A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains or may contain material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the photocopy reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure in exactly the form it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The present invention relates in general to a gaming device, and more particularly to a gaming device having an offer and acceptance game with a termination limit.
Gaming devices, such as slot, poker, blackjack and keno, having primary and/or secondary or bonus games are well known. One well known game provides a player with a series of offers, where each offer includes a number of credits, coins, tokens or dollars. The player may accept or reject each offer prior to the final offer. The player must accept the final offer. If the player accepts an offer, the game provides the offer to the player. If the player rejects an offer, the gaming device provides another offer to the player, as long as the current offer is not the final offer.
The offers are randomly determined from a series of potential offers of differing values. As illustrated in
Several different embodiments of this type of game for a gaming device have been implemented in gaming machines of various types. This type of gaming device has achieved significant popularity in the gaming industry. Accordingly, there is a need for new gaming devices related to this type of offer and acceptance game.
The gaming device of the present invention includes a plurality of player selectable selections, steps towards termination of the bonus game associated with each of the selections, a termination limit of the steps, and an offer associated with each number of steps toward termination. The steps towards the termination limit accompany, are associated with or determine the offers that the game provides to the player. The game provides no further offers when the player's selection makes the accumulated steps exceed the termination limit. The game preferably provides a consolation award to the player when the player's steps exceed the termination limit. Alternatively, these game functions occur when the player's accumulated steps meet the termination limit.
In one embodiment, the game provides a plurality of player selectable masked selections. Each selection functions as a rejection of the current offer after the first offer is made. Therefore, these selections function as a plurality of offer rejections. The game may alternatively provide only one reject offer input device, whereby the player selects or the game randomly selects or provides a new offer. As the player sequentially rejects offers, the steps associated with the offers accumulate or accrue. If the accumulated steps meet or alternatively exceed a preset termination limit, the gaming device revokes all offers and ends the game as described above.
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a display device, processor adapted to communicate with said display device and to accrue a plurality of steps, a step generator adapted to communicate with the processor, a plurality of offers associated with the accrued steps, a termination limit including a plurality of accrued steps, at least one offer acceptance indicator adapted to communicate with the processor and at least one offer rejection indicator adapted to communicate with the processor. In this embodiment, the step generator is adapted to generate the steps, the processor is adapted to accrue the steps and the display device is adapted to display the steps and offers until the accrued steps exceed the termination limit, a player uses the offer rejection indicator to reject all the offers associated with the accrued steps or the player uses the offer acceptance indicator to accept an offer associated with the accrued steps.
A method for operating the gaming device of the present invention includes the steps of: (i) providing a number of steps and an offer associated with the player's accumulated steps to the player; (ii) enabling the player to accept or reject the provided offer; (iii) ending the game if the player's steps towards termination meet or alternatively exceed the termination limit; and (iv) enabling the player to select a new offer if the player's steps towards termination do not meet or alternatively exceed the termination limit. The termination limit functions as a limit to the number of new offers (i.e., a maximum number of offers) that the player may obtain. Accordingly, in each game, the number of potential offers may vary and in other embodiments, it may be fixed. The game includes additionally providing a maximum offer amount, which when reached, terminates the game. In one embodiment, the termination limit is fixed. In another, the game provides different termination limits at different times.
The game preferably terminates when the player reaches the maximum number of possible offers, the maximum offer amount, or rejects too many offers such that the player's accrued steps towards termination which determine the offers made to the player exceed the termination limit. The player is thus forced to predict when the next offer, which may or may not be larger than the previous offer, will have an associated number of steps to cause termination of the game and must thereby decide when to accept the current offer. If the player accepts the current offer, the game awards the offer to the player.
The game also preferably provides a non-instantaneous or delayed reveal which adds excitement and enjoyment to the game. When the player rejects an offer, the game displays the steps accruing one at a time on an indicator in accordance with the theme of the game. The player does not know when or where the accrual will stop. The player hopes the indicator will designate a valuable offer and also hopes the indicator does not accrue steps that meet or alternatively exceed the termination limit. The improved delayed or non-instantaneous reveal provides more excitement and enjoyment than simply instantaneously revealing the accrued number of steps.
It is therefore an advantage of the present invention to provide a gaming device with an offer and acceptance bonus game wherein the game enables the player to obtain offers until the player accepts an offer, meets or exceeds a termination limit or runs out of offers.
