US 7,803,045 B2 · Wagering game with communication feature for special wagers

Abstract

A communication feature or a plurality of communication features allows a player to know that he or she has selected a special event to be conducted in the wagering game. Generally, the player must meet certain criteria (e.g., play the maximum number of paylines) or, perhaps, make an additional wager to be eligible for the special event. The communication features may include (i) an indicator within the player-input device that is used to allow the player to select the special event, (ii) a banner that is displayed prior to and during the wagering game that indicates that the special event is activated, (iii) a placard that is displayed prior to the wagering game that indicates that the special event is activated, and/or (iv) the altering of one or more symbols that are used to indicate the randomly selected outcome of the wagering game.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims20

Dependent claims

A gaming terminal, comprising:

at least one display;
a player-input device allowing a player to selectively enable a special event associated with a subsequent play of said wagering game;
and
a controller coupled to said player-input device, said display, and a memory storing instructions executable by the controller to cause the display on the display of a wagering game including symbols representing a randomly selected outcome and to cause an appearance of one of said symbols to be altered from a first appearance in an original state to a second appearance in a special state to visually indicate that said special event has been enabled for said subsequent wagering game in response to said player enabling said special event via said player-input device,
wherein said controller is further configured,
upon an enabling of said special event via said player-input device, to cause said one of said symbols altered from said original state to said special state to further change functionality for said successive wagering game from a first functionality to a second functionality for said subsequent wagering game.

3 more elements

A gaming terminal, comprising:

at least one display;
a player-input device allowing a player to selectively enable a special event associated with a subsequent play of the wagering game;
and
a controller coupled to said player-input device, the display, and a memory storing instructions executable by the controller to cause the display on the display of a wagering game comprising an array of randomly selected symbols selected from a symbol set and to enable the player-input device to be activated only following satisfaction of at least one precondition and, following activation of the player-input device by a player, configured to cause an appearance of a predetermined symbol to be altered from a first appearance in an original state to a second appearance in a special state to visually indicate potential eligibility for a special event in a subsequent play of the wagering game,
wherein the at least one precondition comprises an input of an additional wager dedicated to enabling the special event, and
wherein the controller, upon activation of the special event by the player via the player-input device, is further configured to cause the predetermined symbol to perform, for the subsequent wagering game, both a base function of a line pay in accord with a pay table and an additional function related to the special event.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description5,308 words

Summary2,092 words

#The present invention relates generally to gaming terminals for playing a wagering game and, more particularly, to a wagering game having a unique feature for informing the player that he or she has made a wager on a special event.

#Gaming terminals, such as slot machines, video poker machines, and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such terminals with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the terminal and the intrinsic entertainment value of the terminal relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing terminals and the expectation of winning each terminal is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are most likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting of the terminals.

#Consequently, shrewd operators strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting terminals available because such terminals attract frequent play and, hence, increase profitability to the operator. In the competitive gaming terminal industry, there is a continuing need for gaming terminal manufacturers to produce new types of games, or enhancements to existing games, which will attract frequent play by increasing the entertainment value and excitement associated with the game.

Brief description of the drawings7 figures

#The foregoing and other advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings.

#FIG. 1 illustrates a gaming terminal that has the enhanced communication feature in accordance with the present invention.

#FIG. 2 illustrates a control system that is used in conjunction with the gaming terminal of FIG. 1.

Detailed description3,030 words

#While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

#FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a typical gaming terminal 10 used by gaming establishments, such as casinos. With regard to the present invention, the gaming terminal 10 may be any type of gaming terminal and may have varying structures and methods of operation. For example, the gaming terminal 10 may be a mechanical gaming terminal configured to play mechanical slots, or it may be an electromechanical or electrical gaming terminal configured to play video slots or a video casino game, such as blackjack, slots, keno, poker, etc.

#The gaming terminal 10 includes input devices, such as a wager acceptor 16a, 16b, a touch screen 21, a push-button panel 22, and a player-identification card reader 24. For output, the gaming terminal 10 includes a main display 26 for displaying information about the basic wagering game. The main display 26 can also display information about a bonus wagering game and a progressive wagering game. The gaming terminal 10 also includes a secondary game display 27 for displaying the bonus wagering game, or for displaying award amounts of a progressive game. While these typical components found in the gaming terminal 10 are described below, it should be understood that numerous other elements may exist and may be used in any number of combinations to create various forms of a gaming terminal.

Facts

Application

11/241,123Filed 30 Sep 2005 · us provisional application

Priority

30 Sep 2004

Published

US 2006/0068894 A130 Mar 2006

Granted

28 Sep 2010

Term ends

8 Dec 2027

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 799 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification3 codes

G07F 17/3227
Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users: configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal…
G07F 17/34
For games, toys, sports, or amusements: depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines
G07F
Coin-freed or like apparatus

Timeline

30 Sep 2004Priority claimedParent application 60/614,935
30 Sep 2005Application filedUS 11/241,123
4 Nov 2005Assigned to Wms Gaming Inc.assignment of assignor's interest
30 Mar 2006PublishedUS 2006/0068894 A1
28 Sep 2010GrantedUS 7,803,045 B2
18 Dec 2013Assigned to Bank of America, N.A., AS Collateral Agentsecurity agreement
4 Dec 2014Assigned to Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, AS Collateral Agentsecurity agreement
29 Jul 2015Assigned to Bally Gaming, Inc.merger
15 Dec 2017Assigned to Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, AS Collateral Agentsecurity agreement
11 Apr 2018Assigned to Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, AS Collateral Agentsecurity agreement
5 Nov 2018Assigned to Scientific Games International, Inc., Bally Gaming, Inc., Wms Gaming Inc.release of security interest in patents (releases reel/frame 034530/0318)
20 Jan 2020Assigned to Sg Gaming, Inc.change of name
21 Apr 2022Assigned to Scientific Games International, Inc., Wms Gaming Inc., Bally Gaming, Inc., Don Best Sports Corporationrelease of security interest
22 Apr 2022Assigned to Jpmorgan Chase Bank, N.A.security agreement
7 Feb 2023Assigned to Lnw Gaming, Inc.change of name
23 May 2025Assigned to Jpmorgan Chase Bank, N.A., AS Collateral Agentsecurity agreement
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
8 Dec 2027Term endsEstimated, includes 799 days of adjustment

Wagering game with communication feature for special wagers

Life of this patent

Wagering game with communication feature for special wagers

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims20

Description5,308 words

Drawings

Classification3 codes

Life of this patent

Description5,308 words