Patent ID: 7963845

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device including: at least one display device, at least one input device, at least one processor, and at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to enable a player to play a primary game upon a wager placed by the player; and a controller configured to communicate with said plurality of gaming devices, said controller programmed to: (a) maintain a plurality of progressive award levels, wherein each progressive award level is associated with a progressive award value, said progressive award levels include at least: (i) a first progressive award level associated with a first progressive award value at a first point in time; (ii) a second progressive award level associated with a second progressive award value at the first point in time, wherein said second progressive award value is greater than the first progressive award value; (iii) a third progressive award level associated with a third progressive award value at the first point in time, wherein said third progressive award value is greater than the second progressive award value; and (b) upon a triggering of a bonus event at a subsequent second point in time: (i) cause one of the gaming devices to provide one of progressive award values associated with one of the progressive award levels; and (ii) if the third progressive award value is provided: (A) reassociate the second progressive award value to the third progressive award level; (B) reassociate the first progressive award value to the second progressive award level; and (C) associate the first progressive award level with a set value.