Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Credit/debit monitoring or manipulation
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-10
2003-05-13
O'Neill, Michael (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Credit/debit monitoring or manipulation
C463S020000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06561904
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to games of chance conducted on gaming machines and, more particularly, to a multiplier feature for a multi-spin slot game.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are most likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting of the machines. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines available because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Accordingly, in the competitive gaming machine industry, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to produce new types of games, or enhancements to existing games, which will attract frequent play by enhancing the entertainment value and excitement associated with the game.
One concept that has been successfully employed to enhance the entertainment value of a game is the concept of a “secondary” or “bonus” game that may be played in conjunction with a “basic” game. The bonus game may comprise any type of game, either similar to or completely different from the basic game, which is entered upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome of the basic game. Because the bonus game concept offers tremendous advantages in player appeal and excitement relative to other known games, and because such games are attractive to both players and operators, there is a continuing need to develop new features and themes for bonus games to satisfy the demands of players and operators. Preferably, such new bonus game features and themes will maintain, or even further enhance, the level of player excitement offered by bonus games heretofore known in the art. The present invention is directed to satisfying these needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A game of chance is conducted on a gaming machine controlled by a processor in response to a wager. A primary game outcome is randomly selected from a plurality of possible primary game outcomes. In response to the primary game outcome being a bonus triggering outcome, a plurality of secondary game outcomes are randomly selected and represented with respective successive free spins of a plurality of symbol-bearing reels. In each free spin the reels are rotated and stopped to place symbols on the reels in visual association with a symbol array. Payout multipliers are randomly selected for, and vary with, the respective secondary game outcomes. Payouts are awarded for the respective secondary game outcomes according to a pay table. Each payout is multiplied by the respective payout multiplier.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5848932 (1998-12-01), Adams
patent: 5902184 (1999-05-01), Bennett
patent: WO 01/51143 (2001-07-01), None
Brochure for “Golden Harvest”, Aristocrat, New South Wales, Australia, 2 pages, 2000.
Brochure for “Golden Pyramids”, Aristocrat, New South Wales, Australia, 2 pages, 2000.
Brochure for “Queen of the Nile”, Aristocrat, New South Wales Australia, 2 pages, 1999.
Brochure for “X-Factor”, WMS Gaming Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 2 pages, undated.
Brochure for “Winning Streak”, WMS Gaming Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 2 pages, undated.
Brochure for “Top Cat”, WMS Gaming Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 2 pages, undated.
NewsReel article, “Introducing the First Four Mk VI Games”, p. 18, Sep. 2000, Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited.
Locke David K.
Raneses Marc
O'Neill Michael
WMS Gaming Inc.
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