WAGERING GAME, GAMING MACHINE, GAMING NETWORK, AND METHODS INCLUDING A DYNAMIC WHEEL
A wagering game, gaming machine, gaming network, and associated methods are disclosed including a dynamic wheel wherein a wheel game includes re-programming the wheel display and associated awards during successive plays. The dynamic wheel may be displayed in a wheel display area of a flat panel display device. The wheel display area along with other display areas may be defined by a bezel positioned over the display surface of the flat panel display device.
The Applicants claim the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e), of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/413,468 filed Nov. 14, 2010, and entitled “Wagering Game, Gaming Machine, Gaming Network, And Methods Including a Dynamic Wheel.” The entire content of this provisional application is incorporated herein by this reference.
COPYRIGHT NOTICEA 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 U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all rights of copyright whatsoever.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to wagering games, gaming machines, gaming networks, and associated methods. More particularly, the invention relates to wagering games, gaming machines, gaming networks, and methods wherein a wheel-based game includes a programmable wheel display which may vary the wheel characteristics during play of a game.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of wagering games have been developed wherein a wheel-based primary or feature game may include spinning a wheel and providing an award based on the stopping position of the wheel.
There continues to be a need to provide new game aspects to improve wheel-based wagering games, increase player interest, and generate excitement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONOne or more embodiments of the present invention include a variable wheel-based game and method wherein one or more segments on a wheel may be varied during play of a game to provide one or more enhanced awards.
Some embodiments of the present invention may provide a first wheel spin and one or more additional spins. Each wheel spin may be referred to herein as a “wheel event.” During each additional wheel spin, the potential awards of one or more segments of the displayed wheel may be incremented. The sequence incrementing potential awards displayed on the wheel may be repeated until no additional spins remain.
In one or more implementations of the invention, the award for a given wheel spin may be a progressive award, and this progressive award may be one tier of a series of increasing progressive awards.
These and other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of illustrative embodiments, considered along with the accompanying drawings.
In one or more alternative embodiments, additional credits may be wagered by a player to increase the awards payable through the wheel game displayed in wheel game display area 103 in
In other embodiments, a random or pseudo-random trigger unassociated with the primary game may occur (such as by a game processor or server periodically executing an random number generator (RNG)). In these embodiments the display device providing wheel display area 103 may be instructed to display a special (or mystery) award presentation, such as by displaying a spinning ball or globe or alternative wheel (which may be different or the same as the wheel displayed during a wheel game feature triggered by the primary game). Once the alternative spinning display has stopped, the display device may be operated to display and/or repetitively flash the award amount. Gaming machine 100 may also provide accompanying audio through speakers 111 during the visual presentation in any embodiments of the present invention.
Referring to
In the example of
In one or more embodiments, a wheel feature game may be triggered by the appearance of a special symbol on an active payline of the primary game to activate a spin of the top wheel in wheel display area 103. The wheel feature game may require a wager in addition to wagers on one or more paylines or may require a maximum permissible bet. When not betting a sufficient amount to activate the wheel feature game, the bonus trigger on an active payline may pay a flat credit value without spinning the wheel. In the example as shown in
In one or more embodiments, the values associated with each progressive award may be accumulated as an award to a player such that a player may win multiple progressive prizes during a single play of the wheel game (which may include multiple spins as described above).
In some embodiments, two or more spins of the wheel shown in wheel display area 105 in
In some implementations, any one of multiple progressive awards may be winnable during a single spin of the wheel game displayed through wheel display area 103. For example, each available progressive award may be associated with a distinct special symbol, and one or more of the special symbols may appear on one or more wheel segments such as segments 208. The highest progressive award's special symbol may appear on one segment, while the smallest progressive award's special symbol may appear on multiple wheel segments. In the case where only one spin is provided when the wheel game is triggered, the wheel display may be static in the sense that the awards associated with the various segments 208 are not modified for the single spin. Alternatively, the wheel display may be dynamically determined for each spin such as by the game processor (described further below) using a RNG to determine the award associated with each segment 208. In the case where more than one spin is provided when the wheel game is triggered, if a progressive award is selected during a spin, then for subsequent spins, the segments associated with the progressive award that has been won may be changed to a fixed and/or alternative award (e.g. an enhancement provision and/or additional wheel spins).
