METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VARYING POTENTIAL RESULTS BETWEEN PLAYS IN A BINGO GAMING SYSTEM
A method includes receiving a first game play request at a bingo player station when the bingo player station is in a first game state and assigning a result for the first game play request according to a first pattern table. The first game state corresponds to a first result indicator state displayed by the bingo player station, and the first pattern table includes a number of first result levels with each first result level corresponding to a respective set of one or more bingo patterns and to one or more first result symbols. The method further includes placing the bingo player station in a second game state responsive to an aspect of the result assigned for the first game play request. The second game state corresponds to a second result indicator state that is graphically different from the first result indicator state. With the bingo player station in the second game state, the method further includes receiving a second game play request at the bingo player station and assigning a result for the second game play request according to a second pattern table. The second pattern table includes a number of second result levels with each such result level corresponding to a respective set of one or more bingo patterns and to one or more second result symbols. However, the second pattern table may be distinct from the first pattern table such as in terms of the content of the pattern table for example. Ultimately, the bingo player station is returned from the second game state to the first game state in response to some reset event.
The Applicants claim the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/865,815 filed Nov. 14, 2006, and entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VARYING POTENTIAL RESULTS BETWEEN PLAYS IN A BINGO GAMING SYSTEM.” The entire content of this provisional application is incorporated herein by this reference.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all rights of copyright.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to bingo gaming systems and to gaming machines used to present bingo game results. More particularly, the invention relates to methods for presenting bingo game results to a player through a bingo player station so that the potential result for a given play may be varied to accommodate various types of result presentations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA large number of different gaming machines have been developed to provide various formats and graphic presentations for conducting games and presenting game results. For example, numerous mechanical reel-type gaming machines, also known as slot machines, have been developed with different reel configurations, reel symbols, and paylines. The arrangement of symbols that may be displayed through an arrangement of mechanical reels in these mechanical reel-type gaming machines represents a game graphic that may be used to display results to the player. More recently, gaming machines have been developed with video monitors that are used to produce simulations of mechanical spinning reels. These video-based gaming machines may use one or more video monitors to provide a wide variety of graphic effects in addition to simulated spinning reels, and may also provide secondary/bonus games using different reel arrangements or entirely different graphics. Video-based gaming machines may also be used to show card games or various types of competitions such as simulated races in which wagers may be placed. The symbols in a reel-type game simulation and/or other graphics produced by the video displays of video-based gaming machines also represent game graphics that may be used to display results to the player. Game manufacturers are continuously pressed to develop new game formats and game graphics in an attempt to provide high entertainment value for players and thereby attract and keep players.
Both mechanical reel gaming machines and video-based gaming machines may be used to present a bingo game result to a player who has initiated a play in a bingo game. When used in the conduct of bingo games, these gaming machines may be referred to as “bingo player stations.” A bingo player at one of these bingo player stations may initiate a play in a bingo game by initiating a game play request using a player input arrangement associated with the particular bingo player station. The play in the bingo game which is initiated by the game play request includes matching a bingo card or a data representation of a bingo card with bingo designations drawn or otherwise generated for the bingo game to produce a pattern of matched bingo card locations. This pattern of matched bingo card locations correlates to a result for the game play and game play request which initiated the play, and this result is displayed at the bingo player station through some game graphic generated by the result display arrangement associated with the bingo player station. For example, where the bingo player station is a mechanical reel device, the mechanical reel(s) provide the result display arrangement and the various results in the bingo game may be correlated to various sets of reel symbols. Continuing with this example, a straight line pattern may be defined as a winning result in the underlying bingo game, and this winning result may be displayed through the mechanical reel display as a game graphic made up of some number of a particular symbol aligned along a payline defined through the various reel symbol locations visible when two or more reels are caused to stop spinning. Alternatively, the stop position of a single mechanical reel may be used to represent a result in the underlying bingo game. A video-based reel-type game may present a bingo game result in a similar fashion. A video-based gaming machine may also serve as a bingo player station by showing a bingo result as a result in a card game. For example, a straight line bingo pattern achieved in the underlying bingo game may be displayed to the player as a game graphic comprising a representation of a poker hand of three of a kind or some other hand value.
U.S. patent application publication No. 2004-0048647-A1 discloses an arrangement for mapping various result levels to various sets of bingo patterns to produce a desired prize distribution for a bingo game. This arrangement allows bingo probabilities, that is, the probabilities associated with achieving various bingo patterns in a bingo game, to be used to produce a prize distribution that is, for example, characteristic of a standard mechanical or video-based reel-type game. Thus, applying bingo pattern mapping as disclosed in U.S. patent application publication No. 2004-0048647-A1, allows the play of bingo at a bingo player station to imitate the play of a traditional gaming machine in which the results are determined in some random fashion to produce a target prize distribution.
