1. A gaming system comprising:
a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player and at least one display device operable to display said primary game;
a bonus pool; and
at least one controller in communication with said gaming machines, wherein the at least one controller is programmed to:
(a) maintain the bonus pool, wherein said bonus pool is based at least in part on the wagers placed by the players of the plurality of gaming machines;
(b) determine an average expected value of a bonus award, wherein the average expected value is based, at least in part, on the maintained bonus pool;
(c) determine at least part of an actual bonus award, wherein said actual bonus award is based at least in part on the bonus pool, and the actual bonus award may be different than the determined average expected value of the bonus award;
(d) cause at least one of the gaming machines to provide the actual bonus award to at least one player;
(e) subtract the average expected value of the bonus award from the bonus pool; and
(f) utilize the remaining bonus pool to determine at least part of at least another actual bonus award.
2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is programmed to repeat (a) to (e) for the at least another actual bonus award.
3. A gaming system comprising:
a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a game operable upon a wager;
a bonus pool;
a plurality of bonus awards, wherein each bonus award is based at least in part on the bonus pool; and
at least one controller in communication with the plurality of gaming machines, wherein the at least one controller is programmed to:
(a) maintain the bonus pool based at least in part on the play of the games of the plurality of gaming machines;
(b) upon a bonus triggering event, determine an average expected value of at least one of the bonus awards, wherein the average expected value is based at least in part on the maintained bonus pool;
(c) upon causing at least one of the gaming machines to provide at least one of said bonus awards, subtract the determined average expected value from the bonus pool regardless of the actual bonus award provided; and
(d) repeat (a) to (c) for at least one subsequent actual bonus award.
4. A gaming system comprising:
a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a game operable upon a wager by a player;
a bonus pool;
a plurality of bonus awards, wherein each bonus award includes a plurality of components;
a controller in communication with the plurality of gaming machines, wherein the controller maintains the bonus pool based at least in part on the play of the games of the plurality of gaming machines; and
a bonus triggering event, wherein upon an occurrence of the bonus triggering event:
(a) the controller is operable to:
(i) determine at least one component of at least one of the bonus awards based on the bonus pool;
(ii) determine an average expected value based at least in part on the maintained bonus pool; and
(iii) subtract the average expected value from the bonus pool;
(b) at least one gaming machine is operable to:
(i) determine at least one other component of said bonus award; and
(ii) provide said bonus award to the player; and
(c) repeat (a) to (b) for at least one subsequent bonus triggering event.
5. A gaming system comprising:
a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a game operable upon a wager by a player;
a bonus pool;
a plurality of bonus awards, wherein at least two of the bonus awards are different;
a controller in communication with the plurality of gaming machines, wherein the controller maintains the bonus pool based at least in part on the play of the games of the plurality of gaming machines; and
a bonus triggering event, wherein upon an occurrence of the bonus triggering event:
(a) at least one gaming machine is operable to:
(i) determine at least part of one of the bonus awards based at least in part on the bonus pool; and
(ii) provide the determined bonus award to the player;
(b) the controller is operable to:
(i) determine an average expected value of the bonus award regardless of the actual bonus award; and
(ii) subtract the determined average expected value from the bonus pool; and
(c) repeat (a) to (b) for at least one subsequent bonus triggering event.
6. A gaming system comprising:
a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player and at least one display device operable to display said primary game;
a plurality of bonus events;
an average expected value component for each bonus event;
a first accumulated wager pool for a first occurrence of one of the bonus events;
a second accumulated wager pool for a second occurrence of one of the bonus events; and
a controller in communication with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to:
(a) cause the first occurrence of the bonus event;
(b) determine at least part of a first bonus award to display and provide to the player of one of the gaming machines for the first occurrence of the bonus event;
(c) determine a remainder, wherein the remainder is based on the average expected value component for the first occurrence of the bonus event and the first accumulated wager pool;
(d) maintain the second accumulated wager pool;
(e) cause the second occurrence of the bonus event; and
(f) use the second accumulated wager pool and any determined remainder to determine, at least in part, a second bonus award to display and provide to the player of one of the gaming machines for the second occurrence of the bonus event.
7. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the controller is programmed to determine if the bonus event will occur independent of any event in any play of any of the primary games of the gaming machines.
8. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein a processor of one of the gaming machines functions as the controller.
9. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein at least two of said primary games of at least two of the plurality of gaming machines are different.
10. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein said first bonus award is based at least in part on the first accumulated wager pool and at least in part on a value component for said first occurrence of the bonus event.
11. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the first accumulated wager pool and the second accumulated wager pool are part of a single accumulated wager pool maintained by the controller.
12. A gaming system comprising:
a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player and at least one display device operable to display said primary game;
a first accumulated wager pool; and
a controller in communication with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to:
(a) maintain the first accumulated wager pool based, at least in part, on the wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines;
(b) determine a first bonus portion of the first accumulated wager pool, wherein said first bonus portion is based, at least in part, on a percentage less than 100% of the first accumulated wager pool;
(c) select at least one of the gaming machines to provide a first bonus award to the player of said selected gaming machine, wherein a total average expected value of the first bonus awards provided to the players is equal to or less than the first bonus portion; and
(d) allocate an amount, based on a remainder, to a second accumulated wager pool for a second bonus award to be displayed and provided to the player of one of said gaming machines, wherein said remainder accounts for any difference between the first bonus portion and the total average expected value of the first bonus awards provided to the players.
13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein a processor of one of the gaming machines functions as the controller.
14. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein at least two of said primary games of at least two of the plurality of gaming machines are different.
15. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the first accumulated wager pool and the second accumulated wager pool are part of a single accumulated wager pool maintained by the controller.
16. A gaming system comprising:
a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player and at least one display device operable to display said primary game;
a plurality of potential first bonus awards;
a first accumulated wager pool;
a second accumulated wager pool; and
a controller in communication with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to:
(a) maintain the first accumulated wager pool based, at least in part, on the wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines;
(b) select at least one gaming machine to provide one of the potential first bonus awards to the player of said selected gaming machine, wherein a total average expected value of the potential first bonus awards provided to the players is equal to or less than a predetermined percentage of the first accumulated wager pool; and
(c) allocate an amount, based on a remainder, to the second accumulated wager pool for a second one of the bonus awards to be displayed and provided to the player of one of the gaming machines, wherein said remainder accounts for any difference between the predetermined percentage of the first accumulated wager pool and the total average expected value of the first bonus awards provided to the players.
17. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein a processor of one of the gaming machines functions as the controller.
18. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein at least two of said primary games of at least two of the plurality of gaming machines are different.
19. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the first accumulated wager pool and the second accumulated wager pool are part of a single accumulated wager pool maintained by the controller.
20. A gaming system comprising:
a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player and at least one display device operable to display said primary game;
a plurality of bonus events;
an average expected value component for each bonus event;
an accumulated wager pool; and
a controller in communication with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to:
(a) cause the first occurrence of the bonus event;
(b) determine at least part of a first bonus award to display and provide to the player of one of the gaming machines for a first occurrence of the bonus event;
(c) determine a remainder, wherein the remainder is based on the average expected value component for the first occurrence of the bonus event and the accumulated wager pool;
(d) allocate any determined remainder to the accumulated wager pool;
(e) cause a second occurrence of the bonus event; and
(f) use the accumulated wager pool including any said remainder to determine, at least in part, a second bonus award to display and provide to the player of one of the gaming machines for the second occurrence of the bonus event.
21. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein the controller is programmed to determine if the bonus event will occur independent of any event in any play of any of the primary games of the gaming machines.
22. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein a processor of one of the gaming machines functions as the controller.
23. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein at least two of said primary games of at least two of the plurality of gaming machines are different.
24. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein said first bonus award is based at least in part on the accumulated wager pool and at least in part on a value component for said first occurrence of the bonus event.
25. A gaming system comprising:
a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player and at least one display device operable to display said primary game;
an accumulated wager pool; and
a controller in communication with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to:
(a) maintain the accumulated wager pool based, at least in part, on the wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines;
(b) determine a first bonus portion of the accumulated wager pool, wherein said first bonus portion is, at least in part, based on a percentage less than 100% of the accumulated wager pool;
(c) select at least one of the gaming machines to provide a first bonus award to the player of said selected gaming machine, wherein the total average expected value of the first bonus awards provided to the players is equal to or less than the first bonus portion; and
(d) allocate an amount, based on a remainder, to the accumulated wager pool for a second bonus award to be displayed and provided to the player of one of said gaming machines, wherein said remainder accounts for any difference between the first bonus portion and the total average expected value of the first bonus awards provided to the players.
26. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein a processor of one of the gaming machines functions as the controller.
27. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein at least two of said primary games of at least two of the plurality of gaming machines are different.
28. A gaming system comprising:
a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by a player and at least one display device operable to display said primary game;
a plurality of potential first bonus awards;
an accumulated wager pool; and
a controller in communication with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to:
(a) maintain the accumulated wager pool based, at least in part, on the wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines;
(b) select at least one gaming machine to provide one of the potential first bonus awards to the player of said selected gaming machine, wherein a total average expected value of the potential first bonus awards provided to the players is equal to or less than a predetermined percentage of the accumulated wager pool; and
(c) allocate an amount, based on a remainder, to the accumulated wager pool for a second one of the bonus awards to be displayed and provided to the player of one of the gaming machines, wherein said remainder accounts for any difference between the predetermined percentage of the accumulated wager pool and the total average expected value of the potential first bonus awards provided to the players.
29. The gaming system of claim 28, wherein a processor of one of the gaming machines functions as the controller.
30. The gaming system of claim 28, wherein at least two of said primary games of at least two of the plurality of gaming machines are different.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A mount for an optical element to be placed within an optical beam and adapted for use with a supporting structure, said mount comprising:
a housing adapted to be mounted to the supporting structure and having a top wall providing a supporting base and upright side walls supporting said top wall in spaced relation from the supporting structure and defining an internal space;
a first opening through one side wall for an incoming beam and a second opening through another side wall for an outgoing beam;
a movable plate positioned within said housing below said base and connected thereto and carrying retention means for holding an optical element within said internal space intersecting said incoming beam;
a first mechanism providing a cooperative connection between said base and said plate for adjustably tilting said plate relative to said base; and,
a second mechanism providing a cooperative connection between said base and said plate for adjustably rotating said plate relative to said base, whereby said plate and the optical element carried thereby may be tilted or rotated relative to said base to direct an outgoing beam through said second opening along a selected axis by manipulating said first and second adjusting mechanisms.
2. The mount of claim 1 wherein said first mechanism includes means for adjusting the tilt of said plate about two different transverse axes.
3. The mount of claim 2 wherein said first mechanism includes three supports extending from said base and engaging said plate with at least two of said supports including means for adjusting their respective lengths between said base and said plate.
4. The mount of claim 3 wherein one of said supports is a ball carried in respective opposed concave sockets defined in said base and said plate whereby said ball provides a pivot point for said first and second adjustment mechanisms.
5. The mount of claim 3 wherein said second mechanism includes a contact element carried by the plate and a linearly adjustable element carried by said base and engaging said contact element whereby adjusting the length of said adjustable element rotates said plate relative to said base.
6. The mount of claim 5 wherein said linearly adjustable element is a setscrew threaded through a tapped hole in said base.
7. The mount of claim 5 further including a source of force acting to urge said contact element and said linearly adjustable element toward one another.
8. The mount of claim 7 wherein said source of force is a spring carried by said base and engaging said contact element opposite said linearly adjustable element whereby said contact element is resiliently held in contact against said linearly adjustable element.
9. The mount of claim 1 wherein said first mechanism includes three supports extending from said base and engaging said plate with at least one of said supports including means for adjusting its length between said base and said plate.
10. The mount of claim 9 wherein said supports have proximal ends at said base and distal ends contacting the surface of said plate facing said base and further including a source of force acting to urge said plate against said supports.
11. The mount of claim 10 wherein said source of force is a spring acting between said base and said plate to urge said plate against said distal ends whereby said plate is resiliently held in contact with said supports.
12. The mount of claim 11 wherein one of said supports is a ball carried in respective opposed concave sockets defined in said base and said plate whereby said ball provides a pivot point for said first and second adjustment mechanisms.
13. The mount of claim 1 wherein said second mechanism includes a contact element carried by said plate and a linearly adjustable element carried by said base and engaging said contact element whereby adjusting the length of said adjustable element rotates said plate relative to said base.
14. The mount of claim 1 wherein said retention means includes a carrier below and extending from said plate having an opening therethrough along the incoming beam and including a holder for an optical element overlying said carrier opening and spring plungers carried thereby defining a space between said carrier and plungers adapted to receive an optical element with the optical element being held therein by said spring plungers.
