Gaming device

• US 10,706,670 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2018
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acres Technology
• Original Assignee: Acres Technology
• Inventors: Acres, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): D'Agostino, Paul A
• Application Number:
  US16/216,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20190108723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3246 involving coins and/or banknotes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include a gaming device that has a video display. When the player initiates the game, an animation is shown. If the game had a losing outcome, the animation is very short and allows the player to quickly try for a win. If instead the game has a winning outcome the gaming device spins reels or otherwise shows the player how much he or she has one. The animation may also indicate progress toward a mystery jackpot or a group mystery jackpot.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

a housing;

at least one display device supported by the housing, the display device displaying a plurality of symbols that correspond to an outcome of a game played on the gaming device;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, the plurality of input devices including;

an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value;

a validator configured to identify the first physical item;

a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with a credit balance; and

an actuator for initiating a game played on the gaming device;

at least one processor; and

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

determine whether the outcome is winning or non-winning;

generate a first presentation that does not include any symbols when the outcome is non-winning;

display the first presentation for a first duration;

generate a second presentation that includes symbols corresponding to the winning outcome when the outcome is winning; and

display the second presentation for a second duration that is substantially longer than the first duration.

2. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to spin game reels when the outcome is winning.

3. The gaming device of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to display an indication that the outcome is winning prior to spinning game reels for at least some occurrences of a winning outcome.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to withhold display of symbols on the display device for at least some occurrences of a non-winning outcome.

5. The gaming device of claim 4, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to display an indication other than a plurality of game-outcome symbols that the game outcome is a non-winning outcome for at least some occurrences of a non-winning outcome.

6. A gaming device comprising:

a housing;

at least one display device supported by the housing, the display device displaying a plurality of symbols that correspond to an outcome of a game played on the gaming device;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, the plurality of input devices including;

an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value;

a validator configured to identify the first physical item;

a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with a credit balance; and

an actuator for initiating an action having a probability of a winning outcome;

at least one processor; and

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

determine an outcome of the action;

generate a first presentation that does not include any symbols when the outcome is not a winning outcome, display the first presentation on the display device;

generate a second presentation that includes symbols when the outcome is a winning outcome; and

display the second presentation on the display device.

7. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the processor is further to initiate a second action after the second presentation is displayed.

8. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to award a benefit to a player of the gaming device when the second action is a winning action.

9. The gaming device of claim 6 in which the duration of the first presentation is less than approximately 0.7 seconds.

10. The gaming device of claim 6 in which the duration of the first presentation is less than approximately 0.5 seconds.

11. The gaming device of claim 6 in which the duration of the first presentation is less than approximately 0.2 seconds.

12. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to display an indication that the outcome is a winning outcome prior to spinning game reels for at least some occurrences of a winning outcome.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to display symbols for at least some occurrences of a non-winning outcome.

14. A gaming device comprising:

a housing;

at least one display device supported by the housing, the display device displaying a plurality of symbols that correspond to an outcome of a game played on the gaming device;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, the plurality of input devices including;

an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value;

a validator configured to identify the first physical item;

a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with a credit balance; and

an actuator for initiating a game played on the gaming device;

at least one processor; and

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

generate an outcome of a game having a probability of winning;

show a first presentation that includes symbols on the display device when the outcome of the game is a winning outcome; and

show a second presentation that does not include symbols on the display device when the outcome of the game is a non-winning outcome.

15. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to display an indication that the outcome is a winning outcome prior to spinning game reels for at least some occurrences of a winning outcome.

16. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to withhold display of symbols for at least some occurrences of a non-winning outcome.