Patent Application
20090305766
This application claims priority to Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2008900547, having a filing date of Feb. 6, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[Not Applicable]
[Not Applicable]
The present invention relates to a gaming system, a method of gaming, a game controller and computer program code.
It is known to provide a gaming system which comprises a game controller arranged to randomly display several symbols from a predetermined set of symbols and to determine a game outcome such as a game win based on the displayed symbols. Such gaming systems may commonly be implemented as a stepper machine provided with reels with each reel carrying several symbols of the set, or a video machine wherein selected symbols are displayed on virtual reels on a video display.
It is also known to provide a “jackpot” prize which is linked to the gaming system. The jackpot prize may be awarded in one or more ways. For example, by awarding the jackpot prize at random time intervals, the player is provided with an incentive to continue playing, as the player believes that, as time passes, the probability of the jackpot prize being awarded increases. The player is therefore more likely to continue playing.
In another example, the jackpot prize may be awarded when a special symbol (or combination of symbols) appears on the gaming machine. Once again, as time passes, the player believes that the probability of a suitable symbol combination appealing will increase, which acts as an incentive for the player to continue to play.
In a first aspect, the invention provides a method of gaming comprising providing a jackpot game in addition to a main game, the jackpot game being displayed independently of the main game, wherein play of the jackpot game affects at least one of the awarding of a jackpot prize and value of a jackpot prize pool from which the jackpot prize is awarded.
In an embodiment the jackpot game operates independently of the main game. It will be understood that, in the context of the present specification, the phrase “operates independently” is used to indicate that play of the jackpot game is in not influenced by or otherwise tied to an outcome of the main game.
In an embodiment, the jackpot game is played with a plurality of symbols. In one embodiment, the symbols may be provided on a reel suitable for use in a gaming machine. However, it will be understood that the plurality of symbols may also be represented as a deck of cards, a dice, or any other object that is associated with (or capable of displaying) a plurality of symbols.
The plurality of symbols may include a plurality of entitlement symbols arranged to, on selection, trigger the jackpot game to provide the player with a chance to win the jackpot prize. In an embodiment, the trigger causes an additional game to be played, the outcome of the additional game determining whether the jackpot prize is to be awarded to the player.
Additionally or alternatively, the plurality of symbols may include a plurality of increment symbols arranged to, on selection, increment the value of the jackpot prize pool.
The plurality of entitlement symbols may include at least two sub-sets of symbols, each sub-set being associated with a different jackpot prize.
The jackpot prize may be incremented by the product of a bet amount selected during the main game and the value of the increment symbol.
The number of entitlement symbols and/or the probability of the player winning the jackpot prize may be a function of a bet amount wagered in the main game.
In an embodiment the symbols are provided on a reel. Where the main game is a reel-type game, for example, the symbols may be displayed on a supplementary reel.
In a second aspect, the invention provides a game controller for a gaming system, the game controller arranged to provide a jackpot game in addition to a main game, the jackpot game being displayed independently of the main game, wherein play of the jackpot game affects at least one of the awarding of a jackpot prize and value of a jackpot prize pool from which the jackpot prize is awarded.
In an embodiment the jackpot game operates independently of the main game.
In an embodiment the jackpot game is played utilising a plurality of symbols.
In an embodiment the game controller further comprises a symbol selector module arranged to select at least one of the symbols for determining an outcome of the jackpot game.
In an embodiment the plurality of symbols includes at least one entitlement symbol arranged to, on selection by the symbol selector module, trigger an additional game to provide a player with a chance to win the jackpot prize.
In an embodiment the plurality of symbols includes at least one increment symbol arranged to, on selection by the symbol selector module, increment the value of the jackpot prize pool.
In an embodiment the game controller further comprises a display module arranged to display the plurality of symbols on a reel.
In a third aspect, the invention provides a gaming system comprising
a gaming device; and
a game controller arranged to provide a jackpot game in addition to a main game on the gaming device, the jackpot game displayed independently of the main game,
wherein play of the jackpot game affects at least one of the awarding of a jackpot prize and value of a jackpot prize pool from which the jackpot prize is awarded.
In a fourth aspect the present invention provides a method of gaming comprising:
providing a jackpot game in addition to a main game, the additional game operating independently of the main game,
wherein the jackpot game triggers an additional game which determines whether the jackpot is won.
