Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – In a chance application
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-14
2001-05-08
Martin-Wallace, Valencia (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
In a chance application
C273S14300R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227971
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention is directed specifically to gaming devices which either use mechanical reels in combination with a video depiction or a video which simulates reels in motion along with depictions which are not part of the rotating reels per se, but instead, are thematically related to and change or remain stationary as a function of the occurrence or non-occurrence of certain vector indicia appearing on the reels. A bonus screen can be enabled upon the occurrence of at least one outcome on the reels.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Competition in the gaming industry to attract a player and then retain the players interest for protracted periods of time is an increasingly greater challenge. The environment in a casino is typically rich in stimulation, both visual and auditory. As a consequence, it is an ongoing effort to initially attract a player to a given machine and subsequently encourage the player to stay at the machine based on the machine's entertainment value.
Slot machines formed from a plurality of reels which rotate independently of each other, whether mechanical or video depictions of the mechanical reels, are some of the oldest types of games. Each reel has a reel strip. On each reel strip is designated indicia. When related indicia are oriented on a “pay line” that corresponds to an associated pay table displayed elsewhere on the machines, player receive awards.
Such machines have evolved from having a single horizontal pay line centrally disposed on the reel to having a plurality of pay lines, some pay lines located horizontally, some diagonally, others vertically and some in corners.
The following prior art reflects the state of the art of which applicant is aware and is included herewith to discharge applicant's acknowledged duty to disclose relevant prior art. It is stipulated, however, that none of these references teach singly nor render obvious when considered in any conceivable combination the nexus of the instant invention as disclosed in greater detail hereinafter and as particularly claimed.
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FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
DOCUMENT
SUB-
FILING
NUMBER
DATE
NAME
CLASS
CLASS*
DATE
GB2083935A
3/31/82
Kirk, et al.
8/24/81
GB2106293A
4/7/83
Last
8/15/81
GB2112984A
7/27/83
Edward,
10/7/82
et al.
GB2135490A
8/30/84
Straker
2/19/83
GB2165385A
4/9/86
Wain
10/4/84
GB2242300A
9/25/92
Farrell, et al.
3/24/90
GB2243236A
10/23/91
Lynch, et al.
4/18/90
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention is distinguished over the known prior art in a multiplicity of ways. For example, on the reels that either move mechanically or are simulated via video, as before the indicia on the reels determines awards when the indicia on a pay line corresponds to that which is announced on the pay table. However, in addition, indicia on the reels includes directional vectors which have an effect on a thematically correlated “second” game. The second game has a different degree of “volatility” than the primary reel game where each indicium always changes on successive tries. Instead, the second game only changes as a function of vectors appearing on the primary game. Vectors preferably do not appear on all indicia of the pending game. Thus a player who plays successive games plays can win if a pay line of the secondary game remains constant or improves on the successive play.
Thus, that aspect of the gaming device which appears less volatile rewards a player's successive plays by providing an award associated with this less volatile secondary game. As stated, the use of the vectors on the indicia of the primary reel portion of the game serves as directives for the second game. For example, assume that the reels on the primary game include indicia thereon in the form of the well known “fruit” type game in which the indicia appears as lemons, oranges, cherries, plums and the like, perhaps with wild elements interposed along each reel strip. Assume further that in conjunction with those depictions, some but not all of the reel indicia include either an upwardly or downwardly oriented arrow, signifying a vector.
The less volatile secondary game is preferably optional; therefore a player needs to elect to partake in this secondary game, typically by making an additional wager. Assume that the player has made an additional wager, thereby enabling the features of the secondary game. The vector's appearance on the primary game will effect the secondary game by transferring the symbol associated with the vector (e.g., a cherry cluster) to a pay line of the secondary game. If no vector is present, the symbol on the secondary pay line from a previous game will not change. The significance of the existence or non-existence of vectors is that a player having a winning pay line on the secondary game from a prior game will again be awarded so long as the secondary winning outcome is undisturbed by a vector.
In other words, if the pay line from a previous wager had provided an award in the secondary game, and if the elements constituting the award have not changed on a subsequent wager, that pay line will continue to provide an award to a player until the combination that generates the award has been disturbed by the vector stimulus. Assume that three cherry clusters on a pay line results in an award. If on subsequent spins the three cherries on the optional (secondary) pay line have not been disturbed, they will continue to pay the player until a vector disturbs that orientation. Note also that the nature of the disturbance may enhance the award or diminish the reward. Because not all indicia have vectors, subsequent reel spins are not as likely to not disturb all indicia of the secondary game. Therefore, the secondary game is less volatile when compared to the primary game where all indicia change on each spin.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and useful gaming device and method therefore.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a device and method as characterized above which encourages ongoing participation by a player by providing at least one potential pay line whose volatility is less than that of the primary game.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus as set forth above which is easy to understand, intuitive in use and provides enhanced entertainment value.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a device and method as delineated above which builds on the knowledge and familiarity that a player has with respect to conventional games.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus as set forth above in which a bonus screen is displayed upon the occurrence of at least one outcome associated with the game in chief.
Viewed from a first vantage point, it is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming device, comprising, in combination: a primary game which includes a plurality of changeable primary indicia each of which changes on successive plays, some of the primary indicia including vector means, and a secondary game having derived indicia taken from the primary indicia as dictated by the vector means, means to elect the secondary game, and means to award a player as a function of correspondence of the indicia with a pay table.
Viewed from a second vantage point, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for gaming, including the steps of: displaying a primary game after a wager, a
Casino Data Systems
Kasick Julie
Kreten Bernhard
Martin-Wallace Valencia
LandOfFree
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