# US 11,308,763 B2 · Gaming device and method of conducting a game with a changeable bonus value feature

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- Number: US 11,308,763 B2
- Document ID: US11308763B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/009,619
- Filed: 2020-09-01
- Published: 2021-08-19
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2003-04-22
- Assignees: Konami Gaming, Inc.
- Applicants: Konami Gaming, Inc.
- Inventors: Jason Mayeroff
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11308763B2

## CPC

- G07F 17/3267: {Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games}
- G07F 17/3211: {Display means}
- G07F 17/3244: {Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes}
- G07F 17/34: depending on the stopping of moving members {in a mechanical slot machine}, e.g. "fruit" machines
- G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00})

## Abstract

A bonus device and method are set forth for gaming machines. The bonus device is configured as a two dimensional display or three dimensional object, such as a sphere, box, or football shape, which can be controlled to rotate, spin or move to display a bonus. The bonus device is embedded with display technology that allows the bonus amounts, to change upon certain conditions in the base game such as an increased number of credits wagered, combinations achieved in the base game, or other random occurrences.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A gaming apparatus, comprising:
a cabinet;
a display device mounted to the cabinet; and
a processor programmed to execute an algorithm including the steps of:
displaying a bonus game on the display device including a rotatable wheel, the rotatable wheel including an outer display portion and an inner display portion;
displaying the outer display portion including a plurality of changeable award amounts, the changeable award amounts are selected from a schedule of award amounts, a number of changeable award amounts in the schedule of award amounts being greater than a number of the changeable award amounts displayed on the outer display portion, the number of changeable award amounts in the schedule of award amounts are arranged in a non-uniform probability distribution;
displaying the inner display portion including a plurality of award multipliers; and
initiating an instance of the bonus game by:
rotating the inner display portion with respect to the outer display portion and stopping the inner display portion such that each award multiplier is associated with a corresponding changeable award amount; and
modifying each corresponding changeable award amount based on the associated award multiplier.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The gaming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to execute the algorithm including the steps of:
spinning and stopping the outer display portion to register a bonus award amount at an index position; and
awarding the registered bonus award amount to a player.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The gaming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to execute the algorithm including the steps of:
receiving a wager from a player and modifying at least one changeable award amount to display an award amount established as a function of the wager.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The gaming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to execute the algorithm including the steps of displaying a base game on the display device including a plurality of reels.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The gaming apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is programmed to execute the algorithm including the steps of displaying the bonus game on the display device upon detecting a trigger condition.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The gaming apparatus of claim 5, wherein the trigger condition is associated with the base game.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The gaming apparatus of claim 5, wherein the trigger condition is a mystery trigger.

### Claim 8

A method of operating a gaming apparatus, the gaming apparatus including a display device mounted to a cabinet and a processor operably coupled to the display device, the method including the processor performing an algorithm including the steps of:
displaying a bonus game on the display device including a rotatable wheel, the rotatable wheel including an outer display portion and an inner display portion;
displaying the outer display portion including a plurality of changeable award amounts, the changeable award amounts are selected from a schedule of award amounts, a number of changeable award amounts in the schedule of award amounts being greater than a number of the changeable award amounts displayed on the outer display portion, the number of changeable award amounts in the schedule of award amounts are arranged in a non-uniform probability distribution;
displaying the inner display portion including a plurality of award multipliers; and
initiating an instance of the bonus game by:
rotating the inner display portion with respect to the outer display portion and stopping the inner display portion such that each award multiplier is associated with a corresponding changeable award amount; and
modifying each corresponding changeable award amount based on the associated award multiplier.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, including the processor performing the algorithm including the steps of:
spinning and stopping the outer display portion to register a bonus award amount at an index position; and
awarding the registered bonus award amount to a player.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, including the processor performing the algorithm including the steps of:
receiving a wager from a player and modifying at least one changeable award amount to display an award amount established as a function of the wager.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, including the processor performing the algorithm including the steps of displaying a base game on the display device including a plurality of reels.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, including the processor performing the algorithm including the steps of displaying the bonus game on the display device upon detecting a trigger condition.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the trigger condition is associated with the base game.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the trigger condition is a mystery trigger.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, when executed by at least one processor the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to perform an algorithm including the steps of:
displaying a bonus game on a display device including a rotatable wheel, the rotatable wheel including an outer display portion and an inner display portion;
displaying the outer display portion including a plurality of changeable award amounts, the changeable award amounts are selected from a schedule of award amounts, a number of changeable award amounts in the schedule of award amounts being greater than a number of the changeable award amounts displayed on the outer display portion, the number of changeable award amounts in the schedule of award amounts are arranged in a non-uniform probability distribution;
displaying the inner display portion including a plurality of award multipliers; and
initiating an instance of the bonus game by:
rotating the inner display portion with respect to the outer display portion and stopping the inner display portion such that each award multiplier is associated with a corresponding changeable award amount; and
modifying each corresponding changeable award amount based on the associated award multiplier.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to perform the algorithm including the steps of:
spinning and stopping the outer display portion to register a bonus award amount at an index position; and
awarding the registered bonus award amount to a player.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to perform the algorithm including the steps of:
receiving a wager from a player and modifying at least one changeable award amount to display an award amount established as a function of the wager.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to perform the algorithm including the steps of displaying a base game on the display device including a plurality of reels.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to perform the algorithm including the steps of displaying the bonus game on the display device upon detecting a trigger condition.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 19, wherein the trigger condition is associated with the base game.
