US 2012/0071232 A1 · GAMING SYSTEM, GAMING DEVICE AND METHOD OF PROVIDING SELECTION GAME WITH INTERDEPENDENT AWARD DISTRIBUTION · patentgrep

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Abstract

The disclosed gaming system, gaming device and method provide a selection game having a plurality of selectable positions and a plurality of awards interdependently distributed or associated with the selectable positions. For one, a plurality, or all the selectable positions, the award associated with such selectable position is interdependent in that such award has a relationship to one or more of the awards associated with the selectable positions bordering such position. In various embodiments, the value of the award associated with such selectable position has a relationship to one or more of the values of the awards associated with the selectable positions bordering such position. Based on these interdependencies, when each of the selectable positions is selected, the award, or value of the award, associated with the position provides certain information which can be subsequently used to make better informed position selections.

Claims55

Dependent claims

A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to display a selection game having a plurality of positions, each of the positions being selectable;
(b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to associate a plurality of awards with the positions, each of the awards having a value, each of the awards being masked such that the value of said award is not displayed, wherein, for each of a plurality of the awards, said award being associated with one of the positions, said award has a relationship to one or more of the awards associated with the positions bordering said position such that when said position is selected, the value of said award provides certain information which can be subsequently used to make better informed decisions regarding one or more subsequent position selections;
(c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to enable a first player to select one of the positions;
(d) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if the first player's selected position is associated with an award;
(e) if the first player's selected position is associated with an award, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to unmask said award and display the value of said award;
(f) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one input device to enable a second player to select another one of the positions using the information provided by the value of the award associated with the first player's selected position;
(g) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if the second player's selected position is associated with an award;
and
(h) if the second player's selected position is associated with an award, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to unmask said award and display the value of said award.

6 more elements

A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to display a primary game;
(b) if a designated event occurs, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to enable entry into a selection game having a plurality of positions which is played concurrently with the primary game until a terminating event occurs, each of the positions being selectable, wherein:
(i) a plurality of the positions are associated with awards, each of the awards having a value, each of the awards being masked such that the value of said award is not displayed;
and
(ii) for each of a plurality of the awards, said award being associated with one of the positions, said award has a relationship to one or more of the awards associated with the positions bordering said position such that when said position is selected, the value of said award provides certain information which can be subsequently used to make better informed decisions regarding one or more subsequent position selections;
and
(c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to enable selection of a plurality of the positions and, for each of the selected positions that is associated with one of the awards, operate with the at least one display device to unmask said award and display the value of said award.

4 more elements

A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to display a selection game having a plurality of positions, each of the positions being selectable;
(b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to associate a plurality of awards with the positions, each of the awards having a value, each of the awards being masked such that the value of said award is not displayed, wherein:
(i) for each of a plurality of the awards, said award being associated with one of the positions, said award has a relationship to one or more of the awards associated with the positions bordering said position such that when said position is selected, the value of said award provides certain information which can be subsequently used to make better informed decisions regarding one or more subsequent position selections;
and
(ii) no two bordering positions of a first plurality of the positions are associated with respective awards having values which differ by more than a designated amount, wherein the designated amount is the difference between an amount of a largest award value and a smallest award value associated with said first plurality of the positions;
(c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device enable a player to select a second plurality of the positions;
and
(d) for each selected position associated with one of the awards, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to unmask said award and display the value of said award, wherein the information provided by said value enables the player to make better informed subsequent selections of one or more of the positions.

5 more elements

A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to display a selection game having a plurality of selectable positions;
(b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to associate a plurality of awards with the selectable positions, each of the awards having a value, each of the awards being masked such that the value of said award is not displayed, such that each of a plurality of the awards has a relationship to one or more of the awards associated with the positions bordering said position such that when each of the positions is selected, the value of the award of said position which is displayed provides certain information which can be subsequently used to make better informed position selections, wherein the certain information includes locality information related to the locations of one or more awards;
(c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to enable a first player to select one of said plurality of positions;
(d) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if the first player's selection is associated with an award;
(e) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display any award associated with the first player's selection;
(f) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one input device to enable a second player to select one of the plurality of selections based on information associated with the first player's selection;
(g) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if the second player's selection is associated with an award;
and
(h) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display any award associated with the second player's selection.

6 more elements

A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to display a selection game having a plurality of selectable positions;
(b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to associate a plurality of awards with the selectable positions, each of the awards having a value, each of the awards being masked such that the value of said award is not displayed, such that each of a plurality of the awards has a relationship to one or more of the awards associated with the positions bordering said position such that when each of the positions is selected, the value of the award of said position which is displayed provides certain information which can be subsequently used to make better informed position selections, wherein the certain information includes locality information related to the directions of one or more positions associated with an award from the selected position;
(c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to enable a first player to select one of said plurality of positions;
(d) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if the first player's selection is associated with an award;
(e) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display any award associated with the first player's selection;
(f) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one input device to enable a second player to select one of the plurality of selections based on information associated with the first player's selection;
(g) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if the second player's selection is associated with an award;
and
(h) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display any award associated with the second player's selection.

6 more elements

A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to display a primary game;
(b) if a designated event occurs, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to enable entry into a selection game having a plurality of selectable positions which is played concurrently with the primary game until a terminating event occurs, wherein a plurality of the selectable positions are associated with awards, each of the awards having a value, wherein each of a plurality of the awards has a relationship to one or more of the awards associated with the positions bordering such position such that when each of the positions is selected, the value of the award which is displayed provides certain information which can be subsequently used to make better informed subsequent position selections;
(c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to enable selection of a plurality of the positions and, for each of the selected positions, operate with the at least one display device to display the value of any award associated with the position;
(d) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to change one or more of the awards associated with the plurality of selectable positions upon the occurrence of one or more designated triggering events by at least one of:
(i) changing the award associated with at least one of the plurality of selectable positions that is already associated with an award and yet to be selected;
(ii) associating an award with at least one selectable position which was not previously associated with an award;
(iii) associating at least one selectable position which has already been selected with a new award;
and
(iv) associating awards with a position including a plurality of levels, some of which were associated with awards which have been provided to a player;
and
(e) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display any awards associated with the plurality of selected positions.

8 more elements

A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to display a primary game;
(b) if a designated event occurs, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to enable entry into a selection game having a plurality of selectable positions which is played concurrently with the primary game until a terminating event occurs, wherein a plurality of the selectable positions are associated with awards, each of the awards having a value, wherein each of a plurality of the awards has a relationship to one or more of the awards associated with the positions bordering such position such that when each of the positions is selected, the value of the award which is displayed provides certain information which can be subsequently used to make better informed subsequent position selections;
(c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to enable selection of a plurality of the positions and, for each of the selected positions, operate with the at least one display device to display the value of any award associated with the position;
(d) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to change one or more of the awards associated with the plurality of selectable positions upon the occurrence of one or more designated triggering events by at least one of:
(i) changing the award associated with at least one of the plurality of selectable positions that is already associated with an award and yet to be selected;
(ii) associating an award with at least one selectable position which was not previously associated with an award;
(iii) associating at least one selectable position which has already been selected with a new award;
and
(iv) associating awards with a position including a plurality of levels, some of which were associated with awards which have been provided to a player,
wherein the designated triggering event includes:
(i) an entry or exit of the selection game by one or more players;
(ii) a depletion of the sum of the awards associated with each of the plurality of positions below a designated amount;
(iii) a depletion of the total number of the plurality of positions associated with awards below a designated number;
(iv) a passage of a designated amount of time;
and
(v) a change in the available awards relative to the average expected value;
and
(e) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display any awards associated with the plurality of selected positions.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.