Amusement device having adjustable pricing tiers

Abstract

A method of assigning electronic games to pricing tiers in an amusement device includes the steps of receiving a first pricing definition and a second pricing definition. The first pricing definition includes a first pricing tier and a first cost value specifying a first minimum quantity of playable credits required for accessing a first electronic game and the second pricing definition includes a second pricing tier and a second cost value specifying a second minimum quantity of playable credits required for accessing a third electronic game. The method also includes receiving a first assignment of the first electronic game and a second electronic game to the first pricing tier and receiving a second assignment of the third electronic game to the second pricing tier. The first cost value is reassigned to a reassigned first cost value. The reassigned first cost value the second cost value or a third cost value.

1 . A method of assigning electronic games to pricing tiers in an amusement device, the amusement device having a display or video screen, a controller, and a memory, the memory storing a plurality of electronic games playable on the amusement device, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) receiving a first pricing definition, the first pricing definition including a first pricing tier and a first cost value specifying a first minimum quantity of playable credits required for accessing a first electronic game;   b) receiving a second pricing definition; the second pricing definition including a second pricing tier and a second cost value specifying a second minimum quantity of playable credits required for accessing a third electronic game;   c) receiving a first assignment of the first electronic game and a second electronic game to the first pricing tier, such that the first and second electronic games require the first cost value to commence game play;   d) receiving a second assignment of the third electronic game and a fourth electronic game to the second pricing tier, such that the third and fourth electronic games require the second cost value to commence game play;   e) storing the received first and second definitions and the first and second assignments in the memory; and   f) reassigning the first cost value to a reassigned first cost value, the reassigned first cost value being one of the second cost value and a third cost value, the reassigned first cost value being different than the first cost value.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising the further steps of:
 g) receiving a third assignment of a fifth electronic game and a sixth electronic game to a third pricing tier, such that the fifth and sixth electronic games require a third cost value specifying a third minimum quantity of playable credits required for accessing the fifth and sixth electronic games; and   h) storing the third assignment in the memory.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the third cost value is different from the first and second cost values. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first assignment and the second assignment are received over an Internet connection. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  comprising the further steps of:
 g) receiving a selection of the first electronic game from the user; 
 h) receiving a first user quantity of playable credits from the user; and 
 i) one of denying access to the first electronic game in response to a determination that the first user quantity of playable credits is less than the first cost value and granting access to the first electronic game in response to a determination that the first user quantity of playable credits is one of equal to and greater than the first cost value. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first cost value and the second cost value are set by one of an operator of the amusement device, a manufacturer of the amusement device, and a provider of a user account associated with the user. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , comprising the further step of:
 g) reassigning the second cost value to a reassigned second cost value, the reassigned second cost value being one of the first cost value, the third cost value and a fourth cost value, the reassigned second cost value being different than the second cost value.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second electronic games are reassignable to the second pricing tier and the third and fourth electronic games are reassignable to the first pricing tier. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first assignment is made by one of an operator of the amusement device, a manufacturer of the amusement device, and a provider of a user account associated with the user. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising the further step of:
 g) receiving a third pricing definition, the third pricing definition including a third pricing tier and the third cost value specifying a third minimum quantity of playable credits required for accessing a fifth electronic game; and   h) receiving a third assignment of the fifth electronic game and a sixth electronic game to the third pricing tier, such that the fifth and sixth electronic games require the third cost value to commence game play.   
     
     
         11 . An amusement device including a plurality of electronic games stored therein, the amusement device comprising:
 (a) a memory that stores:
 (i) the plurality of electronic games for selection and play including a first electronic game, a second electronic game and a third electronic game; and 
 (ii) first and second pricing definitions defining a first pricing tier and a second pricing tier, respectively, the first electronic game and the second electronic game assigned to the first pricing tier and the third electronic game assigned to the second pricing tier, the first pricing definition including a first cost value specifying a first minimum quantity of playable credits required for accessing the first electronic game and the second electronic game, the second pricing definition including a second cost value specifying a second minimum quantity of playable credits required for accessing the third electronic game, the first cost value being adjustable by the user to set a reassigned first cost value, the reassigned first cost value specifying a third minimum quantity of playable credits required for accessing the first electronic game and the second electronic game; 
   (b) a display screen having a touchscreen designed and configured to receive a selected electronic game from the user comprised of one of the first electronic game, the second electronic game and the third electronic game; and   (c) a controller configured to execute the selected electronic game of step (b).   
     
     
         12 . The amusement device of  claim 11 , wherein the first cost value and the second cost value are defined by one of an operator of the amusement device, a manufacturer of the amusement device, and a provider of a user account associated with the user. 
     
     
         13 . The amusement device of  claim 12 , wherein the memory stores a third pricing definition. 
     
     
         14 . The amusement device of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second pricing definitions are made by one of an operator of the amusement device, a manufacturer of the amusement device, and a provider of a user account associated with the user. 
     
     
         15 . The amusement device of  claim 14 , wherein the third electronic game is reassignable to the first pricing tier. 
     
     
         16 . The amusement device of  claim 15 , wherein the memory further stores a third pricing tier having a third minimum quantity of playable credits required to access a fifth electronic game and a sixth electronic game, both of which are assigned to the third pricing tier. 
     
     
         17 . The amusement device of  claim 11 , wherein a fourth electronic game is assigned to the second pricing tier. 
     
     
         18 . The amusement device of  claim 11 , wherein the first cost value is different than the second cost value and the reassigned first cost value is different than the first cost value and the second cost value. 
     
     
         19 . The amusement device of  claim 11 , wherein the first pricing definition of the first pricing tier also includes a first continue value, the first continue value defining the amount of credits required to continue one of the first electronic game and the second electronic game that the user has previously started. 
     
     
         20 . The amusement device of  claim 19 , wherein the second pricing definition of the second pricing tier also includes a second continue value, the second continue value defining the amount of credits required to continue the third electronic game that that user has previously started.