Gaming device having a multiple moving object game

• US 20040002373A1
• Filed: 06/27/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Kaminkow, Joseph E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,939,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2007/0064 Ball games combined with other games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/048 used for generating random numbers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/001 with balls or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means

Abstract

A gaming device including plurality of aligned channels mounted to the cabinet and a movable object is positioned in each channel. An actuator for engaging the movable object is positioned at the base of each channel and a partitioner for partitioning each channel into a plurality of sections is connected to each channel. An award is provided to the player based on the sections the moveable objects are captured in after the partitioners partition the channels into a plurality of sections.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

a cabinet;

a wager acceptor supported by the cabinet;

a channel attached to the cabinet;

a movable object positioned in the channel;

at least one moveable object actuator connected to the channel;

at least one partitioner connected to the channel;

a movable object sensor positioned relative to the channel; and

a processor in communication with the wager acceptor, moveable object actuator, partitioner, and movable object sensor.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor provides an award, if any, to a player based on a position of the movable object in the channel after the partitioner is activated.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor provides an award, if any, to a player based on positions of the movable object in the channel after a plurality of activations of the partitioner.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a plurality of movable objects positioned in the channel.

5. The gaming device of claim 4, wherein the processor provides an award, if any, to a player based on positions of the movable objects in the channel after the partitioner is activated.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of partitioners are connected to the channel.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes an indicator controlled by the processor and associated with the channel.

8. A gaming device comprising:

a cabinet;

a wager acceptor supported by the cabinet;

a plurality of aligned channels connected to the cabinet;

a movable object positioned in each channel;

at least one move object actuator connected to each channel;

at least one partitioner connected to each channel;

a movable object sensor connected to each channel; and

a processor in communication with the wager acceptor, moveable object actuators, partitioners, and movable object sensors.

9. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the processor provides an award, if any, to a player based on a position of the movable object in one of the channels after the partitioner for said channel is activated.

10. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the processor provides an award, if any, to a player based on positions of the movable object in one of the channels after a plurality of activations of the partitioner for said channel.

11. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the processor provides an award, if any, to a player based on positions of the movable objects in a plurality of the channels after the partitioner for said channels are activated.

12. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the processor provides an award, if any, to a player based on positions of the movable objects in a plurality of the channels after a plurality of activations of the partitioners for said channels.

13. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the processor provides an award, if any, to a player based on positions of the movable objects in all of the channels after the partitioner for said channels are activated.

14. The gaming device of claim 8, which includes a plurality of movable objects positioned in at least one of the channels.

15. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the processor provides an award, if any, to a player based on positions of said movable objects in said channel after the partitioner for said channel is activated.

16. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein a plurality of partitioners are connected to at least one of the channels.

17. The gaming device of claim 8, which includes at least one indicator controlled by the processor and associated with one of the channels.

18. The gaming device of claim 8, which includes an indicator associated with each channel, said indicators controlled by the processor.

19. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein said channels are substantially vertically aligned.

20. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the actuator associated with each channel is positioned at a base of said channel.

21. The gaming device of claim 8, which includes a damping device positioned at a base of each channel.

22. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein said channels are substantially horizontally aligned.

23. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein said actuators are positioned at either end of each channel.

24. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein each of said channels is a tubular member.

25. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein each of said channels includes a transparent member.

26. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein a portion of each of said channels includes a transparent member.

27. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein at least one channel includes a transparent portion and at least one channel includes a partially transparent portion.

28. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein said movable objects are balls.

29. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein a symbol is indicated on each movable object.

30. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein at least one receptor is affixed to each moving object, wherein each receptor is adapted to be sensed by the moving object sensor associated with the channel in which said moving object is positioned.

31. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein said actuators are selected from the group consisting of solenoids, spring mechanisms, magnetic devices, electro-magnet devices and an air injectors.

32. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the actuator in each channel is positioned adjacent to said channel.

33. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the actuator in each channel is positioned within said channel.

34. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein said partitioner for each channel is selected from the group consisting of solenoids, spring mechanisms and electro-magnetic devices.

35. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein said movable object sensor for each channel is positioned within said channel.

36. A gaming device comprising:

a cabinet;

a plurality of aligned channels attached to the cabinet;

a movable object positioned in each channel;

at least one actuator connected to each channel;

at least one partitioner connected to each channel;

a movable object detection device associated with each channel;

a processor which controls said actuators, said partitioners and said movable object detection devices; and

an award provided to a player after the processor;

(a) causes the actuator for at least one of the channels to propel the movable object in said channel from a resting section of said channel into an active section of said channel;

(b) causes the partitioner to partition said channel into a plurality of sections; and

(c) determines if said propelled movable object is captured in a predetermined section of said channel, said award based on said determination.