In some embodiments, when the wheel game is triggered a player may be provided an opportunity to win a different one of the progressive awards on each of a series of wheel spins. For example, four progressive awards may be available and associated respectively with a diamond, sapphire, emerald, and ruby symbol. During a first wheel spin, the ruby symbol may appear on one or more segments. During a next spin, the emerald symbol may appear on one or more segments and so forth, during successive spins until the player has had an opportunity to win each of the progressive awards. In various alternatives, more than one progressive award may be winnable during a single spin. For example, if the ruby associated progressive is not won during the first spin, the ruby symbol may be displayed on one or more wheel segments and the emerald symbol may appear on one or more other of the wheel segments. The player may be provided at least one opportunity to win each of the progressive awards during a single play of the wheel game with multiple spins. However, in other alternatives, the player may be required to win a progressive award on a given spin to be eligible to progress and have an additional spin and opportunity to win a next higher progressive award. For example, if a player doesn't win the sapphire associated progressive award, the wheel game may end without providing the player a chance to win the diamond associated progressive award. In other embodiments the player may be provided an additional spin if the player doesn't win the ruby or emerald associated progressive award.
In one or more alternative embodiments, a three reel mechanical primary game may be implemented with multiple paylines. In additional embodiments, the example gaming machine may be implemented with a video primary display. Additional reels may be added as well as additional visible symbols on each reel, such as by implementing 5 reels, each reel displaying 4 symbols to produce a 5×4 matrix of reel symbols.
In addition to different award values that may be associated with each segment 208 of the wheel display shown in wheel display area 103, enhancement features may be associated with one or more segments which, when selected, may initiate an event and/or modification on the primary game (for example, an instruction to modify one or more reel symbols in the primary game). When the wheel game is played and the wheel stops at a segment with an enhancement provision (such as to modify one or more reel symbols of the primary game to wild symbols and play a number of free game plays with the modified wild symbols), a corresponding instruction may be executed by the game processor modifying one or more reel symbols to wild and initiating play of the primary game until the number of free game plays have been completed. Following each free play, the player may be awarded in accordance with the primary game paytable which awards may be enhanced depending upon the enhancement provision. Following the free play, the primary game reel symbols may be returned to their original condition by the game processor and the primary game may then be ready for additional play by the player. In an alternative embodiment, the reel symbols of the primary game may not physically or visibly change, but may simply be treated as a “wild” and/or a line payout doubler or tripler symbol by the game processor in determining the award to be paid to the player. Another example enhancement provision may simply provide one or more free spins in the primary game. Additionally, when an enhancement provision is triggered or selected through a wheel game, an additional enhancement may be provided through the primary game based on the number of credits played by the player when the wheel game is triggered. For example, if a player may wager 4, 5, or 6 credits to be eligible to play the wheel game, and, if a segment with an enhancement provision including two free primary game plays is selected in the wheel game, then if a player has wagered 4 credits, the player may receive the two free primary game plays, but if the player has wagered 5 credits, this may trigger the game processor to provide two additional free primary games for a total of four free games. Going further with this example, if the player has wagered 6 credits to be eligible to play the wheel game, this may trigger the game processor to provide four additional free primary games for a total of six free games. In one or more embodiments, the colors of the wheel segments (or rings, etc.), may enhance payouts on winning combination of the primary game. For example, when landing on a blue wheel segment, if the color matches the color of a winning combination of say Blue 7 symbols on an active payline of the primary game, then the primary game may pay a multiple of the award designated by the paytable, such as by doubling or tripling the paytable designated award. This award may be in addition to an amount or multiple displayed on the selected wheel segment. For example, assume three Blue 7 symbols pays 10 credits according to the paytable, the primary game result that triggered the wheel game includes three Blue 7 symbols on an active payline plus three Bars on another active payline, where three Bars pays 5 credits according to the paytable. Further assume a Blue colored wheel segment is selected which has a “2×” multiple associated with it and matching a wheel color segment with a color on an active payline of the primary game triples the primary game award on the payline. In this case the game processor may award the player as follows: (3×10+5)×2=70 credits. As in any win at the gaming machine these credits may be presented by crediting the credit meter of the gaming machine, or presented by paying out directly to the player in the form of a coupon, cash, or credit to the player's account.
