U.S. Pat. No. 8,562,421

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments provide a method of gaming, a gaming device, a gaming system, and a game controller where a player can win either a mystery or progressive jackpot and an ante bet is required for eligibility for the InFIG. 1of the accompanying drawings, one example of a gaming machine suitable for implementing the present invention is generally referenced by arrow10.

The gaming machine10includes a console12having a display14on which is displayed representations of a game16, that can be played by a player. A mid-trim20of the gaming machine10houses a bank of buttons22for enabling a player to play the game16. The mid-trim20also houses a credit input mechanism24including a coin input chute24A and a bill collector24B. A top box26may carry artwork28, including for example, pay tables and details of bonus awards and other information or images relating to the game. Further artwork and/or information may be provided on the front panel29of the console12. A coin tray30is mounted beneath the console12for cash payouts from the gaming machine10.

The display14shown inFIG. 1is in the form of a video display unit, particularly a cathode ray tube screen device. Alternatively, the display14may be a liquid crystal display, plasma screen, any other suitable video display unit, or the visible portion of an electromechanical device. In advantageous embodiments, the top box26may include a display, for example a video display unit, which may be of the same type as the display14, or a different type of display.

FIG. 2shows a block diagram of a gaming apparatus, generally referenced by arrow100, suitable for implementing the present invention. The gaming apparatus100may, for example, operate as a standalone gaming machine of the type shown inFIG. 1. However, the gaming apparatus100may alternatively operate as a networked gaming machine, communicating with other network devices, such as one or more servers or other gaming machines. The gaming apparatus100may also have distributed hardware and software components that communicate with each other directly or through a network. Accordingly, different reference numerals have been used inFIG. 2fromFIG. 1for components that may be equivalent.

The gaming apparatus100includes a game controller101, which in the illustrated example includes a computational device102, which may be a microprocessor, microcontroller, programmable logic device or other suitable device. Instructions and data to control operation of the computational device102are stored in a memory103, which is in data communication with, or forms a part of, the computational device102. Typically, the gaming apparatus100will include both volatile and non-volatile memory and more than one of each type of memory, with such memories being collectively represented by the memory103. The instructions to cause the game controller101to implement the present invention will be stored in the memory103.

The gaming apparatus may include hardware meters104for the purposes of regulatory compliance and also include an input/output (I/O) interface105for communicating with the peripheral devices of the gaming apparatus100. The input/output interface105and/or the peripheral devices may be intelligent devices with their own memory for instructions and data.

In the example shown inFIG. 2, the peripheral devices that communicate with the controller are one or more displays106, user input devices107(e.g. buttons or a touch screen), a card and/or ticket reader108, a printer109, a bill acceptor and/or coin input mechanism110and a coin output mechanism111. One or more of the displays106may include a touch screen106A, forming part of the user input devices107. Additional devices may be included as part of the gaming machine100, or devices omitted as required for the specific implementation.

In addition, the gaming machine100may include a communications interface, for example a network card112. The network card, may for example, send status information, accounting information or other information to a central controller, server or database and receive data or commands from the central controller, server or database. One or more of the peripheral devices, for example the card/ticket reader108may be able to communicate directly with the network card112.

The game controller101may also include a random number generator113, which generates a series of random numbers that determine the outcome of a series of random game events played as part of a game on the gaming apparatus100. As explained in more detail in relation toFIG. 4, the computational device102may include two or more controllers or processors, which may be local or remote from each other and the displays106. It will be appreciated that the random number generator may generate pseudo-random or true-random numbers depending on how it is configured.

FIG. 3shows an exemplary block diagram of the main components of the memory103. The RAM103A typically temporarily holds program files for execution by the computational controller102and related data. The EPROM103B may hold be a boot ROM device and/or may contain some system or game related code. The mass storage device103C is typically used to store game programs, the integrity of which may be verified and/or authenticated by the computational controller102using protected code from the EPROM103B or elsewhere.

While the foregoing description has been provided by way of example of the embodiments of the present invention as presently contemplated, which utilize gaming apparatus and machines, those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that the present invention also may have application to internet gaming and/or have application to gaming over a telecommunications network, where handsets are used to display game outcomes and receive player inputs. Herein any device operable by a player to play a game such as the above described apparatus and machine is generically referred to as a gaming device.