15. The mount of claim 14 wherein said carrier is a removable bracket and includes means for securing said bracket to said plate and fasteners extending from one of said bracket and plate and fixed to the other of said bracket and plate to secure said bracket and plate together.
16. The mount of claim 15 wherein said securing means includes an array of holes in said plate, an array of holes in said bracket with at least a portion thereof being arranged to be aligned with at least portion of said plate holes at selected positions of said bracket, and fasteners passing through said bracket holes and fixed in said plate holes.
17. The mount of claim 16 wherein said plate holes are angularly arranged to permit said bracket to be optionally fixed to said plate in a first position with the optical element placed generally perpendicular to the incoming beam or in a second position at a 45\xb0 angle transverse thereto.
18. The mount of claim 1 further including means associated with said side walls for mounting an attachment to said housing overlying said side wall openings.
19. The mount of claim 1 wherein said side walls are flat and configured to define a hollow rectangular housing with at least two of said side walls respectively including said first and second openings, and further including means for mounting an attachment to said housing overlying said side wall openings.
20. The mount of claim 1 further including means associated with said housing for securing said housing to the supporting structure.
21. The mount of claim 20 wherein said housing includes a bottom wall at the lower ends of said side walls adapted to be positioned on the supporting structure and wherein said securing means is an array of holes defined in said bottom wall adapted to receive fasteners inserted through at least one of said holes of said array and secured to the supporting structure.
22. The mount of claim 20 wherein said array holes are angularly arranged along a plurality of axes allowing said housing to be optionally secured to the supporting structure aligned with a first preselected axis or aligned with at least one other preselected axis angularly offset from said first preselected axis.
23. The mount of claim 22 wherein one of said other preselected axes is angularly offset from said first preselected by 45\xb0.
24. The mount of claim 1 further including a third opening in said side walls and wherein one of said second and third side wall openings is along an axis collinear with the axis of the incoming beam and the other of said second and third openings is along a transverse axis angularly offset from said incoming beam axis.
25. The mount of claim 1 wherein said top wall is secured to said housing by releasable fasteners so that said retention means and optical element may be removed from the interior of said housing.
26. A mount for an optical element to be placed within an optical beam and adapted for use with a supporting structure, said mount comprising:
a housing adapted to be mounted to the supporting structure and having a top wall providing a supporting base and upright side walls supporting said top wall in spaced relation from the supporting structure and defining an internal space;
a first opening through one side wall for an incoming beam and a second opening through another side wall for an outgoing beam;
a movable plate positioned within said housing below said base and connected thereto and carrying retention means for holding an optical element within said internal space intersecting said incoming beam;
a first mechanism providing a cooperative connection between said base and said plate for adjustably tilting said plate relative to said base, said first mechanism including three supports extending downward from said base and engaging said plate, said supports having proximal ends at said base and distal ends contacting the surface of said plate facing said base with at least two of said supports including means for adjusting their respective length between said base and said plate, and a source of force acting to urge said plate and said plate toward one another to hold said plate in contact with said supports; and,
a second mechanism providing a cooperative connection between said base and said plate for adjustably rotating said plate relative to said base, said second mechanism including a contact element carried by the plate, a linearly adjustable element carried by said base and engaging said contact element, and a second source of force acting to urge said contact element in contact against said linearly adjustable element whereby said plate and the optical element carried thereby may be tilted or rotated relative to said base to direct an outgoing beam through said second opening along a selected axis by manipulating said first and second adjusting mechanisms.
27. The mount of claim 26 wherein one of said supports is a ball carried in respective opposed concave sockets defined in said base and said plate, whereby said ball provides a pivot point for said first and second adjustment mechanisms.
28. The mount of claim 26 wherein said retention means includes a carrier below and extending from said plate having an opening therethrough along the incoming beam and including a holder for an optical element overlying said carrier opening and spring plungers carried thereby defining a space between said carrier and plungers adapted to receive an optical element with the optical element being held therein by said spring plungers.
29. The mount of claim 28 wherein said carrier is a removable bracket and includes means for securing said bracket to said plate and fasteners extending from one of said bracket and plate and fixed to the other of said bracket and plate to secure said bracket and plate together.
