Casino gaming machines and games having selectably available wagering propositions

• US 10,593,159 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2018
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Empire Technological Group Limited
• Original Assignee: Synergy Blue LLC
• Inventors: Oberberger, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US15/920,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20190287345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 463 25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• 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 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of operating a regulated gaming machine may comprise providing a game configured to generate a plurality of in-game assets on a display, the in-game assets being configured such that successful player interaction therewith selectively triggers. An opportunity for the player to reconfigure the game in exchange for value from the player may be selectively enabled during game play. When a received player interaction is indicative of the player accepting the provided opportunity, value from the player may be accepted and the game reconfigured by changing one or more of the in-game assets and/or changing what constitutes successful interactions therewith that triggers wagers. Conversely, when the received player interaction is indicative of the player foregoing the provided opportunity, the game is continued and wagers selectively triggered without reconfiguring the game.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of operating a regulated gaming machine, comprising:

providing, in the regulated gaming machine, a game configured to generate a plurality of in-game assets on a display of the regulated gaming machine, the plurality of in-game assets being configured such that successful interaction therewith by the player during game play selectively triggers wagers;

selectively providing, within the game, an opportunity for the player to reconfigure the game in exchange for value from the player;

receiving a player interaction and,

when the received player interaction is indicative of the player accepting the provided opportunity, accepting the value from the player and reconfiguring the game by at least one of;

changing at least one of the plurality of in-game assets generated on the display and changing what constitutes successful interactions with the plurality of in-game assets that triggers wagers and,

when the player interaction is indicative of the player foregoing the provided opportunity, continuing the game and selectively triggering wagers without reconfiguring the game; and

enabling game play and triggering of wagers in the reconfigured game when the player interaction is indicative of the player accepting the provided opportunity and enabling continued game play and triggering of wagers without reconfiguring the game when the player interaction is indicative of the player foregoing the provided opportunity.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the opportunity for the player to reconfigure the game causes the game to be reconfigured for a limited period of time, with the game returning back to a pre-reconfigured state after the limited period of time.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the opportunity for the player to reconfigure the game is provided at a selectable interval.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the opportunity for the player to reconfigure the game is provided in exchange for value accumulated over at least a portion of the game.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the opportunity for the player to reconfigure the game is provided in exchange for money or a money equivalent.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the opportunity for the player to reconfigure the game is provided randomly.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the opportunity for the player to reconfigure the game is provided every n wagers, where n is a predetermined or programmatically-determined number.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the opportunity for the player to reconfigure the game at least temporarily changes a payout to the player for successfully interacting with the plurality of in-game assets.

9. An electronic, wager-based gaming device, comprising:

a memory;

a processor, and

a user interface;

a plurality of processes spawned by the processor, the plurality of processes comprising processing logic to;

provide, in the regulated gaming machine, a game configured to generate a plurality of in-game assets on a display of the regulated gaming machine, the plurality of in-game assets being configured such that successful interaction therewith by the player during game play selectively triggers wagers;

selectively provide, within the game, an opportunity for the player to reconfigure the game in exchange for value from the player;

receive a player interaction and,

when the received player interaction is indicative of the player accepting the provided opportunity, accept the value from the player and reconfiguring the game by at least one of;

changing at least one of the plurality of in-game assets generated on the display and changing what constitutes successful interactions with the plurality of in-game assets that triggers wagers and,

when the player interaction is indicative of the player foregoing the provided opportunity, continue the game and selectively triggering wagers without reconfiguring the game; and

enable game play and triggering of wagers in the reconfigured game when the player interaction is indicative of the player accepting the provided opportunity and enable continued game play and triggering of wagers without reconfiguring the game when the player interaction is indicative of the player foregoing the provided opportunity.

10. The electronic, wager-based gaming device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of processes comprise processing logic to reconfigure the game for a limited period of time, and to return the game returning back to a pre-reconfigured state after the limited period of time.

11. The electronic, wager-based gaming device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of processes comprise processing logic to reconfigure the game at a selectable interval.

12. The electronic, wager-based gaming device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of processes comprise processing logic to reconfigure the game in exchange for value accumulated over at least a portion of the game.

13. The electronic, wager-based gaming device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of processes comprise processing logic to reconfigure the game in exchange for money or a money equivalent.

14. The electronic, wager-based gaming device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of processes comprise processing logic to provide the opportunity to reconfigure the game randomly.

15. The electronic, wager-based gaming device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of processes comprise processing logic to reconfigure the game every n wagers, where n is a predetermined or programmatically-determined number.

16. The electronic, wager-based gaming device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of processes comprise processing logic to reconfigure the game to at least temporarily change a payout to the player for successfully interacting with the plurality of in-game assets.

17. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having data stored thereon representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a regulated gaming computing device, cause the regulated gaming computing device to determine rewards due to a player playing a wager-based game by:

providing, in the regulated gaming machine, a game configured to generate a plurality of in-game assets on a display of the regulated gaming machine, the plurality of in-game assets being configured such that successful interaction therewith by the player during game play selectively triggers wagers;

selectively providing, within the game, an opportunity for the player to reconfigure the game in exchange for value from the player;

receiving a player interaction and,

when the received player interaction is indicative of the player accepting the provided opportunity, accepting the value from the player and reconfiguring the game by at least one of;

changing at least one of the plurality of in-game assets generated on the display and changing what constitutes successful interactions with the plurality of in-game assets that triggers wagers and,

when the player interaction is indicative of the player foregoing the provided opportunity, continuing the game and selectively triggering wagers without reconfiguring the game; and

enabling game play and triggering of wagers in the reconfigured game when the player interaction is indicative of the player accepting the provided opportunity and enabling continued game play and triggering of wagers without reconfiguring the game when the player interaction is indicative of the player foregoing the provided opportunity.