SERVER BASED GAMING SYSTEM HAVING MULTIPLE PROGRESSIVE AWARDS

Abstract

A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. The central server includes a plurality of progressive modules. Each progressive module maintains one or more progressive awards and is associated with zero, one or more of the gaming machines in the gaming system. Upon a determination that a designated one of the progressive awards will be provided, one of the gaming machines associated with the progressive module which maintains the designated progressive award provides the designated progressive award to the player of such gaming machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the central server in communication with a plurality of gaming devices in accordance with one embodiment of the gaming system disclosed herein wherein each progressive module is associated with one or more gaming devices.

FIG. 2A and 2B are front perspective views of alternative embodiments of gaming devices disclosed herein.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the electronic configuration of one embodiment of a gaming device disclosed herein.

FIG. 4 is a chart illustrating each of the active progressive modules and the progressive award(s) maintained by each progressive module.

FIG. 5 is a menu illustrating each of the supplemental progressive awards which a player may place a side wager on and the minimum side wager required for each of such supplemental progressive awards.

FIG. 6 is a menu illustrating each of the supplemental progressive awards which a player may place a side wager on and the range of side wagers which may be placed for each of such supplemental progressive awards.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the central server in communication with a plurality of gaming devices in accordance with one embodiment of the gaming system disclosed herein wherein a player at a first gaming device places a wager on a progressive award associated with a second gaming device.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the central server in communication with a plurality of gaming devices in accordance with one embodiment of the gaming system disclosed herein wherein each progressive module is associated with one or more gaming devices and a plurality of gaming devices are each associated with a plurality of progressive modules.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the central server in communication with a plurality of gaming devices in accordance with one embodiment of the gaming system disclosed herein wherein the central server is in further communication with a plurality of sign controllers to control which information is displayed to the players of the gaming system.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the gaming system disclosed herein wherein a gaming device communicates information related to a plurality of progressive awards to the central server and the central server sorts and categories the communicated information.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising: a controller;an accumulated value progressive award associated with a range of values and a progressive award hit value;a plurality of gaming machines configured to communicate with the controller, each gaming machine including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player; anda plurality of sub-controllers, each configured to communicate with the controller, wherein each sub-controller is associated with a different plurality of said gaming machines and programmed to track the wagers placed at said plurality of said gaming machines, classify the tracked wagers placed into a coin-in chunk and communicate data representing the coin-in chunk to the controller;wherein for at least one of the communicated coin-in chunks, the controller is programmed to:(a) add the wagers of the communicated coin-in chunk to the accumulated value progressive award;(b) determine if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the progressive award hit value; and(c) if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the progressive award hit value: (i) for each gaming machine associated with the sub-controller which communicated the data representing the coin-in chunk: determine a probability of winning the accumulated value progressive award to associate with said gaming machine, wherein said determined probability is based on the wagers placed at said gaming machine;(ii) randomly select one of the gaming machines, wherein said selection is based on the determined probabilities; and(iii) instruct the selected gaming machine to provide the accumulated value progressive award.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one sub-controller is programmed to classify the coin-in chunk based on an accumulation of a designated amount of wagers placed.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one sub-controller is programmed to classify the coin-in chunk based on an accumulation of an amount of wagers placed in a designated period of time.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein determining the probabilities of winning the accumulated value progressive award includes assigning each gaming machine a slot of a matrix for each monetary unit of each wager placed.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein selecting one of the gaming machines includes selecting one of the slots of the matrix.

6. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the wagers placed at a plurality of said gaming machines have different denominations which are equated as monetary units.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each of the gaming machine is associated with at least one of the sub-controllers based on a factor selected from the group consisting of a denomination of the gaming machine, a type of the gaming machine, a location of the gaming machine, a manufacturer of the gaming machine, the player currently playing the gaming machine, and a designated time period associated with the gaming machine.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, which includes a plurality accumulated value progressive awards, wherein each accumulated value progressive award is associated with a range of values, and a progressive award hit value.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each sub-controller is located at a different remote location.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to perform (a) to (c) for a plurality of said communicated coin-in chunks.

11. A gaming system comprising: a controller;an accumulated value progressive award associated with a range of values, and a progressive award hit value; anda plurality of gaming machines configured to communicate with the controller, each gaming machine including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player;wherein the controller is programmed to:(a) track the wagers placed by the players at said gaming machines;(b) classify the tracked wagers placed into a coin-in chunk;(c) add the wagers of the classified coin-in chunk to the accumulated value progressive award;(d) determine if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the progressive award hit value;(e) if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the progressive award hit value: (i) for each player that contributed at least one of said tracked wagers of said coin-in chunk, determine a probability of winning the accumulated value progressive award, wherein said determined probability is based on that player's wagers placed;(ii) randomly select one of the players, wherein said selection is based on the determined probabilities; and(iii) instruct the selected player's gaming machine to provide the selected player the accumulated value progressive award; and(f) if the accumulated value progressive award does not reach the progressive award hit value, repeat (a) to (e) at least once.

12. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the controller is programmed to classify the coin-in chunk based on an accumulation of a designated amount of wagers placed.

13. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the controller is programmed to classify the coin-in chunk based on an accumulation of an amount of wagers placed in a designated period of time.

14. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein determining the probabilities of winning the accumulated value progressive award includes assigning each player a slot of a matrix for each monetary unit of each wager placed.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein selecting one of the players includes selecting one of the slots of the matrix.

16. The gaming system of claim 11, which includes a plurality accumulated value progressive awards, wherein each accumulated value progressive award is associated with a range of values, and a progressive award hit value.

17. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein if the accumulated value progressive award does not reach the progressive award hit value, the controller is programmed to repeat (a) to (f) at least once.

18. A gaming system comprising: a controller;an accumulated value progressive award associated with a range of values, and a progressive award hit value;a plurality of gaming machines configured to communicate with the controller, each gaming machine including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player; anda plurality of sub-controllers each configured to communicate with the controller, wherein each sub-controller is associated with a different plurality of said gaming machines, and programmed to: (a) track the wagers placed at said plurality of said gaming machines;(b) classify the tracked wagers placed into a coin-in chunk;(c) communicate data representing the coin-in chunk to the controller;(d) upon being caused to perform (i) to (iii): (i) determine a probability of winning the accumulated value progressive award for each associated gaming machine, wherein said determined probability is based on the wagers placed at said gaming machine;(ii) randomly select one of the associated gaming machines, wherein said selection is based on the determined probabilities; and(iii) cause the selected gaming machine to provide the accumulated value progressive award; andwherein the controller is programmed to: (A) add the wagers of the communicated coin-in chunk to the accumulated value progressive award;(B) determine if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the progressive award hit value; and(C) if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the progressive award hit value, cause the sub-controller which communicated data representing the coin-in chunk to perform (i) to (iii).

19. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein at least one sub-controller is programmed to classify the coin-in chunk based on an accumulation of a designated amount of wagers placed.

20. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein at least one sub-controller is programmed to classify the coin-in chunk based on an accumulation of an amount of wagers placed in a designated period of time.

21. The gaming system of claim 18, which includes a plurality accumulated value progressive awards, wherein each accumulated value progressive award is associated with a range of values, and a progressive award hit value.

22. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein each sub-controller is located at a different remote location.

23. A gaming system comprising: a controller;an accumulated value progressive award;a range of values associated with the accumulated value progressive award, wherein the range of values includes a plurality of different value ranges which are associated with a plurality of different probabilities; anda plurality of gaming machines configured to communicate with the controller, each gaming machine including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player;wherein the controller is programmed to:(a) select one of the value ranges, wherein said selection is based on the probabilities associated with said value ranges;(b) select one of the values of the selected value range;(c) classify the selected value as a progressive award hit value;(d) determine if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the progressive award hit value; and(e) if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the progressive award hit value, provide one of the players the accumulated value progressive award.

24. The gaming system of claim 23, wherein includes a plurality of accumulated value progressive awards.

25. A method of operating a gaming system, said gaming system including a controller configured to communicate with a plurality of sub-controllers and a plurality of gaming machines, wherein each gaming machine includes a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player and each sub-controller is associated with a different plurality of said gaming machines, said method comprising: (a) maintaining an accumulated value progressive award associated with a range of values and a progressive award hit value;(b) causing each sub-controller to: (i) track the wagers placed at said plurality of said associated gaming machines;(ii) classify the tracked wagers placed into a coin-in chunk; and(iii) communicate data representing the coin-in chunk to the controller; and(c) for at least one of the communicated coin-in chunks, causing the controller to: (1) add the wagers of the communicated coin-in chunk to the accumulated value progressive award;(2) determine if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the progressive award hit value; and(3) if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the progressive award hit value: (A) for each gaming machine associated with the sub-controller which communicated the data representing the coin-in chunk: determine a probability of winning the accumulated value progressive award to associate with said gaming machine, wherein said determined probability is based on the wagers placed at said gaming machine;(B) randomly select one of the gaming machines, wherein said selection is based on the determined probabilities; and(C) cause the selected gaming machine to provide the accumulated value progressive award.

26. The method of claim 25, which includes at least one sub-controller classifying the coin-in chunk based on an accumulation of a designated amount of wagers placed.

27. The method of claim 25, which includes at least one sub-controller classifying the coin-in chunk based on an accumulation of an amount of wagers placed in a designated period of time.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein determining the probabilities of winning the accumulated value progressive award includes assigning each gaming machine a slot of a matrix for each monetary unit of each wager placed.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein selecting one of the gaming machines includes selecting one of the slots of the matrix.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the wagers placed at a plurality of said gaming machines have different denominations which are equated as monetary units.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein each of the gaming machine is associated with at least one of the sub-controllers based on a factor selected from the group consisting of a denomination of the gaming machine, a type of the gaming machine, a location of the gaming machine, a manufacturer of the gaming machine, the player currently playing the gaming machine, and a designated time period associated with the gaming machine.