In some embodiments, an enhancement provision associated with a wheel segment 208 may trigger a feature game to be displayed in a display window, such as primary display 107 (in
Referring again to
The gaming machine 100 shown in
While gaming machine 100 is shown as an upright gaming machine cabinet style, various cabinet styles or device types may be utilized including a slant top cabinet style, a bar top cabinet style (where the cabinet may be part of a bar/table top and/or housed therein), a personal computer or handheld device. For example, in cases where only a single display is available for use with a device, a user interface, primary display, and paytable may be predominantly displayed to initiate and during primary game play. When a triggering event occurs, the display content may change (or be transformed) to display the wheel and any associated paytable or related content, such as available progressive awards and number of wheel spins remaining
Each reel 114 shown in
One or more paylines, combinations, or patterns of the symbols including those visible in display device 107 may be correlated to a game result payable in accordance with a paytable such as may be displayed in paytable display area 105. For example, a game with five reels and displaying four symbol locations per reel may have four paylines which extend horizontally across each reel and many others which may zig and zag across the various reel symbol locations both on and off the viewable display area. A patron may wager on one or more of the paylines during each game play. Display device 107 may thereby be used to display game results to one or more patrons who may view gaming machine 100 and the game processor may make payment to the patron by incrementing a credit meter for winning outcomes of paylines in accordance with the paytable and upon which the patron has wagered. In example gaming machine 100, only one payline is provided horizontally across the three reels. A player may be provided the option to bet one, two, or three credits on the payline to play the primary game, and a fourth credit to be eligible for the wheel game, if triggered. While example gaming machine 100 includes a set of three reels, various numbers of reels and paylines may be selected or utilized in an implementation of one or more embodiments, such as one, two, three, four, five, six, seven reels, and so forth.
Primary display device 107 may comprise a single display or may comprise two or more displays (e.g. two displays in over- or under-laying relation to each other). For example, primary display device 107 may comprise a touch-sensitive display panel, such as a flat panel LCD or LED display, which may be programmed to display an opaque or thematic frame image (which may include video and/or still images) except over a reel display area. Primary display 107 may be programmed to be transparent or translucent during game play of the primary wagering game, so that the patron may view the game presentation in the reel display area where a set of mechanical reels may be viewable or a set of video reels may be displayed by an underlying display. In addition, the entire display surface of primary display device 107 (or a portion thereof) may be configured to respond to the patron's touch such as to select paylines, select credits wagered per payline, and/or play the primary game (or wheel game if triggered or activated).
In one or more alternative embodiments, primary display device 107 may be programmed to display a bonus or feature game, such as a wheel game, that may be triggered by the appearance of one or more special symbols or other random event. For example, when a bonus or feature game is triggered, primary display device 107 (or a portion thereof) may be transformed to display content associated with the bonus or feature game and once the bonus or feature game is complete, primary display device 107 may revert to the primary game display state. In the case of a wheel game, the display content on primary display device 107 may include a “look up” indicator, a “press” button to spin the wheel, and/or a “spin the wheel” surface to slide a hand and impart a corresponding energy level to the spin of the wheel. Wheel display area 103 may additionally or alternatively include a touch sensitive surface configured to transmit a signal to initiate spinning of the wheel responsive to a touch or slide of a player's hand.
In one or more alternative embodiments, a touch sensitive portion of display device 107 may be programmed to display a player interactive element such as, for example, by displaying a selection of buttons and displaying a message to the player to “choose a button” implemented to enable player interactivity with the game. Selecting the displayed button or item may cause the game to perform additional steps and/or provide one or more bonus or feature game outcomes and awards to the player.
