Gaming system, gaming device and method for displaying multiple concurrent games using dynamic focal points

• US 10,152,849 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2018
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nelson, Dwayne R., Quitt, Jonathan, Cockerille, Warner, Carlisle, Christopher D., Kertesz, Andrew, O'Rourke, Suzanne
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US15/878,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20180165918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 321 Days
• Field of Search: 463 20, 463 25, 463 27
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

The gaming system disclosed herein changes the focal point of a display device at different points in time to assist the player in focusing on different simultaneously or concurrently played games at different points in time. Specifically, the gaming system displays a plurality of simultaneously or concurrently played games on a display device. In response to a designated event occurring in association with a specific one of the plurality of simultaneously or concurrently played games, the gaming system changes the focal point of the display device to draw the player'"'"'s focus or attention to that specific one of the simultaneously or concurrently played games. Put differently, the gaming system dynamically allocates and/or indicates different portions of a display device to different simultaneously or concurrently played games at different points in time to account for different events occurring in such simultaneously or concurrently played games.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

during a first period of time and prior to an occurrence of a display reconfiguration event, communicate data which results in a display device displaying a first configuration comprising a first game displayed in association with a first portion of a game play area and a second game displayed in association with a second, different portion of the game play area, the first portion of the game play area being greater than the second portion of the game play area,

during a second, subsequent period of time after the occurrence of the display reconfiguration event, communicate data which results in the display device displaying a second configuration comprising the first game displayed in association with the second portion of the game play area and the second game displayed in association with the first portion of the game play area,

independent of any displayed configurations of the first game, for a play of the first game, communicate data which results in the display device displaying an outcome of the play of the first game, and

independent of any displayed configurations of the second game, for a play of the second game, communicate data which results in the display device displaying an outcome of the play of the second game.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first game and the second game are overlappingly played.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the display reconfiguration event occurs in association with the second game.

4. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the display reconfiguration event associated with the second game is selected from the group consisting of:

a request to place a wager in association with the play of the second game, a request to make an input in association with the play of the second game, the display of the outcome of the second game, a display of a designated outcome of the second game, a display of any award associated with the outcome of the second game and a display of a designated award associated with the outcome of the second game.

5. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to receive data associated with a selection of the display reconfiguration event associated with the second game from the group consisting of:

a request to place a wager in association with the play of the second game, a request to make an input in association with the play of the second game, the display of the outcome of the second game, a display of a designated outcome of the second game, a display of any award associated with the outcome of the second game and a display of a designated award associated with the outcome of the second game.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first game comprises a first card game and the second game comprises a second, different card game.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first game is played by one player and the second player is played by a plurality of players.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first game is associated with a first average duration for a complete play of the first game and the second game is associated with a second, greater average duration for a complete play of the second game.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises a display device of a mobile device.

10. A gaming system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

during a first period of time and prior to an occurrence of a display reconfiguration event, communicate, via a wireless data network, data which results in a display device of a mobile device displaying a first configuration comprising a play of a first game displayed in association with a first portion of a game play area and a play of a second game displayed in association with a second, different portion of the game play area, the first portion of the game play area being greater than the second portion of the game play area, the play of the first game overlaps with the play of the second game, and at least one of the first game and the second game comprise at least one card game,

during a second, subsequent period of time after the occurrence of the display reconfiguration event, communicate, via the wireless data network, data which results in the display device of the mobile device displaying a second configuration comprising the play of the second game displayed in association with the second portion of the game play area and the play of the first game displayed in association with the first portion of the game play area,

independent of any displayed configurations of the first game, for the play of the first game, communicate, via the wireless data network, data which results in the display device of the mobile displaying an outcome of the play of the first game, and

independent of any displayed configurations of the second game, for the play of the second game, communicate, via the wireless data network, data which results in the display device of the mobile device displaying an outcome of the play of the second game.

11. A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:

during a first period of time and prior to an occurrence of a display reconfiguration event, displaying, by a display device, a first configuration comprising a first game displayed in association with a first portion of a game play area and a second game displayed in association with a second, different portion of the game play area, the first portion of the game play area being greater than the second portion of the game play area,

during a second, subsequent period of time after the occurrence of the display reconfiguration event, displaying, by the display device, a second configuration comprising the first game displayed in association with the second portion of the game play area and the second game displayed in association with the first portion of the game play area,

independent of any displayed configurations of the first game, for a play of the first game, displaying, by the display device, an outcome of the play of the first game, and

independent of any displayed configurations of the second game, for a play of the second game, displaying, by the display device, an outcome of the play of the second game.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first game and the second game are overlappingly played.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the display reconfiguration event occurs in association with the second game.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the display reconfiguration event associated with the second game is selected from the group consisting of:

a request to place a wager in association with the play of the second game, a request to make an input in association with the play of the second game, the display of the outcome of the second game, a display of a designated outcome of the second game, a display of any award associated with the outcome of the second game and a display of a designated award associated with the outcome of the second game.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving data associated with a selection of the display reconfiguration event associated with the second game from the group consisting of:

a request to place a wager in association with the play of the second game, a request to make an input in association with the play of the second game, the display of the outcome of the second game, a display of a designated outcome of the second game, a display of any award associated with the outcome of the second game and a display of a designated award associated with the outcome of the second game.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the first game comprises a first card game and the second game comprises a second, different card game.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first game is played by one player and the second player is played by a plurality of players.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the first game is associated with a first average duration for a complete play of the first game and the second game is associated with a second, greater average duration for a complete play of the second game.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the display device comprises a display device of a mobile device.

20. The method of claim 11, which is provided over a data network.