FIG. 4shows a gaming system200. The gaming system200includes a network201, which for example may be an Ethernet network. Gaming devices202, shown arranged in three banks203of two gaming devices202inFIG. 4, are connected to the network201. The gaming devices202may be gaming machines10, as shown inFIG. 1or form part or all of another gaming apparatus100. Single gaming devices202and banks203containing three or more gaming devices202may also be connected to the network201.

One or more displays204may also be connected to the network201. The displays204may, for example, be associated with a bank203of gaming devices. The displays204may be used to display representations associated with game play on the gaming devices202, and/or used to display other representations, for example promotional or informational material.

Servers may also be connected to the network201. For example, a game server205may generate game outcomes for games played on the gaming devices202, a database management server206may manage the storage of game programs and associated data for downloading or access by the gaming devices202in a database206A, and a jackpot server207may control one or more jackpots associated with the gaming devices202.

Further servers may be provided to assist in the administration of the gaming system200, including for example a gaming floor management server208, and a licensing server209to monitor the use of licenses to particular games. An administrator terminal210is provided to allow an administrator to run the network201and the devices connected to the network.

The gaming system200may communicate with other gaming systems, other local networks, for example a corporate network and/or a wide area network such as the Internet through a firewall211.

An embodiment, which includes the feature of incrementing the progressive prize by a fixed amount upon the progressive prize not being awarded is illustrated inFIGS. 5A,5B andFIG. 6. The embodiment describes an arrangement, where the method of gaming involves conducting a base game. The player can wager on the base game in a conventional manner. The base game may be, for example, a spinning reel game. In the alternative, the player may also place an additional ante bet when initiating a play of the base game. The ante bet provides eligibility for a first level feature game, exemplified below as the “Miss Kitty” feature from which the player can access three second level features as described in further detail below. The three second level features can each result in the award of a different progressive prize. The prize pools for the respective progressive jackpots are only incremented when the ante bet is made. The progressive prize pools are incremented in a number of ways as described below but notably, including increments of the respective prize pool by a fixed amount when a second level feature game is lost. In addition to the progressive jackpot prize, a mystery jackpot is provided which can be won irrespective of whether an ante bet is made.

Referring toFIG. 5A, the method of the embodiment involves receiving1601a player wager. It is determined1602whether the wager includes an ante-bet. If the player does not place the ante-bet, the player is not eligible for the Miss Kitty and second level features games but is still eligible1603for the mystery jackpot and accordingly the mystery jackpot pool is increased based on a percentage of the amount bet by the player. As in conventional mystery jackpots, the prize pool can include a seed pool such that when a mystery jackpot is awarded the mystery jackpot can start from a non zero number.

If the bet includes the ante-bet then the player is eligible1604for the mystery jackpot, the feature game, and the second level feature games including the progressive jackpots. Accordingly increments apply to both the mystery and progressive jackpots1605and there will be increments provided during the base game to both the mystery and progressive jackpot pool. It is determined at the end of each play of the base game whether a trigger condition has been met1606in respect of this play of the base game. If no trigger occurs, the process proceeds to the start and awaits the receipt1601of a player wager.

If a trigger condition occurs then the first level, Miss Kitty, feature game is started1607. Referring now toFIG. 5B, in this example of a second level feature game, the player and “Miss Kitty” who is an animated fanciful cat each roll a pair of dice1609. If the player's total equals or exceeds Miss Kitty's total1620the player is awarded1621bonus credits or some other award which is typically based on the player's score. For example a multiplier of the number of spots shown on the player's dice.

If either the player or Miss Kitty role a double1630, the player is awarded bonus credits and may select to play any of three feature games as will be described in further detail below. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the number of feature games can vary and is advantageously a plurality of games with the upper limit of games corresponding to a desired number of progressives to be provided by the game. The third alternative1640is Miss Kitty's score is greater than the player's score. If this is the case a consolation prize, for example between 150 and 500 credits is awarded, and the progressive jackpot levels are incremented by set amounts of credits. That is each of the three progressive levels is incremented separately by fixed amounts. The amount that each jackpot is incremented may be the same or different. The increment is typically determined and applied at a progressive controller in data communication with a gaming device on which the game is played. However, persons skilled in the art will appreciate that progressives could only obtain contributions from one gaming machine be monitored at the gaming device. Further, there are two possible modes of operation, one where the gaming device simply indicates to a controller that there is a need to make an increment and the progressive controller applies the increment and another where the gaming device determines the progressive amount and communicates it to the progressive controller.

