Gaming system having multiple gaming devices that share a multi-outcome display

• US 20060046822A1
• Filed: 08/26/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Carlisle, Christopher D., Baerlocher, Anthony J., Tedsen, Kirk A., Brill, Zeke, LeSourd, Kehl T., Kaminkow, Joseph E., Elias, Hans, MacVittie, Michael, Rodgers, Paulina, Wagner, Eric L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,427,236 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 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems

Abstract

A gaming device system in which a plurality of gaming devices are linked by a common bonus event is provided. In one embodiment, the linked gaming device system includes a shared symbol generation display that is positioned adjacent to each of a plurality of associated gaming devices and has a plurality of sections and values displayed at each section. Upon a triggering of the bonus event, any player eligible to participate in the bonus may achieve an outcome generated from the bonus event including the shared display. When the shared display is activated, it simultaneously generates a separate or individual outcome associated with each of the gaming devices. The outcomes are spatially related to one another so that a random generation of an outcome associated with one gaming device automatically generates random outcomes associated with each gaming device. Each gaming device however receives the outcome only if it has participated in the random generation.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a shared display operated under control of a processor; and

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine;

(a) including a game operable upon a wager by a player,

(b) including a triggering event, wherein after an occurrence of said triggering event on said gaming machine, said gaming machine becomes eligible to participate in one of a plurality of secondary events, each secondary event including an activation of the shared display, wherein

(i) for a first time period, said eligible gaming machine has an option to participate in a first secondary event which includes a first activation of the shared display, and

(ii) for a second time period, if said eligible gaming machine does not participate in the first secondary event, said eligible gaming machine has an option to participate in a second secondary event which includes a second activation of the shared display, and

(c) configured to provide one of a plurality of awards to a player of said eligible gaming machine based on the activation of the shared display of the secondary event which said gaming machine participates in.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the shared display includes a plurality of sections, wherein a plurality of the sections each include one of the awards and each section has a fixed relationship with respect to each other section.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the first secondary event includes a display of one of the awards for each gaming machine regardless of whether each gaming machine participates in the first secondary event.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the shared display includes a wheel, and the gaming machines are positioned adjacent to the wheel.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the awards are fixed on the wheel.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the shared display includes a substantially horizontally disposed wheel supported by a frame and having a plurality of sections which display the awards, the plurality of individual gaming machines arranged around the wheel, each gaming machine including a pointer positioned to indicate a section of the wheel and a candle extending upwardly from the pointer.

7. A gaming system comprising:

a secondary game operated under control of a processor;

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine;

(a) including a game operable upon a wager by a player, and

(b) including a secondary game triggering event, wherein after an occurrence of said secondary game triggering event on said gaming machine, said gaming machine becomes eligible to participate in one of a plurality of plays of the secondary game;

wherein after an occurrence of the secondary game triggering event on one of the gaming machines;

(i) for a first time period, each eligible gaming machine has an option to participate in a first play of the secondary game, and

(ii) for a second time period, for each eligible gaming machine, if said eligible gaming machine does not participate in the first play of the secondary game, said eligible gaming machine has an option to participate in a second play of the secondary game, and

wherein each gaming machine is configured to provide one of a plurality of awards to a player of said gaming machine based on the play of the secondary game said gaming machine participates in.

8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the shared display includes a plurality of sections, wherein a plurality of the sections each include one of the awards and each section has a fixed relationship with respect to each other section.

9. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the first play of the secondary game includes a display of one of the awards for each gaming machine regardless of whether each gaming machine participates in the first play of the secondary game.

10. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the shared display includes a wheel, and the gaming machines are positioned adjacent to the wheel.

11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the awards are fixed on the wheel.

12. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the shared display includes a substantially horizontally disposed wheel supported by a frame and having a plurality of sections which display the awards, the plurality of individual gaming machines arranged around the wheel, each gaming machine including a pointer positioned to indicate a section of the wheel and a candle extending upwardly from the pointer.

13. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein each gaming machine includes a countdown display operable to display a countdown to the end of the first time period.

14. The gaming system of claim 7, which includes a countdown display operable to display a countdown to the end of the first time period.

15. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the first time period is fixed.

16. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the second time period is fixed.

17. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a game operable upon a wager by a player;

a bonus gaming device operated under control of a processor;

a network connecting the plurality of gaming machines to the bonus gaming device; and

a bonus gaming device triggering event, wherein after an occurrence of the bonus gaming device triggering event, the processor;

(i) enables any eligible gaming machine to initiate a first play of the bonus gaming device,

(ii) after an initiation of the first play of the bonus gaming device, enables any other eligible gaming machine to selectively participate in the first play of the bonus gaming device, and

(iii) causes the first play of the bonus gaming device to display a separate outcome for each of the participating gaming devices in said first play of the bonus gaming device.

18. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein upon being enabled to participate in the first play of the bonus gaming device, an eligible gaming machine can be caused to not participate in the first play of the bonus gaming device.

19. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein the eligible gaming machine can be caused not to participate in the first play of the bonus gaming device by one of a random determination, a predetermined determination, and a player determination.

20. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein upon being enabled to participate in the first play of the bonus gaming device, an eligible gaming machine can be caused to participate in the first play of the bonus gaming device.

21. The gaming device of claim 20, wherein the eligible gaming machine can be caused to participate in the first play of the bonus gaming device by one of a random determination, a predetermined determination, and a player determination.

22. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein each gaming machine includes a bonus event countdown display operable to display a time period to participate in the first play of the bonus gaming device.

23. The gaming system of claim 17, which includes a bonus event countdown display operable to display countdown of a time period to participate in the first play of the bonus gaming device.

24. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the processor repeats (i) to (iii) for a second play of the bonus gaming device if at least one eligible gaming machine did not participate in the first play of the bonus gaming device.

25. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a base game operable upon a wager by a player;

a bonus game shared by the plurality of gaming machines, said bonus game including a plurality of outcomes;

each gaming machine having a bonus game triggering event, wherein for each gaming machine;

(i) when the bonus game triggering event occurs on said gaming machine, said gaming machine becomes an eligible gaming machine, and

(ii) when said eligible gaming machine participates in a play of the bonus game, said gaming machine becomes a non-eligible gaming machine; and

at least one processor operable to enable each eligible gaming machine to participate in a next play of the bonus game, wherein;

(a) after a previous play of the bonus game ends, each eligible gaming machine can initiate the next play of bonus game, and

(b) during a period of time after one of the eligible gaming machines initiates said next play of the bonus game, any other eligible gaming machine can join in said next play of the bonus game.

26. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein the bonus game includes a shared outcome display shared by the plurality of gaming machines.

27. The gaming system of claim 26, wherein the shared outcome display includes a plurality of sections, wherein a plurality of the sections each include one of the outcomes and each section has a fixed relationship with respect to each other section.

28. The gaming system of claim 25, which includes a bonus game countdown display operable to display a count to an end of the period of time.

29. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein each gaming machine includes a bonus game countdown operable to display a count to an end of the period of time.

30. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein each play of the bonus game includes a display of an outcome for each gaming machine regardless of the gaming machine participates in said play of the bonus game.

31. The gaming system of claim 25, wherein the period of time is fixed.