Back to results
US 2004/0171420 A1Published application
Gaming device having a selectively accessible bonus scheme
AssigneeIgt
InventorsAnthony J. Baerlocher, Peter Gerrard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims63
A gaming device comprising:
- a primary game operable upon a wager by a player;
- at least one symbol generator in the primary game, wherein the symbol generator is adapted to generate at least one award symbol;
- a plurality of secondary game prize indicators, wherein each prize indicator is associated with a predetermined number of award symbols required to access said prize indicator;
- at least one display device adapted to display the prize indicators;
- and
- a processor operable with the symbol generator, prize indicators, and the display device to:
- (a) generate the award symbols in plays of the primary game;
- (b) accumulate the generated award symbols;
- (c) indicate the accumulated award symbols to the player;
- (d) enable the player to selectively access on demand at least one of the secondary game prize indicators if at least the required number of award symbols associated with said prize indicator are accumulated;
- and
- (e) if the player selectively accesses one of said prize indicators:
- (i) reduce the number of accumulated award symbols by the predetermined number of award symbols associated with said accessed prize indicator;
- (ii) provide the player an award based on the selectively accessed prize indicator;
- and
- (iii) enable the player to return to the primary game or selectively access on demand at least one of the secondary game prize indicators if the remaining number of award symbols at least equals the required number of award symbols associated with one of the prize indicators.
13 more elements
A gaming device comprising:
- a primary game operable upon a wager by a player;
- at least one symbol generator in the primary game, wherein the symbol generator is adapted to generate at least one award symbol;
- a plurality of secondary game prize indicators, wherein a first one of the secondary game prize indicators is associated with a first predetermined number of award symbols required to access said first prize indicator and a second one of the secondary game prize indicators is associated with a different second predetermined number of award symbols required to access said second prize indicator;
- at least one display device adapted to display the prize indicators;
- and
- a processor operable with the symbol generator, prize indicators, and the display device to:
- (a) generate the award symbols in plays of the primary game;
- (b) accumulate the generated award symbols;
- (c) indicate the accumulated award symbols to the player;
- (d) enable the player to selectively access on demand the first one of the secondary game prize indicators if at least the required number of award symbols associated with said secondary game prize indicator are accumulated;
- (e) if the player selectively accesses the first one of the secondary game prize indicators, provide the player an award associated with said selectively accessed secondary game prize indicator;
- (f) enable the player to selectively access on demand the second one of the prize indicators if at least the required different number of award symbols associated with said second prize indicator are accumulated;
- and
- (g) if the player selectively accesses the second one of the secondary prize indicators, provide the player an award based on the selectively accessed prize indicator.
11 more elements
A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:
- (a) generating at least one award symbol based on at least one symbol generator in a primary game;
- (b) accumulating the generated award symbols;
- (c) indicating the accumulated award symbols to a player;
- (d) enabling the player to selectively access on demand at least one secondary game prize indicator if at least a required number of award symbols associated with said prize indicator are accumulated;
- and
- (e) if the player selectively accesses one of said prize indicators:
- (i) reducing the number of accumulated award symbols by the predetermined number of award symbols associated with said accessed prize indicator;
- (ii) providing the player a prize based on the selectively accessed prize indicator;
- and
- (iii) enabling the player to return to the primary game or selectively access on demand at least one of the secondary game prize indicators if the remaining number of award symbols at least equals the required number of award symbols associated with one of the prize indicators.
7 more elements
A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:
- (a) generating at least one award symbol based on at least one symbol generator in a primary game;
- (b) accumulating the generated award symbols;
- (c) indicating the accumulated award symbols to a player;
- (d) enabling the player to selectively access on demand a first one of a plurality of secondary game prize indicators if at least a required first number of award symbols associated with said first prize indicator are accumulated;
- (e) providing the player an award associated with said selectively accessed first secondary game prize indicator, if the player selectively accesses said first secondary game prize indicator;
- (f) enabling the player to selectively access on demand a second one of the plurality of prize indicators if at least a required different second number of award symbols associated with said second prize indicator are accumulated;
- and
- (g) providing the player an award based on the second selectively accessed prize indicator;
- if the player selectively accesses one said second prize indicator.
