System and method for presenting payouts in gaming systems

• US 20050119039A1
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: King Show Games, LLC
• Original Assignee: King Show Games, LLC
• Inventors: Martin, Adam, Berman, Bradley
• Granted Patent: US 8,282,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• 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 17/3267 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 17/3286 Type of games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A system, apparatus and method for presenting payouts in primary and/or secondary gaming activities. A plurality of concentric wheels, rings, or other shapes are provided, where each includes a plurality of different symbols, numbers, or other indicia that can be used as a part of a collective payout award. The wheels, rings, or shapes are rotated, and at least one segment designator is provided to demarcate segments of each wheel, ring, or shape as an active segment when the wheels, rings, or shapes stop spinning. The payout amount is based on the aggregate of the symbols, numbers, and/or other indicia presented via the segment designator(s) when the spinning wheels, rings, or shapes have come to rest. In an alternate embodiment, the segment designators are rotated, and demarcate segments of each wheel, ring, or shape as an active segment when the segment designators stop spinning.

Claims

1. A method for presenting gaming payouts, comprising:

rotating a plurality of concentric shapes, wherein each of the concentric shapes includes indicia representative of a portion of a collective payout result;

stopping the rotation of the plurality of concentric shapes;

demarcating at least one segment on each of the plurality of concentric shapes as part of the collective payout result; and

determining the collective payout result based on an aggregation of the indicia presented via the demarcated segments.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein stopping the rotation of the plurality of concentric shapes comprises stopping all the concentric shapes simultaneously.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein stopping the rotation of the plurality of concentric shapes comprises stopping at least some of the concentric shapes individually.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein stopping the rotation of the plurality of concentric shapes comprises stopping each of the concentric shapes individually in response to a player input.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the rotation of the plurality of concentric shapes stops automatically after a predetermined spin time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein rotating the plurality of concentric shapes comprises rotating each shape of the plurality of concentric shapes in an opposite direction to any adjacent shape of the plurality of concentric shapes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein rotating the plurality of concentric shapes comprises rotating a first shape of the plurality of concentric shapes in an opposite direction to an adjacent shape of the plurality of concentric shapes.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method for presenting gaming payouts is provided as a primary gaming activity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method for presenting gaming payouts is provided as a bonus activity resulting from occurrence of a predetermined event in a primary gaming activity.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the collective payout result comprises using a demarcated indicia from each of the concentric shapes in succession to construct a multi-digit numeral.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein demarcating at least one segment comprises framing an area comprising substantially aligned ones of the segments on each of the plurality of concentric shapes as part of the collective payout result.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein demarcating at least one segment comprises using a single demarcation element to frame a plurality of substantially aligned ones of the segments on each of the plurality of concentric shapes as part of the collective payout result.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein demarcating at least one segment comprises using a plurality of demarcation elements to frame a plurality of the segments on each of the plurality of concentric shapes as part of the collective payout result.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the rotating of the plurality of concentric shapes, stopping the rotation of the plurality of concentric shapes, demarcating at least one segment on each of the plurality of concentric shapes, and determining the collective payout result based on an aggregation of the demarcated segments, until a predetermined event occurs.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the indicia on at least one of the shapes comprises a termination symbol, and wherein the occurrence of the predetermined event comprises presentation of the termination symbol within at least one of the demarcated segments.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the indicia on at least one of the shapes comprises a termination symbol, and wherein the occurrence of the predetermined event comprises presentation of the termination symbol within at least one of the demarcated segments a predetermined number of times.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicia comprises a plurality of different symbol types, and wherein determining the collective payout result based on an aggregation of the indicia presented via the demarcated segments comprises determining the collective payout result based on an aggregation of a common symbol type presented via the demarcated segments.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the collective payout result further comprises comparing the aggregation of the common symbol type with a pay table.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicia comprises at least numeric values and multiplier values, and wherein determining the collective payout result comprises multiplying a numeric value presented in the demarcated segments by a multiplier presented in the demarcated segments.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicia comprises numeric values, and wherein determining the collective payout result comprises forming a multi-digit numeral from the numeric values associated with the demarcated segments.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicia comprises numeric values, and wherein determining the collective payout result comprises adding the numeric values associated with the demarcated segments to arrive at the collective payout result.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein plurality of concentric shapes comprise a plurality of concentric wheels.

