Gaming device having perceived skill

• US 20040198490A1
• Filed: 04/27/2004
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Bansemer, Mark W., Nolz, James G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,056,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/142 with pay-out or rewarding with a prize
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0291 with a simulated projectile, e.g. an image on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3286 Type of games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking

Abstract

A gaming device wherein a player'"'"'s skill at an action or event determines or appears to determine the player'"'"'s success or failure. In reality, a database of information stores a number of successful results, and the game selects an award for each successful result. The action or event involves skill in real life, which requires the player to estimate the time an action will require and/or requires the player to aim at an object or estimate the direction necessary to successfully produce a result. The game can employ software adapted to determine if a player'"'"'s aim or timing is successful. The game can alternatively randomly determine the player'"'"'s success. The game displays the player'"'"'s attempt or action on the screen depicting success or failure and awards gaming device credits or multipliers for successful results.

Claims

1. A gaming device controlled by a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a display device controlled by the processor;

a player interface operable to communicate with the processor;

a game controlled by the processor and operable upon a wager by a player;

a bonus round triggered in the game, said bonus round controlled by the processor and including an event involving player skill;

a number of successful outcomes individually provided to the player in the bonus round, said number being at least two;

a number of attempts at the event involving player skill displayed by the display device in the bonus round, each attempt initiated by the player activating the player interface, said number of attempts determined by how many attempts are needed for said number of successful outcomes to be produced by the processor in the bonus round, wherein an attempt by the player results in a successful outcome if the processor determines said attempt results in a successful outcome and wherein the number of attempts can be greater than the number of successful outcomes; and

an individual award provided to the player for each successful outcome.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein for each attempt, the processor randomly determines if said attempt results in one of the successful outcomes.

3. The gaming device of claim 2, wherein for each attempt, the processor employs a probability in determining whether said attempt results in one of the successful outcomes.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes an attempt producing device displayed by the display device which initiates the attempt on the display device after the player activates the player interface.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes an object displayed by the display device which is effected by the attempt which results in one of the successful outcomes.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the awards is a wild symbol.

7. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the wild symbol increases an average value of at least one subsequently obtained award.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the number of successful outcomes is determined by at least one designated symbol appearing on at least one reel in the game.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the number of successful outcomes is determined by at least one designated card appearing in the game.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the event involving player skill includes the player having to time the activation of the player interface.

11. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the event involving player skill includes the player having to aim at an object using the player interface.

12. A gaming device controlled by a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a display device controlled by the processor;

a player interface operable to communicate with the processor;

a game controlled by the processor and operable upon a wager by a player;

a bonus round triggered in the game, said bonus round controlled by the processor and including a number of successful outcomes provided to the player, said number being at least two;

a number of attempts at producing the successful outcomes individually determined in the bonus round, said number of attempts determined by how many attempts are needed for the processor to produce said number of successful outcomes in the bonus round, each attempt including the player activating the player interface, wherein the processor'"'"'s determination if each attempt is successful is without regard to correct timing or correct aiming by the player using the player interface and wherein the number of attempts can be greater than the number of successful outcomes; and

an individual award provided to the player for each successful outcome.

13. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein for each attempt, the processor randomly determines whether said attempt results in one of the successful outcomes.

14. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein for each attempt, the processor employs a probability of determining whether said attempt results in one of said successful outcomes.

15. The gaming device of claim 12, which includes an attempt producing device displayed by the display device which initiates the attempt on the display device after the player activates the player interface.

16. The gaming device of claim 12, which includes an object displayed by the display device which is effected by one of the attempts which results in one of the successful outcomes.

17. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein at least one of the awards is a wild symbol.

18. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the wild symbol increases an average value of subsequently obtained awards.

19. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the number of successful outcomes is determined by at least one designated symbol appearing on at least one reel in the game.

20. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the number of successful outcomes is determined by at least one designated card appearing in the game.

21. A method of operating a gaming device having a game operable upon a wager by a player, said method comprising:

(a) initiating a bonus round upon a triggering event in the game;

(b) determining a number of successful outcomes to be individually provided to the player in the bonus round, said number being at least two;

(c) providing a number of attempts at an event involving player skill to the player, which includes enabling the player to initiate each attempt at the event by activating a player interface, wherein said number of attempts is determined by how many attempts are needed for said number of successful outcomes to be produced, wherein each attempt by the player results in a successful outcome if said attempt is determined to be a successful outcome and wherein the number of attempts can be greater than then number of successful outcomes; and

(d) providing an individual award to the player for each successful outcome.

