Electronic game apparatus and method providing a secondary game triggered apart from a primary game

• US 20050148383A1
• Filed: 01/07/2004
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Mayeroff, Jason M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,144,321 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 17/3267 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: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A gaming device and method where there is a primary game and a bonus game. The player makes a wager and plays the primary game to obtain an outcome. Before, during or after the primary game a bonus game is played, apart from the primary game, which can trigger an separate, unrelated award. A bonus award display displays any award from the bonus game.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. An electronic gaming apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a primary game display;

means for a player to make a wager to play the apparatus and to prompt play;

said processor configured to, in response to the prompting of play, (i) randomly select and display indicia at the primary game display to define a primary game winning or losing outcome, (ii) if the primary game outcome is a winning outcome, issue a primary game award to the player and (iii) randomly select, independent of the primary game outcome, between a secondary game trigger or no trigger condition;

a mechanical secondary game display having a display of a plurality of secondary game awards available to the player for the secondary game wherein said secondary game awards are displayed prior to the selection of said secondary name trigger condition, said display of the secondary game awards rotatable relative to said secondary game display, said secondary game display physically separate from said primary game display; and

said processor configured to, in response to the selection of the secondary game trigger condition, control said secondary game display of the secondary game awards for relative rotation to identify the selection of at least one of said displayed secondary game awards, and award a selected secondary game award to the player.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said display of secondary game awards includes a wheel to display secondary game awards, said wheel rotatable to select a displayed secondary game award.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said wheel includes segments each displaying a secondary award.

18. An electronic gaming apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a primary game display;

means for a player to make a wager to play the apparatus and to prompt play;

said processor configured to, in response to the prompting of play, (i) randomly select and display indicia at the primary game display to define a primary game winning or losing outcome, (ii) if the primary game outcome is a winning outcome, issue a primary game award to the player and (iii) randomly select, independent of the primary game outcome, between a secondary game trigger or no trigger condition;

a mechanical secondary game display having a display of a plurality of secondary game awards available to the player for the secondary game and an indicator wherein said secondary game awards are displayed prior to the selection of said secondary game trigger condition, at least one of said display of secondary game awards and said indicator relatively rotatable with respect to the other, said secondary game display physically separate from said primary game display;

said processor configured to, in response to the selection of the secondary game trigger condition, control said display of secondary game awards and said indicator for relative rotation, the alignment of said indicator and said display of secondary game awards identifying the selection of at least one of said displayed secondary game awards, and award a selected secondary game award to the player.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said display of secondary game awards includes a wheel, at least one of said wheel and indicator moveable relative to the other to select a displayed secondary game award.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said wheel includes segments each displaying a secondary award.

21. An electronic gaming apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a primary display communicating with said processor, said primary display controlled by said processor to display a primary game;

means for receiving a wager from a player communicating with said processor;

means for a player to prompt play of said primary game communicating with said data processor such that in response to the receipt of a wager and a player prompting play, the processor conducts said primary game by randomly selecting and displaying indicia at the primary game display to define a primary game winning or losing outcome and if said primary game outcome is a winning outcome issuing a primary game award to the player, said processor randomly selecting, independent of said primary game outcome and the size of said wager, between a secondary game trigger or no trigger condition; and

a secondary display physically separate from said primary display communicating with said processor, said secondary display including a mechanical wheel displaying a plurality of secondary game awards prior to the selection of said secondary game trigger condition and an indicator to select at least one of said secondary game awards, at least one of said mechanical wheel and said indicator rotatable with respect to the other by said processor in response to the selection of a secondary game trigger condition such that the positions of said mechanical wheel and said indicator randomly selects a secondary game award, said processor issuing said selected secondary game award to said player.