Returning now toFIG. 5B, the player is offered a choice 1631 of three selectable features each of which is associated with a respective one of three progressive jackpots. Typically, the size of the jackpots are different and are commensurate with the probability of winning a jackpot by play of the selected feature such that the player has a higher probability of obtaining award of a jackpot if they choose a lower value progressive jackpot, for example in the range of $100.00 to $200.00 than they have if they choose a game having an associated higher value jackpot, for example in the range of $2,000 to $4,000. Once the player selects the feature, the selected feature is played1632and it is then determined whether the player wins1633. If the player loses then the game involves incrementing the relevant progressive associated with the selected feature by a fixed amount1635. In the alternative if the player wins then they are awarded the progressive jackpot associated with the selected feature1634. The progressive jackpot pools may incorporate hidden seed pools in a manner known in the art to enable them to start from non-zero amounts.

In one example, the three features may be as follows: 1) a “granny” feature where the player has five shots determined by random trials to hit bottles displayed on a fence post. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the reference to “random” above includes pseudo random. Accordingly, the gaming device determines by random number generator113how many bottles the player hits. The gaming device also determines whether an animated character named “granny” hits the bottles, and if the player's score equals or exceeds granny's score, the granny level progressive jackpot is awarded. Alternatively, if granny's score exceeds the player's score, the granny level progressive jackpot value is incremented by a set amount. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the odds of the player and granny hitting bottles could be 50/50 for each bottle or weighted in some fashion such that the player and granny need not necessarily have the same odds of hitting a bottle.

The second feature is a “bandito” feature where twelve windows are presented on the screen and the banditos hidden behind one of the twelve windows. The player gets four hits to try and find the bandito. If the player finds the bandito, the player wins the bandito jackpot level value. If the player does not find the bandito, the bandito jackpot level is incremented by a set amount.

The third feature is the “gambler” feature. The gambler is dealt two aces. The player is dealt five cards. If the player's poker hand beats two aces, the gambler progressive jackpot level is awarded. If the player's hand does not beat the pair of aces, the gambler jackpot level is incremented by a set amount.

FIG. 6is a functional block diagram of a gaming system1700of a exemplary embodiment for implementing the method ofFIG. 5.FIG. 6shows a gaming system1700having a gaming device700and a jackpot controller70. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that in practice a plurality of gaming devices will be connected to the same jackpot controller in order to provide for substantial value jackpot pools as is shown inFIG. 4where a plurality of gaming. However, a single gaming device700is shown inFIG. 6for ease of exposition. It will be appreciated that herein it is assumed that each gaming device is eligible for at least one jackpot prize (provided it is being played). In other embodiments, eligibility criteria may be applied. For example, that the gaming device is in a particular part of a venue, offers a designated game, the wager is of a certain level, or the player has inserted a player tracking card.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the connection between the gaming device and the jackpot controller70can be a conventional network connection such as an Ethernet. Persons skilled in the art will also appreciate that the game device700can be exemplified in the form of a gaming machine10,100as described in relation toFIGS. 1 and 2but as indicated elsewhere in the specification, the player interface which the player plays and the game controller need not necessarily be co-located.

Turning now toFIG. 6the gaming device700has a player interface50in data communication with a game controller60. The player interface includes a credit input mechanism52, a display54and a game play mechanism56. The game play mechanism includes a number of buttons and/or a touch screen to enable the player to interact with the game controller60. For ease of exposition, a subset of these is shown including an ante-bet button56X and feature selection buttons56A,56B and56C.