It is known in traditional gaming machines to modify the prize distribution for a given game in order to make the game more exciting for the player. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,538 to Weiss discloses a traditional reel-type gaming machine which can be modified in the course of play to change the likelihood of hitting a winning combination of reel symbols on a given play. However, the Weiss patent relates to traditional reel-type gaming machines and does not disclose any arrangement for presenting results from bingo games or modifying the likelihood of any given result that may be presented at a bingo player station.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention includes a highly entertaining method of presenting bingo game results. The entertainment value is achieved by using two or more different game states, with each game state associated with its own unique characteristics of play in terms of the various prizes available for a given play in the game and/or in terms of the probabilities of obtaining the various results available for the given play. In addition to a method of presenting results in bingo games, the present invention also encompasses both gaming apparatus and program products for implementing methods according to the invention.
A method embodying principles of the invention may be implemented in a bingo player station using one or more display devices such as CRTs, LCDs, plasma displays, or other types of display devices. The display device or devices are used to show graphic elements according to the invention. Alternatively, the present invention may be implemented with a bingo player station that includes an arrangement of one or more mechanical reels to show the various graphic elements. As used in this disclosure and the accompanying claims, a bingo player station through which the present invention may be implemented will be referred to generally as a bingo player station regardless of the nature of the display arrangement used in the device to show results to the bingo player. Also, the graphic elements (text, numbers, and artwork) used to present a result to a player at a player station, including tangential graphic elements related to the result presenting graphics, will be referred to in this disclosure collectively as a “game graphic” regardless of whether individual graphic elements in the total presentation are presented by mechanical devices such as mechanical reels, video devices, static displays, or combinations of these devices.
A method embodying one form of the present invention includes receiving a first game play request at a bingo player station when the bingo player station is in a first game state and assigning a result for the first game play request according to a first pattern table. The first game state corresponds to a first result indicator state displayed by the bingo player station, and the first pattern table includes a number of first result levels with each first result level corresponding to a respective set of one or more bingo patterns and to one or more first result symbols. The method further includes placing the bingo player station in a second game state responsive to an aspect of the result assigned for the first game play request. As with the first game state, the second game state corresponds to a particular result indicator state displayed by the bingo player station. This particular result indicator state corresponding to the second game state may be referred to as a second result indicator state and is graphically different from the first result indicator state. With the bingo player station in the second game state, the method further includes receiving a second game play request at the bingo player station and assigning a result for the second game play request according to a second pattern table. Similarly to the first pattern table, the second pattern table includes a number of result levels (second result levels) with each such result level corresponding to a respective set of one or more bingo patterns and to one or more second result symbols. However, the second pattern table may be distinct from the first pattern table in terms of the content of the pattern table. Ultimately, the bingo player station may be returned from the second game state to the first game state in response to some reset event.
This method in which results for plays in an underlying bingo game are assigned according to different pattern tables which are each associated with a respective game state displayed by the bingo player station enables various types of game features and bonus games to be presented to the player at the bingo player station. The various game features and bonus games may be displayed concurrently with a base game or otherwise. These advantages facilitated by the invention will be described in the context of specific examples below.
Various definitions will be helpful in understanding the present invention. As used in this disclosure and the accompanying claims, a particular “result indicator state” is some graphic element or arrangement of graphic elements (which may or may not include text or numbers) that indicates a result or an aspect of a result that is potentially available for a given play in a game while the bingo player station is in the corresponding game state. For example, a result indicator state may include a graphic display element indicating that any win in the next play is subject to a multiplier or that a bonus amount will be added to the result in the next play at the bingo player station. As another example, a result indicator state may include a graphic display element or set of elements indicating that a particular event in the next play of the game may entitle the player to a win multiplier or bonus value. Such a graphic display element may appear as a bonus game that is played concurrently with a base game.
The designation “pattern table” as used in this disclosure and accompanying claims refers to any data table, set of data tables, or any other arrangement of data that provides the correlations between the various result levels available for a given play in the bingo game, the various patterns that may be achieved in the bingo game, the various result symbols (e.g. reel stop symbols in a reel-type game, or playing card face representations in a playing card-type game) that may be used to display an assigned result to the player, and the various prizes that may be available for the given play in the bingo game. The designation “an aspect of a result” will be used in this disclosure and accompanying claims to refer to a characteristic of a result (or the graphic used to display the result to the player) that may be detected by the bingo gaming apparatus. The result level associated with the result, one or more symbols used to display the result (such as reel symbols in a reel-type game or playing card faces in a playing card-type game), or a relative order of symbols used to display the result, each represent an “aspect of a result” as used in this disclosure and accompanying claims, as does some combination of two or more of these characteristics.
Although methods according to the invention may include only two different game states, there is no limit to the number of game states that may be employed in a given implementation of the invention. For example, a given implementation of the invention may move the player through several different game states over a series of game play requests at a bingo player station until the player becomes eligible for some increased prize. This technique of moving through multiple game states builds excitement as the player continues play and approaches a desirable game state in which higher or more prizes may be available.