In one or more alternative embodiments, gaming machine 100 may include mechanical reels with fixed or dynamic symbols. Conventionally, mechanical reels include reel strips with fixed symbols. However, reel strips may be, for example, implemented using FOLED (flexible organic LED) or comparable reel strips wherein one or more symbols may be programmed dynamically to vary the symbol and/or its appearance, either from one fixed image to another (such as changing a symbol to a wild symbol or changing a series of symbols to wild symbols), or, from a fixed image to a dynamic (e.g. animated or video) image or a set of miniature video reels. In various instances when a symbol changes to another symbol, a bonus or enhanced award may be paid in accordance with the paytable or a multiple thereof or may be a bonus (a fixed or progressive amount) paid separate from the paytable. In the event that the payment is a progressive, a progressive pool may be generated from an operator's marketing dollars or from play at one or more gaming machines which may be eligible for the progressive award. When reels of a primary game are produced virtually (via video-generated reels) on a video display device in the position of primary display device 107 in
In one or more alternative embodiments, overlapping display panels may be implemented to generate video or display effects over the primary game reels; for example, the reel display area may be implemented as a transmissive (e.g. Aruze or WMS transmissive display panels) display or a transparent (e.g. a Bally® transparent display panels) display configured to display visual effects together (or cooperatively) with the primary reels under the control of the game processor during the operation of a wagering game. In the case of virtual reels, the virtual reels may be recessed a distance from an overlaying display and segregated by dividers similar to dividers separating mechanical reels, which may provide a spatial characteristic (e.g. IGT PureDepth® display panels). In either case, the overlapping display may be touch sensitive and configured to interact with the player by transmitting and receiving signals as described above.
In one or more embodiments, the game processor operating the wagering game and interacting with various peripheral components in many instances is implemented as a microprocessor, such as an Intel Pentium® or Core® microprocessor, on a printed circuit board including one or more memory devices positioned within gaming machine 100. In alternative implementations, the game processor may be remote from gaming machine 100, such as on a server network (game server 403 shown in
Game processor 301 also may connect through network controller 307 to a gaming network, such as example casino server network 400 which will be described below in connection with
Generally, activity at gaming machine 100 is initiated by a player inserting currency and/or a player card into an appropriate receiving device such as a bill acceptor for currency and card reader for the player card. Upon insertion, a signal is sent to game processor 301. In the case of the insertion of a player card, the card reader transmits card information which is directed through network controller 307 to a player tracking server connected to the network in which the gaming machine is included. Player data is transmitted to gaming machine 100 and, responsive to the data, game processor 301 may execute coding causing player data and a display command to be transmitted to one of the graphics processors 309 or 310 instructing the graphics processors to cause player information to be displayed on a respective display. Game processor 301 may also transmit commands to audio controller 308 to direct the controller to cause an audio greeting to be produced through one or more speakers associated with the gaming machine. Concurrently, the bill acceptor sends a signal to game processor 301 which may include an identification of the currency that has been read, and game processor 301 in accordance with its coding may convert the currency amount to credits and transmit a store and display signal to a credit meter and its associated display (“Credits”, in
In the case of a Class III gaming devices, when a game is initiated, a random number generator (RNG) may be operated by game processor 301 to determine the game outcome (either directly or by randomly selecting reel stop positions and evaluating those positions to identify an outcome). Commonly, game processor 301 is positioned within gaming machine 100 and configured to manage the operation of the gaming machine components, such as shown in
In the case of Class II gaming devices, the overall structure of the various devices as discussed above is essentially the same with the major difference being the method of determining the game outcome. Commonly, Class II gaming devices utilize the game of bingo as the basis for determining a winning outcome where the ball draw is performed remotely by a network or central determination server (alternative games may be used for determining game outcomes, such as through a lottery drawing of a finite set of numbers, if permitted by the licensing jurisdiction). Class II gaming systems are commonly referred to as central determination systems wherein pools and sub-pools of game outcomes are determined by a central server (or gaming device) and distributed amongst a set of networked gaming devices. The distribution step may be on demand, such as when a gaming device receives a game request, or sets of game outcomes may be distributed to the various networked gaming devices in which case the game processor of the requesting gaming device may select a game outcome from the set of game outcomes, such as by using an RNG or other selection process.
Additionally, Class II gaming devices, such as a bingo-based gaming device may have multiple displays, such as are shown in
In one or more embodiments, coding may be implemented and stored in memory 303 and/or 304, executable by game processor 301 to control game operation, display content, lighting, and audio through video, audio, reel drive motor controllers (for mechanical reels), and lighting controllers.
