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US 2004/0171416 A1Published application
Gaming device having selectively accessible bonus scheme
AssigneeIgt
InventorsAnthony J. Baerlocher, Peter Gerrard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gaming device having a bonus scheme, wherein the player may choose when to play a bonus scheme, so long as the player is qualified to do so. The method of qualifying the player to enter the bonus round connects or links the base game operation of the gaming device with the bonus scheme. The reels of the base game contain symbols which alone or in combination with other symbols yield one or more bonus awards to a player. The bonus awards are escrowed and displayed a bonus award escrow display. Once the player obtains a single bonus award, the player becomes eligible or qualified to play the bonus round and the player may choose to do so at any time. The player can accumulate bonus awards and use multiple bonus awards at one time.
Claims71
A gaming device having a bonus round selectively accessible by a player, said gaming device comprising:
- a controller;
- at least one symbol display controlled by said controller and having at least one award symbol representing a number of awards;
- at least one prize indicator controlled by said controller;
- at least one prize selector controlled by said controller;
- and
- an escrow of the awards associated with the award symbols, wherein if a predetermined number of awards are in the escrow, the player can selectively access at least one prize indicator by selecting the prize selector and if the player accesses said prize indicator, the controller selects one of a plurality of prizes associated with said prize indicator to provide to the player.
3 more elements
The gaming device of 7, wherein said predetermined number of awards associated with each award prize indicator is non-linearly proportional to said average value of the set of prizes associated with each prize indicator.
A gaming device comprising:
- a base game including a symbol display which is operable to generate a plurality of symbols including an award symbol, wherein at least one award is associated with each generated award symbol;
- an escrow operable to accumulate the awards associated with said generated award symbols in the base game;
- a prize indicator including a plurality of different prizes;
- and
- a prize selector associated with the prize indicator, wherein said prize selector is selectively accessible by a player if the escrow includes a predetermined number of awards associated with the prize selector, and wherein if the player accesses said prize selector, one of the prizes of the prize indicator is selected and provided to the player.
2 more elements
A gaming device comprising:
- a base game including a symbol display which is operable to generate a plurality of symbols including at least one award symbol, wherein at least one award is associated with each generated award symbol;
- an escrow operable to accumulate the awards associated with said generated award symbols in the base game;
- a plurality of prize indicators, each prize indicator including a plurality of different prizes;
- and
- a separate prize selector associated with each said prize indicator, wherein each of said prize selectors is selectively accessible by a player if the escrow includes at least a predetermined number of awards required to access said prize selector, and wherein if the player accesses one of said prize selectors, one of the prizes of the prize indicator associated with said prize selector is selected and provided to the player.
2 more elements
A gaming device comprising:
- a base game including a symbol display which is operable to generate a plurality of symbols including at least one award symbol, wherein at least one award is associated with each generated award symbol;
- an escrow operable to accumulate the awards associated with said generated award symbols in the base game;
- and
- a plurality of prize indicators, wherein each prize indicator includes a plurality of different prizes and each of said prize indicators is selectively accessible by a player if the escrow includes at least a predetermined number of awards required to access said prize indicator, and wherein if the player accesses one of said prize indicators, one of the prizes of said accessed prize indicator is selected and provided to the player.
1 more element
A method for operating a gaming device including a base game and a bonus round, said method comprising:
- (a) enabling play of the base game which includes displaying a plurality of symbols, said plurality of symbols including at least one award symbol;
- (b) providing at least one award to a player for obtaining an award symbol in the base game;
- (c) escrowing the awards provided to the player;
- (d) displaying said escrowed awards to the player in an escrow display;
- (e) enabling the player to selectively play the bonus round if the player has a designated number of at least one escrowed award;
- and
- (f) determining and providing the player a prize from a set of a plurality of prizes if the player plays the bonus round.
4 more elements
A method for operating a gaming device, said method comprising:
- (a) displaying at least one award symbol which represents a number of awards;
- (b) accumulating the awards associated with said displayed award symbols in an escrow;
- (c) enabling a player to selectively access at least one prize indicator if the escrow includes a predetermined number of awards, wherein the player accesses said prize indicator by selecting a prize selector;
- (d) if the player accesses said prize indicator, selecting one of a plurality of prizes associated with said prize indicator;
- and
- (e) providing said selected prize to the player.
3 more elements
A method for operating a gaming device, said method comprising:
- (a) generating a plurality of symbols in a base game wherein said plurality of generated symbols includes an award symbol and at least one award is associated with each generated award symbol;
- (b) accumulating the awards associated with said generated award symbols in an escrow;
- (c) enabling a player to selectively access a prize selector if the escrow includes a predetermined number of awards associated with the prize selector, wherein said prize selector is associated with a prize indicator which includes a plurality of different prizes;
- (d) if the player accesses said prize selector, selecting one of the prizes of the prize indicator associated with the accessed prize selector;
- and
- (e) providing said selected prize to the player.
3 more elements
A method for operating a gaming device, said method comprising:
- (a) generating a plurality of symbols in a base game wherein said plurality of generated symbols includes an award symbol and at least one award is associated with each generated award symbol;
- (b) accumulating the awards associated with said generated award symbols in an escrow;
- (c) enabling a player to selectively access one of a plurality of separate prize selectors if the escrow includes at least a predetermined number of awards required to access said prize selector, wherein each prize selector is associated with one of a plurality of prize indicators which includes a plurality of different prizes;
- (d) if the player accesses one of said prize selectors, selecting one of the prizes of the prize indicator associated with the accessed prize selector;
- and
- (e) providing said selected prize to the player.
3 more elements
A method for operating a gaming device, said method comprising:
- (a) generating a plurality of symbols in a base game wherein said plurality of generated symbols includes an award symbol and at least one award is associated with each generated award symbol;
- (b) accumulating the awards associated with said generated award symbols in an escrow;
- (c) enabling a player to selectively access one of a plurality of prize indicators if the escrow includes at least a predetermined number of awards required to access said prize indicator, wherein each prize indicator includes a plurality of different prizes;
- (d) if the player accesses one of said prize indicators, selecting one of the prizes of the accessed prize indicator;
- and
- (e) providing said selected prize to the player.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.