In the embodiment, a series of modules are implemented by a processor62executing program code stored in memory64such that the game controller is configured to carry out the functions described below. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that these modules could be provided in different ways, including by providing dedicated circuits configured to carry out the functions described below. Further, persons skilled in the art will appreciate that there will be other modules, for example a random number generator and a display controller for controlling the display and that these are omitted for the sake of clarity. The game controller60includes a base game module621which is arranged to carry out a base game each time the player operates input mechanism to place a wager. The game controller60also includes an eligibility module625which determines whether than ante-bet has been placed with ante-bet button56X. When an ante-bet is placed the eligibility module activates progressive contribution module626which sends for each play of the game data to the jackpot controller to indicate that its progressive controller705should increment the progressive value721to723which are stored in progressive value database720. To this end the progressive controller705includes a contribution handler710which knows the proportional amounts which each of the progressives721,722,723should be incremented each time there is a play of the game. In addition the eligibility module actives the trigger monitor623A of the outcome evaluator623which is arranged to evaluate the outcomes based on base game data641.

It will be appreciated there is also a mystery module628which operates irrespective of whether the ante-bet has been placed in order to send contributions based on a percentage of turnover to the mystery controller of the jackpot controller. The mystery controller740increments the mystery pool741accordingly.

The base game data641also allows the outcome generator622to generate the outcomes which as described above may be, for example, those of a spinning reel game. When the trigger monitor623A determines that a trigger condition is met, for example, the occurrence of three designated scattered symbols at display positions of the virtual reels of a video spinning reel game, the trigger monitor623A activates the second level feature module624. The feature module624includes a feature game outcome generator624A which, in the example given implements the dice game of the Miss Kitty game which generates outcomes based on the feature game data642which in turn are evaluated by the feature evaluator624B based on feature game data624which specifies the rules of the Miss Kitty game as described above. The feature module624also includes a feature selection module to enable a player to select the feature by operating buttons56A,56B,56C to select one the features described above when the player wins eligibility to the feature. As described above, the feature module624is arranged such as to communicate when a loss of the feature game occurs or that the first level features to the contribution handler710of the progressive controller705so that it can increment the progressive721,722,723in the manner described above.

When the player wins the first level feature, the feature selection module624C enables the player to select one of feature A, feature B, or feature C627A,627B,627C; these features being associated respectively with a first progressive721, a second progressive722and a third progressive723. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that while these features are all shown as being implemented by a second level feature module627they could equally be provided as separate modules which are instantiated as required based on the second level data643which specifies each of features A, B and C643A,643B,643C and the rules associated with those games. As described above if the player loses any of these features, the progressive that is specifically associated with it is incremented. That is, for example, if feature A627A is lost by the player then the player's losing amount which is fixed is added the progressive. Thus, giving the impression that the player has lost to the animated character that forms part of the feature as described above. At the end of play or at appropriate points during play the meter data644is updated to reflect the outcomes of play the amount wager, any amounts won, etc. This is viewable by player on display54. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that if the player wins one of the second level features then the award handler730awards the progressive to the player. The award handler730can function in the same way as typical progressive machines such as to arbitrate when two gaming machines claim a progressive in close proximity which of those is to be awarded the first progressive and which is to be awarded the second progressive.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that other arrangements are possible. For example, rather than the second level feature module627being implemented within the game controller is could be implemented elsewhere, for example within the jackpot controller. Further, while the mystery and progressive jackpot controllers740,705are shown within a single jackpot controller70and this is advantageous in terms of reducing equipment, it is not strictly necessary and they can be provided as separate controllers.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that an example of an exemplary trigger of the Miss Kitty feature game could be a so-called “hyperlink” trigger which is based on an amount that is bet by the player. That is, the amount bet gives the person a certain chance of the feature game being triggered.

While the foregoing description has been provided by way of example of the embodiments of the present invention as presently contemplated, which utilize gaming apparatus and machines, those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that the present invention also may have application to internet gaming and/or have application to gaming over a telecommunications network, where handsets are used to display game outcomes and receive player inputs. Herein any device operable by a player to play a game such as the above described apparatus and machine is generically referred to as a gaming device.

Further aspects of the method will be apparent from the above description of the gaming system. Persons skilled in the art will also appreciate that the method could be embodied in program code. The program code could be supplied in a number of ways, for example on a computer readable medium, such as a disc or a memory (for example, that could replace part of memory103) or as a data signal (for example, by downloading it from a server).

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the prior art forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art in any country.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.