32. The method of claim 25, which includes a plurality accumulated value progressive awards, wherein each accumulated value progressive award is associated with a range of values, and a progressive award hit value.

33. The method of claim 25, which includes performing (b) to (c) for a plurality of said communicated coin-in chunks.

34. The method of claim 25, which is provided through a data network.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the data network is an internet.

36. A method of operating a gaming system, said gaming system including a controller configured to communicate with a plurality of gaming machines wherein each gaming machine includes a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player, said method comprising: (a) maintaining an accumulated value progressive award associated with a range of values, and a progressive award hit value; and(b) causing the controller to: (i) track the wagers placed by the players at said gaming machines;(ii) classify the tracked wagers placed into a coin-in chunk;(iii) add the wagers of the classified coin-in chunk to the accumulated value progressive award;(iv) determine if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the progressive award hit value;(v) if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the progressive award hit value: (1) for each player that contributed at least one of said tracked wagers of said coin-in chunk, determine a probability of winning the accumulated value progressive award, wherein said determined probability is based on that player's wagers placed;(2) randomly select one of the players, wherein said selection is based on the determined probabilities; and(3) instruct the selected player's gaming machine to provide the selected player the accumulated value progressive award; and(vi) if the accumulated value progressive award does not reach the progressive award hit value, repeat (i) to (v) at least once.

37. The method of claim 36, which includes classifying the coin-in chunk based on an accumulation of a designated amount of wagers placed.

38. The method of claim 36, which includes classifying the coin-in chunk based on an accumulation of an amount of wagers placed in a designated period of time.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein determining the probabilities of winning the accumulated value progressive award includes assigning each player a slot of a matrix for each monetary unit of each wager placed.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein selecting one of the players includes selecting one of the slots of the matrix.

41. The method of claim 36, which includes a plurality accumulated value progressive awards, wherein each accumulated value progressive award is associated with a range of values, and a progressive award hit value.

42. The method of claim 36, which includes repeating (i) to (vi) at least once if the accumulated value progressive award does not reach the progressive award hit value.

43. The method of claim 36, which is provided through a data network.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the data network is an internet.

45. A method of operating a gaming system, said gaming system including a controller configured to communicate with a plurality of sub-controllers and a plurality of gaming machines, wherein each gaming machine includes a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player and each sub-controller is associated with a different plurality of said gaming machines, said method comprising: (a) maintaining an accumulated value progressive award associated with a range of values and a progressive award hit value;(b) causing each sub-controller to: (i) track the wagers placed at said plurality of said gaming machines;(ii) classify the tracked wagers placed into a coin-in chunk; and(iii) communicate data representing the coin-in chunk to the controller;(c) causing the controller to: (i) add the wagers of the communicated coin-in chunk to the accumulated value progressive award; and(ii) determine if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the progressive award hit value; and(d) if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the progressive award hit value, causing the sub-controller which communicated data representing the coin-in chunk to: (i) determine a probability of winning the accumulated value progressive award for each associated gaming machine, wherein said determined probability is based on the wagers placed at said gaming machine;(ii) randomly select one of the associated gaming machines, wherein said selection is based on the determined probabilities; and(iii) cause the selected gaming machine to provide the accumulated value progressive award.

46. The method of claim 45, which includes classifying the coin-in chunk based on an accumulation of a designated amount of wagers placed.

47. The method of claim 45, which includes classifying the coin-in chunk based on an accumulation of an amount of wagers placed in a designated period of time.

48. The method of claim 45, which includes a plurality accumulated value progressive awards, wherein each accumulated value progressive award is associated with a range of values, and a progressive award hit value.

49. The method of claim 45, which is provided through a data network.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the data network is an internet.

51. A method of operating a gaming system, said gaming system including a controller configured to communicate with a plurality of gaming machines wherein each gaming machine includes a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player, said method comprising: (a) maintaining an accumulated value progressive award, wherein a range of values are associated with the accumulated value progressive award, the range of values including a plurality of different value ranges which are associated with a plurality of different probabilities; and(b) causing the controller to: (i) select one of the value ranges, wherein said selection is based on the probabilities associated with said value ranges;(ii) select one of the values of the selected value range;(iii) classify the selected value as a progressive award hit value;(iv) determine if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the progressive award hit value; and(v) if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the progressive award hit value, cause one of the gaming machines to provide one of the players the accumulated value progressive award.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein includes a plurality of accumulated value progressive awards.

53. The method of claim 51, which is provided through a data network.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the data network is an internet.