It is another advantage of the present invention to provide a gaming device which non-instantaneously reveals outcomes to increase enjoyment and excitement.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts, elements, components, steps and processes.
Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to
The base games of the gaming device 10 include slot, poker, blackjack or keno, among others. The gaming device 10 also embodies any bonus triggering events, bonus games as well as any progressive game coordinating with these base games. The symbols and indicia used for any of the base, bonus and progressive games include mechanical, electrical or video symbols and indicia.
In a stand alone or a bonus embodiment, the gaming device 10 includes monetary input devices.
As shown in
Gaming device 10 also includes one or more display devices. The embodiment shown in
The slot machine base game of gaming device 10 preferably displays a plurality of reels 34, preferably three to five reels 34, in mechanical or video form on one or more of the display devices. Each reel 34 displays a plurality of indicia such as bells, hearts, fruits, numbers, letters, bars or other images which preferably correspond to a theme associated with the gaming device 10. If the reels 34 are in video form, the display device displaying the video reels 34 is preferably a video monitor. Each base game, especially in the slot machine base game of the gaming device 10, includes speakers 36 for making sounds or playing music.
Referring now to
As illustrated in
In certain instances, it is preferable to use a touch screen 50 and an associated touch screen controller 52 instead of a conventional video monitor display device. The touch screen enables a player to input decisions into the gaming device 10 by sending a discrete signal based on the area of the touch screen 50 that the player touches or presses. As further illustrated in
It should be appreciated that although a processor 38 and memory device 40 are preferable implementations of the present invention, the present invention also includes being implemented via one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC's), one or more hard-wired devices, or one or more mechanical devices (collectively referred to herein as a “processor”). Furthermore, although the processor 38 and memory device 40 preferably reside in each gaming device 10 unit, the present invention includes providing some or all of their functions at a central location such as a network server for communication to a playing station such as over a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), Internet connection, microwave link, and the like.
With reference to the slot machine base game of
In addition to winning base game credits, the gaming device 10, including any of the base games disclosed above, also includes bonus games that give players the opportunity to win credits. The gaming device 10 preferably employs a video-based display device 30 or 32 for the bonus games. The bonus games include a program that automatically begins when the player achieves a qualifying condition in the base game.
In the slot machine embodiment, the qualifying condition includes a particular symbol or symbol combination generated on a display device. As illustrated in the five reel slot game shown in
Referring now to
As briefly mentioned above, the preferred embodiment displays a plurality of steps 110. In the preferred embodiment, one or more sequential steps 110 correspond to different offers. The number of and the value of the steps 110 and the ranges of steps are variables that the game implementor sets according to a preferred mathematical algorithm for a particular implementation of the present invention.
The display 30 or 32 includes: (a) steps accrued display 112 which indicates the amount of accrued steps; (b) a consolation display 114 which indicates the value of any consolation award that the game provides if the player exceeds the termination limit; (c) a paid display 116 which indicates the value of an offer paid to the player; and (d) a credit display 16 which shows the recently paid offer plus the player's previous total award. In an example illustrated in
The game preferably employs a touch screen 50 (
The example in
The processor 38 employs one or more well known random generation methods to randomly place or associate one of the displayed steps 110 with each selection (or the reject current offer input device) 108a through 108x.
As illustrated, the game preferably chooses the steps to place behind the selections 108c through 108x, from the steps 110 that the game displays to the player. The game is not limited to only using displayed steps. The present invention includes the game generating a number of steps that are not displayed. The present invention includes providing a number of steps wherein the number is zero steps, a negative number of steps, partial steps and a number of steps larger than the largest displayed step 110. The present invention also includes suitable non-numerical steps such as letters or other symbols.
The game includes any associated distribution of the steps with the offers that satisfies the game math for a particular implementation of the present invention.
