Random bonus delivery mechanism for a gaming system
Gaming systems and methods utilize a visual bonus indicator displayed among a plurality of gaming machines to indicate an increased likelihood of a bonus award for a player. The visual bonus indicator may be centrally controlled to display sequentially on closely located gaming machines to provide the appearance that the visual bonus indicator is moving among the gaming machines. The visual bonus indicator may be animated in multiple animations corresponding to multiple bonus awards.
The present invention is generally directed to gaming systems and is more particularly directed to systems and methods for awarding bonuses.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONGaming machines, 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 machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning on each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines available. Such machines attract frequent play and, hence, increase profitability to the operator. Accordingly, in the competitive gaming machine industry, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to produce new types of games, or enhancements to existing games, which will attract frequent play by enhancing the entertainment value and excitement associated with the game.
A feature employed in some prior games is a bonus feature that awards bonus awards to a player in addition to the awards available on a gaming machine's pay table. Bonus features of gaming machines may include special graphical and audio features that are in the style of a gaming machine's theme. Bonus features enhance the gaming experience for the player because they add to the entertainment value of the game and also represent an opportunity for greater rewards. Further, bonus features attract onlookers with attention-grabbing performances and the promise (or apparent promise) of additional awards from particular gaming machines. Because of this twofold effect on players and onlookers, there is an ongoing demand for enhanced bonus features.
Though bonus features improve the experience of playing a gaming machine, gaming machines are perceived by some players as having shortcomings in comparison to other gaming options. For example, in a casino environment table games such as roulette and blackjack offer the additional experience of interacting with other players in a more social way through the shared gaming experience. Gaming machines, in contrast, have traditionally been perceived as offering a more solitary gaming experience lacking in the fun and excitement of interacting with other players.
There exists a need for enhanced bonus features and for gaming elements that will add to a more socially-interactive gaming experience for players and observers of gaming machines.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA number of gaming machines feature a random bonus delivery mechanism. In response to gaming activity on gaming machines, a bonus feature is delivered to one or more gaming devices within a gaming environment. The bonus feature is accompanied by a visual display of bonus feature activity across multiple gaming machines, some or all of which may share in a bonus with one or more receiving a larger bonus than others.
Bonuses awarded in connection with visual bonus indicators on gaming machines may be awarded in connection with bonus award symbols left on gaming machine displays, and bonus awards according to the present invention may take a variety of forms.
According to some embodiments of the present invention, visual bonus indicators interact with display elements of a wagering game to alter outcomes or apparent outcomes of wagering games.
The above summary of the present invention is not intended to represent each embodiment, or every aspect, of the present invention. This is the purpose of the figures and the detailed description which follow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe foregoing and other advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings.
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.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS Turning now to the drawings and referring initially to
The gaming machine 10 allows the play of games of chance by a player. In one embodiment, the gaming machine 10 is operable to play a game entitled “Duck Duck Goose,” having a group game theme. The display 12 shows first, second and third reels (respectively, 14, 16, and 18), which spin in response to a wager and a player's pull of a spin handle 20 or push of a “play” button 22. A player is awarded an award when symbols 24 on the reels align with selected pay lines 26, in accordance with a pay table (not shown). A visual bonus indicator 28, in the form of a goose, indicates participation in a bonus feature (or potential bonus feature) as explained in greater detail below.
A system memory 38 stores control software, operational instructions, and data associated with the gaming machine 10. In one embodiment, the system memory 38 comprises a separate read only memory (ROM) and battery-backed random access memory (RAM). It will be appreciated, however, that the system memory 38 may be implemented on any of several alternative types of memory structures or may be implemented on a single memory structure. A payoff mechanism 40 is operable in response to instructions from the CPU 32 to award a payoff of coins or credits to the player in response to certain winning outcomes which may occur in the basic or bonus games. The payoff amounts corresponding to certain combinations of symbols in the basic game may be predetermined according to a pay table in the system memory 38. The payoff amounts corresponding to certain outcomes of the bonus game may also be stored in the system memory 38.
Visual display of gaming events may be accomplished with a single display 12 as shown in
A communications module 46 allows a gaming machine 10 to communicate with other gaming machines or with a central controller over a communications network. The communications module 46 may be a networking card (for example, an Ethernet card), a modem, a wireless networking module, or the like. The communications module 46 allows the gaming machine 10 to communicate its status to a network and to receive instructions from a network. The communications module 46 allows for several gaming machines to be monitored and/or controlled from a central point.
