Method, apparatus and system for gaming using a rotatable payout indicator

• US 20020065126A1
• Filed: 09/27/2001
• Published: 05/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1994
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: MacVittie, Michael, Adams, William R., Miller, Charles R., Deville, Canyon, Stanek, James R., Johnson, Brian A.
• Application Number:
  US09/966,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20020065126A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

Gaming devices comprising a gaming unit configured for play of a primary game and a bonus game. The bonus game portion of the gaming unit includes at least a outcome display element with an associated, cooperative outcome indicator element. The outcome display element may be rotatable about a substantially upright axis and comprise a sphere, a gem or other suitable element for displaying potential game outcomes for the bonus game, the game outcome being indicated by a portion of the outcome display element aligned with the outcome indicator element upon cessation of rotation of the former. Employing visually perceptible representations of rotation of the outcome display element rather than physical rotation thereof is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A gaming device, comprising:

a first gaming unit configured to randomly generate and display a combination of indicia from a first plurality of indicia, at least some possible combinations of indicia of said first plurality comprising winning combinations enabling associated winning payouts; and

a bonus gaming unit configured to randomly generate an outcome for a bonus game and including an outcome display element mounted for rotation about a substantially upright axis and having a plurality of mutually circumferentially adjacent regions on an exterior surface thereof, at least some of the regions including one indicium of a second plurality of indicia associated with at least two different bonus game outcomes, the outcome display element having associated therewith a drive assembly configured to rotate the outcome display element about the substantially upright axis in association with play of the bonus game and to cease rotation of the outcome display element responsive to generation of the bonus game outcome with a region of the outcome display element in alignment with at least one outcome indicator element to indicate a randomly generated bonus game outcome.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the bonus gaming unit is configured for enablement to randomly generate a bonus game outcome responsive to generation of a winning combination of indicia by generation of at least one winning combination of indicia of said first plurality by said first gaming unit.

3. The gaming device of claim 2, wherein the bonus gaming unit is configured for enablement of the drive assembly to rotate the outcome display element responsive to the generation of a bonus game outcome.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the bonus gaming unit is configured for enablement of the drive assembly to rotate the outcome display element responsive to generation of a winning combination of indicia by generation of at least one winning combination of indicia of said first plurality by said first gaming unit.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the outcome display element comprises a sphere.

6. The gaming device of claim 5, wherein the regions comprise sectors of the sphere.

7. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the at least one outcome indicator element comprises a pointer.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the outcome display element is configured as a gem.

9. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein gem is faceted, and the regions comprise facets of the gem.

10. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the at least one outcome indicator element comprises a pointer.

11. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least some of the indicia of the second plurality of indicia comprise numbers.

12. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein only a portion of the outcome display element is visible.

13. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the visible portion of the outcome display element is visible from a front of the gaming device.

14. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the visible portion of the outcome display element comprises a visible front segment and a visible rear segment.

15. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of indicia are displayed by structure selected from the group consisting of reels, indicia of reels, indicia of playing cards and combinations thereof.

16. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the outcome display element is configured to continuously include the same second plurality of indicia thereon.

17. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein the first plurality of indicia are displayed by structure selected from the group consisting of reels, indicia of reels, indicia of playing cards and combinations thereof.

18. The gaming device of claim 1, further comprising a payout multiplier operably linked to at least one of the first gaming unit and the bonus gaming unit, the payout multiplier configured to alter a payout value of an outcome of at least one of the first gaming unit and the bonus gaming unit.

19. The gaming device of claim 18, wherein the payout multiplier is configured to display a plurality of numbers by which a payout value may be multiplied.

20. The gaming device of claim 18, wherein the payout multiplier is configured to display at least one message other than a number by which a payout value may be multiplied.

21. The gaming device of claim 18, wherein the payout multiplier is configured to randomly select an indicia by which a payout value may be altered.

22. The gaming device of claim 18, wherein the payout multiplier is configured for control, at least in part, by a player.

23. The gaming device of claim 1, further comprising an input device operably coupled to the bonus gaming unit to actuate the bonus gaming unit responsive to receiving player input, wherein the input device is enabled by generation of at least one of the winning combinations of indicia of the first plurality by the first gaming unit.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising providing a drive assembly to rotate the outcome display element.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising enabling the drive assembly responsive to the generation of a bonus game outcome.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising enabling the drive assembly to rotate the outcome display element responsive to generation of at least one select combination of indicia during play of the primary game.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising configuring the outcome display element as a sphere.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising displaying one indicium of the plurality of available discernible indicia on each of a plurality of mutually circumferentially adjacent sectors of the sphere.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising configuring the outcome display element is as a gem.

31. The method of claim 30, further including providing the gem with facets, and displaying one indicium of the plurality of available discernible indicia on each of a plurality of mutually circumferentially adjacent facets of the gem.

32. The method of claim 24, further comprising the available discernible indicia as numbers.

33. The method of claim 24, further comprising partially enclosing the outcome display element so that only a portion thereof is visible.

