Bonusing Architectures in a Gaming Environment

Abstract

A gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines is provided. The gaming machines may be configured to provide bonus games with persistent. The gaming machines may be configured to allow a player to enroll in bonus game with persistence and generate a record locator, such as printed ticket that allows a record of a state in the bonus game with persistence to be accessed at a later time. A server coupled to the plurality of gaming machines may maintain records of various states in the bonus game with persistence. When a valid record locator is presented at a gaming machine, these records may be checked out and updated via game play at the gaming machine.

1 . A server comprising:
 a processor;   a communication interface;   a memory storing a plurality of records related to states in a bonus game with persistence, wherein each of the plurality of records includes information regarding at least one record locator, an expiration time associated with the record and information regarding a state in the bonus game with persistence, said information regarding the state including a status of a plurality of achievements;   said server designed or configured to: 1) communicate with a plurality of gaming machine via the communication interface, 2) receive information from a gaming machine related to a first record locator detected at the gaming machine; 3) locate the record associated with the first record locator; 4) compare information stored on the server pertaining to a record locator associated with the record with the information received from the gaming machine relating to the first record locator; 5) send information regarding a first state in the bonus game associated with the record to the gaming machine and instantiate a session wherein during the session only the gaming machine is permitted to provide to the server an update to the first state associated with bonus game; 6) in response to receiving information from the gaming machine related to a change in the status of one of the plurality of achievements associated with the state of the bonus game, update the record from the first state to a second state to reflect the change in the status of the one of the plurality of achievements; and 7) check the expiration time of each of the plurality of records, determine based upon the expiration time that a first record is to be closed, and in response to the determination, determine a value of the first record based upon at least the status of the plurality of achievements associated with the first record and close out the first record wherein the value associated with the first record is credited to an award pool.   
   
   
       2 . The server of  claim 1 , wherein the server is further designed or configured to determine a second record is to be closed and in response to the determination, determine a value of the second record based upon at least the status of the plurality of achievements associated with the second record wherein the value associated with the second record is offered as an award in a bonus game played on one of the plurality of gaming machines. 
   
   
       3 . The server of  claim 1 , wherein the server is further designed or configured to receive a request for enrollment in the bonus game with persistence and in response create the record, said creation of the record comprising specifying an initial status for each of the plurality of achievements in the record and storing information relating to the record locator with the record. 
   
   
       4 . The server of  claim 3 , wherein the server is further designed or configured in response to receiving the response to create the record to send a command to the gaming machine to print a ticket that is to be used as the record locator associated with record. 
   
   
       5 . The server of  claim 1 , wherein the record locator is one of a printed ticket, a smart card, a magnetic-striped card or a portable wireless device. 
   
   
       6 . The server of  claim 1 , wherein the record locator is a player tracking card associated with a loyalty program. 
   
   
       7 . The server of  claim 1 , wherein the server is further designed or configured to receive a message from the gaming machine indicating the session is terminated. 
   
   
       8 . The server of  claim 1 , wherein after the session is terminated, the server is further designed or configured to receive information from the gaming machine related to the first record locator detected at the gaming machine; 3) locate the record associated with the first record locator; 4) compare information stored on the server pertaining to the record locator associated with the record with the information received from the gaming machine relating to the first record locator and 5) send information regarding a current state in the bonus game to the gaming machine and instantiate a new session where updates to the record are permitted only by the gaming machine. 
   
   
       9 . The server of  claim 1 , wherein the server is further designed or configured, after receiving the information from the gaming machine related to the first record locator, to download a media application to the gaming machine or provide information to the gaming machine that allows the gaming machine to download the media application from another source, said media application executable on the gaming machine to provide content associated with the bonus game with persistence. 
   
   
       10 . The server of  claim 9 , wherein the content is related to one of a status interface for the bonus game with persistence, an award presentation for the bonus game with persistence or enrollment interface for the bonus game with persistence. 
   
   
       12 . The server of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of records includes a first set of records associated with a first bonus game with persistence and second set of records associated with a second bonus game with persistence wherein achievements associated with the first bonus game are different than achievements associated with the second bonus game. 
   
   
       13 . The server of  claim 1 , wherein the server is further designed or configured to receive a request from the gaming machine to associate a new record locator with the record. 
   
   
       14 . The server of  claim 13 , wherein in response to receiving the request, the server is further designed or configured to send a command to the gaming machine to print a ticket to be used as the new record locator, receive information that uniquely identifies the ticket and store the information that uniquely identifies the ticket with the record. 
   
   
       15 . The sever of  claim 1 , wherein the server is further designed or configured to receive a message from the gaming machine indicating all of the achievements associated with the bonus game with persistent have been obtained and in response close out the record. 
   
   
       16 . The server of  claim 1 , wherein the server is further designed or configured to determine a new expiration time is needed for the first record locator, determine the new expiration time and send the new expiration time to the gaming machine and store the new expiration time with the record. 
   
   
       17 . The server of  claim 16 , wherein the server is further designed or configured to send a command to the gaming machine to print a ticket to be used as the record locator for the record wherein the new expiration time is printed on the ticket and to store information associated with the ticket to the record to allow the ticket to be used subsequently as the record locator. 
   
   
       18 . The server of  claim 1 , wherein the server is further designed or configured to determine the new expiration time based upon when the bonus game with persistence is to end. 
   
   
       19 . The server of  claim 1 , wherein for a second record in the plurality of records an expiration time is associated with a first achievement that is obtained in the plurality of achievements associated with the bonus game with persistence. 
   
   
       20 . The server of  claim 19 , wherein the server is further designed or configured to determine the first achievement in the plurality of achievements is expired based upon the expiration time and in response change a status of the first achievement from obtained to not obtained in the second record. 
   
   
       21 . The server of  claim 19 , wherein the server is further designed or configured to send to the gaming machine the expiration time associated with the first achievement. 
   
   
       22 . The server of  claim 19 , wherein the server is further designed or configured to change the expiration time associated with the first achievement in response information received from the gaming machine.