Progressive system and methods

Abstract

The specification discloses a progressive gaming system having a central system, at least one prize, a progressive method, and at least one monetary transaction acceptor. The central system is adapted to associate the progressive method with the prize and the monetary transaction acceptor thereby allowing the monetary transaction acceptor to participate for the prize. The progressive method is adapted to determine a participation outcome based at least on the monetary transaction acceptor's contribution percent factor. The specification also discloses a progressive gaming system and methods having the ability to expand the participation base for a progressive prize to include a wide variety of monetary transaction acceptors. The progressive gaming system and methods may have the capability to accept a monetary transaction value in a plurality of currencies or a plurality of denominations of the same currency. The progressive gaming system and methods may support multiple prizes simultaneously. Each monetary transaction acceptor may be linked to one or more prizes.

Description

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 300,333, filed Jun. 22, 2001. This application is also a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09 / 698,941, filed Oct. 27, 2000. application Ser. No. 09 / 698,941 is a divisional application of Ser. No. 09 / 005,341, filed Jan. 9, 1998, which is now U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,608. application Ser. No. 09 / 698,941 claims priority of provisional patent application No. 60 / 035 / 513, filed Jan. 15, 1997, application No. 60 / 040 / 982, filed Mar. 17, 1997, and application No. 60 / 050 / 971, filed on Jun. 19, 1997.FIELD OF INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to system and methods used to link devices to prizes and control the participation for prizes. More particularly, the system and methods enable devices that accept wagers, payments for goods or services, or any other monetary transaction, and devices capable of using different currencies or using different denominations wit...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017] At least one embodiment of the present invention enables any device accepting monetary transactions to be linked with at least one prize.

[0018] At least one embodiment of the present invention enables assigning a contribution percent factor to each linked device.

[0019] At least one embodiment of the present invention enables linking a device and prize regardless of the device's currency or denomination of monetary transaction, or theoretical

Problems solved by technology

However, the limitation presented by the corresponding large total wager amount drove an industry desire for methods that would enable increasing the base of participating gaming devices.

While these methods appear to enable increasing the participation base, they have several limitations.

For example, one limitation requires that the coin wagered on a gaming device must be a multiple of the coin the prize is based upon.

The size of the prize's contribution percent factor may hinder the ability to link the device to the progressive prize.

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