23. A method for presenting gaming payouts, comprising:

providing a plurality of concentric indicia representative of a payout result;

rotating a plurality of demarcating elements, each demarcating element demarcating at least a portion of one or more of the plurality of concentric indicia;

stopping the rotation of the plurality of demarcating elements; and

determining the payout result based on the demarcated portions of the plurality of concentric indicia.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein stopping the rotation of the plurality of demarcating elements comprises stopping all the demarcating elements simultaneously.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein stopping the rotation of the plurality of demarcating elements comprises stopping each of the plurality of demarcating elements individually.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein stopping the rotation of the plurality of demarcating elements comprises stopping each of the plurality of demarcating elements individually in response to a player input.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the rotation of the plurality of demarcating elements stops automatically after a predetermined spin time.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein rotating the plurality of demarcating elements comprises rotating each demarcating element of the plurality of demarcating elements in an opposite direction to any adjacent demarcating element of the plurality of demarcating elements.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein rotating the plurality of demarcating elements comprises rotating a demarcating element of the plurality of demarcating elements in an opposite direction to an adjacent demarcating element of the plurality of demarcating elements.

30. The method of claim 23, comprising rotating the plurality of concentric indicia while rotating the plurality of demarcating elements.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein the method for presenting gaming payouts is provided as a primary gaming activity.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein the method for presenting gaming payouts is provided as a bonus activity resulting from occurrence of a predetermined event in a primary gaming activity.

33. An apparatus for presenting gaming payouts, comprising:

a plurality of rotatable concentric wheels, wherein each of the concentric wheels includes indicia representative of a portion of a collective payout result;

at least one segment designator positioned proximate the plurality of concentric wheels to identify the indicia associated with the collective payout result when the plurality of concentric wheels cease rotation; and

a processor configured to control cessation of rotation of the concentric wheels to position the indicia associated with the collective payout result at the at least one segment designator.

34. The apparatus as in claim 33, wherein the processor comprises a random number generation module to determine which of the indicia on each of the concentric wheels is to be associated with the collective payout result at the at least one segment designator.

35. An apparatus for presenting gaming payouts, comprising:

a plurality of rotatable shapes, rotatable about a common axis through the face of each of the plurality of rotatable shapes, wherein each of the rotatable shapes includes indicia representative of a portion of a collective payout result;

at least one segment designator positioned proximate the plurality of concentric wheels to identify the indicia associated with the collective payout result when the plurality of rotatable shapes cease rotation; and

a processor configured to control cessation of rotation of the rotatable shapes to position the indicia associated with the collective payout result at the at least one segment designator.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the plurality of rotatable shapes are stacked.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein one or more of the plurality of rotatable shapes are positioned within an inner diameter of other ones of the plurality of rotatable shapes.

38. An apparatus for presenting gaming payouts, comprising:

a plurality of rotatable concentric shapes, wherein each of the concentric shapes includes at least some numerals representative of a portion of a collective payout result;

at least one segment designator positioned proximate the plurality of concentric shapes to identify the numerals associated with the collective payout result when the plurality of concentric shapes cease rotation; and

a processor configured to control cessation of rotation of the concentric shapes to position the numerals associated with the collective payout result at the at least one segment designator;

wherein the collective payout result is formed using each of the numerals in succession to construct a multi-digit numeral.

39. The apparatus as in claim 38, wherein the plurality of rotatable concentric shapes comprise a plurality of concentric wheels rotatable about a common axis positioned substantially through the center of a face of each of the plurality of rotatable concentric wheels.

40. A method for presenting gaming payouts, comprising:

rotating a plurality of concentric wheels, wherein each of the concentric wheels includes at least some numerals representative of a portion of a collective payout result;

demarcating at least one segment on each of the plurality of concentric wheels as part of the collective payout result when rotation of the concentric wheels ceases; and

determining the collective payout result by forming a multi-digit numeral from the numerals associated with the demarcated segment.

41. A gaming device, comprising:

a plurality of concentric indicia representative of a payout result;

a plurality of demarcating elements, each demarcating element demarcating at least a portion of one or more of the plurality of concentric indicia;

means for rotating one or both of the plurality of concentric indicia and the plurality of demarcating elements;

means for stopping the rotation of one or both of the plurality of concentric indicia and the plurality of demarcating elements; and

means for determining the payout result based on the demarcated portions of the plurality of concentric indicia.

42. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for executing a method for presenting gaming payouts, the computer-executable instructions performing steps comprising:

providing a plurality of concentric indicia representative of a payout result;

providing a plurality of demarcating elements, each demarcating element demarcating at least a portion of one or more of the plurality of concentric indicia;

rotating one or both of the plurality of concentric indicia and the plurality of demarcating elements;

stopping the rotation of one or both of the plurality of concentric indicia and the plurality of demarcating elements; and

determining the payout result based on the demarcated portions of the plurality of concentric indicia.