While the primary display 107 in
Also, while gaming machine 100 has been described as a stand-alone or networked game device, in one or more embodiments gaming machine 100 may be operable in a tournament or community gaming mode wherein players may compete to trigger the wheel-based game which may include competing for one or more progressive awards. For example, in one or more example configurations, one or more banks of gaming machines 100 may be networked connected to an overhead display as will be described below in connection with
Top box 101 shown in
Indicator 110 may be programmed to display in an overlaying manner with respect to a wheel image which may be shown in wheel display area 103. The wheel image may be provided apparent rotating motion about its center axis while indicator 110 may be displayed in a fixed location, or vice-a-versa where indicator 110 may apparently rotate about the circumference of the wheel image. In an alternative embodiment, indicator 110 may be a physical element portion of circular bezel 206.
In another example embodiment, an indicator performing the function of indicator 110 may be a light indicator which may illuminate one segment 208 at a time. In such case, the wheel image may be provided apparent rotating motion, and the light indicator may remain in one position (for example, at or about the 12 o'clock position). In one or more examples, a light indicator may be implemented as a single light source, such as a single bright white LED, or several closely grouped lights located at or about a position at the perimeter of the wheel display. Alternatively, light indicators may be located at numerous different points around the perimeter of the reel display.
In yet another embodiment, an indicator performing the function of indicator 110 may be implemented through programming to add additional illumination to the pixels of a selected area of the display which may correspond to a segment area. In this case, the wheel image may be programmed to stop so that a single wedge segment corresponds to the illuminated portion. Alternatively, the programming of the wheel may include specific display instructions for each wedge segment, so that each wedge segment may sequentially be programmed to illuminate at a higher light intensity or color-coded to provide an image of apparent illumination greater than their normal state. The cycle associated with the sequential illumination of each wedge may be programmed to be a constant speed until stopped, or the cycle may have a variable speed, such as fast to slow to provide the appearance of a wheel and/or the illumination slowing down to a stop. In one example, the wheel image may remain fixed in place with the illumination effect rotating from wedge to wedge according to the programmed cycle. In another example, the wheel image may rotate as the segment illumination effect cycles. For instance, the wheel image may have apparent rotation in the clock-wise direction while the added-illumination type indicator may have apparent rotation in the counter-clockwise direction. If both have the same rotational speed, then the illuminated segment may appear to be stationary such as at the top of the wheel. In another embodiment, the illumination effect may be non-sequential and random or quasi-random, and the cycle of illuminating segments 208 may be constant until stopped or may be gradually slowed.
In one or more embodiments, a first display may overlay a second display. In such an example, the wheel image may be displayed on the second display while indicator 110 may be displayed on the first display. Additional special effects such as fireworks and other celebratory images may be programmed onto the first display once wheel and indicator images come to apparent rest. Such special effects may also be programmed with a single display. A spatial effect may be obtained through programming or by implementation of a PureDepth® type display wherein the displays are separated by a divider. Audio effects may also be programmed to transmit sound effects through available speakers both during the game presentation and during a celebratory presentation.
Various wheel or other-shaped images may be programmed to be displayed in the wheel display area 103.
In another example, a wheel image may be programmed to be displayed with the appearance of a roulette wheel, and the segment indicator performing the function of indicator 110 in
In another example, programming may cause a wheel image to be displayed with a tunnel effect wherein each segment is a ring segment and the segments may have graduated circumference from the center to the outer radius of the wheel image. In such case, each circular or annular segment may be sequentially illuminated or programmed to display as an illuminated segment, and the sequence may be initiated from the center (e.g. the bulls-eye of a dart board) to the outer segment (outer circumference) and/or from the outer segment to the center segment. The segments may respectively be associated with different award values similar to a dartboard. Segments may have smaller and greater widths, such as from the center to the outer segments, and the illumination cycle may vary faster to slower as the illumination effect progresses from the inner to outer segment.