22. The method of claim 21, which includes for each attempt, randomly determining if said attempt by the player results in one of the successful outcomes.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein for each attempt, said random determination is based on a probability of randomly generating one of the successful outcomes.

24. The method of claim 21, which includes displaying an attempt producing object which initiates the attempt after the player activates the player interface.

25. The method of claim 21, which includes displaying an object which is effected by the attempt after one of the successful outcomes occurs.

26. The method of claim 21, which includes determining the number of successful outcomes based on at least one designated symbol appearing on at least one reel of the game.

27. The method of claim 21, which includes determining the number of successful outcomes based on at least one designated card appearing in the game.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the event involving player skill includes the player having to time the activation of the player interface.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the event involving player skill includes the player having to aim using the player interface.

30. A method of operating a gaming device having a game operable upon a wager by a player, said method comprising:

(a) initiating a bonus round triggered in the game

(b) determining a number of successful outcomes to be provided to the player, said number being at least two;

(c) providing the player a number of attempts at producing the successful outcomes, said number of attempts determined by how many attempts are needed to produce said number of successful outcomes, each attempt including the player activating a player interface to cause an action to occur in an event at least partially involving player skill;

(d) displaying said events including whether said attempts produce said successful outcomes; and

(e) providing an individual award to the player for each said successful outcome.

31. The method of claim 30, which includes for each attempt, randomly determining whether said attempt results in one of the successful outcomes.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein for each attempt, said determination of whether an attempt results in one of the successful outcomes is based on a probability of generating one of the successful outcomes.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein determining if each attempt is one of the successful outcomes is completely without regard to correct timing of activation of the player interface by the player.

34. The method of claim 30, which includes displaying an attempt producing device initiating the attempt when the player activates the player interface.

35. The method of claim 30, which includes displaying an object being effected by the attempt when one of the successful outcomes occurs.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein the number of successful outcomes is determined by at least one designated symbol appearing on at least one reel in the game.

37. The method of claim 30, wherein the number of successful outcomes is determined by at least one designated card appearing in the game.

38. A method of operating a gaming device having a game operable upon a wager by a player, said method comprising:

(a) initiating a bonus round triggered in the game

(b) determining a number of successful outcomes to be provided to the player, said number being at least two;

(c) providing the player a number of attempts at producing the successful outcomes, said number of attempts determined by how many attempts are needed to produce said number of successful outcomes, each attempt including the player aiming using a player interface to cause an action to occur in an event;

(d) displaying said events including whether said attempts produce said successful outcomes; and

(e) providing an individual award to the player for each successful outcome.

39. The method of claim 38, which includes for each attempt, randomly determining whether said attempt results in one of the successful outcomes.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein for each attempt, said determination of whether an attempt results in one of the successful outcomes is based on a probability of generating one of the successful outcomes.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein determining if each attempt is one of the successful outcomes is completely without regard to correct aiming by the player using the player interface.

42. The method of claim 38, which includes displaying an attempt producing device initiating the attempt when the player activates the player interface.

43. The method of claim 38, which includes displaying an object being effected by the attempt when one of the successful outcomes occurs.

44. The method of claim 38, wherein the number of successful outcomes is determined by at least one designated symbol appearing on at least one reel in the game.

45. The method of claim 38, wherein the number of successful outcomes is determined by at least one designated card appearing in the game.

46. A method of operating a gaming device having a game operable upon a wager by a player, said method comprising:

(a) initiating a bonus round triggered in the game

(b) determining a number of successful outcomes to be provided to the player, said number being at least two;

(c) providing the player a number of attempts at producing the successful outcomes, said number of attempts determined by how many attempts are needed to produce said number of successful outcomes, each attempt including the player timing an activation of a player interface to cause an action to occur in an event;

(d) displaying said events including whether said attempts produce said successful outcomes; and

(e) providing an individual award to the player for each successful outcome.

47. The method of claim 46, which includes for each attempt, randomly determining whether said attempt results in one of the successful outcomes.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein for each attempt, said determination of whether an attempt results in one of the successful outcomes is based on a probability of generating one of the successful outcomes.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein determining if each attempt is one of the successful outcomes is completely without regard to correct timing by the player of the player interface.

50. The method of claim 46, which includes displaying an attempt producing device initiating the attempt when the player activates the player interface.

51. The method of claim 46, which includes displaying an object being effected by the attempt when one of the successful outcomes occurs.

52. The method of claim 46, wherein the number of successful outcomes is determined by at least one designated symbol appearing on at least one reel in the game.

53. The method of claim 46 wherein the number of successful outcomes is determined by at least one designated card appearing in the game.