34. The method of claim 24, further comprising the selected indicia combination using structure selected from the group consisting of reels, indicia of reels, indicia of playing cards and combinations thereof.

35. The method of claim 24, further comprising randomly selecting at least one discernible indicia of a bonus game outcome responsive to receiving player input and enabling receipt of player input responsive to generation of the at least one signal.

37. The gaming device of claim 3, wherein the outcome display element comprises a sphere.

38. The gaming device of claim 37, wherein the regions comprise sectors of the sphere.

39. The gaming device of claim 38, wherein the at least one outcome indicator element comprises a pointer.

40. The gaming device of claim 36, wherein the outcome display element is configured as a gem.

41. The gaming device of claim 40, wherein gem is faceted, and the regions comprise facets of the gem.

42. The gaming device of claim 41, wherein the at least one outcome indicator element comprises a pointer.

24. A method of conducting a game of chance, comprising:

initiating play of a primary game;

in association with play of the primary game, randomly selecting an indicia combination from a plurality of available indicia associated with the primary game and displaying the selected indicia combination on a display structure;

generating at least one signal corresponding to at least one select combination of indicia of the first plurality of available indicia; and

randomly selecting at least one discernible indicia of a bonus game outcome from a plurality of available discernible indicia associated with at least two different bonus game outcomes, displaying the plurality of available discernable indicia in mutually circumferentially adjacent relationship on an outcome display element rotatable about a substantially upright axis, rotating the outcome display element, ceasing rotation of the outcome display element to indicate the at least one randomly selected discernible indicia and providing a payout associated with said at least one discernable indicia responsive at least in part to generation of said at least one signal.

36. A gaming device, comprising:

a bonus gaming unit configured to randomly generate an outcome for a bonus game and including an outcome display element mounted for rotation about a substantially upright axis and having a plurality of mutually circumferentially adjacent regions on an exterior surface thereof, each of the regions including one indicium of a second plurality of indicia associated with at least two different bonus game outcomes, the outcome display element having associated therewith a drive assembly configured to rotate the outcome display element about the substantially upright axis in association with play of the bonus game and to cease rotation of the outcome display element responsive to generation of the bonus game outcome with a region of the outcome display element in alignment with at least one outcome indicator element to indicate a randomly generated bonus game outcome.

43. A method of conducting a game of chance, comprising:

initiating play of a bonus game;

during play of the bonus game, randomly selecting at least one discernible indicia of a bonus game outcome from a plurality of available discernible indicia associated with at least two different bonus game outcomes, displaying the plurality of available discernable indicia in mutually circumferentially adjacent relationship on an outcome display element rotatable about a substantially upright axis, rotating the outcome display element, ceasing rotation of the outcome display element to indicate the at least one randomly selected discernible indicia and providing a payout associated with said at least one discernable indicia.

44. A method of conducting a game of chance, comprising:

initiating play of a game;

during play of the game, randomly selecting at least one discernible indicia of a game outcome from a plurality of available discernible indicia associated with at least two different game outcomes, displaying the plurality of available discernable indicia in mutually circumferentially adjacent relationship on an outcome display element rotatable about a substantially upright axis, rotating the outcome display element, ceasing rotation of the outcome display element to indicate the at least one randomly selected discernible indicia and providing a payout associated with said at least one discernable indicia.

45. A gaming device, comprising:

a first gaming unit configured to randomly generate and display a combination of indicia from a first plurality of indicia, at least some possible combinations of indicia of said first plurality comprising winning combinations enabling associated winning payouts; and

a bonus gaming unit configured to randomly generate an outcome for a bonus game and including an outcome display element configured to exhibit a visually perceptible representation of rotation about a substantially upright axis and having a plurality of mutually circumferentially adjacent regions visually apparent from an exterior surface thereof, at least some of the regions displaying one indicium of a second plurality of indicia associated with at least two different bonus game outcomes, the outcome display element having associated therewith an assembly configured to effect the visually perceptible representation of rotation of the outcome display element about the substantially upright axis in association with play of the bonus game and to cease the visually perceptible representation of rotation of the outcome display element responsive to generation of the bonus game outcome with a region of the outcome display element in alignment with at least one outcome indicator element to indicate a randomly generated bonus game outcome.

46. A method of conducting a game of chance, comprising:

initiating play of a primary game;

in association with play of the primary game, randomly selecting an indicia combination from a plurality of available indicia associated with the primary game and displaying the selected indicia combination on a display structure;

generating at least one signal corresponding to at least one select combination of indicia of the first plurality of available indicia; and

randomly selecting at least one discernible indicia of a bonus game outcome from a plurality of available discernible indicia associated with at least two different bonus game outcomes, displaying the plurality of available discernable indicia in mutually circumferentially adjacent relationship on an outcome display element, causing the outcome display element to exhibit a visually perceptible representation of rotation about a substantially upright axis, ceasing the visually perceptible representation of rotation of the outcome display element to indicate the at least one randomly selected discernible indicia and providing a payout associated with said at least one discernable indicia responsive at least in part to generation of said at least one signal.