Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – In a chance application
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-18
2004-09-21
O'Neill, Michael (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
In a chance application
C273S14100A
Reexamination Certificate
active
06793577
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to electronic gaming machines and more particularly to a method and apparatus for integrating a primary and secondary game within a computer network.
Casinos typically include electronic gaming machines (EGMs) such as slot machines and video poker machines. Slot machines, for example, usually include three reels that each have a plurality of symbols printed thereon. After the player applies a wager to the machine, he or she starts play by triggering a switch that starts the reels spinning. Each reel stops at a random position and thereby presents three symbols—one from each reel. Some combinations of symbols do not pay any jackpot. Others pay varying amounts according to predetermined combinations that appear in a pay table displayed on the machine and stored in the gaming machine's programmable read-on memory (PROM).
Competition for players among electronic gaming machines is tight and the industry is developing different methods for attracting and keeping players at their machines. One method for attracting players is to create linked progressive jackpot systems in which multiple gaming machines have been linked together into groups of machines that share the same bonus pool. A simple example of such a system is progressive video poker in which players play the primary poker game on one of a plurality of gaming machines grouped together on the casino floor. A coin-in counter, linked to all machines sharing the progressive pool, counts the total amount of money played in the group of machines and advances the progressive bonus pool accordingly. For instance, the casino can choose to set aside 5% of all money played on the group of video poker machines to the bonus pool. The amount of the pool is displayed on a large LED display and is incremented as money is played. This amount is awarded automatically as a bonus should a player on one of the video poker machines receive a designated winning hand such as a royal flush. After the bonus is awarded, the bonus pool is seeded with a nominal amount that is further incremented as described above.
The advantage of the progressive system is that the bonus pools from individual machines can be pooled to form larger awards that in turn attract more players. When taken to the extreme, progressive bonuses be pooled together not only from machines in different areas of the casino, but also from different casinos in different states. More complex examples for bonusing are implemented using bonus server a network, such as disclosed in co-owed U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,126 (the '125 patent), which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Also incorporated herein by reference for all purposes in U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,961, assigned to the Assignee of the present application (the '961 patent), which also discloses bonuses that can be implemented by bonus servers over a network.
While these linked progressive systems have been effective at drawing additional players, there is a need for gaming machines that have additional attraction features and yet are not required to be linked to other machines.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The current invention is intended to provide a novel secondary game feature that can be played in addition to the base primary game. The preferred embodiment is described in association with a slot machine, although it is understood that any base game can be used.
The Acres Gaming Pick-A-Prize game includes an upright slot machine, which is the base game, with a top box that includes the bonus game components, including a spinner section and a pair of columns of light cans flanking the spinner. The spinner is preferably mechanical (although it is understood that the spinner can be implemented in lights or other selection means) and includes two pointer ends, a blue end and an opposing green end, that rotate and then stop at one of ten different locations, each having a different numerical value associated with it. The left side of the top box is the “blue” side and includes the blue light can column with multiple bonus prizes, one of which is automatically “selected” after the spinner stops rotating and is awarded as an enhancement to the spinner bonus prize. The right side of the top box is the “green” side and operates similarly to the blue side. The top two positions of each column are shared by both the green and blue side and result, if selected, in an additional bonus prize being awarded.
In operation, when a special symbol appears on one of the base-game reels, the secondary game is initiated. The mechanical spinner begins spinning and the player is prompted to hit either the blue or the green selection button. Pressing one of the color selection buttons causes one column of the light cans flanking the spinner to light up. The choice of colors also determines which end of the spinner is active to yield a particular bonus prize. The player is given the illusion that he or she controls which bonus prize is won since the green side of the pointer will point to a different bonus prize than the blue side. In fact, however, the prize won is determined immediately after, the bonus period begins and before the color selection button is pressed based upon a weighted pay table. Only after the color button is pressed is the exact position of the spinner determined. This concept is referred to as quasi-deterministic play.
When the pointer has stopped spinning, the supplementary prize phase begins. Each space of the selected light can column is sequentially highlighted until one is randomly chosen and the appropriate prize (and spinner bonus prize) is awarded to the player. If one of the top two spaces on the column is lit, the bonus amounts from both the green and blue pointer are awarded to the player.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention that proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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Boyd Scott A.
Cobb Perry O.
Hammond Chris E.
Mason Shannon L.
Patceg Miles M.
Acres Gaming Incorporated
Marger & Johnson & McCollom, P.C.
O'Neill Michael
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