Patent ID: 9275513
Filing Date: 2016-03-01
CPC Classification: G07F

Claim Text:
1. A method of providing a bonus game on a personal electronic device that is in a qualifying physical location comprising: linking an electronic gaming machine to a personal electronic device having a location sensor via an electronic communication channel; informing a player on a display device of the personal electronic device of player actions in a game on the electronic gaming machine that qualify the player for a bonus award; receiving a physical item from the player at the electronic gaming machine via at least one of a bill acceptor, a ticket acceptor, and a coin acceptor operatively connected to the electronic gaming machine in order to establish a credit balance for placing wagers on the game; monitoring events generated by the game played by the player on the electronic gaming machine, including displaying on the electronic gaming machine a combination of symbols selected from among a plurality of symbols having at least one predefined symbol combination that results in an award to the player based on a paytable; monitoring events generated by the player on the game played on the electronic gaming machine, including receiving a wager at the electronic gaming machine from the credit balance and receiving a game initiating input via the electronic gaming machine; determining the physical location of the personal electronic device via the location sensor; communicating the monitored events to the personal electronic device via the communication channel; only if the determined physical location is a qualifying physical location: informing the player via the display device of the personal electronic device of a trade of at least one of the displayed symbols for at least one symbol that would qualify the player for the bonus award, wherein the bonus award is an improvement to the paytable; receiving an input from the player at the electronic gaming machine that completes the trade in the game; if the player actions qualify the player for the bonus award, notifying the player of the bonus award on the display device on the personal electronic device; paying out any award by crediting the credit balance; and receiving a second input via a cashout button, which initiates a payout from the credit balance.