Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – In a chance application
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-03
2001-09-25
Manuel, George (Department: 3737)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
In a chance application
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293865
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to gaming systems and more particularly pertains to networked gaming systems which allow multiple players to play against each other for a predetermined prize.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The increased access and availability of standardized large-scale networks (such as the Internet and the World Wide Web) allow remotely located users (such as at home users) to play video games in an environment that allows the user to select a wide variety of different types of video games provided by several different network gaming system providers. In this manner, a user is now easily able to play with or compete against other users across the network system.
Sometimes, it is advantageous for providers of multi-player gaming systems on these standardized large-scale networks to include an award scheme or prize system in order to attract users to their particular gaming systems. In a prize system, a provider may offer several differently valued prizes with a variety of awarding and redeeming schemes so that a user has a wide selection of options in obtaining prizes by playing games on the network gaming system.
However, a prize provider faces several difficulties when presenting a prize awarding and redeeming system on the Internet. Maintenance of a prize awarding and redeeming system requires the prize providers to be responsible for maintaining a system for prize tracking and delivery and setting and adjusting of prize credit costs or prices of the prizes as well. The prize provider is also responsible for determining how many prize credits are awarded, on average, by each game of each of the participating game providers and also for determining the price of each prize in terms of prize credits and in view of a desired profitability level.
This problem is compounded when compensation is being calculated in a tournament gaming environment where a plurality of players are playing for a pool of prize credits or prizes. In the prior art, a percentage of an entry fee is commonly collected for compensation purposes.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention provides a system, method and article of manufacture for determining payment for participating in a network gaming tournament. First, a plurality of networked game apparatuses are provided for allowing games to be played by a plurality of players in a tournament. Such game apparatuses allow the play of games in exchange for game credits, or rely on funding provided by advertisers or the like.
After the play of game(s) during a tournament, an indication of an outcome of at least one game played by each of the players is then received. Based on a sum of the outcomes of the games of all of the players, a total amount of prize credits or prizes is determined. It should be noted that the game apparatuses are already equipped with the ability to convert between outcomes of the games and a number of appropriate prize credits or prizes. Such ability is necessary for the games to be played during non-tournament play.
Subsequently, a first portion of the total amount of prize credits or prizes is partitioned for payment for participation in the tournament, and a second portion of the total amount of prize credits or prizes is awarded to at least one winning player based on the outcome of the at least one game thereof.
In one embodiment, at least one winning player is indicated on a list accessible on a site on the network. Such list may be updated upon receiving an indication of an outcome of at least one game played by another one of the players. As an option, a notice may be sent to at least one player each time the list is updated.
In another embodiment, the total amount of prize credits or prizes is determined by receiving a total sum of outcomes of the games for each of the players, and dividing the total sum of outcomes by a number of the games played by each player in order to identify an average value for each player. The total amount of prize credits or prizes may be thus determined based on a sum of the average values of the players. For additional incentive purposes, each of the players may be awarded a predetermined number of prize credits or prizes irrespective of an outcome of the games.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5779549 (1998-07-01), Walker et al.
patent: 6039648 (2000-03-01), Guinn et al.
Kelly Bryan M.
Kelly Matthew F.
Kroeckel John G.
Link John E.
Petermeier Norman B.
Arcade Planet, Inc.
Manuel George
Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP
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