| Systems and methods for post-play gaming benefits -> Monitor Keywords |
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  Systems and methods for post-play gaming benefitsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080009340. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND [0001]Modern casinos offer players a wide variety of game alternatives, including table games such as craps, blackjack and poker. Some games, such as slot machines for example, may generally constitute a major source of profit for a casino. Casinos therefore may strive to increase the attractiveness and playability of such machines (e.g., slot machines, video poker machines, and/or other machines or games) in ways that attract and retain players. [0002]More particularly, it is of substantial value to a casino to facilitate good feelings and emotions of players to encourage lengthier and/or faster play. When a player terminates play at a machine, particularly a machine at which the player has "invested" a large amount of time for example, the player may experience negative feelings and/or emotions if the player has failed to win a certain amount and/or has lost finds at the machine. Similarly, the player may experience jealousy toward other players that are perceived to win and/or do win at the machine subsequent to the original player's failed attempts. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES [0003]Various embodiments are described herein with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, like reference numerals generally indicate identical and/or functionally similar elements. The leftmost digit(s) of a reference numeral typically identifies the figure in which the reference numeral appears. Some figures and accompanying descriptions presented herein are indicative of exemplary arrangements for stored representations of information. A number of other arrangements may be employed instead of or in addition to the tables and/or data storage structures depicted herein. Similarly, illustrated entries represent exemplary information, but the number and content of the entries may be different from those illustrated herein. A brief description of the figures follows. [0004]FIG. 1 is flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments; [0005]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments; [0006]FIG. 3 is block diagram of a controller according to some embodiments; [0007]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a gaming device according to some embodiments; [0008]FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a player database according to some embodiments; [0009]FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a post-play benefit database according to some embodiments; and [0010]FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION I. Introduction [0011]Some embodiments are generally directed to gaming devices and benefits received there from. Some embodiments provide for systems, methods, and articles of manufacture that allow a player of a gaming device to receive benefits associated with the gaming device, even when the player is not involved in a current session of play at the gaming device. [0012]For example, Applicants have recognized that it may be advantageous in some circumstances to allow a player of a gaming device to realize benefits associated with the gaming device even when the player is not currently involved in a session of play at the gaming device. A player that plays at a gaming device may become "invested" in future outcomes of the gaming device associated with subsequent players, for example, and/or the player may otherwise become entitled to and/or earn benefits after the player's session at the gaming device has terminated. Such benefits may generally be referred to herein as "post-play benefits". Such "post-play" benefits may typically require that the player play at the gaming device prior to qualifying for and/or receiving a benefit. In some embodiments however, the player may otherwise become "invested" in and/or receive benefits associated with a gaming device and/or associated with one or more other players. [0013]Post-play benefits may generally be earned and/or awarded based on at least one of (i) a prequalification condition, (ii) a triggering condition, and/or (iii) a reward condition. A player may fail to win a certain amount at a gaming device (e.g., a prequalification condition), for example, and move on to another gaming device. According to some embodiments, if a second player initiates play at the first player's original gaming device within a certain period of time (e.g., a triggering condition) and/or the second player manages to win a certain amount at the first player's original gaming device, then the first player may receive a post-play benefit (e.g., via the current gaming device utilized by the first player and/or via other means). In such a manner, for example, the first player may feel that time spent at a gaming device has earned the first player a stake in future outcomes of the gaming device, and indeed it may. Because the first player may experience such a feeling of "investment", the first player may be more likely to continue play at a machine even while experiencing losses, and/or may be more likely to play at other machines and/or games even after losing (and/or not winning) at the original machine. In some embodiments, additional conditions may be required prior to the first player's redemption and/or receipt of a reward or benefit (e.g., a reward condition). [0014]With these and other advantages and features of embodiments that will become hereinafter apparent, the nature of various embodiments may be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, to the appended claims, and to the figures referenced herein. II. General Process [0015]In some embodiments, a player may generally qualify and/or register for the opportunity to receive post-play benefits associated with a gaming device. The player may spend a certain amount of money at the gaming