In addition to methods, the present invention also includes both gaming apparatus and program products. One bingo gaming apparatus according to the invention includes a display device, a player input device, and a presentation controller. The display device and player input device are both associated with a bingo player station through which a player may initiate game play requests in a bingo gaming system. The display device may include a single video monitor, multiple video monitors, one or more sets of mechanical reels, or a combination of mechanical reels and one or more video monitors. The presentation controller may be implemented through a processing device at the bingo player station or remote from the bingo player station, or through multiple processing devices at a single location or distributed over a network. The presentation controller functions to apply the first pattern table described above to assign a result for a respective bingo game play request initiated through the player input device when the bingo player station is in the first game state, and to apply the second pattern table described above to assign a result for a respective bingo game play request initiated through the player input device when the bingo player station is in the second game state. The presentation controller also switches the bingo player station between game states in the method described above and directs the display device to produce a respective result representation for each respective bingo game play request initiated through the player input device. The result representation graphically shows the player the result that has been assigned for the respective game play request.
A program product according to the invention may include first game state program code, second game state program code, and game state control program code. The first game state program code is executable to cause a bingo player station to operate in the first game state as described above in connection with the exemplary method, while the second game state program code is executable to cause the bingo player station to operate in the second game state as described above. The game state control program code is executable to cause the bingo player station to switch between game states, and particularly from the first game state to the second game state responsive to an aspect of a respective result assigned while the bingo player station is operating in the first game state.
These and other advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments, considered along with the accompanying drawings.
The claims at the end of this document set out novel features which the Applicants believe are characteristic of the invention. The various advantages and features of the invention together with preferred modes of use of the invention will best be understood by reference to the following description of illustrative embodiments read in conjunction with the drawings introduced above.
Referring to
Bingo player station 100 illustrated in
Bingo player station 100 also includes additional player interface devices 110. These additional player interface devices 110 may comprise for example, a player card reader, a voucher or ticket reader/issuer, a currency acceptor/validator, and/or a coin or token acceptor/dispenser.
It should be noted that the present invention is by no means limited to implementation with a bingo player station having a single video display such as bingo player station 100 shown in
The bingo player station 100 shown in
Those familiar with data processing devices and systems will appreciate that other basic components will be included in bingo player station 100 such as a power supply, cooling systems for the various system components, audio amplifiers and speakers, and other devices that are common in gaming machines. These additional devices are omitted from the drawings so as not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail.
All of the elements 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, and 211 shown in
It will also be appreciated that although separate graphics processor 215 is shown for controlling video display device 104, CPU 205 may control the video display device directly without any intermediate graphics processor. The invention is not limited to any particular arrangement of graphics processors for controlling the video display device or devices that may be included in the bingo player station.
In the illustrated bingo player station 100, CPU 205 executes software to ultimately control the entire bingo player station including the receipt of player inputs through input devices 109 shown in
It should be noted that the invention is not limited to bingo player stations employing the personal computer-type arrangement of processing devices and interfaces shown in example bingo player station 100. Other bingo player stations may include one or more special purpose processing devices to perform the various processing steps for implementing the present invention. Unlike general purpose processing devices such as CPU 205, these special purpose processing devices may not employ operational program code to direct the various processing steps.
The initialization step shown at process block 301 includes actions necessary to place the bingo player station in condition to operate in the first game state. The specific actions taken here will depend upon a number of factors unrelated to the present invention. For example, the accounting arrangement used by the bingo player station may require a player login prior to accepting a game play request. Where a login procedure is not required, the bingo player station typically will require a player to deposit currency or currency equivalent in order to provide a balance from which wagers can be made. Regardless of any other actions taken in this initialization shown at process block 301 in
The series of steps shown in dashed box 302 representing the operation of the bingo player station represent generally a single game cycle to present a bingo game result to the player. Such a single game cycle may be thought of as a play at the bingo player station in the sense that from the player's perspective, the player makes some input at the bingo player station and then sees a result displayed at the bingo player station. This “play at the bingo player station” is to be distinguished from the “play” in the underlying bingo game, which involves the actual matching of bingo game indicia and bingo card indicia to produce some pattern of matched card locations. The play in the underlying bingo game may in fact take place at some location remote from the bingo player station as will be described further below.