Turning now to
The visual bonus indicator 28 is an indicator to a player of a gaming machine that a probability exists of being awarded a bonus award. In the “Duck Duck Goose” game shown in
Visual bonus indicators 28 according to the present invention enable a variety of techniques for increasing the appeal of gaming machines to players. A visual bonus indicator 28 may leave behind bonus award symbols 68 on one or more of the gaming machines upon which the visual bonus indicator 28 has appeared. For example, in
The visual bonus indicator 28 may be displayed as traveling from gaming machine to gaming machine in a bank 48 of gaming machines. In such a display, the bonus indicator 28 may be displayed partially on the second gaming machine 52 before its display has completely terminated from the first gaming machine 50. Such a display is shown in
The sequential movement of the visual bonus indicator 28 from one display to a contiguous display, such as movement from the first display 58 to the second display 60, is advantageous in that it can provide an incentive for players to play gaming machines that the visual bonus indicator 28 appears to be heading toward. In one embodiment, the visual bonus indicator 28 is only displayed on gaming machines having an active wagering session in progress, so that only players who are actively playing a gaming machine may be awarded a bonus award. In another embodiment, the visual bonus indicator 28 may be displayed on idle machines which are not being wagered upon, even though idle machines may or may not be able to win. Random or apparently random display of the visual bonus indicator 28 is advantageous in that it provides an indication to players that a bonus award, in addition to the bonus awards that are generally available on gaming machines, may be available at any time. A player's engaging in a bonus award according to the present invention may be dependent on player-specific factors, including the number of coins per minute bet, the number of credits on the gaming machine, or other player status such as historical play data for a player to be awarded a bonus.
In addition to or in lieu of the awarding of a bonus award with the bonus award symbol 68 as shown in
Further, visual bonus indicators 28 according to the present invention may be animated in an even more eye-catching manner to award greater bonus awards on certain gaming machines. Turning now to
Displays for use with the present invention may be modified to maximize the impact of visual bonus indicators. For example, displays may be provided with multiple display screens or display areas, with particular screens or areas specified for displaying visual bonus indicators.
Visual bonus indicators 28 may be used to interact with gaming elements, as shown in
Visual bonus indicators 28 according to the present invention may be controlled and used in a variety of gaming environments using a variety of types of communication between gaming machines 10.
As shown in
While the present invention has been described with reference to one or more particular embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, while the present invention has been described with respect to gaming machines operable to play slot games, it is to be understood that the principles of the present invention can be applied to gaming machines operable to play other games such as poker, blackjack, and keno. In addition, bonus indicator controllers according to the present invention may be implemented as part of a more comprehensive gaming machine management system. Further, while certain methods have been described above as being executed in sequences, it is to be understood that certain steps may be performed in a different order or performed concurrently without departing from the scope of the present invention. Each of these embodiments and obvious variations thereof is contemplated as falling within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, which is set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. A method for delivering a bonus event to a gaming machine selected from a plurality of gaming machines comprising:
- accepting wagers at first and second gaming machines in a gaming environment;
- communicating with said first gaming machine to initiate display of a visual bonus indicator on a first display of said first gaming machine;
- terminating the display of said visual bonus feature indicator on said first display;
- communicating with said second gaming machine to initiate display of said visual bonus indicator on a second display of said second gaming machine;
- animating in a bonus animation said visual bonus indicator on said second gaming machine display of said second gaming machine; and
- awarding a bonus award to a player of said second gaming machine following display of said bonus animation.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said gaming environment is selected from the group consisting of a bank of gaming machines, a casino floor, a casino, and a geographic region.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said bonus award is selected from the group consisting of bonus credits, free plays of a wagering game, guaranteed non-losing plays of a wagering game, and prizes such as physical objects, food items, show tickets, and the like.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating a display of a bonus indicator comprises overlapping a bonus indicator display on a standard gaming display.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating a display of a bonus indicator comprises replacing a standard gaming display with a bonus indicator display.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating a display of a bonus indicator comprises initiating a display of a bonus indicator on a secondary display area.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating with said first and second gaming machines comprises communicating with said first and second gaming machines from a central gaming machine management system.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating with said first and second gaming machines comprises intercommunicating between said first and second gaming machines.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps are completed in the listed sequence.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein animating said visual bonus indicator comprises animating said visual bonus indicator in an interactive animation wherein said visual bonus indicator interacts with other gaming elements in said second gaming machine display.