The game further includes any suitable termination limit that satisfies the game math for a particular implementation of the present invention. The termination limit is adapted to be associated with more than one step, for example the last four steps, so that if the player exceeds any of these steps, the game revokes the previous offer. However, the game preferably sets a termination limit that is equal to or exceeds the highest step associated with an offer. That is,
One embodiment of the present invention employs a cap on the termination limit. In the example of
In
The present invention preferably provides a suitable visual and or audiovisual message 118 outlining the number of offers and the risk associated with rejecting offers. The message 118 states the player can try up to two times to increase an initial offer (i.e., three offers total) without exceeding a limit of twenty-five. The player therefore preferably knows the number of possible picks (i.e., three) and the termination limit (i.e., twenty-five). The game alternatively does not disclose one or more of these parameters. The game can alternatively include a maximum amount of the offer, which when achieved, terminates the game. Accordingly, the present invention provides an offer acceptance bonus game with a plurality of different termination conditions (i.e., the termination limit, number of picks or offers and the offer amount).
Referring now to
Referring to
The game may include a non-instantaneous or delayed revealing of the number of steps associated with the pick of a selection which provides added excitement and entertainment to the game. The game includes not initially revealing the steps behind the selection 108g or the update of the steps accrued display 112. The displayed steps 110 increment, e.g., one step, two steps, three steps, etc., until reaching the accrued and displayed number of steps 110. After the indicator 122 stops on the accrued and displayed number of steps 110, the game displays the generated number of steps associated with or masked by the selection 108g and the accrued steps in the display 112.
In the non-instantaneous or delayed reveal, the player watches the indicator 122 move hoping that it moves to a position designating a valuable offer, but also hoping that the limit is not exceeded. It should be appreciated that separate steps accrued display 112 is not necessary and includes being combined with the indicator 122, as illustrated below in
Referring to
If the game associated each displayed number of steps 110 with a solution only once or otherwise reveals the possible numbers that the player can generate, the game enables the player to optimally play the game. That is, a player with the time and ability is able to determine the expected value for each offer and acceptance situation and make an optimal decision. By providing the player's current offer, the offers available, the set of steps that the player can generate via the displayed steps 110, the game termination limit and the consolation value, the game enables the player to optimally play the game. In
As illustrated in
The present invention further includes weighting the number of steps in a table such that at least one particular number of steps is chosen more often than at least one other particular number of steps.
Referring to
Referring now to
In the embodiments illustrated in
In one alternative embodiment, obtaining a predetermined number of steps or offers is a prerequisite to advancing to another game (not illustrated), wherein the player is enabled to win further awards. In such an embodiment, the player may wish to forgo optimally playing the game of the present invention to achieve the requisite number of steps or awards to advance to the next game. Referring to the preferred display embodiment of
In another alternative embodiment, the game randomly generates the termination limit from a plurality of termination limits. In the preferred embodiment disclosed above, the termination limit of twenty-five is a constant from game to game. Alternatively, the game generates the termination limit at the beginning of each game and displays it to the player. Randomly generating the termination limit adds complexity to determining the optimal strategy on a multi-game basis and adds variety to the game. The game includes randomly generating the termination limit from a database of termination limits, wherein each entry has an equal likelihood of being generated or wherein one or more entries is weighted such that one termination limit is more likely to be randomly generated than at least one other termination limit.
In a further alternative embodiment, the selections are adapted to have functionality in addition to advancing the player toward or away from the termination point. In one implementation of the multifunction selection embodiment, one or more of the selections has a modifier associated with it. This modifier, for example, multiplies, adds to or subtracts from, etc., a current offer. In another implementation of the multifunction selection embodiment, one or more of the selections increases or decreases the number of offers available to the player.
In a further alternative embodiment, the game incorporates a method to eliminate one or more of the selections that would cause the step indicator to exceed the termination limit if the player selects that selection. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways. One method includes one or more of the selections adapted so that when selected, the game removes one or more termination selections and displays a message informing the player of such removal. Another method includes granting the player, at some predetermined point in the game, a fixed number of opportunities to eliminate terminating selections. Alternatively, the grant of one or more terminating selections removals occurs randomly or after the achievement of a predetermined condition.
In a further embodiment, the game provides additional awards upon the player's satisfaction of a predetermined condition. For example, the game includes providing an additional number of credits or a multiplier for achieving the highest allowable number of steps, such as twenty five, in a single or predetermined number of tries. In another example, picking a predetermined combination of selections yields an additional number of credits or a credit multiplier for the player.
While the present invention is described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, and is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims. Modifications and variations in the present invention may be made without departing from the novel aspects of the invention as defined in the claims, and this application is limited only by the scope of the claims.