The game play request received at process block 303 will typically result from some player input made at the bingo player station. This player input may be made in any suitable fashion at the bingo player station and may include one or more separate inputs. For example, a particular bingo player station could require that a player make some input to select a bingo card to place in play, select a wager level, and actually place the selected bingo card in play. Additional daub inputs or result claiming inputs may also be required according to the rules of the particular bingo gaming system, although these daub and result claiming inputs may not represent a game play request, but only a requirement for having a result assigned for a given game play request. In any event, all of these inputs are made through a suitable input device or multiple devices at the bingo player station, such as one or more input devices 109 shown in
Regardless of the manner in which a bingo game play request is received in a game cycle as indicated at process block 303 in
For purposes of example only, pattern table 400 shown in
Pattern table 400 shown in
Each of result levels 5, 6, and 7 of pattern table 400 is correlated to multiple result symbol sets. In particular, result level 5 correlates to both the result symbol set labeled S6 and the result symbol set labeled S7. Thus, more than one result symbol set may be used to communicate to the player a result at result level 5. The same can be said for result level 6, which is correlated to the result symbol sets labeled S8, S9, and S10. The invention is not limited to any particular number of result symbol sets at a given result level. Each result level may be correlated to a single result symbol set, or some or all result levels may be correlated to multiple alternative result symbol sets for indicating a result at that result level for a given play in the bingo game. In any case, each symbol set preferably correlates to a specific combination of graphic symbols or other elements that indicate a result to a player according to the rules applicable to the given game graphic. For example, the symbol set S3 in pattern table 400 may, for a given reel-type game graphic employing a given pay table, correspond to a series of some reel symbol lined up along a payline defined in the reel-type game graphic. At result level 7 in
In one preferred form of operation according to the invention, a result controller either located at the bingo player station (such as bingo player station 100 shown in
Although the pattern table may be applied in a number of fashions to assign the result, one preferred presentation controller queries the pattern table to identify the result level correlated to the identified pattern, and then reads the result value associated with that result level. The presentation controller also identifies a result symbol set associated with that result level so that the display device associated with the bingo player station may be controlled to show a proper graphic to display the result to the player. This display of the result to the player will be described further below in connection with the example game graphic shown in
Referring again to the flow chart shown in
Regardless of the result aspect used to make the decision indicated at decision block 306 in
The second result indicator state displayed at the bingo player station as indicated at process block 308 in
The process of operating the bingo player station (such as bingo player station 100 in
The example second pattern table 500 shown in
It will be noted that second pattern table 500 shown in
All of the variations described above in connection with events that require a game state change are also applicable to events that may produce a positive result at decision block 312 in
The relationship between the respective pattern tables employed for different game states at a bingo player station and the respective result indicator state displayed at the bingo player station according to the invention may be described with the simplified examples of pattern tables 400 and 500 shown in
In order for the two example pattern tables 400 and 500 to apply to a game display employing game graphic 600, certain rules must be defined dictating how a result for a given bingo game play may be displayed with the game graphic. These rules are defined here only for purposes of providing a simple example of an application of the present invention. Implementations of the invention are by no means limited to these rules or the simple example of
With these game rules in mind,
It should be noted here that each of the versions of game graphic 600 shown in
It will be noted now that the additional result level 3A is required for second pattern table 500 (used when the bingo player station is in the second game state) because the game rules for this simple example game add one additional potential result that may be assigned for a game play request entered while the bingo player station is in the second game state. That result corresponds to result value V3A in pattern table 500 and is assigned for a game play request if the result controller for the bingo gaming system identifies the pattern P12 for the bingo game play resulting from the game play request entered while bingo player station 603 is in the second game state. This simple example described with reference to
The simple example game described in connection with tables 400 and 500 the game graphics in
The example described in connection with
The example described above in connection with
The process illustrated in
Regardless of the number of game states that may be required according to the present invention to implement a particular game graphic and a set of rules regarding how the game graphic displays results, it will be apparent that the present invention requires some mechanism for ensuring that the correct game state is selected for each transition in order to properly carry out the game rules. Any suitable system may be used according to the invention in order to ensure that the bingo player station is placed in the proper game state, that is, to ensure that the proper pattern table is used to assign a result for a given game play request at the bingo player station consistent with the result indicator state displayed at the bingo player station.
One preferred form of the present invention employs a data file to maintain information on the current game state in effect at the given bingo player station and to maintain information on the next game state to which the bingo player station will be transitioned given the possible game state changing events. This data file may be referred to as a “game state file” and in one preferred form includes an identifier for each game state together with an identifier for the pattern table which is to be used for game play requests received while the bingo player station is in that particular game state. The pattern table identifier may be referred to as a “game index.” In addition to associating each game state with a respective game index pointing to the pattern table to be applied for that game state, this preferred game state file associates each game state with an indicator for each event that triggers a change in game state together with an indicator of the state to which the bingo player station should be changed in response to that event. For example, each game state may be associated in the game state file with a number of bet level entries with each bet level entry pointing to a game state that is applicable if that bet level is selected by the player at the bingo player station. Also, each game state in the game state file may be associated with a number of result aspect indices where each result aspect index corresponds to an aspect of a result which may be relied upon to prompt a state change at the respective bingo player station.
In some implementations of the present invention, each game state is associated with a pattern table that is distinct from any other pattern table used in the implementation. The distinctiveness between pattern tables may be in terms of result levels, prize distribution, or both. However, distinctiveness between pattern tables is required only if it is desirable or necessary to change the characteristics associated with a game play request in terms of available results, prize distribution, or otherwise. There may also be implementations of the invention in which it is not necessary or desirable to change the characteristics associated with a game play request from one game state to another, and thus it may be desirable to define a game state that uses the same pattern table as another game state. Accordingly, two game states identified in the game state file may refer to the same pattern table via the game index for that pattern table. It is also possible that a game graphic and accompanying game rules may require that the bingo player station in a first game state transitions to a second game state associated with the same pattern table as that associated with the first game state.
Although the game state file represents one preferred arrangement employed by the presentation controller for enabling the presentation controller to navigate through the various game states available for a given game graphic and set of game rules, the invention is not limited to this state tracking arrangement. Other state tracking arrangements may use counters, registers, or other tracking arrangements as may be appropriate for the respective game graphic and game rules.