In a fifth aspect, the invention provides computer program code which when executed by a processor implements a method in accordance with the first or fourth aspects of the invention.
In a sixth aspect the invention provides a computer readable medium comprising the program code in accordance with a fifth aspect of the invention.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described in relation to the following drawings in which:
In an embodiment there is provided a game controller arranged to provide a jackpot game in addition to a main game. The jackpot game is displayed independently of the main game and play of the jackpot game affects at least one of the awarding of a jackpot prize and value of a jackpot prize pool from which the jackpot prize is awarded. The jackpot game may, for example, be in the form of a “jackpot reel” which carries a plurality of symbols. On selection, the symbols may cause either the jackpot prize pool to be incremented or jackpot prize be determined.
The gaming system may be provided in a number of different forms.
In a first form, a stand alone gaming machine is provided wherein all or most components required for implementing the game are present in a player operable gaming machine.
In a second form, a distributed architecture is provided wherein some of the components required for implementing the game are present in a player operable gaming machine and some of the components required for implementing the game are located remotely relative to the gaming machine. For example, a “thick client” architecture may be used wherein part of the game is executed on a player operable gaming machine and part of the game is executed remotely, such as by a gaming server; or a “thin client” architecture may be used wherein most of the game is executed remotely such as by a gaming server and a player operable gaming machine is used only to display audible and/or visible gaming information to the player and receive gaming inputs from the player.
However, it will be understood that other arrangements are envisaged. For example, an architecture may be provided wherein a gaming machine is networked to a gaming server and the respective functions of the gaming machine and the gaming server are selectively modifiable. For example, the gaming system may operate in stand alone gaming machine mode, “thick client” mode or “thin client” mode depending on the game being played, operating conditions, and so on. Other variations will be apparent to persons skilled in the art.
Irrespective of the form, the gaming system comprises several core components. At the broadest level, the core components are a player interface 50 and a game controller 60 as illustrated in
Components of the player interface may vary from embodiment to embodiment but will typically include a credit mechanism 52 to enable a player to input credits and receive payouts, one or more displays 54 and a game play mechanism 56 that enables a player to input game play instructions.
The game controller 60 is in data communication with the player interface and typically includes a processor 62 that processes the game play instructions in accordance with game play rules and outputs game play outcomes to the display. Typically, the game play instructions are stored as program code in a memory 64 but can also be hardwired. Herein the term “processor” is used to refer generically to any device that can process game play instructions in accordance with game play rules and may include: a microprocessor, microcontroller, programmable logic device or other computational device, a general purpose computer (e.g. a PC) or a server.
A gaming system in the form of a stand alone gaming machine 10 is illustrated in
A top box 26 may carry artwork 28, including for example pay tables and details of bonus awards and other information or images relating to the game. Further artwork and/or information may be provided on a front panel 29 of the console 12. A coin tray 30 is mounted beneath the front panel 29 for dispensing cash payouts from the gaming machine 10.
The display 14 shown in
The gaming machine 100 includes a game controller 101 having a processor 102. Instructions and data to control operation of the processor 102 are stored in a memory 103, which is in data communication with the processor 102. Typically, the gaming machine 100 will include both volatile and non-volatile memory and more than one of each type of memory, with such memories being collectively represented by the memory 103.
The gaming machine has hardware meters 104 for purposes including ensuring regulatory compliance and monitoring player credit, an input/output (I/O) interface 105 for communicating with peripheral devices of the gaming machine 100. The input/output interface 105 and/or the peripheral devices may be intelligent devices with their own memory for storing associated instructions and data for use with the input/output interface or the peripheral devices. A random number generator module 113 generates random numbers for use by the processor 102. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the reference to random numbers includes pseudo-random numbers.
In the example shown in
In addition, the gaming machine 100 may include a communications interface, for example a network card 112. The network card may, for example, send status information, accounting information or other information to a central controller, server or database and receive data or commands from the central controller, server or database.
It is also possible for the operative components of the gaming machine 100 to be distributed, for example input/output devices 106,107,108,109,110,111 to be provided remotely from the game controller 101.
One or more displays 204 may also be connected to the network 201. The displays 204 may, for example, be associated with one or more banks 203 of gaming machines. The displays 204 may be used to display representations associated with game play on the gaming machines 202, and/or used to display other representations, for example promotional or informational material.