In another example, programming may cause a wheel image to be displayed as a dartboard with both radially extending wedge segments (such as segments 208 in
A display controller may be configured to control display content on the flat panel display or displays visible through wheel display area 103 and/or paytable display area 105 shown in
In addition to including the bezels 206 and 207 which frame the wheel display area 103 and paytable display area 105, respectively, bezel structure 201 may further include a circular pattern of single- or multi-color LEDs. The location of these additional LED accent lights is indicated at reference number 210 in
In another embodiment, bezel structure 201 may include a FOLED display instead of the individual LEDs indicated at locations 210. FOLED display film may be shaped in a circular pattern to cover the entire area having LED locations 210 shown in
A wheel game using wheel top box 101 may be initiated by a processor or by a processor in combination with a player touching a “PLAY” button or touching (or sliding a finger or hand along) a touch sensitive primary game display 107 in
Networked gaming machines 100 (Egm 1−Egm N) and one or more overhead displays 413 may be network connected to enable the content of one or more displays of the gaming machines to be mirrored or replayed on the overhead display. For example, the primary display content for a given gaming machine 100 may be stored by the display controller or game processor 301 and transmitted through network controller 307 (
In one or more embodiments, game server 403 may provide server-based games and/or game services to network connected gaming devices, such as gaming machines 100 (which may be connected by network cable or wirelessly). Progressive server 407 may accumulate progressive awards by receiving defined amounts (such as a percentage of the wagers from eligible gaming devices or by receiving funding from marketing or casino funds) and provide progressive awards to winning gaming devices upon a progressive event, such as a progressive jackpot game outcome or other triggering event such as a random or pseudo-random win determination at a networked gaming device or server. Accounting server 411 may receive gaming data from each of the networked gaming devices, perform audit functions, and provide data for analysis programs, such as the IGT Mariposa™ program bundle.
Player account server 409 may maintain player account records, and store persistent player data including accumulated player points and/or player preferences such as game personalizing selections or options. For example, the player tracking display may be programmed to display a player menu that may include a choice of personalized gaming selections that may be applied to a gaming machine 100 being played by the player.
In one or more embodiments, a player menu may be programmed to display after a player inserts a player card into the card reader. When the card reader is inserted, an identification may be read from the card and transmitted to player account server 409. In response to the received identification, player account server 409 transmits player information across the network back to the respective gaming machine and some or all of this player information may then be displayed on the player tracking display of the gaming machine. The player tracking display may provide a personalized welcome to the player, the player's current player points, and any additional personalized data. If the player has not previously made a selection, then this information may or may not be displayed. Once the player makes a personalizing selection, the information may be transmitted to game processor 301 (
In one or more embodiments, a gaming website 421 may be accessible by players to allow players to play one or more games as described herein through a personal computer 423 or handheld wireless device 425 (e.g. Blackberry® cell phone, Apple iPhone®, personal data assistant (PDA), iPad®, etc.). To enter website 421, a player may log in with a user name that may be associated with the player's account information stored on player account server 409 or may be accessible by a casino operator to obtain player data and provide promotional offers. Once logged on to the website, the player may play various games on the website, make various personalizing selections, and save the information for use during a next gaming session at a casino establishment.
Referring generally to the forgoing description, as used herein 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. 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 term “presentation” as used herein is meant to refer to the display of any image and/or video performance and/or the performance of one or more sound bites or audio tracks whether in an attract mode or as part of a game.
The above described example 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 gaming machine including:
- a wheel display apparatus comprising a flat panel display device and a bezel structure overlaying the flat panel display device, the bezel structure overlaying the flat panel display device such that a wheel display area and a paytable display area of the flat panel display device are visible through openings or transparent areas of the bezel structure; and
- one or more processors configured to (i) instruct the flat panel display device to display a wheel and indicator within the wheel display area and to display a paytable within the paytable display area, the wheel including two or more segments, at least one segment associated with a value, (ii) randomly or pseudo-randomly determine a wheel game outcome, (iii) instruct the flat panel display device to display a wheel game presentation wherein the wheel and the indicator appear to spin relative to each other until coming to rest to display the wheel game outcome, and (iv) present an award in accordance with the wheel game outcome.
2. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors instruct the flat panel display device to cause the wheel to appear to spin relative to the indicator in the wheel game presentation.
3. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors instruct the flat panel display device to cause the indicator to appear to spin relative to the wheel in the wheel game presentation.
4. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors instruct the flat panel display device to cause both the wheel and the indicator to appear to spin in the wheel game presentation.