It should also be noted that the various game graphics described below and others implemented according to the present invention may not employ a one-to-one correspondence between a particular result assigned according to a pattern table and an arrangement of graphic symbols such as reel-type game symbols along a payline of a reel-type display. For example, some implementations of the present invention may show a result awarded for a bingo game play request as a number of “free” spins at the particular bingo player station. The various prizes that may be indicated by these individual free spins may in fact be dictated by a result assigned for a single bingo game play and corresponding bingo game play request. For example, a game graphic may indicate that the player has won ten free spins for a respective game play request initiated by the player at the bingo player station. However, what the player has actually won is some value that will be displayed to the player through a set of ten individual free spins (what appear to the player to be individual plays) at the bingo player station. Continuing with this example, the value that the player has actually won may be 100 credits, and the individual results displayed for the ten free spins will be controlled in a suitable fashion by the presentation controller to display the total win of 100 credits. Some forms of the invention may include one or more result symbol sets (such as set S1 in pattern table 400 of
Referring now to
Game graphic portion 1000 includes representations of three different objects 1001, 1002, and 1003, each associated with a respective path 1004, 1005, and 1006 toward a target 1007. In this particular example, each object comprises a representation of a rocket and the target comprises a representation of a planet. Also, each path 1004, 1005, and 1006 includes a number of stop positions between an initial position of the respective object shown in
According to one preferred game using game graphic portion 1000, each respective rocket 1001, 1002, and 1003 is associated with a respective reel of the associated reel-type display (not shown). Any time a designated symbol appears on a payline for a particular reel of the reel-type display, the rocket corresponding to that reel advances one stop position along the respective path toward target 1007. When the appearance of a special symbol on a respective reel causes a particular rocket to reach target 1007, some enhanced award is available to the player. The enhanced award may be a number of free spins at a multiplier value for example, where the multiplier value is represented by the multiplier value shown on the respective rocket reaching target 1007. It will be noted that under this rocket advancing rule, the result aspect for a given game state which prompts the bingo player station to go to another game state includes the presence of the designated symbol on a given reel and payline.
To account for the possibility of enhanced awards based on the multiplier value appearing to be applicable based on the condition of game graphic portion 1000, and to provide a desired distribution for the enhanced awards, different pattern tables may be used for different positions of the rockets 1001, 1002, and 1003 along their respective path 1004, 1005, and 1006. At least eight different pattern tables may be used according to the invention to accommodate the enhanced awards available for game graphic portion 1000. Each pattern table corresponds to a respective condition of the final stop position of each path 1004, 1005, and 1006 to target 1007 as either having the respective object at the stop position or not. In this particular embodiment, each of the eight pattern tables correspond to a respective game state and each game state corresponds to a respective result indicator state defined by the location of the rockets 1001, 1002, and 1003 in relation to target 1007. In particular, a first game state may correspond to a result indicator state defined by the each rocket 1001, 1002, and 1003 residing in the start position shown in
It should be noted here that this example embodiment for a game graphic portion 1000 including a total of eight game states is merely one example of an arrangement according to the invention. Other embodiments of the invention may include more than eight game states. For example, one embodiment of the invention may define a different game state for each potential arrangement of positions of the rockets 1001, 1002, and 1003 along their respective path. This embodiment defining a different game state for each arrangement of rocket positions in game graphic portion 1000 is useful in storing game state information for state tracking according to one embodiment of the invention. In this arrangement in which each possible state of rockets 1001, 1002, and 1003 along their respective path is defined as a separate game state, all of the game states corresponding to a rocket position state in which no enhanced award may be available on the next game play request may correspond to the same pattern table for assigning results.
In an overall game graphic including game graphic portion 1000 shown in
Game graphic 1100 can be produced on a single video display device such as the video display device 104 shown in
Regardless of how the reel-type display 1101 and baseball field game graphic portion 1106 are produced at a bingo player station, the following example rules may dictate the behavior of the bingo player station and game graphic 1100. In this illustrative set of rules, if a game play request for a particular play in a game produces a winning result display on the reel-type display 1101, a random baseball event such as a single, double, triple, or home run is generated. If, on the other hand, a game play request results in a non-winning outcome as displayed by reel-type display 1101, an “out” is counted. The random baseball events produced for each winning result, cause base runners to appear at different bases on game graphic portion 1106. However once three outs are tallied, game graphic 1106 is reset by clearing the bases and resetting the “outs” field 1109 to zero. The player wins bonus credits when runs score based on a baseball event occurring and the state of game graphic portion 1106. Preferably, the baseball bonus shown by graphic 1106 is only available when the player places a maximum bet.
The following example is illustrative of how these rules of the game may be applied. Assume that game graphic portion 1106 shows one out in field 1109 and indicators 1108 show runners at second and third base. Assume also that at this state of game graphic portion 1106, the player initiates a game play request at the gaming machine producing the graphic and is assigned a result of that dictates a payline win of 20 credits shown by suitable reel stop symbols according to the paytable for the game. Assume also that the random baseball event generated for this payline win is a double. In this case, the runners at second and third score on the double and the overall value awarded for the game play request is equal to 60 credits. This total amount is made up of the 20 credit value of the payline win plus the two runs scored (in view of the baseball event and the prior state of game graphic portion 1106) times the 20 credit value of the payline win.