6 more elements
A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:
- (a) generating a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols, wherein said plurality of symbols includes at least one award symbol;
- (b) determining any generated winning symbol or symbol combinations and providing a player a winning outcome for any of said generated winning symbol or symbol combinations;
- (c) accumulating any generated award symbols;
- (d) displaying any accumulated award symbols to the player;
- (e) enabling the player to selectively request a generation of a prize from a plurality of different prizes if at least a required predetermined number of award symbols are accumulated, wherein said required predetermined number is at least one;
- and
- (f) if the player selectively requests a generation of a prize from a plurality of different prizes:
- (i) reducing the number of accumulated award symbols;
- (ii) generating a prize from a plurality of different prizes;
- (iii) providing the player said generated prize;
- and
- (iv) enabling the player to selectively request a generation of another prize from said plurality of different prizes if the remaining number of award symbols at least equals the required predetermined number of accumulated award symbols.
9 more elements
A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:
- (a) generating a plurality of symbols on a plurality of reels, wherein said plurality of symbols includes at least one award symbol;
- (b) determining any generated winning symbol or symbol combinations on said reels and providing a player a winning outcome for any of said generated winning symbol or symbol combinations;
- (c) accumulating any generated award symbols;
- (d) displaying any accumulated award symbols to the player;
- (e) enabling the player to selectively request a generation of a prize from a plurality of different prizes if at least a required predetermined number of award symbols are accumulated, wherein said required predetermined number is at least one;
- and
- (f) if the player selectively requests a generation of a prize from a plurality of different prizes:
- (i) reducing the number of accumulated award symbols;
- (ii) generating a prize from a plurality of different prizes;
- (iii) providing the player said generated prize;
- and
- (iv) enabling the player to selectively request a generation of another prize from said plurality of different prizes if the remaining number of award symbols at least equals the required predetermined number of accumulated award symbols.
9 more elements
A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:
- (a) enabling a player to play a primary game, wherein said primary game includes generating a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols, wherein said plurality of symbols includes at least one award symbol;
- (b) determining any generated winning symbol or symbol combinations in the primary game and providing a player a winning outcome for any of said generated winning symbol or symbol combinations;
- (c) accumulating any generated award symbols from said primary game;
- (d) displaying any accumulated award symbols to the player;
- (e) enabling the player to selectively request a generation of a prize from a plurality of different prizes if at least a required predetermined number of award symbols are accumulated, wherein said required predetermined number is at least one;
- and
- (f) if the player selectively requests a generation of a prize from a plurality of different prizes:
- (i) reducing the number of accumulated award symbols;
- (ii) generating a prize from a plurality of different prizes;
- (iii) providing the player said generated prize;
- and
- (iv) enabling the player to return to the primary game or to selectively request a generation of another prize from said plurality of different prizes if the remaining number of award symbols at least equals the required predetermined number of accumulated award symbols.
9 more elements
A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:
- (a) generating a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols, wherein said plurality of symbols includes at least one award symbol;
- (b) determining any generated winning symbol or symbol combinations and providing a player a winning outcome for any of said generated winning symbol or symbol combinations;
- (c) accumulating any generated award symbols;
- (d) displaying any accumulated award symbols to the player;
- (e) enabling the player to selectively request a generation of a prize from a first plurality of different prizes if at least a first required predetermined number of award symbols are accumulated, wherein said first required predetermined number is at least one;
- (f) enabling the player to selectively request a generation of a prize from a second plurality of different prizes if at least a second required predetermined number of award symbols are accumulated, wherein said second required predetermined number is at least one;
- and
- (g) if the player selectively requests a generation of a prize from said first plurality of different prizes or from said second plurality of different prizes:
- (i) reducing the number of accumulated award symbols;
- (ii) generating a prize from said first plurality of different prizes if the player selectively requests a generation of a prize from said first plurality of different prizes;
- (iii) generating a prize from said second plurality of different prizes if the player selectively requests a generation of a prize from said second plurality of different prizes;
- and
- (iv) providing the player said generated prize.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.