This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/971,980, filed Oct. 21, 2004 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,960,132 which is a continuation of and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/678,656, filed Oct. 3, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,808,452, which is a continuation of and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/822,711, filed Mar. 30, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,754, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein. This application is related to the following commonly-owned co-pending patent applications: “GAMING DEVICE HAVING AN IMPROVED OFFER/ACCEPTANCE BONUS SCHEME,” Ser. No. 09/966,884, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE GAME WITH HIDDEN OFFER,” Ser. No. 10/160,688, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING IMPROVED OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE GAME WITH MASKED OFFERS,” Ser. No. 10/086,014, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING AN OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE GAME WITH A PLAYER SELECTION FEATURE,” Ser. No. 10/086,078, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING AN OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE SELECTION BONUS SCHEME WITH A TERMINATOR AND AN ANTI-TERMINATOR,” Ser. No. 10/644,447, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING SEPARATELY CHANGEABLE VALUE AND MODIFIER BONUS SCHEME,” Ser. No. 10/767,484, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING AN AWARD OFFER AND TERMINATION BONUS SCHEME,” Ser. No. 10/810,146, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING VALUE SELECTION BONUS,” Ser. No. 10/803,410, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING A BONUS ROUND WITH MULTIPLE RANDOM AWARD GENERATION AND MULTIPLE RETURN/RISK SCENARIOS,” Ser. No. 10/865,713, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING OFFER/ACCEPTANCE ADVANCE THRESHOLD AND LIMIT BONUS SCHEME,” Ser. No. 10/925,561, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING A DESTINATION PURSUIT BONUS SCHEME WITH ADVANCED AND SETBACK CONDITIONS,” Ser. No. 10/920,518, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING IMPROVED AWARD OFFER BONUS SCHEME,” Ser. No. 10/937,664, “GAMING DEVICE HAVING RISK EVALUATION BONUS ROUND,” Ser. No. 11/041,801, and “GAMING DEVICE HAVING IMPROVED OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE BONUS SCHEME,” Ser. No. 11/112,566, .
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4448419 | Telnaes | May 1984 | A |
4582324 | Koza et al. | Apr 1986 | A |
4624459 | Kaufman | Nov 1986 | A |
4695053 | Vazquez, Jr. et al. | Sep 1987 | A |
4871171 | Rivero | Oct 1989 | A |
4991848 | Greenwood et al. | Feb 1991 | A |
5178390 | Okada | Jan 1993 | A |
5205555 | Hamano | Apr 1993 | A |
5280909 | Tracy | Jan 1994 | A |
5456465 | Durham | Oct 1995 | A |
5524888 | Heidel | Jun 1996 | A |
5536016 | Thompson | Jul 1996 | A |
5542669 | Charron et al. | Aug 1996 | A |
5560603 | Seelig et al. | Oct 1996 | A |
5611535 | Tiberio | Mar 1997 | A |
5645486 | Nagao et al. | Jul 1997 | A |
5647798 | Falciglia | Jul 1997 | A |
5711525 | Breeding | Jan 1998 | A |
5766076 | Pease et al. | Jun 1998 | A |
5769716 | Saffari et al. | Jun 1998 | A |
5772509 | Weiss | Jun 1998 | A |
5775692 | Watts et al. | Jul 1998 | A |
5788573 | Baerlocher et al. | Aug 1998 | A |
5823874 | Adams | Oct 1998 | A |
5833538 | Weiss | Nov 1998 | A |
5848932 | Adams | Dec 1998 | A |
5851148 | Brune et al. | Dec 1998 | A |
5855514 | Kamille | Jan 1999 | A |
5855515 | Pease et al. | Jan 1999 | A |
5873781 | Keane | Feb 1999 | A |
5882261 | Adams | Mar 1999 | A |
5902184 | Bennett et al. | May 1999 | A |