5. The gaming machine of claim 1 further including a primary display device and wherein the one or more processors are also configured to randomly or pseudo-randomly determine a primary game outcome from a set of possible primary game outcomes including at least one primary game outcome triggering the wheel game, the primary game outcome being displayed through the primary display device under control of the one or more processors.
6. The gaming machine of claim 1 further including a primary display device and wherein the one or more processors determine the wheel game outcome from an overall outcome for a play at the gaming machine and wherein the one or more processors are also configured to instruct the primary game display device to display a primary game outcome also determined from the overall outcome.
7. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the wheel includes multiple wheel segments and the one or more processors are also configured to modify one or more of the wheel segments after instructing the flat panel display device to display the game presentation.
8. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein one of the first wheel segment and the second wheel segment is associated with a first level progressive award and the other one of the first wheel segment and the second wheel segment is not associated with a progressive award.
9. A gaming machine including:
- a wheel display apparatus;
- one or more memory devices storing wagering game program code; and
- one or more processors configured to execute the wagering game program code to (i) instruct the wheel display apparatus to display a first wheel event in which a first wheel segment is identified from two or more wheel segments of a wheel displayed through the wheel display apparatus, one or more of the wheel segments of the wheel being respectively associated with one or more awards, to (ii) instruct the wheel display apparatus to modify one or more of the one or more wheel segments of the wheel following the first wheel event to produce a modified wheel with two or more wheel segments, (iii) instruct the wheel display apparatus to display a second wheel event in which a second wheel segment is identified from two or more wheel segments of the modified wheel, and to (iv) present any award associated with the first wheel segment or any award associated with the second wheel segment, or to present any award associated with the first wheel segment and any award associated with the second wheel segment.
10. The gaming machine of claim 9 wherein the wagering game program code includes primary game program code and further including:
- a user interface operable to receive a player input and transmit a request to initiate a primary game;
- a primary display apparatus operable to present the primary game in accordance with one or more instructions from the one or more processors executing the primary game program code; and
- a meter operable to display an award associated with any winning outcomes in the primary game.
11. The gaming machine of claim 10 wherein the one or more processors execute the primary game program code to display the first wheel event in response to a triggering event in the primary game.
12. The gaming machine of claim 11 wherein the appearance of a special symbol on the primary display apparatus during the primary game represents the triggering event.
13. The gaming machine of claim 9 wherein a triggering event to initiate the first wheel event is produced by a random or pseudo-random determination by the one or more processors.
14. The gaming machine of claim 9 wherein one of the first wheel segment and the second wheel segment is associated with a first level progressive award and the other one of the first wheel segment and the second wheel segment is not associated with a progressive award.
15. A method of operating a gaming machine, the method including:
- receiving a wager at a gaming machine and initiating a play at the gaming machine;
- in the play at the gaming machine, displaying a wheel on a wheel display device at the gaming machine, the wheel including two or more wheel segments;
- displaying a first wheel event in which a first wheel segment is identified from the two or more wheel segments of the wheel;
- following the first wheel event, displaying a modification of one or more of the wheel segments to display a modified wheel on the wheel display device, the modified wheel including two or more wheel segments;
- displaying a second wheel event in which a second wheel segment is identified from the two or more segments of the modified wheel; and
- presenting an award associated with at least one of the first wheel segment or the second wheel segment.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein displaying the wheel and the modified wheel on the wheel display device includes displaying the wheel and the modified wheel in a wheel display area of the wheel display device, the wheel display area being defined by a bezel positioned over a planar surface of the wheel display device.
17. The method of claim 16 further including displaying a paytable within a paytable display area of the wheel display device at the gaming machine, the paytable being defined by the bezel positioned over the planar surface of the wheel display device.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein the first wheel event is displayed in response to the wager received at the gaming machine.
19. The method of claim 15 further including:
- displaying a primary game presentation on a primary game presentation display device; and
- presenting an award associated with an outcome of the primary game presentation.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the first wheel event is displayed in response to the occurrence of a trigger associated with the primary game presentation.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 14, 2011
Publication Date: May 17, 2012
Inventors: Brian A. Watkins (Austin, TX), Clint Owen (Austin, TX), Frank DeSimone (Henderson, NE), Jp Cody (Austin, TX)
Application Number: 13/232,885
International Classification: A63F 9/24 (20060101);