Bonus game

• US 20040248639A1
• Filed: 07/14/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Slomiany, Scott D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,601,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• 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 17/3262 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

Abstract

A game for a gaming machine having a plurality of different items to be selected by a player, each item having a value in an amount preset for a given bonus round, and a respective initial quantity in a preset amount. The player selects an item, such as one of many items for purchase in a store, and the value for that item is registered, along with subtraction of a unit from the quantity of that item. Provided that the quantity for that item selected is not then zero, the player continues to select another item, with registration of the value for that item and subtraction until an item is selected thereby having a zero quantity.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

a game;

a plurality of outcomes in said game;

a plurality of different selections in said game, wherein each of said selections is associated with one of said outcomes, each of said selections is associated with a quantity that starts at an initial quantity and at least one of said initial quantities is greater than one;

a display device operable to display said game; and

a processor operable with said display device to control a play of said game by;

(a) causing one of said selections to be picked, wherein at least one of said selections may be picked a plurality of times;

(b) displaying the outcome associated with said picked selection;

(c) providing the revealed outcome to a player;

(d) reducing the quantity associated with said picked selection; and

(e) repeating steps (a) to (d) until the reduced quantity associated with one of said picked selections is a designated quantity.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said initial quantities are greater than one.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each of said initial quantities is greater than one.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said designated quantity is zero.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the initial quantity associated with at least one of said selections is revealed to the player before the any of said selections are picked.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the outcome associated with at least one of said selections is revealed to the player before any of said selections are picked.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to control the play of said game by enabling the player to pick said selections.

8. A gaming device comprising:

a game;

a plurality of awards in said game;

a plurality of different selections in said game, wherein each of said selections is associated with one of said awards, each of said selections is associated with a quantity that starts at an initial quantity and at least one of said initial quantities is greater than one;

at least one terminator in said game;

a display device operable to display said game; and

a processor operable with said display device to control a play of said game by;

(a) causing one of said selections to be picked, wherein at least one of said selections may be picked a plurality of times;

(b) reducing the quantity associated with said picked selection;

(c) determining if the reduced quantity associated with said picked selection is a designated quantity;

(d) if the reduced quantity associated with said picked selection is said designated quantity, associating one of said terminators with said picked selection;

(e) displaying he award and any terminator associated with said picked selection;

(f) providing the revealed award to a player; and

(g) repeating steps (a) to (f) until at least one terminator is revealed.

9. The gaming device of claim 8, which includes a plurality of terminators.

10. The gaming device of claim 9, wherein said processor is operable to control the play of the game by repeating steps (a) to (f) until a plurality of terminators are revealed.

11. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein a plurality of said initial quantities are greater than one.

12. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein each of said initial quantities is greater than one.

13. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein said designated quantity is zero.

14. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the initial quantity associated with at least one of said selections is revealed to the player before any of said selections are picked.

15. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the award associated with at least one of said selections is revealed to the player before any of said selections are picked.

16. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the processor is operable to control the play of said game by enabling the player to pick said selections.

17. A gaming device operable under the control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a game;

a designated quantity in said game;

a plurality of different items in said game, wherein each of said items is associated with a quantity that starts at an initial quantity, a plurality of different initial quantities are each greater than said designated quantity and each picked item reduces the quantity associated with said picked item;

a terminating event in said game, wherein said terminating event occurs when the quantity of one of said items is reduced to the designated quantity;

at least one award provided to a player in said game, wherein each provided award is based on one of the items picked before the occurrence of said terminating event; and

a display device operable with said processor to display said game.

18. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein each of said different initial quantities are greater than said designated quantity.

19. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein each of said items are picked by the player.

20. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein said designated quantity is zero items.

21. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the initial quantity associated with at least one of said items is revealed to the player before any of said items are picked.

22. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein at least one of said awards is revealed to the player before any of said items are picked.

23. A gaming device operable under the control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a game;

a plurality of different selections in said game, wherein each selection is associated with a number of times said selection may be picked and at least one selection is associated with a number of times greater than one that said selection may be picked;

a terminating condition in said game, wherein said terminating condition occurs when one of the selections has been picked the associated number of times said selection may be picked;

at least one award provided to a player in said game, wherein each provided award is based on one of the selections picked before the occurrence of said terminating condition; and

a display device operable with said processor to display said game.

24. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein a plurality of said selections are associated with a number of times greater than one that each of said selections may be picked.

25. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein each of said selections is associated with a number of times greater than one that each of said selections may be picked.

26. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein terminating condition occurs when at least one of said selections has been picked one time.

27. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein the number of times one of said selections may be picked is revealed to the player before any of said selections are picked.

28. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein at least one of said awards is revealed to the player before any of said selections are picked.

29. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) causing a pick of one of a plurality of different selections, wherein each of said selections is associated with one of a plurality of outcomes, each of said selections is associated with a quantity that starts at an initial quantity, at least one of said initial quantities is greater than one and at least one of said selections may be picked a plurality of times;

(b) displaying the outcome associated with said picked selection;

(c) providing the displayed outcome to a player;

(d) reducing the quantity associated with said picked selection; and

(e) repeating steps (a) to (d) until the quantity associated with one of said picked selections is a designated quantity.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein a plurality of said initial quantities are greater than one.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein each of said initial quantities is greater than one.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein said designated quantity is zero.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the initial quantity associated with at least one of said selections is revealed to the player before any of said selections are picked.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the outcome associated with at least one of said selections is revealed to the player before any of said selections are picked.

35. The method of claim 29, which includes enabling the player to pick said selections.

36. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) causing a pick of one of a plurality of different selections, wherein each of said selections is associated with one of a plurality of awards, each of said selections is associated with a quantity that starts at an initial quantity, at least one of said initial quantities is greater than one and at least one of said selections may be picked a plurality of times;

(b) reducing the quantity associated with said picked selection;

(c) determining if the reduced quantity associated with said picked selection is a designated quantity;

(d) if the reduced quantity associated with said picked selection is said designated quantity, associating a terminator with said picked selection;

(e) displaying the award and any terminator associated with said picked selection;

(f) providing the displayed award to a player; and

(g) repeating steps (a) to (f) until at least one terminator is revealed.

37. The method of claim 36, which includes repeating steps (a) to (f) until a plurality of terminators are displayed.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein a plurality of said initial quantities are greater than one.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein each of said initial quantities is greater than one.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein said designated quantity is zero.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein the initial quantity associated with at least one of said selections is revealed to the player before any of said selections are picked.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein the award associated with at least one of said selections is displayed to the player before any of said selections are picked.

43. The method of claim 36, which includes enabling the player to pick said selections.

44. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) displaying a plurality of different items as consumer products for purchase, wherein each of said items is associated with a value, each of said items has a quantity that starts at an initial quantity greater than zero and a plurality of said initial quantities are greater than one;

(b) enabling a player to select one of said different items;

(c) registering the value associated with each player selected item;

(d) reducing the quantity associated with said selected item by one; and

(e) repeating steps (a) to (d) until the quantity associated with one of said items is zero, wherein for each subsequent selection, the player is enabled to reselect one of said items which was previously selected by the player.