Game graphic 1100 and the game rules described above may be driven by bingo game results by applying different pattern tables depending upon the state of game graphic portion 1106. A first game state according to the invention may be defined as the state of game graphic portion 1106 with no runners on base. In this first game state, the condition of no runners on base represents the first result indicator state displayed by the bingo player station. A second game state may be defined as game graphic portion 1106 showing a runner on first base. The condition of the first base runner indicator 1108 activated and second and third base runner indicators 1108 inactive represents a second result indicator state displayed by a bingo player station. Other game states are defined by different base runner positions in game graphic portion 1106. Because the potential award values for game play requests made at the bingo player station showing game graphic 1100 vary from one state of game graphic portion 1106 to another, each different game state is associated with a respective pattern table that includes suitable result levels including sufficient result levels to encompass all of the potential results for the given game state encompassing every combination of base runner arrangement and baseball event on a payline win.
It should be noted that the random baseball event may be generated in any suitable fashion either at the bingo player station producing game graphic 1100 or some other component in communication with the bingo player station. In one preferred arrangement, the presentation controller is also responsible for producing the random baseball event. Regardless of which component produces the random baseball event, the event may be produced with a random number generator and a table relating various random numbers or ranges of numbers to some baseball event. In this example arrangement, the random baseball event is generated by first generating a random number and then locating the table entry associated with that random number and reading the baseball event for that table entry. However it should be noted that the invention is not limited to any particular arrangement for producing a random baseball event. Also, baseball events for this example game graphic may be produced in some nonrandom fashion within the scope of the present invention. It will also be noted that the aspect of the result which causes a change in game state in this form of the invention described in connection with
The method of the present invention may be employed to implement the following game rules relating to game graphic 1200. Starting from an initial game state in which the multiplier value for the jack-in-the-box representation 1206 is 1×, each time a designated symbol is shown when the reels of reel-type display 1201 come to rest to show a result for a play in an underlying bingo game, the jack-in-the-box will be shown to receive one crank on a handle (not visible in this example illustration). If the jack pops out for that crank, the player is awarded a number of free spins and the illustrated multiplier applies to each free spin. However, if the jack does not pop out on that crank, the multiplier value will be shown to increase to a higher value, 2× for example. The next time the designated symbol is shown at a reel symbol location after the reels stop spinning for a play at the bingo player station producing the graphic, the jack-in-the-box representation 1206 receives another crank. If the jack pops out on that crank, the player is awarded a number of free spins and the multiplier then displayed on jack-in-the-box representation 1206 is applied to each free spin. If the jack does not pop out on the crank, the multiplier value is shown to increase again. The process continues until a maximum multiplier value is reached so that further cranks do not increase the multiplier value. At any point at which the jack pops out of the box, the player is awarded free spins at the displayed multiplier value applied to each free spin. After the player plays their free spins, the game reverts back to the initial 1× multiplier condition for the next game play request entered at the bingo player station providing the game graphic.
The present invention employing multiple game states is applicable to this game graphic and game rule combination in that the potential value of the free spin award may vary according to the multiplier value displayed on the jack-in-the-box representation 1206. A first game state according to the invention employs a first pattern table and corresponds to a result indicator state defined by the lowest multiplier value displayed for the jack-in-the-box representation 1206. A second game state using a second pattern table to assign results corresponds to the result indicator state defined by the next higher multiplier value displayed for the jack-in-the-box representation 1206, and so forth for each possible multiplier value. Whether the jack pops out of the box on a given play may be randomly determined by the presentation controller or some other component. Alternatively, whether the jack pops out on a given play may be based on some other aspect of the result in the underlying bingo game.
As in the example shown in
The rules of a game graphic using a reel-type display and game graphic portion 1300 may specify that under certain conditions associated with the reel-type display, certain of the gaming chips 1304 flip over to reveal a credit amount, a free spin number, or a multiplier value. For example, the presence of a designated reel symbol appearing at a given location on the reel-type display after a spin may cause the gaming chip 1304 at the corresponding location 1302 of array 1301 to flip over and stay in that position until the array 1301 is reset to a base state shown in
In order to implement these rules, the various states of array 1301 may be defined as different game states according to the present invention in order to account for the enhanced prizes that may be available according to the game graphic rules. For example, if a credit amount of 500 credits is available according to the matching rules for game graphic portion 1300, a pattern table may be used which includes a result level for each result possibility for the reel-type display alone and a result level for each possible combination of result displayed by the reel-type display and array 1301 showing the additional 500 credit award in addition to the award for the reel-type display. The result display state corresponding to this game state is the condition in which one flipped gaming chip in array 1301 shows the 500 credit award.
It will be noted that in this example game graphic employing game graphic portion 1300 and a reel-type display (not shown in
It should also be noted that not all of the bonus amounts that appear to be available through game graphic portion 1300 require a change in the game state of the bingo player station and a different pattern table to be invoked. For example, if a number of free spins are awarded, the value of such free spins may be controlled to coincide with a prize value available in the current pattern table. In this case, the result symbol set selected to show the result will cause the game graphic to be controlled for the free spins. However, even in the case of a prize awarded through free spins, it may be desirable to change game states in order to apply a pattern table that includes a different prize distribution. The present invention encompasses the situation in which the game state is changed at a bingo player station simply to change the prize distribution to be applied for a game play request entered at the bingo player station.