30. The mount of claim 29 wherein said securing means includes an array of holes in said plate, an array of holes in said bracket with at least a portion thereof being arranged to be aligned with at least portion of said plate holes at selected positions of said bracket, and fasteners passing through said bracket holes and fixed in said plate holes.
31. The mount of claim 30 wherein said plate holes are angularly arranged to permit the bracket to be optionally fixed to said plate in a first position with the optical element placed generally perpendicular to an incoming beam or in a second position at a 45\xb0 angle transverse thereto.
32. The mount of claim 26 further including means associated with said side walls for mounting an attachment to said housing overlying said side wall openings.
33. The mount of claim 26 wherein said side walls are flat and configured to define a hollow rectangular housing with at least two of said side walls respectively including said first and second openings, and further including means for mounting an attachment to said housing overlying said side wall openings.
34. The mount of claim 26 further including means associated with said housing for securing said housing to the supporting structure.
35. The mount of claim 34 wherein said housing includes a bottom wall at the lower ends of said side walls adapted to be positioned on the supporting structure and wherein said securing means is an array of holes defined in said bottom wall adapted to receive fasteners inserted through at least one of said holes of said array and secured to the supporting structure.
36. The mount of claim 34 wherein said array holes are angularly arranged along a plurality of axes allowing said housing to be optionally secured to the supporting structure aligned with a first preselected axis or aligned with at least one other preselected axis angularly offset from said first preselected axis.
37. The mount of claim 36 wherein one of said other preselected axes is angularly offset from said first preselected axis by 45\xb0.
38. The mount of claim 26 further including a third opening in said side walls and wherein one of said second and third side wall openings is along an axis collinear with the axis of the incoming beam and the other of said second and third openings is along a transverse axis angularly offset from said incoming beam axis.
39. The mount of claim 26 wherein said top wall is secured to said box by releasable fasteners so that said carrier and optical element may be removed from the housing interior.
40. A mount for an optical element to be placed within a beam and adapted for use with a supporting structure defining a reference plane, said mount comprising:
a hollow box defining a housing adapted to be mounted to the supporting structure and having a top wall removably fixed thereto defining a gimbal base and upright side walls supporting said top wall in spaced relation from the supporting structure;
a first opening through one side wall for an incoming beam and a second opening through another side wall for an outgoing beam;
a movable gimbal plate positioned within said housing below said gimbal base and connected thereto;
a carrier positioned below and fixed to said gimbal plate having an opening therethrough along the incoming beam and including a holder for an optical element overlying said carrier opening;
spring retention means attached to said carrier for retaining the optical element within said holder;
a first mechanism providing a cooperative connection between said gimbal base and said gimbal plate for adjustably tilting the optical element relative to the reference plane, said first mechanism including three supports extending downward from said gimbal base and engaging said gimbal plate, said supports having proximal ends at said gimbal base and distal ends contacting the surface of said gimbal plate facing said gimbal base with at least two of said supports including means for adjusting their respective length between said gimbal base and said gimbal plate, and spring means acting to urge said gimbal plate against said supports to resiliently hold said gimbal plate in contact with said supports; and,
a second mechanism providing a cooperative connection between said gimbal base and said gimbal plate for adjustably rotating the optical element relative to the reference plane, said second mechanism including a contact element carried by the gimbal plate, a linearly adjustable element carried by said gimbal base and engaging said contact element, and spring means carried by said gimbal base and engaging said contact element opposite said linearly adjustable element to resiliently hold said contact element in contact against said linearly adjustable element whereby said gimbal plate and the optical element carried thereby may be tilted or rotated relative to said gimbal base to direct an outgoing beam through said second opening along a selected axis by manipulating said first and second adjusting mechanisms.
41. The mount of claim 40 wherein one of said supports is a ball carried in respective opposed concave sockets defined in said gimbal base and said gimbal plate, whereby said ball provides a pivot point for said first and second adjustment mechanisms.
42. The mount of claim 40 further including a third opening in said side walls and wherein one of said second and third side wall openings is along an axis collinear with the axis of the incoming beam and the other of said second and third openings is along a transverse axis angularly offset from said incoming beam axis.
43. The mount of claim 40 wherein said top wall is secured to said box by releasable fasteners so that said carrier and optical element may be removed from the housing interior.