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US 7,160,188 B2Granted
Gaming device having a multiple selection and award distribution bonus scheme
AssigneeIgt
InventorsJoseph E. Kaminkow, Randall D. Mead, Anthony J. Baerlocher
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gaming device having a multiple selection and award distribution bonus scheme. A selection is chosen from a group of selections. The game determines awards for distribution to the selection. Once determined, the awards are distributed to the selection and a player is provided with the awards. The game preferably utilizes a number of award pools in order to determine the award distribution. This award pool determination is based on, for example, a number of probability tables associated with the award pools.
Claims47
A method for operating a gaming device having a game operable upon a wager by a player, the method comprising:
- (a) simultaneously displaying to the player a plurality of player-selectable selections and a plurality of awards independent of the selections, wherein the awards are not associated with the selections;
- (b) enabling the player to pick at least one of the selections;
- (c) after the player picks at least one of the selections, for each of the awards, randomly determining and displaying an exclusive association of said award with one of the selections, wherein more than one of the awards can be associated with at least one of the selections and wherein the association of each of the plurality of awards with one of the selections is independent of any other association of awards with the selections;
- and
- providing the player with each award associated with each of the selections picked by the player.
2 more elements
A method for operating a gaming device having a game operable upon a wager by a player, said method comprising:
- (a) simultaneously displaying a plurality of selections and a plurality of awards to the player independent of the selections wherein the awards are not associated with the selections;
- (b) displaying for each of the awards an exclusive visual association of said award with one of the selections, wherein more than one of the awards can be associated with at least one of the selections and wherein the association of each of the plurality of awards with one of the selections is independent of any other association of awards with the selections;
- (c) providing for each of the awards an exclusive audible association of said award with one of the selections;
- and
- (d) providing the player with an award based on at least one award associated with one of the selections that is designated for the player before the display of the association of the awards with the selections.
2 more elements
A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:
- (a) simultaneously displaying a plurality of player selections and a plurality of award symbols independent of the selections, wherein the award symbols are not associated with the selections;
- (b) for each award symbol, sequentially and individually associating visually said award symbol exclusively with one of the selections, wherein more than one of the awards can be associated with at least one of the selections and wherein the association of each of the plurality of awards with one of the selections is independent of any other association of awards with the selections;
- and
- (c) providing a player with an award based on at least one award symbol associated with one of the selections that is designated for the player before the association of the award symbol with the selections.
1 more element
A method of operating a gaming device having a game operable upon a wager, the method comprising:
- (a) maintaining a plurality of different ranges, each range having a plurality of numbers of awards;
- (b) maintaining a plurality of different award pools, each associated with one of said ranges of numbers of awards;
- (c) for each of a plurality of selections, associating one of the ranges of numbers of awards from any one of said plurality of different ranges with said selection;
- (d) for each selection, randomly picking a number of awards to be associated with said selection from the range of numbers of awards associated with said selection based on probabilities associated with each said range of numbers of awards;
- (e) displaying to a player said plurality of selections;
- (f) distributing to each selection at least one award from any one of the award pools based on the number of awards associated with the selection in step (d), wherein said award pool is the award pool associated with at least one of the ranges of numbers of awards from which said number of awards associated with the selection in step (d) is picked;
- and
- (g) providing to the player said awards associated with at least one of the selections that is designated for the player before the association of the awards with the selections.
5 more elements
A method for operating a gaming device having a game operable upon a wager by a player, said method comprising:
- (a) displaying a plurality of selections and a plurality of pools of awards for distribution to said selections;
- (b) causing at least one selection from the group of selections to be picked;
- (c) indicating each picked displayed selection;
- (d) determining for each picked selection after said selection is picked at least one award from each of said plurality of pools of awards for distribution to said selection;
- (e) distributing said awards to each of said selections;
- and
- (f) displaying and providing to the player the awards associated with each picked selection.
4 more elements
A method for operating a gaming device having a game operable upon a wager by a player, said method comprising:
- (a) displaying a plurality of selections and a plurality of award pools independent of the selections wherein the award pools are not associated with the selections;
- (b) causing at least one selection from the plurality of selections to be picked;
- (c) indicating each picked displayed selection;
- (d) determining for each picked selection at least one award from any one of the plurality of award pools for distribution to said selection, wherein determining the awards for distribution to each picked selection includes
- (i) randomly determining a number of awards from each of the award pools to be associated with said selection, and
- (ii) randomly selecting the determined number of awards from each said award pool;
- (e) distributing the determined awards to the picked selections;
- and
- (f) displaying and providing to the player the awards distributed to each picked selection.
6 more elements
A method of determining awards for distribution to a selection in a game operable upon a wager by a player in a gaming device, the method comprising:
- (a) assigning a plurality of awards from an award group to a plurality of different award pools based on a predetermined number of awards associated with each award pool;
- (b) associating with each of said plurality of award pools a plurality of numbers of awards to be distributed from each award pool;
- (c) determining the number of awards from each award pool to be distributed to each of a plurality of selections from said plurality of numbers of awards associated with said award pool;
- (d) determining for each selection at least one award from any one of the award pools to be distributed to said selection based on the determined number of awards from each award pool;
- (e) distributing said awards to each of the selections;
- and
- (f) providing to the player said awards associated with at least one of the selections that is designated for the player.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.