Game graphic 1400 may be used in connection with game rules that may apply a multiplier to some subsequent game play request entered at the bingo player station generating the game graphic. For example, the game rules may require that every time a designated symbol appears at a reel symbol location 1409, a respective multiplier is made active for a subsequent game play request. Different designated symbols may correspond to the different multiplier values or a single designated symbol may cause a jump to the next highest multiplier value up to a maximum value. The subsequent game play request may be the next game play request that produces a winning result (as indicated by the text on display device 1405) or the next game play request regardless of the outcome. It is also possible that the subsequent game play request to which the multiplier will apply will be some designated game play request in the future, the tenth game play request for example. It will be noted that the multiplier value to be applied may be shown by activating one of the symbols 1402, 1403, or 1404, or by display device 1405, or both one of the symbols and the display device.
A game following these game rules may be implemented according to the present invention by defining a first game state as that state in which no multiplier is invoked. In this case, the first result indicator state is the state in which none of the symbols 1402, 1403, or 1404 are active and display device 1405 indicates that no multiplier value is applicable. A game play request entered at the bingo player station in this first game state is assigned a result according to a first pattern table. However, when a multiplier value becomes active according to the game rules, the bingo player station is placed in another game state to use a pattern table that accounts for the larger prizes available for the game play request. In the event the multiplier only applies to a given game play request in the future, the change in game state actually occurs just before the game play request to which the multiplier value applies. In any event, the activated multiplier symbol or multiplier value displayed at display device 1405 represents the second result indicator state corresponding to the second game state.
Where the game rules apply the multiplier value to the next play only regardless of whether or not there is a win on the play, the bingo player station switches back to the first game state after the game play request to which the multiplier applies and before the next game play request. Where the game rules require that the multiplier applies to the next win, the bingo player station will remain in the second game state until a winning result is assigned for a game play request and then the bingo player station is returned to the first game state immediately after the game play request for which a winning result is assigned.
A variation on the multiplier arrangement described above may be implemented with just a reel-type game presentation and no additional display to indicate a multiplier value applies. In this variation, the reel-type display starts out in a first game state in which no multiplier value applies. However, when a designated symbol appears on the payline at a respective reel symbol location such as a location 1409 in
The example displays shown in
It should be noted that restrictions may be placed on bet levels available in game states that are more favorable to the player. In particular, a bingo player station implementing the present invention may be programmed or otherwise operated to prevent a player from increasing their bet level when the bingo player station is switched to a game state that is more favorable to the player. In one arrangement for preventing an increase of bet levels in a more player-favorable game state, the presentation controller may take an increased bet level in a player-favorable game state as a reset event to cause the bingo player station to switch back to the less favorable game state. The player may be warned through a display such as video display 104 in
In forms of the invention implemented through general purpose processing devices such as the devices shown in the example bingo player station 100 of
All of this program code may be executed by processor 205 associated with the bingo player station shown in
As discussed above, the present bingo gaming apparatus and method relies on a result controller for identifying a pattern matched in a bingo game to select a result for the player in the bingo game. However, the present invention is not limited to any particular arrangement for the result controller. As discussed above in connection with
As used herein, whether in the above description or the following claims, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, that is, to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of,” respectively, shall be considered exclusionary transitional phrases, as set forth, with respect to claims, in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures (Eighth Edition, August 2001 as revised October 2005), Section 2111.03.
Any use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another, or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed. Rather, unless specifically stated otherwise, such ordinal terms are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term).
The above described preferred embodiments are intended to illustrate the principles of the invention, but not to limit the scope of the invention. Various other embodiments and modifications to these preferred embodiments may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A method including:
- (a) receiving a first game play request at a bingo player station when the bingo player station is in a first game state, the first game state corresponding to a first result indicator state displayed by the bingo player station;
- (b) assigning a result for the first game play request according to a first pattern table, the first pattern table including a number of first result levels with each first result level corresponding to a respective set of one or more bingo patterns and to one or more first result symbols;
- (c) placing the bingo player station in a second game state responsive to an aspect of the result assigned for the first game play request, the second game state corresponding to a second result indicator state displayed by the bingo player station, the second result indicator state being graphically different from the first indicator state;
- (d) receiving a second game play request at the bingo player station when the bingo player station is in the second game state; and
- (e) assigning a result for the second game play request according to a second pattern table that includes a number of second result levels with each second result level corresponding to a respective set of one or more bingo patterns and to one or more second result symbols.
2. The method of claim 1 further including switching the bingo player station from the second game state to the first game state in response to a reset event.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein one or more bonus plays at the bingo player station represents the reset event.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein each assigned result is displayed by a game graphic at the bingo player station and the game graphic includes a base game graphic and also includes a bonus game graphic which is distinct from the base game graphic.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the base game graphic is presented at a first display location at the bingo player station and the bonus game graphic is presented at a second display location at the bingo player station different from the first display location.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein the base game graphic includes a reel-type game display.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein the bonus game graphic is presented concurrently with the base game graphic.