37. The gaming device of claim 36, wherein the award is provided to the player after the processor:

(a) causes the actuator for a plurality of the channels to propel the movable object in said channels from resting sections of said channels into active sections of said channels;

(b) causes the partitioners to partition said channels into a plurality of sections; and

(c) determines if said propelled movable objects are captured in predetermined sections of said channels, said award based on said determination.

38. A gaming device comprising:

a cabinet;

a plurality of aligned channels connected to the cabinet;

a movable object positioned in a lower portion of each channel;

at least one actuator for moving said movable object in each channel;

at least one partitioner for capturing said movable object in each channel;

a symbol on each of said movable objects, wherein an award is associated with each symbol; and

a processor in communication with said actuators and said partitioners, said processor operable to;

(a) activate said actuators to cause said actuators to engage and propel said movable objects into upper portions of the channels,

(b) activate said partitioners to partition said channels into a plurality of sections and cause said partitioners to capture said propelled movable objects,

(c) determine if the moveable objects are captured by the partitioners, and

(d) provide to a player an award, if any, associated with the symbols on said captured movable objects.

39. The gaming device of claim 38, wherein said processor is operable to continuously actuate each actuator.

40. The gaming device of claim 39, wherein said processor is operable to continuously actuate the actuators in the channels at different frequencies.

41. The gaming device of claim 38, wherein said processor is operable to continuously activate the partitioners.

42. The gaming device of claim 41, wherein said processor is operable to continuously activate the partitioners at different frequencies.

43. The gaming device of claim 38, wherein the actuators are player activated.

44. The gaming device of claim 38, wherein the partitioners are player activated.

45. The gaming device of claim 38, wherein the partitioners and actuators are player activated.

46. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) activating an actuator in a channel to propel a movable object in said channel into a portion of said channel;

(b) activating a partitioner located in said channel to partition said channel into a plurality of sections and capture said propelled movable object if said object is located in a predetermined section of said channel;

(c) determining if the object is captured in said predetermined section of said channel; and

(d) providing an award to a player if said moveable object is captured in said predetermined section of said channel.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the method is operated through a data network.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the data network in an internet.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein computer instructions for steps (a) to (d) are stored on a storage device.

50. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) activating actuators in a plurality of channels to propel movable objects in said channels into portions of said channels;

(b) activating partitioners located in said channels to partition said channels into a plurality of sections and capture said propelled movable objects if said object are located in predetermined sections of said channels;

(c) determining if any of the objects are captured in said predetermined sections of said channels; and

(d) providing an award to a player if any of said moveable objects are captured in said predetermined sections of said channels, said award based on the moveable objects captured in said predetermined sections.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the activated actuators are randomly activated.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the actuators in said channels are sequentially activated.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein the actuators in said channels are simultaneously activated.

54. The method of claim 50, wherein at least one actuator is activated by said player.

55. The method of claim 50, wherein the number of activated actuators are determined in a primary game of the gaming device.

56. The method of claim 50, wherein said partitioners are activated when said actuators are deactivated.

57. The method of claim 50, wherein the partitioners are randomly activated.

58. The method of claim 50, wherein the partitioners in said channels are sequentially activated.

59. The method of claim 50, wherein the partitioners in said channels are simultaneously activated.

60. The method of claim 50, wherein at least one partitioner is activated by said player.

61. The method of claim 50, wherein the number of activated partitioners are determined in a primary game of the gaming device.

62. The method of claim 50, wherein the method is operated through a data network.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the data network in an internet.

64. The method of claim 50, wherein computer instructions for steps (a) to (d) are stored on a storage device.

65. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) enabling a player to select at least one of a plurality of channels in which an activator associated with said selected channel will propel a movable object in said channel into portions of said channel;

(b) activating a partitioner located in said selected channel to partition said selected channel into a plurality of sections and capture said propelled movable object if said object is located in predetermined section of said selected channel;

(c) determining if the object is captured in said predetermined section of said selected channel; and

(d) providing an award to a player if said moveable object is captured in said predetermined section of said selected channel.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the method is operated through a data network.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the data network in an internet.

68. The method of claim 65, wherein computer instructions for steps (a) to (d) are stored on a storage device.

69. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) activating an actuator in a channel to propel a movable object in said channel into a portion of said channel;

(b) enabling a player to activate a partitioner located in said channel to partition said channel into a plurality of sections and capture said propelled movable object if said object is located in a predetermined section of said channel;

(c) determining if the object is captured in said predetermined section of said channel; and

(d) providing an award to the player if said moveable object is captured in said predetermined section of said channel.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein the method is operated through a data network.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the data network in an internet.

72. The method of claim 69, wherein computer instructions for steps (a) to (d) are stored on a storage device.