bingo game.

18. The networked gaming system of claim 15 , further comprising a pre-bonus game for providing a rewards level and bonus game eligibility information, the rewards level corresponding to a wagering level of the player, and the bonus game eligibility corresponding to a frequency of a primary game play.

19. The networked gaming system of claim 15 , wherein the player game device includes the game eligibility illuminator.

20. The networked gaming system of claim 15 , wherein the second display is configured to present the game eligibility illuminator.

Assignments (6)