8. The method of claim 4 wherein the bonus game graphic includes at least one graphic element shown traversing a graphic element path.
9. The method of claim 4 wherein the bonus game graphic includes an array of bonus symbols and wherein a bonus game result characteristic is presented by two or more matching bonus symbols.
10. The method of claim 1 further including placing the bingo player station in an additional game state responsive to an aspect of the result assigned for the second game play request, the additional game state corresponding to an additional result indicator state displayed by the bingo player station which is graphically different from the first result indicator state, and the second result indicator state.
11. A bingo gaming apparatus including:
- (a) a display device located at a bingo player station;
- (b) a player input device located at the bingo player station; and
- (c) a presentation controller, the presentation controller for (i) applying a first pattern table to assign a result for a respective bingo game play request initiated through the player input device when the bingo player station is in a first game state, the first pattern table including a number of first result levels with each first result level corresponding to a respective set of one or more bingo patterns and to one or more first result symbols, and the first game state corresponding to a first result indicator state displayed by the display device, (ii) applying a second pattern table to assign a result for a respective bingo game play request initiated through the player input device when the bingo player station is in a second game state, the second pattern table including a number of second result levels with each second result level corresponding to a respective set of one or more bingo patterns and to a respective set of one or more second result symbols, the second game state corresponding to a second result indicator state displayed by the bingo player station which is graphically different from the first result indicator state, (iii) switching the bingo player station from the first game state to the second game state responsive to an aspect of the result assigned for the game play request initiated when the bingo player station is in the first game state, and for (iv) directing the display device to produce a respective result representation for each respective bingo game play request initiated through the player input device.
12. The bingo gaming apparatus of claim 11 wherein the presentation controller is at least partially implemented with a processing device located remotely from the bingo player station that includes the display device and player input device.
13. The bingo gaming apparatus of claim 11 wherein the presentation controller is at least partially implemented with a processing device located at the bingo player station that includes the display device and player input device.
14. The bingo gaming apparatus of claim 11 wherein the presentation controller is also for switching the bingo player station from the second game state to the first game state in response to a reset event.
15. The bingo gaming apparatus of claim 14 wherein one or more bonus plays at the bingo player station represents the reset event.
16. The bingo gaming apparatus of claim 11 wherein each assigned result is displayed through a base game graphic and a bonus game graphic which is distinct from the base game graphic, and wherein the base game graphic is generated with the display device and the bonus game graphic is displayed with the display device or an additional display device included at the bingo player station.
17. The bingo gaming apparatus of claim 16 wherein the base game graphic includes a reel-type game display.
18. The bingo gaming apparatus of claim 17 wherein the reel-type game display includes at least one mechanical reel.
19. The bingo gaming apparatus of claim 16 wherein the bonus game graphic is displayed at least in part with the additional display device and the additional display device includes a video monitor.
20. A program product embodied in one or more computer readable media, the program product including:
- (a) first game state program code executable to cause a bingo player station to operate in a first game state in which the result for each respective bingo game play request initiated through the bingo player station is assigned according to a first pattern table, the first game state corresponding to a first result indicator state displayed by the bingo player station, and the first pattern table including a number of first result levels with each first result level corresponding to a respective set of one or more bingo patterns and to a respective set of one or more first result symbols;
- (b) second game state program code executable to cause the bingo player station to operate in a second game state in which the result for each respective bingo game play request initiated through the bingo player station is assigned according to a second pattern table, the second pattern table including a number of second result levels with each second result level corresponding to a respective set of one or more bingo patterns and to a respective set of one or more second result symbols, and the second game state corresponding to a second result indicator state displayed by the bingo player station, wherein the second result indicator state is graphically different from the first result indicator state;
- (c) game state control program code executable to cause the bingo player station to switch from the first game state to the second game state responsive to an aspect of a respective result assigned while the bingo player station is operating in the first game state; and
- (d) result display program code executable for controlling one or more display devices for displaying a respective result indicating game graphic at the bingo player station for each assigned result, and for displaying the first and second result indicator states at the bingo player station.
21. The program product of claim 20 wherein one display device includes a mechanical reel arrangement and the result display program code is executable for controlling the mechanical reel arrangement.
22. The program product of claim 20 wherein the result display program code is executable for controlling two or more discrete display devices which together display both a respective result symbol specified by one of the first pattern table and the second pattern table, and a set of one or more result indicator elements which specify one of the first game state and the second game state.
23. The program product of claim 20 wherein the state control program code switches the bingo player station from the second game state to the first game state in response to a reset event made up of one or more bonus plays at the bingo player station.
Type: Application
Filed: May 16, 2007
Publication Date: May 15, 2008
Inventors: Brian Alexander Watkins (Austin, TX), Galen Tanner Svanas (Austin, TX), Marc Raymond Pestien (Austin, TX)
Application Number: 11/749,694
International Classification: A63F 9/24 (20060101);