In a thick client embodiment, game server 205 implements part of the game played by a player using a gaming machine 202 and the gaming machine 202 implements part of the game. With this embodiment, as both the game server and the gaining device implement part of the game, they collectively provide a game controller. A database management server 206 may manage storage of game programs and associated data for downloading or access by the gaming devices 202 in a database 206A. Typically, if the gaming system enables players to participate in a Jackpot game, a Jackpot server 207 will be provided to carry out the accounting in respect of the Jackpot game. A loyalty program server 212 may also be provided.
In a thin client embodiment, game server 205 implements most or all of the game played by a player using a gaming machine 202 and the gaming machine 202 essentially provides only the player interface. With this embodiment, the game server 205 provides the game controller. The gaming machine will receive player instructions, pass these to the game server which will process them and return game play outcomes to the gaming machine for display. In a thin client embodiment, the gaming machines could be computer terminals, e.g. PCs running software that provides a player interface operable using standard computer input and output components.
Servers are also typically provided to assist in the administration of the gaming network 200, including for example a gaming floor management server 208, and a licensing server 209 to monitor the use of licenses relating to particular games. An administrator terminal 210 is provided to allow an administrator to run the network 201 and the devices connected to the network.
The gaming network 200 may communicate with other gaming systems, other local networks, for example a corporate network, and/or a wide area network such as the Internet, for example though a firewall 211.
Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that in accordance with known techniques, functionality at the server side of the network may be distributed over a plurality of different computers. For example, elements may be run as a single “engine” on one server or a separate server may be provided. For example, the game server 205 could run a random generator engine. Alternatively, a separate random number generator server could be provided. Further, persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a plurality of games servers could be provided to run different games or a single game server may run a plurality of different games as required by the terminals.
In some implementations the game controllers of such gaming machines select symbols by employing a stop determining function that randomly determines the stop position for each reel. For example, if there are five reels, each having twenty symbols, the stop determining function might determine that the stop positions are positions: 3, 13, 7, 9 and 17. The spinning of the reels is then controlled so that each symbol comes to a stop in the same row, typically a predetermined row in a “window” visible to the player on the display that which corresponds to a player playing a single win line. When a reel stops, the symbols will be in one of a plurality of possible symbol positions for that reel relative to the stop position.
Spinning reel type games typically allow a player to select how many win lines of a plurality of win lines they will play in each game—i.e. a minimum of one win line up to the maximum number of win lines allowed by the game. Persons, skilled in the art, will appreciate that in other embodiments, the player may select a number of reels to play. Each win line is formed by a set of symbol positions consisting of one symbol position from each reel. That is, a predetermined symbol position of each reel is assigned to a win line. The symbol positions that constitute each of the win lines are usually advertised to the player by markings on the display or diagrams showing the symbol positions that correspond to each win line. Some of the win lines will be horizontal or diagonal lines but others may be more complex combinations of symbols. Typically, the win lines will be constituted by symbol positions in the visible window. A game outcome is determined based on the symbols on the win lines and a prize table that specifies awards.
The game controller 60 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in more detail in
In the preferred embodiment, the game controller is arranged to control play of both a main game in the form of a standard reel-type game and a “jackpot game” displayed independently of the main game.
During each game of the main reel game, the symbol selector 622 selects symbols to appear in a reel window displaying five reels, based on symbol data 641 which specifies the available symbols. The symbols to appear in the reel window are selected by the symbol selector 622 using a random number obtained from the random number generator 621. The outcome determiner module 623 determines the game outcomes and their associated prizes based on the number of win lines the player is playing and the symbol combinations. Persons skilled in the art will also appreciate that the game outcomes and their associated prizes are displayed on the display 54 or under control of the display controller 626.
An award determiner 624 is employed to keep track of the total award and subsequently to modify that award as more games are played. The total is maintained as total data 644 in memory 64. Thus, after each game the award determiner 624 updates the total data 644 to reflect the current total. The sequence monitor 625 monitors for completion of the sequence and, at the conclusion of the sequence, instructs the award determiner 624 to modify the accumulated total.
The game controller 60 also comprises an additional game module 627 which is arranged to implement the jackpot game. One embodiment may be implemented as a “jackpot reel”, which is provided in addition to the conventional reels displayed in the main game.
