US 9,311,780 B2Granted

Gaming system and method for offering simultaneous play of multiple games

AssigneeIgt

InventorsLee E. Cannon, John P. O'Donovan

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Abstract

Gaming apparatus and methods of conducting a wagering game of chance. A gaming machine is disclosed which is configured for mutually concurrent play of a plurality of games of chance on a single display screen. A method of conducting a wagering activity includes providing a player with a plurality of differing games of chance, at least some of which are mutually concurrently playable on a single screen display of a gaming device and enabling mutually concurrent play of the plurality of differing games of chance or the single screen display. Various other gaming machine configurations and methods of play related to multiple differing games of chance on a single display screen are also disclosed herein. Networked gaming machines are also disclosed.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A gaming system comprising:

a housing;
at least one display device supported by the housing and including a designated display device;
a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including:
(i) an acceptor, and
(ii) a cashout device;
at least one processor;
and
at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the plurality of input devices to:
(a) if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item,
(b) receive a wager placed on at least each of a play of a first game and a play of a second game, wherein said credit balance is decreasable based on the wager placed on the play of the first game and the wager placed on the play of the second game,
(c) during a first period of time associated with the wagered on play of the first game and the wagered on play of the second game:
(i) display a first configuration of the designated display device, said first configuration including the play of the first game displayed in association with a first window of the designated display device and the play of the second game at least partially concurrently displayed in association with a second, different window of the designated display device, and
(ii) configure at least one of the input devices to receive at least one input associated with the play of the first game,
(d) during a second, different period of time associated with the wagered on play of the first game and the wagered on play of the second game:
(i) display a second, different configuration of the designated display device, said second, different configuration including the play of the second game displayed in association with the first window of the designated display device and the play of the first game at least partially concurrently displayed in association with the second, different window of the designated display device, and
(ii) configure the at least one of the input devices to receive at least one input associated with the play of the second game, and
(e) if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

14 more elements

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

(a) receiving a wager placed on at least each of a play of a first game and a play of a second game, wherein a credit balance is decreasable based on the wager placed on the play of the first game and the wager placed on the play of the second game, said credit balance being:
(i) increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and (ii) decreasable via a cashout device,
(b) during a first period of time associated with the wagered on play of the first game and the wagered on play of the second game:
(i) causing a designated display device to display a first configuration, said first configuration including the play of the first game displayed in association with a first window of the designated display device and the play of the second game at least partially concurrently displayed in association with a second, different window of the designated display device, and
(ii) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to configure at least one input device to receive at least one input associated with the play of the first game, and
(c) during a second, different period of time associated with the wagered on play of the first game and the wagered on play of the second game:
(i) causing the designated display device to display a second, different configuration, said second, different configuration including the play of the second game displayed in association with the first window of the designated display device and the play of the first game at least partially concurrently displayed in association with the second, different window of the designated display device, and
(ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to configure the at least one input device to receive at least one input associated with the play of the second game.

5 more elements

A gaming system server comprising:

at least one processor;
and
at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
(a) receive data associated with a placement of a wager on at least each of a play of a first game and a play of a second game, wherein a credit balance is decreasable based on the wager placed on the play of the first game and the wager placed on the play of the second game, said credit balance being:
(i) increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and (ii) decreasable via a cashout device,
(b) during a first period time after and associated with the placement of the wager on the play of the first game and the placement of the wager on the play of the second game:
(i) cause a designated display device to display a first configuration, said first configuration including the play of the first game displayed in association with a first window of the designated display device and the play of the second game at least partially concurrently displayed in association with a second, different window of the designated display device, and
(ii) configure at least one input device to receive at least one input associated with the play of the first game, and
(c) during a second, different period of time after and associated with the placement of the wager on the play of the first game and the placement of the wager on the play of the second game:
(i) cause the designated display device to display a second, different configuration, said second, different configuration including the play of the second game displayed in association with the first window of the designated display device and the play of the first game at least partially concurrently displayed in association with the second, different window of the designated display device, and
(ii) configure the at least one input device to receive at least one input associated with the play of the second game.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/011,238Filed 27 Aug 2013 · continuation
Priority: 1 Jun 2001
Published: US 2013/0296023 A126 Dec 2013
Granted: 12 Apr 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G07F 17/3211
Player-machine interfaces: display means
G07F 17/32
Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services: for games, toys, sports, or amusements
G07F 17/3225
For games, toys, sports, or amusements: data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
G07F 17/3244
For games, toys, sports, or amusements: payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Family

Application09/872,489Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Jun 2001
Application10/720,850Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Nov 2003
US 6,652,378 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Nov 2003
Application11/069,210Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Feb 2005
US 6,860,810 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Mar 2005
Application13/856,897Parent of this continuation · filed 4 Apr 2013
US 8,414,372 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 9 Apr 2013
US 2013/0344947 A1Pre-grant publication · published 26 Dec 2013
US 2002/0183105 A1Published application
US 2004/0106446 A1Published application
US 2005/0233794 A1Published application
US 2013/0296023 A1Published application
US 9,311,780 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.