Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Credit/debit monitoring or manipulation
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-31
2004-07-06
Rada, Rinaldi I. (Department: 3721)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Credit/debit monitoring or manipulation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06758749
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention generally relates to gaming machines and, more particularly, to an enhanced payout feature therefor. More specifically, this invention relates to a gaming machine that disgorges an enhanced payout in response to a payout event occurring during an enhanced payout interval.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In areas where gaming is permitted, gaming machines, such as slot, bingo, keno, and video poker machines, as well as many other electronic, mechanical and video gaming devices, have relegated table games to an also-ran status. A great influx of persons new to gaming have been almost exclusively attracted to gaming machines. They are simple to operate and are less intimidating than table games, which demand quick interaction with a dealer and other persons during the course of play.
In the state of Nevada, for example, almost 5 billion dollars per year is spent on gaming machine play. Even those businesses operating under limited gaming licenses, such as grocery stores, restaurants, bars, and convenience stores, often derive a substantial portion of their revenue from the play of slot and video poker machines.
Traditionally, a gaming machine is a stand-alone device that is played after a player inserts one or more coins or other currency equivalent into the machine. Once activated, the play usually comprises either pushing a button, pulling a lever, or touching a screen where a video image is displayed. The outcome of play is then displayed on the machine, which is typically a final position of spinning wheels (or their electronic equivalent) of the gaming machine, or a display of an image of playing cards. This outcome is compared to a win table of values to determine whether or not the player has won, and, if so, how much. The majority of wins are paid by disgorgement of coins by the machine itself.
The amount of money that the player inserts is termed the “coin in” of the machine. The amount retained within the machine, i.e., not paid out, is termed the “hold.” With the exception of games such as video poker and video blackjack, the “skill” of the player has no effect on the machine outcome. However, even with video poker and video blackjack, a highly skilled player is at a statistical disadvantage. For machine owners seeking increased profitability, the strategy has been to generate increased play of the machine.
A number of techniques have been developed that are intended to increase the amount of machine play. Placing certain types of designs on a glass portion of a casing of the machine, for example, has resulted in increased play. Additionally, “high-tech” design features of a machine such as the wheel in the well known Wheel of Fortune™ game and video displays have been developed to increase play. Such simple strategies as relocating game machines to vary traffic patterns has also proven effective in increasing play.
An alternate way in which the play of gaming machines is increased, particularly in a casino, is having an employee of the casino make an announcement that for a specified time period, the next three minutes, for example, all payouts would be doubled. The three minutes is referred to as an enhanced payout interval. During this enhanced payout interval, all machine payouts (or payouts for specifically-identified payout events) are augmented by an additional payout given by the casino employee. During the enhanced payout interval, the player will receive a doubled (or more) payout.
Such announcements are typically made at the will and whim of a casino operator. When conducted on such a catch-as-catch-can basis, it is difficult to ascertain whether the increase in the coin in during the enhanced payout interval has any long term beneficial effect on the overall amount of coin in. Also, this oftentimes, haphazard use of the enhanced payout strategy makes it difficult to optimize “coin in” analysis for such variables as duration and time of occurrence for the enhanced payout interval.
Because the announcements and the augmented payouts are not automated, use of the enhanced payout brings with it increased staffing costs. One or more employees of the casino are required to be present to make the announcements and augment and verify the payouts.
The press of other duties of casino employees frequently necessitates the delay and/or postponement of the enhanced payout interval. This further confounds the ability to conduct a long-term analysis regarding benefits of the enhanced payout.
It is therefore important that an enhanced payout procedure be automated to the extent practical. Ideally, the gaming machine itself is able to control the frequency of the enhanced payout intervals based upon either the coin in or upon a command from the casino operator. The occurrence of the enhanced payout interval is preferably either random or pseudo-random to prevent its accurate anticipation by the player. Such randomness will encourage a maximization of play at times other than during the enhanced payout interval.
Preferably, the player is also provided an indication of the time remaining within the enhanced payout interval. By so doing, a sense of urgency is established, resulting in a player attempting to maximize play of the machine during an ever-decreasing period of time. Additionally, except for perhaps a payout for a jackpot event, the machine will itself disgorge any enhanced payout(s) obtained during the enhanced payout interval.
Finally, there is a need for tying the enhanced payout interval to a progressive jackpot machine where the player must insert a “premium bet” to be eligible to win a jackpot payout. The requirement that this premium bet be made for jackpot eligibility is preferably eliminated during the enhanced payout interval, thereby encouraging an increased play of the progressive machine. It should be understood that the enhanced payout interval may be provided simultaneously for a number of progressive jackpot machines.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other problems of gaming machines are successfully addressed by the present invention.
There is an obvious need to automate the process for many reasons including, labor savings, accuracy, bookkeeping, statistical information and security. Admittedly though, the ultimate goal is to increase the customer's coin in, and enhance the player's gaming experience.
The apparent simplicity of the timed jackpot feature should enable games to get to market quickly, with a minimum amount of development. It is also possible that a retrofit package may be developed and marketed to enhance legacy machines that currently lack video or other display capability. The concept is applicable across the entire product line of a company that employs adequate technology to support the feature. A progressive bank of slot machines, wide area linked progressive system, or stand alone theme game are obvious choices for an enhancement with a “BEAT THE CLOCK™” feature.
Due to the high hit frequency of a poker machine, the doubling of winning hands from Three of a Kind through Royal Flush is used in the following example. A 5/7 Bonus Poker game's theoretical par would be approximately 3.5% under the following conditions:
a) Double Jackpot period occurs 4 times per hour;
b) Period lasts for 15 seconds each time;
c) Three of a kind through Royal Flush are eligible for doubled awards. (Pair & 2 pair pay normally);
d) In real world applications, the players will speed up their play during the “Double Time”, to get in the maximum number of hands possible during the double period, probably reducing their own effectiveness, thereby increasing the game's mathematical hold %;
e) It may be advisable to reduce paytable awards in order to increase the frequency and duration of the feature. This should be easily accomplished with newer microprocessor technology, allowing the operator a complete customization of the feature. The expected and actual field return can be computed by the machine's software depending on the various factors selected;
f) A randomly
Paradiso John
Rada Rinaldi I.
Radical Gaming Concepts Ltd.
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