Entertainment machines

• US 20040259625A1
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Barcrest Group Limited (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Barcrest Group Limited (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Randall, Dov Liam
• Granted Patent: US 7,699,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A coin-operated player operable entertainment machine has a main display device, such as rotatable symbol-bearing reels, which selects a combination of symbols at a win zone after a game-play stake has been credited. Some symbols are bonus symbols which can initiate a bonus feature if at predetermined win zone positions. The game-play stake can be changed by the player to change options for attaining the bonus feature. The arrangement may be such that an increase in stake value results in an increase in the number of predetermined positions which correspond to initiation of the bonus feature.

Claims

1. A gaming machine operable upon a wager, the gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet;

at least one display device supported by the cabinet;

a main game including;

(a) an opportunity for a player to obtain an award; and

(b) a plurality of reels operable to display a plurality of symbols, each of the reels having a plurality of display positions for a plurality of the symbols and each of the reels operable to display one of the symbols at each of the display positions of said reel;

a bonus feature including an opportunity for the player to receive a bonus award;

a plurality of different conditions usable to cause the bonus feature to begin, each of the conditions requiring that one or more of the symbols be displayed at a designated one or more of the display positions on one or more of the reels;

an input device enabling the player to input a desired one of a plurality of different wager levels for a play of the main game; and

a control unit, in communication with the input device, operable to;

(a) determine the wager level input by the player;

(b) determine how many or which ones of the conditions are to be used, said determination based on the wager level input by the player; and

(c) use the determined one or more conditions to control whether the bonus feature will begin.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the conditions include at least one condition requiring a display of a designated one of the symbols at any one of the display positions of any one of the reels.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the conditions include a condition selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a condition requiring a display of a designated combination of the symbols on the display positions of a plurality of the reels; and

(b) a condition requiring a display of a designated combination of the symbols on designated display positions of a plurality of the reels.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein a designated one of the wager levels is associated with a designated quantity of the conditions and a higher one of the wager levels is associated with a higher quantity of the conditions, wherein the control unit uses said associations to determine how many of the conditions are to be used.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the reels include a reel selected from the group consisting of a mechanical reel and a video-simulated reel.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the award and the bonus award are each associated with a payout.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, which includes an indicator displayed by the display device, wherein, after the player'"'"'s input of the desired wager level and before the play of the main game, the indicator indicates information to the player related to the determined one or more conditions.

8. A gaming machine operable upon a wager, the gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet;

at least one display device supported by the cabinet;

a main game including;

(a) an opportunity for a player to obtain an award; and

(b) a plurality of reels operable to display a plurality of symbols, each of the reels having a plurality of display positions for a plurality of the symbols and each of the reels operable to display one of the symbols at each of the display positions of said reel;

a bonus feature including an opportunity for the player to receive a bonus award;

a plurality of different conditions usable to cause the bonus feature to begin, each of the conditions requiring that one or more of the symbols be displayed at a designated one or more of the display positions on one or more of the reels;

an input device enabling the player to input a desired one of a plurality of different wager levels for a play of the main game; and

a control unit, in communication with the input device, operable to;

(a) determine the wager level input by the player; and

(b) determine how many of the conditions are to be used, said determination based on the wager level input by the player; and

(c) use the determined conditions to control whether the bonus feature will begin; and

an indicator displayed by the display device, wherein, after the player'"'"'s input of the desired wager level and before the play of the main game, the indicator indicates information to the player related to the determined conditions.

9. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the conditions include at least one condition requiring a display of a designated one of the symbols at any one of the display positions of any one of the reels.

10. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the conditions include a condition selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a condition requiring a display of a designated combination of the symbols on the display positions of a plurality of the reels; and

(b) a condition requiring a display of a designated combination of the symbols on designated display positions of a plurality of the reels.

11. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein a designated one of the wager levels is associated with a designated quantity of the conditions and a higher one of the wager levels is associated with a higher quantity of the conditions, wherein the control unit uses said associations to determine how many of the conditions are to be used.

12. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the reels include a reel selected from the group consisting of a mechanical reel and a video-simulated reel.

13. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the award and the bonus award are each associated with a payout.

14. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the plurality of different wager levels include a plurality of different levels of stake values.

15. A method for operating a gaming machine, the method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to place a wager;

(b) providing the player with an opportunity in a main game to obtain an award;

(c) displaying a plurality of reels in the main game, the reels operable to display a plurality of symbols, each of the reels having a plurality of display positions for a plurality of the symbols and each of the reels operable to display one of the symbols at each of the display positions of said reel;

(d) providing the player with an opportunity to receive a bonus award in a bonus feature;

(e) providing a plurality of different conditions usable to cause the bonus feature to begin, each of the conditions requiring that one or more of the symbols be displayed at a designated one or more of the display positions on one or more of the reels;

(e) enabling the player to input a desired one of a plurality of different wager levels for a play of the main game;

(g) causing a control unit to determine the wager level input by the player;

(h) causing the control unit to determine how many or which ones of the conditions are to be used, said determination based on the wager level input by the player; and

(i) causing the control unit to use the determined one or more conditions to control whether the bonus feature will begin.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein providing a plurality of different conditions includes providing at least one condition requiring a display of a designated one of the symbols at any one of the display positions of any one of the reels.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein providing a plurality of different conditions includes providing a condition selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a condition requiring a display of a designated combination of the symbols on the display positions of a plurality of the reels; and

(b) a condition requiring a display of a designated combination of the symbols on designated display positions of a plurality of the reels.

18. The method of claim 15, which includes:

(a) associating a designated one of the wager levels with a designated quantity of the conditions and (b) associating a higher one of the wager levels with a higher quantity of the conditions wherein the control unit uses said associations to determine how many of the conditions are to be used.

19. The method of claim 15, which includes providing a payout.

20. The method of claim 15, which includes indicating information to the player after the player'"'"'s input of the desired wager level and before the play of the main game, the information relating to the determined one or more conditions.