11. A method of awarding bonus awards on two or more gaming machines comprising:
- accepting a first wager at a first gaming machine and accepting a second wager at a second gaming machine;
- displaying on a first display of said first gaming machine a visual bonus indicator;
- awarding a first bonus award to a player of said first gaming machine;
- terminating said display of said visual bonus indicator on said first display of said first gaming machine;
- displaying on a second display of said second gaming machine said visual bonus indicator; and
- awarding a second bonus award to a player of said second gaming machine.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising animating in a first animation said visual bonus indicator on said first display of said first gaming machine and animating in a second animation said visual bonus indicator on said second display of said second gaming machine.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein said first bonus award has a value less than a value of said second bonus award.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of said first bonus award and said second bonus award is a free play of the respective gaming machine.
15. The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of said first bonus award and said second bonus award is an award of credits.
16. The method of claim 11 wherein said first and second gaming machines are located proximate each other and wherein said displaying of said visual bonus indicator on said first display and said second display are coordinated to portray movement of said visual bonus indicator from said first display to said second display.
17. The method of claim 11 wherein the steps are completed in the listed sequence.
18. The method of claim 11 further comprising displaying a bonus award symbol on at least one of said first and second gaming machines.
19. The method of claim 11 wherein displaying said visual bonus indicator comprises displaying said visual bonus indicator interacting with other displayed gaming elements.
20. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying said visual bonus indicator on a display of an idle gaming machine which is not being wagered upon.
21. A system for providing random bonus awards comprising:
- a plurality of gaming machines located in a gaming environment, each of said plurality of gaming machines having thereon a display and a value input device for accepting a wager;
- a visual bonus indicator controller adapted to coordinate display of a visual bonus indicator on certain ones of said displays of said gaming machines, said visual bonus indicator indicating to a player an increased likelihood of a bonus award being awarded on a gaming machine upon which it is displayed; and
- a processor operative to award a bonus award in connection with certain animations of said visual bonus indicator.
22. The system of claim 21 wherein said visual bonus indicator controller is adapted to initiate a first animation of said visual bonus indicator on a first display of a first gaming machine and is further adapted to initiate a second animation of said visual bonus indicator on a second display of a second gaming machine.
23. The system of claim 22 wherein said first gaming machine is adapted to award a first bonus award to a first player substantially contemporaneously with a display of said first animation and said second gaming machine is adapted to award a second bonus award to a second player substantially contemporaneously with a display of said second animation.
24. The system of claim 21 wherein said gaming environment is selected from the group consisting of a bank of gaming devices, a casino floor, a casino, and a geographic region.
25. The system of claim 21 wherein said gaming environment is a bank of gaming machines and said plurality of gaming machines are located proximate each other, said visual bonus indicator controller being adapted to coordinate said display of said visual bonus indicator such that said visual bonus indicator appears to move among the displays of the gaming machines.
26. The system of claim 25 wherein each of said gaming machines further comprises an audio output device adapted to emit an audio bonus indicator substantially contemporaneously with display of said visual bonus indicator.
27. The system of claim 26 wherein said audio bonus indicator replaces standard audio performances of said gaming machines.
28. The system of claim 26 wherein said audio bonus indicator superimposes with standard audio performances of gaming machines.
29. The system of claim 21 wherein said visual bonus indicator is displayed sequentially on all of said gaming machines and further wherein said visual bonus indicator controller is adapted to initiate display of a bonus award symbol on certain ones of said gaming machines, said bonus award symbol indicating the receipt of a bonus award by a player.
30. The system of claim 21 wherein said visual bonus indicator is displayed substantially sequentially on said gaming machines and further wherein said visual bonus indicator controller is adapted to coordinate said substantially sequential display and to skip certain ones of said gaming machines.
31. The system of claim 21 wherein said processor is adaptive to award based on one or more player characteristics of players of said gaming machines, said player characteristics chosen from the group consisting of the number of coins per minute played, the total number of credits in the machine, and historical play data for the player.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 12, 2003
Publication Date: Jun 16, 2005
Inventors: Wayne Rothschild (Northbrook, IL), Philip Gelber (Glen Ellyn, IL)
Application Number: 10/735,511