That is, an additional reel, hereinafter referred to as the “sixth reel” (due to the embodiment having a main reel game including five reels) is provided in addition to the main reel game of a gaming machine. In the embodiment, the sixth reel is displayed alongside the five reels of the main reel game. However, it will be understood that the sixth reel may be displayed in any suitable location, such as, for example, on a video screen above the main reel game. Moreover, the sixth reel may be displayed in any suitable configuration, such as a “vertical” reel, a “horizontal” reel, or as a “wheel”.
In another embodiment, the sixth wheel may be physically separate from the gaming machine (e.g. the sixth wheel may be implemented as a roulette-style wheel which is located adjacent to, but not incorporated into, the gaming machine). Such variations are within the purview of a person skilled in the art.
In the embodiment described with reference to
For example, according to one implementation, there may be five different jackpot prizes on offer in the jackpot game. The set of symbols provided on the sixth reel, in the illustrated embodiment being in the form of four different type of characters, is associated with one of the following symbol functions:
1. Symbols that award an increment to the jackpot prize pool;
2. Symbols that award one of the five jackpots on offer;
3. Symbols that award an entitlement to an additional or supplementary game, providing the player with a chance to win one or more of the five jackpots; and
4. Symbols that have no value (i.e. no increment or entitlement is awarded).
It will be understood that the sixth reel may include any combination of the four types of symbols described above. Moreover, the sixth reel may also include other symbols not related to the jackpot. For example, the sixth reel may include symbols which provide other rewards/prizes not connected to the jackpot. Such variations are within the purview of a person skilled in the art.
The operation of the sixth reel is described with reference to the flowchart of
However, while the decision to “spin” the sixth reel is not influenced by the outcome of the main reel game, the sixth reel is invoked (at step 700) when a player initiates the main reel game. While the sixth reel is spun for every game (in the embodiment described herein), it will be understood that the sixth reel may be arranged to only spin as required. For example, the sixth reel may only spin at random times, or in response to a game outcome in the main reel game.
Optionally, the number of jackpot entitlement symbols available on the sixth reel may be determined by the amount bet by the player in the main reel game (step 702).
Either in conjunction with, or at the conclusion of, the main reel game, the sixth reel is spun (step 704) and an outcome is determined.
If the sixth reel displays a jackpot increment symbol on the centre position (step 706), then the corresponding jackpot is incremented by the symbol value multiplied by the bet placed by the player during the main game (step 708).
Alternatively, if the sixth reel displays an entitlement symbol on the centre position (step 710), then a jackpot feature (e.g. an additional game) is invoked (step 712) on the main reel game, which provides the player with a chance to win the jackpot. That is, a further main reel game may be invoked when an entitlement symbol on the centre position.
The main reel game may be a “feature game”, which is an additional game invoked on the main reels. The feature game operates in a manner analogous to a standard main reel game, but each reel may include additional jackpot symbols, such that, if the correct sequence of jackpot symbols are displayed, the player wins the jackpot.
Optionally, the probability of winning the jackpot may be a function of the bet placed by the player during the main reel game (step 714). That is, the higher the bet placed by the player, the higher the probability of winning a jackpot prize. In one example implementation, the probability may be increased by increasing the number of jackpot symbols available during the feature game. By increasing the number of available jackpot symbols, the probability of a player receiving the correct number/combination of jackpot symbols is correspondingly increased. Of course, it will be understood that any suitable technique or formula may be utilised to increase the probability of a player winning the jackpot. Various techniques would be known to a person skilled in the art.
It will be understood that step 702 (determining the number of jackpot symbols on the sixth reel as function of the initial bet) and step 714 (determining the probability of winning the jackpot as a function of the initial bet) may be used separately or in conjunction, depending on the incentive mechanism desired by the person skilled in the art. Such variations are within the purview of a person skilled in the alt.
Many gaming systems, such as the exemplary gaming system described herein, implement games that involve a display of spinning reels as part of the display of the outcome of a game. However, persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention broadly described herein can be implemented in respect of other forms of games, including card games, ball draw games (e.g. bingo or keno), dice games, and pin and ball games.
For example, rather than providing a reel with a number of symbols, a “deck of cards” may be provided, such that each card is associated with a particular award (i.e. some cards award an entitlement to an additional or supplementary game, whereas other cards award an increment to the jackpot). A person skilled in the art would understand that such a concept may also be easily extended to dice games, numbered ball games, or indeed any type of game of chance where markers with different values/symbols are utilised.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008900547 | Feb 2008 | AU | national |
