Gaming device having multiple selectable display interfaces based on player's wagers

• US 20050096121A1
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Laakso, Jeffrey P., Kaminkow, Joseph E., Vasquez, James A., Gilliland, John G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,699,699 B2
• 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 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3265 Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding

Abstract

An apparatus and method for displaying multiple gaming device interfaces for the same wagering game is provided. The game can be slot although other wagering games are also within the scope of the present invention. In one embodiment, the exact same game is played using one of a plurality of different display interfaces, wherein the gaming device enables the player to select which interface to play. The player can play the game for a while using one interface and then switch interfaces to provide a fresh display or to change the player'"'"'s luck. The player can then switch back to the original interface or select a brand new interface depending upon how many interfaces overall are provided.

Claims

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

a game controlled by the processor including a plurality of reels and a plurality of paylines associated with the reels;

at least one input device operable to enable a player to select one, a plurality or all of said paylines and to wager an amount on the selected paylines;

a plurality of different interfaces for said game wherein each interface is associated with a plurality of different symbols and a plurality of the symbols in each interface have an identical function to each corresponding symbol of another interface, wherein the interface employed in said game is determined based, at least in part, on the number of paylines wagered on by the player;

a plurality of different paytables wherein each of the paytables includes different awards for said symbols or combinations of said symbols with identical functions, wherein the paytable employed in the game is determined, at least in part, on the number of paylines wagered on by the player; and

a display device controlled by the processor adapted to display the determined interface and to provide an outcome for the game to the player based on the determined paytable.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different interfaces includes a first interface and a second different interface, wherein the gaming device employs the first interface when the player wagers on a first number of paylines and wherein the gaming device employs the second interface when the player wagers on a second different number of paylines.

3. The gaming device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of different paytables includes a first paytable and a second different paytable, wherein the gaming device employs the first paytable when the player wagers on a first number of paylines and wherein the gaming device employs the second paytable when the player wagers on a second different number of paylines.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different paytables includes a first paytable and a second different paytable, wherein the gaming device employs the first paytable when the player wagers on a first number of paylines and wherein the gaming device employs the second paytable when the player wagers on a second different number of paylines.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the interfaces include a plurality of different characteristics.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein all of the symbols in each interface perform an identical function with respect to corresponding symbols in the other interfaces.

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

a game controlled by the processor including a plurality of reels and a plurality of paylines associated with the reels;

at least one input device operable to enable a player to select one, a plurality or all of said paylines and to wager an amount on the selected paylines;

a plurality of different interfaces for said game wherein each interface is associated with a plurality of different symbols and a plurality of the symbols in each interface have an identical function to each corresponding symbol of another interface, wherein the interface employed in said game is determined based, at least in part, on the amount wagered on each selected payline;

a plurality of different paytables wherein each of the paytables includes different awards for said symbols or combinations of said symbols with identical functions, wherein the paytable employed in the game is determined, at least in part, on the amount wagered on each selected payline; and

a display device controlled by the processor adapted to display the determined interface and to provide an outcome for the game to the player based on the determined paytable.

8. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of different interfaces includes a first interface and a second different interface, wherein the gaming device employs the first interface when the player wagers a first amount on the selected paylines and wherein the gaming device employs the second interface when the player wagers a second different amount on the selected paylines.

9. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of different paytables includes a first paytable and a second different paytable, wherein the gaming device employs the first paytable when the player wagers a first amount on the selected paylines and wherein the gaming device employs the second paytable when the player wagers a second different amount on the selected paylines.

10. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of different paytables includes a first paytable and a second different paytable, wherein the gaming device employs the first paytable when the player wagers a first wager amount on the selected paylines and wherein the gaming device employs the second paytable when the player wagers a second wager amount on the selected paylines.

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

a display device controlled by the processor;

a primary game controlled by the processor;

a plurality of different game display interfaces displayable by the display device to represent said primary game to a player, wherein each interface includes a plurality of different symbols, wherein the symbols in each interface perform an identical function in the primary game with respect to corresponding symbols in the other interfaces;

a plurality of different paytables wherein each of the paytables includes different awards for said symbols or combinations of said symbols with identical functions; and

a wager amount wagered by the player that causes the display device to change from displaying one of the interfaces for said primary game to another one of the interfaces for said primary game and wherein the wager amount causes the paytable employed in the primary game to change to another one of the paytables for said primary game.

12. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein one of the interfaces includes one characteristic when the player'"'"'s wager amount is a first value, the interface changes characteristics when the player'"'"'s wager amount is a second value, and the interface changes characteristics again when the player'"'"'s wager amount is a third value.

13. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the symbols associated with said interfaces are visually different for each interface.

14. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the paytable employed for said primary game is a first paytable when the player'"'"'s wager amount is a first value.

15. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the paytable employed for said primary game changes to a second paytable when the player'"'"'s wager amount is a second different value.

16. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the paytable employed for said primary game changes to a third paytable when the player'"'"'s wager amount is a third different value.

17. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the symbols in said interfaces change when the player'"'"'s wager changes.

18. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the change in said interface and the change in said paytable are based on the player'"'"'s wager amount per payline.

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

a display device controlled by the processor;

a primary game controlled by the processor;

a plurality of different game display interfaces for said game to represent said primary game to a player,

a plurality of different symbols in each interface, wherein the symbols in each interface perform an identical function in the primary game with respect to corresponding symbols in the other interfaces; and

a plurality of different paytables wherein each of the paytables includes different awards for said symbols or combinations of said symbols with identical functions, wherein said paytable and said interface change to another one of said paytables and another one of said interfaces when a designated wager amount is wagered by the player.

20. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the interface changes characteristics each time the player'"'"'s wager changes to a different designated amount.

21. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the interfaces change with each change in the wager amount.

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

(a) providing a game including a plurality of reels and a plurality of paylines associated with the reels;

(b) enabling a player to select one, a plurality or all of said paylines and to wager an amount on the selected paylines;

(c) providing a plurality of different interfaces for said game wherein each interface is associated with a plurality of different symbols and a plurality of the symbols in each interface have an identical function to each corresponding symbol of another interface, wherein the interface employed in said game is determined based, at least in part, on the number of paylines wagered on by the player;

(d) displaying the determined interface in said game;

(e) providing a plurality of different paytables for said game wherein each of the paytables includes different awards for said symbols or combinations of said symbols with identical functions, wherein the paytable employed in the game is determined based, at least in part, on the number of paylines wagered on by the player; and

(f) providing an outcome for the game to the player, wherein said outcome is based, at least in part, on the determined paytable.

23. The method of claim 22, which includes displaying a first interface when the player wagers on a first number of paylines and displaying a second different interface when the player wagers on a second different number of paylines.

24. The method of claim 22, which includes providing a first paytable when the player wagers on a first number of paylines and a second different paytable when the player wagers on a second different number of paylines.

25. The method of claim 24, which includes providing a first paytable when the player wagers on a first number of paylines and a second different paytable when the player wagers on a second different number of paylines.

26. The method of claim 22, which is provided to the player through a data network.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the data network is an internet.

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

(a) providing a game including a plurality of reels and a plurality of paylines associated with the reels;

(b) enabling a player to select one, a plurality or all of said paylines and to wager an amount on the selected paylines;

(c) providing a plurality of different interfaces for said game wherein each interface is associated with a plurality of different symbols and a plurality of the symbols in each interface have an identical function to each corresponding symbol of another interface, wherein the interface employed in said game is determined based, at least in part, on the amount wagered on each selected payline;

(d) displaying the determined interface in said game;

(e) providing a plurality of different paytables for said game wherein each of the paytables includes different awards for said symbols or combinations of said symbols with identical functions, wherein the paytable employed in the game is determined, at least in part, on the amount wagered on each selected payline; and

(f) providing an outcome for the game to the player, wherein said outcome is based, at least in part, on the determined paytable.

29. The method of claim 28, which includes displaying a first interface when the player wagers a first amount on the selected paylines and displaying a second different interface when the player wagers a second different amount on the selected paylines.

30. The method of claim 29, which includes providing a first paytable when the player wagers on a first amount on the selected paylines and a second different paytable when the player wagers a second different amount on the selected paylines.

31. The method of claim 28, which includes providing a first paytable when the player wagers a first amount on the selected paylines and a second different paytable when the player wagers a second different amount on the selected paylines.

32. The method of claim 28, which is provided to the player through a data network.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the data network is an internet.

34. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising;

(a) providing a primary game;

(b) providing a plurality of different game display interfaces operable to be displayed by a display device to represent said primary game to a player, wherein each interface includes a plurality of different symbols, wherein the symbols in each interface perform an identical function in the primary game with respect to corresponding symbols in the other interfaces; and

(d) enabling the player to wager a wager amount;

(e) causing the display device to change from displaying one of the interfaces for said primary game to another one of the interfaces for said primary game based, at least in part, on the wager amount;

(f) providing a plurality of paytables for said primary game wherein each of the paytables include different awards for said symbols or combinations of said symbols with identical functions; and

(g) changing the paytable employed from one of the paytables to another one of the paytables based, at least in part, on the wager amount.

35. The method of claim 34, which includes providing a first characteristic of the interface when the player'"'"'s wager is a first value, changing the characteristic of the interface when the player'"'"'s wager is a second value, and changing the characteristic of the interface when the player'"'"'s wager is a third value.

36. The method of claim 34, which includes employing a first paytable for said primary game when the player'"'"'s wager is a first value.

37. The method of claim 36, which includes changing the paytable and employing a second the paytable for said primary game when the player'"'"'s wager amount is a second different value.

38. The method of claim 34, which includes changing the paytable and employing a third paytable for said primary game when the player'"'"'s wager amount is a third different value.

39. The method of claim 34, which includes changing the symbols in said interfaces when the player'"'"'s wager amount changes.

40. The method of claim 34, which includes basing the change of the interface and the paytable on the player'"'"'s wager amount per payline.

41. The method of claim 34, which includes providing different characteristics for the interfaces.

42. The method of claim 34, which is provided to the player through a data network.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the data network is an internet.

44. The method of claim 34, which includes providing visually different symbols for each interface.

45. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising;

(a) providing a primary game;

(b) providing a plurality of different game display interfaces to represent said primary game to a player;

(c) providing a plurality of different symbols in each interface, wherein the symbols in each interface perform an identical function in the primary game with respect to each of the corresponding symbols in the other interfaces;

(d) providing a plurality of different paytables wherein each of the paytables includes different awards for said symbols or combinations of said symbols with identical functions associated with said primary game; and

(e) enabling a player to wager a plurality of different wager amounts, wherein each of the wager amounts are associated with one of the paytables and one of the interfaces.

46. The method of claim 45, which includes a first wager amount causing the display of a first interface and causing the employment of a first paytable.

47. The method of claim 46, which includes a second wager amount causing the display of a second different interface and causing the employment of a second different paytable.

48. The method of claim 47, which includes a third wager amount causing the display a third different interface and causing the employment of a third different paytable.

49. The method of claim 45, which is provided to the player through a data network.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the data network is an internet.