Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – In a chance application
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-22
2001-11-13
O'Neill, Michael (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
In a chance application
C463S016000, C463S025000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315662
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an electronic gaming device, and relates more particularly to an electronic gaming device, such as a mechanical slot machine, which initiates game play automatically rather than at the request of a player.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electronic gaming devices, such as slot machines and video poker machines, generate the bulk of profits at most casinos. It is estimated that electronic gaming devices account for over $15 billion in revenue each year in the United States. Electronic gaming devices remain an attractive source of revenue because their low operating cost results in margins significantly higher than table games such as blackjack and craps.
Gaming machine profitability is directly related to such factors as the statistical house advantage offered by the machine, the amount of money wagered by players, and the rate at which the machine is played. In order to increase the profitability of these machines, many attempts have been made to augment one or more of these factors.
With regard to augmenting the house advantage, many gaming machines have been developed with higher-than-average house advantages. However, there are several drawbacks to this approach. First, many jurisdictions legislate minimum payback levels which, in turn, limit the amount by which the house advantage may be increased. Also, players tend to avoid machines that have a large house advantage, and will further avoid casinos which have an abundance of these machines. This is particularly true in those jurisdictions which require casinos to publish the house advantage tendered by their machines.
With regard to augmenting the amount of money wagered by players, gaming machines have been developed which require more money to be deposited in order to play them. Such “high stakes” slot machines require the deposit of $5.00 to $500.00 for each play. However, as the amount required to be wagered increases, fewer players are willing or able to play. This is because few players have sufficient finds to play “high stakes” machines. Thus, a casino can not increase the amount required to be wagered on a majority of its machines without negatively impacting the number of players willing to play at those machines.
In an attempt to augment the rate at which a machine is played by a player, some gaming machines have been developed which allow a player to operate the machine at faster rates of play. For example, in some slot machines, reel mechanisms have been designed to rotate quickly and stop within a few seconds, making them faster than prior slot machines. Such machines, however, operate faster only after a player has made a decision to play the game. They do not encourage a player to make the decision to play any faster. For instance, a player may wait for an interval after completion of a first game before initiating a second game. Thus, although the machine may complete a game in a shorter period of time, they do not necessarily increase profitability of the machine since players may delay their decision to play or to continue to play the machine.
Thus, a need exists for a system and method that encourages players to participate in a greater proportion of games to effectuate a faster rate of play.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Generally, according to the instant invention, systems and methods are disclosed for directing the operation of an electronic gaming device. Such systems and methods are advantageous in that they encourage greater participation rates and greater frequencies of outcomes of electronic gaming devices, thereby increasing profitability without altering the house advantage or the minimum amount required to be wagered.
According to a first aspect of the invention, a system and method for directing the operation of an electronic gaming device includes generating a random number for a game, determining an outcome of the game based on the random number, spinning a slot reel having a position corresponding to the outcome, providing to a player, after the spinning step, an interval to make a payment for the game; and revealing the position to the player after the interval, thereby displaying the outcome of the game.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a system and method for directing the operation of an electronic gaming device includes spinning a slot reel, receiving an input from a player after the spinning step, generating a random number in response to the input, determining an outcome based on the random number with the outcome corresponding to a position of the slot reel, and stopping the slot reel at the position corresponding to the determined outcome after the receiving step.
According to a third aspect of the invention, a system and method for directing the operation of an electronic gaming device includes spinning a plurality of slot reels, generating a random number, determining an outcome based on the random number with the outcome corresponding to a position of one of the plurality of slot reels, stopping the one of the plurality of slot reels at the position corresponding to the determined outcome and providing, to a player, an interval to make a payment.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a system and method for directing the operation of an electronic gaming device includes displaying a video representation of a back of a card for a game, generating a random number for the game, determining a value of the card based on the random number, providing, to a player after the determining step, an interval to make a first payment and revealing the value to the player after the interval.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, a system and method for directing the operation of an electronic gaming device includes initiating a plurality of games, each of the plurality of games having a payout table associated therewith, determining an outcome of each of the plurality of games, measuring at least one of a participation rate and a frequency of outcomes for the plurality of games, and adjusting a game parameter for a subsequent game based on the measuring step.
According to a sixth aspect of the invention, a system and method for directing the operation of an electronic gaming device includes providing, to a player, an interval to make a payment for a game, generating a signal after a first predetermined time, spinning a slot reel after a second predetermined time, generating a random number in response to the signal, the random number corresponding to a position of the slot reel, and stopping the slot reel at the position.
The embodiments of the instant invention provide several significant advantages over the prior art. Since games may be automatically commenced by the electronic gaming device, a player is encouraged to participate in these games at a pace set by the operator of the electronic gaming device. As the player maintains or increases his participation rate at a predetermined level, the machine may increase the frequency of outcomes, thus inducing the player to play more frequently. Additionally, a player who feels that he or she is experiencing a losing streak may wait for a series of automatically initiated games to pass without participating. The player may observe the outcomes of these games and continue play when she feels that the machine is due to provide more favorable outcomes. Thus, although a player may refrain from participating in games at times, he or she is encouraged to stay at the machine and rejoin play when he or she is comfortable with the machine's performance.
A more complete understanding of the present invention, as well as further features and advantages of the present invention, will be obtained by reference to the following detailed descriptions and drawings.
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patent: 5127
Jorasch James A.
Krantz Jason C.
Mik Magdalena
Walker Jay S.
Alderucci Dean P.
O'Neill Michael
Walker Digital, LLC
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