device (e.g., a "prequalification condition"), for example, to qualify for post-play benefits. Then, in some embodiments, the player may terminate play at the gaming device (and may or may not continue play at a different device and/or game). According to some embodiments, if a "triggering condition" is then satisfied, the player may receive a post-play benefit. If another player wins a certain amount at the gaming device (e.g., after the original player leaves the gaming device), for example, the original player may receive a post-play benefit so that the original player does not experience negative feelings such as jealousy (and indeed may experience positive feelings) associated with the gaming device and/or so that such negative feelings may be minimized. Various embodiments may be practiced to effectuate these and other desirable results. [0016]Referring initially FIG. 1, for example, a flow diagram of a method 100 according to some embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, a controller, a gaming device, another device, and/or any combination thereof may perform and/or be associated with the method 100. The method 100 may be performed by a slot and/or video poker machine, for example, or a peripheral device or server in communication therewith. The flow diagrams described herein do not necessarily imply a fixed order to the actions, and embodiments may be performed in any order that is or becomes practicable. It should be noted that the methods herein may be performed by hardware, software (including microcode), firmware, and/or any combination thereof. For example, a storage medium may store thereon instructions that when executed by a machine result in performance according to any of the embodiments described herein. [0017]In some embodiments (such as shown in FIG. 1), the method 100 may begin by determining whether a first condition associated with a first player of a gaming device is satisfied, at 102. The first condition may, for example, comprise a prequalification condition associated with post-play benefits. In other words, the first condition may be a condition that the first player must satisfy in order to qualify for, register for, and/or otherwise become eligible for post-play benefits. In some embodiments, the first condition may be associated with (i) actions and/or omissions of the first player, (ii) actions and/or omissions of a second player, and/or (iii) external events (e.g., actions or events not directly attributable to and/or associated with a player). [0018]According to some embodiments, such as in the case that the first condition is associated with actions and/or omissions of the first player, the first condition may be associated with actions and/or omissions of the first player at a first and/or second gaming device. In other words, the first player may qualify for (or be determined to be qualified for) post-play benefits based on actions of the first player at a first gaming device, a second gaming device, and/or a combination thereof. For example, the first player may initiate play at a first gaming device to qualify for post-play benefits. In some embodiments, simply the initiation of play at the first gaming device may qualify the first player for the post-play benefits. The first condition may comprise, for example, a requirement that the first player (i) play at a specific gaming device (e.g., the first gaming device), (ii) play at a gaming device of a specific manufacturer, and/or (iii) play one or more specific games at a gaming device. [0019]According to some embodiments, the first condition may also or alternatively comprise a requirement that the first player (i) establish a certain credit balance at the first gaming device (e.g., a twenty-dollar ($20) balance), (ii) play for a certain time period at the first gaming device (e.g. fifteen minutes (15-min) and/or thirty-minutes (30-min) pursuant to a time-play product), (iii) purchase and/or initiate a certain number of outcomes at the first gaming device (e.g., fifty (50) handle pulls of a slot machine and/or two-hundred (200) hands of a video poker game pursuant to a bulk-play product), (iv) purchase and/or initiate a certain number of outcomes at the first gaming device within a certain period of time (e.g., one hundred (100) slot machine spins within one hour (1-hr); i.e., achieving a certain rate of play), (v) wager a certain amount of money at the first gaming device (e.g., committing to a wager greater than or equal to one hundred dollars ($100)), (vi) wager a certain amount of money at the first gaming device within a certain period of time (e.g., wager fifty dollars ($50) within the course of a day), (vii) win a certain amount of money at the first gaming device, (viii) win a certain amount of money at the first gaming device within a certain period of time, (ix) not win a certain amount of money at the first gaming device (e.g., not win twenty-five dollars ($25), which may be a pre-selected amount determined by the first player, the gaming device, a peripheral device, and/or a server), (x) not win a certain amount of money at the first gaming device within a certain period of time, (xi) lose a certain amount of money at the first gaming device, (xii) lose a certain amount of money at the first gaming device within in a certain period of time, (xiii) obtain a certain outcome at the first gaming device (e.g., Lemon-Lemon-Cherry, a bonus round triggering outcome, and/or an outcome custom selected by the first player), (xiv) obtain a certain outcome at the first gaming device within a certain period of time, (xv) not obtain a certain outcome at the gaming device (e.g., Jackpot-Jackpot-Jackpot) or outcomes (e.g., a "cold streak"), (xvi) not obtain a certain outcome or outcomes at the gaming device within a certain period of time (e.g., a "cold streak" that lasts for more than fifteen minutes (15-min)), (xvii) obtain a certain number of losing outcomes in a row, and/or (xviii) not get into a bonus round. 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