5911418 | Adams | Jun 1999 | A |
5941773 | Harlick | Aug 1999 | A |
5947820 | Morro et al. | Sep 1999 | A |
5951397 | Dickinson | Sep 1999 | A |
5964463 | Moore, Jr. | Oct 1999 | A |
5967894 | Kinoshita et al. | Oct 1999 | A |
5980384 | Barrie | Nov 1999 | A |
5984781 | Sunaga | Nov 1999 | A |
5997400 | Seelig et al. | Dec 1999 | A |
5997401 | Crawford | Dec 1999 | A |
6004207 | Wilson, Jr. et al. | Dec 1999 | A |
6015346 | Bennett | Jan 2000 | A |
6019369 | Nakagawa et al. | Feb 2000 | A |
6033306 | De Souza | Mar 2000 | A |
6033307 | Vancura | Mar 2000 | A |
6056642 | Bennett | May 2000 | A |
6059289 | Vancura | May 2000 | A |
6059658 | Mangano et al. | May 2000 | A |
6062980 | Luciano | May 2000 | A |
6089976 | Schneider et al. | Jul 2000 | A |
6089977 | Bennett | Jul 2000 | A |
6089978 | Adams | Jul 2000 | A |
6093102 | Bennett | Jul 2000 | A |
6102798 | Bennett | Aug 2000 | A |
6120031 | Adams | Sep 2000 | A |
6126541 | Fuchs | Oct 2000 | A |
6126542 | Fier | Oct 2000 | A |
6142873 | Weiss et al. | Nov 2000 | A |
6142874 | Kodachi et al. | Nov 2000 | A |
6142875 | Kodachi et al. | Nov 2000 | A |
6146273 | Olsen | Nov 2000 | A |
6159095 | Frohm et al. | Dec 2000 | A |
6159096 | Yoseloff | Dec 2000 | A |
6159097 | Gura | Dec 2000 | A |
6159098 | Slomiany et al. | Dec 2000 | A |
6162121 | Morro et al. | Dec 2000 | A |
6168520 | Baerlocher et al. | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6168523 | Piechowiak et al. | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6173955 | Perrie et al. | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6174233 | Sunaga et al. | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6174235 | Walker et al. | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6190254 | Bennett | Feb 2001 | B1 |
6190255 | Thomas et al. | Feb 2001 | B1 |
6203429 | Demar et al. | Mar 2001 | B1 |
6210279 | Dickinson | Apr 2001 | B1 |
6213876 | Moore, Jr. | Apr 2001 | B1 |
6224483 | Mayeroff | May 2001 | B1 |
6231442 | Mayeroff | May 2001 | B1 |
6231445 | Acres | May 2001 | B1 |
6241608 | Torango | Jun 2001 | B1 |
6261177 | Bennett | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6302790 | Brossard | Oct 2001 | B1 |
6305686 | Perrie et al. | Oct 2001 | B1 |
6309300 | Glavich | Oct 2001 | B1 |
6322309 | Thomas et al. | Nov 2001 | B1 |
6328649 | Randall et al. | Dec 2001 | B1 |
6375187 | Baerlocher | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6435968 | Torango | Aug 2002 | B1 |
6506118 | Baerlocher et al. | Jan 2003 | B1 |
6592460 | Torango | Jul 2003 | B2 |
6659864 | McGahn et al. | Dec 2003 | B2 |
6758750 | Baerlocher et al. | Jul 2004 | B2 |
6811483 | Webb et al. | Nov 2004 | B1 |
6852030 | Baerlocher et al. | Feb 2005 | B2 |
6890257 | Baerlocher | May 2005 | B2 |
6899623 | Baerlocher | May 2005 | B2 |
20020042297 | Torango | Apr 2002 | A1 |
20030060279 | Torango | Mar 2003 | A1 |
20040009811 | Torango | Jan 2004 | A1 |
20050143168 | Torango | Jun 2005 | A1 |
20050176488 | Olive | Aug 2005 | A1 |
20050209004 | Torango | Sep 2005 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
754689 | Aug 1998 | AU |
758306 | Oct 1998 | AU |
199884162 | Oct 1998 | AU |
0 874 337 | Oct 1998 | EP |
0926645 | Jun 1999 | EP |
0 944 030 | Sep 1999 | EP |
0 945 837 | Sep 1999 | EP |
0 981 119 | Feb 2000 | EP |
0 984 409 | Mar 2000 | EP |
0984408 | Mar 2000 | EP |
WO 9732285 | Sep 1997 | WO |
WO 0012186 | Mar 2000 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20060040724 A1 | Feb 2006 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 10971980 | Oct 2004 | US |
Child | 11256417 | US | |
Parent | 10678656 | Oct 2003 | US |
Child | 10971980 | US | |
Parent | 09822711 | Mar 2001 | US |
Child | 10678656 | US |